V. P. xlix, n

APPENDICE ÇV

Lettre autographe de Wilson à Sir Thomas Barrington i. (British Museum, Egerton MSS. 2647, fol. 7.)

This Bearer John Hudson my lords seruant is a dweller at Pleshir, and through some bad information is come into the number of them that are rated at £. 10 a peece for the 20*^ part. I should be loth to write to you an vntruth, therefore I did informe my selfe aswell as I could how capable hee was of disbursing so much money, hee hath not a foot of land, nor any money that I can heare of, his estate consists in a little household stuff, and some good Ale, and how that will rise soe high I know not. S'" I beseech you fauor the poore man in what you may and pardon the presumption of

Your humble seruant Arth : WiLSON.

Leez, 3 July 1643.

(Au dos :

To the Honorable S'" Thomas Barrington K* & Baronet theise present.)

I, Les Barringtons étaient une famille influente de l'Essex. Le Sir Th. Barrington dont il est ici question fut envoyé dans l'Essex en 1642, par le Parlement « for the appeasing and quieting of divers Assemblies of people gathered together in great bodies, who had much damnified the houses and taken the goods of divers persons without Law or other Authority ». (A Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament. Die Veneris 2 Septem. 1642).

CVl • APPENDICE

Testament d'Arthur Wilson. (Somerset House. Bowyer, iig. )

In the name of God Amen. I Arthur Wilson of Felsted in the Countie of Essex g-ent. beinge in health of bodie and mind att this present (All due praise be g-iuen to my great Creator) knowinge by diuine truth that man is as the flower of the feild, as a vapor, as dust, as a shadowe that passeth away; and by humane experience as a brittle glasse soone broken, To giue a true light to my intentions, now liuinge that there may no suites arise after my decease for the little I haue when itt shall please God of his infinite goodnes and mercie to call me to him, I doe here with my owne hand in this my last will and Testament, First I bequeath my Soule to God that gaue itt, and to my Lord and Sauiour Jesus Christ that redeemed itt, by whose most blessed meritte I hope to attaine to that happines in heauen which no tongue nor penne can expresse nor can itt euer into the heart of man to conceiue itt, and to the Holie Ghost the Comforter doe I resigne my Spiritt. To which thre persons and one God be all honour, glorie and praise for euer, Amen. My bodie I giue to the earth from whence itt came and to be interred where my louinge wife pleases. Knowinge wheresoeuer itt lyes, itt must résolue to itts first principles till the last great restitution that the earth shall make, in giuing vpp her dead, when I hope to see with these eyes and heare with these eares to the Comfort of my soule the glorious Sauiour and Judge of the world sittinge vpon a throne of mercie pronouncinge his veritie. And because this bodie of mine hath so many yeares clogged my Soule and chain'd itt to vanitie that itt could not so clearly mount vp with the wings of loue to that diuine Loue that made itt, my will is that itt be interred priuately without any outward ostentation. For I Cor. Saint Paul telleth the Corinthians that the bodie is sowne in corrup- ^^'^^ tion, but itt is rais'd in incorruption, itt is sowne in dishonour, itt is rais'd in glorie, itt is sowne in weakenes, itt is rais'd in power, itt is sowne a naturall bodie, itt is rais'd a spirituall bodie, and he assures

APPENDICE CVlj

him that is Christ Quod fransformabif corpus suum humile, and that Philip, his vile bodie shalbe changed, that itt may be fashioned like vnto 5.21 Christs glorious bodie which is farre aboue all the State and glorie that the world can afford; For the disposinge of my temporall estate (which is not much because I neuer desired much) my will is that the sixteenth part of a shippe that cost me thirtie pounds (and tenne pounds in money) shalbe to the vse of my sister Judith, and att her dispose, or to her children ; Item I giue to my sister Marie fortie pounds and the lease of the house in Perpole land ; Item I giue to the youngest daughter of my deceased sister Catharine thirtie pounds; Item I giue to my Cosin Robert Nixon tenne pounds ; Item I giue to my Cosin Mr. Richard Nixon tenne pounds, Cambdens Britannia and all my English Chronicles in English ; Item I giue to my sonne in Lawe 1 Mr. William Webb my statute bookes and all my other bookes which doe councerne the Lawe. The rest of my bookes (except what are hereafter mencioned) I giue and bequeath to my Lords Librarie att Leeze to be continued there to that noble familie for the benefitt of the chapplaines to that house ; Item I giue and bequeath to my sonne Webb tenne pounds to buy him a ringe ; Item I giue to my daughter Webbe - tenne pounds to buy her a ringe ; Item I giue to my good freind Mrs. Sidney Humphries 3 tenne pounds to buy her a ringe, my concaue glasse with the foot Gerards her ball and my physicke manuscript with the blewe stringes ; Item I giue to the poore of the parish of little Leeze fortie shillinges ; Item I giue to the poore of the parishe of Felsted three pounds ; All these Legacies I desire may be deliuered and paid within twelue moneths after my decease by my deare and louinge wife to whome the bonds of nature and affection ties me, with whome I haue lined a quiet and contented life, for whome I blisse God and to whome I giue and bequeath the rest of my estate ; That is to say. The little house and land I haue in Felsted called Drinkalls to receiue the profitts therof for and duringe her naturall life, and after her decease mv will is that itt shall remaine