By the Rev. Canon J. T<L JacJcson, F.S.A. 13 



Stafford shire Whcrfor my fadir chargid me upon his blessing when yt were 

 recovend that I shiilde se that his will were performed and done And now late 

 the seyde Clurch werk ys new bygon And the wardens and rewlers ben come 

 unto London for certeyn causes, they manessyng imenacbig-] and shortely seyin<^ 

 unto myn husbonde and me to sewe [.9«e] and abex [^eo-] and trubill us in the 

 lavves bothe temporall and spirituall for the seid money, dredying us dayle to be 

 arested and enpnsoned to owre utter undoynge with owte your gracious rcmedie 

 m haste Wherefor now showe your mercy and gracious ladyship as I may as 

 your pouer oratrix pray God for youre wele bothe bodyly lyfe and sowle. And 

 for the sowles of my lorde your husbonde and hys progenitors and all crystyan 

 and m the wey of charite. 



" % your pouer Oratrix and bedewoman 

 Alice Swanton dowter late of K. 

 Cheyne." 



A.D. 1469 (9th Edw. IV.) 21st August. Elizabeth, Lady 

 Ferrers, Mortgage of a Gold Chain as security for a Loan. 



[The formality of pledging articles in the reign of Edward IV., 

 contrasts strangely with the shabhy Pawnbroker's Ticket of A.d! 

 1878. In Riley's "Memorials of London/' extracted from the 

 Archives of the City, are several similar instances.] 



T^v'^^u f\*''i''*t? P'°P^^ ^"^ ^^""^ *^^'^ P''^^''°^ letters shall come see or hear 

 Elizabeth lady Ferreres Wydowe send gretyng in oure Lord God. Know ye we 

 the aforesaid Elizabeth to have bargayned and sold the day of making these 

 letters un o Thomas Cokes of London, gentilman, A cheyne of golde weyghing by 

 the weyght of Troye xiiij unc iij gr. and I of an unc', for the somme of xxl of 

 steriing to me therefor well and truly paid To have and to hold the forsaid 

 cheyne of golde to the s^. Thomas to his Executours and Assignees fi-ely 

 and in peas, therewith to do his own free-will for evermore without eny Reclayme* 

 perturbance or lettyng of me the forsaid Eliz'" or eny other in tyme comminff 

 Nevertheless the said Thomas graunteth by these present letters that when the 

 said Ehzabeth doth pay unto the s". Thos. or his Attourney or Exeeutoui-s £xx 

 of sterling on the xxvii"- dale of August next comming after the date of this 

 present wrytmg without eny further delay that than (the said gold cheyne) shaU 

 be delyvered ag.yn by the seyd Thomas or his executoi^ to me the seyd Ehzabeth 

 or to myn Att. [.? attorney, appointed to receive] the said paiement And vf I 

 the seyd Elizabeth fayle or yf defaulte be made in paying the seyd xx£ on the 

 seyd day of payment thereof that than the seyd graunte by the saide Thomas 

 made to me the seyd Elizabeth of the deliverance of the seyde cheyne of gold be 

 voyde and had for naught And than I the said Elizabeth woU and graunte and 

 do bynde me by thus present Wryting for to warraunte the said bargayn and sale 

 of the said cheyne of gold to the said Thomas his executors and assignees a^eynst 

 all manner persons for evermore. In witnesse whereof I the forsaide Elizabeth 

 to this present wryting have sett my seall the xxi- day of the moneth of August 

 the ix'" yere of the reigne of King Edward the Fourth." 



