[Sidenote: 1487-1502]
Ryght trusty and entierly beloved cosyn, we grete you well, lattyng you
wete hou it is commen un to oure knowlege that where as ze newly entred
upon oure welbeloved Symon Blyant, gentilman, in to the maner of Hemnals
in Cotton, descended and belongyng unto hym by right of enheritaunce, as
it is seid, ze ther upon desired the same Symon to be agreable for hys
part to put all maters of variance thenne dependyng atwene hym and oon
Sir John Paston, Knyght, pretendyng a title unto the seid maner into
th’award and jugement of two lenerd men, by you named and chosen as
arbritrours atwene them; and in case that the same arbritrours of and
upon the premisses neither yave oute nor made suche awarde be for the
brekyng up of Pasche [_Easter_] terme nowe last passed, ze of your owne
offre graunted and promysid unto the seid Symon, as we be enformed, to
restore hym forwyth there upon unto hys possession of the seid maner.
And how it be that the same Symon, at youre mocion and for the pleasir
of youre lordshyp, as he seith, aggreed un to the seid compromyse, and
ther upon brought and shewed hys evydence concernyng, and sufficiently
provyng hys ryght in the seid maner un to the seid arbritrours, and that
they have not made nor yolden out betwene the said parties any suche
awarde; yet have not ze restored the same Symon unto hys possession of
the seid maner, but contynuelly kepe hym owt of the same, wich, yf it so
be, is not only to hys right grete hurt and hinderaunce, but also oure
mervaile. Wherfore we desire and pray you ryght affectueusly that ze
woll the rather at the contemplacion of thees oure lettres, shew unto
the said Symon, in hys rightfull interesse and title in the seid maner
all the favorable lordshyp that ze goodely may, doyng hym to be restored
and put in to hys lawfull and peasible possession of the same, as fer as
reason, equite, and good conscience shall require, and youre seid
promise, in suche wyse that he may undyrstond hym selfe herynne to fare
the better for oure sake, as oure verray trust is in you.
Yeven under oure signet at my Lordes Palois of Westmynstre, the xxv. day
of Juyn.
[ELEZEBETH.][106-1]
Subskrybyd with the Quenys hand.
[Footnote 105-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter and that
which follows, relating to the manor of Cotton, are both quite
uncertain in point of date, except that they cannot be earlier
than 1487, when Sir John Paston was knighted, nor later than 1502,
as the Queen and Sir John Paston himself both died in the year
following.]
[Footnote 106-1: This name is written in a different character,
intended as a representation of the Queen’s signature which it
somewhat resembles. The writing, however, is crossed out. It is
probably the work of the same pen that wrote the words below,
though these are in a smaller hand.]
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