Inventory of William Davyes, chapman, 1588

Herts RO A25/1233

This transcription has been made from a printout of a microfilm. Some of the difficult words and names might be more legible in the original document.

The trew and parfit Inventorye of all and Singuler the warres goods debits and Cattells of Will(i)am Davis of Wynslow in the Counti of Buck deaseased the vij^th day of October Last past and praysed by Anthony Jacson Gilbert Stuchberye & [blank] Byrche the second day of November in an(no) d(om)ini 1588 In the xxx^th yere of ye Reign of owr Sov(er)aign Laydye Quyne Elizabeth etc.

[Presented by Robert Daunce clerk, proxy of Emma Davyes, administratrix, .. Nov 1588]

Accounts of the estate of William Davyes, 1588/9

Herts RO A25/4807

[The Acco]mpt of Emme Davyes Administratrix of the debts and Cattells of Will(ia)m Davyes late of Wynslowe in the Cowntye of Bucks Chapman deceased wherin are specified and conteyned as well the Som(m)e Totall of the Invententary of the goods debts and Cattells of the said deceased and the iust value of the same according to the iust and equall  praisement therof made w(hi)ch came to the handes and possession of this Accomptant, as also the manner and forme how and in what p(ar)ticuler sorte the said Emme hath satisfied expended and paid beyonde the value of the same goods

[Latin]

May it be known to all by the present (documents) that we, Roger Williams, Bachelor of Theology, deputy of the Venerable Master William Huchenson, Archdeacon of St Albans of the diocese of London, having heard and received the account of Emma Davyes, administratrix of all and singular the goods, rights, credits and chattels of the said William Davyes, lately while he lived of Wynslo in our archidiaconal jurisdiction, deceased intestate, concerning her administration of the goods, rights, credits and chattels: whereas we have found from the above account and inventory that the said Emma Davyes has well, faithfully and fully administered these goods, rights, credits and chattels, and rendered a true and faithful account of them, and also done satisfaction and made payment to the deceased's creditors, we have dismissed, acquitted and exonerated the said Emma Davyes, she having sworn in due form of law on God's holy gospels in the person of William Lunt alias Spooner her legitimate and sufficient proxy, from rendering any further account (not affecting anyone's right), and provided she is not convicted of malice or fraud in this matter, and by the present (documents) we dismiss, acquit and exonerate her.

[dated 3 Feb 1588]

[page 3 - another hand]

Be it knowne unto all men by theis presents that I W(illia)m Davis of Winchelooe [sic] in the Countie of Buckingham Chapman doe acknowledge and Confesse myselfe for to owe unto John Allott Citezen and alderman of London the some of Twentey Eight pounds foore shillings Corrant English money w(hi)ch is for to be paide unto the afore named John Allott Alderman his heires excecutors adminestrators or assignes in manner and forme [follo]winge that is to saye at or upon the viij^th Daye of February next ensuenge the Daye of the Daite here of the some of Tenne pounds eighttene shillings foore pence and at or upon [the] vij^th Daie of Aprell next and imediatly followinge afte[r ....] the some of seaventene pounds five shillings eight pence [....] the w(hi)ch payments well and treuly for to be made at their severall dayes I the afore named W(illia)m Davis doe bynde me my heares excecutors adminestrators and assignes p(er) this presents and in wyttnes of the treuthe here of unto theis presents I have sette my Hande and seale yeame [sic] this vij^th daie of Januarii an(no) 1586 and in the xxix^tie yeare of the Rainge of our soverainge Ladey Elizabethe by the grace of god of Englande, Fraunce, and Ireland & Quene Defendris of the Faithe

Sealed and delivered
in the presence of John Allott
the yonger and of me Rob(ert) Met[....]
by me William Davis

[page 4 - another hand]

Be it knowen unto All men by these p(rese)nts that I Will(ia)m Davis of Winchlowe in the Countye of Bucks Chapman doe owe unto John Allott Cyttizen and Alderman of London the som of xxj li xvj s & [sic] the w(hi)ch som viz Twenty one pownds Sixteen shillings tenn pence of good and lawfull money of England is to be well and Trewlie paide unto the Fores[aid] John Allott his heiers excecutors or assignes one the Sixte[enth dai]e of December next ensuing the daite hereof for the w(hi)ch [pay]ment well and trewlie to be made I the aforenamed [William] Davis doe binde me my heiers excecutors and ad[ministrato]rs and in wytnes wherof have caused this bill to be [..... an]d hath sette my hand and Sealle this xvij^th daie of September a(nn)o 1588 and in the xxxth yeare of the raign of ou(r) sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god of England Fraunce and Irlande Queene defendor of the Faythe

by me Wylliam Davis

[Grant?]ed and all in the p(rese)nts[?]
of me John Peearse [?]

[page 5 - Latin]

London. Memorandum that on the Tuesday after the Octave of Michaelmas in the same term before the Lady Queen at Westminster, John Allott, citizen & alderman of London came through William Allen his attorney, and brought here in the Queen's court his bill against Emma Davys widow, administratrix of all and singular the goods, rights and credits which were her late husband William Davyes' who died intestate as it is said in the custody of the Mar(shal?) etc., on a plea of debt. Pledges for proceeding: John Sno, Richard Roo. The bill was acknowledged in these words. London. John Allott, citizen and alderman of London complains against Emma Davys widow, administrator of all and singular the goods right and credits which were her late husband William Davys' who died intestate as it is said in the custody of the barrister[?] of the Queen's Marshal, being before the Queen herself, on a plea that she should render to him twenty-eight [pounds] and four shillings of good and legal money of England which she unjustly withholds from him, namely that the aforesaid William in his life, on 7 January in the 29th year of the reign of the Lady Elizabeth now Queen of England, at London in the parish of the Blessed Mary of Bow in the ward of Cheape London, (gave) a bill of obligation of his sealed with William's own seal in his lifetime, now shown here in the court of the Lady Queen, dated the same day and year, acknowledging that he owed the said John Allott the said £28 4s to be paid to him, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns in the manner and form following, namely at and upon 8 February following £10 18s 4d, and at and upon 7 April following £17 5s 8d. But the aforesaid William in his life and the aforesaid Emma his wife, although often requested etc., have not paid, and the aforesaid William in his life and the aforesaid Emma after William's death have refused to pay, and Emma still refuses to pay and withholds unjustly, to a loss for John himself of £10. And hence the aforesaid suit[?]. And the aforesaid Emma comes in person and says that she cannot deny the bill formerly made by William, nor does she withhold from John the £28 4s to be paid in the manner and form which John has claimed against her. Therefore John is awarded recovery from emma of the debt and also 10s for his expenses and costs in bringing suit in this matter, awarded to John with his agreement by the Queen's court from the goods and [chattels] which were William Davyes' at the time of his death in the hands of the administratrix if she has that much, and if not then from the goods and chattels of Emma herself. And Emma is amerced.

[English] Satyfsaccion ys acknowledged [ - - - ] and the byll delyvred

Notes

The inventory is used as a source by Margaret Spufford, The Great Reclothing of Rural England: Petty Chapman and their Wares in the Seventeenth Century (London: Bloomsbury, 1984).

William Davies or Davers was buried at Winslow on 6 Oct 1588. He married Emma Lunt alias Spooner on 12 Oct 1584. Elaborate provisions for their son Nicholas were made by her father Nicholas Lunt, smith, in his will of 1591. There was also a daughter Elizabeth. Emma married as her second husband Thomas Stuchbury.

Gilbert Stuchbury, one of the appraisers, was described as a mercer in his will of 1595, and probably carried on William's business, perhaps in a less ambitious form. The third appraiser, Mr Birch, whose first name was evidently not known to the other two, may have been sent from London to look after the interests of William's creditors.

di: i.e. dimidium = half

Lockeram = lockram: a linen fabric of various qualities (Bucks Probate Inventories)

dowlas: a coarse kind of linen cloth named after Daoulas, Brittany (Bucks Probate Inventories)

mynsters: perhaps Kidderminster stuff, a fabric in which the pattern is formed by the intersection of two cloths of different colours (Bucks Probate Inventories)

tylthe = tilte: a covering of coarse cloth, usually hair cloth (Bucks Probate Inventories)

durance: a stout, durable cloth (OED, s.v., n.3)

moccado = mockado: a type of velvet with a woollen warp and linen weft (Dictionary of Traded Goods)

Lewen taffytye = levant taffeta (Dictionary of Traded Goods)

Inkill = inkle: linen tape (OED)

pote paper = pott paper, 12.5 x 15.5" (OED)

cards: for carding wool

Statute Lace: i.e. lace whose width was fixed by statute (OED)

cruell = crewel: a thin, worsted yarn (OED)

bonlac = bone-lace?

crost clothes = cross-cloth: a linen cloth worn across the forehead (OED)

ob = obolus: ½d

John Allott: he was Lord Mayor of London 1590-1

Marshal: presumably William had been arrested for debt and was in the Marshalsea prison.