Appendix IV
The letter is held at The National Archives, under entry PRO SC1/51/147, and reads as follows:
William Catesby to Master John Assheby:
Right trusty and my right special friend I recommend me to you as heartedly as I can and thank you in my most tender wise of your great kindness that I have found with you at all times. And forasmuch as Sir John Barre has moved to my lady of Shrewsbury that there might be writing of such communications as be appointed between my lady Dame Joan and me, which me thinks needs not, because, as for the jointure, as soon as the marriage is done estate shall be made to her in all goodly haste possible, and as for she desires to have ‘Sic[er]teyn’ for her own finding which is a place I wene of value 20 marks she shall not need to mistrust me for she shall have that and more too for me. Nevertheless, I pray you that you will speak with her and if it shall please her that these points or any other that I agreed to shall be put in writing I will agree thereto with right a good will to her pleasure, how be it it shall never need her to mistrust me, and this I am agreed with my lady of Shrewbury and with Sir John Barre to make writing indented between my lady of Shrewsbury and me of as many points as my lady Dame Jane will desire that she and I were agreed of and that you will say unto her that I prayed her that she would write to my lady of Shrewsbury her intent by the bringer of this, also that it may please her to send me word either by writing or by mouth by the bringer of this her intent. And as for the marriage me thinks that the Sunday fortnight Trinity Sunday is over is a good day, for I shall not ‘mow attend arft’ for divers causes which I shall tell her and to which day my lady of Shrewsbury and her brother both be agreed to and she would the same and that it may be kept ‘privey’ because it shall be do prively and that she will send to me measures of such garments as she will have made and other stuff for other things that she will have made as ‘Tyr[us]’. And that you will say to her that it please her to give credence to my servant Edmund the bringer of this of such thing as he shall speak with her, me and Jesus have you in his keeping.
Written in haste at London Friday after Holy Rood day.
Your true friend William Catesby.