The Paston Letters Volume Vi Part 13

Item, to the hospitalle of Seint Gile in Norwich, also for a _dirige_ and a ma.s.se for my sowle, xx_s._

Item, to iche of the iiij. pore meen, and to either of the susters of the seid hospitall, ij_d._

Item, to the mother cherche of Norwiche for a _dirige_ and ma.s.se, xx_s._

Item, to iche lepre man and woman at the v. Yates in Norwich, iij_d._

And to iche forgoer at every of the seid yates, ij_d._

Item, to iche lepre without the North gates at Yermouth, iij_d._; and to the forgoer ther, ij_d._

Item, to iche houshold of the parish of Seint Peter of Hungate in Norwich that wull receyve almes, have iiij_d._

Item, I wull have a _dirige_ and a ma.s.se for my sowle at the parisshe cherche of Seint Michael of Coslany in Norwich, and that every preste ther havyng his stipend being therat have iiij_d._, and iche clerk in surplys of the same parissh than ther being have ij_d._, and the parissh clerk vj_d._, and the curat that shall seye high ma.s.se have xx_d._, and I bequeth to the reparacion of the bellys of the same cherche vj_s._ viij_d._, and to the s.e.xteyn there to rynge at the seid _dirige_ and ma.s.se, xx_d._

Item, I wull that myn executours shall geve to the sustentacion of the parson or preste that shall for the tyme mynystre the sacramentez and divine service in the cherch of Seint Petre of Hungate in Norwich, xx_li._ of lawfull money;[50-1] whiche xx_li._ I will it be putt in the rule and disposicion of the cherch reves of the same cherche for the tyme being by the oversight of the substancialle persones of the seid parissh, to this intent, that the seid cherch reves, by the oversight as is before-seid, shall yerly yeve, if it so be that the profites of the seid cherch suffice not to fynde a prest after ther discrecions, part of the seid xx_li._ to the seid parson or preste, unto the seid xx_li._ be expended.

Item, I bequeth to Edmund Paston, my sone, a standing pece white covered, with a white garleek heed upon the knoppe, and a gilt pece covered with an unicorne, a fetherbedde and a traumsom at Norwich, and the costers[50-2] of worsted that he hath of me.

Item, I bequeth to Katerine his wiff a purpill girdill harneisid with silver and gilt and my bygge bras chafour, a brasen morter with an iren pestell, and a stoon morter of cragge.

Item, I yeve and graunte to Robert, sone of the seid Edmund, alle my swannes morken with the merke called Dawbeneys merk, and with the merk late Robert Cutler, clerk, to have hold and enjoye the seid swannes with the seid merkes to the seid Robert and his heirs for evermore.

Item, I bequeth to Anne, my doughter, wiff of William Yelverton, my grene hangyng in my parlour at Mauteby, a standing cuppe with a cover gilt with a flatte knoppe and a flatte pece with a cover gilt withoute, xij. silver spones, a powder boxe with a foot and a knoppe enamelled blewe, my best corse girdill blewe herneised with silver and gilt, my primer, my bedes of silver enamelled.

Item, I bequeth to the seid Anne, my fetherbedde with sillour,[50-3]

curteyns and tester[50-4] in my parlour at Mauteby, with a white covering, a peire blankettes, ij. peire of my fynest shetes iche of iij.

webbes, a fyne hedshete of ij. webbes, my best garnyssh of pewter vessell, ij. basyns with ij. ewres, iij. candelstekes of oon sorte, ij.

bras pottes, ij. bras pannes, a bras chafour to sett by the fyre, and a chafour for colys.

Item, I require myn executours to paie to the seid William Yelverton and Anne the money that I shall owe them of ther mariage money the day of my decesse of such money as shalbe receyved of such londes as I have putte in feffement to accomplissh my wille.

Item, I bequeth to William Paston, my sone my standing cuppe chased parcell gilt with a cover with myn armes in the botom and a flatte pece with a traill upon the cover, xij. silver spones, ij. silver saltes wherof oon is covered the hole bedde of borde alisaundre as it hangeth on the gret chaumber at Mauteby, with the fetherbedde, bolster, blankettes, and coveryng to the same, ij. peire shetes, ij. pilwes, and my best palet, a basyn, an ewre, and a litel white bedde that hangeth over the gresyngges in the litell chaumber at Mauteby for a trussyng bedde.

Item, I bequeth an C. marc in money to be paied and bestowed to the use and byhoff of the seid William Paston after this forme folowyng; that is to sey, in purchasyng of as moche lond to him and to his heires as may be had with the same money, or ellys to bye a warde to be maried to him if eny suche may be goten, or ellys to be paied to him a.s.sone as it may be convenyently gadered and receyved of sucche londes as by me are put in feffement as is beforseid after the ele in Mauteby cherche be fynsshed and performed as is beforseid, and after the stipend of the preste lymyted to singe for me be yerly levied, as well as the money be dispended upon the keping of my yerly obite. And if the seid William dye or he come to the age of xxj. yer, than the seid C. marc to be disposed for the wele of my sowle by myn executours.

