Will of Anthony Jackson of The Bell, yeoman, 1591/2

Herts RO 7AR147

In the name of God Amen in the yeare of o(ur) lorde 1591 The first daye of February on the xxxiiijth yeare of the Reigne of o(ur) sov(er)eigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the Fayth &c I Anthony Jackeson of Wynslowe in the Cowntye of Bucks yeoman beinge sicke in body but whole in mynde and of good and p(er)fett Remembrance, thanks be geven to god, do Ordeyne this my last will and Testament in maner and forme folowinge.  First I com(m)itt my Sowle into the handes of the Almighty my maker, assuredly trustinge to be saved by the deathe and meritts of his sonne Jesus Christ. As for my body I will that it be buryed in the p(ar)ishe Churcheyarde of Wynslowe aforesaid or elswhere.  Furthermore I geve and bequeathe to the poore of this p(ar)ishe of Wynslowe x s to be distributed at the discretion of Mr Peter Fige and John Jackeson my brethren whom I have entreated and made to be Overseers of this my last will, unto whom also I geve and bequeathe v s a peece. Also I geve and bequeathe unto Elizabeth my daughter xl li. Unto Alyce my daughter I geve xx li and unto Jane Jackson my daughter I geve v li Alwayes provyded that if it shall happen the sayd Elizabeth or Alyce or either of them to dye before their marriage, That then the bequeste of them or either of them so dyeinge shalbe devyded equally amongest the rest of my daughters. Item I geve unto my daughter Dorothye x s a yeare, yearely to be payd unto her duringe her life. Item I geve and bequeathe unto Anthony Partridge xx s. And unto Will(ia)m Jackson I geve x s. Item I geve and bequeathe unto my wyfe Mowlde Jackson (whom also I do make my full and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament a lease of a Close com(m)only called Ponde Close together w(i)th all the Com(m)odityes of my house called the Bell and of my landes whatsoev(er) lyeinge w(i)thin the p(ar)ishe of Wynslowe aforesaid To have and to holde the foresaid house and landes from the Feast of St Michaell tharchangell next and immediately ensueinge the date herof for the space of iij whole yeares next followinge. And after that terme so accomplished and ended further to enioye and have the com(m)odityes of the sayd house and landes for the space of one whole yeare next ensueinge the thre next. And lastly I geve and bequeathe towards the reparac(i)on of the Churche of Wynslowe v s.  Made and assigned in the p(re)sence of Arthur Scofelde Peter Fige John Jackson Robert Lownes his marke. The marke of Anthony Jackson.

[probate to Mowlde Jackson 18 Feb 1591 through her proxy Peter Fige]

Inventory of Anthony Jackson, 1591/2

Herts RO A25/1351

The true and perfitt Inventarye of all and singuler the goods debts and chattells of Anthonye Jackson while he lived of Winslowe in the cowntye of Bucks yeoman deceased, made and praised the fiftene daye of Februarye A(nn)o d(omi)ni iuxta curs(um) &c 1591 By Peter Fige, Robert Lownes John Jackson and Thomas Robynson.

