SC 1/53/119; The National Archives, Kew, London
Contents |
Hanham Transcription and Notes
Letter #165 by Alison Hanham in The Cely Letters 1472-1488.
Malden Transcription
Paper #89 by Henry Elliot Malden in The Cely Papers 1475-1488.
Out of copyright.
Anno Jhesu Mliiijciiijxxij
Ruight interly whelbelovyd brothe I recomende me harttely unto yow informing yow at the makyng of thys howr mother brother my godfather and the howsowlde ar in goode heyll thankyd be the good Loorde Syr the same day that I departtyd into Cottesowlde I ressayvyd a letter frome yow wryte at Calles the xiiij day of Aprell wher in I fynde the inuiatory of syche godes that whos howr fathers and mony on that syd of the see Syr I spake not wyth the byschopys ofesars syn that I ressayvyd yowr letter when I spake laste wt them they sayd that awlthynges schulde abyd yowr cwmyng I wndyrstonde be your letter that ze wyll make howyr abowe vcli I hawhe beyn in Cottysowllde thys iij whekys and packyd wt Wylliam Mydwyntter xxij sarplers and a poke where of be iiij mydyll Wylliam Bretten saye hyt ys the fareste woll that he saw thys zeyr and I packyd iiij sarplers at Camden of the same bargeyn wher ar ij good ij mydyll ther wylbe in aull wt blottes apon xxvij or xxviij sarplers wholl. Syr I cannot hawhe Wylliam Mydwynttyrs fellys undyr iijli xld the c. and I schaull [hawhe them I] go to that pryse I pray yow send me a letter schorttely Syr I hawhe bohyt in Cottyswolde apon the poynt vijMl resenabyll good fellz and I pay iijli I can gehet noyn undyr Syr I whryte to yow a prosses I pray God send ther of good heynd the same day that I come to Norlache on a Sonday befor mattens frome Kurforde Wylliam Mydwyntter wyllecwmyd me and in howr comynycacyon he askyd me hefe I wher in any whay of maryayge I towlde hyme nay and he informeyd me that ther whos a zeunge genttyll whoman hos father ys name ys Lemryke and her mother ys deyd and sche schaull dispend be her moter xlli a ze as thay say in the contre and her father ys the gretteste rewlar as rycheste mane in that conttre and ther hawhe bene grete genttyllmen to sey and wholde hawhe her and hewyr matens wher done Wylliam Mydwynter had mevyd thys mater to the gretteste mane a bot the gentylam Lemeryke and he zeyd and informyd the forsayd of aull the matter and the zewng gentyll woman bothe and the Sattyrday aftyr Wylliam Mydwyntter whent to Lonon as aull wholl getherars wher sent for too be wryt be the men of Pettyt for in wynde and grete markyng and thay hawhe day to cwm [agen] at Myhellmas. When I had packyd at Camden and Wylliam Mydwyntter parttyd I came to Norlache ageyn to make a nende of packyng and on Sonday nexte aftyr the same mane that Wylliam Mydwyntter brake fyrste to cam me and telde me that he had brokyn to hys master acordyng as Mydwyntter desyryde hym and he sayd his master whos ryght [we]ll plesyde ther whothe and the same mane sayd to me hefe I whowllde tary May day I schulde hawhe a syte of the zuenge gentyllwhoman and I sayd I wholld tary wt a good wyll and the same day her father schul a syttyn at Norlache for the Kyng byt he sent whon of hys clarkys and rod hymselfe to Wynchecwmme and to mattens the same day come the zewnge gentyll whoman and her mother i law and I and Wylliam Bretten wher seyng mattens when thay come in to chyrche and when mattens whos done thay whente to a kynnys whoman of the zewnge gentty woman and I sent them a pottell of whyte romany and thay toke hyt thankefully for thay had cwm a myle a fote that monyng and when mes whos done I come and whellcwmyd them and kyssyd them and they thankyd me and they made me promys to drynke wt them after dyner and I sent them to dyner a galon whyne and they sent me a heron sew roste and aftyr