The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was dated as the 16 th October. It was a payment for fur to use on Sir Henry's gown. The entry added that the fur was purchased at Birmingham and the costs also included John Lewissay’s expenses for undertaking this task on behalf of his master. The amount was 10 shillings and thruppence, which was the equivalent of about £226.15 today or, at that time, at least one stone of wool. By the 152

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby for 1525 was dated as the 26th October. It was described as a payment to Lewis ap John for his costs to go to Wales. The amount was 3 shillings and 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £73.55 today and comparative at that time to 5 days wages for a skilled tradesman. This is the only entry that can be clearly attached to Lewis. Lewis ap John is a Welsh name, however, because John Lewissay, who wa

The Middleton Manuscripts contains a letter that bears the date the 28th October and, due to its contents, must have been written between 1575 and 1583 although its precise year is unknown. It was written by a man called Marmion to Sir Francis I Willoughby. Marmion, who at that time was the servant of Elizabeth (Bess of Hardwick), Countess of Shrewsbury, was writing of his desire to enter the service of Sir Francis. In this letter Marmion told Sir Francis of events in the Cou

The next two entries in the Middleton household accounts of 1525 were dated as the 26 th November. They were described as Sir Henry Willoughby’s offering at William Slade’s wedding and Sir Henry’s reward to William Slade when William was married. The amount for the first was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today, and the amount for the second was two shillings, which was the equivalent of about £44.13 today. There are others with the surname of Slade that