Abigall Taylor, widow, 1667

Abigall (Abigail) Taylor (abt 1600 – August 1667)

Introduction:

1. The Last Will and Testament (LW&T) of Abigall (Abigail) Taylor of Draycot Cerne is dated 8 August 1667. The Inventory is dated 16 August 1667 but there is no record of Probate, and no record of her burial in the surviving Parish Registers. It is assumed that she died on about 10 August 1667.

2. Her LW&T uses the spelling ‘Abigall’; however, it is archived both on Ancestry and in the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre (WSHC) as ‘Abigail Taylor, 1667’.

3. There are intermittent Parish Registers for Draycot Cerne in the 1600s. Abigall Taylor’s husband was almost certainly Thomas Taylor; his Will is dated 1665. Their daughter Abigall was baptised on 2 April 1620, and their son Thomas was baptised on 9 August 1622. These suggest a birth date for Abigall (senior) of about 1590-1600. She died between 8 and 16 August 1667. See also the LW&T of Thomas Taylor, Gentleman, of Draycot Cerne, 1729; probably a grandson.

4. The transcriptions have not been cross-checked or reviewed.

a. Square brackets – eg [ ? possible text ] – are used where a word is too difficult to decipher or where there is some doubt.
b. Italic square brackets – eg [ = meaning ] – are used to provide simple explanations of text.
c. Ordinary brackets – eg ( that is to say ) – are used where they are used in the original.
d. Some spelling has been updated to modern usage where appropriate; similarly, punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added for ease of understanding.
e. Footnotes have been added to provide context or emphasis. There are none in the original.

LW&T of Abigall (Abigail) Tayor, Widow; 8 August 1667

In the Name of God Amen.

I, Abigall Taylor of Dracott Cerne in the County of Wiltshire, Widdow, being weake of body but in good memory & understanding, doe make this my last will & testament as followeth.

Imprimis. I give and bequeath to Sarah, my daughter:

two of my best platters, one potenger, two of the best butter dishes, two pewter dishes & one salt seller [= salt cellar] with all that do belong to it, the best brass candlestick, one spice mortar & pestle, one warming pan, the best pewter chamberpott, half a dozen of the best … trenchers … {page damaged} … brass potts, …

… the bed in the best chamber, and two [ ? teuke] pillows, and a further bolster belonging to it, and two new blankets that have no mark, one yellow set rug, & the best dowlas sheets and the best red coverlid, one pair of the best canvas sheets …

… one hollone [ = holland] sheet, one pair of the best cotton pillow cases, one pair of the best pillow cases of the ordinary sort, the best cradle rug, one bearing cloth of a [ ? stamill] colour, one diaper table cloth, half a dozen of diaper napkins, and one damask napkin, one dowlas towel with fringe
… and one piece of new red cloth for a petticoat, & the best chest, one caudle cup, one whight [ = white] knit petticoat, one little box, half a dozen of [? bedstaurs] …

… one little skillet of pot brass, one pewter basin, one pewter tankard, & two saucers, and one little bowl that do lie under the bed in the best chamber, & the set of curtains & the pilling cloth and the best bedstead in the best chamber with the tester.

Item. I give to Pennelope [ = Penelope] Jefferyes, my Daughter, all my wearing apparel both linen and woollen, and what [soever ?] doth belong to the wearing apparel, and one posset of pot brass, one truckle bedstead & the bed that is in it with the coverlet & the blankets & one bolster and one brass candlestick & the [ ? braade] bowl in the best chamber & one coffer, the best, in the best chamber.

Item. I give to Abigall Bishop my Daughter one hollan sheet and half a dozen of diaper table napkins {page damaged} … silver spoons & my [? pillow] and one stacke of bees & one platter & one butter dish and one {page damaged} … candlestick.

Item. I give to Abigall Jefferyes my Grandchilde ten pounds, to be paid within one year after my decease.

Item. I give to Thomas Taylor my Sonne the bed that he do lie usually upon and all the bedding belonging unto it with the bedstead and one pair of sheets, one pottenger & one platter & two [stockes of beef ?].

