Apart from the fact that he paid 2s. towards the poll tax of 1379,E179/239/193 m. 5. and represented his home town in at least six Parliaments, all that we know about William Salter is derived from his will, which was made on 16 Dec. 1404 and proved shortly afterwards. This document shows him to have been a weaver and one of the more prosperous inhabitants of Devizes. His wish was to be buried in the parish church of St. Mary, to the fabric of which he left 3s.4d. He also made bequests to the works at Salisbury cathedral, to the church of St. John at Devizes, and to the nearby parishes of Rowde and Bishop’s Cannings. Other legacies included 10s. to the friars of Marlborough and £20, in gifts, to friends and servants. His widow was to have an interest for life in all his property in Devizes and also in his two looms, one of which was to go to his apprentice when she died. His grandson, Richard Bytefynger, was to have a flock of 20 sheep. A fellow weaver, Robert Chandler II, was bequeathed a lease for life of Salter’s residence in Oldport, which was eventually to pass to the mayor and commonalty, it being intended that the rent should be applied in future to the repair of roads in the vicinity.Salisbury Diocesan RO, Reg. Metford, f. 11.
