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 there 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 The third day of December & in the three & thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of the Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the Speciall grace of God of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King Defender of the faith & in the yeareof our Lord God 1681 I Griffith Browne of Naply heath in the Parish of Muckleston and County of Stafford husbandman being weake in body but of good and perfect memory (blessed bee God) doe make & ordayne this my last will & Testament in manner & forme following: First I Commend my soule into the hands of Almighty God my maker, hopeing assuredly by the onely merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to obtaine life Everlasting & by noe other wayes or meanes, & my body to the Earth whereof it was made, And as to the ordering and disposing of such temporall estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon mee in this life I Give and devise the same in manner & forme following, that is To say First I Give and devise to my three Sons, viz, John Browne my Eldest Son, Griffith the Second & Thomas the third to each of them 12d I Give to my daughter Faith Manlaw 12d....”