Thomas Denyes to John Paston

LETTER XLI.

      To my Right Wurshipfull
      Maister Iohn Paston.

RIGHT wurshipfull and myn especiall good maist^r I re-
     comaund me to you w^t all s^rvice and prayer to my power
and like it you to wete that how be a full straunge acte is passid
agayn me in the higher ho’ before the lords. Wherof I send you
a Copie. neu^rthelesse I hope to god that it shal not passe in the
Comon ho’. but me is be falle the most sorwfull infortune that
eu^r por man had standyng in suych case as I do for my lordis
the Cardenale and of Oxenford haf imp’soned my wif in the
Counto^r. and how thei shal guyde hir forth god know^t. Which
standith to nygh myn hert if godds will were but wel J know
that by thes vengeable malics don to hir and me thei wole be
Content for Ingh’m lithe beside that to take awey my wyues
doughter out of Westm^r to make an end of my wif if he can
and also to arest my s^runtz that I drede that she nor I shal haf
no creature to attend us ne help us. And suych malice haf I
neu^r herd of herbeforn’. And it is told me that beside that thei
wole dispoil if any good thei Can fynde of myn in Norwich
or Norff’ and imp’sone my s^runtz there Wherfore I lowly be-
seche yo^r maist^rship for our lords m^rcy that ye vouchsauff to
soco^r theym in this necessite And if ony entree be made or
shuld be made upon myn wifes place in Norwich that ye vouch-
sauff to soco^r my s^runtz and do ther jnne aftir yo^r wisdam. For
crists love and seynt charite beside this a frend and kynnesman
of myn oon Rob’t Clement of Betele hath writen to me that he
is arestid and like to be imp’soned bi a writte of dette take agayn
hym upon an obligacon of C^li in which he and I and oth’r wer
bounde to my lorde of Oxenford xiiij yeer agone. Wherof I
haf many acquitaunces. Wherfore I p’y your good maist^rship
to send to the Shirreve that my said kynnesman may ben easid
and no retourne made ageyn hym but that he may answer the
next tyme bi Attourney For truly that Writte was take oute in
the end of the t’me aftir I was arestid and aftir it was aperid to.
J p’y your maist^rship for godds sake to be not displesid ne wery to
do for me in these mat’es of yo^r charite for I had lev’ gif the
said Rob^t suych good litell if it be as I haf than he wer undone
for me or ony man ellis that eu^r ded for me. And I hope if god
vouchsaf that the mat^r may Come to reson to sauf hym harmles
and all other w^t godds m^rcy eu^r p’yng you of yo^r maist^rship and
soco^r for godds love who eu^r kepe you for his m^rcy Wretyn in
Flete the Wednesday the second weke of lent. Mor ou^r in
augmentyng of my sorwe I wend my wif shuld a dyed sith for
aftir she was arestid she labo^red of hir child that she is w^t all
waityng eith’r to dye or be delyu’ed and she hath not gon viij
weks quykke what shal be falle almighti god know^t and shull
dispose m^rcifully.

     Aftirward my wif was sum dele easid bi the labo^r of the war-
deyn of Flete for the cursed Cardenale had sent hir to Newgate.
God forgif his sowle Now she is take to baile til Tuesday The
Cardenale is dede and the kyng is relevid.

             12 by 6 ?.

             The Fleet,
              Wednesday
              21 st of February, 1452-3.
              31 H. VI.

     I have given this curious Letter as a specimen of the outrages committed by the great
upon respectable gentlemen; for though the writer has put no name to his Letter, he
appears to have been a man of property, and of some consequence, and most probably
had married an heiress of fortune, as he mentions his wife’s place in Norwich. There
being an act of parliament passed, shews that he was a man of some consideration.

     At this time the most arbitrary methods were used to obtain the possession of estates,
and entries were made in the most forcible manner; though perhaps in this case there
might be some proper reasons for these proceedings under the direction of the Cardinal
and Lord Oxford.

     His wife’s daughter was also most probably an heiress, of whom Ingham had obtained
the wardship, by which means he would demand a sum of money on her marriage.

     The Inghams were a most ancient and knightly family, situated at Ingham, in Norfolk,
of which the male line in the capital branch had failed in 1344, this person was therefore
some collateral issue.

The Cardinal here mentioned must have been John Kemp, first bishop of Rochester,
next of Chichester, then of London, from which see he was removed to York, and in
1452 became archbishop of Canterbury. In 1439 he was made Cardinal of St. Balbine,
and a short time before his death was removed to the cardinalship of St. Rufine; these
various preferments were briefly recorded in the following line,

                                  “Bis Primas, ter Praeses, et bis Cardine functus.”

     He died very old, and very rich, in the beginning of the year 1453, and was buried
in his own Cathedral.

     John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was beheaded in 1461. 1 E. IV.

     The conclusion of this Letter conveys an insinuation that the King was improperly fet-
tered by the ruling of this Archbishop.

                                              LETTER XLI.

To my right worshipful Master, John Paston.

RIGHT worshipful and mine especial good master, I re-
     commend me to you with all service and prayer to my
power, and like it you to weet that how be a full strange act is
passed against me in the higher house before the Lords, whereof
I send you a Copy, nevertheless I hope to God that it shall not
pass in the Common house; but me is befallen the most sorrow-
ful infortune that ever poor man had, standing in such case as I
do; for my Lords the Cardinal and of Oxford have imprisoned
my wife in the Counter, and how they shall guide her forth
God knoweth, which standeth too nigh mine heart, if God’s
will were, but well I know that by these vengeable malices done
to her and me they will (not q?) be content, for Ingham lithe
(lieth) beside that to take away my wife’s daughter out of West-
minster to make an end of my wife if he can, and also to arrest
my servants, that I dread that she nor I shall have no creature to
attend us nor help us; and such malice have I never heard of
heretofore; and it is told me that beside that they will despoil,
if any good they can find of mine in Norwich or Norfolk, and
imprison my servants there; wherefore I lowly beseech your
mastership for our Lord’s mercy that ye vouchsafe to succour
them in this necessity; and, if any entry be made or should be
made upon my wife’s place in Norwich, that ye vouchsafe to
succour my servants, and do therein after your wisdom for
Christ’s love and Saint Charity.

     Beside this, a friend and kinsman of mine, one Robert Clement
of Beetley, hath written to me that he is arrested and like to be
imprisoned by a Writ of Debt, taken against him upon an obli-
gation of an hundred pounds, in which he, and I, and others were
bound to my Lord of Oxford fourteen years ago, whereof I
have many acquittances. Wherefore I pray your good mastership
to send to the Sheriff that my said kinsman may be eased, and no
return made against him, but that he may answer the next time
by attorney, for truly that Writ was taken out in the end of the
term after I was arrested and after it was appeared to.

     I pray your mastership for God’s sake to be not displeased nor
weary to do for me in these matters of your charity, for I had
lever (rather) give the said Robert such good, little if it be, as I
have, than he were undone for me, or any man else that ever
did for me; and I hope, if God vouchsafe that the matter may
come to reason, to save him harmless, and all other with God’s
mercy, ever praying you of your mastership and succour for
God’s love, who ever keep you for his mercy.

     Written in Fleet, the Wednesday the second week of Lent.
Moreover in augmenting of my sorrow, I wend my wife should
have died since, for after she was arrested she laboured of her
child, that she is withall, waiting either to die or be delivered,
and she hath not gone eight weeks quick; what shall befall
Almighty God knoweth, and shall dispose mercifully.

     Afterward my wife was some deal (somewhat) eased by the la-
bour of the Warden of Fleet, for the cursed Cardinal had sent her
to Newgate, God forgive his soul! now she is taken to bail till
Tuesday. The Cardinal is dead, and the King is relieved.

            12 by 6 ?.

             The Fleet,
              Wednesday
              21 st of February, 1452-3.
              31 H. VI.

 I have given this curious Letter as a specimen of the outrages committed by the great
upon respectable gentlemen; for though the writer has put no name to his Letter, he
appears to have been a man of property, and of some consequence, and most probably
had married an heiress of fortune, as he mentions his wife’s place in Norwich. There
being an act of parliament passed, shews that he was a man of some consideration.

     At this time the most arbitrary methods were used to obtain the possession of estates,
and entries were made in the most forcible manner; though perhaps in this case there
might be some proper reasons for these proceedings under the direction of the Cardinal
and Lord Oxford.

     His wife’s daughter was also most probably an heiress, of whom Ingham had obtained
the wardship, by which means he would demand a sum of money on her marriage.

     The Inghams were a most ancient and knightly family, situated at Ingham, in Norfolk,
of which the male line in the capital branch had failed in 1344, this person was therefore
some collateral issue.

The Cardinal here mentioned must have been John Kemp, first bishop of Rochester,
next of Chichester, then of London, from which see he was removed to York, and in
1452 became archbishop of Canterbury. In 1439 he was made Cardinal of St. Balbine,
and a short time before his death was removed to the cardinalship of St. Rufine; these
various preferments were briefly recorded in the following line,

                                  “Bis Primas, ter Praeses, et bis Cardine functus.”

     He died very old, and very rich, in the beginning of the year 1453, and was buried
in his own Cathedral.

     John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was beheaded in 1461. 1 E. IV.

     The conclusion of this Letter conveys an insinuation that the King was improperly fet-
tered by the ruling of this Archbishop.

239

THOMAS DENYES TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right wurshipfull maister, John Paston.

RIGHT wurshipfull and myn especiall good maister, I
     recomaund me to you with all service and prayer to
     my power. And like it you to wete that how be a
full straunge acte is passid agayn me in the Higher House
before the Lords, wherof I send you a copie. Neverthelesse I
hope to God that it shal not passe in the Comon House; but
me is be falle the most sorwfull infortune that ever por man
had, standyng in suych case as I do, for my Lordis the Car-
denale and of Oxenford haf imprisoned my wif in the countour,
and how thei shal guyde hir forth, God knoweth. Which
standith to nygh myn hert, if Godds will were; but wel I
know that by thes vengeable malics don to hir and me thei
wole [not ?] be content, for Ingham lithe beside that to take
awey my wyves doughter out of Westminster to make an end
of my wif if he can, and also to arest my servauntz, that I
drede that she nor I shal haf no creature to attend us ne help
us; and suych malice haf I never herd of herbeforne. And it
is told me that beside that thei wole dispoil, if any good thei
can fynde of myn in Norwich or Norffolk, and imprisone my
servauntz there. Wherfore I lowly beseche your maistership,
for our Lords mercy, that ye vouchsauff to socour theym in
this necessite; and if ony entree be made or shuld be made
upon myn wifes place in Norwich, that ye vouchsauff to socour
my servauntz, and do ther inne after your wisdam for Crists
love and seynt charite.

     Beside this, a frend and kynnesman of myn, oon Robert
Clement of Betele, hath writen to me that he is arestid, and
like to be imprisoned bi a writte of dette, take agayn hym upon
an obligacion of Cli. [?100] in which he and I and other wer
bounde to my Lorde of Oxenford xiiij. yeer agone, wherof I
haf many acquitaunces. Wherfore I pray your good maister-
ship to send to the Shirreve that my said kynnesman may ben
easid, and no retourne made ageyn hym, but that he may
answer the next tyme bi attourney; for truly that writte was
take oute in the end of the terme aftir I was arestid, and aftir
it was aperid to.

     I pray your maistership, for Godds sake, to be not displesid,
ne wery to do for me in these materes of your charite, for I
had lever gif the said Robert suych good, litell if it be, as I haf,
than he wer undone for me, or ony man ellis that ever ded for
me. And I hope, if God vouchsaf that the mater may come
to reson, to sauf hym harmles, and all other with Godds mercy,
ever prayng you of your maistership and socour for Godds love,
who ever kepe for his mercy.

     Wretyn in Flete, the Wednesday the second weke of
Lent.

     Mor over, in augmentyng of my sorwe, I wend my wif
shuld a dyed sith, for aftir she was arestid she laboured of hir
child, that she is with all, waityng either to dye or be delyvered,
and she hath not gon viij. weks quykke. What shal be falle
Almighti God knoweth, and shull dispose mercifully.

    Aftirward my wif was sum dele easid bi the labour of the
Wardeyn of Flete, for the cursed Cardenale had sent hir to
Newgate. God forgif his sowle. Now she is take to baile til
Tuesday. The Cardenale is dede, and the Kyng is relevid.¹

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 174.] This letter is without a signature, and the writer was
unknown to Fenn; but a comparison with the letter which follows (now printed for
the first time) leaves no doubt that it was written by Thomas Denyes, whom we have
already met with as a dependant of the Earl of Oxford (see Letters 123, 124, and
132). The date is fixed by the reference to the death of Cardinal Kemp in the
postscript.

      ¹ This last sentence must have been added a few days after the date of the letter,
for Cardinal Kemp died on the 22nd of March 1454. Wednesday in the second
week of Lent was the 20th March.

MARCH 20

1454

MARCH 20

1454

MARCH 20