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Appendix 4

The  following extracts are taken from wills and  inventories mentioned  in the text and of particular interest to the  period. The  will  and  inventory references for Cropredy  are  given  in Appendix  1,  but Bourton's are in brackets next to  these  transcripts:

1546/7 Margaret Hitchman's will. [MS Wills Oxon 179.247] The Inventory total was only £3-12s-4d

To Margaret, daughter "my best gowne my best cappe a derhesse and a kyrtle cloth."

To Julyann my soones wiff "a kyrtle"

To Elizabeth Tymme "a russet kyrtle and a cappe"

To Elizabeth Hitchman "my best petycote"

1550 William Carter's will.

To Thomas carter "my best dublet, a paire of hoses and my best blacke cote."

To Agnes Lumbard..."a whyte sleevelt cote."

1557/8 John Gybbs of Great Bourton son of Richard of Cropredy [25]. [MS Wills Oxon 183.253]

To William Gybbs, uncle.."a cotte a payre of hosen."

"To John Baay[?] my fathers shepaude..a cote.."

"William Baston a cote and a payre of hose.

John Sabeane a cote and a payre of hose.

John Cheeley a cote.."

1558 Gillian Walser from the farm at the bottom of Creampot [35].

"To Margerie daughter ...ij smockes and a peticote and my best kertell iiij kerchyffes and iij eastows and ij aprons.

To Agnes Hentlowe...a kerchiffe a necke kerchyffe.."

1558 Widow Elizabeth Lumberd's will.

To Agnes Eden half apparel

To  daughter Gillian other half "except a peticot a  smoke  a naperne that Elsabeth Lumberd shall have.."

Page 702

1559 Widow Johan Gill of Great Bourton. [MS. Wills Oxon 183.248]

"To  Alys Lynton my best vilett kertell my cappe and my  gyrdell.

To daughters "Edith my best russett kertell and a napron  and a ca-her.

To  Margerie  my best peticot a napron and a  smocke and  my beades with a ringe collaryd.

To Alys my second pooussett kertell, apron...

To  Jone  Gubbyns a peticot wth fustian on be dytt  [?]...an apron.

To my sister a wolls apro[n].

To Aves Wilkins aprone of leers.

To daughter Em a smoke and a -aveher.

To Margaret Lyntton a karchen and a whit peticote..."

The  above  wills proved at the Peculiar Court of  Cropredy  were written  into  Act Books and only the total  for  their  personal estate  given.  The  following are loose  wills and  inventories proved at the same court. Many of these have full inventories.  A few  proved  at  the Prerogative Court of  Canterbury  (PCC)  are without  surviving  inventories. References to the Cropredy will number for Ralph Nuberry [eg MS. Wills Pec. 47/1/1] is followed by the site number [8].

1577[39/2/3] [Site ?25] Widow Elizabeth Gibbs. Taken 2 Jan 1576/7

"her apparell as a frocke a kyrtell iij petycotes/

one wastcote an old cloke ...................................xvjs/

iij smocks iij aprons ix rayles one table napkin/

a payre of fore sleves.............................................. xs/...

[total] - £47 -12s -6d"

1578 [47/1/1] [8] Ralph Nuberry. Taken 13 may 1578

"His appaerell viste ij coots ij Jerkins and a dublet ij wastcoots iij/

paire  of hose one paire of bote hose ij yerds of  kersee  i gowne iij hatts iij shearts/

iij bonnds i cape price ................................iij£-xvs-o

One paire of bootes, ij pair of showse .............vs....

a quylte coote."

[Was the dialect showing to call a coat a coot? A coat worn  over a chemise. His third coote was quited. The coot, cote, cotte  or coat  was fairly full, reaching to calf or ankle pulled in by a low belt. Some had decorations round the edges. The sleeves  were wider  at the top tapering to the wrists. The jerkins  were  worn over  doublets. The men's gown was worn long and retained at  the university, by clerks and students].

1579/80 [32/4/6][58] Thomas Browne. Whittawer. 8 February 1579/80.

