William Tailboys to Viscount Beaumont

LETTER LXX.

          To my right honorabull
          and right wurshipful lord
          my lord Viscont

          ¹ Beaument.

RIGHT honorabull and my right wurshipfull lord I re-
     cōaund me unto yo^r gode lordship with all my s^rvice
ev^rmere des^reng to here of yo^r p’sp^rite and Welfare the which I
p^ry god encres and cōtynue to his plesur and aft^r yo^r oone
herts desire thankyng you of the gode lordship y^t ye have shewed
me at all tymes beseching you alway of gode cōtynuance plesid
yo^r gode lordship to be remembred how afore this tyme hugh
Wythom hath said he wold be in rest and peese w^t me and not
to maligne agayn me oy^rwise yan lawe and right wold that not-
withstandyng upon Munday last past he and iij men w^t hī come
unto a s^runt hous of myn in boston cald Williā Shirref and y’as
he sete at his werke stroke him upon the hede and in the body
with a Dagg^r and Wondet him sore and pulled him out of his
hous and set him in p^rson w^tout any cause resonabull or w^tout
Writ or any oy’ p^rcesse shewid unto him and y^t me semes longs
not for hī to do bot as he says he is endited and as yo^r gode
lordship knawes wele J and all my s^runts are in like wise bot
and any man shuld have done hit it longs either to the Shirref
or to yo^r baliff as I conceyve and oy^r cause he had non to him as
fer as I kan knawe bot awnly for the malissiousness y^t he hath
unto me ne I kan think non oy^r bot it is so and now yistre
nyght my lord Welles come to boston w^t iiij^xx horses and in y^e
mornyng foloyng toke hym out of p’son saying afore all peepll
fals these y^u shall be hanged and as mony of thy maistre men as
may be goten as yo^r s^runt John Abbot kan report unto yo^r gode
lordship and hath taken him away with him to Tatessall what
to do w^t him I kan not say bot as I suppose to have him to lin-
coln Castell Wherfore I besech yo^r gode lordship in yis mat^t to
be my gode lord and it please yo^r gode lordship to write a lett^r.
to the kep’e of the Castell of lincoln y^t it liked him to deliv^r
him out of p^rson undre a sufficient seurety had for him for and
thai may kepe him still be yis meyne yai may take all the
f^runts y^t I have and so I may do agayn in like wise And also as
I am enfo^rmed w^tout he be had out of p’son in hast it will be
right gravewis to hī to heile of his hurt he is so sore streken and
if y’ be any s^rvice y^t yo^r gode lordship will cōaund me to do in
any cuntre plesid you to send me word and it shal be done to
my power w^t the g’ce of god which have you my right honor-
abull and wurshipfull lord alway in his blessid kepyng Writen at
Kyme upon Wednesday next aft^r our ladi day the Assumpcion.

     Also plesid yo^r gode lordship to wit aft^r yis lett^r. was made
y^r come a man fro Tatessall. into my fenne which og’h me gode
will and be cause he wold not be holden suspect he speke w^t
wemen which were mylkand k[SYM]e and bad yeme goo to a preest
of myn to Dokdike and bid him fast goo gif me warnyng how
y^t my lord ² Wilughby my lord ³ Cromwell and my lord ⁴ Welles
p^rposid yeme to set a sessions and hang y^c said Williā Shirref and
yai myght bryng y’ entent abowte and so as I and yo^r f^runt Iohn
Abbot stode to ged^r y^e prest Come and gaf me Warnyng herof
Which I trust for my worship yo^r gode lordship wold not shuld
happen for it wer to me the grettest shame y^t myght falle bot and
it plese yo^r gode lordship to write to all yo^r s^runts in yis Cuntr’
yat yai will be redy upon a day Warnyng to come when I send
yeme word. I trust to god yai shal not hang him agayn the
lawe bot I w^t help of yo^r gode lordship shall be abull to let hit.

                                                             By yo^r S^rvūt,

                                                                          ⁵ Willia’ Tailboys.

    11 ? by 10 3/2.

        Kyme, in Lincolnshire,
              Wednesday, August.
              Between 1455 and 1460. 33 and 39 H. VI.

     To us who live in these days those lawless proceedings seem terrible, but in the tu-
multuous times here treated of, such occurrences were too frequent; and the period
here exhibited, distracted by civil diffensions, made them still more common.

     This Letter must have been written between 1455, 33 H. VI. and 1460. 39 H. VI.

     ¹ John Beaumont was created Viscount Beaumont in 1439, and was killed in the
battle of Northampton in 1460.

     ² Richard Welles, a son of Lionel, Lord Welles, married Joanna, daughter and heir
to Robert Lord Willoughby, in whose right he was, in 1455, summoned to parliament
as Lord Willoughby, of Eresby.

     ³ This I think must be Henry Lord Cromwell.

     ⁴ Lionel Lord Welles, fell in the battle of Towton, in 1461.
     

     ⁵ Who the writer William Talboys was I have not been able to make out, but it is
plain by his requesting the attendance of Lord Beaumont?s servants, &c. that he meant
to repel force by force, and to rescue his servant from a violent death, if he should be
so fortunate as to overcome his adversaries. Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 19.

