LETTER XIX. To our right trufty and well beloved Friend, Sir Thomas Todenham. R IGHT trufty, and well beloved Friend, we greet you well, heartily defiring to hear of your welfare, which we pray God preferve to your heart's defire; and if it please you to hear of our welfare, we were in good health at the making of this Letter, praying you heartily that ye will confider our meffage, which our Chaplain Mafter Robert Hopton fhall inform you of; for, as God knoweth, we have great business daily, and have had here before this time, wherefore we pray you to confider the Purchase that we have made with one John Swyffhcote [Southcote] an Efquire of Lincolnshire of 881. by the year, whereupon we must pay the last payment the Monday 2 Clopton, John Montgomery, and William Tyrrell, Efqrs. were arrefted by John, Earl of Worcester, Conftable of England, on fufpicion of having received Letters from Margaret, Queen of Henry VIth; and being convicted in court, before the faid Earl of Worcester, were all beheaded (except Clopton) on Tower Hill, on the 22d of February, 1461. He dying without iffue, his Sifter Margaret became his heir. She married Sir Edmund Bedingfeld, Kt. whofe Grandfon, Sir Edmund, built the fine old Houfe at Oxburgh, of brick, with Towers, Battlements, &c. by Licenfe, from Edward IV. dated 3d of July, 1483. It is now a curious and venerable Manfion; poffeffed and inhabited by Sir Richard Bedingfield, Bart. who lately pulled down the fine old Gothic Hall, 2 It is to be wifhed that this Letter had mentioned the Sum already paid, as we could then have exactly determined the Purchase money for an Estate of 88% a year in those days. next pay y last payment y moneday nextē aftyr Seynt Martyn' day, which fum ys cccc and lviij li. wherfor we p'y yo" wyth all owr herte y ye wyll lend us x li. or twenty or whet ye feyd Maift Robert wants of hys payment as we may do for yo" in tym for to com, and we shall send yt you ageyn afor Newyers day wyth y g'ce of God as we ar trew 3 knyght, ffor y' is nonne in yo' Cuntre y' we myght wryght to for trust, so well as un to yo" ffor as we be enformyd ye be owr well wyller and fo we p'y yo" of goud cōtynuaunce. Wherfor' we p'y you yt ye cōfyde' our entent of this mony as ye wyll y we do for yo" in tym to com, as God knowyth, who have you in hys kepyng. Wreten atte London on All Salwyn day wyth inne owr loggyng in yo 4G'y Freys wyth inne Newgate. next after St. Martin's day (11th of November), which fum is 4581. wherefore we pray you with all our heart, that ye will lend us ten or twenty pounds, or what the faid Mafter Robert wants of his payment, as we may do for you in time for to come, and we shall send it you again afore New Year's day with the grace of God, as we are a true 3 Knight. For there is none in your Country, that we might write to for truft, fo well as unto you, for, as we be informed, ye be our well willer, and fo we pray you be of good continuance. Wherefore we pray you, that ye confider our intent of this money, as ye will that we do for you in time to come, as God knoweth, who have you in his keeping. Written at London, on All Soul's day, within our Lodging in the 4 Grey Friars, within Newgate. London, ad of November, before RICHARD Earl of WARWICK. London, by the King's defire, in February 1458, to meet the Lords of the oppofite Party on amicable Terms. Pl. 1. N° 7. The Seal of this Letter is of red wax, on which is the Fear and Ragged Staff, the Badge of this Nobleman, with his Motto, the whole very fair and curious, and around it is a braid of twine. Pl. xiv. N° 6. LE T LETTER XX. To the worshipfull and my right trusty Frende John Pafton Squyer. W OF ORSHIPFULL and my right trufty and welbeloved frende I grete you well and for afmuch as I have purchased of the worshipfull and my welbeloved frende 'Priour of Walfyngham ij maners in lityl Snoryng w' thap'ptenants in the Counte of Norff' which maners be cleped Bowles and Walcotes I defir and hertily praye yow that ye woll fhewe to me and my Feoffes in my name your good will and favour fo that I may by your frendship the more peasably rejoy my forfaid purchase. And more ou' I praye you to yeve credens in this mater to my welbeloved Chapellayn S'. John Suthwell berer of thes my Lett', and in the fame mater to be my feithfull frende as my gret truft is in you wherin ye shall do to me a fingular pleafir and cause me to bee to yow right good Lord which fumtyme fhall be to you available by the grace of God who p'ferve you and fende you welfare. Yoven This Letter is written by the Secretary, and figned by the Earl himself; it has no date of the year, but was certainly written before 1460, for in that year the Earl pre fented LETTER XX. To the worshipful, and my right trusty Pafton, Efquire. Friend, John ORSHIPFUL, and my right trufty and well beloved WOR Friend, I greet you well, and forafmuch as I have purchased, of the worfhipful and my well beloved friend, 'Prior of Walfingham, two Manors in Little Snoring with the Appurtenances in the County of Norfolk, which Manors be cleped [called] Bowle's and Walcote's. I defire and heartily pray you, that ye will fhew to me, and my Feoffees in my name, your good will and favour; fo that I may by your Friendship the more peaceably enjoy my aforesaid purchase. And moreover I pray you to give credence in this matter to my well beloved Chaplain Sir John Southwell, bearer of this my Letter. And in the fame matter to be my faithful Friend, as my great truft is in you; wherein ye shall do to me a fingular pleasure, and cause me to be to you right good Lord, which some time shall be to you available by the grace of God, who preferve you and fend you welfare. fented Richard Cheyne, to the Rectory of Little Snoring, which was an appurtenant to the Manors, and which, when this Letter was written, had been lately purchased. Thomas Hunt, was Prior of Walfingham, from 1437 to 1474. VOL. I. N Given |