Item. All the rest of my goods and profits whatsoever after my debts, legacies and funeral is discharged I give equally between my two sons Joseph & Isaak whom I do appoint to be my Executors (both of them) to this my will,

but my will is that they shall not deface the house, within nor without, of pales & other fences without, and within of glasse benches, doors & window [leaves ? / frames ?], or any thing [if ?] that may by my overseers be judged to belong to the house

except the boards in the best malting store & the great which in the kitching loft besides his part in half the goods

[The spelling, the handwriting, and the grammar all seem to get worse in the above clause; … although the general sense seems to be ‘please do not gut the house’.]

Also I do nominate and appoint my trusty and wellbeloved friends Walter Longden, William Bishop of Dracott and Thomas Jefferyes of Stanley to be overseers of this my will.

Sealed & signed the eighth day of August Anno Domini 1667, in the presence of

Signed

[ the mark of ] Walter Longden
[ signed ] John Longden
[ signed ] Thomas Jeffery
[ signed ] Richard [ ? ]

Signed

[ the mark of ] Abigall Taylor

Inventory of Abigall (Abigail) Taylor; 30 August 1667

A true and perfect Inventory of the goods and chattels of Abigall Taylor of Draycot Cerne in the County of Wilts, widow, late deceased, had, taken and valued the thirteeth day of August in the nineteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign King Charles the Second over England etc, Anno Domini 1667.

By Walter Longden of Draycot Cerne aforesaid, yeoman, and John Gingill of Kington St Michaels in the county aforesaid, yeoman, as followeth.

Imprimis. Her wearing apparel of all sort, both linen & woollen, valued at
3 0 0

Item. In the best chamber. One tester bedstead, one truckle bedstead, two flock beds, one coverlet and rug, one pair of blankets, two feather pillows, one pair of curtains, seven pairs of sheets, seven bolster cases, one diaper table cloth, two dowlas table cloths, six dowlas napkins, three dowlas towels, two coarse towels, one dozen of diaper napkins, two pairs of Hollan pillow cases, five pairs of dowlas pillow cases, one feather bolster, one press, one chest, three boxes, one coffer, one desk, two chairs, one further bolster, one other pair of blankets, one pair of new cloth, two cradle cups, two red coverleds, one [sadle ? cloth], with some few books & other small things valued at 15 0 0

Item. In the little chamber over the buttery. Two bedsteads, two flock beds, two bolsters, with other things belonging thereunto, & one coffer
valued at 4 0 0

Item. In the old chamber. One bedstead, one flock bed and coverlet, one bolster, with some lumber valued at 1 0 0

Item. In the cheese chamber. One cheese rack, five shelves, & about two weight of wooll valued at 2 0 0

Item. In the cock loft. One pair of scales, some leaden weights & about six hundred of cheese, with some other small lumber valued at 6 5 0

Item. In one lower chamber. One bedstead, one bed, one coverlet, one bolster, twenty two pieces of pewter, one dozen of pewter spoons, one little table board, one bed stool, one warming pan, three brass candle sticks, one brass spice mortar, with other small lumber valued at 3 10 0

Item. In the buttery, eight barrels, one safe, with other implements
0 13 4

Item. In the Hall, one bedstead, one table board and frame, one still, one pewter flagon, six joint stools, two pairs of [ ? fenyells ], one pair of fire tongs, one stool, candle sticks, one brass spice mortar, with other small implements valued at 1 6 8

Item. In the white house. Three brass pots, two brass pans, three brass kists, two brass skillets, one possnet, one chafing dish, one [ fr..? ] pan, one frying pan, with other small implements valued at 4 5 0

Item. In one other lower chamber. Two low kivvers, one cheese press, one table board, one salt trow, one [ ? brake ], one powdering tub, with other small implements, valued at 1 0 0

Item. In the kitchen and kitchen loft. Two yoteing stones, one furnace, one garner with some malt, and other lumber valued at 3 0 0

Item. In the garden. Some stocks of bees
3 0 0
Item. In the backside. One rick of hay, one rick of mixed fodder 6 0 0

Item. One rick of wheat in the backside, one mow of wheat in the barn, & one mow of beans 15 0 0

