THE LANGSTAFFS OF TEESDALE AND WEARDALE
                                                                                   BY
                                                         GEORGE BLUNDELL LONGSTAFF
                                                                            Transcribed
                                                                                   by
                                                                  CAROLE A.M. JOHNSON
                                                                                           COPYRIGHT 2001
                                                                       All Rights Reserved

                                                                                   

                                                                             PART 5 

41                                                                     Chapter 4 - Wills 
 

Wills are the most valuable of documents to the genealogist; indeed if every adult made a will, and if all wills had been preserved, the task of the pedigree maker would be a very simple one.

Very many persons make no wills; on the other hand, many wills have never been proved, very many have perished. Of those that survive, a large number give but little information as to the testators family. Administrations usually give much less information, than wills. 

There are a very large number of Langstaff wills at Somerset House, formally at Richmond, co. York. 

The earliest dated is 1543, There are many at Durham dating from 1597, There are but eight at Carlisle; the earliest 1675. There are many others at York and Lincoln. At Chester there are none, at any rate, prior to 1680, Among the Rutland wills is one dated 1580 and at Wakefield, one dated 1616. 

A few are to be found entered on the Court Rolls. Beside the genealogical information that they afford, wills often contain much curious information, throwing light upon the manners and customs of our ancestors. THUS:-

Edward Langstaff of Rumbaldkirk,in his will dated 22 February 1555, bequeathed to Thomas Langstaff, Edward Langstaff,Cuthbert Rayne and Syth Langstaff, to whom he was godfather, to every one of them a sheep.

The following inventory of goods of Mathew Dixon de Brantfell, parochize, Wyrandmyr [Windermere, co. Westmorland] forms a vocabulary of the implements of that day. 

Inventory - November 18 1563. 
A gyrdle, a brandrett [gridiron?] A speitt, a trippett, vije 
a sucke, a cowter, foure yoikes for oxen, a forttwydie, a tugwydie, ij par of torthwydies and an iren dugge. vje viijd 

41a Wills 

j bassyn, a kneadinge tube, iij collecks, a wynnocke, ij stands, a churne, a flesh collecke, a kneadinge bassyn, a knoppe, a geilfatte [wort tub], a backbourde, and ij wode dubllers, vs. jd 
a lade sadle, ij girths, a halter, and a wantow bodome xxd. 
a peatte spade, and a flainge spade viijd. 
iij sone of woell and a halffe, and halffe a sairlett xixs iiijd. 
ij harrows and iij parrof botts, xviijd. 
iij spelks [rod used in thatching] and iij carres xixd. 
in peatts iiije. ijd. 
Burning brackens 
ij calve skyns and a shieppe skyne xxd.
xx bourd in y" 
Bedstocks and a skonce xijd. 
ij leasse xijd. 
William Dixon, baylye, cloith owe unto me for seede corne, y" I did take unto hym. xxiije.viijd. 


The following is extracted from a will, the original of which is lost and which is not mentioned in the index to Durham Wills.
 

1569, September, 8. Will of Robert Dixson of Heighington, to be buried in the parish Church of Heighington. 
Wills that Agnes his wife is have one of the oxgangs of the demean to her use,and after her death, the same goes to his son Thomas. The same Thomas, to occupy another oxgang and to have a steep lead and a brew lead, his great brass pott, his greatest ambrie and caster gilded, a silver dagger gilded, and one Flanders Chest, for the rest of his life and then to his eldest son, and in default of such son then to go to testator's son, William. Gives to son Thomas, his iron bound wheels [his best pair] trusting he will be good to his son Ranf. Gives to his son William, two oxgangs of the demean lands, to his son Ranf, a young grey stag. His executors, to pay his daughter Margaret her childs portion, if it please her to take £20. Residue given to his wife Agnes. 

 

1572. 17 April. Richard Langstaff, of Rumbaldkirk, gives to Mabel Langstaff, his daughter, "4 kyne, 2 stirks, 2 calves, 1 swyne and 6 ewes"and to Jane Gargod, "1 gimmer hog.
(A stirk is a young steer. A gimmer hog is a ewe which has not yet lambed. ) 

 

1573. September 4. Rowland Langstaff of Sedburgh gave to his son George 4 marks, his wife Isabella, to pay him 20s. And his son John, to pay him 5 nobles. 


1590. 28 December. Nicholas Langstaff of Mickelton, made a nuncuputive [oral] will in the presence of his brother Christopher and others: "Sirs heade what I say to you, I give to my youngest ladd, 2 ewes and a cowe and to my middle son John a whie [white?] stirk:" and further he said, "there be 6 hoggs, I give them amongst my children and I give to my eldest son, my table bourde, and also I give to my eldest son, after my wife's widowright, the lease of my farm, etc."

