Richard. Earl of Warwick, to Sir Thomas Todenham

Add. 43488, f. 22

?2 November 1449

Gairdner, Vol II, item 98; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 19

LETTER XIX.

To owr ryght trusty and welbelovyd frend Ser Thōs ¹ Todenh’m.

RYGHT trusty and welbelovyd ffrend we gr’te you well
hertely desyryng to her, of yo^r welfar’ which we p’y God
’p’s^rve to yo^r herts desyr, and yf yt please yo^u to her’ of owr
welfar’, we wer in goud hale, atte y^e makyng of y^is lettre,
p’ying yo^u hertely y^t ye wyll cōside^r owr message which owr
Chapleyn Mayst^r Robert Hoppton shall enforme yo^u of.

For as God knowyth we have g’rt besynesse dayly, and has
had her’ by for y^is tyme, wherfor we p’y yo^u to cōsyde^r y^e
p’chas y^t we have made wyth on’ John Swyff hcotte sqēr of
’Lyncolnshyr of ² lxxx and viij li. by yer, wher’uppon we must
pay y^e last payment y^e moneday nextē aftyr Seynt Martyn’ day,
which sum ys cccc and lviij li. wherfor we p’y yo^u wyth all
owr herte y^t ye wyll lend us x li. or twenty or whet y^e seyd
Maist^r Robert wants of hys payment as we may do for yo^u in
tym for to com, and we shall send yt you ageyn afor Newyers
day wyth y^e g’ce of God as we ar trew ³ knyght, ffor y^r is
nonne in yo^r Cuntre y^t we myght wryght to for trust, so well
as un to yo^u ffor as we be enformyd ye be owr well wyller and
so we p’y yo^u of goud cōtynuaunce.

Wherfor’ we p’y yo^u y^t ye cōsyde^r our entent of this mony
as ye wyll y^t we do for yo^u 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 y^e ⁴ G’y Freys wyth inne Newgate.

11 ½ by 8 ½. Ric. Crle Narwike.

London,
2d of November, before
1455, 34 H. VI.

This Letter appears to have been written by the Earl?s Secretary, and signed in the
same hand, “Ric Erle Warwyke,” it has no date, but was most probably written before
the Civil wars openly broke out, between the Houses of York and Lancaster. It is in
the Plural Style, as We and Our, &c.

The Character at the beginning of the Letter, seems to be intended for Jesu-Maria.
Pl. I. N^o 9. Pl. II. N^o 15, &c. before the names.

¹ Sir Thomas Tudenham, born in 1399, was the second Son of Sir Robert Tudenham,
but by the death of his elder brother, became his Heir, and resided at Oxburgh, in
Norfolk. Whilst under age, in 1417, he married Agnes, Daughter of John Wodehouse,
Esq. and in 1436, after a full hearing of the Cause at Lynn, before the Chancellor
of Norwich, the Prior of Lynn, &c. he was divorced from her, on proof, and on her
own confession, of Adultery; and had power to marry again.

She had before this left him, and was at the time of her conviction a Nun professed, at
Crabhouse, in Wiggenhall, in Norfolk.

The Close of his Life was still more unfortunate, for in February 1461, 1 E. IV.
John, Earl of Oxford, Aubrey, his Son and heir, this Sir Thomas Tudenham, John

Clopton, John Montgomery, and William Tyrrel, Esqrs. were arrested by John, Earl
of Worcester, Constable of England, on suspicion of having received Letters from
Margaret, Queen of Henry VIth; and being convicted in court, before the said Earl of
Worcester, were all beheaded (except Clopton) on Tower Hill, on the 22d of February,
1461.

He dying without issue, his Sister Margaret became his heir. She married Sir Ed-
mund Bedingfeld, Kt. whose Grandson Sir Edmund, built the fine old House at Oxburgh,
of brick, with Towers, Battlements, &c. by License, from Edward IV. dated 3d of July,
1483.

It is now a curious and venerable Mansion, possessed and inhabited by Sir Richard
Bedingfield, Bart. who lately pulled down the fine old Gothic Hall.

² It is to be wished that this Letter had mentioned the Sum already paid, as we could
then have exactly determined the Purchase money for an Estate of 88l. a year in those
days.

³ His promise for the repayment of the money at the time fixed, is by his Knighthood,
a sacred promise in that age of Chivalry. Sir Thomas was a man of large property, and
rich in money likewise.

⁴ The Earl of Warwick, lodged at his house in the Grey Fryers, when he came to

London, by the King’s desire, in February 1458, to meet the Lords of the opposite
Party on amicable Terms. Pl. I. N^o 7.

The Seal of this Letter is of red wax, on which is the Bear 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.

LETTER XIX.

To our right trusty, and well beloved Friend, Sir Thomas ¹ Todenham.

RIGHT trusty, and well beloved Friend, we greet you
well, heartily desiring to hear of your welfare, which we
pray God preserve to your heart’s desire; 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 consider our
message, which our Chaplain Master Robert Hopton shall inform
you of; for as God knoweth we have great business daily,
and have had here before this time, wherefore we pray you to
consider the Purchase that we have made with one John Swyffh-
cote (Southcote) an Esquire of Lincolnshire of ² 88l. by the
year, where upon we must pay the last payment the Monday

next after St. Martin’s day (11th of November), which sum is
458l. wherefore we pray you with all our heart, that ye will
lend us ten or twenty pounds, or what the said Master 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
trust, so well as unto you, for as we be informed, ye be our
well wilier, and so we pray you of good continuance.

Wherefore we pray you, that ye consider 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.

RICHARD Earl of WARWICK.

11 ? by 8 ?.

   London,
             2d of November, before
             1455, 34 H. VI.