Description:Wills and their accompanying inventories of goods and chattels, are an excellent source of information for family, social and economic history. A will can provide all kinds of useful information about family relationships and the social and economic status of the testator, that is the person making the will. In addition before 1750, an itemised inventory of the goods of the deceased was drawn up by between two and five unbiased persons called appraisors, overseers or supervisors. The inventory includes all the moveable goods, including where appropriate household goods, clothing, stock-in-trade, farm stock, growing and cut corn, loose money and any rent and debts due but it does not include land.
This is the will and inventory of Richard Clowman of Knutton, a yeoman, which was drawn up in 1661.
"In the manner of God Amen the second day of November in the thirteenth year of the reign of our soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God of England Scotland Franc and Ireland king defender of the ffaith I Richard Clowman of Knutton in the County of Staffs yeoman beinge weake in body but of good and perfect memory praysed be God doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following.
Ffirst I give and bequeath my soule into the handes of almity God my Saviour hopinge assuredly to be found in and through his meritte and by [no] other way or means what footer?…and my body to the earth from whence it came to have Christian buryall at the discretion of my executors heare after mentoned and for such effate as god hath …. in this life to bestowe to you me tim (???) and bequeathe as followeth Item I give All my houses land and tenements and hereditaments that I dye paid of to John Clowman my sonne to enter by on the same when he shall accomplish the age of one and twenty years Item I give to Thomas Clowman my sonne the summe of one hundred poundes to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of ffoure and twenty years which moneyes is to be paid by my sonne John out of my land and tenimentes and my mind and will is that Alice my wife shall hould and…….all my houses and land untill my sonne John shall accomplish the age of one and twenty years she the said Alice maintaining the said John with meate drink and apparell and paying him five pounds a yeare for which sixtefive pounds my will is he the said John shall have my gray mare She the said Alice not to fell any timber for……the ,,,Item my will is that Alice my wife shall maintaine and keepe my sonne Thomas with meate drinke and apparell untill the ffive and twenty day of march next and then to put and place him to the trade of dyer and to pay with him the summe of tenn poundes and to give to the said Thomas one ffeather beed(bed) Item I give unto my John Clowman my sonne one bedcloth? and ffather beed ? now standing in the upper parller the long table and formes in the house the furnace pan and frame to … one little table standing in the kitchen one cubbard in the upper parller. Item give unto Alice my wife after my debts and funerall expenses are discharged all my goodes and chattelles whasoever not before in this my will bequeathed for the educating and raysinge of portons for my two younger children and in case my wife shall happen to marry a second husband then shee to give land for payment of …..money and the goodes and chattelles shall be praysed to allow and constitute and make Alice my wife and John Ffontain of Borothon (?) (?)my brother in law executors of this my last will and testament desiring them to seethis my last will and testament performed according to the trust in them …. And I doe heareby make in wittnesse whereof I have heare unto put my hand and soule dated the day and year fixft about written
Signed sealed and delivered in 1661
The presenters
William Sutton
William Fowley
Robert Mason"
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office , B/C/11 1661 Clowman , Richard
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.