Sir Thomas Colpeper, Knt.

THOMAS COLPEPER, Knight, Sunday next before the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude the 7th year of the reign of Our Lord the King Henry VI after the conquest. My body to be buried in the Abbey of Begghame because that church is dedicated the Annunciation of Our Lady, in the place where my sepulture of "Alebastre" is made.

I leave to Nicholas my son (Nicholas Culpeper) all my horses and to Elizabeth (Elizabeth (?)) his wife my paternosters of gold and I leave to Jouet Topymoye if she is alive 5 marcs.

To John Bayhalle, Bastard, if he helps my executors 10 marcs. To Thomas Payn my ‘cuc’ 40s. To my ‘butiller’ 13s. 4d. My ‘Baker’ 13s. 4d. To Cristiane Brayley 13s. 4d., John Bosvyle 13s. 4d., John Coppyng 13s. 4d., my Parker 13s. 4d., John Dwale 13s. 4d. To each ‘garson’ 3s. 4d., to each ‘page’ and ‘hyne’ 20d., ‘a Malyne ma petite Chaumberer’ to her marriage and advancement 20s.

I leave to aid the church of Pepynbery to diverse good works 40s. To the high altar there 13s. 4d. To Sr. John Trot 20s. To the Abbot of Beggham 20s., to each chanon 3s. 4d., to each curate (curatour) of seven parishes nearest for Placebo, Dirige and Commendation and mass by note of Requiem 6s. 8d. To Five of the poorest men of the same parishes 5d. To the Abbot and Convent of Beggham each year for 7 years 10s. to hold my anniversary and the Anniversary of Joyouse (Joyce) my wife. I leave to Walter my son (Walter Culpeper of Goudhurst, Bayhall & Hardreshull) 200 marcs. To Nicholas my son 200 marcs. To Thomas Fitz (sic) 200 marcs. To John Copeper my son (Sir John Culpeper of Bayhall, Hardreshull & Exton) £40.

To Abbot and Convent of Begghame £35. 6. 8. To the church of Nuns of Mallyng 40s., the Priory church of Tonbregge 20s., the Friars of Aylesforde 20s., the Austyn Friars of Rye to hold my obit and anniversary 40s. I leave to the light of the Tapers of the schryne of Cantirbury 20s. I pray and charge John Colpeper and all my other sons by the blessing of God and of myself that they do not hinder my executors or my feoffees. I leave for the administration of my goods on the manor of Baghalle at my decease if need be £20. The Residue the one moiety to my sons and to Joyce my wife and the other moiety to the Abbey of Beghame on condition they find a chaplain to sing for the souls of me and Joyce my wife at the altar where our bodies lie for ten years as my executors and the abbot can agree.

Executors. Sire John Langdon, Bishop of Roucestre, John Chetham Abbot of Beghame, Walter and Nicholas my sons, Wm. Burgoyne, Roger Honyton, Wm. Bernes and Thomas Festynden and I give to the Bishop of Rochester for his diligence and labour 10 marcs and to each of the others 5 marcs.

This is the Will of Master Thomas Colpeper Knight, made in the Feast of St. Margaret in the 3rd year of the reign of Our Lord the King Henry VI since the conquest charging his enfeoffees Wm. Bernes, Richd Ruyton, Sire Robert Clerk, Robert Sprynget in all lands and tenements in the Counties of Kent and Sussex who were enfeoffed by deed bearing dated in the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady 10th years of King Henry the Fourth (8 September 1407) and afterwards by a charter to certain feoffees Thomas Longle bishop of Durham, Wm. Cheyne justice, Walter et Nicholas Colpeper my sons, Wm. Bernes, Ric Ruyton and Robert Sprynget carrying the date the Feast of the Annunciation of our Lady in the 10th year of the King Henry the Fifth (25 March 1422) concerning the Manor of Bayhalle with all lands etc., which were of old time given by fine to John Colpeper my father [Sir John Culpeper of Hardreshull and Bayhall] and his heirs males in the parishes of Pepyngbery, Tonbregge and Tudele. I will and charge my said feoffees Thomas, William, Walter and Nicholas Wm. Bernes, Richard and Robert the said manor to go to my sons by partition in Gauylkynde.

And touching the Manor of Badeselle after the death of me Sr. Thos. Colpeper to go to Walter my son and his heirs males and in default to the heirs of me and Dame Joyce and then to my right heirs.

And touching the Manor of Bernet in the parishes of Leghe, Penserst, Bitehergh and Tonbregge with the ‘molyne a brente’ of Gretenerssh, with all the lands and tenements called Scottegrove in the parish of Asshe, Gatewikemede in the parish of Otteforde, with the rents and farms in the parishes of Sele and Sevenoke, to Thomas my son and for default to Nicholas his brother and for default to the heirs male of me and Joyce my wife and in default to my right heirs.

And touching the lands etc of Coluerden, two windmills, Coluerden mede, the lands etc of Bokstede, Marsfelde, with all the lands etc in the parishes of Fernthe (Frant) and Wadeherst with the mill of Berkeleghe and three marcs of fee farm which the Sire de Ponynges pays for the lands called Hosilhothe, to Nicholas my son. In default to the heirs males of me and Joyce lately my wife. And I will that the said Nicholas shall have ‘en ennuatage’ all the lands etc which are of fee simple belonging to the Manor of Bayhalle which were bought by Walter Colpeper my uncle (Walter Culpeper), John Colpeper my father or by me Sir Thos. Colpeper Knight, which were bought since the Fine was made and I charge my feoffes after my death to enfeoff the said Nicholas my son therein.

Touching the Manor of Wyggesele and lands of Hernden in the parishes of Sandherst and Newynden because the said manor of Wiggesele is of fee and was given and granted by deed indented at the marriage between Joyce my wife and me Sr. Thomas Colpeper and to the heirs males and in default to the right heirs of me the said Sr. Thomas, not withstanding that since our marriage I have made other feoffement to Wm. Bernes and others I will after my death the said Manor be granted by the feoffees as was arranged at our marriage.

Done at Bayhalle the year etc abovesaid. I Thomas Colpeper Knt, the Sunday next the Feast of the Purification of Our Lady the 7th year of the reign of King Henry VIth ordain: that Nicholas my son in his proper person shall go a pilgrimage to Norwich and there offer ‘a le Seint vicair on coer quest en mon chapel d’oor’ and that he have the cost of his expenses of my goods. That the same Nicholas make another Pilgrimage to the ‘Shryne’ of St. Thomas of Caunterbury in his proper person and there offer ‘vn roll d’oor’ and have for himself the costs and expenses.

I leave in the church in the Town of Pountose in Normandy where the body of Richard my son (Richard Culpeper) lies a chalys and a chaplain to sing there for his soul for a year. To Marion Chamberer my ‘hopland’ of Scarlet and furred with ‘Mesines’ and 20s. To Alison for her labour another ‘hopland’ with the fur and 13s. 4d. (Hopoland = a cloak).

To Nicholas my son a suitable bed such as his brother Walter had at his marriage. I will that Thomas Festynden have £10 on condition he find surety to pay to Cristian Braylez each year during her life 20s.

To the Prior and Convent of Cumbwelle 100s.

I will that Thomas Peche farmer of Wiggessele be pardoned his debt of last year of 100s. My feoffees in a piece of land called Gatewikmede in Otteforde to sell and buy other land for Thomas my son.