Volume Ii Part 63 (1/2)
240
JOHN PASTON TO [THE EARL OF OXFORD][306.2]
[Sidenote: 1454 / MARCH 31]
Right wurchepfull and my right especiall Lord, I recomaund me to your G.o.de Lordshep, besechyng your Lordshep that ye take not to displesauns thow I write you, as I here say that Agnes Denyes, be the meanes of your Lordshep and of my Lord the Cardynall,[306.3] hos sowle G.o.d a.s.soyle and forgeve, was set in preson, beyng with child--which, and the sorough and shame there of, was nygh her deth--and yet dayly is vexed and trobled, and her servauntes in like wyse, to the uttermest distruccion of her person and G.o.des. In which, my Lord, at the reverens of G.o.d, remembre sche was maried be you and be my meanes, be your comaundement and writyng, and draw therto full sore ageyn her entent in the begynnynge; and was worth v.^c. [500] marc and better, and shuld have had a gentilman of this contre of an C. marc of lond and wele born, ne had be your G.o.de Lordshep and writyng to her and me. And this considered in your wise discrecion, I trost, my Lord, thow her prisonyng were of oderes labore, ye wuld helpe her; and if she be destroyd be this mariage, my conscyens thynketh I am bownd to recompense her after my pore and sympill power. My Lord, ye know I had litill cause to do for Thomas Denyes, savyng only for your G.o.de Lordshep. Also, my Lord, I know wele that Water Ingham was bete, the mater hangyng in myn award, right fowle and shamefully; and also how the seid Thomas Denyes hath, this last terme, ageyn your n.o.bill estat, right unwysely demened hym to his shame and grettest rebuke that ever he had in his lyve. Where fore it is right wele do his person be ponysshed as it pleaseth you. But this not withstondyng for G.o.dds love, my Lord, remembre how the gentilwoman is accombred only for yowr sake, and help her; and if aught lyth in my power to do that that myght please yowr Lordshep, or cowde fynde any way for Water Ingham avayll and wurchep, I wull do it to my power; and the rather if your Lordshep support the jentilwoman, for I know the mater and that longe plee is litill avayll, and every thyng must have an ende.
I have told my brother Mathew Drury more to enforme yowre Lordshep than I may have leyser to write for his hasty departyng. Right wurchepfull and my right especiall Lord, I besech All myghty G.o.d send you asmych joy and wurchep as ever had any of my Lords yowr aunceters, and kepe you and all yowres. Wretyn at Norwich the iiij. Sonday of Lent.
Yowre servaunte to his powr,
JOHN PASTON.
[Footnote 306.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was so manifestly written on the receipt of the last, that there can be no question about the date. It bears no address upon the back, so that it is probably only a copy, or, if an original, it certainly was not sent; but the person for whom it was intended was evidently the Earl of Oxford.]
[Footnote 306.3: Cardinal Kemp.]
241
INFORMATION AGAINST ROBERT LEDHAM[307.1]
[Sidenote: 1454]
Thees be the persons that enformyd the Justicez of the Kyngis Benche the last terme of suche ryottis as hath be done be Robert Ledham: The Lord Skales, Sir Thomas Todenham, Sir John Chalers, Edmond Clere, Water George, John Alyngton, Gilbert Debenham, John Denston, William Whit, William Alyngton, Reynald Rows, John Berney, Richard Suthwell, John Paston, John Henyngham, Raff Shelton, Henry Grey.
These be the names of the knyghtes and esquyers that endittyd Robert Ledham:--Thomas Todenham, knyght, Andrew Ogard, knyght, John Henygham, knyght, William Calthorp, esquyer, Bryan Stapelton, esquyer, Osbert Mondford, esquyer, John Groos, esquyer, William Rokwod, esquyer, Thomas Morle, esquyer, Thomas Scholdham, esquyer, John Wyndham, esquyer, John Berney, esquyer, William Narbow, esquyer, John Chippysby, esquyer, William White, esquyer, John Bryston, esquyer, John Paston, esquyer.
These be dyvers of the ryottis and offensis done in the hundred of Blofeld in the counte of Norffolk, and in other townys be Robert Lethum, otherwyse callyd Robert Ledham of Wytton, be Blofeld in the counte of Norffolk, and by his ryottys men and by other of his affinitez and knowleche, whos names folowyn, and that they contynually folow and resorte unto his hous, and ther be supported and maynteynet and confortid.
These be the princ.i.p.all menealle men of the sayd Robert Ledham ys hous be the whiche the sayd ryottys have be done, that use in substaunce non other occupacion but ryottys:--_In primis_, John c.o.kett, Thomas Bury, Thomas c.o.kowe, Cristofer Bradlee, Elys Dukworth, William Donmowe, Cristofer Grenesheve, Roger Chirche. Notwythstondyng the sayd Robert Ledham kypith dayly many mo in his house and chaungeth such as have be oppenly knowyn for riottis and takith other for hem as evill as they.
