Will of Thomas Cowper, husbandman, 1547

Herts RO 297 AW6

In the name of god Amen the xxviij day of July and in the yere of  [our lor]de god A thowsand Five hundred and seven & fortye.  I Thomas Cowp(er) of Schypton in the p(ar)yshe of  Wynslowe husbandman beynge syke in body and hole in my soule  I thanke I(es)u dothe orden & make thys thys my last wyll & testament in man(er) & Forme Folowing. Fyrst I bequethe my soule to Allmyghty god to oure blessyd lady saynt mary & to all the blessyd company of hevyn and my body to be buryyd w(i)th in the chyrcheyard of saynt Laurence in Wynslowe afforesayd Fyrst I bequethe to the hyghe aulter of saynt Laurenc(e) in the p(ar)yshe of Wynslowe afforesayd for my tythes neglegently forgotyn one bushell of whete. It(e)m I bequethe to ev(er)y aulter in the same chyrche a buschell of mault. It(e)m I bequethe to the bells a buschell of mault. It(e)m to the Roode lyght ij buschells of mault. It(e)m I gyve to John my soonn my howse and the churcheweyke all as yt stands except vj tresse of the best. It(e)m to the sayd John iiij Okenes treys of the best that he can chowys (tha)t lythes at ye yards ende. It(e)m I bequethe to the sayd John Fortie schyllyngs. And that Jayffray my sone schall paye the sayd John at foure sundrie tymes by evyn p(ar)cells (tha)t ys to saye w(i)th in the space of Fowre yeres after Crystmas next cummyng. It(e)m I give to the sayd John a dun(n)e kowe and a blake heyffare at Alys Knyghts of Wynslowe. It(e)m I gyve to the sayd John Fowre scheep and x hyffys w(i)th the beene as they stande. It(e)m I gyve to the sayd John a ewe & a lame and halffe the howshold stuffe. It(e)m I gyve to Thomas Cowp(er) a browne wegnyng kowe caulffe and halffe a quarter of malt and the sayd halffe quarter of mault to be payd w(i)th in fyve yeres here aft(er) Folowyng yff that the sayd Thomas Cowp(er) do lyve or ells the halffe quarter of malt to be voyde. The resydewe of my goods moveable nor unmoveable nother gyvyn nor bequethyd [deletion] I gyve them holy to Maryone my wyffe whome I make my soole executryx to see my detts and bequethes payyd and my body honestly brought to the erthe and yf yt chaunc(e) (tha)t ye sayd Maryone do dep(ar)t thys p(re)sent worlde than I wyll that Jaffray and John my soonnys schall bee my executours and the sayd Jayffray to see my detts payyd & bequethes and my body to be brought honestly to the grownde \and he \the said Jaffrey/ to have the rest of my goods unbequethed/. Allso I order & make Thomas Elyott and Robert Weebbe my over sears & the sayd Thomas Elyott to have iiij d for hys paynes takyng and Robert Weebb(e) to have the dryyng of a quart(er) of mault. Thyes beyng wyttnesses Thomas Grawnge curatt Thomas Jaye Robert Elyott Anthony Wendylborrowe w(i)th other mo(re)

[Latin] Probatum per me[?] Wm Sparks iiijto Octobris Anno domini 1547 iuramento Galfridi \unius sive alterius/ executoris cui commissa fuit administratio & c de bene &c iurato Reservata potestate \simil’ permission’ faciendi Johan’ Cowper/ alter’ ex’ cum venerit &c in debita iuris forma admissur’

[translation] Proved by me William Sparks on 4 October 1547 on the oath of Geoffrey, one or other of the executors, to whom administration was entrusted, etc., to well etc., on oath, with power reserved likewise of granting permission to John Cowper the other executor when he comes, etc., to admit him in due form of law.


Inventory of Thomas Cowper, 1547

Herts RO A25/39

The inventary of the goodes of Thomas Cowper of [Shypton?] made the iiijth day of Septembre and in the yere of our lorde god m vc [xvi]j by Walter Myllar al(ia)s Graunt [?Willi]am Buckingh(a)m Thomas Tomlyn and Will(ia)m Hawkyns

Howsshowlde stuffe
In primis in the chamber two mattresys. two coverletts, viij payre of sheetes, thre Cofers and a paire of blancketts 

viij s
It(e)m in brasse and pewter
viij s
It(e)m a table and a forme a chayre a cupboorde, iiij cushyns and the hangings in the hall 
vjs viij d
It(e)m in Coppere ware that is to say in Tubbes and fatts
vj s viij d
S(u)m(ma)  
xxix s  iiij d 
Cattall 
It(e)m horsses and mares, cart and carte gayre  plow and  plow gayre praysed all to gethere at
iij li vi s viij d
It(e)m Bullocks and Callves 
iij li vi s viij d
It(e)m vij hogs & stores and Geese Ducks & Hennes 
xx s
It(e)m thre Ewys and three Lambes   
viij s
It(e)m x hyves w(it)h bees   
vj s viii d
S(u)m(ma)  
viij li viij s
Corne and wood
It(e)m all kind of corne estemed to be worthe in thole
iiij l x s
It(e)m in woode
ij s
S(u)m(ma)  
iiij li xij s
In money
It(e)m in redy monney  at the tyme of his deceas  
xiiij d
S(u)m(ma)  
pat(et)
Sperat Debts due to the Estate
It(e)m Mr Boston
xviij d
Item more by him for sowing of a londe of wheate 
iiij d
It(e)m more by him for carienge of three lodes of corne    
vj d
It(e)m Wm Sewster
iiij d
S(u)m(ma)   
ij s viij d
 
S(u)m(ma) Totalis huius Inventarij
xiiij li xiij s ij d
Debts by the Testatour
[blank]

 


Notes

churcheweyke: Church-wick? Unidentified.

Okenes treys: oak trees?

Coppere ware: i.e. cooper's ware

stores: pigs for fattening (OED, store n.9)


Click on the pictures for full images of the documents:

The will:

Will of Thomas Cowper

 

The inventory:

Inventory of Thomas Cowper

Copyright 20 August, 2015