Item. In the backside & in the ground, wood valued at 10 0 0

Item. Five pigs, valued at 3 10 0

Item. Seven and thirty sheep 6 0 0

Item. Six beasts, valued at 10 0 0

Item. One mare & colt, valued at 2 0 0

Item. The executor year & one cart, valued at 2 0 0

[Total] 102 10 0

[ signed ] John Gingell
[ the mark of ] Walter Longden

Notes

• Goods and chattels are personal possessions: items of property other than freehold land, including tangible goods (chattels personal) and leasehold interests (chattels real). Any personal goods other than 'money, securities for money or property used solely or mainly for business purposes' fall into the definition of chattels.
• Margaret is trying to circumvent the ‘Couverture’ laws. Couverture (or coverture) was a phrase used in Wills meaning the legal status of a married woman, who was considered to be under her husband’s protection and authority. Prior to 1882 a married woman could not normally make a will without her husband’s consent, because her property was considered to be her husband’s; but there were some exceptions for example when she held specifically devised property from a previous husband. She could also be left money or property for her own use if this was specifically written into a will when the phrase 'for her own and separate use and benefit notwithstanding coverture' was often used.
• Until 1752 the English calendar used the 'Julian' system of dating, in which the calendar year started at 25th March. England changed to the ‘new style’ – the modern 'Gregorian' system – in that year, with the year starting on 1st January. Before 1752, a date of 12th March 1612 would be towards the end of 1612, although in modern terms it would 'really' be at the beginning of 1613. These dates in July, August and September were not affected by the change.
• The word 'clark' or 'clerk' meant 'cleric'; it was used after a name or signature to signify that the person was a vicar or rector.
• Goods and chattels are personal possessions. Items of property other than freehold land, including tangible goods (chattels personal) and leasehold interests (chattels real). Any personal goods other than 'money, securities for money or property used solely or mainly for business purposes' fall into the definition of chattels. The ‘thirteeth’ is assumed to mean ‘thirtieth’ and not ‘thirteenth’. The signature at the bottom of the Inventory has ‘Gingell’, not ‘Gingill’.
• The values of each item use a mixture of Roman and ‘normal’ numbers. There may be errors in the transcriptions of the individual values; however, the total shown – £102 10s 0d – is the total as in the original. Which appears to be the correct total based on the transcribed values of each item.
• A press was normally an enclosed storage space, such as a closet or cupboard; or possibly a chest. The [sadle ? cloth ] was probably a ‘saddle cloth’: (or saddle blanket, or saddle pad), a piece of material placed underneath the saddle on a horse's back.
• A flock bed was a bed with a mattress or bolster stuffed with wool refuse (flock), shearings of cloth, carded wool, etc.
• Lumber was disused articles of furniture, etc; odds and ends.
• A cheese rack was a rack for drying and storing newly made cheese. A 'weight' was used in various localities as a name for a customary unit for weighing the particular commodities ( eg wool, hemp, cheese, potatoes); the quantity denoted differs greatly in different places.
• The cockloft was a small upper loft under the ridge of a roof.
• The table bord (or 'board’) would be used on trestles for a table, and then folded away after use to make more room in the house.
• A safe was a food cupboard or chest, with sides of woven hair allowing ventilation, but keeping out flies and other insects.
• A ‘white house’ is a dairy. A ‘kist’ was a chest, box, or coffer. A posnet (or possnet) was a small pot with a long handle and three short legs, used for boiling water, etc. The [ fr…?] pan is not understood. Frying pans were designed with longer handles than today, to enable the user to stay well clear of the open fire, and/or with small rings so that they could be supported by pot hangings / hangles.
• A kiver (or kivver) was a shallow wooden vessel or tub. A cheese press was a press used in making cheese, to compress the curds, and expel moisture and whey. A salting trough (or trow) was a trough or tub used for salting meat or fish. A ‘brake’ is not understood in this context. A powdering tub / trough was used for salting meat or fish.
• The word 'yoting' means steeping barley before malting. The barley was steeped in a 'yoting vat'. The 'yoting stone' was possibly a stone on which the vat was stood. A garner was a chest, storehouse or small barn for grain or flour, or presumably (as here) malt.
• The ‘backside’ was the back yard; or any partially- or wholly-enclosed yard.
• The ‘six beasts’ are possibly cattle.
• This item seems to be under-valued? As do the 37 sheep?
• The executor was expected / allowed to take a small payment for his trouble; this was often explicitly included in the LW&T itself. However, this line is a credit, not a debit, so the meaning is unclear.