 

1612. December 4. John Langstaff of Cawtley, in the parish of Sedburgh, gives his four grandchildren, 2s. apiece and to his daughter, 1 hyve of bees. 

 

1615. 5 December. Thomas Langstaff, of Egglestone Abbey in the parish of Startforth, says,.......... "I give more unto my said brother Richard, my best hoase and doublet and cloak and girdle, 1 hat, one pair of stockings and 1 shirt, I give John Langstaff the rest of my apparel unbeqeathed".

 

The next is such an interesting bequeath that it is here printed in exteneo. The pious phraseology with which it opens was characteristic of the age:- 
 

WILL OF WILLIAM LANGSTAFFE OF ROMALDKIRK, CO. YORK 1627. 
In the name of God Amen. y" sixt day of August in y" third yeare of y" raigne of y" dread Soveraigne Lord Charles by y" grace of God King over Great Brittaine, France and Ireland Defender of y" Faith A*D'ni 1627, I Will'm Langstaffe of Romaldkirk in y" County of Yorke, yeoman, sicke in body but of a good a p'fect remembrance laud and praise be unto Almighty God, do make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge, viz' First I give and bequeath my soule into y" hands of Almighty God my Maker and his sonne Jesus Christ my redeamer and my body to be buried in y" Church yeard of Romaldkirke. Item I give and bequeath unto Ann Langstaffe my eldest daughter Twenty pounds to be taken out of my goodes Also I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Langstaffe my youngest daughter twenty pounds to be taken out of my goodes and if it please god y" either of them shall die before they come to p'fect age y" then surviviour shall have y" twenty pounds of y" deceased. Item I give and beqeath unto Margaret Langstaffe my wife and William Langstaffe my sonne all my whole lease tythe and interest thereto belonginge as also all goodes moveable and unmoveable for and douring her widdow head of being my wife and my will and mynde is that when soever my lease shalbe taken that it shalbe taken wholly in my sonne William Langstaffes name and wholy to use still reseruynge y" one halfe to her during her widdow head Alwaies p'vided y" my sonne William Langstaffe shall have all my husbandry geare my sword and long staffe cleare out of p't to his own p'p' vse. I make and ordaine Margaret Langstaffe my wife and William Lanhgstaffe my sonne whole Executors of this my last Will and Testament, my debts Legacies and funerall expenses discharged 

WILLIAM -- LANGSTAFFE 
His Marke 
Witnesses hereof 
RALPH FISHER 
ANTHONY LANGSTAFFE
RICHARD HUGGINSON 
Proved 6 April 1628 

 

The following noncupative [i.e.: spoken, not written] will is curious, it is that of Anne Langstaffe, late of Middleton-St. George, co. Durham, "widdow" dated 1730 and made at the house of George Saddler of Yarm, co. York, tanner:- 
I think I shall dye of this sickness and shall not be able to returne to my own house therefore I desire you will tell George Sadler to goe and Gett the key of my house and to go into it in the middle of my chaff Bedd, there he'l find Twenty Shillings or about which money and the goods in my house. I desire he will take care of and if it Please God I should dye of this sicknesse I give George Sadler all the money goods and effects that I have in the world and it is my mind that he shall be my executor and if I had a thousand ponds I would give it to him all only I desire that out of what I leave he will give me decent Burial and give Laurence Dent Ten Shillings if anything spare-- and I desire you will take notice of what I have said and I hope nobody will give George any Trouble after my death for I have noe relation but John Carter to leave it too and he has enough of his own.

 

These are words to the very same effect, the said Anne Langstaffe severall Times repeated to Us at the said Time mentioned and desires us to take notice as afore said." 


Dated 30 November 1730 and attested by three witnesses, none of whom could write his name! 
 

1634 Christopher Langstaff of Hundrethwayt, gave to his wife Margaret, a grey mare and a brindled cow, to his son George Langstaff, a young horse and a brindled Stott [steer], to his son John and his daughter Jane, 10 shear gimmers, more to his daughter Jane, a brindled cow and 40 s in money, to his son in law Christopher Hutchinson's two sons, one lamb each and to his so in law John Hugginsons daughter, 1 lamb. His wife to take out of his goods 30s. To buy his daughter Isabella' wedding gown and other things belonging to household stuff, which he promised her at her marriage


[Abstracts of many other Wills are given in APPENDIX 11] 

 
 

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