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.

183. JOHN CROKE TO WILLIAM STONOR [? 1477]

Elizabeth Stonor had two brothers called John; the writer must be John the elder, since John the younger was apparently under age when their father died in the autumn of 1477 (between 26 Sept. and 19 Nov.). John Croke, the elder, married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Coton, Esq., of Warwick|shire (will ap. P.C.C., 21 Logge). Since his father was still alive the date of this letter cannot be later than September, 1477. From the reference to the Fenns and Stepney it was probably not more than a year earlier than No. 213. The John Fenn of this letter is presumably the father of Stonor's wards—see vol. i, p. xxix. Hugh Fenn was his cousin and overseer of his will, and is perhaps to be identified with the Hugh Fenn of the Paston Letters. From A.C., xlvi, 92.

Rigth Reverent and worschypfull and myen especiall good mayster and broder, worschypfull and myen especiall good and lovyng suster, y recommaunde me unto you in the most hertly wyesse þat y kan, and thankyng you of your grete cher done unto me at my laste beyng with you, and at many odyr tymes: also for your letter wyche you sent unto me tochyng thys mater of Geffrey Poole, the wyche mater you schall understond y moved to my fader, schowyng to hym that Wylliam Dauers first broke the mater unto me and wyllyd me to go on to take a syett of þe Gentylwoman, and also what communicacion was betwen Walter Rollines and Geffrey Poole, and how apon þat mocion it pleasyd you to send for me at your charge and coste, and how þat it pleasyd you to tak the labour, when y was with you, for to go over to Geffrey Poolle: y towld ferdermore how y spoke with Geffrey Pole, and sawe hys dowter, and of such chere as y had þer &c. And my fader held hym very welle content with it, and thankyth you hertly of your kyendnes and gret labour in the mater, and prayth you, and so do y, iff you thynk it wyll be so profytable as it have be spoken for, to contynew my good mayster. And syr, iff Wylliam Dauers or any odyr move unto me more in þat mater, y schall herre þerin, and, as they sey and as y do þerin, y schall send you worde, &c. Ferdermore, syr, as tochyng your own maters at Steppneth you schall understond þat all such persones as tooke the surrender of Hew Fen to your veoffees have testyfyed the sayed surrender afor Merkys, the Byschopys Steward: and the Steward seyd unto me þat of all such parcell wych Hew Fen was jointly seasyd with John Fen he wolld þat y schold labour owt your copyes, paying

your ffyn as it schull be ascessyd: but he·seyth that þe garden with xv acres in crofftys, wyche was purchasyd of on callyd Poole, and also cottage with a curtelage in Blechenall Grene with iiij acres of lond, if John Fen died soole seased of them, and after the costum of the Maner moste go unto þe next heyr and not to you. Syr, y answerd hym as to how thys parcell that Hew Fen had a joint estat in þem with John Fen &c. And syr, I know certenly þat you have a copy consernyng the garden with xij acres lond, wyche proveth þat Hew Fen had a joint estat with John Fen in þe same lond: wherfore it is nessessary for you þat y have all your copyes to scho unto the Steward as it is in dede, or elles it wyll be your hurt &c. Syr, y wyll awyse you as schortly as you kan to send to my broder Stoker and to my fader that they may labour for your fyne to make it as ease as it wyll be, and to pay it: for unto that be don the lord wyll reteyn your lond in hys hond &c. Syr, I have spoken with Redley for to have let owt your plase of Steppneth unto my lady of Summersed, and he seyth that sche is purveyd at Chelchess in the bysschop of Salsberyes place. No mor to you at thys tyme, but Jhesu preserve and kepe you.

By your servaunt and Broder John Croke.

To my Rigth worsschypfull and especial good broder, Willm. Stonore, be thys letter delyvered.