John Northwood to John, Viscount Beaumont

Add. 43488, f. 7

28 May 1448

Gairdner, Vol II, item 78; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 4

LETTER IV.

To my worschypful and reverent Lord John Vicont ¹ Beaumont.

RYGTH worschypfull and my reverent and most spesiall
Lord y recomaund me un to yowr good grace in the most
humble and lowly wyse that y canne or may desyryng to her of
your prosperite and well fare as to my most syngeler joy and
spesiall comfort. And gyf hyt plees your hygnes as towchyng
the soden aventeur that fell latly at Coventre plees hyt your
Lordshyp to her that on ²Corpus Xpi even last passed be twene
viij and ix of the clok at afternon Syr Umfrey ³Stafford had
browth my mayster Syr James of ⁴ Urmond towad hys yn from
my Lady of ⁵Shrewesbery and reterned from hym toward hys
yn he met w^t Syr Robert ⁶Harcourt comyng frome hys moder
toward hys yn and passed Syr Umfrey, and Richard hys son
came somwhat be hynd, and when they met to gyder they fell
in handes togyder and Syr Robert smot hym a grette stoke on.
the hed w^t hys ford and Richard w^t hys Dagger hastely went

toward hym and as he stombled on of Harcourts men smot hym
in the bak w^t a knyfe men wotte not ho hytt was reddely, hys
fader hard noys and rode toward hem and hys men ronne befor
hym thyder ward and in the goyng downe of hys hors on he
wotte not ho be hynd hym smot hym on the hede w^t a nege tole
men know not w^t us w^t what wepone that he fell downe and
hys son fell downe be fore hym as good as dede. And all thys
was don as men sey in a ⁷ Pater noster wyle. And forth w^t Syr
Umfrey Stafford men foloed after and slew ij men of Harcowrttus
on Swynerton and Bradshawe and mo ben hurt, Sum ben
gonne and sum ben in pryson in the Jayll at Coventre. And
before the Coroner of Coventre up on the sygth of the bodyes
ther ben endited as Prynsipall for the deth of Richard Stafford,
Syr Robert Harcourt and the ij men that ben dede. And for the
ij men of Harcourts that ben dede ther ben endited ij men of
Syr Umfrey as Prynsipall. And as gytte ther hath ben no thyng
fownden before the Justice of the Pees of Coventre of thys riot
be caws the Shreffe of Warwyk shyre is dede and they may not
sytt in to the tyme ther be a new Shreve.

And all thys myschef fell be cawse of a nold debate that was
be twene heme for takyng of a dystres as hyt is told.

And all mygthty Jhu preserve yowr hye astat my spesiall Lord
and send yow long lyve and good hele.

Wryten at Coventre on tewusday next after Corpus Xpi
day &c.

Be yowr own pore

S^rvant

John Northwod.

11 ? by 8 ?

Paper Mark
     A Bull’s or Goat’s Head.
             Pl. VIII. No 3.
             Autogragh.
            Pl. II. No 18.

Coventry

Tuesday after Corpus Christi day
Between 1440 and 1450, 18 and 28 H. VI.

This Letter presents us with the effects of a private dispute, and gives us an instance of
the dangerous, though common ferocity of these unsettled times; it must have been
written between 1440 and 1450, as in the former year Lord Beaumont was created a
Viscount, and in the latter Sir Humphrey Stafford was killed.

¹ John Viscount Beaumont, so created in Feb^y. 1439-40, 18 H. VI. was the first of
that title by patent in England; he was killed at the battle of Northampton, in July
1460, fighting for the House of Lancaster.

² The Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

³ He was a collateral branch of the family of the Duke of Buckingham; and, in June
1450, commanded a Detachment of the royal army, sent out against the Rebel Jack
Cade; his Party fell into an Ambush, and he was killed.

⁴ Query, Whether James, son of the Eail of Ormond, who afterwards, in 1449, was
created Earl of Wiltshire.

⁵ Wife of John Talbot, the famous Earl of Shrewsbury.

⁶ He signalised himself in the wars of Henry VI. and Edward IV. was a knight of the
Garter; and, in November 1470, 10 E. IV. was slain by the Staffords, perhaps in revenge
for this murder of Richard Stafford.

⁷ Proverbially, a short time; for our Forefathers, who were to repeat a great number
of Pater nosters at once, performed the business in a very expeditious manner.

