[Sidenote: 1465 / OCT. 17]
On Tuesday in the morwyn whas John Botiller, otherwyse callid John
Palmer, and Davy Arnald your cook, and William Malthows of Aylsham,
takyn at Heylesdon be the balyf of Ey callid Bottisforth, and led for to
Cossey, and ther thei kepe hem yet with ought any warant or autoryte of
Justice of Peas. And thei saye thei will carie hem forth to Ey preson,
and as many as thei may gete more of your men and tenaunts, that thei
may know that owe yow good wyll or hath be to you ward, thei be thret to
be slayn or presoned. The Duke came to Norwich[204.2] on Tuesday at x.
of clok with the nombre of v. hundred men. And he sent after the Meyr
and Alderman with the Sherefs desiryng hem in the Kyngs name that thei
shuld take an enqueraunce of the constablys of every ward with in the
cyte what men shuld a go on your party to have holpyn or socowryd your
men at any tyme of thes gaderyngs, and if any thei cowde fynde, that
thei shuld take and arest hym and correct hym, and also certifie hym the
names on Wyndenesse day [_Wednesday_] be viij. of clok. Which the Meyr
dede, and wull do anythyng that he may for hym and his. And her up on
the Meyr hath arestid on that was with me callid Roberd Lovegold,
braser, and threte hym that he shall be hanged be the nek; wherfor I
wuld that ther myght come down a writ to remeve hym if ye thynk it be to
do. He was not with me not save that Harleston and other mad the
assaught up on me and Lammesse; he is right good and feythfull on to
you, and therfore I wuld he had help. I have non man at this tyme to
avayte upon me that dare be avowyd but Litill John. William Nawton is
here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd, for he is sore thret. It is
told me the old Lady and the Duke is set fervently ageyn us be the
enformacion of Harlesdon, the Bayly of Cossey and Andrewys and Doget the
balys sone, and suych other fals shrewys the which wuld have thes mater
born ought for ther owyn pleser; the which causith an[205.1] evyll noyse
in this contre and other places. And as for Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir
John Wyndefeld and other wurchepfull men ben mad but her
doggeboldes;[205.2] the whiche I suppose wull turne hem to diswurchep
here after. I spake with Sir John Hevenyngham and enformed hym with the
trough of the mater, and of all owyr demenyng at Drayton, and he seid he
wuld that all thyng wer wele, and that he wuld enforme my lord as I seid
to hym, but Harleston had all the words and the rewle with the Duke
here, and after his avyse and Doctor Aleynes he was avysed here at this
tyme.
The logge and the remenaunte of your place was betyn down on Tuesday and
Wednesday, and the Duke rode on Wednysday to Drayton and so for to
Cossey whille the logge at Heylesdon was in the betyng down. And this
nyght at mydnyght Thomas Sleyforth, Grene Porter, and Joh. Botesforth
the Baly of Eye, and other, had a cart and fetched awey fetherbeddes,
and all the stuffe that was left at the parsones, and Thom Wateres hows
to be kept of owrs. I shall send you billes er after, as ner as I may,
what stuffe we have forborn. I pray you send me word how ye will that I
be demened, wheder ye wull that [I][205.3] abide at Cayster or come to
you to London. I have no leyser to write more. God have yow in His
kepyng. Wretyn at Norwich on Sent Lukes Evyn.