1455
JULY 25
Reverent and right wurchepfull Sir, and my gode mayster, I recomaund me to you, prayng you to wete that ther is reysed a slandrows noyse in this countre up on my Mayster Yelverton and you and my Mayster Alyngton, which I suppose is do to bryng you ought of the conceyte of the pepyll, for at this day ye stand gretly in the countreys conceyte. It is seyde be Heydon and his disciples that my Mayster Yelverton and ye and my Mayster Alyngton shuld have doo oon Sir John Tartyssale, parson of the Estchurche[45.3] of Warham and chapeleyn to the priour[45.4] of Walsyngham, to put in to the Parlement, a bille of divers tresons don be my Lord of Norwich,[45.5] Sir Thomas Tudenham, and John Heydon, and ye shuld have set to your seales; and if that Heydon had be vj. howrs fro the Parlement lenger than he was, ther had be granted an oyer determiner to have enquer of hem, &c. This was told yesterday in right wurchepfull audience, and a mong the thrifties men of this countre; and thei seyd right shrewedly, for my lord of Norwich hath so flatered the lay pepill as he hath redyn a bought his visitacion that he hath thers herts. Wherfor, and it plese you to lete me have knowlech what ye wuld I shuld sey to it, wher as I her any such langage, I wull do my parte, and have do hed toward as I have thought in my conceytes best, &c. And if ther be any other servyce that ye wull comaund me, I am and wull be redy at yowr comaundment with the grace of God, how [who] ever have you in his blyssed kepyng.
Wretyn at Wighton in hast, on Sent James day, Be your servaunte, James Gloys.[46.1]
[45.2] [From Fenn, iv. 32.] This letter is attributed by Fenn to the year 1461, but that date is certainly inaccurate, as it was answered by John Paston at Norwich the very day it was written, whereas in July 1461 Paston was in London. Moreover, it certainly could not have been after 1461, as Sir Thomas Tuddenham was beheaded in February of the following year. It must therefore belong to the reign of Henry VI.; and considering the time of the year, 1455 is the only date at which it is at all likely that any one would have ventured to attempt the impeachment of Tuddenham and Heydon in Parliament, or could have been plausibly accused of such a design against persons of so much influence.
[45.3] There were three churches in the parish of Warham.
[45.4] Thomas Hunt.
[45.5] Walter Lyhert, Bishop of Norwich.
[46.1] He was a priest, and a dependant of the Pastons.
To the right wurchepfull Sir, and my goode mayster
text has “ana” (italic “a” for “d”)