ELIZABETHAN HISTORY

Transcript Of Austrey's Elizabethan Wills and Inventories

By Alan Roberts

WILL OF RICHARD EDYS - 1543

17th June 1543, Reign of Henry VIII, 35th [?] Richard Edys of Austrey. Bequeaths soul to Almighty God and to the company of heaven, body to churchyard of Austrey &c.

.....12d son Leonard 12d.....12d, Cathedral Church of Lichfield [?] 12d, Martym? .....Elizabeth Edys my wife half the grain and all manner of cattle.....house .....these things.....that she may Elizabeth Edys and Roger Edys my son true .....executors.....they bring me to the ground and pay my debts &c son ..... Robert Crosse

Witnesses: Thomas Humphrey, ... Crosse, John Cooper [?], John Orton



INVENTORY OF RICHARD EDYS - 1543

True Inventory of Richard Edys, 'praised by John Cor.....William Molde, Richard Crispe, John Cobe the 2nd day of.....of 35th year of the reign of Henry VIII..&c

Folden table, chair, stools, form 3s 2d

Potts, pans, cawthorne & skillets 20s10d?

Pewter and candlesticks 6s 9d

Dishes and trenchers 2d

Chaffing dishes 18d

.......gridiron &c 2s 2d2 Flitches of bacon...4s

wool [?] 2s



INVENTORY OF JOHN WILKINSON - 1549

An inventory.....praised by Richard Kendall, Richard Molde, John Molde, Robert Bromefield, John Spencer.....18th October, 1549 .....&c

In the house folden table, coffer, an aumbre [?], 2 old chairs

In the chamber a mattress and bolster, flaxen and hemp sheets all belonging to a bed, coffer, brass pot, 3 pans old and new, 12 pieces of pewter, candlesticks, salt cellar, tencher and spoons, skillet &c

[in the yard] 5 horses and mares, kine, 10 swine, crop of corn, plough, harrows, geese etc.



WILL OF ROGER TAYLOR - 1554
(A TAILOR)

Dated 1st November.....for poor men's box 4d. To Richard Mixson [?] my son in law.....to Thomas Mixson, to Thomas Taylor, a charger, to Elizabeth Brown one strike of malt, to Jone Taylor my wife six coffers with all that is therein to do withal what her pleasure is at all times.....wife finding meat, drink and clothes ..... sendith my son Roger at all time being .....used and ordered as a trust my son Roger and Elizabeth his wife



WILL OF JOHN ORTON - 1559

Will 10th day of July, 1559.....goods and lands amongst my children to be divided among them. Eldest son Henry half my tacke wherein I dwell, other half which was purchased by my father to John Orton my son.....lease.....my house wherein I dwell and the demesne that belongs to it.....son John at Wareton.....Thomas Farmer my friend and kinsman.....



INVENTORY OF JOHN ORTON

Appraised by Richard Kendall, John Molde, Roger Clarke

In the hall a doser, a table, a form, stools, chairs and trestle

In the chamber three beds, two mattresses, two coverlets and window seat, 6 pair.....2 table charges, 2 napkins, 3 brass pots, 2 brass pans, 2 cauldrons, chafing dishes, 3 candlesticks, basins, porringers, potholders [?]

In an chamber 3 coffers.....

[In the yard]

Kine and bullocks, calves

Carts, harrows, ploughs, wood and timber, the cro, swine and poultry.



WILL OF RICHARD ORTON OF THE LEA GRANGE - 1582
(YEOMAN) P.C.C. PROB 11/65/15

Richard Orton of the Lea Grange, co. Leicester, yeoman.....body to be buried at Parish Church of Orton on the Hill as near unto the place where my father buried as conveniently may be.....to every cottier in Orton or Twycross 6d at discretion of executor.....for repair and mending of bridges- Feelden Bridge 12d, Harris Bridge 12d, Polesworth Bridge, one strike of malt, Bowe Bridge, one strike of malt, Hopwas Bridge 6d, Coulston Bridge 12d, Burton Bridge 12d, Lincoln Church 2d, parish church at Myronall 5s, Orton Church 5s 8d, Twycross Church 5s, Austrey Church 2s, Norton Church 5s. Every godchild 12d, every servant over and above their wages then due, 12d. Daughter Elizabeth Fletcher and her children 5s, wife Dorothy landed tenement &c in Orton which I purchased of Mr Thomas Langham of Gopshall.....during her natural life.....according to such assurance as I did by advice of learned counsel make to her of the same before I did marry with her. After her decease to son William and his heirs, for default of heirs to son Richard Orton, in default to his nephew Nicholas Orton of Whateley c. Warwick. To children of daughter Elizabeth Fletcher 20 from the estate. Wife and William Orton (son) to have and enjoy estate in the Lea Grange (bought from the Earl of Essex) wherein I now dwell during her life. [Various other bequests from estates in Orton, Norton, Twycross, Austrey, Merevale, Croxall etc.]

Signed (hand and seal) Witnessed by Richard Orton, Thomas Orton, Robert Holt.



INVENTORY OF WILLIAM CLARKE - 1588
(HUSBANDMAN)

[Inventory appraised] ..... by his honest neighbours Henry Taverner, Robert Spencer with others.....

5 kine, three score sheep, household goods (pewter &c)

apparel 20s. Total £ 21 - 4 - 4



INVENTORY OF ROBERT MARTIN - 1599
(THATCHER)


An Inventory taken the 24th day of October, 1599.....praised by William Crispe, John Irpe, John Cater &c. [converted to modern spelling]

In the house a table, a form, chair, cupboard, brass and pewter and other implements

In the chamber bedstead, 4 coffers, napperyware with the mattresses and bedlinens.

In the high chamber apples, cheeses, tub .....In the kitchen pots, two bottles, coals etc.In the buttery looms, butter, one kettleCorn and hay, lease, wood, swine and poultry, apparel and purse.Total value £ 17 - 5 - 0



© Transcribed by Alan Roberts, 2001

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