" his apparell

In primis an old lethren dublett praised ............................ijs

Item a payre of old briches and an old truss........................... viijd

Item ij payre of stockens.......................................................... xviijd

Item an old payre of showes & an old capp............................. vjd

Ite. a ffrese forkes................................................................. ijs ...vjd

Ite. a payre of ffrese breches .......................................................xxd

Ite. iij shirts............................................................................. ijs.. vjd [total £13-18s]

[Note his need of a truss and his flannel or frese breches].

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1579 [50/1/4] [26] Will of Widow Johan Robins made 19 August 1579.

To  her  son Richard's wyfe: "a peticote, the best save one, a smocke a kercheife and a russed wastcotte."

To Marie Bostocke: a peticotte withe russed bodies, a smocke.

To  brother  Richard Kenches wife: "My blacke smocke and a  kerchiefe."

 

Inventory: "Imprimis Her apparell .....xxs

Itm viij yards of clothe praysed .........xijs

Itm a clooke praissed ............................ijs vjd..."

1580 [39/2/8] [24] Will and Inventory of Avis  Gardner 1580.

To  Alyce Howse "my best redd peticote" she "the daughter  of  my master Rycharde Howse."

To  the children of my master Rycharde Howse "all the rest of  my apparell and goods here resting," to be divided among them.

To  my brother Gardner "all the goods in his hands given unto  me by my father, deceased."

[This  was  witnessed by Richard Howse, a Thomas  Howse, and an Elizabeth Rede].

[Avis Gardner's master, Richard Howse died in 1601. He had  six children by his wife Grace French of which four had been born  by 1580.  They  farmed five yardlands and he classed  himself as a yeoman. Three children  possibly from a  former  marriage  were Elizabeth, Christian and Alyce. The first succeeded to the copyhold farm and the third definitely mentioned in this will].

Inventory  taken 30 April 1580 [four weeks after her death  The vicar Thomas Holloway [21] was joined by Richard Handley [12] and John Gybs [25] from his farm across the High Street].

"a redde peticote.......................................... iijs ....jd

an old casseoke of frese ..............................ijs

a wast cote ..........................................................viijd

an aperne of flannen............................................ vjd

iij smockes..............................................................xxd

an old aperne of wolstede................................... iijd

seven kerchefes good and bad ..................ijs

an old rayle ............................................................ijd

seven parllets good and bad .............................xxd

ij old lynen aprons ..............................................iiijd

a coffer with locke and hinges.......................... xxd

an old payre of showes....................................... ijd

an old hatt............................................................iiijd

.................................................................__________

..............................................................sum .xiiijs ixd

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1587[38/3/5] [4] Widow Jone ffrench. Taken 24 April 1587.

[By  the Vicar Thomas Hollowaie [21], John Ffrench  [4],  Richard Handley  [12] and Anthonie Hunt [5]. The last three all from  the south end of Cropredy].

"In primis her apparell ffower gonndes good & badd

fower petycots good and badd .......................................iij£

Itm three aprones and ffyve smoks good and bade ..........vjs viijd

Itm ten Karchifes & tow nekerchefes good and bade........ ijs

Itm all other thinges of her apparrill .....................................vjs viijd

.....sum totalis ....xiiij£ iijs iiijd"

1593 [36/3/4] [3] Widow Alyce Devotion made a will 24 February 1593 leaving to her son William's "gyles" her best gown and best petticoat. [Her inventory  total for apparel was fifty shilling and  eightpence, one of the highest. The rest of her goods were mainly in  farming stock, for she still held a half share in the farm].

1595 [50/5/16] [51] Fabian Smith, miller [A few items are mentioned in his inventory]:

" two shirtes, two smoks and other/ small linne[n]s.. iiijs

Forty bands and necherchiefs and other

smale line[n]s, a paire of fine knit hosen

and other olde hosen ....................................................xvijs

all maner of Apparell .......................................................xxs"

1596 [41/1/26] [21] [Vicar's  student  son] Randell Holloway B.A. [aged 21 years  had  in  his inventory]:

"all his wering apparrell three gownes vi£ xiijs iiijd"

1596 [44/3/5] "A note taken of the goodes of John Kendall's deceased the xi  of June 1596.