In the halle
Imprimis twoe tables w(i)th frames eighte ioyned stooles w(i)th sixe cushyons xx s
In the little p(ar)lor
Item a cupborde a sape a trunke, a table with a frame a fourme a chayre w(i)th the wainscott xxx s
Item a bedsteade a featherbedd twoe boulsters a pillowe twoe blamcketts and a rugge xl s
In the great Parlor
Item a table with a frame a forme a stoole and a chayer x s
Item a standinge Bed, a Fetherbed, a mattresse, two bolsters, a pillowe, two blancketts a Coveringe a Trucklebed, a Fetherbed, two bolsters, a pillowe, two blancketts and a Coveringe iiij li x s
In the great Chamber
Item a Table with a frame a carpett, fower stooles a forme, the waynscott with seaven cusshyns and a litle round Table l s
Item a standinge bed w(i)th curteyns, a Fetherbed a mattresse, a bolster, two pillowes thre blancketts a coveringe a trucklebed, a Fetherbed a mattresse, two bolsters, a pillow, a Rugge, a covering and a blancket viij li viij li
In the blewe Chamber
Item a Table with a frame, a carpet, a forme, two stooles and two chayers x s
Item two standinge beddes w(i)th a trucklebed thre Fetherbedds six bolsters, thre pillowes two mattresses w(i)th a pad thre blancketts and thre coveringes vj li x s
In two litle roomes over the Entrye  
Item two tables, two frames and fyve stooles xij s
In the lofte over the litle Parlor  
Item a Table w(i)th a frame a carpet a forme a chayer a stoole a cupborde a Truncke and a cheste xxx s
Item a Silver peece iij li
Item a standinge bed a Trucklebed, three Fetherbeddes thre bolsters, threpillowes, two blancketts and two Rugges vj li
In the chamber over the kitchen  
Item Two Bedsteds, two mattresses, thre bolsters, a blanckett, two coverings a quylt a pillowe and thre chestes xxx s
In the new lodgeings  
Item fower Bedstedes and fower coverings with the furniture to them and a Table with Tressels xx s
Item his apparell iij li
Item a Querne myll xx s xx s
Item a hovell with other wood xx s
Item corne and haye in the Barnes iiij li
Item all the cowperyware xl s
Item all the Brasse v li x s
Item all the Pewter iij li x s
Item the stone potts w(i)th bourds and shelves xx s
Item seaven spitts thre payer of cobirons a payer of Rackes, two fyer shovells w(i)th all other irons belonginge to the fyer xl s
Lynnen  
Item xxxv payer of shetes, xxxiiij table clothes and twelve dozen payer of pillowberes, two dosen and a half of napkyns x li x s
Item the maulte, haire and bourds iij li
Item thre Beasts iiij li
Item a geldinge and a mare iij li
Item eight hogges xl s
Item eight flitches of Bacon xl s
Item a longe carte, two dunge potts, two payer of harrowes with harnesse xx s
Item thre acres of wheate and two acres of Tylthe l s
Item the lease of a close iij li
Debts due to the said deceased at the tyme of his deathe  
In Primis owenge by Peter Fige xxij li x s
Item by Mr Frauncys Pigott xlv s
Item by Thomas Austen x s
Item by Peter Fige lxv li
Summa debitorum     lxxxx li v s
   

Summa totalis     clxxxiiij li xvij s

signum Mowlde [mark] Jackson executricis

[Presented 18 Feb 1591/2 by Peter Fige as proxy.]

Notes

brethren: Peter Fige was the half-brother of Anthony Jackson's wife; see below.

sape: unidentified

pad: OED, s.v. pad n.2 I.1.a: "a flattened bundle, mattress or cushion of firm but yielding material (originally straw) on which a person may lie or sit".

Tylthe = tilth: tilled land (OED)

Anthony Jackson married "Mole Reneste?" (BFHS transcription) at Granborough on 3 April 1569. This must mean Molde Renesby, who would be the stepdaughter of Thomas Fige, then of Granborough. Anthony's daughter Dorothy presumably came from a first wife. He had at least 3 other sons who are not mentioned in the will.

Under the will of his brother-in-law Thomas Fige (d.1588), Anthony or his assigns were to hold the Figes' farm at Writtle, Essex, for 5 years at a rent of £40 p.a.

Members of the Jackson family were involved in the following case from the Court of Common Pleas, Hilary Term 1593 (TNA, CP40/1508 AALT image 1747d & CP40/1509 AALT image 552f, summarised from Latin):

Henry Heyton claimed the following against John Jackson late of Winslowe in Bucks yoman (£18), William Jackson late of London yoman otherwise called William Jackson of Winslowe in Bucks yoman (£18), Ralph Whitlock late of London yoman otherwise called Ralph Whitlock of Brackley chapman (£11) and Edward Hayle late of London chapman otherwise called Edward Hayle of the vill of Winslo in Bucks pettie chapman (£10). The various sheriffs were ordered to take them and bring them to court (either at Westminster or Hertford Castle) on a number of occasions, including threats of "search to be made from huse to huse" and of outlawry, but both documents report that they did not appear.

See also: