Illustrative Documents: Will of Robert Fitzhugh, Bishop of London, 1434

Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinum Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis. Originally published by Nichols and Sons, London, 1873.

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'Illustrative Documents: Will of Robert Fitzhugh, Bishop of London, 1434', in Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinum Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis, ed. W Sparrow Simpson( London, 1873), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/st-pauls-register/pp398-400 [accessed 31 October 2024].

'Illustrative Documents: Will of Robert Fitzhugh, Bishop of London, 1434', in Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinum Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis. Edited by W Sparrow Simpson( London, 1873), British History Online, accessed October 31, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/st-pauls-register/pp398-400.

"Illustrative Documents: Will of Robert Fitzhugh, Bishop of London, 1434". Registrum Statutorum et Consuetudinum Ecclesiae Cathedralis Sancti Pauli Londiniensis. Ed. W Sparrow Simpson(London, 1873), , British History Online. Web. 31 October 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/st-pauls-register/pp398-400.

XIV. TESTAMENTUM (fn. 1) ROBERTI FITZHUGH EPISCOPI LONDINENSIS. (fn. 2)

In Dei nomine, Amen. Cum breves dies hominum sunt, et apud Deum solum sit numerus mensium ejus, qui inpreteribiles vite terminos constitui mortalibus universis, ne cum venerit quasi fur dies Domini, sonueritque michi terribilis ille mortis clangor, caducis et momentaneis exteriorum curis cogatur animus implicari: Ego Robertus, inutilis Ecclesie London Minister, vocatus Episcopus, de speciali sanctissimi Domini nostri Domini Eugenii, divina providentia Pape quarti licentia, vive vocis oraculo michi data, condo testamentum meum et meam voluntatem ultimam per hune modum. Inprimis, lego animam meam Deo Omnipotenti Creatori suo et Ejus misericordie infinite; corpusque meum sepeliendum, si in Anglia vel prope ad tres dietas me mori contigerit, in Ecclesia Sancti Pauli London supra Chorum ante magnum Altare, (fn. 3) si non per me contingat prius fabricari de novo Sedem Episcopalem, sub qua eo casu sepeliri, si congrue fieri poterit, volo et opto. Item volo, quod post funeralia mea, que salva honestate Ecclesie fiant nec pompose, de omnibus bonis meis primo debita mea persolvantur plenarie. Item, et post hec, lego Ecclesie Sancti Pauli London mitram et omnia insignia mea pontificalia, preter annulum meum Pontificalem, quem super Capsam Sancti Erkenwaldi figi et ibidem remanere imperpetuum volo; (fn. 4) de illo annulo dico, quem a Dominis Venetorum (fn. 5) habui. Item, lego eidem Ecclesie vestimentum cum apparatu Diaconi et Subdiaconi que a domino et patre meo legatum habui. Item, si antequam ad Basilcam venero, vel antequam equos meos aut misero aut vendidero, me mori contingat, lego cuilibet familiarium meorum equum quem equitat, et cuilibet Scutifero xl. solidos, cuilibet Valetto viginti solidos, ac cuilibet inferiori Servienti meo proprio xiij.s. iiij.d. Item, lego Willielmo Egmanton Portiphorium, (fn. 6) meum parvum et minus Missale, ac unum Apparatum Misse pro Sacerdote, et librum qui dicitur Pupilla Oculi. Item, lego Magistro Willielmo Elot Bibliam meam minorem. Item lego eidem librum qui dicitur Summa Confessorum, ac parvum libellum scilicet Flores Benedicti. Item, lego Magistro Roberto Galyon, Cancellario meo, unum ciphum (fn. 7) argenteum et deauratum, et limphatorium deauratum pro aqua. Item, lego Magistro Thome Mordon, Senescallo hospicii mei, unum bassinum seu pelvim, cum aquario de argento, unum ciphum argenteum deauratum coopertum, unam cameram integram cum lecto de viridi. Item, lego Willielmo Holgrave, Civi et Draperio London, fidelissimo amico et servitori meo, unam cameram cum lecto integram de rubeo, unam ollam argenteam, unum ciphum argenteum coopertum, et xxj libras. Item, lego Matilde uxori sue unum ciphum argenteum coopertum, et xij cocliaria argentea. Item, lego Matilde uxori fratri meo lectum meum de Tapestrieverke, cum leonibus et pellicano superius. Item, lego Sorori mee uxori ejus, par precum (fn. 8) de corallo, cum gaudys de auro, et optimum anulum meum. Item lego cuilibet sororum meorum unum anulum gemmatum. Residuum vero bonorum meorum do et lego Magistro Roberto Galyon, Magistro Thome Mordon, Willielmo Egmanton, Roberto Danby, et Willielmo Holgrave, quos constituo hujus mei testamenti et mee ultime voluntatis executores, ut ipsi de eisdem bonis disponant pro salute anime mee in Missis, et elemosinis, ac aliis piis operibus.