In Langham’s Garden of Health, printed in 1597, is the following sentence, “ For

“ Ears dull, quarter a red Onion downeright and boyle in the Oyle of Olive, while one
“ may say three Pater nosters.”

N. B. The words in the copy of the original Letter with Dots over them are imperfect
in the original, the paper being chafed.

Paper Mark
     A Bull’s or Goat’s Head.
             Pl. VIII. No 3.
             Autogragh.
            Pl. II. No 18.

LETTER IV.

To my worshipful and reverend Lord, John Viscount ¹ Beaumont.

RIGHT worshipful, and my reverend, and most special
Lord, I recommend me unto your good Grace in the most
humble and lowly wise, that I can or may, desiring to hear of
your prosperity and welfare, as to my most singular joy and
special comfort.

And if it please your Highness, as touching the sudden ad-
venture that fell lately at Coventry, please it your Lordship to
hear, that on ²Corpus Christi even last passed, between 8 and
9 of the clock at afternoon, Sir Humphrey ³Stafford had
brought my master, Sir James of ⁴Ormond, toward his Inn
from my Lady of ⁵Shrewfbury, and returned from him to-
wards his Inn, he met with Sir Robert ⁶Harcourt coming
from his mother’s towards his Inn, and passed Sir Humphrey;
and Richard his son came somewhat behind, and when they
met together, they fell in hands together, and Sir Robert smote
him a great stroke on the head with his sword, and Richard
with his Dagger hastily went toward him, and as he stumbled,

one of Marcourt’s men smote him in the back with a knife;
men wot (know) not who it was readily; his Father heard (a)
noise, and rode toward them, and his men ran before him thi-
therward; and in the going down off his horse, one, he wot
not who, behind him smote him on the head with an edged tool,
men know not with us, with what weapon, that he fell down,
and his Son fell down before him as good as dead; and all this
was done, as men say, in a ⁷ Pater noster while.

And forthwith Sir Humphrey Stafford’s men followed after,
and slew two men of Harcourts, one Swynerton and Bradshawe,
and more be hurt, some be gone, and some be in prison in the
jail at Coventry.

And before the Coroner of Coventry, upon the sight of the
Bodies, there be indited as Principals, for the death of Richard
Stafford, Sir Robert Harcourt, and the two men that be dead;
and for the two men of Harcourt’s that be dead, there be indited
two men of Sir Humphrey’s as Principals; and as yet there
hath been nothing found before the Justice of the Peace of
Coventry of this riot, because the Sheriff of Warwickshire is
dead, and they may not sit unto the time there be a new Sheriff;
and all this mischief fell because of an old debate that was
between them, for taking of a Distress, as it is told.

And Almighty Jesu preserve your high Estate, my special
Lord, and send you long Life and good health.

Written at Coventry on Tuesday next after Corpus Christi
day, &c.

By your own poor Servant

JOHN NORTHWOOD.

11 ? by 8 ?

Paper Mark
     A Bull’s or Goat’s Head.
             Pl. VIII. No 3.
             Autogragh.
            Pl. II. No 18.

Coventry

Tuesday after Corpus Christi day
Between 1440 and 1450, 18 and 28 H. VI.

This Letter presents us with the effects of a private dispute, and gives us an instance of
the dangerous, though common ferocity of these unsettled times; it must have been
written between 1440 and 1450, as in the former year Lord Beaumont was created a
Viscount, and in the latter Sir Humphrey Stafford was killed.

¹ John Viscount Beaumont, so created in Feb^y. 1439-40, 18 H. VI. was the first of
that title by patent in England; he was killed at the battle of Northampton, in July
1460, fighting for the House of Lancaster.

² The Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

³ He was a collateral branch of the family of the Duke of Buckingham; and, in June
1450, commanded a Detachment of the royal army, sent out against the Rebel Jack
Cade; his Party fell into an Ambush, and he was killed.

⁴ Query, Whether James, son of the Eail of Ormond, who afterwards, in 1449, was
created Earl of Wiltshire.

⁵ Wife of John Talbot, the famous Earl of Shrewsbury.

⁶ He signalised himself in the wars of Henry VI. and Edward IV. was a knight of the
Garter; and, in November 1470, 10 E. IV. was slain by the Staffords, perhaps in revenge
for this murder of Richard Stafford.

⁷ Proverbially, a short time; for our Forefathers, who were to repeat a great number
of Pater nosters at once, performed the business in a very expeditious manner.

