Description:

Documents

1. Will: dated 10 February 1627 .
First he requests to be buried in Rowleston parish church
Beneficiaries:

To the cathedral church of St Davids , 12d.
'Towards the reparacon of the pish church of Rowleston', 2/-
To the poor of Rowleston, 3/4d.

To his now wife Mary, the second best yoke of oxen, 2 kine (second best), a white mare and her colt, 8 ewes and their wool, the second best sow, 8 bushels of muncorn, 12 bushels of oats, her feather bed with its appurtenances (the bedstead excepted), a flock bed, 2 sheets, one bolster,with a covering. Also the 'best covering that I have or 16/- in money' and also all the household stuff 'that she brought to me  after the death of her first husband.' then she is to have half the poulry  that are around the house and half of the already dressed hemp now lying in the loft. In addition Mary to have 10/-  and a bend[?] of leather ('second of the best') she is to be permitted to dwell in the house until the feast of St Michael the archangel, [29 September] next after his death if she so pleases. If she doesn't wish to remain then she is to have a flitch of bacon and a side of beef (both second of the best), 2 bushels of muncorn and 3 bushels of oats.

To grandchild, Thomas Price, a black colt with a white star on his forehead.
To godson, Henry Price, a yearling heifer.
To grandchild, Catherine Price, a yearling heifer.
To William Pitt, son of Thomas Pitt, the best ewe and lamb in the flock.
To daughter, Sibill, a 2 year old heifer with 20/- to be paid on All Saints Day next after his decease.

To servant, Ambrose Thomas, a 2 year old heifer.
To servant, Phe[Phillip] Prosser, a ewe. 
To Catherine, daughter of John Watkin, a ewe and a lamb.
To John Watkin, son of John watkin, 2 lambs.
To William, son of John Watkin, one lamb.
To Elenor, daughter of William pitt, 6/8d
To John, son of John Watkin the shoemaker, one lamb
To 'the rest of the children of John Watkin David, two shillings apeece if Ann the wife of John Watkin David pays the sum of 16/- being due debt unto me'.

To son and heir, Zachary Watkin,' the whole benefit of 2 leases the one lease mortgaged upon the messuages land and tenements of John Watkin David, my brother now deceased and during the end  and term of 21 years, and a fine levied upon the same with certain years unexpired as the said Indenture of mortgage more at large it made and do appear. And the other lease taken of the said John Watkin David upon one grist mill as the said lease more at large may and do appear.
[I believe this means that in these two cases the testator was the mortgagor whilst his brother John was the mortgagee.]   
Also to son Zachary, 'the whole estate and benefits of all the messuages, lands tenements, hereditaments mortgaged , fine or fines levied etc. whatsoever of all the lands late of Sible Watkin David, widow; the lands of George Watkin David , the lands of William George or of any or of some of them as the said deeds evidences writingsand fines may.....manifestly appear.'
Further to Zachary, a dwelling house, barn and lands in the parish of Clodock known as 'The lands of David Lewis'
Finally to Zachary , all the remainder of his goods cattle and chattels unbequeathed.

Executor:  son, Zachary Watkin.

Marked by the testator

Witnesses:  Thomas Pytt, William Pytt, Catherine William and Jasper Powell, clerk. 

Date of probate: 20 April 1628 .

2. Inventory: dated  ? March 1628; valued at £114  7  4d [but comes to £147  12  8d].  Appraisers: William Pytt, Walter Vaughan, Thomas William, Thomas Pytt, Phelipp Gwillim, Richard William David and jasper Powell, clerk.

Observations:

This is a somewhat legalistic will making it tricky at times to understand. It is interesting to see how a second wife, for whom this too is a second marriage, is treated with only second best items in her bequests. From the inventory we can see the testator was a tanner
It is impossible to account for the enormous discrepancy between the contemporary valuation of the inventory and the value found when adding it up today, unless the appraisers left out the debt owed by the testator's brother, William Watkin David when they totalled the value in which case the small difference is reasonable given their use of Roman numerals.
  
His inventory is reproduced below with modern spelling..
                                   
                                                Inventory

Summa Totalis  Cxiiij^li   vij^s   iiij^d

Prissers
William Pytt                Tho: Pytt                     Jasper Powell, clerk
Walter Vaughan          Phellipp Gwillim
Thomas William         Richard Wm  Dd.