Ralph Mather, of Radcliffe, 1597.
The 2 October, 1597. I, Rauffe Mather of the Parishe of RadclifPe in
the Countie of Lancaster, tanner—beinge sicke & weake in bodie etc. etc. bodie to be decentlie buried in the Parish Church yard of Radcliffe,"
--
property to be divided into " two equalle partes, whereof I doe reserve the one parte to my owne specialle use,  and as for the other part I doe hereby will & devise the same unto my several children, equallie amongst them namely, Gabriel Mather, Habraham Mather, Samuell Mather, Reynould [Reginald] Mather, & Sara Mather:" "of my owne parte I doe give to my daughter Sara £3' "—" to Renould Mather £3
"—" to Habraham Mather & Samuel Mather either of them 40s apeece."—" I alsoe give unto Samuel Mather which I am grandfather to 12s
"Rest & remainder amongst aforesaid five children"—"Habraham
Mather, Executor."
Witnesses. "Hugh Mather the elder",  " Thomas Mather"
Dettes owinge unto said Rauffe Mather,
Imprimis : William Bowcher. £4 9s 8d

Richarde Manchester is surtye of 40s of the said monye which W° Bowcher doth owe.  Inventorie made 7th October, 1597, by Hugh Mather, George Kerkeman, William Macant & W°^ Kenion.
Summa totalis, (CLXXX = 180) £180 2s 7d.

Gabriel Mather, of Radcliffe, 1627.
"In the name of God Amen. I, Gabrtell Mather of Radcliffe C° of Lancaster Yeoman beinge sicke & weake in bodie but sounde & howle in mynde thanks be to God therefore, & knowing the mortalitie of this bodie & that it is appointed unto all men once to dye, do make & ordayne this my laste will & testament in manner & forme following: firstly & chieflie I leave my soule in the hands of God the Father etc "

"And as concerninge the goodes & chattels, which it hath pleased God to blesse me withall, my will & minde is that accordinge to the custome of the province wherein I nowe dwell, the same be devyded into 3 equall partes, namely, one third parte commonlie called the deathes p'te I reserve unto myself. Another parte accordinge to the custome I leave unto my wife Elizabethe & the other Third p'te & Remaynder I give & bequeathe
unto my six children (that is to saie) unto Raphell, Zacherie, James, Abraham, Gabriell & Dorothie equallie to be devyded amongst them."
" To all my grand children i^ apeece—to all my god children the same.
—
" It is my mind & will that my two youngest children Gabriell &
Dorothie to wit have xx^ apeece towards their education"
—
" Item. I leave to my sonne Gabriell xl^ more."
" Item I leave to my sonne Zacherie iii^'."
" Item I leave to my mayde Jane Battersbie xx^"
"I doe give to my sonne James two bays of howsinge wherein he nowe dwelleth, he mayntaininge the same tenantable duringe the remainder of my lease."
" I ordayne & constitute my loveinge wife Elizabeth & my son Abraham Mather my sole Executors."

Witnesseth: Roger Hardman, James Mather.
Inventory taken "17 daie of October 1627 by Richard Partington,
Thomas Mather Edward Allen & James Mather."
[inter alia^ " Mem*^ There is a p'cell of lands which we contende to be a chattel taken by the deceased of the WorshipfuU M"^ Raphe Asshton of Middleton, contain, 21 acres for 21 yeares for 45 pounds ffyne [fine*] which did beginne the 25 March, laste paste.
—
Summa totalis 96'^ i^ 0*^.

Abraham Mather, of Radcliffe, 1613.
" In the name of God Amen, on the one & twentieth dale of September in the yeare of our Lord God 1613. I Abraham Mather of Radcliffe, Countie of Lancaster tanner, beinge visited by the hande of Almightie God sicke and weake in bodie, but of sound & p'fect minde for which praise be to God, make & ordayne this my last will & Testament in manner & form followinge
—
Firstly & chiefly I bequeathe my soule to God the Father to Jesus Christe my Redeemer through whose merrittes I trust to see a glorious resurrection & to the Holie Gost the Santifier. & my bodie to be buried in decente Christian burialle in the parish church of Radcliife. And As for the disposinge of those temporalle & worldie goods which I doe possess it is my will that they be divided in to two equalle p'tes
—
one parte of which I doe will & bequeath to my wyffe Jane & the other I reserve to myself to be disdosed off in manner & forme followinge.
To my Brother Reginald Mather £13 6s 8d
To Samuel Alens & his sistar Rosamund Alens to either of them 40s
To my godson Abraham Macone [Makant] 10s
To all my god children 3s 4d apeece.
To Samuel Mather his two sonnes Samuell & Christopher Mather 6^ 8 apeece.
To the poore of y^ Parish of Radclifife 40s
The house & grounde the which I rente from The Ryght worshipful Richard Assheton of Midleton I do give & assigne to my lovinge wyffe Jane."
In case of his wife's death the house & grounde to come " To Abraham Mather my nefue, which now dwelleth with me if he be come to the age of 20 yeares " in which case—" Abraham Mather my nefue to pay to the sayd Reginald Mather his unkell the summe of £6\ 13s 4d.
To Samuell Mather my brother those two closurs or closes of grounds which layeth by Ralph Undisworth's house which my Father boughte of Roger Tyldesle for ever—and the house wherein I now dwell & all the reste of my grounde to my nefue Abraham Mather." If Abraham die all to his brother Reginald.
Executrix His wife Jane Mather.
Witnesseth Reginald Mather. Abraham Mather. John Herdman.
"William Herdman. George Kyrkman.
Inventorie praised by foure honeste sufficiente men. George Kerkman W" Macon Geffre Lomax & John Herdman on the 24 Sept. 1613.
Summa Totalis £87. 18. 0.

Samuel Mather, of Radcliffe, 1638.
In the Name of God Amen, the 22 March 1635. I Samuel Mather of the Parish of Radcliffe,cloakworker, infirme & weake in bodie but sounde & clere in mynde & memorie, do make this my laste will & testament in manner & forme followeth.
Firstly & before all other things I bequeath my soule in to the hands of AUmighty God, etc. & my bodie to be buried in the Parish Church or Churchyard of Radcliffe.
After payment of funeral Expenses—property to be divided into " three parts, except my bowsing & backside which I hould by lease from the Right Worshippfull Raphe Assheton, situate & being in the Parish of Radcliffe, which I give & dispose unto my sonnes Christopher & Abraham."
Mentions, " The bay next Richai'd Fletchers house "—" Anne my wife."
" to Elizabeth Mather my grand daughter one gowne which was
Dorothie's my late wifes.
" To Rachael & Dorothie Mather my grand daughters 5^
" To Richard, Samuel, John, Abraham & Christopher Mather my grandsons
3^ 4*^ apeece."
" To James Yate, Elizabeth Yate & Richard Yate my wife's children 3' 4*^
apeece.
" To Sarah my brother Renald's daughter 3^ 4^.
Executors Christopher & Abraham Mather.
" My kinsman Abraham Mather overseer."
Witnesses. Hamlet Sandiforth.
Thomas Harobinn.
Rich*^ Davenport.
Inventory 1638 by Abraham Mather, Richard Walker, Richard Manchester,
Richard Hardman. Summa totalis, £110.6.4.
Proved 6 June 1638, by Christopher Mather, Exor.