Will of Thomas Cowper, butcher, 1592/3

Herts RO 33AW6

the third daie of marche in the year of lord god 1593 \and/ if the raigne of the our soveraigne
ladie the queen that now is the xxxvth

In the name of god amen I Thomas Cowper \of Winslowe in the county of  Buck bocher/ sick in bodie and in parfit
mynd thancks be given to god I do the bequethe my soule to the almightie
god and my bodie to be buried in the churche yard of Winslowe \aforesaid/
Item I bequethe to my Daughter Brigeat the one half of my
movable goods w(i)th my wyfe \Margaret/ and I make \the said Margaret/ my wife full exsecutor
of all \the rest of  my goods and/ my Detts Due unto me  It(e)m I bequethe to Seathe Masson
his sonnes xviij d a peec and his daughters xij d a peec, \and/ Brigeat
my Daughter to paie them [deletion] accordinge to a surrender gevin in to
the hands of John Shelton & John Jacsonne to the behoof of
Brigeat my Daughter \of/ all my land to her and to her ears for
ever at the the next court holden at Winslowe after the
custome and manner of Winslowe  It(e)m I bequethe to my
sister Jone xl s It(e)m I bequethe to the churche of Winslowe
iij s iiij d It(e)m I surrender in to the hands of Jhon John Shelton
and John Jacson j acare of ancars lands to the behoof of
Marrion my sister and [deletion] her eayres for ever and my will
is that my wife [deletion] shall have all my land that my Daughter
is to have surrender of for ix years my after my decease

These being witnesses

John Shelton  His marcke

Thomas Graunt His marcke

John Jacson [signature]

[Probate granted 13[?] March to Margaret the widow by proxy of William Turner]

Inventory of Thomas Cowper, 1592/3

Herts RO A25/1375

The True and Perfitt Inventary of all and singuler the goods Detts and Cattells of Thomas Cowper late of Wynslo in the Cowntye of Buck deceased made and praysed the xith daye of March in the yeare of our lord god after the Computac(i)on of the Church of England 1592 by John Shelton Thomas Grauntt and John Jackson

In the hall
In Primis a Table a frame vj stooles 
and the paynted clothes 		xiij s  iiij d
In the Parlo(ur)
Item a Bedstede and the furniture    xxvj s  viij d
Item a round Table w(i)th a frame; two 
fourms a Chest thre Cofers and a Chayer		 xvj s
Item a warming panne and a brusshe ij s
Item xj payre of sheetes, thre table
clothes viij napkyns and v pillowberes		 xliij s  iiij d
In the lofte over the Parlo(ur)
Item a Bedstede a mattresse a bolster
a quylte and a pillow 		xj s viij d
In the Chamber over the hall
It(e)m one cov(er)lett iiij s
Item two Bedstedes thre mattresses, a
Coverlett thre blankets thre bolsters
and thre pillowes 		xxx s
Item a Table and a frame iij s iiij d
In the Chamber over the entrye
Item Item two Bedstedes two mattresses, a
quylte a coverlet and two bolsters		 xx s
Item a table and tressells xviij d
In the Chamber over the kytchen
Item a bedstede a quylte a coverlet
a blanckett and a litle Table		 xx s
Item a Portall of waynscot and a Chayer iij s iiij d
In the kytchen
Item a furnace, fower brasse pannes
fyve kettles, two potts and two chafers 		xlxj s
Item two gosse panes and a payre of Andirons
a spitte a mouldinge borde and a troughe		 vj s
Item a fourme xij d
Item thre glass wyndowes v s

In the Butterye
Item xviij pewter platters small and
greate two quarte pottes and a dosen of Sawcers 		xxiij s
Item a litle Table xij d
Item a messhinge fatt a yeeldinge fatt
vij Tubbes a kever w(i)th bucketts and paylis
spoons Trenchers and disshes 		xiij s iiij d
Item fower candelstickes fower saltes
and a Chafinge disshe 		iiij s
In the mylhouse
Item a garner vi s xiij d
Item a nagge vi s xiij d
Item two Sowes thre shoats and xvij pygges xlvj s
Item wheate and Rye; peason and hay xl s
Item the Tymber with all other kynde
of wood as fewell 		viij li
Item the palis in the yard iij s iiij d
Item all his wearing Apparell xx s
   
Su(m)ma Totalis
 xxviij li  viij s  ij d
signu(m) Will(el)mi Turner p(ro)cur(ator)is Executricis

[Inventory presented on 13 Mar 1592 by William Turner, proxy of Margaret Cowper]

