Will of Thomas Perys of Shipton, 1463/4

Herts RO 1AR108

In etc. 24 January 1463.  I Thomas Perys of Shypton of the parish of Winselowe, sound of mind, make my will etc.  First I bequeath my soul to God the almighty father, the blessed Mary and all his saints, and my body to be buried in the graveyard of the parish church of Wynselowe aforesaid. Item I bequeath to the high altar 3 bushels of barley.  Item to the light of the blessed Mary 1 bushel of barley.  Item to the light of St Mary in purification 1 bushel of barley.  Item to the light of St Nicholas 1 bushel of barley.  Item to the light of St Thomas 1 bushel of barley.  Item to the light of St Margaret 1 bushel of barley. Item to the light of St Clement 1 bushel of barley. Item to the light of St Michael 1 bushel of barley. Item for a certain ornament of the high altar 6s 8d. Item to the light of the cross 3 bushels of malt.  Item to the maintenance of the torches 3 bushels of barley.  Item to the mother church of St Albans 12d. Item to the vicar of Wynselowe aforesaid 4s 4d to pray for my soul specially every sixth feast for one year. Item to the parish clerk 1 bushel of barley. Item I beqeath for the repair of the porch when the parishioners wish to do the porch 6s 8d. The residue indeed of my goods etc. I give and bequeath to my executors.  And for this will I ordain, make and appoint Stephen Tomlyn my brother, William Jenkyn and William Feverell my executors to dispose, etc. Given the day and year stated above.

Probate was granted on the last day of January in the year stated above, and administration was entrusted to William Feverell, with right of administration reserved to Stephen Tomlyn and William Jenkyn the other executors if the duty etc. And on 25 February in the year stated above the aforesaid Stephen Tomlyn and William Jenkyn appeared, and with the said will recited to them and approved by us, and them wishing to take on themselves the duty of administering the same, administration was entrusted to the said Stephen and William Jenkyn etc.

Notes

Thomas Peers or Perys is well attested in the court books 1423-1460. He was probably Thomas the middle son of John Tomlyn, d. 1429 (WMCB pp.520-1) and Juliana d.1438, who also left sons William and Stephen and daughters Alice and Agnes, but that Thomas already had sons when his father died so they presumably predeceased him. His older brother William Tomlyn died later in 1464 and his younger brother Stephen Tomlyn died in 1475.

This is the longest list of saints' lights or altars in the church; it is the only reference to a light of St Margaret.