Perse to Sir Robert Rokesby

LETTER CX.

             To my right wo^rschipfull
             S^r Rob’t Rokysby.

RYGHT wurshipfull S’ I recomaunde me to you besech-
     yng you of yo^r goode mast^rship that ye wol wechesafe
to speeke to Richard Kowven that he myght brynge me or sende
me the money that is betwen hym and me in all the haste that
he maye for in goode Feythe I hadde neu^r more neede for to haue
helpe of my goode as I haue at this tyme for godwot it stonde
right straunge w^t me For the False chayler that kepeth me en-
tretethe me worse thanne it weere a Dogge For I am feterid
worse thanne eu’ J whas And manacled in the hands by the Daye
and nyght For he is a feerde of me for brekyng a weye he
makethe false tales of me throw the means of a false qwene that
was tendyng to a Frensheman that is preson’ to my lorde Roose
and for be cause of that he bronde me eu’y day be Iohn of Ber-
ney that is goone to the tother lords but I truste to god oonys to
qwite hys meede And S^r J thanke you mekel of that ye haue
doone for me or seide And S’ J shal des’ue it a yenst you be the
g’ce of god for I seythe J am be holden to you more thane to all
men that eu’ I founde syn I cam in preson No more to you At
this tyme but god haue you in his kepyng be yo^r s^rv’nt and
bedman.

                                                                                  Perse.

             11 ? by 3 ?.

                Paper Mark,
           Bull’s Head and Star.
                Pl. VIII. N^o 2.

        This Letter has
            neither place
         nor date mentioned.

     It appears from what is said in this Letter, that Perse was committed as one who had
been a partizan in the civil wars of the times, though of which party it does not appear;
nor is it material, as my reason for giving the letter is to shew the treatment of pri-
soners. Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 24.

  Robert Lord Roos was one of the embassy to bring over King Henry the Sixth’s
Queen; and Thomas Lord Roos was beheaded on Tower-hill by the Lancaster party:
which of them is here mentioned I know not.

     I am likewise ignorant who Sir Robert Rokesby was, and whether the letter was
written in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV.

LETTER CX.

To my right worshipful Sir Robert Rokesby.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, beseech-
     ing you of your good mastership, that ye will vouchsafe
to speak to Richard Kowven, that he might bring me or send
me the money that is between him and me in all the haste that he
may, for in good faith I had never more need for to have help
of my good, as I have at this time, for God wot it stands right
strange with me, for the false Gaoler that keepeth me entreateth
me worse than it were a Dog, for I am fettered worse than ever I
was, and manacled on the hands both day and night, for he is
afraid of me for breaking away; he maketh false tales of me,
through the means of a false Quean that was tending to a
Frenchman that is prisoner to my Lord Roos, and for because
of that he bronde (upbraideth) me every day by John of Berney,
that is gone to the other Lords, but I trust to God once to quit
him his meed; and Sir I thank you mickle (much) of that ye
have done for me or said, and Sir I shall deserve it against you,
by the grace of God, for I feythe (in faith) I am beholden to you
more than to all men that ever I found since I came in prison.

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

                              By your Servant and Beadsman,

                                                                                                PERSE.

             11 ? by 3 ?.

                Paper Mark,
           Bull’s Head and Star.
                Pl. VIII. N^o 2.

        This Letter has
            neither place
         nor date mentioned.

  It appears from what is said in this Letter, that Perse was committed as one who had
been a partizan in the civil wars of the times, though of which party it does not appear;
nor is it material, as my reason for giving the letter is to shew the treatment of pri-
soners. Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 24.

  Robert Lord Roos was one of the embassy to bring over King Henry the Sixth’s
Queen; and Thomas Lord Roos was beheaded on Tower-hill by the Lancaster party:
which of them is here mentioned I know not.

     I am likewise ignorant who Sir Robert Rokesby was, and whether the letter was
written in the reign of Henry VI. or Edward IV.

425

PERSE TO SIR ROBERT ROKESBY¹

To my right worschipfull Sir, Robert Rokysby.

       RYGHT wurshipfull Sir, I recomaunde me to you,
            besechyng you, of your goode mastership, that ye
            wol wechesafe to speeke to Richard Kowven that he
myght brynge me or sende me the money that is betwen hym
and me in all the haste that he maye, for in goode fey the I
hadde never more neede for to have help of my goode as
I have at this tyme, for, Godwot, it stonde right straunge with
me; for the false chayler that kepeth me entretethe me worse
thanne it weere a dogge, for I am feterid worse thanne ever I
whas, and manacled in the hands by the daye and nyght, for
he is a feerde of me for brekyng a weye. He makethe false
tales of me, throw the means of a false qwene that was
tendyng to a Frensheman that is presoner to my Lord Roose,²

and for be cause of that he bronde me every day be John of
Berney, that is goone to the tother Lords;¹ but I truste to
God oonys to qwite hys meede. And, Sir, I thanke you
mekel of that ye have doone for me or seide; and, Sir, I shal
deserve it a yenst yow, be the grace of God, for i’ feythe I am
be holden to you more thane to all men that ever I founde syn
I cam in preson.

     No more to you at this tyme, but God have you in His
kepyng.

                          Be your servaunt and bedman,                   PERSE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 432.]

     ² Thomas, Lord Roos. He fled to Scotland with Margaret of Anjou after the
battle of Towton in 1461, and was beheaded at Newcastle after the battle of Hexham
in 1464.

¹ The Lords of the Duke of York’s party.

1460

1460