Fordington

Will & Inventory of John RASKER (1620-1661)

Will Dated 9th Dec 1661: Inventory taken after his death on 26th Dec 1661

©Originally transcribed by Michael Russell OPC for Fordington from poor quality photocopy of CLDS Film 1067158 January 2009
Now updated with a number of changes to Inventory Items - from Wiltshire Archives November 2020 -- Ref SPC 1661 1 8: P15/7

In the name of God Amen
[Note:- small section missing top right but standard format]


In the name of God Amen I John RASKER of Ffordington in the County [of Dorset] doe make this my Last Will and Testament though being sicke in body [yet in] pfect [perfect] memorye, (thanks be to God) in manner and fforme as follows

Item: [ I ] bequeath my soule into the hand of my creator from whence I have my [missing text] the merritts of Jesus Christ to enjoy him in everlasting bliss and Glory [ I ] doe order and appoynt to be buried in the Church yard where both my ffather [missing text] lyeth

Item: I doe give unto the Church of Ffordington the sume of six shillings [missing text but would be 'eight' ] pence.

Item: I do give unto the Church of Ffordington the (sic) poore the sum [missing text] shillings to be distributed by the Overseers of the poore the next Sabeth [after] my decease

Item: I doe appoynt Mr. Josuah [Joshua] CHURCHILL to preach my [funeral] and for his text I doo appoynt in the 73 ps 23 (sic) 25. 26 before
[Note: - Refers to the 73rd Psalm; paragraphs 25 & 26]

What else have I in heaven but you?
Since I have you, what else could I want on earth?

My mind and my body may grow weak but God is my strength;
he is all I ever need.]

Item: I doe give unto Nathaniell READE of Dorchester my Ash color Cloake and my stone grey sui --[i.e. suit --edge torn off & missing] wch [which] I was wont to weare

Item: I doe give unto Marcke [Michaes] RASKER(1) my blacke cloake

Item: I doe give unto Robert RASKER of Dorchester two shillings and six pence

Item: I doe give unto William RASKER of Ffordington two shillings and six pence

Item: I doe give unto Margaret FFREEKE Widdow the sume of 5s [shillings]

Item: I doe [give] Mary STILL of Dorchester two shillings

Item:I doe give unto each of my servannts twelve pence a peece [piece]

Lastly: I doe make and appoynt Margaret my wife that now is sole and whole executor [executrix] and doe give unto her all my other estate both within doares [doors] and without and to also demand and recover all the said sumes of money that is due [illegible] and that she doth pay or cause to be paid what moneys I do owe Wth [whitch] All I doe give unto my Godson John RASKER my stuffe [i.e. woollen] shirte wth [with] stockens [stockings] shewes [shoes] and hatt.

Item: I doe likewise give unto Robert RASKER of Ffordington my suite and hatt and one paire of stockins

Item: I do appoynt and order Markias [Michaes] RASKER , Robert RASKER Sen: [Senior] Christopher RASKER, William RASKER, John RASKER and Robert RASKER jun: [junior] to be the my bearers unto my grave.

Item: doe likewise appoynt John BARENCE? of Bagber? and John WINSOR of Ffordington to be my Overseers of this my Will and Testament and for their paynes to give unto each of them twelve pence a peece [piece] and that my sayd legacyes be paid between this Candlemas Daye next ensuing the date hereof to wch [which] this my Will and Testament I have sett my hand and seale this ninth day of December in the yeare of our Lord 1661 John RASKER signed sealed and delivered in the presence of John [Blank space] Nicholas STONE the marke of Robert RASKER


An Inventory

An Inventory of ye goods Chattels & household stuff of John RASKER Late of Ffordington deceased taken and praised by John BARNES : John WINSOR: Will. STICKLAND Henry HOLMAN ye 26th of December Anno Domini 1661

