William Botoner to John Berney

Add. 43488, f. 49

January 1460

Gairdner, Vol III, item 399; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 46

LETTER XLVI.

To the Ryght Worshypfull S^r. John ¹ Berneye scuier at Castre
beyng.

RYGHT Worshypfull S^r. I Recom’aund me to yow
(here follow complaints against Frere Brakle, &c. con-
cerning Sir John Fastolf’s interment, affairs, &c.)

As for tydyngs here I sende som of hend wreten to you and
othyrs how the lord ² Ryvers S^r. ³ Antonye hys son and othyrs
hafe ⁴ wonne Calix be a feble assault made at Sandw^ch by
⁵ Denham squyer w^t the nombre of viij^c men on twyesday
betwene iiij and v at cloks yn the mornyng but my lady ⁶ duchesse
ys stille ayen rec’ved yn Kent the duke of York ys at Debylyn
strengthed w^t hys Erles and homagers as ye shall see by a bille
God sende the Kyng victorie of hys ennemyes and rest and
pease amongs hys Lordes.

I am rygt gretly hevyed for my pore wyfe for the sorow
she takyth and most leefe hyr and hyr contree. Y shall no-
thing take from hyr more then a litell spendyng money
tille bett’ may bee and the blessed trinite kepe and sende you
helth Wret at London hastly the monday aft’ I departed from
you 1459. x.

Your,

⁷ W. Botoner, called Wyrcester.

         London,
              Monday, January,
              1459, 38 H. VI.

¹ John Berney, Esquire, appears to have been the Son of John Berney, by Isabell,
Daughter and heir of Sir John Heveningham, Knight, and died without issue, in 1461.

²

³ See Notes 2, 4, to the following Letter, N^o XLVII.

⁴ The Expression, of Lord Rivers, &c. having won Calais, seems to be meant as a
sneer upon him, as he commanded the Ships going to the Duke of Somerset with Supplies,
to enable him to drive out the Earl of Warwick from Calais, and take possession of it as
Governor under the King’s Commission.

⁵ John Denham, Esq. afterwards Sir John Denham.

⁶ Cicely, Duchess of York.

⁷ William Botoner, called Wyrcester, was born in or about 1415, 3 H. V. had several
appointments under Sir John Fastolf, (who died on St. Leonard’s day, 6th of November,
1459, aged above 80 years,) to whom he was Executor, and was not dead in 1480,
20 E. 4. Pl. II. N^o 24.

LETTER XLVI.

To the Right Worshipfull Sir, John ¹ Berneye, Esquire, at
Castre being.

RIGHT Worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you.
(Here follow Complaints against Fryer Brakle, &c. con-
cerning Sir John Fastolf’s interment, affairs, &c. &c.)

As to tydings here, I send some off hand, written to you and
others, how the Lord ² Rivers, Sir ³ Anthony his Son, and
others, have ⁴ won Calais, by a feeble assault made at Sand-
wich by ⁵ Denham, Esquire, with the number of eight hun-
dred men, on Tuesday between four and five o’clock in the
morning. But my Lady ⁶ Duchess is still again received in
Kent. The Duke of York is at Dublin, strengthened with his
Earls and Homagers as ye shall see by a bill. God send the
King victory of his Enemies, and rest and peace amongst his
Lords. ———

I am right heartily heavied for my poor wife for the sorrow
she taketh; and must leave her and her country; I shall
nothing take from her more than a little spending money, till
better may be. And the blessed Trinity keep and send you
health. Written at London hastily the Monday after I departed
from you, 1459-10.

Your,

⁷ W. BOTONER, called WYRCESTER.

          London,
              Monday, January,
              1459, 38 H. VI.

¹ John Berney, Esquire, appears to have been the Son of John Berney, by Isabell,
Daughter and heir of Sir John Heveningham, Knight, and died without issue, in 1461.

²

³ See Notes 2, 4, to the following Letter, N^o XLVII.

⁴ The Expression, of Lord Rivers, &c. having won Calais, seems to be meant as a
sneer upon him, as he commanded the Ships going to the Duke of Somerset with Supplies,
to enable him to drive out the Earl of Warwick from Calais, and take possession of it as
Governor under the King’s Commission.

⁵ John Denham, Esq. afterwards Sir John Denham.

⁶ Cicely, Duchess of York.

⁷ William Botoner, called Wyrcester, was born in or about 1415, 3 H. V. had several
appointments under Sir John Fastolf, (who died on St. Leonard’s day, 6th of November,
1459, aged above 80 years,) to whom he was Executor, and was not dead in 1480,
20 E. 4. Pl. II. N^o 24.

399

WILLIAM BOTONER TO JOHN BERNEY¹

To the ryght worshypfull Sir, John Berneye, Scuier,
at Castre beyng.

   RYGHT wohypfull Sir, I recommaund me to yow.²
     . . . . . . . As for tydyngs here, I sende
     som of hend wreten to you and othyrs how the Lord
Ryvers,³ Sir Antonye, hys son, and othyrs hafe wonne Calix⁴
be a feble assault made at Sandwich by Denham,⁵ Squyer, with
the nombre of viij^c. men, on Twyesday betwene iiij. and v. at
cloks yn the mornyng. But my Lady Duchesse⁶ ys stille
ayen receved yn Kent. The Duke of York ys at Debylyn
[Dublin], strengthed with hys Erles and homagers, as ye shall
see by a bille. God sende the Kyng victorie of hys ennemyes,
and rest and pease among hys Lordes.

I am rygt gretly hevyed for my pore wyfe, for the sorow
she takyth, and most leefe hyr and hyr contree. Y shall
nothing take from hyr more then a litell spendyng money,
tille better may bee. And the Blessed Trinite kepe and
sende you helth.

Wret at London hastly, the Monday after I departed from
you, 1459, x. Your,

W. BOTONER, called WYRCESTER.

¹ [From Fenn, i. 182.] The date of this letter is ascertained partly by the
reference in the suppressed passage to Sir John Fastolf’s interment, and partly by the
allusion to the capture of Rivers and his son by John Denham. Compare the letter
following.

² ‘Here,’ says Fenn, ‘follow complaints against Frere Brakle, etc., concerning Sir
John Fastolf’s interment, affairs, etc.’

³ Richard Widville, Lord Rivers, afterwards created an Earl by King Edward iv.,
who married his daughter Elizabeth.

⁴ This must be a sneer. The truth, as recorded by Botoner himself in his annals,
was that John Denham and others secretly sailed from Calais, and surprised Sandwich,
where they took Lord Rivers and his son Anthony prisoners, and carried them back
to Calais.

⁵ John Denham or Dynham, afterwards Lord Dynham.

⁶ Cecily, Duchess of York.

1460
JAN.