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The Twentieth daye of July one thousand six hundred and ffiftey and eight
I William BARNES (1) of Fforthington in the County of Dorset Yeoman, being well stricken in yeares but God I give him the praise in perfett sence and memory, and not knowing how soone or in what manner the Allmighty God may be pleased to lay his hands upon me, I doe here make my Last Will and Testament in manner and fforme as followeth
Ffirst I bequeath my soule unto the Allmighty God my creator and Redeamer,
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And my Body to be buried in the pish [parish] churchyeard of Fforthington aforesaid,
Impremis: [Latin for in the first place] I give unto the church of Fforthington one shilling
Item: I give unto the poore of the pish [parish] of Fforthington Ten shillings to be paid at my ffunerall ;
Item I give unto my sonn in lawe Ralphe MULLETT (2) of Glandfild Wootton twelve pence
Item: I give unto my sonn in lawe Nicholas BUGG (3) of Fforthington twelve pence
Item: I give unto my sonn Charlles BARNES ten pounds, five pounds to be paid twelve months after his brother Anthony is taken tenant unto the letting that his ffather now posseth and five pounds two yeare after hee hath injoyed the said letting,
Item: I give unto my Grand Child Anthony BARNES Twenty pounds and my bruing pann to be paid by my executor when hee is eighten years of age, but if God should please to take him to his mercie before then the said twenty pounds to be equally distributed betwixt the rest of his brothers and sisters
Item: I give unto my Grand Child Phallie BARNES five pounds to be paid when she is eighteen years of age or if shee should deye before then to be distributed betwixt the rest of the children,
Item: I give unto my sonn Anthony BARNES all the rest of my goods and chattells moveable and unmoveable of this my Last Will and Testament whome I make my whole and sole executor [writen?] under my hand and seal the daye and yeare first above written
[Signature]
William BARNES
Signed and witnessed in the pnts [presence] of us viz
Mathew HAGGARD
Jo: [John] HARBIN
The mark of Jonathan EAMES (3)
Note:- Separate entry different hand top left of heading over 3 lines:-
(taken & appraised / ye [blank] Day of / December 1660)
An Innventorye of the goodes And Chatelles of William BARNES /
of ffordington in ye Cou-ty of Dorst. whoe desased the twentie first of December /
in the yeare of our. Lord god one thousand six hundred and sixtye
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Imp: [Impremis - In the first place] for his wearing aparrell £6.00.0d
It [Item:] in the hall one tabell boarde and frame [i.e. a trestle to stand the tableboard on] one cubored [cupboard] }
one forme one dresser three joint stooles one shilue? one }
paire of Andirons one Bibell five puter [pewter] dishes } £1.10.0d
It [Item:] in the kichinge [kitchen] to [two] brase [brass] pottes [pots] one skilet one }
fryen pan [fryingpan] one spite [spit] one paire of tonges one }
paire of Bellows too [two] Brass pans six woden [wooden] dishes } £1.13.0d
In the parlor one fetherbed one Bolster one Bedshade }
three couerledes [coverleds] } £1.15.0d
In the Chamber one featherbed one paire of Blankets one Rugge too [two] Coffers one Chest one Cradell one warming pan one Brush} £3.00.0d
In the Linagge? too [two] storing troughes three planckes? too [two] trendelles one Barell with other Lumber £1.00.0d
In the Reckbackine? one Reckstanill? £0.05.0d
Praised by us hose [whose] names are subscribed
John RASKER (4)
Arthur HACKHAM (5)
Genealogical Notes:-
(1) His surname at the start of his will is very badly written, and confused by letters from the line above and below. The 's' of the word Thousand in the line above and the 'b' of the word 'being' in the line below both need to be ignored. The first 3 letters are clear as 'Bar' but even then it is poorly done. Thankfully his signature is actually clearly written as 'William BARNES'. The Will is also attached to the Inventory of the goods and chattles of William BARNES and they have been filed together at the Wiltshire Archives.
(2) The Inventory confirms that William BARNES (1587-1660) died on 21st Dec 1660 and his Will asks for him to be buried in the churchyard at Fordington. His Will refers to 4 children living in 1658, 2 married daughters and sons Charles and the main beneficiary Anthony BARNES. This William BARNES is recorded as a tenant in the 1650 Survey of Fordington who held a copyhold grant dated 22nd Oct 1639 for a tenement and 54 acres of arable land and 2 acres and 3 roods meadow in Fordington Fields for three lives. His age was then estimated to be about 60 (i.e.born c1590 ), his brother Robert Barnes aged about 57 (c1593) and his son Anthony Barnes then aged 28 (c1622). William was actually baptised at FStG on 25th Nov 1587 (close to 1590) the son of William Barnes Senior (c1545-1620) , who held the same plot in 1615, so was actually aged 63 in 1650 and 73 at death. He was churchwarden of St Georges Church in Fordington in 1638.
(3). A Reafe [Ralph] MULLETT married an Elizabeth LIE in Glanvilles Wootton on 31st January 1589 who might just be his son in laws father? (Ancestry.com image 30 of 181)
(4). Nicholas BUGG or BUGGE: Parish Records for the period 1640 to 1663 have not survived but a CLDS member has made an entry on the IGI that a Nicholas BUGGE married a Dorothy BARNES in Fordington on 2nd June 1640. This information has been entered as a part of a CLDS sealing and as such details are not open to public scrutiny and it would be necessary to contact the church as per the notes attached to Film 178117 which was created in 1944. As an exact date has been given it possibly stems from information held by direct descendants. Nicolas BUGG was buried at FStG on 26th Jan 1678/9 followed by his wife Dorothy on 27th Apr 1679.
(4). Jonathan Eames (1628-1702) was the third known child and second son of John Eames the brother of Anthony Eames who emigrated to New England and the few facts known about him are covered in Anthony's biography to which I have provided a link. Jonathan died intestate in 1702 and I have also provided a link to Letters of Administration given to his wife Mary.
(5). A Will and inventory survive for a John Rasker of Fordington dated 1661 and can be accessed via this link
(6). A Will and inventory survive for an Arthur Hackham of Fordington Yeoman in 1679.