The facts surrounding Radford's murder are recorded in the petition for justice made by his executor John Radford to King Henry VI, preserved in the
National Archives at
Kew and summarised contemporaneously as follows: :Petition stating that Nicholas Radford was a justice of the Peace by the king's commission and was possessed of great zeal to pursue evil-doers. On Thursday 23 October in 34th year of the reign, Radford was at his place called Uppecote in Cadleleigh and was in the king's peace, and
Thomas Courtenay came with others bearing arms and attacked Radford's place and set the gates of the place on fire. Radford came and admitted them after Courtenay (said) that he and his goods would be preserved. While Courtenay distracted Radford, the men stripped the place, turning Radford's sick wife out of bed and carrying all away. Afterwards Courtenay said that he had to take Radford to his father and then departed. Philip and the others then struck Radford on the head with a
glaive so that his brain fell out and cut his throat. Afterwards at his burial when his body lay in his chapel, Henry Courtenay came with others and took upon him the office of coroner and held an inquest without authority. Afterwards they cast his body from the coffin into the grave and threw the stones conveyed there for Radford's tomb onto the body crushing it. Justice is requested for the ... so that an example is not set if the murder, felony and robbery pass unpunished". The petition is endorsed by the king in the standard form of acceptance:
"Let it be done as he requests".
Paston Letters narrative Several contemporary accounts record in tones of shock and horror, unusual during the times of blunted sensitivities of the fifteenth century, this murder and the following mock-funeral and coroner's inquest accompanied by the singing of highly inappropriate songs. The
Paston Letters include a letter dated 28 October 1455 from James Gresham to John Paston as follows: :''"Also there is gret varyance bytwene the Erll of Devenshire and the Lord Bonvyle, as hath be many day, and meche debat is like to growe therby; for on Thursday at nyght last passed, the Erll of Denshyres sone and heir come with LX men of armes to Radford's place in Devenshire, whiche was of counseil with my Lord Bonvyle; and they sette an hous on fyer at Radford's gate, and cryed and mad an noyse as though they had be sory for the fyer; and by that cause Radford's men set opyn the gats and yede owt to se the fyer; and for with th'erll sone forseid entred into the place and intreted Radford to come doun of his chambre to sp[e]ke with them, promyttyng hym that he shuld no bodyly harm have; up on whiche promysse he come doun, and spak with the seid Erll sone. In the mene tyme his menye robbe his chambre, and ryfled his huches and trussed suyche as they coude gete to gydder, and caryed it awey on his own hors. Thanne th'erll sone seid, "Radford, thou must come to my lord my fadir". He seid he wold, and bad oon of his men make redy his hors to ride with hem, whiche answerd hym that alle his hors wern take awey; thanne he seid to th'erll sone, "Sir, your men have robbed my chambre, and thei have myn hors, that I may not ride with you to my lord your fadir, wherfor, I pray you, lete me ride, for I am old, and may not go." It was answerid hym ageyn, that he shuld walke forth with them on his feete; and so he dede till he was a flyte shote or more from his place, and thanne he was ... softly, for cawse he myght not go fast. And whanne thei were thus departed, he turned ... oon; forwith come IX men ageyn up on hym, and smot hym in the hed, and fellid ... of them kyt his thirote. This was told to my
Lord Chaunceler this fornoon ... messengers as come of purpos owt of the same cuntre"''. ==Succession==