Further statement about the assault added in a different hand (qu. Agnes Paston’s?).
[From the fact of Lord Molyns being in possession of Gresham, and collecting rents there, it is clear that the date of this letter is 1448. This date also agrees with what is said in Letter 75 about a relief claimed by Lady Morley.]
[88.1] [From Phillipps MS. 9735, No. 256.]
[78]
JOHN NORTHWOOD TO JOHN, VISCOUNT BEAUMONT[88.2]
To my worschypful and reverent Lord, John, Vicont Beaumont.
1448
MAY 28
Rygth worschypfull, and my reverent and most spesiall Lord, y recomaund me un to yowr good grace in the most humble and lowly wyse that y canne or may, desyryng to her of your prosperite and well fare [as to my][88.3] most syngeler joy and spesiall comfort.
And gyf hyt plees your Hygnes, as towchyng the soden aventuer that fell latly at Coventre, plees hyt your Lordshyp to her that, on Corpus Christi Even[89.1] last passed, be twene viij. and ix. of the clok at a[fternon],[89.2] Syr Umfrey Stafford[89.3] had browth my mayster Syr James of Urmond[89.4] towa[r]d hys yn [inn] from my Lady of Shrewesb[ery,[89.5] and][89.2] reterned from hym toward hys yn, he met with Syr Robert Harcourt[89.6] comyng from hys moder towards hys yn, and pass[ed Syr][89.2] Umfrey; and Richard, hys son, came somewhat be hynd, and when they met to gyder, they fell in handes togyder, and [Sir Robert][89.2] smot hym a grette st[r]oke on the hed with hys sord, and Richard with hys dagger hastely went toward hym. And as he stombled, on of Harcourts men smot hym in the bak with a knyfe; men wotte not ho hyt was reddely. Hys fader hard noys, and rode toward hem, and hys men ronne befor hym thyder ward; and in the goyng downe of hys hors, on, he wotte not ho, be hynd hym smot hym on the hede with a nege tole, men know not with us with what wepone, that he fell downe; and hys son fell downe be fore hym as good as dede. And all thys was don, as men sey, in a Pater Noster wyle. And forth with Syr Umfrey Stafford men foloed after, and slew ij. men of Harcowrttus, on Swynerton, and Bradshawe, and mo ben hurt; sum ben gonne, and sum be in pryson in the jayll at Coventre.
And before the coroner of Coventre, up on the sygth of the bodyes, ther ben endited, as prynsipall for the deth of Richard Stafford, Syr Robert Harcourt and the ij. men that ben dede. And for the ij. men of Harcourts that ben dede, ther ben endited ij. men of Syr Umfrey as prynsipall. And as gytte ther hath ben no thyng fownden before the Justice of the Pees of Coventre of thys riot, be caws the shreffe of Warwyk shyre is dede,[90.1] and they may not sytt in to the tyme ther be a new shreve.
And all thys myschef fell be cawse of a nold debate that was be twene heme for takyng of a dystres, as hyt is told.