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DOCUMENT CAT. NO.3765A

       Bye the Kynge welbeloued, we sende to thee thees lettres from thys man who calle hymself Wyllam Cortenney. We tooke the fyrste lettre from a Seuante who we hence releesed to hys waye. The lettre that folowe com bye a Friare who ys madde or posest. We sende hym to the Bysshop at London for hys tryal. We appoint thee, Mye Loyalle Seruant , Rodger Darlyngton, to establyshe a Commission to brynge sayde lettres vnder examinaccion and to calle anee wytnesses or paypers that are deemed resonable to maak svche examinaccion. Sayde examinaccion to be complete bye ovr retvrn from ovr visitte to ovr College of Cambrigg.

Vnder ovr Signet at ovr Towne of Caen
iij.Maye.MCDXVII

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DOCUMENT CAT. NO.3765B

A.D. xiij Apryll MCDXVII

Mye Soueraygne Lorde Kynge and Majystee

       Ych hatte wrytenne maye yee rede of thys Fryre wat hatte rysenne yn an grete weel vppe to the skye. Ych wyl tele thee of wat thys Fryre seyde and thynges that maak mee hatte an grete drede.
       The Fryre cam to mye Castell bye an mewle. Brynge hee heer anodder manne of noe grete dystynccyon. The Fryre lede hys mewle ynto mye Castell, the manne caryde on yt. Ych thotte hee shold lette the Fryre bee caryde for hee ys veree elde. The manne clamb to the grond and seye to mee Ych hatte kepe them awyle on theer Jornee. The Fryre seye hee konne goe noe moore. Mye Soueraygne Lorde Kynge, he cluched mye cloke yn hys handes and seye hee hatte bene caryde yn an grete weel vppe to the Heuen. Hee sytte on the grond wyth grete agytaccyon. The manne goe to hym and toche hys hede and hee ys calme yn hys bodee. The manne seye to mee Ych notte bleeve the Fryre gonne vppe to the Heuen. Ych thynke the Fryre ys notte an manne to seye wat ys notte trewe.
       Ych speke to the Fryre to tele mee yn wat mannre hee ys rysenne to Heuen as the Sonne of Gottes rysenne vppe. The Fryre, the Hollee Manne of Gottes goe on hys nees to plede mee notte to maak hym speke wat ys an thynge so terybal. The manne take the Fryre bye hys arme and yn gentle mannre lyfte hym vppe. The Fryre bee afeerte of the manne bvt Ych knoe notte yf hee ys yn an spele. Ych seye these thynges to thee the maruel Ych tele of the Fryre and the manne shalle notte astonde thee to thynke mee an wytnese vntrewe.
       Ych hatte the stewarde of mye Castell wat ys a manne of an trewe hart brynge the pylgryms to chambres and prepare an meel of stewe wyth pottes of ale for themme to refreshe. Ych seye theye bee pylgryms bvt knoe notte.
       Manee dawes passe bye bvt the Fryre do notte com fromme hys chambre euen to svppe. Ych goe to hys chambre and knocked vponne hys doore. Hee ansor bvt moste febelee. Ych entre to see hym syttede on hys palette. Ych seye hee hatte notte eten bvt hee lowere hys hede. Hee loke as a manne of dethe, of eys that see notte. Ych konne notte abyde bvt aske hym of the grete weel. Ych bee afeerte hee wyl crye bvt hee do notte. Hee seyde hee wyl tele mee of the grete weel and the manne wat seezed hym on hys Jornee. Hee tele mee thys tayle wat bye hys face Ych knoe yt to bee trewe.
