Reports the disposition of ‘my master,’ the Provost. Francis Costard brought his evidence to my master’s presence, where it was examined. He wondered what title you would claim to the land. I said, men said it was once free till it was soiled by a bondman. He gave more weight to the evidence of John Aleyn and Nicholas Waterman. Aleyn says he was steward of the manor, in Garleke’s days, forty years, and never knew it claimed for bond ground; and the said Nicholas says it was he who moved your father to buy the manor. Many others have set their seals to corroborate this. Asked him to be good unto Henry Halman, who was amerced in his court for chastising a servant of his, a bondman of yours. My master asked mockingly if a man might not beat his own wife.

Sporle, Michaelmas morning.

[This letter would seem to belong to the same year as [No. 128], in which ‘Costard’s nisi prius’ and an action against Halman are referred to. [No. 129] also mentions Halman and the writer of this letter.]

[172.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

[141]
THOMAS DENYES TO JOHN PASTON[173.1]

To my maister Paston in hast.

1450
OCT. 4

Right worshipfull and my right good maister, I recomaund me to you. And like you wete that it is now . . . . I haf for Danyels sake put my self withynne the maner of Rydon; and her is with me a kynnesman [of] my mastres your wifes, John Bendyssh. And as yestirday cam John Wodehous with a xij. hors to Geyt[on]; on the othre side cometh Fitz William with xx. hors; and on the third parte, oon Hoberd of Midelton hath redy a xx. felaws; and on the fourth parte, stant the toune of Lynne redy with Herry Wodehous; and thei all be gon thedir this nyght. This day folwyng cometh to thaym Herry Tudenham, William Narburgh, Thomas Trusbut, Thomas Kervile, and Shuldham servauntez, Salesbury and William Owayn. It is so that of my lorde[173.2] gete I no socour, and lever I had to dy than gif up the place sith I am ther yn. And I wene if thei gete the place upon me ther helpith my lif no pardon. Wherfore I lowly beseche yow, maister Paston, advertise in your wisdom that this was the first porpose of Tudenham and Heydon whils thei regned, to gete this place; and to that intent thei brought hider the lord Roos, which now is full simpely thought on with my maister that I serve. And ye wete wele that I have most encountred the entent of Tudenham and Heydon of ony pouer man on lyve; And if I be lost or put to an ungoodly rebuke heryn my service is the lesse of valu to you that be gentils of the shire. Wherfore I requyre your maistership to come hider in your persone with suych as ye seme not to that intent to take party in the mater, but to that intent to help to set peas in the shire, and to stire my lord for his honour. For yisterday my lord sent to Lynne and made a cry to be made that he wold be named in the writ of the statute of Northampton, and that cry hath caused the common pople of the toun of Lynne to stere the more. Neverthelesse all the substaunce of the toun is in peas and peasid by the wisdam of the Meir theer, but not for than sum of thaym come with Harry Wodehous, so that I deme he hath a vjxx. persones in all on all sides. I beseche you to send me hider sum socour beside forth, with John Osbern and John Lister with thaym, and come ye aftir a parte by your good wisdome soukyng (sic) their demenynges, and send me your advyse. Wretyn the nyght of the Sunday a forn seynt Feithesday. —Your servaunt, Thomas Denyes.

This day I deme thei come beforn us. If ye help not now, Tudenham and Heydon shal achieve in their desese the conquest that thei coude never achieve in their prosperite.

[173.1] [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 45.] This is evidently the same year as [No. 142], in which William Wayte writes to Paston that Denyes ought to withdraw his garrison from Roydon. The MS. is slightly mutilated at the top in the right-hand corner.