A WILL believed to be the earliest-known of its kind in the country has been discovered among the county council's archives.

The document is also the earliest known reference to a black person living in Worcestershire.

Belonging to Henry Antonie Jetto and dating back to the early 17th Century, the will was discovered by distant relation, Martin Bluck.

Mr Bluck, who is researching his family history, made the significant find at Worcetershire History Centre.

He had asked history centre staff to help him read some old handwriting in a parish register for Holt, near Worcester.

The details referred to the adult baptism of Mr Jetto in 1596 - the earliest entry of its kind. The records also revealed Mr Jetto was, at the time, a servant employed by a Sir Henry Bromley who owned Holt Castle.

He also died and was buried in Holt in 1627. However, the most interesting discovery was that Mr Jetto had been wealthy enough to draw up a will in 1626.

Mr Bluck, who lives in Bridgnorth, said he believed Henry Jetto was his great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather.

"I am no expert and can't be 100 per cent certain that this link is correct, but I am fairly confident as Jetto was an unusual name at that time," he said.

"From what I can gather the Jetto's stayed in Holt for a further three or four generations.

"He is referred to as blackamor' which at that time meant a black person, and I believe he had an adult baptism into the Christian faith at 26 as ordered by his master."

Mr Bluck believes Mr Jetto's name was given to him by Sir Henry who would have owned' his servant.

The will starts: "In the name of God Amen. The xxiith day of September in the yeare of our Lord god 1626.

"I HenryJetto of the parish of Holte doe make my will and Testament "First I give and Bequeaue my soule unto Allmightie God my maker and Redeemer and my bodie to the grounde".

Archivist Louisa Mann, said: "This is an extremely exciting discovery.

"Not only is it evidence that a black person was living in Worcestershire in the late 16th Century, but that he died a successful man whose family remained in Holt for generations to come.

"What is also so poignant about this find is that it was made by a distant descendant who lives barely 20 miles from where Mr Jetto lived more than 400 years ago."