LETTER LXX.

To my right honourable and right worshipful Lord, my Lord
Viscount ¹ Beaumont.

RIGHT honourable and my right worshipful Lord, I re-
     commend me unto your good Lordship with all my service,
ever more desiring to hear of your prosperity and welfare, the
which I pray God encrease and continue to his pleasure, and
after your own heart’s desire; and thanking you of the good
Lordship that ye have shewed me at all times, beseeching you
alway of good continuance.

     Please it your good Lordship to be remembered how afore this
time Hugh Wytham hath said he would be in rest and peace
with me, and not to malign against me, otherwise than law and
right would; that notwithstanding, upon Monday last past, he
and three men with him came into a servant’s house of mine in
Boston, called William Sheriff, and there as he sat at his work
struck him upon the head, and in the body with a dagger, and
wounded him sore, and pulled him out of his house, and set him
in prison without any cause reasonable, or without writ, or any
other process shewed unto him; and that me seems longs (belongs)
not for him to do, but as he says he is indicted, and as your
good Lordship knows well, I and all my servants are in like wise,
but and any man should have done it, it longs either to the She-
riff or to your Bailiff, as I conceive, and other cause he had none
to him as far as I can know, but only for the maliciousness of
that he hath unto me, nor I can think none other but it is so.
And now yester night my Lord Welles came to Boston with four
score horses, and in the morning following, took him out of
prison, saying afore all people “false thief thou shalt be hang-
ed, and as many of thy master’s men as may be gotten,” as
your servant John Abbot can report unto your good Lordship,
and hath taken him away with him to Tattershall, what to do
with him I cannot say, but as I suppose to have him to Lincoln
Castle; wherefore I beseech your good Lordship in this matter
to be my good Lord, and that it please your good Lordship to

write a Letter to the keeper of the Castle of Lincoln, that it liked
him to deliver him out of prison under a sufficient surety had for
him, for and (if) they may keep him still by this mean they may
take all the servants that I have, and so I may do again in like wise.

     And also as I am informed without he be had out of pri-
son in haste, it will be right grievous to him to heal of his hurt,
he is so fore stricken; and if there be any service that your good
Lordship will command me to do in any country, please it you
to send me word, and it shall be done to my power with the grace
of God, which have you my right honourable and worshipful
Lord alway in his blessed keeping. Written at Kyme, upon
Wednesday next after our Lady’s day, the Assumption, (15th
August.)

     Also, please it your good Lordship to weet after this Let-
ter was made there came a man from Tattershall, unto my fenn,
which ought me good will, and because he would not be holden
suspect, he spake with women which were milking kyne, and bad
them go to a Priest of mine to Dokdyke, and bid him fast go give
me warning, how that my Lord ² Willoughby, my ³ Lord
Cromwell, and my Lord ⁴ Welles proposed then to set a Ses-
sions, and hang the said William Sheriff, and they might bring
the intent about; and so, as I and your servant John Abbot stood
together, the Priest came and gave me warning hereof, which I
trust for my worship your good Lordship would not should hap-
pen, for it were to me the greatest shame that might fall, but,
and it please your good Lordship to write to all your servants in
this country, that they will be ready upon a day’s warning to
come when I send them word; I trust to God they shall not
hang him against the law, but I, with help of your good Lord-
ship, shall be able to let it.

                                                        By your Servant,

                                                                       ⁵ WILLIAM TAILBOYS.

   11 ? by 10 3/2.

        Kyme, in Lincolnshire,
              Wednesday, August.

     To us who live in these days those lawless proceedings seem terrible, but in the tu-
multuous times here treated of, such occurrences were too frequent; and the period
here exhibited, distracted by civil diffensions, made them still more common.

     This Letter must have been written between 1455, 33 H. VI. and 1460. 39 H. VI.

     ¹ John Beaumont was created Viscount Beaumont in 1439, and was killed in the
battle of Northampton in 1460.

     ² Richard Welles, a son of Lionel, Lord Welles, married Joanna, daughter and heir
to Robert Lord Willoughby, in whose right he was, in 1455, summoned to parliament
as Lord Willoughby, of Eresby.

     ³ This I think must be Henry Lord Cromwell.

     ⁴ Lionel Lord Welles, fell in the battle of Towton, in 1461.

     ⁵ Who the writer William Talboys was I have not been able to make out, but it is
plain by his requesting the attendance of Lord Beaumont’s servants, &c. that he meant
to repel force by force, and to rescue his servant from a violent death, if he should be
so fortunate as to overcome his adversaries. Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 19.

100

WILLIAM TAILBOYS TO VISCOUNT BEAUMONT²

To my right honorabull and right wurshipful Lord,
my Lord Viscont Beaument.

       RIGHT honorabull and my right wurshipfull Lord, I
            recomaund me unto your gode Lordship with all my
            service, evermore desireng to here of your prosperitie
and welfare, the which I pray God encres and contynue to his
plesur, and after your oone herts desire; thankyng you of the
gode Lordship that ye have shewed me at all tymes, beseching
you alway of gode contynuance.

     Plesid your gode Lordship to be remembred how afore this
tyme Hugh Wythom hath said he wold be in rest and peese
with me, and not to maligne agayn me otherwise than lawe
and right wold; that notwithstandyng, upon Munday last
past, he and iij. men with him come unto a servaunt hous of
myn in Boston, cald William Shirref, and there, as he sete at

his werke, stroke him upon the hede and in the body with a
dagger, and wondet him sore, and pulled him out of his hous,
and set him in prison without any cause resonabull, or without
writ, or any other processe shewid unto him; and that me
semes longs not for him to do, bot as he says he is endited,
and as your gode Lordship knawes wele, I and all my
servaunts are in like wise; bot and any man shuld have
done hit, it longs either to the shirref or to your baliff as
I conceyve, and other cause he had non to him as fer as I kan
knawe, bot awnly for the malissiousness that he hath unto me,
ne I kan think non other bot it is so. And now yistre nyght
my Lord Welles¹ come to Boston with iiij^xx [four score] horses,
and in the mornyng foloyng toke hym out of prison, saying
afore all peepll, ‘Fals thefe, you shall be hanged, and as mony
of thy maistre men as may be goten’—as your servaunt John
Abbot kan report unto your gode Lordship,—and hath taken
him away with him to Tatessall, what to do with him I kan
not say, bot as I suppose to have him to Lincoln Castell:
wherfor I besech your gode Lordship in this matier to be my
gode Lord, and it please your gode Lordship to write a letter
to the kepere of the Castell of Lincoln, that it liked him to
deliver him out of prison undre a sufficient seurety had for
him, for and thai may kepe him still be this meyne, thai may
take all the servaunts that I have, and so I may do agayn in
like wise.

     And also, as I am enformed, without he be had out of
prison in hast, it will be right gravewis to him to heile of his
hurt, he is so sore streken; and if there be any service that
your gode Lordship will comaund me to do in any cuntre,
plesid you to send me word, and it shal be done to my power
with the grace of God, which have you, my right honorabull
and wurshipfull Lord, alway in his blessid kepyng. Writen
at Kyme,² upon Wednesday next after our Ladi day the
Assumpcion.³

     Also plesid your gode lordship to wit, after this letter was
made, there come a man fro Tatessall into my fenne, which
owght me gode will, and be cause he wold not be holden
suspect, he speke with wemen which were mylkand kyne, and
bad theme goo to a preest of myn to Dokdike, and bid him
fast goo gif me warnyng how that my Lord Wilughby,¹ my
Lord Cromwell,² and my Lord Welles³ proposid theme to
set a sessions, and hang the said William Shirref, and thai
myght bryng ther entent abowte; and so, as I and your servaunt
John Abbot stode to geder, the prest come and gaf me warnyng
herof, which I trust for my worship your gode Lordship wold
not shuld happen, for it wer to me the grettest shame that
myght falle; bot and it plese your gode Lordship to write to
all your servaunts in this cuntre, that thai will be redy upon
a day warnyng to come when I send theme word, I trust to
God thai shal not hang him agayn the lawe, bot I, with help of
your gode Lordship, shall be abull to let hit.

By your Servaunt,

                                                                              WILLIAM TALLBOYS.⁴

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 282.] This letter is dated by Fenn between 1455 and 1460,
but cannot be later than the former of these years, as Lord Cromwell died in the
beginning of 1456. It seems, further, beyond a doubt that the Lord Willoughby,
mentioned along with him, was Robert, Lord Willoughby of Eresby, who was con-
nected by mariage both with Lord Cromwell and with Lord Welles; and if so the
date cannot be later than 1451, as this Lord Willoughby died in July 1452. Indeed,
I have very little doubt it is before 1450, as both Tailboys and Beaumont were of the
Duke of Suffolk’s party, and it is not likely that the former would have ventured to
complain of his powerful neighbours, Lords Willoughby, Cromwell, and Welles after
the Duke’s fall, especially as we know that in the beginning of 1450 he was in prison
for an attempt to murder Lord Cromwell.

     ¹ Leo, Lord Welles.

     ² In Lincolnshire, between Tattershall and Sleaford.     ³ 15th August.

    ¹ Robert, Lord Willoughby of Eresby, who married Maud Stephen, a niece of
Lord Cromwell.                                     ² Ralph, Lord Cromwell.

     ³ Leo, Lord Welles, whose son Richard married Joan, a daughter of Robert,
Lord Willoughby of Eresby.

     ⁴ William, afterwards Sir William, Tailboys of South Kyme, in Lincolnshire,
who was attainted under Edward IV. as an adherent of the House of Lancaster. His
family was afterwards ennobled as Barons Talboys. He is most unfavourably
mentioned in the impeachment of the Duke of Suffolk, of whom he appears to have
been a great adherent, and is accused of having made an attempt to murder Lord
Cromwell in the Star Chamber at Westminster, on the 28th November 1449.—See
Rolls of Parliament, V. 181-200.

Before
1450

Before
1450

Before
1450