Will of Nicholas Pickering

603

WILL OF NICHOLAS PICKERING¹

     To alle trewe Cristen pepill the wiche these present letteres schall se or here,
Roberd Banyngham, confessour to Nicholas Pekeryng of Filby, Alson the wyfe
of the seide Nicholas, Roger Silveryn, John Herte of Cowteshall, Robarde
Yoxsale, Richarde Hawe, Robarde Manufrac (?), John Case, servaunt of the
forseid Nicholas, and Henry Becham, servaunt of the seide Nicholas, and
Thomas Page of Beston, sende gretyng in oure Lorde. Where it is mery-
tory nedefull to bere wytenesse of troughthe, alle ye mot knowe us that we
herde the forseide Nicholas Pekeryng seyn, lying on his dede bedde, these
wordes folwyng, as we willen answere before God, that whanne William
Pekeryng, sone of the seide Nicholas rekenyd with his fadir for xx. quarteres
barly that the seid William cleymed of his faderys yifte to his mariage; and
for vij. dayes cariage of corne in hervest, and for als a thousande waltyle that
his fadir had fro ye seide Williams wyfes place, the wiche reknyng greved the
seide Nicholas his fadir, and seide, ‘Thou comyst in with many bak reken-
yngges. Remembre the that thou hast be the costlyest childe that evere I
hadde, and how that I yaf ye x. acres of fre londe, and² a place in mariage,
and many othir thyngges that is muche better than all thi bak rekinyngges.
And I have now yove ye other x. acres of fre londe aftir my discesse; and me
thynketh be the thou heldest the not lowest, but woldest have all. But on
thyng I shall sey to the; if thou trouble John, thy brother, or ony of myn
executores, or cleyme ony more londes or goodys that evere were myne, I shal
yeve ye Goddys curse and myn, for thou hast be ever frowarde to me.’ In
witnesse and recorde herof we have sette oure sealys.

     To alle trewe Cristen pepill the qwiche these presente letters shal see or
here, John Herte of Couteshale, Roberd Yoxhale, Roger Silveryn, Thomas
Dawes, and Thomas Drye, sende gretyng in oure Lorde. Where it is mery-
tory, nedefull and medefull to bere witnesse of trought, all ye mot knowe us,
that we herde William Pekeryng, sone of Nicholas Pekeryng, seyn that his
fadir wolde he shulde have but x. acres of fre londe aftir his decesse be syde
other x. acres of fre londe that he yaf hym in maryage. In wittenesse and
recorde heer of we have setto oure seales.

     Endorsed: A Testymonyall.

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     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From the contents of the preceding letter it is pro-
bable that this document was drawn up in 1465. Blomefield, indeed, states (vol. ii.
p. 221) that Nicholas Pickering was buried in the steeple of Filby church in 1466.
But the date may be an error, for he certainly seems to have been dead in or before
1465.

     ² and repeated in MS.

1465