351 



u §ar{ror. of <Sali$hu*g, §ra0in'. 



By Amherst D. Tyssen, D.C.L., M.A. 



The first book published on the subject of Church bells, namely 

 that written by the Eev. W. C. Lukis, about half-a-century ago, 

 mentioned that a bell existed at Chitterne, in Wiltshire, bearing 

 the words jhon bar bvr me made and in the course of time a 

 rubbing was obtained of the bell, showing the character of the 

 letters ; it was observed that other bells with the same lettering 

 existed, and it also became known that the will of John Barbor 

 was preserved at Somerset House, on the verso of p. 43 of the 

 Register called Marche. 



The Will of John Barbor. 



In Dei nomine Amen. Die veneris in vigilia purificationis beate Marie 

 virginis Anno domini millesimo cccc""" tertio Ego Johannes Barbor Brasier 

 civis civitatis Nove Sarum debita meditatione perpendens quod humane 

 nature debilis conditio in hac valle miserie posita tot & tantis subjacet 

 periclis & erumpnis (oerumnis) maxime cum nichil morte certius & nichil 

 incertius quod velit nolit oportet quemlibet ingredi vias ejus volens nunc 

 quantum a summo rerum conditore conceditur prsecavere nolens quoque bona 

 mea nunc adeo (? a Deo) collata inordinata relinquere ad honorem & laudem 

 ipsius ordino de bonis meis testamentum meum & condo in hunc modum 

 Inprimis quidem animam meam do & comendo (sic) altissimo creatori meo 

 qui earn cruce suo sanguine precioso redemit ac gloriose virgini Marie matri 

 sue et omnibus Sanctis ejus ut ipsi eandem cum ab hac luce migraverit in 

 gaudium sempiternum recipere dignentur quorum meritis & precibus credo 

 firmiter mea demerita in die judicii deleri corpus quoque meum terre & sacre se- 

 pulture ad sepeliendum in ecclesia sancti Edmundi Sarum in le northile coran 

 sede mea ibidem Item lego fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis beate Marie Sarum 

 vi'. viii"*. vel valorem ejusdem Item fabrice ecclesie sancti Edmundi Sarum 

 XX*. Item lego prseposito ibidem pro decimis meis oblitis & minus benefactis 

 xxvi'. viii"*. Item fabrice ecclesie sancti Thome Sarum vi». viii**. vel valorem 

 ejusdem Item fabrice sancti Martini Sarum vi'. viii"*. vel valorem ejusdem 

 Item sororibus misericordie Sarum vi^ viii'*. Item fratribus predicatoribus de 

 Fysshton vi'. viii"*. Item domui sancte Trinitatis in nova Sarum vocate 

 almeshaus x^. Item cuilibet filiolo & filiole meis xii^. Item volo quod Johannes 

 Peccham post decessum meum habeat ii biluwes & ducentorum pondus 

 oUarum enearum novarum per visum executorum meorum Item lego Johanni 



1 ... 