Impremis [In the first place] in the Hall one table board, one cupboard six joined stools, two chairs one carpet & ten cushions, one pewter basin, three pewter candlesticks, two salts, one brass candlestick and one flagon pott appraised at £3. 9s 10d
    [Imprems: in ye hale one tablebord one cubbord six joyned stooles two chayrs
    one carpett & ten Cushings : one pewter basen : three pewter candlesticks
    two salts one brasse candelstick and one flagon pott praised at :} iij li viiijx s x d]
Item: one pair of andirons, one pair of firedogs, one pair of tongs, one fire pan, one toasting iron, one pair of bill hooks, and one iron chest appraised at 11s
    [Itm one payre of Andyers. one payre of ffiredoggs one paire of Tongs : one
    one firepan one tosting ire one paire billocos & one iron crooke praised at} xi s ]
Item: In the parlour one standing bedstead furnished, and one truckle bedstead furnished, appraised at £10
    [Itm: in the parlor one standing Bedsteede ffurnished and one truckell
    bedsteede ffurnished praised at: } x li]
Item: Three chests, three coffers, four boxes, two desks, one trunk and one chair appraised at £2.10s.0d
    [Itm: Three Chests three cofars fowre boxes two deskes, one Trunke
    and one Chayer praised at: } ij li x s]
Item: one silver bowl and silver spoons and three Bibles with other books appraised at £7. 6s. 8d
    [Itm: one silver bole & silver spoones and three Bybles wth other
    bookes: praised at: } vij li vj s viij d]
Item: his wearing apparel appraised at £10
    [Itm: his wearing apparrell praised att x li]
Item: in the Buttery: two pots of butter, one little table board, two salts three trendols, one brass mortar, two half hogsheads, four bowls, one trencher stand, twelve pewter pottingers, with other lumber appraised at £4. 10s 0d
    [Itm: in ye Buttery: two potts of butter : one Little Tablebord two
    silts : three trendols :one brasse morter Two halfe hogseds foure bowls
    one trencher cage twelve pewter pottingers wth other lumber praised at iiij li x s]
Item: In the little buttery one hogshead, one half hogshead appraised at 6 shillings
    [Item: in ye little Buttery one hogsed & one halfe hogsed praised at vj s]
Item: In the Kitchen - two table boards, two joined stools, one form, three chargers, four pails, two fates, and one fatehorse, appraised at £1 6s 8d
    [Itm: in ye Kitching two tabel bords two joyne stooles one ffurme
    three chagres foure payles two fates and one fatehorse praised at i li vi s viij d]
Item: twelve pewter pottingers, four brass pots, two brass pans, four kettles, two skillets, one iron, one dripping pan, one spit, one frying pan, two iron crook and one forming pan appraised at £8 16s 8d
    [Itm: Twelve pewter pottengers ffowre Brasse pott two brasse
    panes foure kettels two skilets one iron one driping pan one spitt
    one frying pan Two iron crooke & one furnis pan viij li xvj s viij d]
Item: one tray, three timber platters, twelve timber dishes, one dozen spoons, three dozen trenchers with other lumber appraised at 5 shillings

