Will of Sir John Fastolf

385

WILL OF SIR JOHN FASTOLF²

     In the name and the wurship of the holy, blyssydfull Trynite [in the year]
of our Lord Jesu Crist, M¹CCCCLIX., and in the xxxviij. yeer of [our
souerayn Kyng] of Englonde and of Fraunce, Herry the Sexte, the iij. day of
the moneth [of] Novembre,³ I, John Fastolf of Castre, be Gret Jernemuth, of
the counte of [Norfolk], Knyght, beynge in good remembraunce, albeit I am
sykly and thorwh age infeb[led], bryngyng to mende and often revolvynge in
my soule how this world is tra . . . and how, amongs all e[r]thely thynges
that is present or for to come, there is noe thynge in this onstable world so
serteyn to creature of man kende as is departynge out of this world be dethe,
the soule from the wrechyd body; and noo thynge erthely so onserteyn as the
oure and tyme of deth—Therefore I, willynge and desyringe that of suche
goodes of substaunce worldly, mevabill and onmevable, that God of hise boun-
teuous grace hathe sent me in my lif to dispose arid ocupye, that they be disposed
as it may be thowght best for the helthe of my soule and to the plessaunce of
God, and also for the relyf, soccour, and helpe of the soulez that I am most
oblygid and bounde to purveye and doo . . . for, as the soule of John Fastolf,
my fadyr, Dame Mary, doutyr of Nicholas . . . my modir, and the soule
of Dame Milcentr my wiff, the dautyr of [Sir Robert] Tibtot, knyght, and for
the soulez of othyr of myn . . . . . . . kynsefolke and speciall frendes here
undir wretyn,—I ordeyn and . . . . . this my last will in fourme and maner
folwyng:—

proffession, obedyence, and governaunce of the ordyr of Seynt Benettes, and of
the same ordyr and profession as been the monkes of Seynt Benettes in Holme,
in the counte of Norffolk, and shalbe stablyshid be the good avyse of myn
executorys: And thoo feffeez forseyd, or here assygnez, inmorteyse and graunte,
or do been inmorteised and grauntid, feffe sufficiently swyrly and lawfully to
the seyd pryour and religeous, [and to their] successores, the forseyd mancion
and dwellynge place, with the appurte[nances], . . . . sufficient, swyr, and
cleer lyflode of the for seyd lordshepis maneres . . . . rentes, servisez, with
here appurtenancez in Castre forseyd, and in all othir placis . . . . . lithe next
the seyd mancion or dwellynge place, for the sustenaunce [of the] seyd priour
and vj. religeous men and here successoris, here servauntis, and the [seyd] vij.
pore men: And for the chargys and reparacionis forseyd, to the yeerly valew of
thre hundryd markes starlyng over all chargys; to have and to holde to the
forseyd religeous men and to here successoris for ever; providid alwey that the
seyd priour and religeous men and here successoris be bounden and compellabill
suffeciently in lawe be the discrecion of my seyd executoris, to susteyne the for-
seyd vij. pore men contynwally, suffeciently, and convenyently in all thyngis
withinne the seyd collage for ever, and for to preye for the soulys afore
seyd.]^*

     ^*[Item, I will and graunte that if outhyr the forseyd licence and graunte of
oure seyd sovereyn Lord, or of hise heyre Kynges, or the licence or graunt of
ony othyr . . . . entresse in this behalve be not lawefully, swyrly, and suffe-
ciently . . . . . . . that thanne my seid executorys shall geve or do be gove
to . . . . . . of the monastery of Seynt Benettes of Holme for seyd, lyflode
or mony competent . . . . . seyd abot and covent or here successorys, and my
seyd executores shal accorde there in be here wise discrecionis, for the indewe-
ment and sustentacion of vj. monkes in the seyd monastery and vij. pore men in
the same monastery, to prey for the soulys forseyd in perpetuite, to be foundyd,
susteynid, and kept, providid that the vj. monkes forseyd be aumentyd abovyn
the noumbre of monkes of here ferst fundacion, and over the noumbre that they
now use to kepe in the seyd monastery, and that lawefull and agreable swyrte
perpetualy be made be the avyse of myn seyd executores, aswell for the augmen-
tacion, susteyning, and kepynge of the seyd vj. monkys, as for the convenyent
and suffecient sustentacion, fyndyng, and kepyng of the seyd vij. pore men in
perpetuite, to preye as is afore seyd.

othyr dedes of mercy, pite, and almesse as shal seme best to my seyd executores
for the soulez afore seyd and the soulys undyr wretyn.]^*

     ^*[Item, I will and ordeyne that my seyd executoris shull take and have
all the issews, avaylez, profitez, and emolwementes of all and senguler lord-
shepys, manerez, londes, tenementes, rentes, and servisez forseyd, with here
appurtenaunce, excepte before except, to be geve to the seyd collage, on to
tyme they be sold feithefully and trewly be my seyd executores; and on to
tyme that they that shull be purchasorys be feithefull and trewe bargeyne thereof
made be twene hem and my seid executorys, shull take and have the issewes,
profitez, avayles, and emolwementes, withoute fraude or male ingyne. And
also I wyll and ordeyne that my forseyd executores shull take and have all the
issewys, profitez, avayles, and emolwementes of all and senguler aforn except
I . . . . . londes, tenementes, rentes, servisez, with here appurtenauncez, on to
tyme . . . . . and vj. religeous men or here successoris, if the forseyd
admynistracion . . . . . . shull have and take lawefull and feithfull estat
beforce of the seyd inmorteys[yng], or ellys that they be feithfully and trewly
accordid with my seid executorys for the takyng and havyng of the issewes,
profitez, and avayles, and emolwementes withoute fraud or male ingyne. And
if the seyd inmorteysyng take noon effecte, I will and ordeyne that my seyd
executores shull have and take all and senguler issewys, profitez, avayles, and
emolwementes of the forseyd except lordshepys, londes, manerez, and tenementes,
rentes, and servicez, with here appurtenaunces, tyl they be feithefully and trewly
sold be my seyd executores, unto tyme that they that shalbe purchasorys thereof,
be feithefull and trewe bargayne be twene them and my seyd executores thereof
made, shull take thoo issewys, profitez, and avaylez, and emolwements thereof,
withoute fraude or male ingyne. And I will and ordeyne that my seyd
executores shull dispose all and senguler issewys, profitez, avaylez, and emolwe-
mentes afornseyd for my soule, and for the soulys aforn rehersyd, as they shall
seme beste to the plesure of God.]^*

     Item, forasmyche as it is seyd that dyverse personis of dyverse desentes
pretende . . . . . . at this day to be next heneritere [inheritor] to me aftyr
my deseas, where . . . . . . . . . . . . knowe that no creature hathe title
or right to inheryte ony . . . . . . . . . . . londes and tenementes, rentes,
and servisez that ever I hadde, or ony persone or personys . . . . . . have to
myn use; therfor I will and ordeyne that no persone nor personis as hey . . .
me for no douteful or obskure materes conteynid in this my present will, nor
for noon othyr, shall take ony maner of avauntage, benefice, or profit be ony
manner meanys or weyes, of ony manerez, lordshepis, londes, tenementes, rentes,
servisez, goodes, or catellys that were myn at ony tyme.

     Item, I will and ordeyne and graunte that myn executoris [before namyd],
or the more part of them¹ and noon othir, shall have the decleracion and inter-
pretacion of all and senguler articles, chapetris, clausis, whiche and wordes in
this my last will hadde and wretyn, in whiche articlis, chapetris, clausis, and
wordes ony doute or doutez, dirknesse or dyversite of undirstondyng shall falle
or happe to be founde, and that no persone or personys be reson of suche
articlys, chapetris, clausys, or wordes, have or take ony profit or avauntage
othyr wise thanne aftyr the maner and fourme of declaracion and interpretacion
of my seyd [too namyd]² executors.

     Item, I will, ordeyne, and comaunde that all my dettes that is owynge [be]
me be dewe examynacion be fully payd and contentyd to the creditoris, which
can be foundyn dewe that is owynge be me; and also that all wronges, trespacis,
offencis, and grevys be me doon or comyttid, if ony bee, that ony maner persone
hathe been hyndryd or damagid wrongfully, if ony suche bee that can suffeciently
and lawefully be previd and knowe, I wyll fyrst be fore all othyr thinges it be
speed that myn executores do make amendes, restitucion, and satisfaction to
thoo personys or to here executorys by me damagyd and hyndred as concience
and good feithe requyreth.

     Item, I will and ordeyne that in every town in which I or ony to myn use
have lordshepys, manerez, londes, and tenementes that the pore pepyl of the
tenure of the seyd town have ij. yeer to gethyr in reward after theyre afferaunt
and quantite of the x. part of oon yeerly valewe and reveneuse of the seyd
[lor]dshepis, manerez, londes, tenementes, and rentes, halfe to be departyd
to . . [par]ishe cherchis for werkys, ornamentes, and othyr thynges necessarye
to the seyd chyrchis, and half to be departyd amonges the seyd pore pepil that
be tenauntes³ of the seid lordshepis, maneres, londes, and tenementes soo to be
disposed aftyr the discrecion of myn executores [before namyd],⁴ aftyr my will
approvid, and my dettes payd.