Datum Dovorie xv Junii anno Domini Millesimo ccccmo xxxiiijto.

Item, lego Roberto Danby prefato unum argenteum coopertum vocatum the belle et ad formam campane formatum. Item, lego Librarie communi Universitatis Cantebrigie textum Moralis Philosophie, item, Codeton super quatuor libros Sententiarum. Item, lego Ecclesie Christi Cantuariensi Exposicionem de Patrellis super librum Numeri et Ruth; item, unum aulare seu apparatum de rubeo Worsted pro aula que vocatur ye table vel Misericord (fn. 9) in qua comedunt Monachi carnes, videlicet, extra Refectorium. Item, lego Galfrido fratri mei militi sex discos argenteos, iij salsaria, unam ollam argenteam, unum ciphum argenteum deauratum coopertum. Item, lego Magistro Waltero Belt librum de Pastoribus, omeliis, dialogis, et super Cantica in uno volumine.

Probatum fuit testamentum prescriptum coram Domino in Manerio suo de Lamehith terciodecimo die mensis ffebruarii, anno Domini Millesimo quadringentesimo tricesimo quinto, et per ipsum approbatum et insinuatum ac legitime pronunciatum pro eodem. Commissaque fuit administracio omnium et singulorum bonorum dein defuncti et ejus testamentum concernentium Magistro Thome Mordon, Willielmo Egmanton, Roberto Danby, Willielmo Holgrave, executoribus in eodem testamento nominatis, de fideli Inventario etc. conficiendo, et domino citra festum Pasche proxime futurum exhibendo.

Footnotes

  • 1. Printed from the original entry in the Archicpiscopal Register at Lambeth. (See Register CHICHELEY, I. fo. 457.) Henry Wharton prints a portion (about one-third of the whole) of this Will in his Historia de Episcopis et Decanis London. Appendix. Art. X., and he says, very justly, of this testament, that it is "pietate non minus quam brevitate insigne," p. 162. The Bishop, who had been delegated by the King to the Council at Basle, and who made this will on the eve of setting out upon the journey, returned safely.
  • 2. Robert Fitz-Hugh, Archdeacon of Northampton, consecrated Bishop of London 16 Sept. 1431, died 15 January, 1435-6, buried in the Cathedral. He was elected Bishop during his absence from England on a mission to Rome from the King.
  • 3. The monumental brass over his tomb, "in superiori parte Chori prope Altare," is figured in Plate IV. and the inscription upon it printed at p. 45 of Dugdale's S. Paul's.
  • 4. The gift of his Pontifical Ring to the Shrine of S. Erkenwald is a point of some little interest.
  • 5. He was sent as Ambassador to Rome and to Venice in 1429. Dugdale, S. Paul's, p. 219.
  • 6. The Episcopal library was not of any very great extent. It comprised a Bible or two (for the Bishop bequeathes his Biblia minor only), an Exposition upon the Books of Numbers and Ruth, together with Homilies and Dialogues, and an Exposition upon the Song of Solomon. These formed the portion of his collection devoted to the Holy Scriptures. Of ritual books, he possessed a Missal, a Portiphorium or Breviary, an Apparatus Missæ, and a Summa Confessorum. Besides these were the five following, Pupilla Oculi, Flores Benedicti, Liber de Pastoribus, Textus moralis Philosophiæ, and Codeton super quatuor libros Sententiarum.
  • 7. We may thus define the various silver vessels named in the will: Ciphus, a cup or goblet. Limphatorium or Aquarium, a vessel for holding water. Bassinus seu pelvis, a basin. Olla, a vessel holding a defined measure or quantity. Cocliaria, spoons. Salsaria, saltcellars. Discus, a dish or plate.
  • 8. Par precum de corallo, etc. A rosary, with the smaller beads of coral, and the larger beads or gauds of gold.
  • 9. Misericord. In religious houses of the Benedictine rule, the hall in which flesh meat was eaten was called the Misericord: in Cistercian houses it was called Aula Gratiæ.
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