Fifty earliest English wills in the Court of Probate, London : A. D. 1387-1439 : with a priest's of 1454 / copied and edited from the original registers in Somerset House by Frederick J. Furnivall

JOHN CHELMYSWYK, ESQ., SHROPSHIRE, 1418.

[Gives £5 to Quatford church for his soul's sake. 40s. each to the Friars of Bridgnorth, Woodhouse, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, London; and to the Prisoners in Ludgate, Newgate, and the Marshalsea; and 20s. each to the 6 London Hospitals; to sing 30 Masses, and pray for his soul, his late wife's, his grandmother's, &c.; £70 for 2 priests to sing 7 years for his soul, at Bridgnorth, and £2 for their vestments, and £7 to keep his Year's Mind there for 7 years; and at each Mind 20s. to be given to the Bridgnorth poor. Jonet, his 2nd wife, to have (for her dowry, &c.;) £40 and his household goods, save gold and silver, &c.; 6 silver sawcers to be made into 2 Chalices for the 7-year priests. Wife to have his Manor of Staverton for life (with remainder to his heirs in tail), and let Emot Roe, her mother, have Aspley, for which he's given his Bond for £400 to John Roe. If testator dies childless, Staverton to be sold, and the produce go in Charity and Masses. If his wife Jonet turns her mother out of Aspley, she's to be turnd out of Staverton, which is to go to his heirs in tail, or be sold as aforesaid. Manors of Hay and Tasley to be sold and applied to Charity and Masses. If wife Jonet keeps sole for a year, her state's to be kept up free. Gold chain, &c.; to Wife. Silver dishes, money, furrd gowns, &c.; to Executors. Residue to be applied in Charity and Masses £5 to Tasley Church; and bedding, hangings, &c.; to the Parson of Tasley and R. Crowder.]

(March, lf. 335 bk., P. C.)

[lf. 335 bk.]

Testamentum Johannis Chelmiswyk. [in margin]

In the name of God, Amen, the iiije day of the monthe of Apriƚƚ, The ȝere of god a M¹ CCCC xviij^e, and the ȝere of̘ the regne of kyng̛ Henry the Ve after the conquest, vje. I. Iohn̛ Chelmyswyk̘, squier of Shropshire, hole of mynde & in my gode memorie beyng̛, ordeyne & make my present testament of my last wille in this manere / ffirst I recommende my saule to almyghty god, to oure lady seint marie virgine hys moder, & to alle the Seintes in heuene, and my body for to be beryed where god of his mercy for me wolle dispose. Also I bequethe to the werkis of the body of the Parysshchirche of Seint Marie Magdaleyn̛ of Quatford̛ [Quatford (St. Mary Magdalene), a parish partly in the boro' of Bridgenorth, but chiefly in the hundred of Stottesden, Shropshire, 2 m. S.E. from Bridgenorth. —Lewis.] in Shropeshire,

