Will of Matthew More, 1469 (proved 1477)

Herts RO 2AR26v

In ye name of god the x day of Aprill the yer(e) of oure lord mcccclxix I Mathew More in my hole mynde make & c It(em) I bequeth to ye chirch of Wynselowe halfe a kur of whete & halfe a kur of barly Item I bequeth to ye said chirch to the well[?] of[?] ye stepull vj s viij d It(em) to ye hye awter a b(ushel) whete and to ev(er)y awt(er) in ye said chirch a b(ushel) of barly It(em) I bequethto a hyeway to be made at ye townesend v s It(em) I bequeth to Nicoll(as) Kyng a gowne a dowblet a peyr hosen a peyr shone It(em) I bequeth to Alsun(der?) Kyngge halff a q(u)art(er) of barly It(em) I bequeth to Jone my mayde a rede kev(er)let ij platers ij sawcers The remanent of my godes not bequethun I geffe and bequeth Willyam Grene and he I make myn executor

[Probate granted 19 Nov 1477]

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Notes

This is the earliest Winslow will in English transcribed so far. It is also very unusual in being made so long before the testator's death. The surname does not occur otherwise in Winslow at this time. It is possible that Matthew was the vicar.

kur: unidentified, but presumably more than a bushel or quarter, mentioned later. Perhaps it represents a cartload?

stepull: i.e. steeple, but in the sense of tower rather than spire. "well", if that is the correct reading, would mean "well-being".