Will and Inventory of Avice Petty/Pettie, widow, 1589

Pettie was a widow, wishing to be buried in her local churchyard, leaving 2s. to the church, 4d. to the cathedral and 6s. 8d. to the poor. She also instructed that three bushels of wheat be made into large loaves at her funeral, four for the poor of Sherfield on Loddon and the rest for Basing. Her specific bequests included 20s. to her brother, and gowns and other apparel to her sisters in law, friends and servants. The residue was shared between her two younger sons who were made executors – her elder son was already in possession of half the family land and property, and he was to provide access and storage room to his brothers for six months. Wheat, oats, beans and dredge malt were both sown and in the barn and the stock consisted of at least ten cattle, one mare and a colt and only six ewes. The references to Sherfield also indicated the farm being in the north of the parish on the heavier soils; the goods included 29 cheeses which support this. As with George Hawtrell (d. 1589), the personal items included weapons presumably belonging to her dead husband. Valued at £32 14s. 11d.