Thomas and Margery Hampden of Great Hampden, co. Buckingham, to Thomas Stonor

75. THOMAS AND MARGERY HAMPDEN TO
THOMAS STONOR

[c. I465]

    Since Thomas Stonor, the elder, had not been dead (as it would seem)
forty years, this letter cannot be later than 1470, whilst the reference to "your
sons" makes it unlikely that it was earlier than 1465. Thomas Hampden's
father, John Hampden, was half-brother of the first Thomas Stonor. The
writer of the postscript is clearly his wife Margery, daughter of Sir Stephen
popham; when appointing her to be an executor of his will (P.C.C., 27 Logge),
Hampden described her as "my wife whom of youth I have know wele con-
scienshid, and to me a trew and lovyng wife". From A.C., xlvi, 53.

    Ryght worchepefull cossyn, y recommand me unto yow: and y pray
yow, asse y may do any theyng to yowr plessur, that Ʒe wolle grant me
the nexte avoydanys that ffallethe yow of any benyffys off yowrys that ys
off valew off xx. li., or Ʒeffe hyt be better then xx. markes; and y werr be
hold unto yow, Ʒeffe hyt lyke yow to do sso moche ffor me, and allso Ʒe
bynde me to do ffor yow yn that that yn me ys: y wysse, Cossyn, y have
a beneffysse that ther hathe benne prest ther yn at my unkyll your faderys
dessyr and yowrys alle moste theys xl. wynter, and onne I putte yn at
yowr dessir my selffe. Y wryte unto yow for a jantylmane, that I darr
promysse yow schall do yow tru servysse and plesurr, and he ys a wor-
chepeffull man and a well rulede, prayng yow to sende me a answerr by
wrytyng. And allmyty God have yow yn ys kepyng, and all yowrys. Y
beseche yow thys sympyll byll may recommand me unto my cossyn your
wyffe. Y-wrytyn at Hampden onne Newyerys day.

                                               Your cossyn T. Hampden off Hampden.

                                      (Postscript in another hand).

    Cossyne, I recomaund me untoo yow, and I beche yow of yowre gode
cossyne hode yn Þe performyng off my husbondes dessyr &c. Cossyne,
and Ʒe had desyred me or myne soo ofte as I have desyred yow and my
cossyns, yowr sones, I wold have sene yow offtener. I wesse, cossyne,
het greveth me &c. Ther may no man hold Þat woll awaye: and ther
for I moste take het as weele as I can, and thenketh thes delyng under
wissedome ne kyndnes all thyngys consederbred to be soo strange &c.

    To my right worchepefull cossyn, T. Stonore.

75. THOMAS AND MARGERY HAMPDEN TO
THOMAS STONOR

     [c. 1465]

     Since Thomas Stonor, the elder, had not been dead (as it would seem)
forty years, this letter cannot be later than 1470, whilst the reference to “your
sons” makes it unlikely that it was earlier than 1465. Thomas Hampden’s
father, John Hampden, was half-brother of the first Thomas Stonor. The
writer of the postscript is clearly his wife Margery, daughter of Sir Stephen
Popham; when appointing her to be an executor of his will (P.C.C., 27 Logge),
Hampden described her as “my wife whom of youth I have know wele con-
scienshid, and to me a trew and lovyng wife”. From A.C., xlvi, 53.

     Ryght worchepefull cossyn, y recommand me unto yow: and y pray
yow, asse y may do any theyng to yowr plessur, that Зe wolle grant me
he nexte avoydanys that ffallethe yow of any benyffys off yowrys that ys
off valew off xx. li., or Зeffe hyt be better then xx. markes; and y werr be
hold unto yow, Зeffe hyt lyke yow to do sso moche ffor me, and allso Зe
bynde me to do ffor yow yn that that yn me ys: y wysse, Cossyn, y have
a beneffysse that ther hathe benne prest ther yn at my unkyll your faderys
dessyr and yowrys alle moste theys xl. wynter, and onne I putte yn at
yowr dessir my selffe. Y wryte unto yow for a jantylmane, that I darr
promysse yow schall do yow tru servysse and plesurr, and he ys a wor-
chepeffull man and a well rulede, prayng yow to sende me a answerr by
wrytyng. And allmyty God have yow yn ys kepyng, and all yowrys. Y
beseche yow thys sympyll byll may recommand me unto my cossyn your
wyffe. Y-wrytyn at Hampden onne Newyerys day.

                                                     Your cossyn T. Hampden off Hampden.

(Postscript in another hand).

     Cossyne, I recomaund me untoo yow, and I beche yow of yowre gode
cossyne hode yn þe performyng off my husbondes dessyr &c. Cossyne,
and Зe had desyred me or myne soo ofte as I have desyred yow and my
cossyns, yowr sones, I wold have sene yow offtener. I wesse, cossyne,
het greveth me &c. Ther may no man hold þat woll awaye: and ther
for I moste take het as weele as I can, and thenketh thes delyng under
wissedome ne kyndnes all thyngys consederbred to be soo strange &c.

     To my right worchepefull cossyn, T. Stonore.