In Langham’s Garden of Health, printed in 1597, is the following sentence, “ For

“ Ears dull, quarter a red Onion downeright and boyle in the Oyle of Olive, while one
“ may say three Pater nosters.”

N. B. The words in the copy of the original Letter with Dots over them are imperfect
in the original, the paper being chafed.

78

JOHN NORTHWOOD TO JOHN, VISCOUNT
BEAUMONT²

To my worschypful and reverent Lord, John, Vicont Beaumont.

          RYGTH worschypfull, and my reverent and most spesiall
                 Lord, y recomaund me un to yowr good grace in the
                 most humble and lowly wyse that y canne or may,
desyryng to her of your prosperite and well fare [as to my]³
most syngeler joy and spesiall comfort.

And gyf hyt plees your Hygnes, as towchyng the soden
aventuer that fell latly at Coventre, plees hyt your Lordshyp
to her that, on Corpus Christi Even¹ last passed, be twene
viij. and ix. of the clok at a[fternon],² Syr Umfrey Stafford³
had browth my mayster Syr James of Urmond⁴ towa[r]d hys
yn [inn] from my Lady of Shrewesb[ery,⁵ and]² reterned from
hym toward hys yn, he met with Syr Robert Harcourt⁶ comyng
from hys moder towards hys yn, and pass[ed Syr]² Umfrey;
and Richard, hys son, came somewhat be hynd, and when they
met to gyder, they fell in handes togyder, and [Sir Robert]²
smot hym a grette st[r]oke on the hed with hys sord, and
Richard with hys dagger hastely went toward hym. And as he
stombled, on of Harcourts men smot hym in the bak with a
knyfe; men wotte not ho hyt was reddely. Hys fader hard
noys, and rode toward hem, and hys men ronne befor hym
thyder ward; and in the goyng downe of hys hors, on, he
wotte not ho, be hynd hym smot hym on the hede with a nege
tole, men know not with us with what wepone, that he fell
downe; and hys son fell downe be fore hym as good as dede.
And all thys was don, as men sey, in a Pater Noster wyle.
And forth with Syr Umfrey Stafford men foloed after, and
slew ij. men of Harcowrttus, on Swynerton, and Bradshawe,
and mo ben hurt; sum ben gonne, and sum be in pryson in
the jayll at Coventre.

And before the coroner of Coventre, up on the sygth of
the bodyes, ther ben endited, as prynsipall for the deth of
Richard Stafford, Syr Robert Harcourt and the ij. men that
ben dede. And for the ij. men of Harcourts that ben dede,
ther ben endited ij. men of Syr Umfrey as prynsipall. And as
gytte ther hath ben no thyng fownden before the Justice of
the Pees of Coventre of thys riot, be caws the shreffe of
Warwyk shyre is dede,¹ and they may not sytt in to the tyme
ther be a new shreve.

And all thys myschef fell be cawse of a nold debate that
was be twene heme for takyng of a dystres, as hyt is told.

And All mygthty Jesu preserve yowr hye astat, my spesiall
Lord, and send yow long lyve and good hele.

Wryten at Coventre on Tewusday next after Corpus
Christi day, &c.

Be yowr own pore Servant, JOHN NORTHWOD.

¹ [From Phillipps MS. 9735, No. 256.]

² [From Fenn, i. 12.] The date of this letter will appear by a foot-note.

³ The bracketed words are noted by Fenn as ‘imperfect in the original, the paper
being chafed.’

¹ 22nd May.

² The bracketed words are noted by Fenn as ‘imperfect in the original, the paper
being chafed.’

³ Killed in an engagement with Jack Cade in June 1450.

⁴ Probably Sir James Butler, son and heir-apparent of James, fourth Earl of
Ormond, who in 1449 was created Earl of Wiltshire.

⁵ Wife of John Talbot, the famous Earl of Shrewsbury.

⁶ He signalised himself in the wars of Henry VI. and Edward IV., was a Knight
of the Garter, and in November 1470, 10 Edward IV., was slain by the Staffords,
perhaps in revenge for this murder of Richard Stafford.—F.

¹ Thomas Porter was sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester in 26
Henry VI., and died in his year of office on Monday after Corpus Christi day (27th
May 1448), the day before this letter was written.—Inquisition post mortem, 27 Henry
VI., No. 13.

MAY 28

1448
MAY 28