    [Itm: one tray three tember platers twelve tember dishes one
    duz of spoones three duz of trenchers w'th other lumber praised at v s]
Item: Six sides of bacon with other salted meat appraised at £6
    [Itm: six sides of Baken w'th other salt meate praised at vi li]
Item: In the Malt House one yeoting vat, two other vats, eight trendels, three covels?, three little tubs, one screen, one butter churn, one pair of brandis, two vat horses, and one skillet appraised at £3. 6s 8d
    [Itm: in ye Malthouse one yeoteing fate two other fates eight trendels
    three covels? three littel tubs one screene one butterchurne one
    payre of brandis? two fatehorsses & one sheret praised at iijli vi ss viij d]
Item: In the chamber in the Hall twelve pair of sheets, six pair of pillowcases, seven table cloths and three dozen of napkins £5 18s 8d
    [Itm: in ye Chamber ovr ye hall Twelve payre of sheets six
    payre of pillowtyes seven Table cloaths and three doz of napkins v li xviij s viij d]
Item: one feather bed, two dust beds, four bed covers, three pair of blankets, one feather bolster, and four dust bolsters appraised at £4 1s 4d
    [Itm: one ffetherbed two dust beds foure coverleds three payre
    of blankets one feather bolster and foure dust bolsters praised at iiij li i s iiij d ]
Item: one pewter dish, three tin chamber pots and a warming pan appraised at 6s 8d
    [Itm: one pewter dish three tinning chamberpots and a warmingpan praised att vjs viijd ]
Item: six fleeces of wool: two weight of locks, two old willows, one old flagon, and a pair of iron scales appraised at £1 3s 4d
    [Itm: Six ffleeces of wooll: two waight of Locks two old willows; one
    old flagon and apaire of Iron skales praised at i li iij s iiijd]
Item: In the malt loft twelve bushels of malt one old screen three old tubs two renges? and one sorch? appraised at £2 13s 4d
    [Itm: in ye Malt loft twelve buh of Malt one old screene three
    old tubs two renges? and one sorch? praised att ij li xiij s iiij d]
Item: Three score and six cheeses, four cheese vats, one cheese steane appraised £2 13s 4d
    [Itm: three score & six cheesses ffoure cheesefates one acheese
    steene praised att ij li xiij s iiij d]
Item: In the stable four horses with their harness appraised at £10
    [Itm: in ye stable ffoure horsses w'th there harnes praised at x li]
Item: Eight cows, three heifer beasts, and two calves appraised at £27 13s 4d
    [Itm: eight kine three heypher-bests and two calves praised att xxvij li xiij s iiij d]
Item: In the backside two sulkys? four harrows, three carts, three pair of wheels, two puts? with draughts and two cordropes? appraised at £9 13s 4d
    [Itm: in ye backside: two suls [abbreviation for sulkys?] ffoure harrows three karts three
    payre of whealys two puts? wth draughts and two cordrops? praised att viiij li xiij s iiij d]
Item: In the barns and backside the wheat, barley vetch and hay appraised at £135 6s 8d
    [Itm: In ye Barnes and backside: the wheate: Barley: oates
    ffeches and hey praised att cxxxv li vj s viij d ]
Item: In the backside six hogs appraised at £4 3s 4d
    [Itm: In ye backside six hoggs praised att iiij li iij s iiij d]
Item: The old wood out the back of the house appraised at £0 13s 4d

    [Itm: the oald wood in ye backside praised att xiij s iiij d]
Item: In the common field: twenty six acres of wheat and four acres of vetch lately sown appraised at £21 6 8d

    [Item: in the comon feild: twentie & six acors of wheate and
    ffoure acors of ffeches lately sowed praised att: xxi li vj s viij d]
Item: at the fold two hundred and sixteen sheep with the pichpot , print? and iron bar, appraised at £72
    [Itm: at ye fold two hundred and sixteene sheepe wth the pichpot: print?: and iron barr praised att Lxxij li]
Item: winnowing sheet, twelve sacks one willow one bushel, one half bushel one peck one half peck and 6 sieves appraised at £1.13s. 4d
    [Item: ye winnowing sheete twelve sackes one willow one
    buh: one half bushell one peck one halfe peck and six seives
    praised att i li xiij s iiij d]
Item: Old iron about the house appraised at 13s 4d
    [Itm: ye old Iron aboute ye house praised at xiij s iiij d ]
Item: Due upon bond & otherwise upon account as we are informed £46 11s 4d
    [Itm:due upon bond & otherwise upon account as we are informed xxxxvj li xj s iiij d

-----------------------------
Sum Total= £403 . 13s
Sum is CCCCiij li xij s
Signatures:-
Willm [William] STICKLAND [X His mark]
John WINSOR [W His mark]
Hen [Henry] HOLMAN

Genealogical Notes:-

(1) Link to the entry for John and his wife Margaret RASKER in the Survey of Fordington Manor - 1650 which shows that John held a copyhold grant dated 17th Dec 1639 for a tenement and a plot in Fordington Fields containing 3 ½ acres of Meddow & 26 acres of arable land for 2 lives, his own, when his age was given as being 30 years (i.e.born c1620) and that of his wife Margaret RASKER then aged 25 (i.e. born 1625) . Parish Registers have generally survived for this period (although missing for 1609-1613 inc & 1616 and 1617) but I could not trace a baptism for John RASKER. Margaret is more often recorded as Margery and the closest entry is for Margery the bastard daughter of Christian SLADE baptised on 11th April 1624.


(2) Micheas RASKER (d.1680) of Fordington - Link to more information about his life.

(3) Margaret RASKER (1624-1666) widow was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 30th Dec 1666.

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