The Paston Letters Volume Vi Part 49

[Footnote 203-1: A metal facing for a girdle.]

[[v. newe carpettys of ij. ellys in lengeth and yarde and halfe brode, _text has "brode."_

souche stuffe as canne not be kept from mowghtes, which I will _text has "mowghtes."_]]

7

WILLIAM PASTON[205-1]

[Sidenote: 1496 / SEPT. 7]

In Dei nomine, Amen. The vij^th day of the moneth of Septembre in the yere of Our Lord G.o.d m^{l.}CCCClx.x.xxvj., I, William Paston of London, gentilman, being of hooll mynde and in good memory, laud and praysing be unto Almighti G.o.d, make and ordeigne this my present testament and last wille in maner and fourme folowing, that is to sey:--Furst, I geve and bequeith my soule unto my saide Lorde G.o.d, to our blessed Lady Sainte Marye Virgyne, and to all the holy companye of Heven. And I will that my body be buried in the church of Blak Frerez, in London, at the north ende of the high altar there by my Lady Anne, late my wife. Also, I will that there be yeven unto the saide church of Blak Frires, where my saide body shall lye, to be praide for, and for the place of my saide burying to have a large stone upon the saide Lady Anne and me, a convenient rewarde by th'advise and discrecion of myne executours underwriten.

Also, I will that all my dettes be wele and truely contente and paide.

Also, I wille that xx_li._ in money be geven and disposed for my soule and all Christen soules in dedes of pitee and charitee the day of my saide burying, that is to sey:--emonges pouer people and prisoners within the citee of London and withoute. Also I will that I have a preste of honest conversacion to synge bothe for me, and for suche as I am chargid to do syng for at Cambrige, as my servant, Thomas Andrewe, can shew by the s.p.a.ce of viij. yeres. Also, I will that for every wronge by me done in my life tyme a dewe recompence be made there fore by th'enformacion of my saide servante, Thomas Andrew, in that behalf.

Also, I will that all my landes and tenementes with th'appurtenances be devyded bytwene my ij. doughters, Agnes and Elizabeth, by the discresion of my executours underwritten, and after th'enformacion of my saide servaunte, Thomas Andrew, to whome I have shewid my entent and mynde in the same manye tymes, and often to have to theym and to the heires of theire ij. bodies lawfully begoten. Also, I wille that all the revennuyes of my fee symple landes, over and a bove the reparacions and charges of the same that shalbe due at Mychelmas next after my deceasce be takyn of my tenauntes and fermours there by favoure, and that the same revenues go to the contentacion and payment of my saide dettes a.s.sone as it can be convenyently gadred and levied, &c. Also, I will that none of my tenantes nor fermers, suche as be of grete age and fallith in poverte, be in any wise vexid or t[r]oublid after my deceasce by my executours underwritten for no maner of olde dettes due unto me before the day of my deces. Also, I will that nether my heires, executours, nor non other person for theim, nor in theire names, in any wise vex, sue, or trouble the saide Thomas Andrew, my servaunte, after my deceasce of or for any maner of rekenynges or other maters bitwene hym and me in all my life tyme, but utterly thereof I discharge hym and will, and will that he be therof acquyte and discharged in that behalve as I have shewid and declared in my life unto my doughter Elizabeth, Mastres Hide, Master Ursewik, Archedecon of Richemonde, Master Doctor Myddelton, Master Thomas Madies, chapeleyn to my Lorde Cardinall,[206-1]

Master John Shaa, Alderman of London, Master Reede, Master Christofer Mildelton, proctours of the courte of Canterbury, and many other honorable folkis, and to my servauntes in my life tyme, consideryng that he hathe ben my trewe and feithfull servant these xix. yeres or more, in which seasone he hath had dyvers grete paynfull besynes and labours in my causis, by whose G.o.de policie and meanes I have purchased moche of my saide fe symple landes, which also canne geve best enformacion how all suche landes as I have purchased stonden, and what consciens is there in, and howe every thyng shalbe ordred. Also, I will that the churche of Saynte Petre, in Wodenorton have a hole vestyment of the price of v.

marc. Also, I will that Elizabeth Crane be wele maried at my costis, or ellis by the menes of my doughters, unto suche a personne as may dispende by yere xx. marc, or ellis to a G.o.de marchaunt or other craftisman. Item, I will that Christofer Talbot be treuly contentid and paied of his yerely annuyte of v. merke by yere duryng his life. Item, I will that Thomas Dokkyng have surely his annuyte of xl_s._ by yere duryng his life. Item, I wille that the bargayne of Adam Sowter be recompensid after th'enformacion had of my saide servaunte, Thomas Andrew. Also, I will that every of my servauntes be rewarded for theire good and diligent laboure and attendance had a bowte me after the discresion of my executours underwritten. Also, I will that all suche of my G.o.des moveable in Warwikes Inne, and in my place callid Castre Clere, in Norffolk, and in my place in Norwiche, be solde by the discresion of my executours, tawarde and for the contentacion and payment of my saide dettes and performance of this my present will. Also, I will that the vicar of Fyncham be recompensid of his bargayne betwene hym and me after th'enformacion of the saide Thomas Andrewe. Item, I will that all my servauntes, suche as be behynde of their wages and dueties, be trewly content and paied. Also, I will that all other my G.o.des not bequethid, this my will fulfilled, my dettes paied, and all my wronges recompensed by th'enformacion of the saide Thomas Andrew, be departid bytwixte my ij. doughter beforesaide after the discresion of my saide executours.

