THE LANGSTAFFS OF TEESDALE AND
WEARDALE PART 5
1569, September, 8. Will of Robert Dixson
of Heighington, to be buried in the parish Church of Heighington.
1572. 17 April. Richard Langstaff, of Rumbaldkirk, gives to
Mabel Langstaff, his daughter, "4 kyne, 2 stirks, 2 calves, 1 swyne and 6
ewes"and to Jane Gargod, "1 gimmer hog. 1573. September 4. Rowland Langstaff
of Sedburgh gave to his son George 4 marks, his wife Isabella, to pay him 20s.
And his son John, to pay him 5 nobles.
1612. December 4. John Langstaff of Cawtley, in the parish of Sedburgh, gives his four
grandchildren, 2s. apiece and to his daughter, 1 hyve of bees.
1615. 5 December. Thomas Langstaff, of Egglestone Abbey in the parish of Startforth,
says,.......... "I give more unto my said brother Richard, my best hoase and
doublet and cloak and girdle, 1 hat, one pair of stockings and 1 shirt, I give
John Langstaff the rest of my apparel unbeqeathed". The next is such
an interesting bequeath that it is here printed in exteneo. The pious
phraseology with which it opens was characteristic of the age:- WILL OF WILLIAM LANGSTAFFE OF ROMALDKIRK, CO. YORK 1627. The following noncupative [i.e.: spoken, not written] will is curious, it is that of
Anne Langstaffe, late of Middleton-St. George, co. Durham, "widdow" dated 1730
and made at the house of George Saddler of Yarm, co. York, tanner:- These are words to the very same effect, the said Anne Langstaffe severall Times repeated to Us at
the said Time mentioned and desires us to take notice as afore said."
1634 Christopher Langstaff of Hundrethwayt, gave
to his wife Margaret, a grey mare and a brindled cow, to his son George
Langstaff, a young horse and a brindled Stott [steer], to his son John and his
daughter Jane, 10 shear gimmers, more to his daughter Jane, a brindled cow and
40 s in money, to his son in law Christopher Hutchinson's two sons, one lamb
each and to his so in law John Hugginsons daughter, 1 lamb. His wife to take out
of his goods 30s. To buy his daughter Isabella' wedding gown and other things
belonging to household stuff, which he promised her at her
marriage ****************************** TO: TO: TO: TO: © 2000 Carole A. M.
Johnson A Carole's Cottage
Background.
BY
GEORGE BLUNDELL LONGSTAFF
Transcribed
by
CAROLE A.M.
JOHNSON
COPYRIGHT 2001
All Rights Reserved
41 Chapter 4 -
Wills
Very many persons make no wills; on the other hand, many wills have never been proved, very many have perished. Of those that survive, a large number give but little information as to the testators family. Administrations usually give much less information, than wills.
There are a very large number of Langstaff wills at Somerset House, formally at Richmond, co. York.
The earliest dated is 1543, There are many at Durham dating from 1597, There are but eight at Carlisle; the earliest 1675. There are many others at York and Lincoln. At Chester there are none, at any rate, prior to 1680, Among the Rutland wills is one dated 1580 and at Wakefield, one dated 1616.
A few are to be found entered on the Court Rolls. Beside the genealogical information that they afford, wills often contain much curious information, throwing light upon the manners and customs of our ancestors. THUS:-
Edward Langstaff of Rumbaldkirk,in his will dated 22 February 1555, bequeathed to Thomas Langstaff, Edward Langstaff,Cuthbert Rayne and Syth Langstaff, to whom he was godfather, to every one of them a sheep.
The following inventory of goods of Mathew Dixon de Brantfell, parochize, Wyrandmyr [Windermere, co. Westmorland] forms a vocabulary of the implements of that day.
Inventory - November 18 1563.
A gyrdle, a brandrett [gridiron?] A speitt, a trippett, vije
a sucke, a cowter, foure yoikes for oxen, a forttwydie, a tugwydie, ij
par of torthwydies and an iren dugge. vje viijd
41a Wills
j bassyn, a kneadinge tube, iij collecks, a wynnocke, ij stands, a churne, a flesh collecke, a kneadinge bassyn, a knoppe, a geilfatte [wort tub], a backbourde, and ij wode dubllers, vs. jd
a lade sadle, ij girths, a halter, and a wantow bodome xxd.
a peatte spade, and a flainge spade viijd.
iij sone of woell and a halffe, and halffe a sairlett xixs iiijd.
ij harrows and iij parrof botts, xviijd.
iij spelks [rod used in thatching] and iij carres xixd.
in peatts iiije. ijd.
