The death of Janet Pearson, widow, of Fangs in Loweswater in 1649 must have been an event of some local importance. Her probate inventory was valued at £305 6s 2d, a considerable sum for a widow whose eldest son had probably already inherited the larger part of his father's estate. The inventory is remarkably detailed. I'm listing all the debts from it, as they may shed some light on what 'debts' might hide in other less thorough inventories [comments in square brackets are my thoughts]. Debts oweing by the said testator with specialtie [speciality was a signed written 'special' contract] To Margaret Allason widdow £21 17s 0d [this is so huge that I'm presuming it refers to some earlier inheritance that Margaret and Janet shared. I'm guessing that they were sisters. Probably Janet had the land and was required to pay Margaret her due share in due course] To the Earl of Northumberland for a fine £6 0s 0d [maybe the 'fine' that she had to pay on admission after her husband died?] Debts oweing by the said testator without specialtie To Margaret Allason £1 3s 0d To John Rudd for grassing £0 12s 0d To Henry Jackson of Stainburne for grassing £0 8s 0d To John Fearon of Soskell £1 0s 0d To Mr Lawson for land rent £0 3s 5d [possibly steward to the Earl of Northumberland?] To her son William Pearson for land rent £2 10s 0d [see, he had already inherited] To her son William more £0 4s 0d To Thomas Iredell of the Iredell £2 10 0d Ellen Peirson of Fangs widdow £0 3s od [her mother-in-law?] Mathew Peirson her son £0 3s 0d John Peirson her son £0 7s inkblot Agnes Jackson of Hall £0 5s 0d Agnes Iredell £0 5s 0d [do these two entries suggest that they were providing the same service. Any thoughts?] Elsabeth Walker for wages £0 3s 0d To the Constable William Burnyeate in Arrears for taxes £inkblot 14s 5d To Richard Peile for weaving £0 2s 8d Robert Biglands for two ?? £0 1s 0d William Bell for mowing £0 inkblot inkblot Thomas Dixon Smith for work £0 6s 4d Henry Jackson wife for drink £0 0s 6d Thomas Jackson Smith for work £0 1s 4d paid for her son Thomas Apparrell the testator was bound to find the same during his time of apprenticeship £0 18s 9d [the way the entries are squeezed together suggests that son Thomas was apprentice to Thomas Jackson] To Peter Robinson for one peaxe of [sheep/shoes?? walling/walking???] £0 0s 6d Funeral Expenses £1 10s 0d To John Sponser wife for spinning £1 5s 3d [prized by John Tyffin, John Johnson, Thomas Iredell and John Woodall] Inventories rarely give this amount of detail. What this does show is that long lists don't necessarily indicate money-lending, but just the ordinary day-to-day business of a busy and complex community. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net