REMARKABLE BEQUESTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 202, 24 August 1904, Page 2

REMARKABLE BEQUESTS.

The annual ceremony held at Wotton, in Surrey—Evelyns Wotton—at the beginning of February, is :i genuine example of what may be called the Moral-pointing bequest. Nearly UOO years ago William Slanvilte, of Wotton. left by will £2 each for five boys who should successfully pass a certain test in religious instruction. The test consists of repeating the Cre#d, the Lord's Prayer, ami the Ten Commandments, of reading of the loth chapter of the Kirst Kpistle to the Corinthians, and of writing out two verses of the same. Another custom, of which the tomb of the originator is the , centre, is annually carried out In the prim old burial ground of St. Bartholomew the Great. Smithfield. Hither every Good Friday 21 widows of pood repute, and belonging to the parish if possible resort, and each picks a new sixpence from a certain tomb. Anxiety that his Bjp.mory should he kept green, as well as benevolence, would seem to hnvo inspired the testator, but such is the irony of fate, althonfh the custom is still carried out ar it has been for 400 years, the tomb is nameless. Henry ILnine, of St. George's-in-thc-Enst. Sttccpi rjpi! forttt'r. for his munificent bequest is one of the most remarkable among the many remarkable ones in London. Bequest, literally, it was not, for being a believer in the axiom "Bis dat qni r-ito dnt." he had not only built the schools which bear his name, but during his lifetime wai accustomed to do what by his will ho directed should be done ever after—namely. give every year a marriage portion of one hundred pounds to one of six girls, arred 'SA who had been educated at his schools, and who should draw lots for the prize. Kis only conditions -were tturt their husbands should be men of good character, approved fry the trustees, members of the Church of England, and ueither soldiprs nor sailors. So to this day. in the Vestry Hall of St. irp.org'e's-ln-the-Kast, the candidates Craw lots from an old tin tea canister which belonged lo the testßtor. and the weddings always take place on May Day.

The annual scnllins race for Dojrsretfs Pont and Radge is another wholesome observance •whic-fc. atthouch the jrlories of thp Thames as an oarsman's hichway have sndly diminished. Is still kept to the letter every Lammas Buy—Aumst Ist. was a comedian, and partly to celebrate tho Hnnovpr sucression. partly to encom - - H'jc the science of rowing amonsrst younf Thames vatprmon, hpfiueatbed funds for an fininfre-roioiired coat with a silver badpre Wanner thp ■white horse of Hanover, to he rowed rfor by ttie youn? watermen jnst out of their apprenticeship, ajralnst the current, from the Old Svrnn. London Bridge, to what used to be the Old Swan, bnt where is now Cadopao Fier, Chelsea. To this other sums were added by the Pishnronirors' Company and Sir William Joltffe. so that although only one man wins the Coat and Badge., every competitor gets a money prize. ' The strict observance of a rery curious bequest is still kept at the tittle Kentish viilaj:<? of Biddenden. Many years aeo. bnt not in the twelfth contury ns reported. two Biddenden ladies joined together at birth and undivided by death, left a piece of land the rental of which was to be devoted to the distribution on Easter Sunday morning, to all who come, of cheese, ale. and flour cakes stamped with the images of the testatrices.