Will of Robert Maynwaring, vicar, 1647/8 (proved 1650)

Herts RO 92AW8

In the name of God Amen. The fourteenth daye of March, Anno D(omi)ni 1647: I Robert Maynwaring, Vicar of Winslow in the County of Bucks, being sicke and feeble in body, but in good and p(er)fect memorie (God be praised for it) do make this my last Will and Testament in maner & forme following. First I bequeath my soule unto Allmightie God, who created me, and redeemed me by his sone Jesus Christ, by whose merits onely I trust to obtaine remission of my sines, and consequently everlasting salvation in the kingdome of heaven: And my body to be buried decently in the Chauncell of Winslow. Concerning that small portion of worldly wealth which it hath pleased God to lend me: I give unto my sone Robert one standing bedsteed in the parlour, with the fetherbed and other furniture belonging to it, and the one halfe of my other houshold goods after his mothers decease. Item I give unto him my whole studie of books with all other things therein contayned. Also I give unto him the one halfe of my croppe now sowed on the ground, besides that which Item I give unto my daughter Dorathie the other halfe of all my howshold goods after his [sic] mothers decease, beside that which hir brother is bound to give hir. Item I give unto Elizabeth Becke my kinswoman and servant one blacke broad-horned cow, which I promised her before. Item I give to the poore of the parish twenty shillings to be distributed among them in money or otherwise at my funerall. The rest of my goods unbequethed, my funerall and debts being discarged, I leave unto my wife Dionys, whom I ordaine to be my sole executrix: and my loving kinsman Richard Edmunds gent, and my good neighbour Beniamin Leach overseers of this my last Will and Testament, to see the same p(er)formed. Witnesse hereunto my own handwriting. {the}

the sevntheth day of March. 1647.

By me Robert Maynwaring.

[Latin] Probatum fuit huiusmodi testamentum 31^mo die mensis Augusti
Anno Domini 1650 apud Winslowe in com' Bucks commissa
fuit et coram Johanne Harris Cle\rico/ surr(ogat)o Thome Goad
legum doctore officiale Archidiaconatus Sancti Albani &c commissaque
fuit Administratio omnium bonorum jurium &c Dionisie Manynwaringe
vidue Relicte et executrici &c Jurat' &c

[translation] This will was proved on 31 August 1650 at Winslow, Bucks, before the venerable John Harris, clerk, surrogate of Thomas Good, LLD, official of the Archdeaconry of St albans, and administration of all the goods, rights, etc. was entrusted to Denise Maynwaringe, widow and executrix, etc., and she swore, etc.

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Inventory of Robert Maynwaring, Vicar of Winslow, presented 1650

Herts RO A25/3573

A trew Inventory of the goods and Chattells belonging to Robert Maynwaring deceased.

