The Stonor letters and papers, 1290-1483; ed. for the Royal historical society, from the origial documents in the Public record office, by Charles Lethbridge Kingsford.

113. WADEHILL TO THOMAS STONOR 17 JANUARY [1471?]

This letter from a servant of John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, was clearly written after the birth of the Duke's eldest son, John, who was probably born in 1464, and before the death of his mother, the Duchess Alice, in May, 1475. The only intervening years in which 17th January fell on a Thursday were 1465 and 1471. The former seems precluded by the mention of "the young ladies," since Suffolk's daughters were probably younger children; though the fact that an adjourned Parliament met in 1465 on 21st January would make this date otherwise suitable. The date 1471 is difficult, since it involves a reference to an otherwise unknown meeting of the Parliament of the Lancastrian Restoration. The Chancellor in both years was George Neville, Archbishop of York, with whom the Stonors had friendly relations. Suffolk, who was married to a sister of Edward IV., would naturally desire to keep away from Court in 1471. From A.C., xlvi, 85.

Worshipfull and my right good maister, I recommende me to youre good maistership: and like you wete þat my lord, and my lady his Moder also, have commaunded me to wryte unto you þat þey bothe hertily desire and prey you, yef ye may in eny wyse or your goyng to London, ye wole take þe laboure as to come hider to speke

with my seid lord and lady for diverse grete matters and causes þat þey wolde speke unto you of. And yef ye may not come hider, þan þat ye wole find þe meane to my lord Chaunceler as to excuse my lord of his comyng not to London at þis time, like as my seid lord was wreten unto by a pryve seall whiche was delivered to him on Munday last passed at vj of þe clokke withynne night at Ewelme, which as your maystership knoweth well was right shorte warnyng, remembring þat þe more parte of my lordes servauntes were sente into Suffolk to þe houshold þere ayens Crystemasse, and þe remenaunt of his servauntes, þat were here awayting, your maystership knoweth well been forthe with my lady, my lordes wyf, into Suffolk to bringe her þider: ffor God knoweth she thought full longe from þe yonge lorde and yonge ladies here childerne, þat been þere. And so my lord might not come at London himself at þis time to his worship, and his servauntes from him: ffor I dare sey he hath here at þis day awayting uppon his lordship not a dosen persones. Nethelese with Goddes grace my seid lord purposeth and woll be and attend at þe Parlement as oþer lordes shall, ffor by þat time his seid servauntes þat be nowe absent woll be with my seid lord ayen here. Wreten in haste þis Thursday xvij day of Januare.

Youre servaunt Wadehill.

To my right worshipfull master, Thomas Stonor.