& to ordeyne vestmentis & ornamentis in the same Chirche nedefuƚƚ, after the discrecioun of my Executours, so that my soule be recommended in Goddys seruice there, C s'. Item I be-quethe to the freres Menours of Bryggenortℏ, to do singe for my soule, and for the soules of my fader & moder, Thomas my sone, Elyanore late my wyf, Ionet Chelmeswyk̘ my Graundame, and alle my god fryndys soules, & for alle cristene soules, the hole Seint Gregories Trentaƚƚ [This Trental (triginta-lis) was 30 Masses, 3 on each of the 10 chief Festivals the year: Christmas, the Circumcision, Mary's Purification, the Annunciation, Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Mary's Assumption, and her Nativity (Sept. 8). See the poem Trentalle Sancti Gregorii, in my Religious, Political, and Love Poems, E. E. T. Soc. 1866, p. 87.] , & to praye deuotely for my soule & the soules aforsayde, xl s'. Item I bequethe in the same manere and condicioun to the ffreres of descriptionOpen pageWodehouse xl s'. Item I be-quethe in the same manere and condicioun to eueryche [leaf 336] of the thre Ordres of freres in Shrovesbury xl s'. Item I be-quethe in the same manere and condicioun to eueryche of the twey Ordres of ffreres in ludlowe xl s'. Item I be-quethe, to fynde Twey honestes prestes to singe goddys seruice for my soule, & for the soules aforsaid̛, in the Chaunterie of the Chirche of Seint Leonarde in Brigge-nortℏ be vij ȝere next folwyng̛ after my desese, lxx ƚi of sterlinges, that ys to wete, euery preste takyng̛ for hys salarie be ȝere, C s'. Item I be-quethe to the mendyng̛ of the feble [? MS. fevle.] & foule weye beside Portmannes Crosse fast by Briggenortℏ, xl s'. Item I be-quethe to eueryche of the iiij Ordres of ffreres in þe Citee of London̛, that ys to wethe, Prechours, Menours, Austyns, & Carmes, [For these Orders of Friars, see p. 16, 17 n.] xl .s'., so that eueryche of̘ þe forsaide iiij Ordres do singe for my soule, and for the soules a-forsaide, the hole seint Gregories Trentaƚƚ, and pray for my soule and for the soules a-forsaide. Item I be quethe viij s' iiij d̛ to do singe for me Soule, & for de Soules aforsaide, C masses in oo day. Item I be-quethe to the prisoners of Ludgate in London̛, to pray for my soule & for de soules a-forsaide, xx s'. Item I be-quethe, vp þe same condicioun, to þe prisoners of Newgate in London̛, xl. s'. Item I bequetℏe, vp þe same condicioun, to the prisoners of the Marschalsie, xx s'. Item I bequethe to þe pore hospitales, that is to say, Seint Marie spiteƚƚ with-oute Bis-

shoppesgate [St. Mary Spittle, in Shoreditch, founded by Walter Brune, Mercer of London, and Rosia his wife, A.D. 1197. See Stow's Survey, 1720, vol. i., Bk II. p. 97, with the account of Q. Elizabeth's grand procession from the Spittle in April 1559, with 1000 armd men, cannons, drums, flutes, trumpets, moricedancings, and 2 White Bears in a cart.] ,Bedlem, Seint Thomas in Southwerk̘, Seint Antonies Elsyng̛ spiteƚƚ [? St. Anthony's Hospital in the parish of St. Benet Fink, Broad St. Ward, London. This was the 'Anthonie' or 'Tanthony Pig,' place.—Stow's Survey, vol. i., Bk II. p. 120, ed. 1720.] , Seint Bartil-mewes in Smythfeld̛ in London̛, Seint Gyles beside Holbourne, that is to wete, to eueryche hospitaƚƚ, to parte a-monge pore folk̘ there, xx s'. to pray for my soule & de soules aforsaide. Item I bequethe to do ordeyne & bye ij vestmentis to serue to the forsaide ij Prestes that shull singe for me in the forsaide Chaunterie in the Chirche of seint Leonarde in Briggenortℏ, xl. s'. Also I wille that after the forsayde ij Prestes haue fulfilled here vij ȝere seruice aforsaide, that than̛ the forsaide ij. vestmentes shuƚƚ remayne & duelle stiƚƚ alwey in the forsaide Chaunterie to serue the prestes of̘ the same Chaunterie, to the worshipe of̘ God, as so longe as th[e]y may endure. Al-so y bequethe to do make & holde my Mynde euery ȝere duryng̛ vij ȝere next folwyng̛ after my desese, in the forsaide Chirche of Seint Leonarde honestliche, & to do recommende my soule & þe soules aforsaide in þe same mynde, vij ƚi, that is to wete, to spende atte euery mynde, xx s'. Item I bequethe other vij ƚi to ȝeve to poremen in the same vij ȝere, that is to sey, atte euery mynde xx s', for to be delet in Briggenortℏ after the discrecioun of myne Executours, for to pray for my soule [MS. may be 'saule.'] & for the soules aforsaide / Item I bequethe to Ionet my wyfe, in the name of here Dowerye & of̘ here parte belonging to here of al my godes mobles, xl. ƚi of sterlinges, and aƚƚ my beddynge & naperie, and alle myne arraye & necessaries in my chambre, and alle othere meuable Godes ther-in beyng̛, and alle manere apparaillement & necessaries longynge to the body of the same Ionet, Outake Golde & syluer, & myne owne werynge clothes, ij peire of my best shetes, & vj disshes & vj Sawcers of seluer. The wyche shetes .I. bequetℏ, that is to say, a peire to Sire William Lochard̛, And the tother peire to Maister Ion Marchaƚƚ, Dene of Briggenortℏ. Item I bequethe the

