“To John Rayngill, a stot and whye. To Thomas Kay a stot of ij yeres olde. To William Iveson a styrk.
“To William Fisshe a whye styrk. To Robert Coke a styrk and a whye. To Majory Stowte a whye of age. To William Standen an oxe.
“Item: I bequeth to a priest xij mark to syng ij yeres for my saule, and my wyffe, and all Cristen saules. To iiij orders of Freres iiij l. To the Prior and Convent of the Monastery of Bolton xl s. I bekueth x marke to be distribute emonge my pore tennantes and neghtburs. I bequeth x marc to be distribute emonge pore falkes at the daye of my burying. I ordene and mak my wyffe, Dame Elizabeth, my sones, Sir Stephen and William Hamerton, myn executors. I bequeth ij stottes to William Scarburgh. To Richard Hamerton, my broder James son, a fylle of iij yere. To my wyffe a wayne wt. vj oxen. To my son William an othir wayne and vj oxen. To John Ellis the yonger a mair.
“Testibus Ricardo Parisshe, Ablate de Sallay, et Willelmo Scarburgh generoso.”
Will of “Arlotto, the Parson”
(1483)
“Arlotto, the Parson,” who is described as an Italian priest of “infinite jest and most excellent fancy,” who died in 1483, left among his testamentary documents a wish that the following words should be placed upon his tomb: “This sepulchre was made by the parson Arlotto, for himself and for any other man who may desire to enter therein.” These words remained upon his tomb until they were obliterated by time.
Will of John Turvyle
(1500)
In a will written about the year 1500, that of John Turvyle, of Newhall, Leicestershire, “Squyer,” there is a bequest to William, his “son and heire apparant,” of “a bason and an ewer of silver, warnyng and chargyng him, on my blessyng, and as he will answere afore God at the day of dome, that he shall bequeith them after his decesse to his son and heire apparant, and so under this manner and condicion the forsayd basyn and ewer of silver to go from heire to heire while the world endureth.” Which seems to show that the modern system of making particular articles heirlooms to go with the estates, so that they should be kept in the family, had not then been invented.
Will of Alice Love
(1506)
A specimen of a lady’s will gives some idea of the costumes and fashions of the day, and the store placed upon their wardrobes, which were not so easily replenished as they are now: