The Earl of Oxford to John Jermyn

LETTER XXV.

       To my Ryght trusty and
       intierly welbeloved John
      Jermyn Shirreve of Norff’.

RIGHT trusty and intierly welbeloved I grete yow wele
     and where late by the Kyng’s Comaundment in the tyme
of his p’lement holden now last at Westm^r. I was in p’sone at
Norwich holdyng Sessions of oir det’myner w^t Yelverton on
of the kyngs juges by greet space and greet attendaunce which
for to a do w^t suych diligence in the p’lement tyme I wold a be
right lothe but for the pupplyk wele of all the Shire it is also not
oute of yo^r. remenbraunce what indisposioon the Com’ons of
bothe Countes in the ende of Somer last passed wer of And how
the kyng by the hole advyse of all the greet councell of Ingland
to sefe their Rumo^r. send hider his said comission and how I
have do my part therynne I reporte me to all the World I here
a gruggyng nev’thelesse that trow favo^r in yo^r. office to the
pople that hath compleyned by many and grete horible billes
agayn certeyn p’sones shuld not be shewid at this next Sessions at
Lenn ne ferth’r in the said Comission which if it so were as god
defend myght cause a latt^r erro^r wurs than the first I p’y yow
therfore that ye wole write to me yo^r disposic’on how ye purpose
to be demened and how j shal take yow for th’ execuc’on of the
kyngs Comission and the pupplik wele of all the shire and aftir
that that ye write to me so wole I take yow latyng yow wete
that I were lothe to labo^r. ferther but if I wist that the Comōns
shuld be easid as godds law wold And if ony erro^r. grow the
defaute shal not be founde in me I p’y yow more ov^r. to gif
credence to the berer her of And the trinite kepe yow Wretyn
at Wynch the second day of January.

                                                                  The Erle of Oxenford.

     This Letter was written by John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, to the High Sheriff of
Norfolk and Suffolk, in consequence of his having been informed that he intended to
quash certain bills against particular persons, and not suffer them to appear at the next
Sessions, &c. This sentence in the Original Letter is ambiguous from an omission of a
word or two, but I think the above is the true meaning of it.

     These Commissions were sent out in November 1450, soon after the suppression of
Cade’s Rebellion, to try those who were imprisoned in different parts of the Kingdom for
the part they had then taken.

The Earl seems to express himself as friendly to the People, and wishes to be a mean
of redressing their grievances.

     He married Elizabeth, sole daughter and heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, by which
marriage he became possessed of the manor of East Winch, in the County of Norfolk.
He was beheaded when about 55 years of age, in 1461.

     Autograph. Pl. I. N^o 8.

     Cade’s Rebellion happened in June and July, 1450. 28 H. VI.

     John Jermyn, the High Sheriff, was ancestor to Sir Thomas Jermyn, of Rushbrooke,
in Suffolk, who was created a Peer by Charles I. in 1643; but this family became ex-
tinct in 1708.

   11 ½ by 8 ¾.

        Paper Mark,
   A Cross and Mound.
         Pl. XXI. N^o 8.

   Winch,

         Saturday, 2d January, 1450. 29 H. VI.

LETTER XXV.

To my right trusty and entirely well beloved John Jermyn,
Sheriff of Norfolk.

RIGHT trusty and entirely well beloved, I greet you well,
     and where (as) late by the King’s commandment in the
time of his parliament holden now last at Westminster, I was
in person at Norwich, holding Sessions of Oyer (and) Determiner
with Yelverton, one of the King’s Judges, by great space and
great attendance, which for to have done with such diligence in
the parliament time, I would have been right loath, but for the
public weal of all the shire.

     It is not also out of your remembrance what indisposition the
Commons of both Counties in the end of Summer last passed
were of, and how the King, by the whole advice of all the great
Council of England to cease their rumour, sent hither his said
Commission, and how I have done my part therein, I report me
to all the world; I hear a grudging nevertheless that through
favour in your office to the people that hath complained by many
and great horrible bills against certain persons, should not be
shewed at this next Sessions at Lynn, nor farther in the said
Commission, which if it so were as God defend [forbid], might
cause a latter error worse than the first.

     I pray you therefore that ye would write to me your dispo-
sition how ye purpose to be demeaned, and how I shall take
you for the execution of the King’s Commission, and the public
weal of all the shire; and after that that ye write to me, so will
I take you, letting you weet that I were loath to labour farther
but if [unless] I wist that the Commons should be eased, as
God’s Law would, and if any errors grow, the default shall not
be found in me.

     I pray you moreover to give credence to the bearer hereof,
and the Trinity keep you. Written at Winch, the 2d day of
January.

                                                   The EARL of OXFORD.

  This Letter was written by John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, to the High Sheriff of
Norfolk and Suffolk, in consequence of his having been informed that he intended to
quash certain bills against particular persons, and not suffer them to appear at the next
Sessions, &c. This sentence in the Original Letter is ambiguous from an omission of a
word or two, but I think the above is the true meaning of it.

     These Commissions were sent out in November 1450, soon after the suppression of
Cade’s Rebellion, to try those who were imprisoned in different parts of the Kingdom for
the part they had then taken.

The Earl seems to express himself as friendly to the People, and wishes to be a mean
of redressing their grievances.

     He married Elizabeth, sole daughter and heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, by which
marriage he became possessed of the manor of East Winch, in the County of Norfolk.
He was beheaded when about 55 years of age, in 1461.

     Autograph. Pl. I. N^o 8.

     Cade’s Rebellion happened in June and July, 1450. 28 H. VI.

     John Jermyn, the High Sheriff, was ancestor to Sir Thomas Jermyn, of Rushbrooke,
in Suffolk, who was created a Peer by Charles I. in 1643; but this family became ex-
tinct in 1708.

   11 ½ by 8 ¾.

        Paper Mark,
   A Cross and Mound.
         Pl. XXI. N^o 8.

   Winch,

         Saturday, 2d January, 1450. 29 H. VI.

167

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO JOHN JERMYN²

To my ryght trusty and intierly welbeloved John Jermyn,
Shirreve of Norffolk.

RIGHT trusty and intierly welbeloved, I grete yow wele.
     And where late by the Kyngs comaundment in the
     tyme of his Parliament, holden now last at West-
minster, I was in persone at Norwich, holdyng Sessions of oir
determyner³ with Yelverton, on of the Kyngs Juges, by greet
space and greet attendaunce, which for to a do with suych
diligence in the Parliament tyme I wold a be right lothe, but
for the pupplyk wele of all the shire.

     It is also not oute of your remembraunce what indisposicion
the Commons of bothe countes in the ende of somer last passed
wer of, and how the Kyng, by the hole advyse of all the greet
Councell of Ingland, to sese their rumour, send hider his said
Commission; and how I have do my part therynne, I reporte
me to all the world. I here a gruggyng, neverthelesse, that
trow favour in your office to the pople that hath compleyned
by many and grete horible billes agayn certeyn persones shuld
not be shewid at this next Sessions at Lenn, ne ferther in the
said Comission, which, if it so were, as God defend, myght
cause a latter errour wurs than the first.

     I pray yow, therfore, that ye wole write to me your dis-
posicion how ye purpose to be demened, and how I shal take
yow for th’execucion of the Kyngs Comission, and the pupplik
wele of all the shire; and aftir that that ye write to me, so
wole I take yow, latyng yow wete that I were lothe to labour
ferther but if I wist that the Commons shuld be easid as Godds
law wold; and if ony errour grow, the defaute shal not be
founde in me.

     I pray yow more over to gif credence to the berer her of,
and the Trinite kepe yow. Wretyn at Wynch, the second
day of January.

                                                      THE ERLE OF OXENFORD.

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 106.] As this letter was written in the year that John Jermyn
was Sheriff of Norfolk, the date must be 1451.

     ³ See page 161, Note 3.

1451
JAN. 2

1451
JAN. 2