William Harleston, his uncle, to Sir William Stonor

260. WILLIAM HARLESTON TO SIR
WILLIAM STONOR

16 JAN. [1480]

    William Harleston of Denham, Hoxne, and Debenham in Suffolk, died on
4th NOV. 1480 (Ch. Inq. p.m. Edward IV, file 78). He was son of William
Harleston by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Hugh Luttrell. Luttrell gave a
moiety of the manor of Debenham to his son-in-law on 5 April, 1406 (Chancery
Warrants, Series I, 881/5555). The second William Harleston married
Philippa, daughter of Thomas Stonor, the elder, but left no issue. Since
Elizabeth Stonor was recently dead the date of this letter must be 1480.
"My cosen Ramsey," is no doubt Thomas Ramsey, see No. 179. The whole
letter, including the original signature, was written by a scribe; Harleston
appended his own signature. From A.C., xlvi, 169.

     My Ryght reverent and worshipfull Neve, I an my wiff recommande
us unto you with all our hertes. And I beseche almygthy God to have
mercy on my lady your wiffes sowle, for verily she was a good woman
and a well disposid: and I pray God send you no werssethane she was.
And more over, syr, I have receyvid your letter be my Cosen Ramsey,
and also I understonde well the evedens the wiche my Cosen Ramsey
browth me from you. And, syr, I shalle put me in my dever to do you
a pleasur to my power. And as for C. marcs I shall purwey for you
withinne shorte tyme, and if I hadde hadde it at home withyne me I
shuld a sent it you be my Cosen Ramsey. But in good feyth I am
feyne to make a shefte at London with my frendes ther for. And I
shalle ley suerte be my obligacion in C. [SYM]i. for C. marcs for your
pleasur; the wiche C. marcs ye shall not fayle I truste to God to have
at London the xxv or xxvi day of January. And at the Sworde in
Flestrete ther ye shall here of a frende of myn, the wiche shall serve you
of the said C. marcs be the love of God. And, syr, I pray you that it
may be payd ayen be sevenyth or fortenyth after Esterne next comyng,
in suche money as ys take, be it gold or in sylver; for I have wreten to
my frende that he shall have as good ayen as he delyveryth. For I
were lothe to displese hym, for he is so true and so speciall a frend to
me &c. And more over, syr, for Goddes sake be ware now, for now
ye may breke your howshold with your honour and worschep, now
after the decesse of my good lady your wiff, and stabill your howsehold
now saddely and wisely with a convenient feleshepp so as ye may kepe
yow withynne yowr lyvelode; for a wise man will caste afore what falle
aftirwarde. And be war of your moder hert, and take your fader hert,
on whoys sowle I beseche almygthy God to have mersy. And of certen
thynges I wold desire you and pray you in the name of God, that ye
wolle not over wissh yow, ner owyr purches yow, ner owyr bild you;
for these iij thynges wolle plucke a yongman ryth lowe. Ner medyll
not with no gret materis in the lawe. For I truste to God to see you
the worshipfullest of the Stoners that ever I sawe or shall se be my days.
And ther for I wold that ye dede as well as any man alyff, or as well as
yowr owyn hert canne thynke. And, syr, of on thyng at is tolde
me, that ye do make a fayre newe Garden; in the wiche I pray you
for my sake to sette too herbis, the wiche ben, Paciens, Tyme: And
that theis to herbis be put in the potage that ye ete, so as ye may ete
them dayly. And more over, syr, as towchyng to your letter, ye have
not assigned in your letter to whoom the money shuld be delyvered.
Wher for I have assigned in my letter the day and place, where as ye or
my Cosen Ramsey, or any in your name shall have it. And also, syr,
ye have wreten in yowr letter, that yf I thynke that yowr wrytyng were
not sufficient that I shulde have sufficient pleges. And as towchyng to
me your wrytyng were sufficient; but in as much as I am fayne to ley
suerte my self for the seid C. marcs, I pray you that my Cosen Ramsey,
or whoo sum ever come for the money, that he may bryng sufficient and
suer plegis with hym, the wiche shalbe indentid between hym and me.
And they shalbe as suer and as saff to you, as they were in your cofer
at home. And they shalbe redy for you at your day, the wiche day I
beseche you to kepe as ever ye wolle have anythyng that I may doo for
you in tyme to come. And, syr, I beseche you to take no displesur
ther for to me wardes; for truly I do it for non other cause but be cause
of dowt of dethe, as ye knowe well the worlde was never inesier ner
more dowtefulle than it is now. And also that my frende shulde not
be disseyvid; for if it were-to me ward I wold never desyre other plege
but ondely your wrytyng &c. No more to you at this tyme but
Almygthy Jhesu have you in his kepyng. Wreten at Denham, the
xvj day of January. And good Neve thynke on theis pore wordes, the
wiche I have sent you, and also I pray you geve credens to my Cosen
Ramsey brynger herof &c.

                             Be yowr true and feythefull vnkell Willm. Harleston.
  (autograph) Per W. Harleston.

    To my ryght reverent and worshipful Neve, Willm. Stoner, knyth, be
this letter delyvered in hast.

