[Sidenote: 1496 / SEPT. 7]
In Dei nomine, Amen. The vij^th day of the moneth of Septembre in the
yere of Our Lord God m^{l.}CCCClxxxxvj., I, William Paston of London,
gentilman, being of hooll mynde and in good memory, laud and praysing be
unto Almighti God, 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 God, 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 space 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
assone 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 gode 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 gode 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 godes 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 godes 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 constitute my executours the moste reverend
fadre in God 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 God, 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
sexto, juramento Thomæ Andrew et Laurencii Canwike, testium, quibus
Thomæ 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’ æs alienum in quo idem defunctus hujusmodi mortis suæ
tempore extitit 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_]]
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