And also, for as moche as I have not sufficient redy money, and that my dettis cannot be redely levied, therfore I will that money be made of all suche plate as I have for the haste of contentacion of my dettes that I owe of my buriallis. And of this my present testament and laste will I make and ordeyne and const.i.tute my executours the moste reverend fadre in G.o.d my Lorde Cardinall, the right high and myghty Prynces, my lady the Kynges modre, my Lord Dawbeney, and Sir Edwarde Poynynges, Knyght, my nevew, whome I hartely beseche in executyng and performyng this my laste will to do and dispose concernyng the same in every thyng as they shall thynke best to the pleasure of Almyghty G.o.d, and for the helthe of my sowle and all Cristen sowles.

Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum coram domino apud Lamehith, xxviij^o die mensis Novembris, Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC^o nonagesimo s.e.xto, juramento Thomae Andrew et Laurencii Canwike, testium, quibus Thomae et Lawrencio commissa fuit administracio per viam intestati, pro eo et ex eo quod executores in suo testamento nominati ex certis causis legitimis refutarunt, de bene et fideliter administrand' eadem juxta et secundum vires ipsius defuncti testamentum sive ultimam voluntatem, ac primo de solvend' aes alienum in quo idem defunctus hujusmodi mortis suae tempore ext.i.tit obligatus, deinde legata in hujusmodi suo testamento contenta, quatenus bona et debita &c., ad sancta &c.

[Footnote 205-1: [Register Horne, 12.]]

[Footnote 206-1: Cardinal Morton.]

[[I discharge hym and will, and will that _text unchanged: printed "and will, and / will" at line break_]]

8

MARGARET PASTON[208-1]

[Sidenote: 1504 / NOV. 24]

I, Margaret Paston, widow, 'late wife of Edmond Paston, Squier... . .

24^o Nov. MCCCCCIV... ... my sinful bodie to be buried in the chyrche of Our Lady in Iteryngham.'

'Item, to the Hey Awter of the chirche of Sharington, vj_s._ viij_d._

'Item, to the reparacion of the said churche, xx_s._

'Item, to the reparacion of the chirch of Manington, x_s._

'Item, to the reparacion of the chirch of Itteringham, iij_s._ iv_d._

'Item, to the Hey Awter of Itteringham, iij_s._ iv_d._

'Item, to the Gilde of Oure blessid Ladi there, iij_s._ iv_d._

'Item, to the Heigh Awter of Saxthorpe, ij_s._

'Item, to the Heigh Awter of the chirche of Little Baningham, iij_s._ iiij_d._

'Item, to the Heigh Awter of the chirche of Woolterton, ij_s._

'Item, to the Heigh Awter of the chirche of Wood Dalling, iij_s._ iiij_d._

'Item, to the reparacion of heigh way in Woolterton, v_s._

'Item, I will that my son William Lumnor have c. sheep, xxiij. nete, x.

quarters wheat, xx. quarters barley, x. quarters oats, and as many horse, cartes, plowghes, and harowghes, with alle her apparell, as shall extende to the valu of vi_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._, beside alle the foresaide shepe, &c.' ... . in recompense of all goods ... . that Thomas Brigge, late my husbande, by his testament and last will bequeathed or gave to the said William Lumnor ... . He to have all the hangings in the grey chamber over the parlour within the manor place of Manington, and the great bed with the covering and hangings, 'which is of tapestrie worke;' ... . also all the hangings of the halle and parlour, 'with the falte table in the parlure, and all the tables and stooles in the haule, and all the rede hangings of the rede chaumber over the pantry and botry, and a bede of red saye' ... . . viz., its belongings, pillows, coverlets, &c., &c.

'Item, to the said William Lumner, my son, ij. grete rosting aundernes, iij. spetes, ij. bra.s.s pots with all the brewing vessels.'

Item, to my daughter, Margaret Browne, 'my fruntelet of purpill velvet, my girdill whereof the herneys is silver and gilt, and the corse is of damaske gold, and also my fruntelet of crymsyn velvet.'

Item, to my daughter Elizabeth Whymbergh my dymysent silver and gilt, and my corse of crymsyn velvet pirled with gold, and also a fruntlet of crymsyn velvet.

Item, to Margaret Lomnor, my daughter-in-lawe, my prymer clad with grene velvet.

Item, to my daughter, Anne Lomnor, my russet gown pervild with menks, and my best coral bedes conteyning once fifty, and my best bonnett.

Item, to Elizabeth Gayne, xiij_s._ iiij_d._, to the bying of a gowne for her.

Item, to my son, John Lomnor, a bra.s.s pott, a basin, with an ewer of pewter with a roose of lateyn in the bottom of the said basin, and four platters, and four dishes, and iiij. sawcers of pewter.

Item, to my son, Henry Lomnor, xl_s._

Item, to my nephew, Thomas Lomnor ... . a feather bed, &c., &c.

Item, to my nephew, James Lomnor ... . . a feather bed, &c.

'And all the residue of alle my goodes and catallis, sylver plate, and all my detts to me owing, above not bequeathed nor a.s.signed, I give and bequeath to my son, William Lomnor, whom I ordeine and make my executor,' first to pay debts, and distribute the remainder 'to the most plesure to G.o.d and helthe to my sowle.'

Proved at Norwich, 19 May 1505, by William Lumnor.

[Footnote 208-1: [Reg. Norvic. 'Rix' f. 107.]]

[['Item ... Item ... 'And _opening quotes printed as shown_]]

9

DAME AGNES PASTON[209-1]

[Sidenote: 1510 / MAY 31]