And these be the most princ.i.p.ale persons comyng and resortyng unto the house of the sayd Robert Ledham, and ther be supportid and mayntened in ryottes be whom the sayd ryottes have be don, that ys to sey: _In primis_, Robert Taillor, Henry Bang, Robert Dallyng, John Beston, Charles Navell, John, the sone of Roger Ratclyff, Robert Berton; notwythstondyng ther be money moo whos names ben unknowyn. With the which persons, and many moo unknowyn, the sayd Robert Ledham kept atte his hous in maner of a forcelet and issith ouute atte here pleaysour and atte his l.u.s.t, the sayd Ledham to a.s.signe, somtyme vj. and sometyme xij., somtyme x.x.x^ti and moo, armyd, jakkid, and salettyd, with bowys and arrowys, speris, billys, and over ryde the countrey and oppressid the Kyngs peple, and didde mony oryble and abhomynable dedes, like to have be destruccion of the enhabitantes in the sayd hundred, in the forme that folowyth, and wa.r.s.e.
_In primis_, on the Monday[309.1] next before Ester day and the s.h.i.+re daye, the x.x.x. yere of oure soverayne Lord the Kyng, x. persons of the sayd riottors, with a brother of the wyff of the sayd Robert Lethum, laye in awayte in the hyght way under Thorpe Wode upon Phillip Berney, esquyer, and his man comyng from the s.h.i.+re, and shette atte hym and smote the hors of the sayd Phillipp with arowes, and than over rode hym, and toke hym and bette hym and spoillid hym. And for thayr excuse of this ryot, they ledde hym to the Bysshopp of Norwiche, axyng seuerte of the peas wher they hadde never waraunt hym to areste. Which affray shorttyd the lyffdayes of the sayd Phillippe, whiche dyed withynne shorte tyme after the said affray.[309.2]
Item, iij. of the sayd riottys felos.h.i.+ppe the same day, yere, and place, laye on awayte uppon Edmond Broune, gentilman, and with naked swerdes and other wepyng f.a.ght wyth hym be the s.p.a.ce of on qaurte (_sic_) of an houre, and toke and spoillyd hym, and kepte hym as long as them lyst, and after that lette hym goo.
Item, xl^ti of the sayd riottys felows.h.i.+pp, be the comaundement of the same Robert Lethum, jakket and saletted, with bowes, arowys, billys, and gleyves, oppon Mauyndy Thursday,[309.3] atte iiij. of the clokke atte after nonne, the same yere, comyn to the White Freres in Norwyche, and wold have brokyn theyr yates and dorys, feynyng thaym that they wold hire thayre evesong. Where they ware aunswered suche service was non used to be there, nor withyn the sayd citee atte that tyme of the daye, and prayd them to departe; and they aunswered and sayd that affore thayre departyng they wold have somme persons ouute of that place, qwykke or dede, insomuch the sayd freris were fayn to kype thaire place with forsse. And the mayr and the sheriffe of the sayd cite were fayn to arere a power to resyst the sayd riotts, which to hem on that holy tyme was tediose and heynous, consedryng the losse and lettyng of the holy service of that holy nyght. And theroppon the sayd ryotors departid.
Item, the sayd Robert Lethum, on the Monday[310.1] nest after Esterne day, the same yere, toke from on John Wilton iiij. neet for rent arere, as he said, and killed hem and layd them in salte, and afterward ete hem.
Item, the sayd Robert Lethum, with vj. of his sayd ryottes, the same yere made a.s.saute uppon John Wilton in Plumstede churche yerde, and theer so bete hym that he was in doute of his lyff; and also dede to hym many grete wronggys and oppressioun, unto the undoyng of the sayd John Wilton.
Item, in lyke wyse the sayd Robert Lethum and his men a.s.sauted on John c.o.ke of Witton, in brekyng uppe his dorys atte a xi. of the cloke in the nyght, and wyth thaire swerdys maymed hym and gaff hym vij. grete wondys, and toke from hym certayn goodys and catalls, of the whiche he hadde, nor yitte hath, no remedy nor rest.i.tution.
Item, the same day and yere they bete the moder of the same John c.o.ke, she beyng iiij^xx. [_four score_] yere of age and more, and smote hure uppon the crowne of here hed with a swerd; of the whiche hurte she myght never be helyd into the day of hure deth.
Item, John, the sone of Hodge Ratleffe, and other of the sayd felows.h.i.+pp, toke on Thomas Baret of Byrlygham out of his house, and bete hym and wondid hym that he kept his bedde a month, and toke from hym certayn goodes and catells.
Item, the sayd Robert Taillor, because the sayd Thomas Baret complayned of the same betyng, lay in awayte oppon hym, with other of his felous.h.i.+ppe, and bete hym agayn.