said Peter died. And after his death two of the said feoffees,
Richard and John, by the procurement of one John Solas, released
all their estate in the said lands and tenements to the said
Thomas Profyt, on the said conditions, out of the great trust that
they had in the said Thomas Profyt, who was their confessor, that
he would perform the will of the said Peter [at More] in the form
aforesaid; and this well and lawfully to do the said Thomas Profyt
swore on his Verbum Dei and to perform the said conditions on all
points. And since the release was so made, the said Thomas Profyt,
through the scheming and false covin of the said John Solas, has
sold all the lands and tenements aforesaid to the same John Solas
for ever. And the said John Solas is bound to the said Thomas
Profyt in 100 pounds by a bond to make defense of the said lands
and tenements by the bribery (?) and maintenance against every
one; and so by their false interpretation and conspiracy the said
Joan, Nicholas, and Holy Church are like to be disinherited and
put out of their estate and right, as is abovesaid, for ever,
tortiously, against the said conditions, and contrary to the will
of the said Peter [at More]. May it please your most righteous
Lordship to command the said Thomas Profyt, Richard Saundre, and
John Denewy to come before you, and to examine them to tell the
truth of all the said matter, so that the said Joan, who has not
the wherewithal to live, may have her right in the said lands and
tenements, as by the examination before you, most gracious Lord,
shall be found and proved; for God and in way of holy charity.

- - - Chapter 10 - - -

- The Times: 1399-1485 -

This period, which begins with the reign of the usurper King,
Henry IV, is dominated by war: the last half of the 100 year war
with France, which, with the help of Joan of Arc, took all English
land on the continent except the port of Calais, and the War of
the Roses over the throne in England. The ongoing border fights
with Wales and Scotland were fought by England's feudal army. But
for fighting in France, the king paid barons and earls to raise
their own fighting forces. When they returned to England, they
fought to put their candidate on its throne, which had been
unsteady since its usurpation by Henry IV. All the great houses
kept bands of armed retainers. These retainers were given land or
pay or both as wel