h his own hand, and
the opening words are: "Imprimis, Tibi, o pie Redemptor, et potens
Salvator animarum, Domine Jesu Christe, animam meam commendo; Tibi
etiam, o summe Sacerdos et vere Pontifex animarum, commendo universam
plebem Londonensis civitatis et diocaesis; obsecrans te, per medicinam
vulnerum tuorum, qui in cruce pependisti, ut mihi et ipsis, concessa
perfecta venia peccatorum, concedas nos ad tuam misericordiam
pervenire, et frui beatitudine, tuis electis perenniter repromissa."
After which he goes on to direct that he shall be buried close to his
predecessor, Henry de Sandwiche, whom he calls his special benefactor,
and that the marble covering his grave shall not rise higher than
the pavement; that out of his personal estate, consisting of books,
household goods, corn and cattle, which together is valued at 2000
marks, 140_l_. shall be given to the poor, 100 marks to the new fabric
of the cathedral, and that lands of the value of 10_l_. a year shall
be bought for the founding of a chantry here for his soul, and for the
keeping of his anniversary.

In the Inventory of his goods we have interesting information about
values: wheat is reckoned at 4_s_. the quarter, peas at 2_s_. 6_d._,
and oats at 2_s._ Bulls are worth 7_s._ 4_d._ each, kine 6_s._, fat
muttons 1_s._, ewes 8_d._, capons 2_d._, cocks and hens 1_d._ His
nephew, Stephen, who succeeded him thirteen years later, allows only
100 marks for the expenses of his funeral, quoting St. Augustine that
funeral parade may be a certain comfort to the living, but is of no
advantage to the dead. He disposes of 140_l._ to the poor tenants on
his manors. Bishop Michael Northburgh (d. 1362) left the rents of
certain houses which he had built at Fulham for a chantry priest, who
was to be appointed by the Bishop of London. He also desired to be
buried on the same day he died, with his face exposed to view, outside
the west door of the cathedral. His endowment of the chantry being
judged to be insufficient, one of the nominated chantry priests gave a
further endowment for it. This Bishop Northburgh left 2000_l._ for
the completion of the house of the Carthusians (Charter House) in
co-operation with Sir Walter Manny. He also left 1000 marks to be put
into a chest in the Cathedral Treasury, out of which any poor layman
might, for a sufficient pledge, borrow 10_l._, the Dean and principal
Canons 20_l._ upon the like pledge; the Bishop 40_l._; other noblemen
or citizens 20