Sunday 18 March 2018

George FitzHugh`s last will and testament

Anne Lovell`s brother, and Francis`s brother-in-law, George FitzHugh, died on 20th November 1505. He was a clergyman, and only left a fairly short will. It is mostly notable for his mention of his mother, Alice FitzHugh, whom he names as one of his executors. George appears to have written this will shortly before his death, meaning that Alice was still alive in 1505. 
The original text of the will is in Latin. In English, it reads like this: 

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George FitzHugh [1], dean of the Catholic Church of happy memory in Lincoln, faithful in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I leave my mind and command my spirit to the mercy and the hands of God Almighty, the Holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, in the firm faith and holy hope of eternal redemption through the same mercy of God and through the sweet merit of the glorious passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, from His holy wounds and the copious effusion of His precious blood and intervention from Their mother, the blessed Virgin Mary and all saints, I firmly hope in cleaning [2] and forgiveness of all my sins.

Then I authorise my body to be buried in the Catholic Church of happy memory in Lincoln, where it will be seen as worthy by them who receive care of my burial. What funerary customs I wish, in no other way than to the glory and by the customs of the abovementioned holy church of Lincoln, and as has been previously done by my predecessors or all other clerics. 

First, pay again the wages of my servants, who daily in my family [3] serve me, determined by the chequer rolls, and whatever is owed them by calculation of food [4], the household, or in any way, will be paid them by my family. I authorise my horses to be shared by my gentlemen and servants. 

I am making executor, so that the same distribute for the well-being of my soul, partly to hear from living voices prayers for me, partly for their wise decisions. Executors I make Lady Alice FitzHugh, my mother [5], who I want to be joined by magister Galfridum [6] Simeon, dean of the king`s chapel and chancellor of the church of Lincoln, magister Roger Lupton, governor of the royal college of Eyton, William Melton, chancellor of the church of York, John Cunstable, magister at the hospital of St. Leonard`s in York, Jacob Bereforde, deputy of Chesterfield, William Clayton, incumbent cantor of the Catholic Church of Lincoln, who are commonly called the Guardians of Peter [7], and two of my servants, Richard Burght and Richard Laveroke, literate. So that in Catholic trust, obeying God in everything, and His most holy church, from this fading light passing [8], I expect to approach and reach eternal light, which God and our Lord Jesus Christ prepared for those that love Him, and for His coming great glory.

(Text in the original Latin here.)

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[1] George was the second son of Henry and Alice FitzHugh. He had four older siblings - Alice Fiennes, Elizabeth Parr, Richard FitzHugh who would eventually become Baron FitzHugh, and Anne Lovell. He also had three younger brothers. He appears to have been on good terms with his brother-in-law Francis.

[2] His sins being washed away.

[3] George is being rather obscure here, and it`s uncertain whether he means, as he says a bit later, that he wants his family to pay his servants, or whether they are family servants who served him.

[4] Presumably, this does not mean they are owed food, but money for buying food, as seperate from their wages, which would be owed "by the household".

[5] For this request to be made by George, Alice would have to still have been in reasonably good health. In 1505, she was 75.

[6] His name was probably Geoffrey.

[7] St Peter.

[8] That George speaks in the present here, of currently passing from the fading light, could mean he was ailing and expecting to die soon, but he might also be speaking in general terms, of death inevitably coming closer for everyone.

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