dyner I cwm and dranke wt them and toke Wylliam Bretten wt me and whe had ryught gode commynecacyon and the person plesethyde me whell as be the fyrste comenycacyon sche ys zewnge lytyll and whery whellfavyrd and whytty and the contre spekys myche gode by hyr. Syr aull thys matter abydythe the cwmyng of her father to London that whe may wndyrstone what some he wyll departe wt and how he lykys me he wyll be heyr wtin iij whekes I pray send me a letter how ze thynke be thys matter Heyr has beyn whyt my mother Myhell Koke and hys whyfe from Zoerke and my mother and I hawhe made them gret scheyr and my mother has gweyn to Myhellz wyke a cremsyn goune of hyr wheryng and sche has prayd me to whrayt to yow to by for her a for of callo. . . .for to lay in the same gowne and hys Kokys whyfe and sche prays yow to by for them x a fyne mynkes as ze can fynde in the marte and ze schawl be plesyd for them I schawll send to Calles be Robard Heryke at thys Whyttisontyd the byll of xiijs iiijd hyt amwntys to xvli vjs viijd and payde I undyrstonde be Wylliam [Celys] letter that ze hawe whryttyng frome my lorde of Sent Jonys I pray yow sned me partte of your tydyng I sent to yow the laste that I had Syr thay hawhe begwn to schype at London and aull howr whooll and fell ys hyt in Cottysowlde sawhe iiij sarplers therfor whe can do nothyng at thys tyme. Syr I thynke mony wyll be gode at thys marte for the Kyng has sente to the mercars and lette them what that he wylle hawe iij whystylles whon at Bregys another at Callez the thyrd at London and as I am informyd what merchand of the stapell that fellys hys whe he may be what whar that he wyll ageyn and thay that by nowhar schaull brynge in ther mony into the Kynges wystyll at Bregys ar Calles and be payd at London at a monythe day and the mony schawlbe stablyschyd at viijs the mercars be not conttent therwt. I pray yow remembyr howyr bowys. No mor. Whryt at London the xiij day of May.
per Rychard Cely.
Addressed: To my riught whellbelovyd George Cely merchand of the Stapell at Calleys or at the Marte be thys dd.
On the Dorse: Billes and letteres of Anno Mliiijciiijxx ij super viset.
Malden Notes
- Norlache: Northleach.
- Kurforde: Perhaps Burford. [Hanham transcribes this as Burforde]
- Wynchecwmme: Winchcombe, in Gloucestershire.
- Zoerke: York
- my lorde of Sent Jonys: Sir John Weston
- whystylles: Wissel, in Flemish, ‘An exchange for money’. See November 5, 1481.
Modernization
By Nicholas Adams.
Year of Jesus 1482
Right eternally beloved brother, I recommend myself heartily to you, informing you, at the writing of this, our mother, brother, my godfather and the household are in good health, thanks be to the good Lord. Sir, the same day that I departed to the Cotswolds, I received a letter from you, written at Calais the 14th day of April, wherein I found the inventory of such goods that are our fathers and the money on that side of the sea. Sir, I spoke not with the bishop’s officers since I received your letter. When I last spoke with them, they said that all things should abide your coming. I understand by your letter that you will make over above £500. I have been in the Cotswolds these 3 weeks and packed with Wylliam Mydwynter 22 sarplers and a poke of which 4 are middle. Wylliam Bretten says it is the fairest wool that he saw this year, and I packed 4 sarplers at Campden of the same bargain, where 2 are good and 2 middle. There will be in all, with blotts, about 27 or 28 sarplers of wool. Sir, I cannot have Wylliam Mydwynter’s fells under £3 40d per 100, and I shall have them I go to that price. I pray you send me a letter shortly. Sir, I have bought in the Cotswolds about 7,000 reasonably good fells and I paid £3. I can get none under.