Burning brackens
ij calve skyns and a shieppe skyne xxd.
xx bourd in y"
Bedstocks and a skonce xijd.
ij leasse xijd.
William Dixon, baylye, cloith owe unto me for seede
corne, y" I did take unto hym. xxiije.viijd.
The following is
extracted from a will, the original of which is lost and which is not mentioned
in the index to Durham Wills.
Wills that Agnes his wife is have one of the oxgangs of the demean to her use,and after her
death, the same goes to his son Thomas. The same Thomas, to occupy another
oxgang and to have a steep lead and a brew lead, his great brass pott, his
greatest ambrie and caster gilded, a silver dagger gilded, and one Flanders
Chest, for the rest of his life and then to his eldest son, and in default of
such son then to go to testator's son, William. Gives to son Thomas, his iron
bound wheels [his best pair] trusting he will be good to his son Ranf. Gives to
his son William, two oxgangs of the demean lands, to his son Ranf, a young grey
stag. His executors, to pay his daughter Margaret her childs portion, if it please her to take £20. Residue given to his wife
Agnes.
(A stirk is a young steer. A gimmer hog is a ewe which has not yet lambed. )
1590. 28 December. Nicholas
Langstaff of Mickelton, made a nuncuputive [oral] will in the presence of his
brother Christopher and others: "Sirs heade what I say to you, I give to my
youngest ladd, 2 ewes and a cowe and to my middle son John a whie [white?]
stirk:" and further he said, "there be 6 hoggs, I give them amongst my children
and I give to my eldest son, my table bourde, and also I give to my eldest son,
after my wife's widowright, the lease of my farm, etc."
In the name of God Amen. y"
sixt day of August in y" third yeare of y" raigne of y" dread Soveraigne Lord
Charles by y" grace of God King over Great Brittaine, France and Ireland
Defender of y" Faith A*D'ni 1627, I Will'm Langstaffe of Romaldkirk in y" County of Yorke, yeoman, sicke in body but of a good a p'fect
remembrance laud and praise be unto Almighty God, do make and ordaine this my
Last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge, viz' First I give and
bequeath my soule into y" hands of Almighty God my Maker and his sonne Jesus
Christ my redeamer and my body to be buried in y" Church yeard of Romaldkirke.
Item I give and bequeath unto Ann Langstaffe my eldest daughter Twenty pounds to
be taken out of my goodes Also I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Langstaffe my
youngest daughter twenty pounds to be taken out of my goodes and if it please
god y" either of them shall die before they come to p'fect age y" then
surviviour shall have y" twenty pounds of y" deceased. Item I give and beqeath
unto Margaret Langstaffe my wife and William Langstaffe my sonne all my whole
lease tythe and interest thereto belonginge as also all goodes moveable and
unmoveable for and douring her widdow head of being my wife and my will and
mynde is that when soever my lease shalbe taken that it shalbe taken wholly in
my sonne William Langstaffes name and wholy to use still reseruynge y" one halfe
to her during her widdow head Alwaies p'vided y" my sonne William Langstaffe
shall have all my husbandry geare my sword and long staffe cleare out of p't to
his own p'p' vse. I make and ordaine Margaret Langstaffe my wife and William
Lanhgstaffe my sonne whole Executors of this my last Will and Testament, my
debts Legacies and funerall expenses discharged
WILLIAM -- LANGSTAFFE
His Marke
Witnesses hereof
RALPH FISHER
ANTHONY
LANGSTAFFE
RICHARD HUGGINSON
Proved 6 April 1628
I think
I shall dye of this sickness and shall not be able to returne to my own house
therefore I desire you will tell George Sadler to goe and
Gett the key of my house and to go into it in the middle of my chaff Bedd, there
he'l find Twenty Shillings or about which money and the goods in my house. I
desire he will take care of and if it Please God I should dye of this sicknesse
I give George Sadler all the money goods and effects that I have in the world
and it is my mind that he shall be my executor and if I had a thousand ponds I
would give it to him all only I desire that out of what I leave he will give me
decent Burial and give Laurence Dent Ten Shillings if anything spare-- and I
desire you will take notice of what I have said and I hope nobody will give
George any Trouble after my death for I have noe relation but John Carter to
leave it too and he has enough of his own.
Dated 30 November 1730 and attested by three witnesses, none of whom
could write his name!
[Abstracts of many other Wills are given in APPENDIX 11]
"MY GENEALOGY AND
FAMILY HISTORY PAGES"
"THE LANGSTAFFS OF
TEESDALE AND WEARDALE" MAIN PAGE.
"THE PEDIGREES OF THE
LANGSTAFFS OF TEESDALE AND WEARDALE"
"CAROLE'S COTTAGE"
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