Thomas Stonor to [Sir John Fortescue]

46. THOMAS STONOR TO [SIR JOHN
FORTESCUE]

[30 OCTOBER, 1424]

     The reference to "my uncle Belknap" shows that the writer of this letter
was Thomas Stonor (d. 1431), whose mother was a daughter of Sir Robert
Belknap. The previous document (which is clearly "your son Richard's" in-
denture) gives the date 1424, and shows that the letter was addressed to Sir
John Fortescue, the father of the Chief Justice: the Chief Justice first appears
as "gubernator" at Lincoln's Inn in 1425, so that this letter is perhaps the
earliest extant reference to him in his legal career. Richard Fortescue, the
judge's younger brother, is noticed on p. 36 above. Wytbury is probably
the John Wydbury of Cornwall, who occurs in conjunction with John Crokker
of Lyneham, near Ermington, in February, 1422 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Henry
V, ii, 423); he may be the same as the John Wydbury of Southampton,
squire, who died before February, 1423 (ibid., Henry VI, i, 48). The letter
like the foregoing deed seems to be a draft kept by Stonor for reference;
this explains the absence of any endorsement. From A.C., xlvi, 37.

    Ryth welle belovyd syr, I grete yow well, doyng yow to undurstonde
Þath yowre son Jon and I beth fully acorded as towchyng to the ferme
of the Maner off Ermyngton, as hys endenturys Þerof beth enseylyd.
And ye shall have Þe lawe Court of Mychellmasse last passed. Fur?ur-
more I send yow be the berer of Þys letter endenturys betwene yowre
sone Rychard and my feffeys, Þe wyche ben made be avyse and asent
of yowre son Jon: prayinge yow that ye delyver nat the party of Þe
same endenturys enselyd be my feffeys into the tyme that yowre sone
Rychard have enselyd hys party of the same endenturys: and thanne
hys party soo enselyd that ye delyver sesyng unto the same Rychard and
hys wyff aftyr the fourme of the endenturys: to wyche endenturys lak-
keth Þe selyng of my uncle Belknap, wyche shall ensele Þem whanne he
com fro beyonde see. And seeth that yowre forseyde son Rychard duly
ensele Þe same endenture, for yowre son Jonys honestie hanketh theron.
And as towchyng the warde of Wytburyes heyr, and of Þe londys, the
wyche longen to me, I pray yow that ye soo see ?erto that my ryth be
saved, that I and my frendus schull have yow thonke therfore. And yf
ye see that hyt may lawfully be sesyd Þath ye sesed [hyt]¹ as my trust
ys in yow. Nomore y wryte unto yow at thys tyme, but the holy gost
have yow in hys kepyng. I-wrytte at London the Monday nexte be-
fore alle-halwenday.

                                                                       By Thomas Stonore.

     No endorsement.

                                        ¹ "hyt" afterwards erased.

46. THOMAS STONOR TO [SIR JOHN
FORTESCUE]

[30 OCTOBER, 1424]

     The reference to “my uncle Belknap” shows that the writer of this letter
was Thomas Stonor (d. 1431), whose mother was a daughter of Sir Robert
Belknap. The previous document (which is clearly “your son Richard’s” in-
denture) gives the date 1424, and shows that the letter was addressed to Sir
John Fortescue, the father of the Chief Justice; the Chief Justice first appears
as “gubernator” at Lincoln’s Inn in 1425, so that this letter is perhaps the
earliest extant reference to him in his legal career. Richard Fortescue, the
judge’s younger brother, is noticed on p. 36 above. Wytbury is probably
the John Wydbury of Cornwall, who occurs in conjunction with John Crokker
of Lyneham, near Ermington, in February, 1422 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Henry
V, ii, 423); he may be the same as the John Wydbury of Southampton,
squire, who died before February, 1423 (ibid., Henry VI, i, 48). The letter
like the foregoing deed seems to be a draft kept by Stonor for reference;
this explains the absence of any endorsement. From A.C., xlvi, 37.
      Ryth welle belovyd syr, I grete yow well, doyng yow to undurstonde
þath yowre son Jon and I beth fully acorded as towchyng to the ferme
of the Maner off Ermyngton, as hys endenturys þerof beth enseylyd.
And ye shall have þe lawe Court of Mychellmasse last passed. Furþur-
more I send yow be the berer of þys letter endenturys betwene yowre
sone Rychard and my feffeys, þe wyche ben made be avyse and asent
of yowre son Jon: prayinge yow that ye delyver nat the party of þe
same endenturys enselyd be my feffeys into the tyme that yowre sone
Rychard have enselyd hys party of the same endenturys: and thanne
hys party soo enselyd that ye delyver sesyng unto the same Rychard and
hys wyff aftyr the fourme of the endenturys: to wyche endenturys lak-
keth þe selyng of my uncle Belknap, wyche shall ensele þem whanne he
com fro beyonde see. And seeth that yowre forseyde son Rychard duly
ensele þe same endenture, for yowre son Jonys honestie hanketh theron.
And as towchyng the warde of Wytburyes heyr, and of þe londys, the
wyche longen to me, I pray yow that ye soo see þerto that my ryth be
saved, that I and my frendus schull have yow thonke therfore. And yf
ye see that hyt may lawfully be sesyd þath ye sesed [hyt]¹ as my trust
ys in yow. Nomore y wryte unto yow at thys tyme, but the holy gost
have yow in hys kepyng. I-wrytte at London the Monday nexte be-
fore alle-halwenday.

                                                                              By Thomas Stonore.

     No endorsement.

¹ “hyt” afterwards erased.