[Editor’s formatting to highlight the tale.]
Sir, I write to you a tale: I pray God sends it a good end. The same day that I came to Northleach, on a Sunday, before matins from Burford, Wylliam Mydwynter welcomed me and in our conversation he asked me if I were in any way of marriage. I told him no and he informed me that there was a young gentlewoman whose father is named Lemryke and her mother is dead, and she shall receive by her mother £40 a year, as they say in that country, and her father is the greatest ruler and richest man in that country, and there have been great gentlemen to see her and would have her, etc. And when matins were done, Wyliiam Mydwynter had moved this matter to the greatest man-servant about the gentleman Lemeryke, and he said and informed the forsaid of all the matter, and the young gentlewoman, both, and the Saturday after Wylliam Mydwynter went to London as all wool gatherers were sent for by writ by the men of Pettyt for inwinding and great marking, and they have a day to come again at Michaelmas.
Year of Jesus 1482
When I had packed at Campden and Wylliam Mydwynter departed, I came to Northleach again to make an end of packing, and on the next Sunday after the same man that Wylliam Mydwynter first broke [the matter] to came to me and told me that he had broken to his master, according to what Mydwynter desired of him, and he said his master was right well pleased therewith, and the same man said to me if I would tarry until May Day, I should have a sight of the young gentlewoman, and I said I would tarry with a good will, and the same day her father should have sat at Northleach for the King, but he sent one of his clerks and rode himself to Winchcombe, and to matins on the same day came the young gentle woman and her mother-in-law, and I and Wylliam Bretten were saying matins when they came into church, and when matins was done they went to a kinswoman of the young gentlewoman, and I sent to them a pottell of white rumney, and they took it thankfully for they had come a mile on foot that morning, and when Mass was done I came and welcomed them and kissed them, and they thanked me for the wine and prayed me to come to dinner with them, and I excused myself, and they made me promise them to drink with them after dinner, and I sent them at dinner a gallon of wine, and they sent me a roast heronsew, and after dinner I came and drank with them and took Wylliam Bretten with me, and we had a right good conversation, and the person pleased me well as at our first communication. She is young, little, and very well favoured and witty, and the country speaks much good of her. Sir, all this matter awaits the coming of her father to London so that we may understand what sum he will depart with, and how he likes me. He will be here within 3 weeks. I pray send me a letter how you think on this matter.
Year of Jesus 1482
Myhell Koke and his wife from York have been here with my mother, and my mother and I have given them great cheer, and my mother has given to Myhell’s wife a crimson gown for her yo wear and she has prayed me to write to you to buy for her a fur of calabria to be laid in the same gown, and Koke’s wife and she pray you to buy for them 10 as fine minks as you can find in the marte and you shall be pleased for them. I shall send to Calais by Robard Heryke at this Whitsuntide the bill of 8s 4d: it amounts to £15 6s 8d and is paid. I understand from Wylliam Cely’s letter that you have writing from my lord of Saint John. I pray you send me part of your tidings: I sent to you the last that I had. Sir, they have begun to ship at London and all our wool and fell is in the Cotswolds, save 4 sarplers. Therefore we can do nothing at this time. Sir, I think money will be good at this marte for the King has sent to the mercers and let them know he will have 3 Wissels, one at Brugge, another at Calias, the third at London, and, as I am informed, any merchant of the Staple that sells his wool may buy any wares that he will again, and they that buy no wares shall bring in their money into the King;s Wissel at Brugge or Calais, and be paid at London at a month’s day, and the money shall be stabilised at 8s. The mercers are not content therewith. I pray you remember our bows. No more. Written at London the 13th day of May.
by Richard Cely.
Addressed: To my right well beloved brother George Cely, merchant of the Staple, at Calais or at the Marte be this delivered.
Dorse: Bills and letters of 1482 will be seen above.