The complete works of John Gower, volume 4 : $b The Latin worksGower, John
General
The complete works of John Gower, volume 4 : $b The Latin works
Gower, John
Poetry
The testator bequeathes his soul to the Creator, and his body
to be buried in the church of the Canons of St. Mary Overes,
in the place specially appointed for this purpose (‘in loco ad
hoc specialiter deputato’). To the Prior of the said church he
bequeathes 40_s._, to the subprior 20_s._, to each Canon who is
a priest 13_s._ 4_d._, and to each of the other Canons 6_s._
8_d._, that they may all severally pray for him the more devoutly
at his funeral. To the servants of the Priory 2_s._ or 1_s._
each according to their position; to the church of St. Mary
Magdalene 40_s._ for lights and ornaments, to the parish priest
of that church 10_s._, ‘vt oret et orari faciat pro me’; to the
chief clerk of the same church 3_s._ and to the sub-clerk 2_s._
To the following four parish churches of Southwark, viz. St.
Margaret’s, St. George’s, St. Olave’s, and St. Mary Magdalene’s
near Bermondsey, 13_s._ 4_d._ each for ornaments and lights,
and to each parish priest or rector in charge of those churches
6_s._ 8_d._, ‘vt orent et orari pro me in suis parochiis faciant
et procurent.’ To the master of the hospital of St. Thomas in
Southwark 40_s._, to each priest serving there 6_s._ 8_d._ for
their prayers; to each sister professed in the said hospital
3_s._ 4_d._, to each attendant on the sick 20_d._, and to each
sick person in the hospital 12_d._, and the same to the sisters
(where there are sisters), nurses and patients in the hospitals
of St. Anthony, Elsingspitell, Bedlem without Bishopsgate, and
St. Maryspitell near Westminster; to every house for lepers in
the suburbs of London 10_s._, to be distributed amongst the
lepers, for their prayers: to the Prior of Elsingspitell 40s.,
and to each Canon priest there 6_s._ 8_d._
For the service of the altar in the chapel of St. John the
Baptist, ‘in qua corpus meum sepeliendum est,’ two vestments
of silk, one of blue and white baudkin and the other of white
silk, also a large new missal and a new chalice, all which are
to be kept for ever for the service of the said altar. Moreover
to the Prior and Convent the testator leaves a large book,
‘sumptibus meis nouiter compositum,’ called _Martilogium_, on the
understanding that the testator shall have a special mention of
himself recorded in it every day (‘sic quod in eodem specialem
memoriam scriptam secundum eorum promissa cotidie habere debeo,’
not ‘debes,’ as printed).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account