     Item, I will and ordeyne that the pryour of the prioury of the parishe
cherch of Jernemuth for the tyme beynge, and hese covent and hise successorys,
observe and kepe yeerly and perpetualy to endure an annversary in the seyd
parishe cherche for to preye for the soule of my fadyr, John Fastolf, Squyer,
that lythe buryed there in the seyd chyrche, with placebo and derige and messe,
be note the vigyl and day of hese obit, with the noumbre of prystes and clerkes
accordyng in such a cause; and for to susteyne the kepyng of the seyd
annversary, I will that be the avise of myn executorys [before namyd]⁴ that
londes or teneme[ntes] . . . . . . . . . . ordeynid to the yeerly valewe of
xxs., and that to be inmorteis . . . . . . . . swyr to the seyd prioury or
parishe chyrche, oonly to susteyne and bere . . . . . and chargys of the
perpetuall kepyng and susteyning of the seyd annversary.

     Item, I will and ordeyne that if I have ony reliquis of Seyntes, also suche
ornamentes for the chirche, that I have left as vestmentes, garlementes of sylke
or velwet, of robis, and my gownys, that parcell of hem be yovin to the seyd
monastery cherche of Seynt Benettes, where I shal be buryed, to remayne for
ornament of the chapell there be me late edified; and also part of hem to be
distrubited amonges the parishe chyrchis that be in suche townes that I have
ony lordshipis, manerez, londes, tenementes, and rentes, provided that a reson-
able and a competent part of the seyd reliquis and ornamentes be kept and govyn
to the seyd collage to be made at Castre, and this to be doon be the avise of
myn executores be fore namyd.¹

     Item, I will and ordeyne that suche of my consanguinite and kynred whyche
be pore and have but litil substaunce to leve by, that they be relevyd of my
goodes . . . . . havyng consederation to thoo that be nerrest of my kyn and
of . . . . . Also of here good disposecion too God ward and to me in here
. . . . . othir of my kyn, that a consyderacion be hadde and yovyn to the
relyf and prefer[ment] of my cosyn Robert Fitzraf, for hese good, trewe and
long servise to me doon and contynwyd, and alsoo be reson of my consanguynite
and kynred.

     Item, I will and ordeyne that if ony persone make ony compleynt to myn
executores that I have purchasyd ony taylid londes be this my will ordeynid
to be sold,² and that thoo personys that so compleyne doo suffeciently and
evydently prove and shewe withoutyn ony collucion, fraude, or male ingyne
suche londes taylid; thanne I will that the right heyris purchase as be suche
taylid londes, if ony be in my possession or in my feffeez handes, and that for
a . . . . . . is thanne ony othir persone after the avyse and discrecion of the
seid John Paston and Thomas Howis, clerk, and where there be no lawefull
answere nor debarre of the tayle.³

     Item, I will and ordeyne that the holy place of monastery and abbathye
of oure Ladyiz chirche of Langley, in the diocise of Norwiche, for my soule to
be more specialy recommendyd, and also for to kepe and susteyne, one day in
the yeer, myn annversary solempnely be note the derige and messe of requyem
for ever to endure for the helthe of my soule and for the soule of Dame Milcent,
my wif, the doutyr of Sir Robert Tibetot, Knyght, whiche was of the con-
sanguynite and kyn to the foundorys of the seyd monastery, and she owyng a
senguler affeccion and love of devocion to the preyeris of that place, that the
Abot and Covent have a reward and a remuneracion of my mevable goodes
aftyr the discrecion of myn executores before namyd.

     Item, T will and ordeyne that be the avise of myn executorys before
namyd, that prevecion and ordenaunce be made that the obit and annversary
may be yeerly inperpetuite kept with placebo and derige and messe of requiem
benote for the soule of Dame Mary, my modir, in the chirche of Attil-

     Item, I will and ordeyne that it be provided by myn executores before
namyd a reward as a yefte be made to the chapell of Seynt Jorge in the Castill
of Wyndishore, and to the collagyens of the same collage for to have my soule
recomendid amonges . . . . . with an annversary to be kept yeerly and
perpetualy amonges hem with placebo and [derige and] messe of requyem be
note.¹

feffeez feffyd there in to myn use to dispose for my soule helthe chargyd and
payable out of a maner in Hiklyng, callid Nethyrhalle, with the priour and
covent of Hiklyng for the tyme beyng, be bounden and astrict be wryting undyr
here covent sealys to paye yeerly. And on lyke wise I wyll that pursewt be
made be Parlement or othyrwise lawefull for redressyng of the wrong doon to
me in the maner of Bradwell, in the hundrid of Lodynglond in Suffolk, whiche
I purchasid trewly, and hadde a lawefull astat in the same maner, as myn
evydence woll shewe of record, xl. yeer past; and for to redresse the wrong
full entre doon . . . . . my feffeez in the maner of Dedham Nethirhalle by
Willyam, late Duke of Suff[olk], as well as for the wrongfull entre eftsonys
and late made upon serteyn personys feffyd to myn use in the seyd maner, now
of latter tyme; And that myn executores doo dewly here deligence aboute the
recovery and getyng ageyn of the seyd manerez, lond[es], and tenementes and
rentes above seyd of my goodes to be born.