Accounts of the estate of Thomas Cowper, 1602

Herts RO A25/4756

[The true] and faithfull Accompte of Margaret Chy[nell]  [...........................] last will and Testament of Thomas Cowper late whyle he lyved of Wynslo [in the county of]  Bucks, deceased specifyeinge and conteyninge as well all the Some Total of the Inventary [of the goods] debts and Cattells of the sayd deceased and the iust value of the same as they were [------] equally praysed, As also the maner howe and in what sorte she hath expended satisfied and layd out of the same goods as followeth
In Primis the sayd Accomptant doth Charge herself w(i)th the Some of xxviij li viij s ij d of lawfull money of England w(hi)ch is the Some of the Inventary of the goods debts cattells of the said Thomas Cowper deceased as appeareth by the said Inventary exhibited by this Accomptant remayninge upon Recorde in the Regestrye of this Courte
28
8
2
Wherof expended satisfied payd and layd out by this Accomptant w(hi)ch she desireth  to be allowedunto her the p(ar)ticular Somes followinge
In Primis she asketh allowance of such charges as she was at about the Buriall of the said Thomas Cowper deceased and the Charges therunto incident w(i)th such other chargesas she was at and bestowed upon the neighbors w(hi)ch accompanyed the said deceased to his buriallthe Some of
10
Item she asketh allowance of the Some of xiiij iiij s j d for the value of the one half of the movable goods of the said deceased as they be praysed and valued at in the foresaid Inventary, w(hi)ch was geven and bequeathed by the said deceased in his last will and Testament unto Brigett his daughter as by the foresaid will and Inventary [....]  the w(hi)ch this Accomptant referreth herself doth appear, and were accordingly unto the said Brigett payd and satisfied
14
4
1
Item she asketh allowance of iij s iiij d of lawfull money of England w(hi)ch she thisAccomptant hath paid unto the Mr Philip Fav(o)r then vicar of Wynslo for a mortuary due unto him by the death of the said deceased
3
4
Item she asketh allowance of xl s of the lik money w(hi)ch she hath satisfied and payd unto Joanne Rolles the Sister of the said deceased beinge a legacy geven and bequeathed unto her in the said last will & Testament of the foresaid Thomas Cowper deceased as by the same doth appear
40
Item she asketh allowance of iij s iiij d w(hi)ch she this Accomptant hath satisfied and payd unto the Church wardens of Wynslo aforesaid to the use of the Church of Wynslo, being geven and bequeathed therunto by the said deceased in his said last will and Testament as by the same doth appear
3
4
Item for the drawinge of the said last will and Testament of the foresaidsaid deceased and for the making of the Inventary of his goods and bestowed upon the praysers therof and the writer
2
Item for the proveing of the said will and engrosing the same, engrosing the foresaid Inventary duplicate, for the Apparitors fee and band entred for her faithfull p(er)formance of the said will
11
2
Item she prayeth to be allowed all such Charges as she is now at about the passinge of this her Accompt, viz for the process wherby she is called therunto for thexecuting therof and act of the Court
5
Item for the draweing of this her Accompt in paper to remayne upon Recorde in the Regestrye of this Courte
2
Item for thexaminacon and allowance of this Accompte
3
4
Item for engrossinge this Accompte in to Parchment  to passe under the Seale of  the Office
3
4
Item for the Quietus est or letters of Aquitance and Seale of the Office therunto annexed
13
10
           Sum(m)a erogat(a)
19
1
5
                      So remayning in the hands of this Accomptant the Some of
9
11
9
w(hi)ch she desireth to be allowed unto her by the devise Of the said last will or testament as by the said doth appeare, and wherunto she refereth her self

[Latin] We James Rolf MA etc., legitimately deputed official, inform everyone by the present documents that on 1 June 1602 at St Albans of the said archidiaconal jurisdiction, the account having been heard and received by us of Margaret Chynnall alias Cowper, executrix of the testament or last will of Thomas Cowper, lately while he lived of Wynslo, her deceased husband, concerning and on the execution of the will of the said deceased and administration of the goods, rights, credits and chattels of the same deceased.  Whereas from this above-written account we have found the said Margaret Chynnall alias Cowper well and truly to have administered these goods and to have rendered a true and faithful account of them, therefore we have discharged, acquitted and exonerated Margaret Chynnall alias Cowper the executrix, having first been sworn in due form of law on God’s holy gospels concerning  the above in the person of [blank] Chynnall her husband as if in her own person[?], from making any further account, not infringing anyone’s right and provided there is no contest about deceit or fraud in this matter hereafter,  and by the present documents we discharged, acquit and exonerate her. 
In testimony of which, given the year, day, month and place aforesaid.
[signed] Thomas Rokett

Notes

Thomas Cowper married Margaret Turson [Turner?] at Winslow on 26 Nov 1570. Margaret Cowper married John Chynnell on 2 May 1596.

Bridget daughter of Thomas Cooper was baptised at Winslow on 2 Nov 1573. She married Nicholas Michel on 20 Nov 1593.

Seathe Masson: Seth Masson married Marian Cowper (the sister mentioned later in the will) at Winslow on 15 Jan 1570/1, so the children were Thomas Cowper's nephews and nieces.

ears, eayres = heirs

ancars lands = Amkerslond in the medieval Court Books. It was in the fields of Winslow, and Henry Thomlyn held land there in 1433.

Portall: OED, s.v. Portal 1b: "A space within the doorway of a room, partitioned off by an inner door; the inner door to such a space (sometimes forming a movable piece of furniture)."

mouldinge borde = moulding board: a board or table on which dough or paste is kneaded and shaped (OED).

messhinge fatt = mashing vat, for mixing ground malt with hot water for brewing (OED).

yeeldinge fatt = yealding vat: also mentioned in the same context in the inventory of Robert Maynwaring, 1650. Used for fermenting the wort in brewing (A History of Beer and Brewing (2003), 352).

garner: a storehouse for corn

shoat: a young weaned pig (OED)

palis: a fence of pales (OED)

Sum(m)a erogat(a): the correct total is £18 1s 5d.

Copyright 20 August, 2015