WIGMORE CASTLE, HEREFORDSHIRE. 84? 



licrtcly blessyng ; thrugh whiche we trust muche the rather to 

 encrces and growe to vertu, and to spede the better in all matiers 

 and things that we schall use, occupie, and exercise. Ryght hiegh 

 and ryght myghty prince, our ful redouted lorde and ffadur, we 

 thanke our blessed Lorde, not oonly of your honourable conduite 

 and good spede in all your matiers and besynesse, and of your gra- 

 cious prevaile ayenst thentent and malice of your evilwillers, but 

 also of the knowelege that hit pleased your nobley to lete us nowe 

 late have of the same by relacion of Syr Watier Deureux, knj'^ght,* 

 and John IMilewatier, squier, and John at Nokes, yemon of your 

 honorable chambur. Also, we thonke your noblesse and good ffa- 

 durhood of our grene gownes now late sende unto us, to our grete 

 comfort ; beseching your good lordeschip to remembre our porteux,t 

 and that we myght have summe fyne bonetts sende un to us by the 

 next scure mesigr., for necessite so requireth. Overe this, ryght 

 noble lorde and ffadur, please hit your highnesse to witte that we 

 have charged your servant, William Smyth, berer of thces, for to 

 declare un to your nobley certayne things on our behalf, namely, 

 concernyng and touching the odieux reule and demenyng of Richard 

 Crofte, and of his brother. J Wherefore we beseche your graciousse 

 lordeschip and full noble ffadurhood to here him in exposicion of 

 the same, and to his relacion to yeve ful feith and credence. Ryght 

 hiegh and ryght myghty prince, our ful redouted and ryght noble 

 lorde and ffadur, we beseche almighty Jhu yeve yowe as good lyfe 

 and long, with as muche contenual perfite prosperite, as your 

 princely hert can best desir. Written at your castill of Lodelowe, 

 on Setursday in the Astur week. — Your humble sonnes, 



E. JMarch and E. Rutlande.lT 

 William of Wyrcester§ informs us that among those who in- 

 tended to repair to Wigmore Castle was Tresham, late speaker of 

 the House of Commons, one of Suffolk's most determined opposers. 

 Whilst on the way thither, he was suddenly attacked by one hun- 

 dred and sixty armed men belonging to Lord Grey de Ruthyn, who 

 put him to death while he was repeating his matins to the Virgin, || 

 at Multon Park, near Northampton, on the 22nd of September 



• Of Herefordshire, 

 -j- IJreviaries. 



X Of Croft caslle, near Wigtnore, Herefordshire. 

 % Cott., Lib. Vesp., f. iii., fol. 9, — from Ellis, Original Lctteis. 

 § Annales Rerum Anglic, p. 472 et seq., from whom the following account 

 is taken. 

 Ij Parliament Rolls. 