     Item, I will and ordeyne that the wardeyn and the procutoris for the tyme
beyng of the parishe chirche of Seynt Oloff in Suthewerk, be London Brege,
beyeng to the use of the seyd chirche of Seynt Oloff, be preferryd, in beyeng
and purchasyng of myn executorys before namyd, a tenement with a warff there-
to longyng, set be the seyd chirche, callyd the Bukheed, before ony man, and
for a lesse valewe than it is worthe withine the sum of xxli.

     Item, I will that a convenyent stoon of marbill and a flat fygure, aftyr the
facion of an armyd man, be made and gravyn in the seyd stoon in laton in
memoryall of my fadyr, John Fastolf, Squyer, to be leyd upon hese toumbe in
the chapell of Seynt Nicholas, in the parishe chirche of Jernemuth, and with
my skochonys of armys of hym and hese auncestryez, with a scripture aboute
the stoon makynge mencion the day and yeer of hise obite.

     Item, I will that in semblable wise a marble stoon of a convenyent me . . .
. . . . . . . made to be leyd upon the toumbe of Dame Mary, my modyr, in
the . . . . . . . . foundid in the parishe chyrche of Atilburgh, and that a
figure . . . . . . . . . . of a jentilwoman with here mantil, with a scripture
made of laton in on . . . . . . . iiij. skochonys of armys of here iij. husbondes,
as the skochon of Thomas Mortimer, Knight, [John] Fastolf, Squyer, the
seconde husbonde, and of John Farwell, Squyer, the thridde husbonde,
auncetryez in the seyd toumbe, and the day and yeer of here obite to be wretyn
aboute.

that he be oblygid to preye for hise fadir, Sir Philip Br[aunche, and his]
modir, Dame Marget, serteyn preyeris and messez, with a prist, to be con-
tynw[aly] seyd [be] the discrecyon of myn executorys.]^*

     Item, I will and ordeyne that the executores of John Wellys, aldreman of
London, whiche hadde gret goodes of myne in hise governaunce whil I was in
the partyez of Fraunce and Normandye, and hadde never opyn declaracion to
whos handes of my resseyvoris atturnyez, or servauntes of myne the seyd goodes
were delyvered particlerly, and for that cause to be aserteynid of the trouthe
in this be halve, as well as for the dyscharge of the seyd John Wellys soule, his
executores and attornyez may yeve accompt, soo declaryng of my seyd goodes
accordyng to the trouthe and concience.

     ^* [Item, to be providyd, if it be thowght comodiously that it may be doon
be myn executores, that a chauntry may be foundyd in the chyrche of Seynt
Oloff, be London Brege, in Southewerk, to prey for my soule perpetualy.]^*

     Item, I will and requyre that it be knowyn to all pepill present and for
to come that where afore thys tyme whil I dwellyd and excersysed the werrys
in Fraunce, Normandye, Angoy, and Mayne, as in Gyen, havyng undir the
Kyng, myn sovereyn Lord, officez and governauncez of cuntreez and placis,
as of castilys, fortreys, citeez, and townes be xxx. yeer and more contynwed,
be reson of whiche officez . . . . . many sealis of myn armys gravyn with my
name wretyn aboutyn . . . . . . . . . . . course (?) in the seyd castilys and
fortreycez that my lef tenauntes and . . . . . offlcerz beyng in dyverse suche
placis ocupied undyr me the sealys and sygnettes to seale saf conduytez and
billettes of saf gardes, and othyr wrytinges of justice longyng to suche officez of
werre; and I doutyng that summe of the forseyd sealys of armys or sygnettes
remayne stille amonges myn officeres or personys not delyvered to me ageyn,
and that with the sealys of armys and signettes ony monwements, chartrys,
dedes, letterys patentes, blankes chartrys in parchemyn or paper, or othyr
evydence forgyd and contryved withoute my knowynge or assent, myght soo be
sealyd ageyn all concience and trouthe and ryghtwisenesse; and for these causez,
and for doute of ony inconvenyent that myghte falle be this my wrytinge, I
sertefie for trouthe and afferme on my soule, I swere and proteste that sethe I
cam last out of Fraunce and Normandye, xix. yeere passed, I never sealyd