TESTAMENT DE PETER LYLY

In the name of God. Amen. The iïijth daye of lune in the yeare of 0° Lorde God a thousande fyve hundred thre score and eighte, and in the tenthe yeare of the Reigne of o° moste vertuouse sovereigne Ladye Elizabethe by the grace of God Quene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande Defendour of the Faythe &c. I Peter Lyly Register of the Citye and Dyoces of Caunterburye and of the freedome of the Citye of London being in perfect healthe of bodye and of good and perfect remembraunce (praysed be Almightye God) doe ordeyne and make this my presente Testament and laste will in manner fourme following Revokinge all former willes by me at any tyme before the date hereof made and willing that this my presente Testament shall stande for my laste wyll. And firste and principallye I doe moste humblye commit my sinfull soule to the greate mercye of Almightye God my creator whensoever 1t shall please His goodness to dissolve the same from this my mortall and sinnefull bodye stedfastly and faythfullye beleving only by the only merittes of the moste bitter Deathe Passyon and bloudshedinge of His only deare sonne my alone Savyour and Redeamer Ihesus Christe that I have and shall frely receive forgeivenes of all my Synnes and that at the great and dreadfull daye of the generall and gloriouse resurrection and of Judgement I shall aryse agayne in this fleshe being chaunged from corruption to incorruption ? and shall bothe Bodye and Soule inherit the gloriouse kingdome of Heaven everlastinglye prepared for all the elect people of God before the foundactions of the worlde of the which number I undoubtedlye persuade my selfe to be one throughe the exceding great favour and mercye of the Almightye Lorde God

1. Inédit. D’après une copie qui m'a été fournie par le Registrar du diocèse de Canterbury.

9, Epître aux Corinthiens, I, xv, 42.

my heavenly Father my sinnefull Bodye ! I commit to the earthe as earthe to earthe and duste to duste to be buryed at the discretion of myne Executors.

And as touchinge the disposition of suche poore worldlye goodes and temporalities wherew‘* all it hathe pleased almightye God to endue me I will and dispose the same in manner following that is Lo saye Fyrste I will that all my movable goodes householde stuffe debtes and silver plate shalbe indifferently praysed and also my dwelling house with thappertenaunces called the Splayde Egle situate within the Citye of Caunterburye shalbe likewyse praysed to the best value and that so done I will the sayde house w‘* thappertenaunces shalbe solde by my Executors or ther assignes within two yeares after my decease and likewyse all my movables householde stuffe and silver plate thone moitie or hafendeale whereof togithers with the moitye or hafendeale of all suche good debtes as I shall have owing unto me by specialties or otherwyse with the moitie or halfendeale of all such redye monye as I shall happen to have at the tyme of my decease my debtes and funeralles beinge firste payde I frely doe geve and bequethe to Jane my welbeloved wyfe and thother moitye or halfendeale of my sayde house with thappertenaunces solde with movables householde stuffe and silver plate togithers with the other moitye or halfendeale of all suche good debtes as TI shall have owing to me by specialties or otherwyse with thother moitye or halfendeale of all such readye monye as I shall happen to have at the tyme of my decease I frely doe geve and bequethe the same unto my pore children living to be equallye devided amonge them by equall porcions by my sayde Executors and to be payde to them in forme following that is to saye to every of my sonnes at their severall ages of xx] yeares or at the dayes of ther severall maryages w° shall first happen and I geve to John my sonne my ringe of golde with a cornelyan stone to be as parcell of his parte And to every of my Daughters at ther severall ages or mariages of xvii] yeares which shall firste happen And if it shall please Almightie God to call any of my children out of this worlde