Christopher Hoskin (abt. 1585 - 1624)

Born about 1585 in Cornwall

Descendants

Died 1624 at about age 39 in St Breward

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Biography

Christopher Hoskin was an husbandman living at St. Breward in Cornwall at the time he wrote his will in 1624. He was probably only in his thirties, he was ill and concerned that his young family and wife should be provided for after his death. A husbandman was a tenant farmer owning no land and Christopher ran a small mixed farm which he built up from the little left him by his own father. We have a copy of his will and the inventory of his goods and chattels which indicates his status and wealth: "In the name of God Amen I Christopher Hoskin of Breward in the county of cornwall husbandman being sick of body but perfect in mind praise be to god do make this my last will and testament in manner & forme following: first I bequeth my soul to allmighty god my maker who gave it me & my body to be buried in christian burial item I give unto the poor of the parish aforesaid iiij pounds iiij shillings item I give unto Anny my daughter x pounds item I give unto Alice my daughter x pounds item I give unto Edy my sonne x pounds item I give unto Thomas my sonne x pounds & all my household goods & devd goods without doors after my wifes decease & my meaning is that my childrens owne goods shall not be made x pounds a year by my executors and all this to be payed them within one year and half after my death by my executors and overseers item I give unto Robt Blewit my mair or heifer of one years age item I give unto Edy Hoskin my brother on sheepe item my will is that if any of my fower children do end their lives before they come to the age of 20th year that his or her share be equally divided amongst them then living item all the rest of my goods moveable and unmoveable not yet given nor bequethed I give and bequeth unto Phillipa Hoskin my wife who I do make my whole executor to see this my last will and testament in all things performed & I do nominate appoynt and desire George Brent & John Blewit to be my s and overseers of this my will and testament that it may be the better performed item I give unto my godchildren iiii pounds a year. In witness hereof I hereunto set my hand and sign the above Robert Blewit Chrs the sign of Christopher Hoskin " A trew and perfect inventorie of all the goods and chattells of Christopher Hoskin of the parish of St Breward within the country of cornwall late deceased made the sixth day of may in the two and twentieth year of the reign of our sovereign lord James by the grace of god king of England France and Ireland defender of the faith and of Holland the ijth praysed by Robert Rams and Anthony Bunkler the day and year above written Imprimo fyve oxen and one bull in price of xviii pounds Item seaven kee three bullockes of three years age tenne bullik of two years of age five yearlings in price of fower calves seaven beastes seaven and forty sheepes eighteen lambs twelve piges in poultry in corne in the ground price of in corne in the mow hay payer of wheeles and one bull " and harness and yokes with their furniture there belonging " fyve pannes and two crockes " tenne platters one polinger two sosers & two candlesticks and six dishes two bedheads one feather bed with coverlid blankets and sheets and baulsters and sackes three spoons of silver one table board and one forme one cubboard and a barrell to ten bowles and one coffer and tow tinnes tow brandiron and spit and a pothanging tow shawles tow .......... three hookes one axe six saddell with styroopes & halters one fowling piece in wool in his apparel purse and girdell in other small implements of the house the whole sum is six hundred and twelve pounds and five shillings

This was a quite substantial estate for an husbandman but many, by dint of frugality and fruitful toil, did prosper modestly. The more prosperous citizens, like the yeomen, were gradually acquiring better furnishings. The living rooms of their houses, new or rebuilt, were paneled with English oak or with wainscot "brought hither out of the east countries", whereby, according to a contemporary, they are "not a little commended, made warm, and much more close than otherwise they would be". Sometimes the owners hung their walls with tapestries, arras work or with painted cloths. Upstairs a massive bedstead might be covered with a feather bed, bolster, blankets, and a "Coverlyd" (Harrison considered the improvements in bedding one of the greatest changes in the domestic arrangements of his day), but other than this, bed chambers had little else in them save a chest or two. We note in this will a sum left for the poor of the parish. At this time, it has been said, one quarter of the inhabitants of most English parishes were poor, miserable people lacking any means of subsistence except at harvest time. As Peacham pointed out in 1631, "the poore of parishes are faine to be relieved by the Farmer, the Husbandman, and the middle rank, or else must starve" [C.Bridenbaugh, Vexed and Troubled Englishmen, 1590-1642, Oxford University Press 1986] [Harrison, England and Fuller, Worthies]

Christopher Hoskin was probably in his thirties and ill when he wrote his will in 1624. He was concerned that his young family should manage after his death. His children, the eldest being only 13 and the youngest a baby, would be a great burden to his wife until they could work. He had no land but was able to leave livestock, furniture, tools and a little money, mostly to his wife but a sum to each child. They had been born during a period (1603-!624) when the nation experienced the longest peace in its history which was reflected in the rising standard of living of the nobility and most of the middling people. However, the years 1619 to 1624 were very depressed and would have been of great concern to Christopher at the time his will was made. The last child, Thomasine, was born in a year (1623) of corn shortage everywhere and the threat of famine. [Edwin F Gay, Economic Depressions, 1603-1660, in The Making of English History, 1952] His widow Philippa was buried at St Breward in 1652.

Sources

• Will dated 1624. baptisms of children in St Breward parish register.

Biography from The Hoskin Album, by Bruce Bennett, 1993. Valerie Harwood, Heritage Trail, Timaru Herald Print 1982. This was the first book written about this Hoskin family. Henry Peacam, The Art of Living in London, 1631.