thereto belonging to her. I bequeth and give to Elynor, my wife, two kye and the other halfe of my household stuff to my wife, and likewise I bequeath and give to Elynore Wailes, my wiffe, the third of all my corne during the yeares that is betwen Gawen Taylor and me. I bequeath and give to my sonne, Mathew Wailes, two oxen, the best that I have, and two other oxen. I bequeath and give to my sonne, Mathew Wales, one horse to discharge my funeral. I give and bequeath to Mathew Wales, my sonne, two parts of my corne during the yeares between Gawen Taylor and me. And I give and bequeath to my said sonne, a long waine, short waine, plow and plow irons, sommes, yokes, and all things else belonging to husbandry, Whome I make my whole executor of this my last Will and Testament by these presents or witnesses. Witnesses, John Wilson, Edward Swinburne, Richard Carnabye, John Mylburne, Edward Richardson, Roger Breckley, with others.

INVENTORY, 237. 10s. 10d. Proved, 18 December, 1610.

ELIZABETH MADDESON.1

I

Feb. 16, 1609. I, Elizabeth Maddeson, of the pish of Chester, in the County of Durham, widow. To be buryed wthin my pish Church of Chester in hoop of a joyful resurrection to everlastinge life. Item, I give tenn shillings to the poor to be distributed by my executors. I give to Isabel Maddeson, eldest daughter to Richard Maddeson, one gowded white stirke and an ould Armorie. I give to Margaret Maddeson one blacke guye calfe and one chist. I give to Margaret Pounshon, dowghter to Edward Pounshon, one close Cawle, one new chist in the chamber. And to Elspeth Pounshon, younger daughter of the said Edward, one cowle. give to Richard Maddeson, my sone, my plough, plough geare, waen and waen geare, and all the tyrement thereto belonginge. I give one branded stott of two yeares old to Richard Maddeson. The resydue of all my goods and chattels, moveable and unmoveable, unbequeathed I give to Richard Maddeson and Margaret Punshon, my two children. And I do constitute, ordaine and make the said Richard Maddeson and Margaret Poushon, executorix of this my last Will and Testament. Witnesses, Thomas Liddell, minister, Robert Marley and Leonarde Summersyde.

An INVENTORIE conteninge a true note of all the goods and chattells, moveable and unmoveable, that Elizabeth Maddeson, late of Pelton, died possessed of at the houre of her death truly prised by foure honest men, viz., Robert Marley, Leonard Summercide, William Maddeson and John Laying, the 30th of Julie, 1611.

She was bur. at Chester-le-Street, 21 July, 1612; her dau. Margaret mar. Edward Punshon, 25 May, 1588.

Impris: Two oxen and one oxe stirke, 61. Four kie, 30s. a peece, amounting to 67. One gowded stirke, 15s. One black guye calfe, 4s. One branded stott, 16s. Two acres sowen of hard corne, 40s. Two acres sowen of other corne, 6s. 8d. Plough and plough geare, waen and waen geere, prised to 30s. One meate table with formes to the same, 3s. 4d. One Iron chymney, with implements, 3s. 4d. One leden tub and one oulde Amorie,

3s. 4d. One ould brocken chist, 6d. One close cawell, 5s. One other chiste, 12d. Her apperall, 10s. Summe, 197. 13s. 2d. Proved, 1612.

ROBERT LAWSON.

July 26, 1610. Robert Lawson, of Longhirst, in the parish of Bothall, Yeoman. To be buried in the parish of Bothall. To the poor of the parish, 107. To the Churchwardens of the said. parish, 10s., towards repaireing of the church. I give unto my eldest sone, Robert Lawson, and his heirs male lawfully begotten my tenement or farmhold wherein I dwell at this instant, with all buildings, cotages and hereditaments thereon with all my crops. Also two large chists, one great brass pott and potts which are heirlooms. I give unto my second sone, William Lawson, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, all that my tenement or farmhold lying and being in Longhirst, now in the tenore and occupation of my said sone, William Lawsone. I give unto my two youngest sons, Thomas Lawson and Henrie Lawson, all my insight and outside goods whatsoever being the residue of my estate. I make and ordaine Thomas Ogle of Eslenton, Esq., Supervisor, and appoint my sons, Thomas and Henry Lawson, Executors. I give as a token unto my wife's sister daughter, Ann Graye, one black whye. I give to Isabella Lawson, daughter unto Robert Lawson, my sone, another whye. Witnesses, Robert Clough, Thomas Brown, Thomas Lawson.

INVENTORIE amounted to 737. 10s. Od. Probate, 10 June, 1611.

MARGARET GOODCHILD.1

Sept. 19, 1610. In the name of God, Amen, I, Margaret Goodchild, of Ryhope, in the pish of Bishope Warmouth. To be buryed within the Church of my pish, Bishop Warmouth. I gyve and bequeathe to my brother, Robert Goodchild, 20%. of

The testatrix was bapt. at Bishopwearmouth (from which registers the other dates are taken from), 29 Feb., 1585/6, dau. of John Goodchild of Ryhope by his wife, Mary More (mar. 4 July, 1581); her father was bur. 17 May, 1587, her mother re-mar. George Shipperdson of Ryhope, 29 July, 1588 (he was bur. 8 Oct., 1611, and she, 26 June, 1635). Her

to me.

to

lawful money, to be payd to him forth of my goods that of right belongeth to me for filiall and childe's portion. I give to my sister, Agnas Gybson, twenty markes of English money, be likewise payd forth to her of my goods yt of right belongeth I give and bequeath to my sister, Jane Huntlye, twenty markes of lawful English money, to be payd to her forth of my goods and portion that belongeth to me. I gyve and bequeathe to my sister, Joane Sheperson, twentie marks of lawful Englishe moneye, to be payd to her out of my goods and portion that belongeth to me. I give to be distrybuted and geven to the poore three pounds, six shillings and eightpence, to be in like force paid forth of my goods. The rest and resydue of all and singular my goods that of right belongeth to me for my portion of my father, John Goodchild's, goods, deceased, I do wholly gyve and bequethe to my father and mother, George Sheperson and Mary Sheperson, and do also make my father and mother, George Sheperson and Marye Sheperson, Executors of this my last Will and Testament. Witnesses, Anthony Watson, Wyllym Burdon and George Sheperson, with others.

JAMES WALLIS.1

Jan. 3, 1610. James Wallis, of Coupland. My bodye to be buried in the porche commonly called the Walleses Porch in the Church of Newtone. I give unto my wyfe, Jane Walles,

To

six whyes, fourtie ewes and fourtie lambes, and wille that she shall remaine and dwell in my hall howse in Coupland during her widowhood. I give to Ellyoner Wallis, the Daughter of my sone, Gilbert Wallis, six whyes. I give unto my sone, William Wallis, twenty marks. To my sone, Robert Wallis, twenty marks. my son, Michael Wallis, twenty marks, and unto my sons, James Wallis and Richard Wallis, twenty marks each. To my daughters, Jane Wallis and Cecilia Wallis, each twenty marks. To my daughter, Dorothie Wylson, twenty markes. I appoint my sone, Roger Wallis, sole Executor. I do make Supervisors of this my Will, Thomas Burrell, Fergus Storye, John Wallis and Christopher Pearsone, Clerke. Witnesses, Ralph Carre, John

Andersone and Walter Grame.

INVENTORY, 1607. 17s. Od. Probate, 1612.

brother Robert of Pallion, bapt., 24 Mch., 1582/5, mar. Frances (bapt. 20 June, 1587), dau. of Adam Holme, 22 Nov., 1608, he bur., 22 Nov., 1622, she bur., 26 Aug., 1626. Her sisters were Joan, wife of William Shipperdson of Murton, Agnes, wife. . . . Gibson, and Jane (bur. 21 Dec., 1614), wife of Richard Huntley.

This will adds to the information given of the Wallis descent in the New County History of Northumberland, vol. xi., pp. 222, 235.

LANCELOT STROTHER.1

July 30, 1611. Lancelot Strother, of Kirknewton, in the Countie of Northumberland, Esquire. My bodie to be interred in the quier of the Church of Newton. I give unto Elinor, my wife, my household stuff both at Newton and Fowberrie. I also give her out of my whole goods and chattels 2007., and I further give unto my wife, Elinor, my tithe of corne and graine in Langton, and I also give her my tithe of corne and grain of West Newton. For the preferment of my younger sonns now unborn, and of such sone as my said wife is now with (if it happen to be a sone), I give unto William Strother, my second sone, all my tithe of corne and graine in Akefield. To Lancelot Strother, my third sone, my tithe of Millfield, and my water corn Mill, lately in the occupation of Thomas Strother. Whereas my said wife is now with childe, my will is, that if she be delivered of a Sone, that then he shall have during his naturall life all my tithe of corne and graine at Crookhouse. Whereas I, the said Lancelot Strother, have by my deed indented, bearing the date of this my Will, and made between me, the said Lancelot Strother, of the one part and Sir William Selbye, of Tynemouth Castle, Knight, Thomas Riddell, of Gateshead, Esquire, Clement Strother, of Langton, Gent, and Lyonell Strother, of Berwick upon Tweed, of the other part, doth demise, grant and form letten unto Sir William Selbye, Thomas Riddell, Clement Strother