forsaide vj sawcers, to do make there-of Twey Chalices to serue the forsaide Twey prestes in þe forsaide Chaunterie duryng̛ the forsaide vij ȝere. And After the vij ȝere be fulfellet, I wolle that the same Twey descriptionOpen pageChalices shuƚƚ Abyde in the same Chaunterie to the worshipe of god for euere more. Item I bequethe to the same Ionet my wyf my Maner of Staverton̛ [Staverton in the hundred of Deerhurst, 4 3/4 m. W. by N. from Cheltenham.] with the appurtenaunces, in the shire of Gloucestre, to haue & to holde, terme of here lyfe, doynge to the Chief lordes of þat fee the Seruice ther-of due, & of rygℏ[t] Custume / Vp condicioun that the same Ionet suffre Emot, here moder, to reioise peisibly, & to haue & to holde, terme of the lyf̘ of the same Emot, the Maner of Aspleye [There's an Aspley in Warwickshire, 4 or 5 m. N.W. of Henley in Arden.] with the appurtenaunces; And al-so vp condicioun that þe same Ionet saue and kepe harmeles myn̛ heirs & executours a-ȝens Iohn̛ Roe that hatℏ wedded the forsaide Emot, of a Obligacioun [MS. Olligacioun.] of CCCC ƚi that I. am bounde to hym, vp condicioun that the same Emot shal holde & occupie peisible, terme of her̛ lyfe, the forsaide maner with [leaf 336, back] the appurtenaunces, with-oute distourbaunce of me or of Ionet my wyf, oure heires or assynes. And̛ I wille that after the decese of Ionet my wyf, the forsaide manere of Staverton̛ with the appurtenaunces, duelle & remayne to the heires of my body lawfully be-gete, & to here heires & assignes for euere more, doyng̛ to þe chieff lordes of þe fee, þe seruice there-of̘ due & of̘ rigℏt custume. And ȝif̘ I dye with-oute heires of my body lawfully begete, than I wolle that, after the decese of the same Ionet my wif̘, the forsaide Manere of̘ Staverton̛ with the appurtenaunces be solde be my ffeffes & my Executours in the best manere that they may, and that the money that cometℏ there-of be disposet in werkes of charite, & in masses to be songe for my saule & for the soules aforsaide, after the discrecioun of̘ the forsaide sillers. And ȝif̘ so be that [the] forsaide Jonet my wyf̘ put oute the forsaide Emet here modir, in here lyf̘ of̘ the forsait Manere of Aspleye with the appurtenaunces, & þat may be recorded be Trewe men, than̛ y wille that the same Ionet be vtterliche excluded & voyded fro the forsaide Manere of Staverton̛ with the appurtenaunces, & þat she haue no profet