Item, I bequeth to John Paston my sone a gilt cuppe standyng with a cover and a knoppe liche a garkeek heed, vj. gobelettes of silver with oon cover.

Item, I bequeth to Margery Paston, the wif of the seid John, my pixt of silver with ij. silver cruettes and my ma.s.sebook with all myn awterclothes.

Item,[52-1] I bequeth to William Paston, sone of the seid John Paston, and Elizabeth his suster, C. marc whan they come to laufull age, to be take and receyved of the londes beforseid; and if either of them die or they come to the seid age, than I wull that the part of him or hir so deying remayne to the survyver of them at laufull age, and if they bothe dye or they come to the seid age, than I wull that the seid C. marc be disposed for the helth of my sowle by th'avise of myn executours.

Item, I bequeth to Custaunce, b.a.s.t.a.r.d doughter of John Paston, Knyght, whan she is xx. yer of age, x. marc, and if she die bifore the seid age, than I wull that the seid x. marc be disposed by myn executours.

Item, I bequeth to John Calle, sone of Margery my doughter, xx_li._ whan he cometh to the age of xxiiij. yer, and if the seid John dye or he cometh to the seid age, than I wull that the seid xx_li._ evenly be divided attwen William and Richard, sones of the seid Margery, whan they come to the age of xxiiij. yer; and if either of the seid William and Richard dye or he come to the seid age, than I wull that the part of him so dying remayne to the survyver; and if bothe the seid William and Richard dye or the come to the seid age, than I wull that the seid xx_li._ be disposed by the good advys of myne executours for me and my frendes.

Item, I bequethe to Marie Tendalle, my G.o.ddoughter, my peir bedys of calcidenys gaudied[52-2] with silver and gilt.

Item, I wull that iche of myn other G.o.dchilder be rewarded by th'avyse of John Paston, my sone.

Item, I bequeth to Agnes Swan my servaunt, my musterdevelys gown furred with blak, and a girdell of blak harneised with silver gilt and enamelled, and xx_s._ in money.

Item, to Simon Gerard my silver gobelet cured and a flatt pece with verges gilt, and myn hole litel white bedde in my chapell chaumber at Mauteby with the fetherbedde liche as it is nowe in the seid chapell, with a peire blankettes, a peire shetes, and a pilwe of doune.

Item, to John Heyth a materas with a traunsom, a peire shetes, a peire blankettes, and a coverlight.

Item, I wull that myn housholt be kept after my decesse by half a yer, and that my servauntes wages be truly paied at ther departing, and also that every persone being my servaunt the day of my decesse have a quarter wages beside that they at her departing have do service fore.

Item, I wull that alle suche maners, londes, and tenementes, rentes and services whiche are descended unto me by weye of inheritaunce immediatly after my decesse remayne unto myn heires accordyng to the last wille of Robert Mauteby, Squier, my grauntfader, except suche londes as I have putte in feffement to accomplissh therof my last wille, and except v.

marc of annuyte which I have graunted out of the maner of Freton in Suffolk to Edmund Paston, my sone, Katherine his wiff, and Robert, ther sone, for terme of ther lyves.

Item, I bequeth to Anne, my doughter, x_li._ to hir propre use.

And to Osbern Berney x. marc of the money comyng of the londes by me put in feffement as is beforseid.

Item, I wull that the residewe of the stuffe of myn houshold unbiquothen be divided equally betwen Edmund and William, my sones, and Anne, my doughter.

The residewe of all my G.o.des and catalle and dettes to me owing I yeve and comitte to the good disposicion of myn executours to performe this my testament and last wille, and in other dedes of mercye for my sowle, myn aunceterez sowlez, and alle Cristen sowles, to the most pleaser of G.o.d and profit to my sowle.

Of this my testament, I make and ordeyne the seid John Paston, Squier, my sone, Thomas Drentall, clerk, Simon Gerard and Walter Lymyngton myn executours.

And I bequeth to the seid John Paston for his labour x_li._

And to iche of myn other executours for their labour v. marc.

In witnesse wherof to this my present testament I have putto my seal.

Yevyn day and yer biforseid.

[Footnote 46-2: [Add. Charter, 17,253, B.M.]]

[Footnote 47-1: In the margin is written in John Paston's hand, 'Memorandum, v. yer to come to kepe the yerday.']

[Footnote 48-1: In margin, 'v_li._ vj_s._ viij_d._' This and the marginal notes which follow are all in John Paston's hand.]

[Footnote 48-2: In margin, 'xvj_s._ viij_d._']

[Footnote 48-3: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 48-4: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 48-5: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 48-6: In margin, 'v_li._']

[Footnote 50-1: In margin, 'xx_li._']

[Footnote 50-2: Pieces of tapestry used on the sides of tables, beds, etc.--_Halliwell._]

[Footnote 50-3: Canopy of tapestry.]