260. WILLIAM HARLESTON TO SIR
WILLIAM STONOR

16 JAN. [1480]

     William Harleston of Denham, Hoxne, and Debenham in Suffolk, died on
4th Nov. 1480 (Ch. Ing. p.m. Edward IV, file 78). He was son of William
Harleston by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Hugh Luttrell. Luttrell gave a
moiety of the manor of Debenham to his son-in-law on 5 April, 1406 (Chancery
Warrants, Series I, 881/5555). The second William Harleston married
Philippa, daughter of Thomas Stonor, the elder, but left no issue. Since
Elizabeth Stonor was recently dead the date of this letter must be 1480.
“My cosen Ramsey,” is no doubt Thomas Ramsey, see No. 179. The whole
letter, including the original signature, was written by a scribe; Harleston
appended his own signature. From A.C., xlvi, 169.

     My Ryght reverent and worshipfull Neve, I an my wiff recommande
us unto you with all our hertes. And I beseche almygthy God to have
mercy on my lady your wiffes sowle, for verily she was a good woman
and a well disposid: and I pray God send you no wersse thane she was.
And more over, syr, I have receyvid your letter be my Cosen Ramsey,
and also I understonde well the evedens the wiche my Cosen Ramsey
browth me from you. And, syr; I shalle put me in my dever to do you
a pleasur to my power. And as for C. marcs I shall purwey for you
withinne shorte tyme, and if I hadde hadde it at home withyne me I
shuld a sent it you be my Cosen Ramsey. But in good feyth I am
feyne to make a shefte at London with my frendes ther for. And I
shalle ley suerte be my obligacion in C. li. for C. marcs for your
pleasur; the wiche C. marcs ye shall not fayle I truste to God to have
at London the xxv or xxvi day of January. And at the Sworde in
Flestrete ther ye shall here of a frende of myn, the wiche shall serve you
of the said C. marcs be the love of God. And, syr, I pray you that it
may be payd ayen be sevenyth or fortenyth after Esterne next comyng,
in suche money as ys take, be it gold or in sylver; for I have wreten to
my frende that he shall have as good ayen as he delyveryth. For I
were lothe to displese hym, for he is so true and so speciall a frend to
me &c. And more over, syr, for Goddes sake be ware now, for now
ye may breke your howshold with your honour and worschep, now
after the decesse of my good lady your wiff, and stabill your howsehold
now saddely and wisely with a convenient feleshepp so as ye may kepe
yow withynne yowr lyvelode; for a wise man will caste afore what falle
aftirwarde. And be war of your moder hert, and take your fader hert,
on whoys sowle I beseche almygthy God to have mersy. And of certen
thynges I wold desire you and pray you in the name of God, that ye
wolle not over wissh yow, ner owyr purches yow, ner owyr bild you;
for these iij thynges wolle plucke a yongman ryth lowe. Ner medyll
not with no gret materis in the lawe. For I truste to God to see you
the worshipfullest of the Stoners that ever I sawe or shall se be my days.
And ther for I wold that ye dede as well as any man alyff, or as well as
yowr owyn hert canne thynke. And, syr, of on thyng at is tolde
me, that ye do make a fayre newe Garden; in the wiche I pray you
for my sake to sette too herbis, the wiche ben, Paciens, Tyme: And
that theis to herbis be put in the potage that ye ete, so as ye may ete
them dayly. And more over, syr, as towchyng to your letter, ye have
not assigned in your letter to whoom the money shuld be delyvered.
Wher for I have assigned in my letter the day and place, where as ye or
my Cosen Ramsey, or any in your name shall have it. And also, syr,
ye have wreten in yowr letter, that yf I thynke that yowr wrytyng were
not sufficient that I shulde have sufficient pleges. And as towchyng to
me your wrytyng were sufficient; but in as much as I am fayne to ley
suerte my self for the seid C. marcs, I pray you that my Cosen Ramsey,
or whoo sum ever come for the money, that he may bryng sufficient and
suer plegis with hym, the wiche shalbe indentid between hym and me.
And they shalbe as suer and as saff to you, as they were in your cofer
at home. And they shalbe redy for you at your day, the wiche day I
beseche you to kepe as ever ye wolle have anythyng that I may doo for
you in tyme to come. And, syr, I beseche you to take no displesur
ther for to me wardes; for truly 1 do it for non other cause but be cause
of dowt of dethe, as ye knowe well the worlde was never inesier ner
more dowtefulle than it is now. And also that my frende shulde not
be disseyvid; for if it were to me ward I wold never desyre other plege
but ondely your wrytyng &c. No more to you at this tyme but
Almygthy Jhesu have you in his kepyng. Wreten at Denham, the
xvj day of January. And good Neve thynke on theis pore wordes, the
wiche I have sent you, and also I pray you geve credens to my Cosen
Ramsey brynger herof &c.

                              Be yowr true and feythefull vnkell Willm. Harleston.
      (autograph) Per W. Harleston.

     To my ryght reverent and worshipful Neve, Willm. Stoner, knyth, be
this letter delyvered in hast.