001   In the Name of God Amen I William Statham
    002   of Anslow in the parish of Rolesston? in the County of Stafford
    003   Yeo'm: being in good health of body and of sound and perfect
    004   mind and memory praised be Almighty God for the Same
    005   do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in the
    006   manner and forme following (that is to say) first and princ
    007   =cipally I commend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God,
    008   Hoping through Merits, Death, and Passion, of my Saviour
    009   Jesus Christ: to have full and free pardon and forgiving
    010   of all my Sins, and to inherit everlasting life and my Body I
    011   Comit to the earth to be decently Buried at the direction of
    012   my Executor hereinafter named and as louching? the disposition
    013   of my Temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to
    014   bestow upon me I give and dispose of thereof as followeth
    015   first I will that my debts and funeral charges be paid and
    016   discharged Then I give and bequeth to the poor of Anslow
    017   Tenn shilling. Then I do then give unto the four of the youngest chidren
    018   of William Mason late of Anslow deceased, five shillings.
    019   Then all the rest and Resdiue of my Estate both real, and
    020   personall viz. Houses, Lands, Teneaments messages Cottages, Leafes?
    021   goods and chattells whatsoever to any wife belonging
    022   of Apertaining I do hereby give and bequest unto my
    023   well beloved Cosen William Statham, (the eldest Son of my Brother
    024   Robert Statham: with whom I now live.) and to his heires
    025   Executors, Administrators & Assines forever. And it is my Will
    026   and desire that my aforesaid Kinsman William Statham shall?
    027   have my estates settled upon him by my trustees mentioned in
    028   deed of trust by mee provided that he shall pay and
    029   defray the funeral leagacies? therein by me given according to
    030   the said deed and I hereby make and Ordain my aforesaid
    031   Cozen William Statham my full sole Executor of this
    032   my Last Will Testament and I here by revoke dismutt?
    033   and make void, all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore
    034   made. In Witness where of I have hereunto sett my hand and seal
    035   the twelth day of January Anno Dom 1700 in the twelth
    036   yeare of the Reign of William the third of England Scott. home? and
    037   Ireland King Defender of the failth y.t?
    038   William Stathom
    039   his mark & seale


Attached to the will is an inventory of his Goods and Chatells.

    001   January 11 1702
    002   A true and perfect inventory of all the goods and chatells
    003   of William Stathom of Anslow in the parish of Roleston
    004   in the County of Stafford Yeoman Deceased viz.
    005   In the dwelling house
    006   His Purf? and Apparell 4 0s 0d
    007   one table one furms? and two stools two
    008   Bhaines? 0 8s 0d
    009   4 brass kettles and a brass pott & warming pan 1 4s 0d
    010   Six little old pewter dishes 0 5s 0d
    011   One screen chaire 0 5s 0d
    012   one iron grate with some small iron moarall? 0 3s 4d
    013   one frying pan 0 1s 0d
    014   In the parlor
    015   one feather bed with three bolsters & five
    016   blankets with an old flock? bed with the
    017   curtains & bedsheets 3 0s 0d
    018   one soafer and an old Chair and 4 cushions 0 5s. 8d
    019   In the Chambers
    020   One old soafer & three paire of sheets and
    021   some small linnen 0 10s 3d
    022   One old little table and a tubb with tree old pailes
    023   and some od things 0 3s 4d
    024   Some old lumber and things unseen and
    025   forgotten 0 1s 0d
    026   Sum toattall 10 6s 7d
    027   Aporized by us whose names are
    028   hereunto subscribed
    029   Benji. Crofte
    030   Henry Foarde
    031   John Sanders


Please Note - Deciphering this will is still ongoing...


Notes

His will is quite revealing, William, living at Anslow in the parish of Rolleston a Yeoman (someone who owns and cultivates land) appears to have been made to ensure that the little he had was left to his brother Robert's son William.

...I do hereby give and bequest unto my well beloved Cosen William Statham, (the eldest Son of my Brother Robert Statham: with whom I now live... desire that my aforesaid Kinsman William Statham...Cozen William Statham my full sole Executor...

Two cozens and one kinsman. I think it should have said nephew not cozen!

Is he saying he is living with Robert or William?

Interestingly the will states ...of the Reign of William the third...

The Inventory makes interesting reading,

... 4 brass kettles and a brass pott & warming pan 1 4s 0d ... one feather bed with three bolsters & blankets with an old flock? bed with the curtains & bedsheets 3 0s 0d ... one soafer and an old Chair and 4 cushions 0 5s. 8d ...

Finally we have the last standard line to cover ... Some old lumber and things unseen and forgotten 0 1s 0d ...

The total came to 10 6s 7d.

The purchasing power of 10 6s 7d. in 1700 would be one Horse or two cows or wages for a skilled tradesman for one hundred and fourteen days.

[1] In Law the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house & includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard & garden.

[2] In a legal context, an appurtenance could for instance refer to a back-yard that goes with the adjoining house.
     The idea being expressed is that the back-yard "belongs" to the house, which is the more significant of the two.

[3] A codicil is a document that amends, rather than replaces, a previously executed will.
     Amendments made by a codicil may add or revoke small provisions (e.g., changing executors),
     or may completely change the majority, or all, of the gifts under the will.

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