8 March 1488[/9]
John Beste the elder, sane of mind and healthy memory
Soul to God, body to be buried in the priory church of St Peter & Paul, Taunton
To Master
John Aissh, the prior of the same priory, for forgotten tithes, 40 shillings
To Master
Nicholas Dissham, vicar of the parish church of St Mary Magdalene, Taunton, to pray for my soul, 20 shillings
To the fabric of the new works of the church of St Mary Magdalene, Taunton, and its new tower, after my death and my wife’s death, one wooden pipe*
To
John, son of
John Best, three wooden measures
To support the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre in the same church, 3 shillings 4 pence
To support the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross in the same church, 3 shillings 4 pence
To
John Best my son, one wooden pipe
To
Richard Best my son, one wooden pipe
To
John Scote[?] and
Joan his wife, one wooden pipe
To
Richard Arnott and
Alice his wife, one wooden pipe
To
John Speke, esquire, 100 shillings
Residue, after my debts are paid, to
Margery my wife, executrix
John Speke, esquire, to be supervisor
Signed and sealed as dated above.
Proved 7 October 1489 at Lambeth by
Richard Arnott, representing
Margery the relict and executrix
Inventory and accounts to be submitted after next Christmas.
* pipe = a measured cask, for storage and transport of wine etc. See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_wine_cask_units(For anyone else looking, the image on Ancestry is much better, but wrongly dated 1487.)
