Sir
Your very hearty servant
John Byngham.
Sir I humbly entreat the tender of my humbel service to my Ladey Bankes.
One other letter, having the same address, appears to have been written within a few days of the date of the former letter:—
Nobel Sir,
I have sent to Blandford to be delivered your servant one large bed, 2 blankets; the bed for 12 years since was opened by a wench at my then house at Byngham’s Melcombe when I was in the Isle of Guernsey and feathers stolne out and divers other such tricks done by her in my being out of the land.
I take the boldness to hint this trick to you likewise I have sent to Blandford a full sute (that is as many as ever I had) of old fine damask table cupboard cloths and napkins in particular two long table cloths a large cupboard cloth, 2 towels long, a red velvet chaire.
Sir, had I more as I promised yourself I would have sent it.
Sir, the Linnen was but once used by me, but whited once in 2 years.
Your humble servant
John Byngham.
One large bed, minus the feathers, and one red velvet chair, appear to constitute the amount of furniture recovered by Sir Ralph Bankes from the hands of the sequestrators; and Sir Ralph ought to have considered himself very fortunate inasmuch as these sequestrators had not made away with the estates themselves.