þer-of̘, terme of̘ here lyf̘. But than̛ that þe same Manere of Stauerton̛, whyt appurtenaunces, remayne to myn heirs of my body frely begete & lawfully, ant to here heirs & assignes for euere more; and ȝif þat I dey with-oute heire of my body lawfully be-gete, than̛ I wolle þat þe same manere with þe appurtenaunces be solde, and the mony there-of comynge, to be disposed in werkes of cherite, & in masses to be songe for my soule & þe soules aforsaid. Item I bequethe to sille after my decese be myne Executours, ȝif I dey whyt-oute heire of my body lawfully begete, my Maners of the Haye & Tasseleye [Tasley, a parish in the hundred of Stottesden, Shropshire, 1 3/4 m. N.W. by W. from Bridgenorth. There's a Hey in the parish of Ashton-under-Lyne, hundred of Salford, Lancashire, 2 m. E. from Oldham.] with here appurtenaunces, & my partie of the place of Lynches, & my tenement with þe appurtenaunces in Halgot in Shropeshire, & alle my other londes and tenementes with here appurtenaunces in the same shire; and that the mony ther-of comyng̛, be disposed in̛ workes of cherite & in masses to be songe [MS. sonde.] be ordinaunces of myne Executours for my soule and for þe soules aforsaid. Item I wille that ȝif Ionet my wif̘ kepe here soole, withoute husbonde, Twelf-montℏe after my decese, than̛ she ffounde be of my goddes durynge þat ȝere in alle here costes, after þe same honeste and degre as she is founde þe day of makynge of this testament. Item I bequethe to the same Ionet, my ffurre of Calabre, my best Cheyne of Gold̛, a doseyn spones of̘ siluer, and a pece of siluer. Item I bequethe to Iohn̛ Yate, myn vncle, vp condicioun that he be one of myn̛ Executours, & take ministracioun of thys testament, vj dysshes of siluer, & my best Girdiƚƚ of siluer. Item I bequethe, vp the same condicion, to Iohn̛ Page of Oxenbolde, x ƚi of sterlinges. Item I bequethe, vp the same condicioun, to Iohn̛ Lemman̛, Citezein & Skynner of London̛, x ƚi of̘ sterlinges, & my worstede Goune with þe ffurre, & my Baselard̛ harneysed with siluer. Item I be-quethe, vp the same condicioun, to Iohn̛ Baldok̘, Citezein & Waxchaundeler̛ of London̛, x marc̘, & my furre of Fycheux [The Foumart or foul Mart(ern),—Mustela Putorius, Lin.—'is likewise called the Polecat, or Fitchet ... its ears are short, broad, and tipt with white on their edges; it is white about the mouth; the rest of the body is for the most part of a deep-chocolate colour: the sides are covered with hairs of two colours, the ends being dark like the rest of the body, and the middle of a full tawny colour.' Its tail is 6 in. long, and its body about 17.Bewick, Hist of Quadrupeds, 1800, p. 252.] Item I be-quethe to the

wyf̘ of þe forsaide Iohn̛ Lemman, my litiƚƚ Cheyne of Gold̛ that serueth for myne arms. Item I bequethe to Symond̛ Wrenchin, Skynner, my Bastard Swerd̛ ['The forme ... of this Ile [England] is three cornered . . like vnto a triangle, bastard sword, wedge, or partesant, being broadest in the south part, and gathering still narrower and narrower, till it come to the farthest point of Cathnesse northward, where it is narrowest of all.'—Harrison's Description of Britaine, in Holinshed's Chronicle, 1587, i. 2, at foot.] . The Residue of alle my Godes & my Catallys mebles, where euere that they be, after my dettis payde and my questes fulfilled, & my sepulcure made, I bequethe to myn̛ Executours, to dispose hit for my soule & for the soules aforsaid, in werkes of Charite, and in masses to be songe, as they se most plesaunce to god, & hele to my soule & to the soules aforsaide. Of̘ this testament I make & ordeyne myn̛ Executours, that is to sey, the forsaide Iohn̛ Yate, Iohn̛ Page, Iohn̛ Lemman, & Iohn̛ Baldok̘, that they trewly ffulfille my last wille as I trust in hem. In wetenesse of wheche thing̛, to thys Testament I haue put my sele: the date is the day & the ȝere aforsaide. Item I bequethe to the werkis of the body of the Parisshe Chirche of Tasseley in Shropeshire, & to ordeyne vestmentes & ornamentes in the same Chirche nedeful, after the discrecion of̘ myne [The MS. repeats 'Item I bequethe to the werkis of the body of the Parisshe chirche of Tasseley.'] Executours, so that my soule be recommendid There in goddys seruice, C s. Item I wolle that sire Iohn̛ Hogenes, person̛ of Tasseley, & Richard̛ Crowder, haue and reioise alle the hustilmentis [ Hostilement, hostillemenz: Meubles, utensiles, instrumens de labourage ...hostiller, garnir, munir.—Roquefort.] of̘ Beddyng̛, hallyng̛ [Hallyng, hangings for a hall.] , pottys & pannes, & peauter vesseƚƚ þat I left in kepyng̛ atte hay & Briggenortℏ, To haue & holde for here Rewarde that I am holde to hem. Probatum fuit hoc [leaf 337, quire 43] coram Magistro Iohanne Estcourt, Comissario, xiijmo die Mensis Nouembris anno domini M1 CCCCmo xviijo, et commissa est administracio Executoribus in eodem testamento nominatis, & habent diem ad exhibendum Inuentorium & c̘: et sextodecimo die dicti Mensis Nouembris, acquietati sunt Executores per finem .xx. s./