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.

Jhesus. A^no xviii^o.

Right honorable and worshipffull Sir, and my right synguler good mayster, I recommand me unto your good maystershipe in the mooste loffyngest wyse þat my hart can thynnke, be my trouth: thankynge your maystershipe right hartely off your curtesse and loffynge letter, the which I have resseyvid by my M. your brodyr John Croke. And in the same letter I undyrstond by the worshipffull reporte off your mayster|shipe the havyors off my Cussen Kateryn unto you, to my lady your wiffe and to all oþer &c.: and truly it is to me right joyffull and com|ffortable gladnes so to here off hir, and I besech our blissid lord ever to preserve hir in all vertu and good lyffynge to his plesour, and to reward your maystershipe with hevene at your endynge ffor your good disposi|sion to hir wardes in good exortasions gyffynge: and þat I wote well off old, or elles truly she cowd nat be off that disposision vertuous and goodly, hir youthe remembrid and consederyd. And sir, þus as it hath lykid your maystershipe to commaunde me to come unto Stonor to se my best belovid &c, and also to make me mery, unto the which your maystershipe saith I shall be hartly welcume, and so my lady, your wiffe, affermes the same as ye wryte it: Right worshipffull sir, I know it ffull well off old, ffor so I have ffull oftyn tymes preve it and nat gretely off me deservid, but God knowith myn hart and myn entent what I intend to my power and ever hath done: and sir, I besech your maystershipe to pardone me ffor a whyle and to hold me exscused, and as sone as I can I shall cumme and se your wellffare. I thynge longe, so God help me, till I come, but be my trouth my labour and besynes is such and will be a whyle, þat I can nat as yit with myn ease cum: and þerffore Sir, I besech you now to helpe me and to be my good mayster and exscuse me, þer as your maystershipe shall thynnke best. And sir, in good ffeyth I am verry glad that my lady is so well amendid off hir helth, and in lyke wyse the children. I besech God ffor his

mercy and our blissid lady to send your maystershipe and all youres as well to ffare as I wold myn owneselff, and to preserve you in vertuous lyffynge, and also to send you sad remembraunce off all good begynnynge, and þan with owte dowte ye shall make with Godes helpe a worship|full endynge to Godes plesour and to þe honour and worshipe off all them þat loffe you hartely. Sir, I am to bold thus to wryte, but God knowith myn hart, and som whattes I am infformed off the towardnes off your good disposision, what ye intend: I shall dayly praye hartely to God to be your good spede in all your such proffytable workes: yff ye contenew your intent ye shall be glad þerof or this day iij yere. I ffare lyke a sory pyper, whanne I begynne I can nat leve: but yit ones agayn our blissid Lord be your sped and your helpe. Le xxiiij jour de Juyn.

Be your servant Thomas Betson.

[In dorso] Sir, Remembre your maystershipe well, what ye have written off my Cossen Kateryn, truly I shall whanne I speke with hir tell hir every word, and yff I ffynd the contrarye our vycar here, so God helpe me, shall crye owte upon h[ir] within this x wekes and lesse, and by that tyme I shall be redy in every poy[nt] with Godes grace, and so I wold she were, ffor sothe ye may beleve me off it.

To the right honorable and my right spescyall good mayster, Sir William Stonor, knyght, soyt dd.

Notes

• thynke.