By the Rev. Canon J. M. Jackson,, F.S.A. 



13 



Stafford shire Wherfor my fadir chargid mo upon his blessing when yt were 

 recoverid thai I shulde so that his will wove performed and done And now late 

 the seyde Chirch work ys new bygon And the wardens and rewlers ben come 

 onto London Eorcerteyn causes, they manessyng [menacing] and shortely seying 

 unto myn husbonde and me to sewe [sue] and abox [vex] and trubill us in the 

 lauvs bothe temporal] and spiritual! for the seid money, dredying us dayle to be 

 arested and enprisoned to owre utter undoynge with owte your gracious remedie 

 in 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 sowlos of my Lorde your husbonde and hys progenitors and all crystyan 

 and in the wey of charite. 



" By your pouer Oratrix and bedewoman 

 Alice Swanton dowter late of R. 

 Cheyne." 



A.D. 14-69 (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 shabby Pawnbroker's Ticket of A.D. 

 1S78. In Riley's " Memorials of London/'' extracted from the 

 Archives of the City, are several similar instances.] 



" To all cristen people to whom these present 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 unto Thomas Cokes of London, gentilman, A cheyne of golde weyghing by 

 the weyght of Troye xiiij unc iij gr. and \ of an unc', for the somme of xx£ of 

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

 cheyne of golde to the s d . Thomas to his Execntours and Assignees frely . 

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

 perturbance or lettyng of me the forsaid Eliz th or eny other in tyme comming. 

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

 said Elizabeth doth pay unto the s d . Thos. or his Attourney or Executours £xx 

 of sterling on the xxvii th daie of August next comming after the date of this 

 present wryting without eny further delay that than (the said gold cheyne) shall 

 be delyvered agiyn by the seyd Thomas or his executors to me the seyd Elizabeth 

 or to myn Att. [? attorney, appointed to receive] the said paiement And yf 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 woll and graunte aud 

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

 of the said cheyne of gold to the said Thomas his executors and assignees ageynst 

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

 to this present wryting have sett my seall the xxi st day of the nioneth of August 

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



