Inventory of goods of Mary Freland, Guildford, Surrey County, England

Containers:

Box 1, Folder 16

Scope and content:

Scope and Contents English and Latin on vellum. "An inventory of all and singuler the goods and chattells debts and creditts of Mary Freland late of the parish of the holy Trinity in Guldeford in the County of Surrey widow deceased, taken and appraised the fourteenth day of July in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety by David Lyall and James Gilham." Inventory in English, while a twelve-line subscription by Robert Chapman, signed by him and Roger Dopkins appears in Latin. The document is made up of two membranes of vellum that were stitched together and folded. A period metal pin punctures the document twice and remains attached. Dates to 1690 during the reign of King William III (r.1689-1702) and Queen Mary II (r.1689-1694) of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Includes separate typed twentieth century notes. From the notes: "This is the formal inventory draw up at her decease in 1690 of the goods, assets and debts of Mary Freland of Guildford, taking the place of the Inquisitio post mortem that had previously been standard in the circumstances. The inventory itself is clearly and boldly written in English, each item being distinctly specified and listed with a valuation in Roman numerals, though the certification of this as a testamentary document for probate is in Latin. The widow Freland was evidently in relatively humble circumstances, as the estimate of the value of her wearing apparel and of the money in her purse together at 4/- indicates. The valuation of her whole estate is 18 pounds, 12 shillings, and 8 pence, but this total is made up of such items as 'seaven old blanketts,' 'five course towells,' 'three ould Beds and three boulsters and two pillowes.' Among items of some consequence, the widow had a gold ring, 16 pewter dishes, a pewter flagon and a pewter tankard, brass kettles, and a basin and two porringers of pewter."

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