This will be found interesting from the characteristic style and quaint orthography in which it is penned; the detail, too, is eminently suggestive of a simplicity in the individual mind of the testator as well as of the social tone of the times, much at variance with the more complicated habits of our own day. Sir Richard, it must be remarked, was “the head of one of the most ancient and illustrious of the Craven families, the representatives of which still flourish and count up to more than twenty generations of Hamerton’s.”
“Richard Hamerton, knyghte, in my hole mynde and witt. To be beryed in the kirke of Preston in Craven, in the chapell of Our Ladye and Seignt Anne, in the southe syde of the saide kirke, wherein a chauntery is founded for a prest in perpetuite to syng for Lawrence Hamerton, esquier, and me, the said Richard Hamerton, knyghte, our wyffes, our childre, and all our ancestres.
“Item: I gyff in the name of my mortuary my beste hors, with my sadell, bridell, and othre thingis pertenying to the same.
“Item: I bequeth to the abbot and convent of the monastery of Sallay a standing maser covered and gilted, to pray for me.
“Item: I bequeth to my son William my best whyte cupp of sylver standing.
“Item: To my son Sir Stephen my salet gilted, ij basyns, ij lavers, ij chafours, ij pottes, vj doublers, xij dysshes, and vj sausers, according to my fader will, as apperith folowyng: i.e. to the saide Sir Stephen and to the heires male of his body; and for defaute, then to Raner Hamerton, son of John Hamerton, broder to the saide Sir Stephen; then to Roger Hamerton, broder to the saide Raner; then to William Hamerton, broder to the saide Sir Stephen; and for defaute I wille that the saide sylver plate shalle remayne to the abbot and convente of the monastery of Sallay for evermore; for which the saide abbot and convente and ther successoures shall praye for the saules of the said Lawrence Hamerton and Isabell his wyffe, and me, the saide Richarde and Dame Elizabeth my wyffe, our childre saules, and all our auncestres, and for those saules whose bodyes we wer most behalden unto in ther lyffes, and for all Cristen saules.
“Item: I bequeth to my saide son, Sr. Stephen, the tabel in the chapell, wt. all thingis belongyng the same, a ladell, ij brasse pottes of the grettest, ij garingsshe of pewder vessell, a chargiom, a handreth of yern iiij fete, iiij lange spyttes of yren. To my nevewe, John Hamerton, my grete countour in the hall. To my nese, his wyffe, a standing cuppe of sylver dim gilt.
“To my broder James ij oxen, and also my wyffe hath given to hym ij whyes.
“To Raner Hamerton a horse of ij yeres olde ambulyng, another of the same age that ambulys to Roger Hamerton.
“To Cristofer Jakson, a stot and xiij s. iiij d. of money. To Richard Clerk a don hors and xiij s. iiij d.