Christ, next to the bodies of my wives and children lately buried there, for having which burial in that place I bequeath to the fabric of the same parish church 20s.  Also I bequeath for my mortuary my best garment with hood appropriate for my body.  Also I bequeath to Master John Amall, Rector of the said parish church for my tithes and oblations forgotten, and that he may more specially pray for my soul, 20s.  Also I bequeath for two candles to burn at my exequies 30 lbs. of wax.  Also 10 torches to burn around my body on the said day of my burial, and that each torch shall contain in itself 14 lbs. of pure wax....  Also I bequeath to 10 men carrying or holding the said 10 Torches in my exequies 10 Gowns, so that each of the said 10 poor men shall have in his gown and hood 3-1/2 ells of russet or black cloth, and that the aforesaid gowns shall be lined with white woollen cloth.  And I will that my Executors shall pay for the making of the same gowns with hoods....  Also I will and ordain that two fit and proper chaplains shall be found to celebrate for my soul, and the souls of my parents, wives, children, benefactors, and for the souls of those for whom I am bound or am debtor, as God shall know in that respect, and for the souls of all the faithful departed, for one whole year, immediately after my decease, in my parish church....”

The will is a very long one.  Altogether 470 lbs. of wax, to last 15 years, would be necessary to satisfy the requirements of the will. 765 masses are specially arranged for; besides, provision was made for masses to be said by more than 21 chaplains, the religious of 5 priories for women, and by every friar and priest of the four orders of friars in York.  There were also bequests to 2 anchoresses, 1 anchorite, and 1 hermit, to pray for the soul of the testator and the souls aforesaid.  Bequests were made to the poor of St. Saviour’s; to lepers “in the 4 houses for lepers in the suburbs,” to the poor in maisons-dieu; to the prisoners in the Castle, in the Archbishop’s prison, and in the Kidcote.  The testator ordered gifts of coal, wood, and shoes, and 1000 white loaves of bread, to be made among the poor and needy.  The bequests to relatives and directions to the Executors occupy a large part of the Will, which is that of a particularly wealthy and important citizen.  Charity, however, was a marked characteristic of these men who had become rich through trade.  With a generous spirit they put into practice the teachings about giving to the poor and to prisoners.  The amount of money spent in founding chantries, in paying priests for masses for the departed, testifies to their faith.

It was part of the policy of the Church to keep the instruction of the people, young and old, in its own control.  Practically all the educational work in York during the century was the work of the Church.