Click here to return to the previous page

Wills - Glossary
accompt account
adze tool similar to an axe
andiron iron plates to stand by fire grate to support logs or pots
apparel clothing
appurtenance minor part belonging to some other property
ark wooden or metal box, chest, bin sometimes suspended from ceiling to keep away from vermin
aumbry wooden cupboard
back-house outhouse or lean to
barrel wooden tub often for storing liquid
bedstead wooden frame of a bed
board timber plank often on top of trestles to form table
board cloth table cloth
bolster long stuffed pillow
bolting sifting flour from husk
bolting cloth fine cloth used to sift flour from husk
bond promisory note
breeches short trousers fastened below the knee
buffet open sideboard
buffet stool low stool with upholstered top
bushel dry measure of capacity - 8 gallons or 4 pecks
busk strip of wood or bone as a stay in corsets
buttery cool room for drink or food
cart two wheeled farm vehicle without springs
cauldron large cooking vessel
chafer small brazier holding charcoal or hot ash, on which a chafing dish was placed for cooking
chapman itinerant pedlar or hawker
chattel moveable possession
cobiron bar with hooks for supporting spit over hearth
coffer lockable box or chest
cooper maker of barrells & other wooden vessels
cordwainer shoemaker
coverlet uppermost cover on bed - quilt or counterpane
diaper twilled linnen cloth
diet daily food or board
dole gift to the poor
ewer pitcher or jug with wide spout
form small board on trestles for seating
fowling piece firearm for shooting game
fuller one who finishes cloth
fustian coarse cloth of cotton & linen mix
guinea old coin worth 20 shillings from 1663 to 1717 then worth 21 shillings. First used for trade with Guinea.
hand iron andiron
harrateen linen fabric for bed curtains
hemp plant the fibres of which were woven into coarse fabrics or ropes
hempen medium coarse home-spun linen
hilling covering usually for beds
hog pig raised for meat
hoggerel yearling sheep - unshorn
holland fine linnen cloth
hovel storage shed without sides or frame with a thatched cover
husbandman smallholder
indenture document of agreement between two parties written out twice, often cut in half with wavy line to give each party a copy
joint, joyned beds, stools, tables made with mortice & tenon joints and pegged rather than nailed together
kimnel cask or tub made by a cooper for brewing, baking or salting
kine cows
kiver shallow wooden vessel
laundiron andiron or smoothing iron for laundry
laver metal wash basin
lawn fine linnen
lease contract between a lord & tenant
linen cloth woven from flax
mangle device for rolling & pressing cloth after washing
mash tub wooden vat for brewing
mashing mixing malt with warm water to start brewing process
mercer dealer in textiles
mortar vessel for mixing or crushing with a pestle
nuncupative wills which were declared, spoken
patten flat wooden clog raised off ground by an iron ring to keep wearers shoes from sinking into mud
peck dry measure of 2 gallons or a quarter of a bushel
peruke wig
pillowbere pillowcase
platter flat dish or plate
pole axe butchers long handled axe for slaughtering animals
porringer bowl for porridge or soup or potage
potage thick soup, oatmeal or porridge
relict widow
russett coarse home spun woollen cloth, often reddish brown
settle long wooden bench with high back & cupboards under
skillet metal pan with long handle for cooking on open fire
tammy fine worsted cloth
tent bed small four poster bed with canopy
tester flat canopy of four poster bed
trestle detachable legs (in pairs) to support table board or form
ticknye or tickney tickney ware - made at Ticknall DBY
trough large wooden container for washing or mixing
truckle bed low bedstead on castors which could be rolled under another bed
truss bed portable bed which could be rolled up or "trussed" for travelling
tub wooden container
vat, fat tub or trough
victualler one who sells food & drink
victuals foodstuff hung from ceiling to avoid rodents
virgate land measure - often 30 acres
wad, woad blue dye
whittawer saddler or glover working in white leather
yarn spun fibre for weaving - wool, linen, silk etc
yeoman freeholder or farmer
yoke curved wooden bar placed across shoulders from which buckets could be hung

Return to Master Wills Index


Click here to return to the main index of features
Click here to return to the Genealogy index
Click here to e-mail us