William Cely to George Cely

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
William Cely to George Cely
Reference
SC 1/53/69
Date
13 May 1481
Library / Archive
  • The National Archives, UK
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Malden, item 52
Transcript from Henry Elliot Malden, 'The Cely Papers: Selections from the correspondence and memoranda of the Cely family, merchants of the Staple, A.D. 1475-1488'

52

 

Jhesu Mliiijciiijxx

 

     Preparations for war with France made at Calais; houses outside the gates
destroyed. The priest’s title, Sir William Chanon, may be noticed. Sir William
Stappell has his benefice.

 

     Ryght worshypffull Syr afftyr dew recommendaschon I lowly
recommend me unto youre masterschypp &c Furder more plese
hit yowre masterschypp to understonde that I hawe receyved an
letter from yow the whych I hawe redd and well understonde all
thynges theryn and as for yowre debenters I hawe delyverd hem
to Wylliam Beneham acordyng to yowre commaundement and he
hath promysyd me as sone as he ys furnyschyd wt money I schall
be payd and content for the pertyschon off xs off the pownde wt
the fyrste and as for yowre warantes off xvs off the pownde I have
spoken to master lefftenaunte for them and he hath promysyd me
that at yowre comyng to Caleys they schall be sett uppon yowre
bylles of costom and subsede &c. Item Syr plese hit yow to wytt
that on the xij day of Maye ther was ij frensche men chasyd an
englysch schypp afore Caleys and Federston and John Dave and
Thomas Owerton ley in Caleys Rode but themselffe were alonde
and as sone as they sawe them they gote botes and zede a burde
and soo dydd master marschall and Syr Thomas Eweryngham and
master Messefolde wt deversse sowldeers off Caleys and rescudyd
the englysch schypp and toke the Frensche men and I browght on
off them yn to Caleys hawen the toder was so grett sche myght
nott comyn but browght the master and the Capteyn to my lorde
and they saye ther ys scottes amonggyst hem and they say that
Federston and hys fellowys be gon wt the bygges Frensche man
ynto Inglonde &c Item Syr hytt ys sayd here that aftyr thys day
the xij day of May ther shall no man kepe noo logyng of gestes
straungers nor englysche men wtowte the gates of Caleys excep ij
howssys synyd that ys serche and the water balys and eny man
that hath howssynge wt the gates ys warnyd to remeve hys
howsse as schorttly as he can yn to the towne and sett hyt there
where hym plese that he hath grownde and yff he doo nott soo
stond at hys owne aventure at syche tyme that schall come to be
pluckyd schorttly down or elles burnyd for the schortter warke and
betwyxte thys and that tyme non of them be soo hardy excep the
ij plasys affore rehersyd to loge noo man ower an nyght payne of
treson &c Item Syr plese hit yow to wytt that Syr Wylliam
Chanon that was logyd wt John Fowlle ys ded he was beryd as on
Sonday last was and Syr Wylliam stappell pryste hath ys
benyveysse grauntyd be my lorde &c. Syr odder tydynges hawe
we non but almyghty hawe you yn Hys kepyng Wrytten at
Caleys the xiij day of Maye

per yowre servaunte

                                                                           Wylliam Cely.

 

     Addressed: To my worshyppffull master George
                               Cely marchaunte off stapull off
                               Calez being at Breges at the
                               stape ys clawe soo hit dd: