No. 9.
Letter from the Duke of Bedford to the City claiming the government of the realm at the death of Henry V. Dated Rouen 26 Oct, [1422].
Letter Book K, fo. 2.
Right trusty and welbeloved we grete yow wel with al oure herte And for asmuche as hit liked our lord but late a goo to calle the kyng our souverain lord that was from this present world un to his pardurable blisse as we truste fermely by whos deces during the tendre age of the king oure souverain lord that is nowe the gouvernance of the Reaume of England after the lawes and ancien usage and custume of þe same Reaume as we be enfourmed belongeth un to us as to þe elder brother of our saide souverain lord that was. And as next unto þe coroune of England and havyng chief interesse after the king þat is oure souverain lord whom god for his mercy preserve and kepe. We praye yow as hertely and entirerly as we can and may and also requere yow by þe faithe and ligeance that ye owe to god and to þe saide coroune that ye ne yeve in noo wyse assent conseil ne confort to any thing that myght be ordenned pourposed or advised in derogacõn of þe saide lawes usage and custume yif any suche be or in prejudice of us Lattyng you faithfully wite that our saide prayer and requeste procedeth not of ambicion ner of desir that we might have of worldly worship other of any singuler comodite or prouffit that we might resceyve thereby but of entier desir and entente that we have that the forsaide lawes usage and custume ne shulde be blemysshed or hurt by oure lachesse negligence or deffaulte ner any prejudice be engendred to any personne souffisant and able to þe whiche the saide gouvernance myght in cas semblable be longyng in tyme comyng Making pleine protestacõn that it is in no wise oure entente any thing to desire that were ayenst the lawes and custumes of the saide lande ner also ayenst the ordonnance or wil of oure saide souverain lorde that was savyng our right to þe whiche as we trowe and truste fully that hit was not oure saide souverain lordes entente to deroge or doo prejudice. And god have you in his keping Writen under oure signet at Rouen þe xxvj day of Octobre.