Henry Shrapnell`s Will for 1688

The 1688 Inventory and Will can now be seen in the County Archives in Trowbridge .He leaves a field called Puddocks (Paddox),on condition that his son paid his sister Elizabeth's first child £10. To Elizabethherself he gave a "broad piece of gold". He also left money to his Buckthought step-children and 5s. each to four poor widows of Bradford. As was customary, an inventory(see Web page)was taken of his goods and chattels. This shows that he was living in a Bradford house with three rooms on each floor and had property worth £430-what one would expect ofwealthy yeoman.Henry was buried at Holy Trinity Church, where the family has a memorial at the west end of the south wall.
A Inventory table the 5th Day of May 1688 of yegoods money of Henry Shrapnel of Bradford inye county of Wilts. By Jacob Silby, ZaccariahShrapnell, & Robert Taplin appraised as follows:
Brass & Pewter in ye Hall- -£7-9-2d
A tableboard stools other lumber in ye same room-£3-0-0
In ye Kitchen a furnace a ..Pans" 2 foundry &
other goods there £4-0-0
also in ye same room & in goods £1-0-0
In ye hall chamber a bed stead & all furniture £7-0-0
also in ye same 6 chairs a table board & other goods £2-10-0
in Plate £14-0-0
In ye Parlour chamber 1 bed & appertentures & other Lumber £3-10-0
In ye Garrats 2 beds & all apertenures & other Lumber £5-0-0
Wood Vessel in ye Buttery & elsewhere & in house of Broad Board &ye ..£5-0-0
In Timber & Timber goods £40-0-0
In Iron Goods £27-0-0
In wheat in ye ground £3-0-0
In ye ground called Paddox £20-0-0
In his wearing Apperil £10-0-0
In Debts owed him on book £65-0-0
Money in House £37-0-0
Money at Interest £173-0-0
total £430-9-02
signed Jacob Silby, Zaccariah Shrapnell
In the name of God Amen the last will & testament of Henry Shrapnell of Bradford in the County of Wilts, Cooper made & signed the 19th day of April A.D. 1688 in manner & form following .That is to say I having first of all made null & void all form & other wills by me made what form. do give my soul unto almighty god having assuredly enjoy eternal life through the only movity of ye dear Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ who loved me & died for my ...against for my justification and my body I commit to the dust from whence I was taken to be buried at the discretion of my executors. And as .. My worldly estate my will is that it shall be disposed of as follows Imprimus unto Ann my dear & loving wife I give & bequeath all the goods & various stuff that was hers before our Marriage and brought to Bradford and unto her also I give & bequeath the sum of £150 of gold & lawful money of England I give . What Interest shall remain due to me from any person that has or shall have the same in interest at the day of my decease, on this condition never the less that my said wife at the bequest of my son Zachariah Shrapnel & Noah Shrapnell that .. For ever all her jointure and dower whatsoever that she may have or may challenge to have out of any of my lands ,houses or tenements whatsoever .. And .. Void all be .. My said wife & my children I do hereby .. That what money is owed my wife at Taunton . I never had nor hath any thing to do herewith nor it the 25 of 15 if on band in Bradford 10 of on a mortgage in Melksham for with for shall not be accountable any person or persons whatsoever nor yet for any thing I do give delivered unto her always to be under stood that theses bonds in my name or Hobards name of any person or persons with in 5 miles of Bradford for 25 are to be amounted part of the £180 of good & lawful money of England. Also unto my said wife I give and bequeath all such provision I shall have in my house towards house keeping at the day of my decease together with all wood for .. For the fine and my will is further that so long by me after my decease as my wife shall continue in Bradford she shall have the use of any of my household goods as are fitting for her house keeping leaving the same to my son Noah at her marriage or from thence unto my son Zachariah to give and bequeath my ground called Puddocks for all my therein paying out of the same pounds of lawful money of England unto the first child that my daughter Elizabeth shall have he attain the age of one & twenty years and he or his executors shall not then pay the same ten pounds to such child then in my will that child shall from thence forth have & to hold ground for at for me then to thereon item unto my daughter Elizabeth I give and bequeath one broad piece of gold and unto my daughter in law .. Buckthought I give & bequeath a gunny and unto her brother Robert's two children I give & bequeath ten shillings a piece and unto a widower viz, Ann Batchellor, Mary Ruth, Mary Rogers & Alice Holbrook I give & bequeath five shillings a piece my son Noah Shrapnell I give & bequeath all the rest & residue of my personal estate not for in before given or bequeathed and my said son Noah & the said Ann my wife I do hereby make & ordain to be unto & executive of this my last will & testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and given full above written Signed sealed & published to be the last will & testament of the said Henry Shrapnell