There seems little doubt that Matthew Wing worked hard and saved
diligently. His class in life was probably between that of a Yeoman and a
Gentleman. The fact that his relative, John Wing, (who was possibly his brother)
became a Chief Burgess for life indicates that the Wing's were climbing the
ladder to a higher social-economic plateu.
Bear in mind that these are all approximations:
Matthew Wing's will in dollars:
To the poor of Banbury = 10 shillings ($250.00)
This would buy 125 loaves
of bread, or 10 pairs of shoes, or 62 pounds of soap.
To son, Fulke Wing = the lease to the house and 20 pounds ($10,000.00)
The bequest that Matthew left to Fulke is the surest evidence that
Fulke became the tailor in the family after the death of his father. There
is little question that the house the Wing family lived in also doubled as
the shop that Matthew Wing worked out of. The front of the ground floor probably
served as the shop and the window shutter might have swung downward into
the street to create a kind of shop counter. This probably had a canopy overhead
to protect against rain. Tradesman and craftsmen commonly worked at
home.
To son, Thomas Wing = 13 pounds ( $6500.00). Thomas was in the military.
To son, John Wing = 40 shillings ($1000.00)
Matthew left Rev. John Wing only $500.00 more than he left his
grandchildren. The reason for this is probably because John was the only
son that we know of that was sent to Oxford. Perhaps the agreement was that John
would pay for his education by forgoing a portion of his legacy...although John
would not have gone on to Oxford if he had not proven that he was
a scholar to begin with.
To son-in-law, Robert Chamberlain = 10 pounds ($5000.00)
This bequest may have been a part of the dowry that went with Joan
Wing when she married Robert. There may have been an agreement that the dowry
would be payed upon the death of Matthew Wing.
To daughter, JoAnne (Joan) (wife of Robert Chamberlain) = 20 shillings
($500.00)
It should also be noted that although James Wynge is apparently alive at the time his father
wrote this will that Matthew did not leave James any money although he did aquit him of his
debt of fifty shillings. (if my calculations are correct that would be about $1250.00 in current money).
To Granddaughter, Anne, Fulk Wing's daughter = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Granddaughter, Dorcas, Fulk Wing's daughter= 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Granddaughter, Mary, Fulk Wing's daughter= 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Grandson, Matthew, son of Fulk Wing = 20 shillings ($500.00)
To Grandson, John Wing, son of Thomas Wing = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Granddaughter, Deborah Wing, daughter of John Wing = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Grandson, John Wing, son of John Wing = 20 shillings ($500.00)
To Grandson, John Nicholls, son of Elizabeth Wing = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Grandson, William Wing, son of James Wing = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To Grandson, Thomas Chamberlayne, son of Joan Wing = 20 shillings
($500.00)
To John Gullins, son of Richard Gullins (relationship unknown)
= 4 shillings, 6 pence...a little over a $100.
To Thomas Gullins, son of Richard Gullins (relationship unknown)
= 14 pence...I have no idea how much that would be.
To Phebe Gullins, daughter of Richard Gullins (relationship unknown)=
12 pence...
For now the relationship between the Wings and the Gullins will have
to remain a mystery. There are any number of possibilities to imagine concerning
their link.
If my conversion of shillings and pounds are correct and if I added everything properly
the total cash sum of Matthew Wynge's will is $27750.00, not including the debt that he forgave
James which amounted to approximately $1250.00....
Matthew's will is practically a King's ransom to the middle class citizen
of 17th century England. Half of the population of England from 1600 to beyond
the time of Matthew Wing's death were considered poor to destitute.
Whenever times of depression overwhelmed the cloth areas, country weavers
suffered great losses. Rowland Vaughan recorded in "his Booke" for the year
1604: "There bee within a mile and a halfe from my house five hundred poor
habitations; whose greatest means consist in spinning Flaxe, Hempe, and Hardes.
There is not one amongst ten that hath five shillings to buy a Bale of Flaxe,
but are forc'd to borrow money to put up their trade and run to Hereford
(loosing a dayes worke) to fetch the same."