Testamenta Carleolensia. Edited by R. S. Ferguson, M.A.. (T. Wilson,
Kendal.)—Here we have printed, with explanatory notes, a glossary, indices, &c., a series of wills from the register of the Bishops of Carlisle during the years 1353-86. They are euriously significant of the manners and customs of the time, and throw an interesting light on the social condition and ways of thinking of the middle-class, the wills being those of the beneficed clergy and of traders, more or less well-to-do. Wills, it may be observed, were made a short time before death ; no one seems to have thought of a will except in the near prospect of death, and many are eunevative, made, i.e., in such extremity that there was no time to have them committed to writing. The character of the bequests is much the same in all. Funeral ex- penses, wax candles being an important item, swallowed up much of the property ; much was spent on masses 1 benefactions to the various order of clergy were common ; and provision was
made for distribution to the poor. Two of the wills and iii. in the collection) may stand for samples ; ii. is a layman's made on January 13th, 1351, and proved on March 29th in the same year. Six pounds of wax candles are to be burnt round
the coffin; for oblations, 3s. 4c1.; [the value of] two cows for a wax candle, weighing 11b., to be burnt before the altar of the B. V. Mary for a year ; 7s. for a chasuble for St. Cuthbert's Chapel ; a mare with a two-year-old foal for the [altar] lamp at Grasmere Church ; 21b, of wax to the churches of Ousby and Kirkland ; 1 lb. to Newbiggen ; to Thomas of Thornton, Augus- tinian friar, 6s. 8d. ; to a chaplain for masses during two years, 48. The bequests to family and friends are,—to W. Stodeherd, a horse and heifer ; to William de Crakynthorp, the beet of two horses ; to Robert, son of Roger de Merton, 2s. ; to wife and children, 441 6s. 8d. The bequests for religious purposes may be reckoned at .213, as against 446 for other objects. No. iii. is the will of Robert de Broomfield, rector of Melmerly. He had been presented in 1346, makes his will on November 17th, 1353; the date of probate is not given, but the living was vacant by death in 1354, when there was another presentation. For repair of Melmerly Church, £2; of the chancel of the same, 41; funeral expenses, .23 6s. 8d.; tombstone, XL Nothing is left for masses ; but 41 is to be distributed to the poor in bread and money on the day of his funeral. Various bequests to kinsmen and friends amount to about .252, and there are "tenements in Carlisle," value not stated, left to a brother. Here the proportion is very different,--say, £8 to 4100.
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