amongst them by the mayor and vicar, for the time being, every Christmas for ever.

The said Thomas Sayle omitted to appoint trustees to receive the said one hundred pounds, on which account a commission for pious uses was held at Snaith, and an inquisition taken the 18th April, 1674, and it was decreed that John Frank, Esq. then mayor, Samuel Drake, D. D. and William Wilkinson, should stand and be trustees to receive the same, and that it should remain a stock for ever, and the income and profits thereof be distributed yearly, by the mayor and the minister of the town, for the time being, and their successors for ever.

Some years afterwards the trustees applied the money to different purposes than those intended by the donor, and another commission for pious uses was held at Barnsley, on the 2nd June, 1678, and a decreetal order was then made that the said one hundred pounds should be paid to Mr. Thomas Jackson, then mayor, Mr. Drake, then vicar, Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, who soon after the receipt thereof should purchase land of inheritance of the clear yearly value of six pounds, to the use of the said Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, during the natural lives of Richard Lyle, Hastings Sayle and Thomas Sayle, and after their decease to the use of the said mayor and vicar for the time being, and their successors for ever, in trust, nevertheless to and for the charitable use aforesaid.

The said one hundred pounds was afterwards received by the said Hastings Sayle, who purHhh

chased the close hereafter mentioned therewith, and by his will, dated July 23, 1721, did give and devise unto the poor of Pontefract, one close in Purston Jacklin, called Lady Close, then in the possession of Robert Lorryman, in lieu and consideration of and satisfaction for the said one hundred pounds, so received by the testator, Hastings Sayle, and given by the said Thomas Sayle as aforesaid.

To the intent and purpose that the mayor and vicar of Pontefract, for the time being, and their successors for ever, might annually receive the rents and profits thereof, then about six pounds, and distribute the same yearly at Christmas.

September 11, 1722, Mr. William Kitchingham, by deed, confirmed the title of the above close to the said mayor and vicar, and their successors for ever, in trust for the uses before mentioned.

The Corporation's Bequest.

The corporation of Pontefract purchased eight acres and a half of land, (query if not a close at Purston-Row of six acres two rood and ten perches, and a close in West Field, of two acres one rood and twelve perches,) in the West Field, of William York, Esq. and Mrs. Heptinstall, for the use of the poor for ever.

Mr. John Acaster's Bequest.

Mr. John Acaster, by his will, gave three bushels of wheat, to be paid annually out of the

rents and profits of his house and garden in Micklegate, (now the eastern part of Mr. Seaton's house and yard,) to be distributed every Christmas, by the overseers of the poor, for ever, to as many poor widows in Micklegate as they shall think most needful.

Mrs. Dorothy Frank's Bequest.

Mrs. Dorothy Frank, by her will dated the 29th of March, 1728, gave one hundred pounds to be laid out in land, the rents and profits thereof to be distributed as follows, thirty shillings to the Charity School of Pontefract, and the remainder to be annually distributed to the poor people of the town of Pontefract, at Christ

at the discretion of Robert Frank, Esq. Nicholas Torre, Esq. and the vicar of Pontefract, for the time being, who are appointed trustees for the same.

A close at Darrington was purchased of Joshua Wilson, Esq, with the above one hundred pounds, and thirty shillings is paid to the Charity School, and the remainder of the rent, it is presumed, is distributed yearly at the discretion of Mr. Frank.

Mr. Fothergil's Donation for the Appointment of a Catechist or Lecturer.

The Reverend Marmaduke Fothergil, the proprietor of the land called Frier Wood, not having any children, and considering the duty of the parish too great to be discharged by the vicar, conveyed the land above mentioned

to the Archbishop of York, Sir Wm. Dawes, in trust for the support and maintenance of a catechist to serve in the church of St. Giles.

By deed, bearing date Jan. 3, 1716, after specifying the reasons which had influenced him to make the bequest, and pointing out the property, he then adds, "To have and to hold the said messuages or tenements and cottages, garths, gardens, lands, tenements, and premises above mentioned, with all their rights and appurtenances whatsoever to the said Sir William Dawes, and his successors in the see of York, to and for the only proper use, benefit and behoof, of him the said Marmaduke Fothergil and Dorothy his now wife for and during their natural lives, and from and immediately after the deaths of them the said Marmaduke Fothergil and Dorothy, then to and for the several uses hereafter mentioned and declared of and concerning the same (that is to say) to and for the use of his Grace the Lord Archbishop of York and his successors for ever, in trust, that nevertheless all the rents, issues and profits thereof may half yearly be paid to for and towards the support and maintenance of a chatechist in the chapel of St. Giles within the town of Pontefract aforesaid, or in the parish Church of Pontefract when rebuilt, whom the said Archbishop of York and his successors, from time to time, shall and may always nominate after the deaths of the said Marmaduke Fothergil and Dorothy his wife; provided that the said archbishop and his successors shall and may impose such further obligation of duty as in his wisdom he shall think most reasonable for the catechist to do

and perform in the discharge of his office, and for neglect or omission of such duty of the said catechist, the said archbishop and his successors shall and may from time to time proceed against such catechist and catechists by what ecclesiastical censure, even to deprivation, as he or they in their great wisdom shall think most expedient, provided always, and it is the true intent and meaning of the said Marmaduke Fothergil, that the said Frier Wood and the houses, garths, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements and premises, and all their appurtenances shall from time to time and at all times be let and disposed of without any foregift at the utmost and full improved extended yearly rent and income by his Grace the Lord Archbishop of York for the time being. And whereas the parish of Pontefract aforesaid is too great for the sole discharge of the vicar thereof, therefore the said vicar of Pontefract shall not at any time be catechist, neither at the same time shall the catechist be vicar of Pontefract aforesaid, but the respective discharge of their duties shall always be distinct and executed by two different persons. And the said Marmaduke Fothergil for himself and his heirs doth hereby covenant, grant and agree to and with the said Sir William Dawes, Archbishop, and his successors, that the said Marmaduke Fothergil, at the time of sealing and executing of these presents, is and standeth lawfully seized of a good estate of inheritance of and in the houses, garths, gardens, orchards, lands, tenements and premises thereunto belonging, with their and every of their appurtenances, and hath in himself good right and full power and lawful