Hi Would anyone on the Noth Yorkshire and Durham lists be able to advise me on a matter of terminology in wills? I have the will of William Saer of South Kilvington 1597 in which he refers to several brothers, a son, and Masters John, George, Richard, etc. All with the surname Saer. I dont know whether the word Master is referring to his sons, or more likely, his brothers, but then why would he call some Brothers and some Master?? Here is an excerpt from the transcription as an example: It[e]m I give and bequeath my whole title and Interest of my farme in Kilvington aforesayed unto John my sonne, in considerac{i}o[n] of his child[e]s porc{i}on. It[e]m I give unto my master M[aste]r John Saer xxs. It[e]m I give unto M[aste]r George Saer xs and to wife xs and to M[ist]res Westrop xs. It[e]m I give unto M[aste]r Richard Saer[e]s eldest sonne iijli vjs viijd. It[e]m I give to my brother Frauncis Saer[e]s children 2 xli. It[e]m I give unto my sister Elizabeth Gowland xs. It[e]m I give unto my brother Leonard [? Cust[er] ] the lease of his farme at Rounton...................................... It[e]m I give unto Elizabeth my daughter my fowre greate oxen............................................................. The rest of all my good[e]s moveable and unmoveable the thirdes excepted w[hi]ch belonge unto Margaret my wyfe and my debt[e]s legacies and funerall expences discharged & deducted I give unto Elizabeth my saied daughter whome I make my full and sole executrix of this my will. It[e]m I com[m]itt the tuition of my sonne John Saer and his porc[i[on unto my m[aste]r master John Saier yf it please him to take him It[e]m I com[m]itt the tuition of my daughter Elizabeth and her legacie and porc{i}on unto R[o]b[er]t Tholthropp of Threske and Elizabeth his wyfe and yf my saied master master john Saer shall refuse to take uppon him the tuition of my saied sonne then I com[m]itt the tuition of him also and his porc{i}on unto the sayd Robert Tholthroppe & Elizabeth hi wife and lastlie I will that when my sonne John Saer shall come to twentie yeares of age he enioyinge my farme as I he shall that shall give unto my saied daughter Elizabeth twentie poundes of Good and lawefull englishe money to amend her marriage withall ....................... So, what are these relationships, any thoughts? Finally, I note that responsibility of daughter Elizabeth's education was given to Robert Tholthropp and wife Elizabeth. I initially thought that was William;s brother in law and sister until I saw separate mention of sister Elizabeth Gowland. Was it the custom for friends rather than relatives to be given care of a child's education when one parent was still alive? Thanks Laurel Sayer (researching all instances of Sayer and varients in Yorkshire and Durham)