Sir Richard Harcourt to Thomas Stonor

110. SIR RICHARD HARCOURT TO THOMAS

STONOR

1 FEB. [? 1470]

      The chief subject of this letter was clearly the marriage of Thomas
Stonor's ward, John Cottesmore, to one of his daughters—probably Joan–
see Nos. 128 and 136. I cannot explain why Harcourt addresses Stonor as
"my ffadyr". The letter would naturally imply that Harcourt was married
to a daughter of Thomas Stonor, and that a son or daughter of his by a
former wife was going to marry a daughter or son of Thomas Stonor. But
Richard Harcourt is said to have married (1) Edith, daughter of Thomas
Sender or St. Clere, by whom he had a son Christopher and a daughter
Anne; (2) Eleanor, daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor, by whom he had a son
John, who married Margaret, daughter of William Bray; and (3) Katherine,
daughter of Sir Thomas de la Pole, and widow of Sir Miles Stapleton, by
whom he had a son William. Christopher Harcourt married Joan, younger
daughter of Sir Miles and Katherine Stapleton. Anne Harcourt married
Henry Fiennes, Lord Say. In his will Harcourt mentions two other
daughters, Isabell, and Alice, wife of William Besillys. He mentions his
two wives, Edith and Katherine, but there is no reference to Eleanor nor
to her alleged son John. (See Collins' Peerage, iv, 436-7, ed. Brydges;
Harcourt Papers, i, 73-6; Blomefield, History of Norfolk, ix, 320-21;
P.C.C .,27 Logge.) It would be a simple solution to the difficulty if we
could suppose that the Richard Harcourt of this letter was a different person
to the well-known knight. But the writer of No. 145 was certainly Sir
Richard Harcourt, and the signatures of both letters are in the same hand,
and have paraphs of identical design. Moreover, Sir Richard Harcourt and
Thomas Stonor were co-feoffees for Katherine Arundel (see No. 125). The
 pretended relationship must therefore remain a mystery. In his letter to
William Stonor (No. 145) Harcourt signs himself as "your loving cosyn,"
but in this letter refers to "my brother William Stonor". If there had been
a child-marriage between children of Harcourt and Stonor it would explain
"my daughter and yours"; but even of this there is no evidence, though
if one of the parties had died young that would be not unnatural.

   As to the date of the letter the reference to Harcourt's business about the
King's matters would suggest 1467, when he was sheriff of Oxon and Berks.
Butsince Sir Miles Stapleton only died in October, 1466, Harcourt is not
very likely to have married his widow before 1 Feb., 1467. Moreover, the
marriage of Cottesmore to Thomas Stonor's daughter was some time later
than October, 1468—see No. 137. This letter is therefore probably not later
than 1 Feb., 1470. Dame Katherine Harcourt was niece by marriage to
Alice, Duchess of Suffolk, which makes the reference to "our own good
lady" natural. This letter may just possibly be holograph; but probably
 is signed only, like No. 145. From A.C., xlvi, 57.⁴⁶

      My Ryght worshepfull fadyr, I recumaund me to зow as hertely as
I can: and it leke зow to wete, acordyng to зowr wrytyng I send Cottys-
more to London to have his aray made ther after зowr desyer, a long
goune of cremesyn clothe and a nothyr long goune of blew clothe: and
I prey зow þat my servaunt may know wher þe clothe schal be bowth
for my dowter and yours, þat Cottysmore may have of the same clothe,
and a frend of myn schal pay þerfor tyl þat I come to London, as for
hys part. And as for þe day of mariage I wold ryght fayne a be ther in
goode feythe, and I myght an had leysyr: ffor ye know wele þe besy-
nesse þat I have aboute þe Kynges maters atte þis tyme. Never þe
lesse, ffader, I prey зow that зe wyl atte þe day of mariage to ley downe
upon þe boke xl. s. and I schal content зow ageyne. And þat is I-now
for a зong man, as me semeth &c. Morover, ffadyr, I prey yow þat зe
wold be atte London, whan I am þer, for dyverse matters longyng to
Cottysmore, and I prey зow þat þis wrytyng may recomaund me and my
wyfe unto my modyr, зowr wyfe, and to my brothyr Wylleam Stonor &c.
Forthermore, my wyfe send зow a ryng be my servaunt atte þis tyme
for my dowter and 30wrs to be weddyd зer with. And preyth God to
graunt them bothe moche Joy togeder, and have зow and al зowris ever
in hys most mercyful kepyng. Wretyn in hast un Candelmesse Evyn.
And, fader, I prey зow to recomaund my wyfe and me to owr owne
good lady, my lady of Suffold: and we be ful glad þat we her sey be
зow servaunt þat my seyd lady is in good hele, blessid be God.

                                                             Your sone Ric. Havrecourt.

       To my ryght worshepfull fader, Thos. Stonor, Esquyer.

