Document one

The will and last testament of William Kingham of Dartford, yeoman.

I will my body to be buried in our lady chapel, in the parish church of Dartford, against my pew and seat, and I give to the repair of the said church, 6s.8d; to the high altar, 8d; to poor people, where most need be, 20s. i.e. 6s.8d at my burial, at my month’s mind, 6s.8d, and at my year’s mind, 6s.8d; I will have to be said and done in the parish church of Dartford, thirty masses and three diriges [prayers for the dead] i.e. that is to say, on the day of my burial one dirige and ten masses, and on my year’s day, one dirige and ten masses.

To Alice Maston, my old servant, six pieces of my old pewter vessells, and twenty pence in money, which I now owe unto her of her wage; to Elizabeth my daughter, the wife of Nicholas Gadeling, three pounds , upon condition that the said Nicholas shall suffer the said Elizabeth to be put forth to be nourished in some honest person’s house, unto such time she may be better comforted and nourished whereby she may the sooner attain unto her health, or otherwise if the said Nicholas will not allow this, then the said three pounds, nor one penny they shall not be paid, the residue to be divided between my children, John Everest and Beatrice his wife; John Brett and Alice his wife, my meadow called Harp Hawes, lying in Billet’s Lane (Bullace Lane); to John Brett and Alyce his wife, all my orchard and little parcel of land in Overy street; and all my other parcel next the church yard and my close lying in the town field called p’yery field.