Testament, with letters of administration annexed, of Dame Alice Clere, widow, dated...

Testament, with letters of administration annexed, of Dame Alice Clere, widow, dated 28 October 1538; to be buried in the church of St. Margaret of Ormysby near her husband; to repair of said church 20s.; for her funeral and in alms to the poor 20l.; 100 ells of canvas, 'to be made in sheetis, shirtes and smockes and distributed to poore foolkis in the townes where I had my lyving' within month after death; 'an honest preest of good and sufficiaunte larnyng to preache the wourde of God by the space of one yere' after her death at times and places to be appointed by executors; to the poor in Ormesby St. Margarete and Ormysby St. Mighell, 6s. 8d., in Burgh, 5s. in Stokesbye, 2s., in Winterton and Sommerton, 3s. 4d., in Freethorp, Lympenhow, and Sowoodd, 5s., in Frentham, 2s. and in Tokylston, 2s.; to repair of parish church of Takilston, 26s. 8d.; to 'mother Hubbarde,' 10s. yearly for life, 'Dernys wife,' 10s. for four years 'towardes the bringing up of the childe whiche she gave me,' 'Dewes wif of Wymondeham' the like for the same; to son John Clere 'a bedde of blue Dammaske and yellowe,' to his wife 'a canopie of tawnye tyncell and grene velvit and a fruntelett of white sateyn embrotherid wyth acornes,' also to said John 'a harte of golde with a large dyamounte in yt and a paier of beades of golde having fyftie aveis and eight p[ate]r n[oste]r; to son Thomas Clere 700l. 'to be paid as it maye be gatherid. of my dettes, therewith to bye a warde for his preferrement or to purchase lande for hym' at executors' discretion, if he die before such purchases, 500 marks of the said 700l. among the children of her son John, viz. 100 marks to each, and the residue to the said John; to said son Thomas 60l. of plate, her 'gilte plate to be valued at 4s. the ounce, and the parcell gilte at 3s. 4d.' 'also a salte of golde with a cover having a roose in the knopp, and a paier of beades of golde, whiche Quene Anne gave me, with divers precyous stones in them'; to her niece Knevett 'a tablett of golde with the picture of the Salutacion of our Ladie in it with viij. rubies and xxiiij. peerlis in the same'; to niece Elizabeth Shelton 'my ringe with the emerode in it'; to said son Thomas 'a bedde of russett satteyn, and my bedde of blacke Dammaske with Jhesus in yt, and a bedde of crymsen velvit and blacke embrotherid '; 'carpettes,' 'sheetis and napery,' 'apparrell,' and 'jewelles,' unbequeathed, equally between her said sons John and Thomas; to 'Maister Nicolas Hare, a pott of silver and gilte'; to niece Elizabeth Calthorp 'my pomaunder of golde'; to William Clere, 40s.; 10l. apieces to son John's children; 'to my lady Peyton my beades of 'em[ai]lles' with pater nosters of golde'; whereas Sir Robert Clere, knight, her late husband, by his testament and last will gave to their son Richard 600 marks, and to the said Thomas Clere, 400 marks with benefit of survivorship if either died, without issue, under 'thage of xxij. yeres,' and whereas Richard had so died, and Thomas was entitled to 1,000 marks under the said will, she had already enfeoffed the said Thomas, in full discharge, of her manor of Fretenham in tail, and of her manor of Wythertons, with all her lands in Hecham, Ketilberton and Bretenham, co. Suffolk, in fee; residue of goods to be disposed 'to the pleasure of God' by 'maister Edmonde Knyvett, esquier, and maister Nicolas Hare,' whom she appoints executors, with 10l. for his pains, with power to abate all legacies except that of 700l. to Thomas her son, 'for that legacye I will in no wise have dymynyshid.' Norfolk, Suffolk. Letters of administration by the archbishop of Canterbury, annexed, to John Clere, the son, to administer according to the will, the executors renouncing, 27 January, 1538–9.