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.

46. THOMAS STONOR TO [SIR JOHN FORTESCUE] [30 OCTOBER, 1424]

The reference to "my uncle Belknap" shows that the writer of this letter was Thomas Stonor (d. 1431), whose mother was a daughter of Sir Robert Belknap. The previous document (which is clearly "your son Richard's" in|denture) gives the date 1424, and shows that the letter was addressed to Sir John Fortescue, the father of the Chief Justice: the Chief Justice first appears as "gubernator" at Lincoln's Inn in 1425, so that this letter is perhaps the earliest extant reference to him in his legal career. Richard Fortescue, the judge's younger brother, is noticed on p. 36 above. Wytbury is probably the John Wydbury of Cornwall, who occurs in conjunction with John Crokker of Lyneham, near Ermington, in February, 1422 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Henry V, ii, 423); he may be the same as the John Wydbury of Southampton, squire, who died before February, 1423 (ibid., Henry VI, i, 48). The letter like the foregoing deed seems to be a draft kept by Stonor for reference; this explains the absence of any endorsement. From A.C., xlvi, 37.

Ryth welle belovyd syr, I grete yow well, doyng yow to undurstonde þath yowre son Jon and I beth fully acorded as towchyng to the ferme of the Maner off Ermyngton, as hys endenturys þerof beth enseylyd. And ye shall have þe lawe Court of Mychellmasse last passed. Furþur|more I send yow be the berer of þys letter endenturys betwene yowre sone Rychard and my feffeys, þe wyche ben made be avyse and asent of yowre son Jon: prayinge yow that ye delyver nat the party of þe same endenturys enselyd be my feffeys into the tyme that yowre sone Rychard have enselyd hys party of the same endenturys: and thanne hys party soo enselyd that ye delyver sesyng unto the same Rychard and hys wyff aftyr the fourme of the endenturys: to wyche endenturys lak|keth þe selyng of my uncle Belknap, wyche shall ensele þem whanne he com fro beyonde see. And seeth that yowre forseyde son Rychard duly ensele þe same endenture, for yowre son Jonys honestie hanketh theron. And as towchyng the warde of Wytburyes heyr, and of þe londys, the wyche longen to me, I pray yow that ye soo see þerto that my ryth be saved, that I and my frendus schull have yow thonke therfore. And yf ye see that hyt may lawfully be sesyd þath ye sesed [hyt] ["hyt" afterwards erased.] as my trust ys in yow. Nomore y wryte unto yow at thys tyme, but the holy gost have yow in hys kepyng. I-wrytte at London the Monday nexte be|fore alle-halwenday.

By Thomas Stonore.

No endorsement.