       Hee tele a tayle of an Jornee to the eest ware ovr Sonne ryse eech morne Hee sede hee serched for Prester John and hys Kyngdom bvt fynde yt notte. Ych knoe manee grete mennes serched for the Kyngdom of Prester John and noe manne hatte yt fondes.
       Hee ys on hys waye to hys vilayge for manee wekes. Hee slepe on an bede of sande wyth maruolos skyes ouer hys hede wan an noyse com doon to hym. Hee loked vppe and see an bryte weel lyke the Sonne yn Heuen. Hee hatte svche an fryte hee loos alle yn hys mynde. Wan hee awaked hee ys hye aboue the Erde wyth thys manne and odder mennes lyke hym They speke yn tongs whych maak hym bleeve hee ys wyth Gotte or Satan, hee knoe notte of the too. Hee seyde hee ware so hye hee konne see alle of the Erde and manee ryuers and landes wee no notte. Hee seyde the Erde ys an grete balle and hatte an Oshayne See wat couer yt as an blankett. Ych knoe manee phylosoyphees seye yt bee trewe thoe manee doo notte bleeve yt. Hee seyde hee loked for the Kyngdom of Prester John bvt sene yt notte. The mennes brynge the grete weel to lande neer the Ryuer Nyll wat ende yn the Mydle See. The weel goe vppe agayne to the skye wyth fyre and noyse. The Fryre and the manne remaygne on the Erde. The manne seye to the Fryre hee goe wyth hym on hys jornee. Hee ys to lerne of the Erde afore the grete weel com for hym to take hym to hys Relme.
        Yn thys Ryuer Nyll, theer bee an crocodyll wat konne eet anee manne. The Fryre seye to mee the manne hatte an grete fryte of the crocodyll soo hee knoe hee bee of mortalle fleshe. So afeerte the Fryre and thys manne bee, they trodde a rode to the depe forrest wyth manee maruolous beestes to beholde. Mye soueraygne Kynge and Majystee, mye othe to thee Ych tele trewthe of thees maruels. Theer bee the Bonnacon wat maak wynde wat sete fyre to all the trees abovt yt. Theer bee an Gavlfflyn wat do caree the hede of an manne on the bodee of an Leo Pard and hatte wynges and claws lyke an mytee byrde. Ych tele the Fryre hee sene wat no manne sene and hee shold bee of joyeful mynde to knoe these thynges to be trewe. Ych leve hym yn chambre bvt Ych see hee ete a byte of stewe and drynke of ale wat maak mee feele gladde for hym.
       The Fryre sede trewe mye Lorde and Kynge for hee ys an Hollee Manne and wold notte lye at mee. Thys bee wye Ych hatte an grete drede. Yf the manne take vppe the Fryre to the Heuen, he wold take vppe mee.
       Ych tele thee the manne cam to mee fromme the wal of mye Castell on the morne as the Sonne rysenne fromme the eest. Hee seye hee hatte grete loue for the Erde and yts folkes. Thys manne tele mee hee hatte moor peece than hee hatte sene anee ware on hys jornee yn the Heuens and the Erde. Ych bleeve hee ys sadde to bee heer awaye fromme hys Relme yn the Heuens. Yt maak mee notte as afeert of thys manne as the Fryre bvt Ych hatte notte bene taken vppe bye the grete weel. Ych hatte neuer bene vppe to the skye to see the Erde fromme on hye. Ych bee to the Lande of Arabee onlee an tyme, and welcomd mye Castell wan Ych hatte yt yn mye syte.
       Mye Soueraygne Kynge, Ych wryt no moor of thys manne for hee tele mee hee wyl leve the Erde. Mye harte ys calme for hee seye notte of the Fryre and mee and the grete weel.
       Ych sende thys lettre bye mye moste faythfle seruant wyth manee gyftes of thankes gyuynge fore thye gretenesse.