"ij sherts a fryecote, a payre of fresb[?], ij payre of bretches, a lynnen dublett, a black hatt, ij payres of showes, a [?] of wther stockinge..."

1606: P.C.C. Will 78 Hudleston. Extracts from Widow Elizabeth Arnett's will made 9 November 1606.

To poore wydowe Willson [33] a wastcoate.

To wydowe Bune [?] a pettycoate

To wydowe Malvis a smocke....

"I  give unto my brother Edwards daughter a smocke a kutle  a coysse and a partlett"

"I  give  unto my sister Agnes 5s allso one of  my coates a smocke a kercheife a partlett and an apron. And to each  of  her twoe daughters a partlett...."

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1606 [39/3/7] Great Bourton. Anne Gooden's inventory made 1606:-

"for apparell a gowne two

petycoats & a wastcoate........................ xxs

two hats....................................................viijs

her wearing lynnen ...................................vs

a  peece of whyte clothe &

a peece of russe cloth......................... xxxiijs iiijd

xvj pound of wooll.................................. xvjs

vij pound of hempe ........................................xxjd.."

1609 [52/3/18] [15] Extracts from wyddow Joane Tomes will made ?10 December 1608:-

To Sara Tomes: "my best hatt & a parte of my weringe lynnon and my lyttell coffer."

To  Jane Tomes: 4 yards of Russett cloth "wch I now have and woll to make her a petycott...and the thyrd parte of my weringe lynnen such as I use for my body."

To Anne Toms :..."my best Petycott...my best gowne..one part of my wering lynnen...."

[The Russett clothe was valued at xs. A coarse homespun material.] Her total moveable goods were prised at xxj£ xviijs xd.

1609 [41/2/4] [16] Justinian Hunt, husbandman. [Inventory taken after a sudden death on 26 April 1609. His wearing apparel valued highly at £4- 10s and other items were added]

"One cloke " ........................................................................xs...

[Household linen and...].

"..ffower aprons one shert one/

Chrystening sheete, ffower smockes .../

three chenchiefes two handcherchiefs and other/

small peeces of linnen................................................. vi£ vjs .viijd".....

"A Gowne and one bearing cloth ..................................xxiijs .iiijd"

1609 [34/4/5] [21] Elizabeth Clearidg's Inventory.

"It.  hir apparell both wollin and linnen what so ever  else xjs"

1614 [34/4/18] [51]  John Cross, miller [The inventory included his and  her apparel separately, for he was a widower. His came to  26s,  Gillian's 20s.  They also had:]

"Lynnon in a chest in the plor" four  "stomachers  ij  pynners ij holland Aperns a little pece of  Clothe  a handkerchefs  and a hatt band worth xs." Also "ij pynners  and  a corner  kerchefs  ijs. A pece of new clothe worth  33s-4d."  This brought the total of their clothes to £4-11s-4d (p653).

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1621 [38/4/6] [site unknown] John ffyfyde 25 September 1621.

"Imprimis woon cloake ....................................xs

Itm all his wearing apparrell.......................... xijs

Itm woon old Coffer and three sheets........ vijs

Itm woon payre of shues.................................... vijd

..................................................................sum 29s..8d"

1622 [52/3/38]  Bourton.  Extracts from Joane Townsend's will  made  11 December 1622:-

To Anne Gorstelow "my best gowne, my best peticote, my silke aperne, my next best aperne..."

To  Jhone  Gorstelowe my grand  daughter..."my  second  best gowne, my second best peticote, my second best aperne and my  sax aperne..."

To Mary ?Overbery "a peticote."

 

In widow Townsends Inventory:- "apparrell preised at vij£"  [The highest recorded].

1622 [54/2/28] Great Bourton. Extract from Alice Wallis's will made  8th November 1622.

"To  my goddaughter Katherne Quinty to neckerchiefes and to corner cheifes and a holly dayes petticote...

To  Allce  Blacket  my mayd which dwelleth with  me  my  old gownd..."

