To my Moodre.
Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid hym, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in ryght schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on hys sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and hys other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and in no joparte off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my lyberte iff nede bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben troblyd syns, but nowe I undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell, Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and Bothe.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell, the Lord Saye, Sir Omffrey Bowghsher off owr contre, whyche is a sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe partyes to the nombre off mor then a ml.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre, and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr warde, to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn Lomner, and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes, iff I had hadde nede, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys monthe; the peple heer feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym that made all, and can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Hym sylff as mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme; and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastely to see yow.
All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all undon, nor noon off us; and iff otherwyse, then, &c. &c.
To my Moodre.
Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid hym, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in ryght schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on hys sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and hys other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and in no joparte off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my lyberte iff nede bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben troblyd syns, but nowe I undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell, Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and Bothe.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell, the Lord Saye, Sir Omffrey Bowghsher off owr contre, whyche is a sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe partyes to the nombre off mor then a ml.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre, and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr warde, to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn Lomner, and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes, iff I had hadde nede, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys monthe; the peple heer feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym that made all, and can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Hym sylff as mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme; and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastely to see yow.
All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all undon, nor noon off us; and iff otherwyse, then, &c. &c.
To my Moodre.
Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid hym, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in ryght schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on hys sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and hys other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and in no joparte off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my lyberte iff nede bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben troblyd syns, but nowe I undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell, Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and Bothe.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell, the Lord Saye, Sir Omffrey Bowghsher off owr contre, whyche is a sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe partyes to the nombre off mor then a ml.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre, and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr warde, to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn Lomner, and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes, iff I had hadde nede, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys monthe; the peple heer feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym that made all, and can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Hym sylff as mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme; and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastely to see yow.
All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all undon, nor noon off us; and iff otherwyse, then, &c. &c.
To my Moodre.
Moodre, I recomande me to you, letyng you wette that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the less he is hurt with an arow on his right arme, be nethe the elbow; and I have sent him a serjon, which hathe dressid him, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in right schort time. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on his soul! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and his other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blessed be God; and in no joparte off my lyffe, as me [please/wish] my self; for I am at my lyberte iff need bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for him and me both. Neverthelesse we have [be/been] troblyd syns, but now I undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
There was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a mile ffrom Barnet, on Esterne Day, the Earl of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell, Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and Both.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell, the Lord Saye, Sir Omffrey Bowghsher off owr contre, which is a [badly/sorely] moonyd man her, and other peple off both partyes to the nombre off more then a ml.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr soon in the west contre, and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next day, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr ward, to dryve her out again.
Item, I beseech you that I may be recomendyd to my cousin Lomner, and to thanke him ffor his good wyll to me wardes, iff I had had need, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseech you on my behalve to advyse him to be well ware off his delyng or language as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur you, is right qwesye, as you schall know with in thys monthe; the peple hear feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Him selffe marvelouslye like Him that made all, and can undoo again whan Him [please/wish]; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Him sylff as mervylous again, and that in schort time; and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis like.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn him to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe you remembre him, ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Written at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastily to see you.
All thys bill most be secrett. Be you not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all undon, nor no off us; and iff otherwyse, then, etc.. etc..
To my mother.
Mother, I hope you are well. I need to tell you that, thanks be to God, my brother John is alive and is doing well and in no danger of death. Nevertheless, he is injured with an arrow in his right arm below the elbow, and I have sent him a surgeon who has dressed the wound, and he tells me he will be all right before long.
Also John Milsent is dead - God have mercy on his soul. William Milsent is alive, and his other servants have most likely escaped.
As for myself, I am well - blessed be God - and in no danger of losing my life if I give myself up. I am at liberty if need be.
My Lord Archbishop is in the Tower, but I trust to God that he will do well enough. He has safe conduct for both of us. Although we have had trouble, I believe he has a pardon, and we hope for the best.
Killed on this battlefield, half a mile from Barnet and on Easter Day, were the Earl of Warwick, the Marquis Montagu, Sir William Tyrell, Sir Lewis John and various other squires of the county, Godmanston and Booth.
Killed on King Edward's side were the Lord Cromwell, Lord Say, Sir Humphrey Bourchier of our county, who are grievously lamented here - and a total of a further thousand people on both sides.
As for other news, we think Queen Margaret has landed, with her son, in the West Country, and I believe that tomorrow or the next day King Edward will leave here in order to drive her out again.
Please remember me to my cousin Lomnor and to thank him for his offer of help if I should need it. Please, for my sake, warn him to be careful about what he does or says, because the world is a very uncertain place, as you will see within a month. People are very afraid.
God has shown himself as the One who made everything and who can unmake it when he desires, and I believe in all likelihood that He will quickly show himself marvellous once again, as He has done in many similar cases.
I have provided for my brother as well as I can, and more, but please remember him, for I cannot provide for myself as well.
Written in London the Thursday after Easter. I hope to see you soon - this note must be kept secret. Do not be afraid of the world, for I trust all will be well. If things continue as they are, I am not undone, and nor are any of us. If things change, then...
