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Shrewsbury, in 1403, the day after the battle, and probably when in 
the agonies of death from wounds received on that celebrated field. 
Most of the wills contain a bequest “ ad falricam Ecclesiw B. 
Petri" It cannot be inferred from these words that the rebuilding or 
repairing of the Church was going on at that time. But the completion 
of the Chapter House and the Nave was then proceeding, and in some 
instances this clearly appears from the bequests. These are not 
always in money, but books, wearing apparel, and other property are 
left to be sold, and the produce added to the bequest. Thus, Thomas 
de Austan, one of the Vicars Choral of York, leaves to the fabric 
three of his largest stills, for the distillery of aqua vitae, and waters 
of flowers and herbs; John Awstyn, a carpenter of York, leaves to 
the new work of the Cathedral all his brass pullies ; and Joanna 
Skargill bequeaths for the same purpose her scarlet gown. William 
Barker, of Tadcaster, leaves to the fabric at York a boat-load of 
stone from the quarry of Thevesdale, near Tadcaster, granted by the 
Vavasour family. W. Gowsell, husbandman, of Heworth, leaves one 
horse, probably to be employed at the Cathedral. In the year 1409, 
William Cawode, Canon of York and Ripon, an eminent lawyer and 
diplomatist, bequeaths his whole library to be sold, the produce to be 
applied to ornamenting the high altar with a screen. There are other 
legacies relating to works in the interior of the Minster—the erection 
or adorning of the altar, the founding of chantries, the offerings at 
shrines, and the decorations of sacred images. In 1349, Archbishop 
William de la Zouch left a sum of money for the ordaining of a 
perpetual charity for his own soul, at which two chaplains were to 
serve for ever in honour of God, the blessed Mary, and all Saints, 
especially Mary Magdalene and St. Martha. 
The shrine, or bier of Saint William, which was of silver splendidly 
adorned with gilding and jewels, was the object of frequent bequests. 
To this shrine several persons left rings set with stones, and a chaplet 
of gold set with pearls and emeralds, with a sapphire in the middle, 
and a diamond above it. In 1444, Thomas Karr, citizen and draper, 
bequeathed money to purchase a gold chain for the neck of the Virgin 
Mary, another for that of the infant in her arms, and a gold ring to 
be placed about the neck of the image of the Virgin. Costly articles 
of gold and silver and jewels are specially bequeathed for the use of 
the High Altar. Books are the last class of bequests noticed in this 
part of the paper. One of the most remarkable of these is that of 
John Dawtre, who leaves to his godfather, Wm. Langton, the use 
during life of a certain book which the blessed Richard le Scrop had 
