Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/431

ORIGINAL DOCrMKNTS. 319 (II.) The alinery, or ambry, a moveable receptacle fur household stufT, is one of the chattels of most freriuent occurrence in old wills or inventories, and appears to have been amonj^st the first objects of superior convenience or luxury in furniture introduced in the houses of the middling classes in early and simple times. It is universally named in documents connected with the northern counties. See Wills and Inventories, pp. 258, 281, 334, <Scc. The precise distinction between the almery and the cujjboard may be questionable : possibly the former was closed, the latter for the most part open, like a small buffet of several shelves, yet we find cupboards described with three locks, with two locks, &c. Amongst the furniture of a draper at Durham, in 150H, occur in the shop, " ij. chists, a cupbord, an auiberye, xxvj.s. viij.'l." He had other like conveniences in his parlour, aiul in " the hall house a ambre vij.s., a cupbord ambrj, iiij.s." The almery is usually tluis distinguished from the cupboard ; in one instance we find an ambry and a " drinke ambry," valued together at 8s. This must have been of the nature of the modern cellaret. " An almery with four doores and two shootes." — " A grete new slandyng almery with iv. leves." See Promptorium Parvulorum. — " Almery, n/??(a - rium. Almery of mete kepyng, or a save for mete, cibutum.'" (12.) A quy-stirk, a quy. In the north a heifer is called a quey, (generally pro- nounced whye,) until it has had a calf. They speak of a quey-calf. See Grose, Brockett, and Jamieson. A stirk is a yearling ox or heifer, Ang-Sax. jurencits, biicula. In the Inventories frequently cited in these notes, mention is continually made of quycs: " IG stottes and quyes £8. 8 quyes thre yeares olde, prased to £i. 4 twinter whyes at £4. 7 elder whies at £9. (5s. 8d. 23 kyen and whaies i,'28." See. They must not be confounded with ki/e,coii, " 39 kye, prased to £39. farrowe kyene, at 26s. 8d. (each) — kyne newc kalved with ther calves, 30s." &c. Gymer Iamb has been explained previously. It does not appear from these documents Avliat relationship subsisted betAveen the two testators, although, probably, they were kinsmen. They evidently both adhered to the old faith of their forefathers, and were content if their remains might rest together with them within the " Parish Churche Earth ^ of our Blessed Lady" at Thirsk, the mother-chui'ch of Sandhut- ton, where they were resident. The descendants of Richard Almoke remained at that villao;e for about a centurv and a half after his decease, and many of their wills preserved at York re])eat the old request to be buried in or at the church of St. INlary, in Thirsk. The name is sometimes Miitten Awmoke. These testaments were both, very ])robal)ly, written by " Sir Bartholomew Smyth," by Avhom they were also witnessed; he doubtless administered the last rites to the testators, and prayed for the repose of their souls, having received a bequest of grain for such service, half a bushel of wheat, the value about one shilling, with half a bushel of rye, about Sgd. It is '■ This term is unusual. Church- <:ar/li, 1393, wills liis body "to my graven in the the enclostd cemetery yard,. }^. Sax. geard, Mynstor Garth, be for the butres at the an encldsure or ^^arclen. is not uiiconuiioii riiarnell." ill tiie north. .Ion of Croxton, of York,