Some notes on the Strother pedigree which appears in the New County History of Northumberland (vol. xi., pp. 132-4) may not be out of place here. (1) The William Strother there represented to be grandfather of this testator does not appear in the visitation pedigree of 1615 (ed. Foster, p. 115), and should almost certainly be deleted. It was probably the testator's father who (in childhood) was contracted, 26 Nov., 1535, to marry Agnes, dau. of Thomas Grey then of Adderstone (where with his wife Dorothy, widow of Sir Thomas Forster, he was residing; on the death, 6 Jan., 1542/3, of his father, Sir Roger Grey; he succeeded to Horton, and was knighted, 23 Sept., 1545). The contract was not fulfilled. Agnes, who was born about 1533 (according to the findings at her father's Inq. p.m., 9 Apr., 1571), was mar. not later than 1556 to Robert Clavering of Callaly (who died 30 Nov., 1528), was living in Nov., 1586, and was probably, bur. at St. Nich., Newcastle, 2 Oct., 1616. (2) William Strother, this testator's father, cannot have made a will on 8 May, 1612, for Sir William Selby, by will dated 19 May, 1610 (P.C.C. 18 Fenner), gives a ring to Lancelot Strother, sonne of my late Brother in lawe, William Strother, deceased." (3) The testator died, ult. Aug., 1611, as per Ing. p.m. taken 27 Sept, 1613; he mar. Eleanor, dau. of John Conyers of Sockburn, marriage settlement, dated 10 Nov., 1589 (she mar., secondly, Sir Ephraim Widdrington, 7 Aug., 1615, at Gateshead). He had a dau. Elizabeth, bapt., 5, bur., 7 Oct., 1592, at Sockburn. (4) John, his son and heir, died 2 Feb., 1630 (Ing. p.m., 3 Sept., 1631). (5) Mary, dau. of the testator's grandson, Col. William Strother, bapt., 25 Sept., 1656, at St. John's, Newcastle, was bur. at St. Nich., Newcastle, 31 March, 1657. The dau. Mary who mar. (about 1694), Thomas Orde of Felkington, was bur. at Norham, 4 Jan., 1736/7, having died (according to an inscription on the back of her portrait at Nunnykirk), 1 Jan., aged 65.

and Lyonnell Strother, all my Manors, Lordships, lands and hereditaments, Rectories, parsonages, tithes and other things in the said Indenture mentioned, for the term of eight yeares, to such uses and purposes only as mentioned in My last Will and Testament. My mind and will is touching the implements of my said lands and tenements in the said Indenture mentioned. I give yearly to my eldest son and heir apparent, John Strother, the sum of 50%. To my eldest daughter, Agnes, 5007. To Elizabeth, my second daughter, 4007. To Jane, my third daughter, 3007. To Ellinor, my fourth daughter, 3007. And to Katherine, my fifth daughter, 2007., and three score poundes unto Mary, my sixth daughter, and also 2407. to the child that my wife is now with. The residue to my eldest sone. Probate, 1612.

WILLIAM BRIGGS.1

Anno dommi, 1611. In the name of God, Amen, I, William Briggs, of Harum, in the pish of Brancepeth. To be buryed in the pish Church of Brancepeth. Also I give and bequeathe to Michaell Briggs, his three children, 67., everye one of them 27., to be paid at Whitsuntide next, and to be putt into the handes of Richard Wrenn, my son in law, and to goe forward for the use, and the said Richard Wrenn to lay in bonde to Robert Pemberton, of Eshe, gentleman, and Nicholas Briggs, of Harum, Yeoman, for the payment of the said money as the children shall come of age. Also I give to Elizabeth Wrenn the feather bedd which I now lye on. I give to Margarett Wrenn a stone of lynte, and to the two young twinnes, tow younge hoggs. I give Elizabeth Wrenn, my daughter, my mare. To my sonne in law, Richard Wrenne, a paire of white britches, a white dubblett and a payre of white stockins and a sherte. To Ralph Walker, my work day britches, a doublett and a cap. Also my will is that Christopher Badminson shall have payd at Penthecost, 1613, that he shall have payd 20s. Also I give to the poore in Brancepeth pish, 13s. 4d., and to the poore of Lanchester and Eshe parish, 10s., to be distributed as Mr. Cockey and Nicholas Briggs thinks good. Also my Will is that my sonne, Nicholas Briggs, shall see that I be honestlye brought forth, as other of my neighbors have bene in time past, with my owne goodes, and all other my goodes and chattles, moveable and unmoveable, my debts, legacies and funeral expences discharged, I give to Jane Briggs, my wife, whom I make my sole Executor. Witnesses, Nicholas Briggs, John Forster, Thomas Rodde, Nicholas Briant.

The testator was bur. at Brancepeth, 24 Jan, 1611/12. His son, Nicholas, mar., at Esh, 13 Dec., 1631, Katherine, widow of John Lampton, draper of the City of Durham (whom she mar. 26 Aug., 1623, at St. Oswald's, Durham, as "Mrs. Katherine Kirbie "); she was bur. at Durham Catherdal, 1 Sept., 1641. His dau. Elizabeth mar. Richard Wren at Brancepeth, 22 July, 1600, and was bur. there, 1 Dec., 1657.