Her inventory made the 18th of Nov. 1622:-

"all  her  wearing apparrell wollen lynnen hosse shoes and hatts her purse and twoo shillings of money....iij£"

1623 [41/2/48] [21] Extract from widow Elizabeth Holloway's will made 14th May 1623:-

To daughter Dorothie Trimcock "my kersea gowne, my best  hatt my best ruff [a stiff one was very fashionable at that time, but soon  to  change to a floppy ruff], my weddinge petticote, six crosse  cloathes..."

To another daughter she left "my gold  ringe wherein the stone is."

1627 [50/2/12] [26] Extract from widow Joane Robin's will made in January 1626/7:

To her daughter Elizabeth White "my best gowne and  my new hatt."

To  her sister Maryan Gibbes..."my worester gowne, one  petycote one smoke one Aperne & one wastecotte."

"Item  one piece of new cloath for/

a gowne and triminge  for it wth one/

peice of white new cloath.." £1- 9s -0d.

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1627 [33/1/1] [13] Extract  from  spinster Ellen Bicke's will  made  shortly  after widow Robins in February 1626/7 [She must have been living on the Brasenose Inn site with her brother Thomas  Denzie  the blacksmith]:

To  her mother Wynnefryde.."my worster gownde ij under petticoates one blue & ye other greene one flaxon aperne one  other aporne  blue  of lynine & woollen one smock & one knewe smoken bodyer."

To  her sister Mills of Hornton .."my best gounde & my best Kersy wascoate & my best face guard my best bande & one paire of my best stockinge one blacke holland Coyse & ij Cresclothes  one of holland & one other flaxon apern of ij yarde."

To Susans Pettye "that dwelleth wth my sister one band of  ij lengths wth a lace on it one blacke worck ij  wyse of stette cloath one lawn crescloath & ij paier of Cuses[?].

To my god daughter Ann Densy .."one lase band of ij lengths."

To  my  sister Densye "two paires of stockinge a  smocke  one smocke bodyer three rufles one of them wth lase on it. I give her ij  wasecoates  one face guard & my best paire of  bodyes  ...six aporns & all the lining in my box & ij hatts."

To Judeth Maosly "ij paire of stockinges & a playne band."

To  Elizabeth  Suton  "one plain band and an  olde  paire  of bodyes."

To Sibbell, my sister Densy's maide, ij paire of stockinge  & one paire of [?]-- an old red peticote."

To  my brother Densy his two sonnes Richard & Willm one  yard of  "lowne"  &  one length of holland "in my  box to make them bands."

1634 PCC Prob 11/165 [8] Extract from widow Dyonice Woodrose's will made 6 August 1634:

"I  give to my daughter Judeth Elcocke my wrought silke  grogran gowne and kirtle..."

1640 [35/1/15] [50] Francis Cartwright's Inventory on page 693.

Page 708

Part of Solomon Howse's 1641 Inventory [9] shown on page 52

"Item in the dayry & buttry one powdering

trough 4 drink Barrells a stell one

bench a Churne a dough Kiver a little

milk Kiver a little powdering tubb a linnen

wheel and a wollen wheele and two old/ tubbs.........1 - 13 - 4

Item 3 milke panns & 3 Creampotts wth other

implements........................................................................0 -. 5 - 0

Item in the upp Lodgin Chamber two bidds[bedds]

furnished and one Cradle...............................................4 - .0 - 0

Item one [L]Indy Cupboard two Chests one

boxe three Coffers...........................................................1 - 10 - 0

Item one Coverled 3 blancketts 2 bolsters

two pillowes, 2 bearenge Cloths 8 paire

of sheets 4 pillow drawers 2 dozen of

Napkins one Cupboard cloth two board

Clothes & two towells two other pillowdrawers........5 -. 6 - 8

Item two brass potts two brass pannes two

Kettles one posnett a skimmer a Candlestick & 16

peeces of pewter greate & small...................................4 - .0 - 0

Item the Cowpy ware 2 Cowles 3 payles.....................0 - 10 0

Item in the Chamber over the hall a Cheese...."