LETTER XXVII. To my right worshipful Mafter, John Pafton, at Norwich, be this delivered. PLEA LEASE it Here be many marvellous tales of things that fhall fall, this next month, as it is faid; for it is talked, that one Doctor Grene a Priest hath kalked [calculated] and reporteth, that before St. Andrew's day next coming, shall be the greatest battle that was fince the battle of Shrewsbury, and it fhall fall between the Bishop's Inn of Salisbury and Westminster Bars; and there fhall die feven Lords, whereof three should be Bishops. I All this and much more is talked and reported, I trust to God it fhall not fall fo! 2 Alfo there is great variance between the Earl of Devonshire, and the Lord 3 Bonvile, as hath been many day, and much debate is like to grow thereby; for on Thursday (23d of October) at night laft paffed, the Earl of Devonfhire's + Son and Heir came, with fixty men of arms, to Radford's Place in Devon already fome civil Contests, they were eafily induced to believe, that others might be foreseen and foretold. 2 Thomas Courtney, Earl of Devonshire, was beheaded by order of Edward IV. immediately after the battle of Tewton, in 1461. 3 William Bonvile, was created Lord Bonvile, in 1449, and was beheaded, by order of Queen Margaret, after the battle at Barnard's heath, near St. Alban's, in February, 1460-1, though he had staid with Henry VI. on a promise of safety. 4 Thomas Courtney, Son and Heir of Thomas Courtney, Earl of Devonshire, was beheaded very foon after his Father, in 1461. place in Devenfhire whiche was of counfeil w' my Lord Bonvyle and they sette an hous on fyer at Radfords gate and cryed and mad an noyse as though they had be fory for ye fyer, and by that caufe Radfords men fet opyn ye gats and yede owt to se the fyer and for w therll fone forfeid entred into ye place and intreted 5 Radford to come doun of his chambre to fpke w them p'myttyng hym that he shuld no bodyly harm have up on whiche p'myffe he come doun and spak w' ye feid Erll fone. In ye mene tyme his menye robbe his chambre and ryfled his huches* and truffed fuyche as they coude gete to gydder and caryed it awey on his own hors. Thanne yerll Sone feid, Radford thou must come to my Lord my Fadir, he feid he wold and bad oon of his men make redy his hors to ride wt hem whiche answerd hym y' alle his hors wern take awey, thanne he feid to yerll fone Sr. yo men have robbed my chambre and thei haye myn hors y' I may not ride w' you to my Lord yo' fadir, wherfor I p'y you lete me ride for I am old and may not go. 6 It was answerid hym ageyn yat he fhuld walke forth w' them on his feete and fo he dede till he was at flyte fhote or more from his place and yanne he was cawse he myght not go fast and whanne yei were thus dep'ted he t'ned foftly for oon forw' come ix men ageyn up on Nicholas Radford was an eminent Lawyer, and refided at Poghill, near Kyrton. 5 We fee in this Letter a ftrong and diabolical inftance of party fury; an old and an iufirm man is, in the night, by a ftratagem, enticed to open his Gates; his Place is robbed and plundered, and himself, after various ill treatment, is most cruefly murdered, by the direction of the Son and Heir of a Nobleman, then at variance with Lord Bonvile. Huche, French, a Coffer, or Cheft standing upon legs. hym a Sire which was of counsel with my Lord Bonvile; and they fet an house on fire at Radford's gate, and cried and made a noife as though they had been forry for the fire; and by that caufe Radford's men fet open the Gates and yead [went] out to fee the fire; and forthwith the Earl's Son aforefaid entered into the place, and entreated 5 Radford to come down of his Chamber to speak with them, promising him that he should no bodily harm have; upon which promife he came down, and spoke with the faid Earl's Son in the mean time his meny. [Servants] rob his chamber, and rifled his hutches, and truffed fuch as they could get together and carried it away on his own horfes; then the Earl's Son faid; "Radford, thou must come "to my. Lord my Father." He faid he would, and bade one of his men make ready his horfe to ride with them; which answered him, that all his horfes were taken away; then he faid to the Earl's Son: Sir, your men have robbed my Chamber, and they have "mine horses, that I may not ride with you to my Lord your "Father, wherefore I pray you, let me ride for I am old, and may not go." 6.. .. It was answered him again, that he should walk forth with them on his feet; and fo he did till he was a +flight shot or more from his place, and then he was foftly, for cause he might not go fast, and when they were thus departed he turned .. ..one forthwith came nine men again +A Flight was a particular kind of Arrow called Flecta, in the Latin of the middle ages. See Steevens's note on a paffage in the firft fcene of Shakspeare's Much ado about nothing. Where the lines are fupplied with Dots, the Original Letter is imperfect, from a part being decayed, and torne off. upon hym and smot hym in ye hed and fellid them kyt his throte. This was told to my Lord Chaunceler yis fornoon messengers as come of p'pos owt of ye fame cuntre this matier is take gretly.. passed at ij aft' is here what it menyth I wot not God t'ne it .. k fo meche rumo at 7 Hertford and fume men ar a ferd that he is feek ageyn Salesbury and oy' arn in p'pos to conveye hym 4.0 &c. the feid N. Crome berer her of fhall telle you 7 The King feems, at the time this Letter was written, to have been at Hertford, and it was reported that he was fick again. * J. Gr. James Gresham, was a Coufin of J. Pafton's, and by this, and fome others of his LET upon him and smote him on the head and felled of them, cut his throat. This was told to my Lord Chancellor this förendon meffengers, as come of purpose out of the fame Country. This matter is taken greatly paffed at two after midnight rode out of London as it is faid more than Some fay it was to ride toward the best wife. is here, what it meaneth I wot not, God turn it .. 7 Hertford, and fome men are afraid that he is fick again, I pray God my Lords of York, Warwick, Salisbury, and others are in purpose to convey him The faid Nicholas Crome, Bearer hereof, fhall tell you fuch London, Tuesday, 28th of October, Your poor, 8 JAMES GRESHAM. his Letters, appears to have been a Lawyer, as he often writes to him on law matters. Pl. 111. N° 28. His Seal has on it a Grafshopper; a Device afterwards borne by Sir Thomas Gresham, the Founder of the Royal Exchange, the Vane on the top of which is a Grafshopper.Pl. XIV. N° 2. LET |