Will of William Fooke, smith, 1493

Herts RO 2AR71

[translated from Latin]

In the name of God amen. On 1 May on the Feast of the Apostles Philip and James AD 1493 I William Fooke of Wynslow, smith, of healthy mind and sound memory, make my will in this way. First I bequeath my soul to God the father almighty (and) all his saints, and my body to be buried in the churchyard of the parish church of St Laurence of Wynslowe aforesaid. Item I bequeath to the high altar viij d, and to the other altars in the aforesaid church xvj d. Item I bequeath for the purpose of building a new upper storey [solarium] for the crucifix vj s viij d. Item I bequeath for a certain portable breviary [libro portifero] iij s iiij d. Item for the repair of the bells xij d. Item for the maintenance of the torches xij d. The residue indeed of all my goods not bequeathed above I give and bequeath to Isabel my wife and Robert Jay, but with the proviso of my debts being paid to whomever they are justly claimed by[?], and Isabel herself and the aforesaid Robert I ordain, make and appoint my true executors to see this will faithfully carried out and performed for better the salvation of my soul in the way which they know pleases God, as they have to answer on the day of judgment before the highest judge. Item I wish that my moveable goods should be divided in equal portions between my wife and my son, and that my son should pay my debts.

[Probate granted 22 Oct 1493]

Notes

Presumably Robert Jay was William's "son" as specified at the end - perhaps his stepson or son-in-law. William Fouke took over 2 acres of land in Shipton in 1455 (WMCB, p.683), but that is the only occurrence of the surname. A Robert Jay and his wife Alice held land in Shipton in the 1450s.