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.

desyre. And fforder more, Syr, your maystershype shall understonde that ther hys shypyde towarde unto Calys in your name, Syr Wyllm. Stonor, knythe, and Thomas Betson, in the Jhesu off London, John Lolyngton mayster under God, Summa ijm iiij C. xlviij Cottes felles. Forder more your mayster schalle understonde that I sende dow[n]e by John Talbose, your sarvaynte: Itm. your demy gowne off chamelet; Itm. your demy gowne off blake pewke lynde with grene wellffete; truste in a shete. Forder more, Syr, ye shall understonde that masterys Hane hys well amendyde, blesyde by Jhesu, and hys in goode hallthe. Forder more, Syr, your maystershype shall understonde that the hale brewer callys apone me dayly sore ffore monay, the wyche I have wretyn unto your maysterschype affor tyme, the Somma ys v. li. and hode monay, the wyche he besekys your maysterschype that he mythe have some monay in hande unto the tyme that your maysterschype come unto London. All so, Syr, I beseke your maysterschype þat ye wylle remember your brede baker at London, ffor he callys apone me daylle ffor monay, the wyche some hys xxxv. s. and iiij d. No more unto your maysterschype at thys tyme, butt all mythy Jhesu have you in hys kepyng. Wretyn at London the xvj day off Jullii.

It does not seem possible to explain the whole of Howlake's transactions; no doubt there were some things which would have been obvious to his em|ployer but are obscure to us. A comparison with Nos. 2 and 41 in the Cely Papers gives a partial clue. The first figures (xl., xxxij., xxxvij., and j) are the numbers of the serplars (see No. 159 above). Each serplar contained 2½ sacks (ss. di.) with a number of odd cloves. A clove contained 7 lb., and there were 52 cloves to the sack. So the total weight would be 10 sacks + 149 cloves, or 12 sacks 45 cloves; the total weight clear is given, however, as only 11½ sacks 14 cloves. From the Cely Account it appears that in selling a rebate was allowed. In the Cely Account (No. 41) the rebate was 2 cloves on the sack, and fractions of less than half a sack were disregarded; but