How would you interpret the relationships in this 1641 will snippet?

Question

The snippet is here.

Who is the brother-in-law? What range of relationships do you think that phrase would encompass?

Thank you in advance for your ideas.

Answer 1

I have seen brother in law used to represent the following relationships:

• husband of a sister
• a step brother
• the father of a son's wife
• the brother of a sister in law

Take your pick! 

Comments

Yes, that as well. :)

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Thanks for this. My main experience with a rather broad use of the term "in-law" is only from 19th century censuses, not from 17th century settings.

The will maker, Scipio Luxton, has different wives in various trees, and of course no one ever provides sources or gives reasoning for his wife's details. The wife in one tree (and here on wikitree) appears to be based on a narrow interpretation of the use of "brother-in-law" and perhaps not much else. Research continues......

Answer 2

I would say Thomas Radford is the bro in law, Scipio the son and possibly the other Thomas is a son as well, but that's just a guess. It generally does mean brother in law I find, so the husband of his sister?

Comments

Thanks. The thing that made me unsure was the word sonne (son) is singular, not plural. But it would be unusual to include a name and not give some sort of description of the person in question.

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I'm not sure either, I think you need to find out who Thomas Radford is.