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.
"In the name of God amen, I Robert Cartwright of Ridgway in the parish of Norton in the moores in the County of Stafforde yeoman being very aged, and weake in body, but of sound and perfect mind and memory (praise be given to god for the same ) and knowing the uncertainity of this life on earth, and being desirious to settle things in order, doe make and ordaine this my present last will and Testament in maner and forme followinge (That is to say) First and principally, I Commend my Soule into the hands of Allmighty god, hopeing through the merites death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ, to have full and free pardon and forgivenesse of all my sins, and to inherit everlastinge life and my body I Commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executrixe hereafter named; And touching the disposition of all such temporall estate as it hath pleased Almighty god to bestowe upon me, I give and dispose thereof as followeth; Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Robert Cartwright my oldest Son one peice of gold to the value of Two & Twentie shillings in full discharge of his childs parte Item I give bequeath & assigne to my son William Cartwright that parte of my Messuage house at Ridgway, and alsoe that parte of all other the houses & lands there to belonging (which are not as yet assigned) duringe the remainder of the Terme; Item After the decease of Alice Cartwright my wife I give and bequeath that other parte of the said Messwage house with the uppertenances thereto belonging (which were assigned unto the said Alice Cartwright my said wife) unto my Three sons Thomas Cartwright, John Cartwright & Ralphe Cartwright equally amongst them durenge the remainder of the said Terme which shall be then to come remaininge & unexpired; Item I give and bequeath unto the said Ralphe Cartwright my said son the Summe of Thirty pounds of Lawfull English money: Item I give and bequeath unto my Foure sons William Cartwright, Thomas Cartwright John Cartwright and Ralphe Cartwright each of them one peice of gold to the value of Two and Twentie shillings in full discharge of their childes partes: Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anne Kent one peice of gold to the value of Two and Twentie shillings in full discharge of her childes parte: Item I give and bequeath unto all my grandchildren which shall be liveinge at my decease each of them Tenne shillings: Item I give and bequeath unto Alice Michell now my servant the summe of Twentie shillings of Lawfull English mony: Item All the rest and residue of all my goods Chattells and Cattells whatsoever (after my debts paid these legacies and my funerall expenses discharged) I give and bequeath unto the said Alice Cartwright my said wife : And I doe hereby constitute ordaine and make the said Alice Cartwright my said wife full and Sole Executrixe of this my last will and Testament, And alsoe I doe hereby revoke disannull frustrate and make void all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made and doe decalare & appoynt this my last Will and Testament; In Wittnesse whereof I the said Robert Cartwright have hereunto set my hand and seale the First day of March in the Twentieth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Kinge Charles the Second Anno Domini 1667"
Copyright : Lichfield Record Office , B/C/11 1667 , Cartwright , Robert
Reproduced by courtesy of the Lichfield Diocesan Registrar.