whereof I would be as glad as any man; and am better content now, that he should have her, than any other, that ever he was heretofore about to have had, confidered. Her Perfon, her Youth, and the ftock that fhe is come of, the Love on both fides, the tender favour that she is in with her father and mother; the kindnefs of her father and mother to her in departing with her, the favour alfo, and good conceit that they have in my Brother, the worshipful and virtuous difpofition of her father and mother, which prognofticateth that, of likelihood, the maid should be virtuous and good; all which confidered, and the neceffary relief that my Brother must have, I marvel the lefs, that ye have departed, and given him the manor of Sparham, in fuch form as I have knowledge of by W. Gornay, Lomner, and Skipwith; and I am right glad to fee in you fuch kindness unto my Brother as ye have done to him; and would by my truth lever [rather] than an 100l. that it were fee fimple land, as it is intailed, which by likelihood should profper with him and his blood the better in time to come, and should also never caufe debate in our blood [contention in our family] in time to come, which God defend [forbid], for that

were unnatural.

Item, another inconvenience is, whereas I understand that the manor is given to my Brother, and to his Wife, and to the Iffue between them begotten; if the cafe were fo, that he and

entiously permit the entail to be defeated, as the Will of the Dead by this means would not be performed, he very readily confents to enter into an engagement to debar himself from ever molefting his Brother or his Widow in their quiet poffeffions thercof. I i

VOL. II.

The

hadde yffy we togedr a Dowtr or moo, and hys wyffe dyed and he maried affir another and hadde iffy we a Sone, yt Sone fholde have noon londe and he beyng hys ffadres heyr, and ffor thenconvenyence yt I have knowe let in ur in cafe lyke and yit enduryth in Kente by tweyn a Jentylman and his Suft', I wolde ye toke the advyce off yowr concell in thys poynt, and that y' is past yow by wrightyng or by promife I deme verrely in yow y' ye dyd it off kyndeneffe and in efchywyng off a moor yll y myght befall.

It'm wher as it pleafyth yow that I fholde ratefye grawnt or coferme the feyd gyfte on to my brother it is fo yt wt myn honefte I may nott and for other cawfes, the Pope will fuffre a thyng to be ufyd but he will nott lycence nor grant it to be ufyd nor don and foo I, my Brother John knowyth myn entent weel i now heer to ffoor in this mat'. I will be ffownde to hym as kynde a brother as I may be.

It'm, iff it be foo yt Sr. T. Brews and hys wyff thynke y I wolde troble my brother and hys wyff in the feid man' I can ffynde no meene to putte them in fywerte y off but iff it neede to be bownde in an obligacōn wt a condicōn yt I fhalle nott trowble ner infet' them therin.

It' I thynke y' fhe is made fywer i now in aftate in the londe and that off Ryght I deme they fhall make noone obstacles at my wryghtyng ffor I hadde neu' non' aftate in the londe, ner I wolde nott yt I had hadde.

No mor to yow at thys tyme, but Allmyghty God have

yow

fhe had iffue together a Daughter or more, and his wife died, and he married after another, and had iffue a Son, that Son should have none land, and he being [although he be] his father's Heir, and for the inconvenience that I have known late in ure [in practice] in cafe like, and yet endureth in Kent, between a Gentleman and his Sifter, I would ye took the advice of your counsel in this point, and that (which) is paft you by writing or by promife, I deem verily in you, that ye did it of kindnefs, and in efchewing of a more [a greater] ill that might befall.

Item, whereas it pleaseth you that I should ratify, grant, and confirm the faid gift unto my Brother, it is fo, that with mine honesty I may not, and for other causes.

The Pope will fuffer a thing to be ufed, but he will not licenfe nor grant it to be ufed nor done, and fo I.

My Brother John knoweth mine intent well enough heretofore in this matter; I will be found to him as kind a Brother as I may be.

Item, if it be fo that Sir Thomas Brews and his Wife think that I would trouble my Brother and his Wife in the said Manor, I can find no means to put them in furety thereof, but if it need, to be bound in an obligation with a condition that I shall not trouble nor infet [infeft] them therein.

Item, I think that he is made fure enough in estate in the land, and that of right I deem they fhall make none obftacles at my writing, for I had never none eftate in the land, nor I would not that I had.

No more to you at this time, but Almighty God have you in keeping.

yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys the xxviij daye of Marche

Y G' worshypfull and hertely belovyd Brother, I recom

RY

aunde me to yow letyng yow weete yt as by Pyrse Moody when he was heer I hadde no leyfer to fende afwer in wryghtyng to yow and to my Cofyne Gurnaye off yowr lett'is. butt ffor a conclufion ye fhalle ffynde me to yow as kynde as I maye

be

my 'concienfe and worshyp favyd, whiche when I speke wt yow and them ye bothe fhall weell undreftande and I praye God fende yow as goode fpeede in yt mat' as I wolde ye hadde, and as I hope ye fhall have er thys lett' come to yow and I praye God fende yow yffywe betwyne yow yt maye be as honorable as eu' was any off your Anceftris and theris wheroff I wolde be as gladde in man' as oft myn owne. Wherffor I praye yow fende me worde how ye doo and iff Godde ffortune

me

Written at Calais, the 28th day of March, in the 17th year

RIGHT worshipful and heartily beloved Brother, I recom

mend me to you, letting you weet, that as by Peirfe Moody, when he was here, I had no leifure to fend answer in writing to you, and to my Coufin Gurney, of your Letters, but for a conclufion ye fhall find me to you as kind as I may be, my confcience and worship faved, which, when I speak with you and them, ye both fhall well underftand; and I and I pray God fend you as good fpeed in that matter as I would ye had, and as I hope ye fhall have ere this Letter come to you; and I pray God fend you Iffue between you, that may be as honourable as ever was any of your Ancestors and theirs, whereof I would be as glad in manner as of mine own; wherefore I pray you send me word how ye do, and if God fortune me to do 6 well,