Scope and Content
being of whole mind, good memory and in health. "I bequeth my soull to my savyor Hiesu Christ and to all the blessed compeny in heven". Burial in the church yard of Donton; to the high altar 6d.; to the bells 6d.; to the parson of Dunton for tithes forgotten one bushel of barley and one bushel of wheat; to the Sepulchre light 6d.; to the parish church of Dunton for repairs as needed (and also for her husband's bequest of 3s. 4d.) three quarters of barley.
She wishes to establish an obit for the souls of her husband and herself and their friends, which is to be kept for every on her obit day. This she endows with 5 milch kine to be under the care of the vicar and church wardens of Dunton. At the obit bread and drink to the value of 4s. 8d. is to be given to poor folks. The vicar is to "Remember and to Rehyrse the names of the soulles of Robert Foston and Margret his wyffe And the soulles of Thomas and William Foston, Yzabell Foston, Joan Foston and Amye Foston in the bede rowle". For this the vicar is to have for his dirige and bede roll and mass pence 2s. 1d. annually, and 2d. is to go to the Clerk, and 4d. each of the Churchwardens.
To her daughter Alys Beldam a bolster, a pillow, a mattress, a coverlet, a blanket, a table, a form, a chair, a spit, 2 platters, 2 pewter dishes, a candlestick, a great coffer, 2 pair of sheets, a great pan, a bullock, a ewe, a violet kirtle and a red cap and testator's best petticoat, a table cloth, a kircher, her best apron, a chafing dish, an acre of wheat, 2 acres of barley, 2 quarters of barley and a hog. These are to be delivered immediately to Alys and to her husband William by John Mapyll.
To Alys Beldam's daughter Joan Beldam a brass pot, a platter, a dish, a saucer of pewter, a posnet, a great kettle without a "bayle", a pair of sheets, a kircher and a coffer without a lock and one ewe pux. To Nicholas Beldam a sword and a buckler and a lamb. To Anne Mapull' a pan, a coffer, a posnet, a pair of sheets, a platter and a pewter dish, a latten candlestick, a featherbed after her mother's death, and a lamb.
Hugh Caryngton will owe testator 13s. at Michaelmas next, of which 5s. is to go to Nicholas Beldam and 4s. to Joan Beldam (the share if either dies to go to the other), and 4s. to Anne Mapill, and if she die then it is to go to her sister Elzabeth.
To Elzabeth Mapull a pair of sheets, a pewter dish, a pewter saucer, a lamb. To Margret Mapull a sheet, a dish and a pewter saucer and a petticoat. To Maryan Sutton her red kirtle. To Margret Sutton, daughter of Maryan, one sheet and one pewter dish and one ewe lamb. To Margret Payn' one sheep. To Joan Barford a sheet, to Margret Barford dau. of Robert Barford a sheep. To every god child not named above 4d., except Thomas Mychell. To Nicholas Ussher a black coat. To Robert Sutton testator's best two year old steer. To John Beldam a steer. To Thomas Haward 4 bushel of barley.
To every householder throughout Dunton and Mylowe who has no plough a bushel of barley.
To the church of Eyworth a quarter of barley. To the mending of the highway in Mylhow 3s. 4d..
To her servant John Bacar a cap. To William Caryngton of Sutton a quarter of barley.
To John Mapill of Myllow all manner of corn and cart ware and all manner of stuff moveable and immoveable in the house and outside, not otherwise bequeathed, so that there is a priest appointed by the vicar and John Mapyll to sing for the souls of the testator and all her friends for a quarter of a year, th priest to be paid 30s. by John Mapyll, and he is also to pay all her debts etc..
Executors John Mapill "and Mynyster", with William Beldam "coadiutor".
William Barford of Myllow to be Overseer, to whom 3s. 4d..
Witnesses Robert Davy vicar of Dunton, Nicholas Ussher, Gerard Hopkyn, Robert Sutton.