110. SIR RICHARD HARCOURT TO THOMAS
STONOR

1 FEB. [? 1470]

     The chief subject of this letter was clearly the marriage of Thomas
Stonor’s ward, John Cottesmore, to one of his daughters—probably Joan—
see Nos. 128 and 136. I cannot explain why Harcourt addresses Stonor as
“my ffadyr”. The letter would naturally imply that Harcourt was married
to a daughter of Thomas Stonor, and that a son or daughter of his by a
former wife was going to marry a daughter or son of Thomas Stonor. But
Richard Harcourt is said to have married (1) Edith, daughter of Thomas
Sencler or St. Clere, by whom he had a son Christopher and a daughter
Anne; (2) Eleanor, daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor, by whom he had a son
John, who married Margaret, daughter of William Bray; and (3) Katherine,
daughter of Sir Thomas de la Pole, and widow of Sir Miles Stapleton, by
whom he had a son William. Christopher Harcourt married Joan, younger
daughter of Sir Miles and Katherine Stapleton. Anne Harcourt married
Henry Fiennes, Lord Say. In his will Harcourt mentions two other
daughters, Isabell, and Alice, wife of William Besillys. He mentions his
two wives, Edith and Katherine, but there is no reference to Eleanor nor
to her alleged son John. (See Collins’ Peerage, iv, 436-7, ed. Brydges;
Harcourt Papers, i, 73-6; Blomefield, History of Norfolk, ix, 320-21;
P.C.C., 27 Logge.) It would be a simple solution to the difficulty if we
could suppose that the Richard Harcourt of this letter was a different person
to the well-known knight. But the writer of No. 145 was certainly Sir
Richard Harcourt, and the signatures of both letters are in the same hand,
and have paraphs of identical design. Moreover, Sir Richard Harcourt and
Thomas Stonor were co-feoffees for Katherine Arundel (see No. 125). The
pretended relationship must therefore remain a mystery. In his letter to
William Stonor (No. 145) Harcourt signs himself as “your loving cosyn,”
but in this letter refers to “my brother William Stonor”. If there had been
a child-marriage between children of Harcourt and Stonor it would explain
“my daughter and yours”; but even of this there is no evidence, though
if one of the parties had died young that would be not unnatural.
     As to the date of the letter the reference to Harcourt’s business about the
King’s matters would suggest 1467, when he was sheriff of Oxon and Berks.
But since Sir Miles Stapleton only died in October, 1466, Harcourt is not
very likely to have married his widow before 1 Feb., 1467. Moreover, the
marriage of Cottesmore to Thomas Stonor’s daughter was some time later
than October, 1468—see No. 137. This letter is therefore probably not later
than 1 Feb., 1470. Dame Katherine Harcourt was niece by marriage to
Alice, Duchess of Suffolk, which makes the reference to “our own good
lady” natural. This letter may just possibly be holograph; but probably
is signed only, like No. 145. From A.C., xlvi, 57.

     My Ryght worshepfull fadyr, I recumaund me to Зow as hertely as
I can: and it leke Зow to wete, acordyng to Зowr wrytyng I send Cottys-
more to London to have his aray made ther after Зowr desyer, a long
goune of cremesyn clothe and a nothyr long goune of blew clothe: and
I prey Зow þat my servaunt may know wher þe clothe schal be bowth
for my dowter and yours, þat Cottysmore may have of the same clothe,
and a frend of myn schal pay þerfor tyl þat I come to London, as for
hys part. And as for þe day of mariage I wold ryght fayne a be ther in
goode feythe, and I myght an had leysyr: ffor ye know wele þe besy-
nesse þat I have aboute þe Kynges maters atte þis tyme. Never þe
lesse, ffader, I prey Зow that Зe wyl atte þe day of mariage to ley downe
upon þe boke xl. s. and I schal content Зow ageyne. And þat is I-now
for a Зong man, as me semeth &c. Morover, ffadyr, I prey yow þat Зe
wold be atte London, whan I am þer, for dyverse matters longyng to
Cottysmore, and I prey Зow þat þis wrytyng may recomaund me and my
wyfe unto my modyr, Зowr wyfe, and to my brothyr Wylleam Stonor &c.
Forthermore, my wyfe send Зow a ryng be my servaunt atte þis tyme
for my dowter and Зowrs to be weddyd þer with. And preyth God to
graunt them bothe moche Joy togeder, and have Зow and al Зowris ever
in hys most mercyful kepyng. Wretyn in hast un Candelmesse Evyn.
And, fader, I prey Зow to recomaund my wyfe and me to owr owne
good lady, my lady of Suffold: and we be ful glad þat we her sey be
Зow servaunt þat my seyd lady is in good hele, blessid be God.

                                                                     Your sone Ric. Havrecourt.

     To my ryght worshepfull fader, Thos. Stonor, Esquyer.