[114.2] Richard Fenwyk was rector of Testerton from 1482-1504.
[115.1] Apparently this ‘he’ means Yelverton himself, his servant being at the time a prisoner in the Earl of Oxford’s custody. Fenn erroneously reads ‘in person’ instead of ‘in preson’ in the previous sentence.
[115.2] Fenn supposes ‘my lady’s grace’ to be the Countess of Richmond, the King’s mother. I should think, however, it was more probably the Lady Anne Beaufort, wife of William Paston the uncle, the writer being in their service.
[1029]
T. GRIGGS TO SIR JOHN PASTON[115.3]
To the Right Honorable Sir John Paston, Knyght, be this delyverid.
1489
FEB. 2
Right reverent and honorable, after the ordre of all diew recommendacion had, I recomaunde me un to your maistership. Sir, it is so that John Talyour of Brytcham, debite [deputy] in your office of Th’admirallite, was with me this mornyng to have myn advyce in this mater folowyng, the whiche is this.
There was taken ageyns Thornham, in the Kynges streeme, leyng ij. fadam and an halff depe upon the see, a whalle fyssh, by Thornham men labouryng all nyght on Sunday nyght last was, and so have slayn it, and brought to lande; upon the whiche your said debite hath ben ther as yister day, and seysed my lordes part therof; wherof the puple was glad it shuld so be. Than John a Lowe was there, and he seyd to your debite that he wold have the Kynges part in this wise, that the Kyng and my lord shuld part the halff. Sir, the lawe cyvylle seyth thus, ‘If any fyssh ryall be founde on the se, that is to say, whalle, bales, sturgion, porpeys, or gra[m]peys, that my Lord Admyrall shall have the halvendele,’ &c.
I thynke my lord[116.1] hath the Kynges prerogatyff upon the see, the whiche I remytte to your discrecion, &c.
Sir, by lyklyhode, without ye take hede and send thedir som of youres, my lordes part shall be litill. It is a greet fissh and a ryall; your debite sheweth me it is xj. fadam and more of length, and ij. fadam of bygnes and depnes in the mydde fyssh.