Bye mye Seele
Ser Wyllam Cortenney

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DOCUMENT CAT. NO.3765C

A.D. xjx. Apryll.MCDXVII

Mye Soueraygne Lorde Kynge and Majystee

       Ych wryt moor wyth grete feer. Mye Mytee Kynge and Majystee, Ych hatte thee a terybal thynge to tele Ych bleeve wee peryshe.
       The grete weel ys ouer mye Castell. Yt maak notte noyse or fyre, yt flotte as an clowd to kepe the Sonne yn the eest and the Sonne yn the weste awaye. Ych doo notte heer yt com, bvt Ych awake to darke wan lyte nede bee vppon vs.
       Thys manne seye to mee wat Ych feer. Hee seye wee haue lyttle tyme afore wee goe awaye yn the grete weel wat take hym to hys Relme. Hee seye wat maak me trembal. Anee manne wat knoe of the grete weel goe awaye on yt farre fromme our Sonne yn the Heuen and the starres wat gyde wee pore trauelers thrve the darke of nyte.
       Ych hatte mannee mennes of armes who konne rleeve hym of hys Soll yf Ych commande yt. Ych knoe hee bee of mortalle fleshe. Ych hatte thys thote bvt manee mennes of mye Castell hatte gonne awaye yn the nyte. Ych loke over the wal to the feldes and the manee folkes hatte flede. Ych bee wyth the Fryre and the manne. Noe odder mennes in mye syte bee. The manne loke at mee wan Ych hatte thys thotte. Hee seye to mee hee knoe wat ys yn mye mynde. Hee seye hee wold brynge the Erde to an ende yf evyll com vppon hym. Noe dystresse konne Ych brynge too thys manne and the grete weel.
       Ych hatte the thotte yf mye Majystee konne snarre the grete weel, yt be sede to the grete glorye of my Lorde Kynge, maye yt bee don, hee canne brynge an grete armee wat flye to warre. The manne tele mee odder kynges hatte tryde to snarre the grete weel and hee hatte them bryngedd to roone and no thynge lyve on bvt yn lore. Yf an grete weel com to thye kyngdom, molleste yt notte or ye wyll suffere as dyd Kyng Vrtheer and hys corte of Cammolette wat ys noe moor and lyke the cortes of the grete Kynges of the Galles at Tarra wat ys noe moor bvt an legende. The mennes of the grete weel toke yt alle awaye to the Heuen. Hee tele mee thys and of manee odder mytee souraygnes and theer cortes wat tryde to brynge harme to yt and hatte bene taken fromme the Erde. Ych thynke the Kyngdom of Prester John hatte thys fayte bvt Ych konne notte brynge mee to aske. Ych wyl lette the Fryre aske for yt bee to mee notte of mye mynde.
       The manne seye hee wyl lette the Fryre remaygne heer on the Erde. The Fryre sauede hym fromme the crocodyll on the Ryuer Nyll. Hee seye the Fryre wyl speke notte of the grete weel, bvt wyl tele alle folkes yn mye landes yt ys an grete hoste of Angelles. Ych thynke the Fryre wold notte lye, bvt, Ych bleeve the Fryre ys yn an spele and bleeve hee speke trewe. The manne tele mee hee hatte lerned alle of the Erde and wyl goe to hys Relme.
       Yt ys the Eve of mye laste dawe oppon the Erde. Wee flye to the Heuen wan Ych see the Sonne com fromme the eest the laste tyme. The Fryre tele mee hee wyl take thys lettre to thee, mye Kynge, for of the morne Ych wyl be gonn fromme thys Erde. Ych knoe notte yf Ych bee yn Heuen or castedd doon to the pytte of Hel.
       The manne knocke vppon mye doore to brynge mee to the grete weel for the Sonne ys rysenne vppe.
       Mye Kynge, doo notte foregette thy seruant Wyllam.
       Ych konne wryt noe moor.

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DOCUMENT CAT. NO.3765D

       Bye the Kynge welbeloued, we receeue thys acconte of the examinaccion bye Mye Loyalle Seruant , Rodger Darlyngton, and hys Commission, of the sayde lettres from the man who calle hymself Wyllam Cortenney. The Commission saye thees lettres bee an evyll wryting, to bee giuen no credytte as trewthe. We knoe not anee grete man named Wyllam Cortenney. We hadde receeued manee tayles of Angelles from the North in ovr toor and ovr visitte to ovr College of Cambrigg. Svche tayles maye brynge disorder to ovr Realme. It bee ovr wysh thees lettres be byrned wyth the Friare who hadde bene brotte to tryal and ys bye the Bysshop condemmed as heretyk to the fyre.

Vnder ovr Signet at ovr Towne of Caen
xxv August.MCDXVII

Copyright 2006 by Ray Regan