	li	s	d
In the Parlour one Joyned bedd	2	10	0
One Fetherbedd 2 bolsters 2 pillows 1 rugg one blanckett one straw bedd curtaines & vallans	2	10	0
One drawing table one Court Cubboord 4 Chaires 7 stooles 3 foormes 1 truckle bedd 6 Cushins one Carpett and hangings	5	0	0
One paire of Andyrons 1 paire of tongues 1 fire shovell 1 fire forke	0	6	8
In the hall one table and frame with 6 ioyned stooles one cubboard one Court Cubboord 3 Chaires one spice Cubboord one Jack one glasse Cubboord	4	0	0
In the Kitchin 6 brasse potts one pott posnett one chafer 3 kittles 3 posnets one brasse morter and pestle	5	0	0
one paire of Racckes 5 spittes 2 paire of Andyrons 3 pott hangers and 2 paire of pott hookes one gridyron 2 driping pannes 2 shreding knives one chopping knife one cleaver	1	0	0
one casse one cheese presse 2 stooles 4 tubbs 3 buckets one brasse bason	1	0	0
In the dary house 6 kivers one frying panne with all the other lumber	1	10	0
In the buttry one Court Cubboord 5 barrells and a hogges head one meshing fatt and a yeelding fatt one salting trough one powdring tubb one leather Jack with all the other lumber	2	10	0
In the roome over the Parlour one ioyned beddsteed one fether bedd one mattris 2 bolsters 3 pillows 2 blanketts one coverlett with curtains and vallans
one fether bedd 2 bolsters one blanckett one rugg 2 cushens 2 carpets 2 fustian blanckets	4	0	0
one great presse one cubboord 2 chestes one trunck one coafer one chaire one stoole	4	10	0
2 dusens of platters with all other peauter 3 skimmers	5	0	0
14 paire of Sheetes 12 pillow-beeres 8 table clothes 4 dousins of napkins 4 cubboord clothes 12 towels	5	0	0
2 mazers one tanckard one beere boule one salt seller one trencher salt one porringer one wine boule 7 spoones	10	0	0
[page 2]	li	s	d
In the roome over the buttry 2 halfe headed bedds one fether bedd 3 coverletts 3 blancketts 5 bolsters 2 pillowes one table and frame one stoole	3	0	0
In the roome over the hall one beddsteed one trucklebedd one coverlett one blanckett 2 pillowes one coafer one stoole one foorme one still one bake panne with all other lumber	5	0	0
In the roome over the kitchin one cheese rack 2 wheeles 2 coafers one pillian one side saddle with all the other lumber	1	0	0
In the Study one chaire with all the bookes	20	0	0
3 gownes with his wearing apparrel	10	0	0
At the staire head one safe one chest	1	5	0
2 fliches of bacon	1	0	0
In the closet one Cristall Jugg with other things	1	10	0
In the barne hay and straw with 6 boords	1	10	0
In the wood house a gardner and malt	1	10	0
It(em) one Cow	3	10	0
It(em) one hovell in the yard with the rest of the wood and all \other/ lumber in yard or houses	1	10	0
It(em) one boore and 2 stoores	1	0	0
Item turkies duckes and other poultry	-	56	0
Item 25 ridges of wheat and barly	12	10	0
Item 17 ridges of beaneland	5	0	0
Item moore beanes and oates	4	0	0
Item the soyle in the yard	0	6	8
	li	s	d
The totall summe is	141	5	4
	131	13	4

Richard Hodgkins [signature]
Robert Lowndes [signature]

[Presented 20 Aug 1650 by Denise Manwaringe, widow and executrix]

Click on the pictures for full images of the documents:

The will

The inventory (p.1)

The inventory (p.2)

Notes

Robert Ma(i)nwaring came from Shropshire. He matriculated at Balliol College, 6 Nov 1590, aged 20, and graduated B.A. from St John's College 1 July 1594 (Oxford University Alumni). He became vicar of Winslow in 1597 and remained for over 50 years, despite getting into trouble in 1609 (see below), when he was charged by Silvester Mitchell, current husband of the widow of the previous vicar, and landlord of The Bell. He first wife was Dorothy, daughter of Richard Edmonds, vicar of Shenley, and he was thus brother-in-law of Peter Fige and Henry Wendover. She was buried 22 April 1625. They had two sons William (1604-12) and Daniel (bap. 9 March 1606/7). He then married by licence Denise/Diones Whitbread at Luton on 21 Feb 1625/6. They had Robert (bap. 25 Dec 1626, d.1694; see his will), Joan (1629-37) and Dorothy (bap. 28 Jan 1633/4). Ralph Manwaring (bur. 22 May 1642) was presumably a relative. Robert was buried at Winslow on 20 March 1647/8. His son Robert lived at Granborough where he had several children baptised in the 1650s and was buried on 25 Oct 1694, and Denise is probably the "Dina Manering, widow", buried there 19 Sep 1658.

Robert's name carved into a wall in the chancel in 1641

Robert's will, written in his own hand, was strictly speaking invalid as it was not witnessed, but it was evidently allowed to stand. The inventory shows what the vicarage was like in the 17th century: basically a substantial farmhouse, with the addition of a study, and with more luxurious furnishings than other farmhouses in Winslow (glass cupboard, crystal jug). Robert held some land in his own right (see Court Rolls 1648-9) as well as farming the glebe land. He is the first person in Winslow recorded as keeping turkeys.

Joyned bedd: i.e. a wooden bedstead made by a joiner on which a feather bed or straw bed was placed.

vallans = valance, hanging from the canopy of a bed.

drawing table: an extendable table

Court Cubboord: an open cupboard with three tiers of shelving.

truckle bedd: a low bed on small wheels which could be pushed under another bed.

Andyrons = andirons: a pair of horizontal bars placed in a hearth to support the burning wood.

Jack: this normally refers to a device for turning a spit, so presumably belongs with the other hearth-related items in the parlour or kitchen.

posnet: a small metal pot with a handle and three feet.

