303. THOMAS BANKE TO SIR WILLIAM STONOR 16 JANUARY [1482]
Thomas Banke was an Oxford D.D., who was Rector of Lincoln College 1493-1509, and Commissary of the University in 1501 and 1502. "My lord Edward" was one of the younger sons of John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk. In Oct., 1480, the University desired of Edward IV that he would send his nephew, "the lord Edward Pole," to study at Oxford. They also asked the Bishop of Salisbury to use his influence. In March, 1481, it was reported that the Bishop would bring him there. On 28 March, 1482, the University wrote to the King praising his nephew's gifts of intellect and heart. In another letter in the same year they repeated their praise, and thanked the King "quod Magistrum Stanley, infantem etiam nobilem atque litterarum studiosum illi prenobili nepoti tuo studiorum suorum comitem adjunxeris". Edward de la Pole cannot have been more than fourteen when he went to Oxford. He was Archdeacon of the East Riding from 15 Oct., 1480, to 6 Jan., 1485, when he became Archdeacon of Richmond; he died not long after. (See Epistolae Academicae, ii, 454-6, 462-3, 478, 484.) Master Stanley was James, son of Thomas Stanley (afterwards Earl of Derby). He was first cousin to Sir William Stonor's third wife, Anne Neville, and was somewhat older than Edward de la Pole. He was bishop of Ely from 1506 till his death in 1515 (Dict. Nat. Biog., liv, 70). As to Sutton see No. 280. For Master Edmund see No. 194. The references show that the date of the letter must be either 1482 or 1483. Comparison with the reference to the troubles of Stonor's servants at Oxford in the next letter suggests that the former year is the more likely. From A.C., xlvi, 133.
Pleasyd ȝour maistyrshyp to understond þat I hayff beyn with doctour Sutton, our commyssare, and I dyd shew to hym howe ȝoure maistyr|shyp boyth was and ys dysposyd to þe universite, as in fyndyng and relevyng off divers scolars to þe same and also by relevyng off many oþer suche as cummys to ȝour maistyrshyp at divers tymes in þe ȝere, lyke as Mr. Eadmunde, Mr. Flynte, Mr. Kyckall, and I with oþer moye dyd layte; off whome I desyryd þe commyssare to inquire ȝour worshypfull and gentyll behaveȝour to tham and to iche on off tham, because I wolde he sulde gyff more credens to myn informacyon. Also, syr, I was with my lord Edwarde and maistyr Stanley, and informyd tham in lyke wyse, and dyd shew boyth to my lorde Edwarde, to maistyr Stanley, and to maistyr commyssare, þe delyng and þe behaveȝour off certan
