William Stokes of Ab Kettleby 1581 Will and Inventory

Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Archives PR/T/1581/76

In the name of god amen The last day of Februarie, and in the yeare of our lord god 1581 I Willm Stokes of Abkettlebie in the countie of Leicester beinge sicke in bodie, and in perfect memorie (thanks be given to god) make and ordaine this my last will & testament in manner and forme followinge

First I comend my soule into the hands of Almightie god maker of heaven & earth and of all things contained therein, assuringe my selfe of eternall salvation through Christ Jesus our saviour, knowinge to be saved through him, and by no other waies or meanes, and my bodie to be buried in the parishe churchyard of Abkettlebie, assuringe my selfe also, that the same my bodie shall rise againe at the last day unto eternall life

Item I give and bequeth unto Richard Stokes my sonne one Oxgann of land lyinge within the parishe of Abkettlebie aforesaid, and within the countie aforesaid and to his heires for ever

Item I give unto William Stokes my sonne one Oxgonn of land in the countie and parishe aforesaid & to his heires for ever

And yf either of my said sonnes Richard or William shall happen to sell either of ther portions of land, I will also that the other sonne shall have it, payinge unto him the sume of twentie marks of lawfull Englishe money

Ite I give unto my sune Edward Stokes the sume of vi li to be paid in manner followinge, that is to say everie quarter of a yeare xxs, until the said sume of vi li be fullie answered

Ite I give to Agnes Wilson my Servant one cow [?] at the apointement of my sonnes Richard & William & two yew sheepe, one pare of sheets & a linen wheele

Ite I give to Martha [?] Blankley one lambe at may day

Ite I give to the church of Abkettlebie two stonn of leade

Ite I give to Marie Knapp one lambe att thend of two years after my decease

The residewe of all my goods, my legacies paid, debts discharged, & my funeral expenses performed, I give and bequethe unto my two sonnes Richard & William, whom I make and ordain Executors of this my last will and testament, to be devided by equall portions between them

Also I ordaine and appoint Robt Blanckley & Robt Smart of [hole one word long, ends “pts”] overseers of this my last will and testament, and they to have for theire paines xiid a peece

And further I do let you all my lovinge neighbours to understand, that I had exchanged a certaine peece of ground, lyinge in the East woolds called the … …oods, with an William Digbie of Oleby [?] conteininge by estimation two acres and a halfe, in consideration whereof I should have of him, two acres in the great slope of the woolds belonginge to the house wherein Robt Thomson now dwelleth, and one halfe acre in the same slope, belonginge to the house wherein Jhon Stoks now dwelleth: But when I cam unto him to have my assurance sealed, he refused the sealinge thereof

These beinge Witnesses

Tho Neale vicar of Abkettlebye

John Neall

William Neall

Robarde Cawnte

Wyllyam Specke

Robart Blanckly

Hanry Shepperson

By me Wyllyame Sheppard

Robert Blankley

William Caunt

The Inventorie of all the goods, cattle & debts of William Stoks latelie deceased

Goods in the parler
In primis his apparel	xxvis viiid
Ite his purs	xs
Ite seaven pare of harden sheets, two of flaxon, two towels, three napkins	xxiiis
Ite thre boulsters, four keverlets, two materises, two pillows	xxvis viiid
Ite foure Cofers, three bedsteds	xs
In the house
Ite a cubbord, a penn, a board, a forme, stooles, a cheare	xs
Ite a cherne, two peales, two kimnils, foure tubs, boules and dishes	xiiis iiiid
Ite two potts, two pannes, two kettles	xxxiiis iiiid
Ite two candlesticks, ten peeces of pewter, & one salt	vis viiid
Ite a fier iron, a fryinge pan, a brand iron, with hengles and potthooks	vs
Ite eight bacon flicks	xxs
In the yard
Ite three iron harrowes, two coulters, two shares	xs
Ite an iron teame with other cheines	iis
Ite coles	xvis
Ite a cart & cart geares, a plough & plough geares	xxxs
Ite hovels & wood	xxxiiis iiiid
Ite corne & hey	x li
In the feilde
Ite three acres of wheat & rie	xlvs
Ite eight acres of peas	iiii li
Ite eight acres of … land	xxs
Cattle
Ite foure draught horses one earling, one sucker	xi li
Ite sixe neate	vi li
Ite foure swine	xiiis iiiid
Ite foure score sheepe	xviii li
Debts owinge me
By George Ward of Frisby	iii li
By Jhon Glen of Goadby	xxiiiis
Suma totalis	70 li 19s 4d