About the Author:
In 1473 a farmer named Thomas Martyn had his will recorded in Kent, and by an accident of history it was preserved. It is almost entirely from this document that we know anything about Thomas Martyn. We can guess that he was a farmer because so many of his bequests were of cows and ewes – modershepe as he calls them. By the 1630s the gifts of the Martyn family were still visible in their parish church.
In the name of God Amen. The ix day of the moneth of February, the yere of our Lord God a Mcccclxxiii [1473]; Y Thomas Martyn of the parish of Chalke in the shire of Kent, hooll of mynde & in good wit, make my testament in the manere that foluyth. First y bequethe my Sowle to Almighti God my Creatur, to our Lady Seint [Mary], & to all the blessed Seints of hevene; My body to be beryed in the Cherche of our Lady of Chalke forsaid. Item y bequethe to the hye Awter of the same Cherche, for tythes for geten, xii d. Item I bequethe to the Hye Cros Lyght v modershepe. Item to the Lyght of Seint John in the same Cherche v modershepe. Item to the Lyght of our Lady Pety v modershepe. Item to the Lyghts of our Lady & of Mary Magdaleyn v modershepe. Item y bequethe a blak yonge cowe to the Sustentacion of the Lyghtys of Seint Anne, Seint Jame, and Seint Margarete in the forsaid Cherche. Item to the Lyght of the Lampe in the hye Chauncell v modershepe. Item y bequethe to the reparations of the said Cherche xxvi s. viii d. Item to eche ofmy Godchildron xii d. Item y bequethe to Margarete my Dowghter my grete bras pot, & my grettist Cawdron. Item y will that a honest Preste synge Masses in the forsaid parish of Chalke for my Sowle, & for the Sowle ofmy Fader, and for all my Frendys Sowlys, by halff a yere; and y bequethe to hym his Sallayre v marc. Item y bequethe to a Mass book to serve in the same Cherche v. marc. The Residewes of all my godes and cattels not bequethen, after my detts ben paid, my beryeng don, and thys my present Testament fulfilled, y bequethe to Alys [my] wiff, & to Margarete my Doughter. Item y will that yff hit happe the said Margarete with in the age of xvi yere deye, that y will that the part of all the Mevabill godes to the same Margarete bequethen, remayne to Alys hir moder. Item hit is my will, that all my bequests & all other things that shall bee don for me, be rulyd and governyd by the advys and discrescion of Thomas Page my Fader in Lawe [today we would call this man Thomas’ stepfather], and of my moder his wiff. And to this my present Testament y make and ordeyne my trewe Executors the forsaid Alys my Wiff, Stephene Charlys of Hoo, & William Banaster of Derteforde; & y bequethe to eche of theym for her Labour; vi s. viii d. Also y will that the said Thomas Page my Fader be over seer; & y bequethe to hym for hys Labour vi s. viii d. Dat. daye and yere abovesaid.
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