And how that ever ye do, hold up your manship.
[Footnote 209.1: [From Fenn, iv. 240.] As to the date of this
letter, we can only reproduce what is said of it by Sir John Fenn:
‘John Wymondham, Esq., the writer of this letter, married Margery,
the daughter of Sir Robert Clifton, Knight, of Denver, in Norfolk,
and widow of Sir Edward Hastings, of Elsing, Knight. He therefore
calls her “My Lady.” He died in 1475.
‘He purchased the manor and estate at Felbrigg, of the trustees of
Sir Simon Felbrigg, where he had resided; but once in his absence
Sir John Felbrigg made a forcible entry, and dragging out his Lady
by the hair of her head, who had locked herself up in a chamber to
keep possession, got into possession, and retained it till
Wymondham obtained the King’s order to Thomas Montgomery, Esq.,
High Sheriff of the county, to put him again into possession. The
dispute was then settled with Sir John Felbrigg, and upon
Wymondham’s paying to him 200 marks [£133 : 6 : 8] he released his
claims, &c.
‘This letter seems to have been written during the time that he
was dispossessed of Felbrigg, and which must have been either
before the year 1461 or 1466, those being the years in which Sir
Thomas Montgomery was Sheriff of Norfolk, and as J. Paston at this
time seems to have been under misfortunes, it was probably near
the latter year. I have therefore ventured, though doubtfully, to
date the letter in 1465.’]
620