Local Seventeenth Century Wills

By Jean Sheehan

Most of the wills begin with the testator bequeathing his soul to God and looking forward to resurrection. Some of the wills mention the churchyard in which they wish to be buried. Katherine Tillett, a singlewoman of Rickinghall Inferior wished to be buried in 'Rickinghall the Nether, whereas Henry Howlett a yeoman of Botesdale requested to be buried in Upper Rickinghall.

The 8 fellows (servants) who carried Osmund Miles of Redgrave to church were given 2s6d each (12 ½ new pence). He also gave "to all my 'fellows' in Redgrave Hall 12 pence apiece for a pair of gloves". Robert Dale left "a pair of gloves worth 12 pence to each of 8 men who take the pains to carry me to church".

Wills often mentioned that the bequests were to be given in the church porch. Elizabeth Weeting wished to be buried in Redgrave churchyard, and all the legacies which she gave were to be paid in Redgrave church porch. Abraham Gleed, weaver of Rickinghall Inferior, left his lands and tenements in Rickinghall to his son Nathaniel, who had to pay out other legacies including an annuity of 32s to another son, Thomas, in quarterly payments in Rickinghall church porch. Sometimes the legacies were paid in the porch of a different village to the one in which the testator lived. John Crowne, yeoman of Rickinghall Inferior left lands and tenements in various villages. He left an annuity of £10 a year to his uncle and aunt to be paid half yearly in Thelnetham church porch, and £8 to the churchwardens and overseers of Thelnetham to be paid in 20s instalments at Christmas and Easter, and various other legacies all to be paid in the same porch. The churchwardens and overseers of Weston Market were given £5, to be paid in yearly instalments of 20s and £6 to Nether Rickinghall to be paid over 3 years but it does not say if this is to be paid in their own church porches or if they have to go to Thelnetham for their money.

Furniture was also given away in wills, the most expensive piece was usually a four poster bed, and the bedclothes were also given. Wills were often dictated when the testator was very ill and close to death, and sometimes they say "the bed in which I lie" which sounds rather morbid. Robert Dale, joiner of Botesdale, left to his wife Marjery "my best posted bedstead with the best featherbed, coverlet and all belonging to it now standing in my shop chamber". This would have been the room above his joinery workshop. Other furniture and goods were left to Marjery including "all the household goods she brought with her to me". These were mentioned in the will as all women's goods became the property of her husband when she married and this is to show that these items were to remain with her. The house was left to his son Thomas, with two rooms bequeathed to his wife Marjery for her life, together with a new barn. He also left his wife two black cows, his pigs and the corn growing in the field. Amongst various other bequests to his children he bequeathed to his daughter Estafidelis his second best feather bed, second best coverlet and second best bolster. Thomas, his son, was probably carrying on the family business as he was left all "my shopstuff, benches, tools and implements belonging to my trade, together with all cutwork stuff and inlaid wainscot and all other old timber, as well broken as otherwise." He gave various other tools and his green timber to another son, Robert, who must have also been a joiner. Robert requests a third son, Jonathan, to give Marjery two loads of 'smallwood' and one of 'great wood' and in return he will leave him his best cloak and band (neckband).

Robert Weeting was a linen weaver in Redgrave, a common occupation for this area. His son Robert must have been carrying on the trade as he was left "the best pair of looms, slayes and other implements belonging to my trade." He gave two more sons the next best looms, but these could be sold if they wished, and 3 more looms to other sons. He must have carried on his weaving trade in quite a big way to have had 6 pair of looms. He also farmed as a supplement to weaving as he left his wife his cattle and corn, and all his lands and tenements for life. Eight of his children were under the age of 26, and he desired his wife to bring up his children in good education and the fear of God. His wife Alice died only 4 years later, and left money for the bringing up and apprenticing of several of the children.

Clothes were also bequeathed in wills. Alice Weeting, mentioned above, left to her daughter Alice her best gown and petticoat and best waistcoat, and to her daughter Mary 2 red and 1 green petticoat. (a petticoat was another word for a skirt for a woman or a small coat for a man). A jerkin was bequeathed to his grandson by Francis Farrow, a labourer of Botesdale, along with a pewter dish and a chair. He left his best doublet and breeches to his son, and his cloak to his son -in-law Henry Jasper, and his white doublet to another son-in-law.

Wills are a fascinating source of information for those people researching their family histories, especially if an inventory is also available as this shows all the furniture and goods left in the house at the time of death used for probate. Most of these wills obtained probate very shortly after the date of the will, and over half of the testators signed their will with a cross as they could not write their own name.