Racckes = racks, to hold the spit.

casse: probably = case, perhaps a "case of drawers".

kiver: a wooden vessel or tub.

hogges head = hogshead, a large cask.

meshing fatt = mashing vat, used for boiling malt in brewing.

yeelding fatt = yealding vat, used for fermenting the wort in brewing (A History of Beer and Brewing (2003), 352).

powdring tubb: used for salting meat.

leather Jack: a large jug of waxed leather.

mazer: a goblet, usually of valuable metal.

pillian = pillion, attached behind a saddle to carry a second person.

safe: presumably a food safe.

gardner = garner, a bin for grain.

stoore = store, a pig (or sheep) for fattening.

ridges: i.e. strips of land in the ridge and furrow system.

soyle = manure.

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Archdeaconry of St Albans court papers, 1609

Herts RO ASA9/2 (277)

[Latin] In the name of God amen.  We, James Rolfe M.A., official legitimately appointed of the venerable Dr John Bill, archdeacon of St Albans in the diocese of London, to you Robert Manwaring clerk, vicar of the parish church of Wynslo in Bucks of the archdeaconry of St Albans of our diocese of London.

We give, administer, present and draw up all and singular the articles, chapters or interrogatories following below concerning the absolute salvation of your soul and the reformation of your behaviour and excesses, from our office by the promotion of Silvester Michell of the said parish of Wynslo aforesaid.

To them and to each part of them we wish you through an intermediary for this [mediatim ad hoc], on your corporal oath, to give to us full, plain, true and faithful conformity[?] [conso(nantia)m].

1.  First we put to you and charge that by salutary ecclesiastical canons and canonical sanctions issued in that matter:

[English] That no Eccliasticall p(er)sons shall at any tyme, other then for theire honest nes necessities resort to any Tavernes or Alehouses, neyther shall they board or lodge in any such places. Furthermore they shall not give them selves to any base or servile labour, or to drinking or riott, spending theire tyme Idlely by day or by nighte plaieing at dice, cardes or tables or any other unlawfull game, but at all tymes convenient, they shall heare or reade some what of the holy scriptures, or shall occupie them selves with some other honest study or exercise, doeing the things w(hi)ch shall app(er)tayne to honestye, And endvouring to p(ro)fitt the Church of God  having alwayes in mynde, that they ought to excell all others in puritie of life, And shoulde be examp examples to the people to live well and Christianly under paine of Eccliasticall censuers to be inflicted w(i)th severitie according to the qualities of theire offences

[Latin] as clearly follows and appears by the tenor of the said sanctions to which we refer, and to which, read and inserted here, we hold and wish to be held as far as is expedient and not otherwise.  We put and charge (these to you) jointly and severally and for each one.

2.  Likewise that you the said Robert Manwaring for the space of the last four, three or at least two years have been, as at present you are, vicar of the vicarage or church of the parish of Wynslo aforesaid, and for such and as such you have been and are commonly called, held, considered, named and reputed.  We put and charge as above.

3.  Likewise that you the said Robert Manwaring, sufficiently knowing all and singular the premisses (but) them notwithstanding, but beyond and against the same, in the months of March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February and March 1608, and also in the months of March, April, May and June now current

[English] very often yea comonly diddest resort to Innes and Alehowses w(i)thin the p(ar)ishe of Wynslo aforsaid and there hast plaied both by day and much p(ar)te of the night at dice, cardes and at tables unlawfull games, mispending the tyme also in drinking

[Latin] not only in contempt and disregard of the salutary canons and ecclesiastical sanctions issued in that matter, but also to the grave peril and damnation of your soul, and to others of Christ’s faithful a scandal, offence and pernicious example.  We put and charge as above.

4.  Likewise that you the said Robert Manwaring have undergone or performed no penance or punishment in this matter suitable for the extent [protonto] of your excessive temerity in the premisses, but until now you have evaded (it) with impunity, and evade (it) at the present, to the further grave peril and damnation of your soul, and to others of Christ’s faithful a scandal, offence and pernicious example.  We put and charge as above.

5.  Likewise that you the said Robert Manwaring have been and are of the parish of Wynslo aforesaid of the said archdeaconry of St Albans (which is) in this matter well known [noto rite for notorie] (to be) subordinate and subject to the jurisdiction and authority of this court.  We put and charge as above.

6.  Likewise that all and singular the premisses were and are true etc.  About which an oath [fide] was made etc.  We wish right and justice to be done for you the said Robert Manwaring in the premisses etc. and administered with effect etc.