Bruce E. Carpenter wrote: > > .... The following is > Calendar of Close Rolls entry for May 16, 1393: > > “John Carpenter of Lavenham ‘draper’ the elder, John Carpenter of Lavenham > ‘draper’ the younger and Thomas Corby of Lavenham ‘fuller’ to Richard Grace > citizen of London and Thomas his son. Recognisance for 20 L. to be levied > etc. in Suffolk. > Defeasance thereof, upon condition that they pay 10 marks on each of the > days named.” > > In a December 7, 139l entry: > > “Memorandum of a mainprise under a pain of 100 L., made in chancery 6 > December this year by Thomas atte Stone of Haddeley, Richard Clerke of > Kersey, John Dyster, Robert Berte, both of Kersey, Robert atte Mede of Ylle, > John Huberd, William Page, both of Ylle, Robert Barewe of Bildeston and > Robert Carpenter of Lavenham, for themselves and each for other under the > same pain, that they shall do or procure no hurt or harm to Richard Walton > of Bishops Lenne, and shall make no unlawful assemblies which tend to > disturbance of the people or breach of the peace.” > > Lavenham is about half way between Norwich and London. In the above we have > reference to all three Carpenter brothers mentioned in the 1441 will of John > Carpenter Town Clerk of London. Both brothers in the same trade indicate a > family run business. Notice the ‘fuller’ mentioned in the same document, > suggesting a possible large-scale production of wool cloth. In an October > 26, 1389 entry one of the brothers appears with an extremely interesting > associate. What is your proof that this John the elder, John the younger, and Robert Carpenter of Lavenham are brothers and identical to the men by the same name in London? John and Robert are very common names, even at this early date. Terry Carpenter