that the Earl of Warwick and his adherents were meditating the plan for dethroning Edward, or in 1470, when they had come to a resolution of reinstating Henry on the throne. The order to Sir John Paston, for providing the horse-harness, was to be executed, "as it were for himself," and the referring him to the Countess for money, shows it to be at a time when his finances were very low. The expression "Yet she must borrow it," implies too that his lady had not already the money, but that she had it still to procure. Though the Earl desired that his horse-harness might be of the same price with one which Lord Hastings had purchased, yet he wished it not to be like his; the reason seems to be, he did not choose to appear with caparisons similar to those of a Yorkist. The words "I trust to God we shall do right well" refer to some scheme then in agitation; and on the success of which he had placed great confidence. To Sir John Paston, Knight. RIGHT worshipful, and my especial truehearted friend, I commend me unto you, praying you to ordain (order for) me three horses harness as goodly as ye and Genyns can devise as it were for yourself; and that I may have them in all haste order; also Skern saith ye would ordain two standard staves; this I pray you to remember, and my wife shall deliver you silver, and yet she must borrow it. Six or seven pounds I would bestow on a horse-harness; and so Skern told me I might have. The Lord Hastings had for the same price, but I would not mine do right well, who preserve you. Written Canterbury, or 1470. 9 or 10 E. LETTER CCXCIII.—(XXX. vol. ii. p. 29.) This letter was written in February or March 1469, 1470, or 1471, for in these years civil dissentions were on foot. The caution respecting tidings, and the uncertainty of what may befall, shows that this letter was written during some convulsion of the state. By the Earl of Warwick's being supposed to go with the king into Lincolnshire, it appears as if this letter was written during the restoration of Henry VI., and that their going there was to oppose Edward's return. To John Paston, Esquire, being at Norwich, be this letter delivered. I COMMEND me to you, letting you weet, &c. (Here follows an account of bills, and receipts, &c. of no consequence.) Item, as for Mistress Katherine Dudley I have many times recommended you to her, and she is nothing displeased with it; she rekkythe not how many gentlemen love her, she is full of love; I have betyn (enforced) the matter for you, your unknowledge (without your knowledge) as I told her; she answered me that she would (have) no one this two years, and I believe her: for I think she hath the life that she can hold her content with. I trow she will be a sore labouring woman this two years for the meed of her soul. Item, I pray you speak with Harcourt of the abbey, for a little clock, which I sent him by James Gresham to mend, and that ye would get it of him, and (if) be ready, and send it me; and as for money for his labour, he hath another clock of mine, which Sir Thomas Lyndes, God have his soul! gave me; he may keep that till I pay him; this clock is my lord archbishop's, but let not him weet of it, and that it (be) easily carried hither by your advice. Also as for oranges I shall send you a serteyn by the next carrier, and as for tidings the bearer hereof shall inform you; ye must give credence to him. Duke of Exeter, and in 1462 had possession of his 2 This shows that our curious mechanical arts were practised in the religious houses, and performed there by the monks, &c. for money. As for my good speed, I hope well, I am offered yet to have Mistress Anne Hawte, and I shall have help enough as some say. (Here follows an account of some disputes between Sir William Yelverton, and Sir John Paston, his uncle William, &c., of no consequence.) Item, it is so that I am half in purpose to come home within a month hereafter, or about Midlent, or before Easter, under your correction, if 30 be that ye deem that my mother would help me to my costs, ten marks (61. 13s. 4d.) or thereabouts. I pray you feel her disposition and send me word. Item, I cannot tell you what will fall of the world, for the king verily is disposed to go into Lincolnshire, and men wot not what will fall thereof, nor thereafter, they ween my Lord of Norfolk shall bring 10,000 men. Item, there is come a new little Turk, which is a well-visaged fellow of the age of forty years; and he is lower than Manuel by an handful, and lower than my little Tom by the shoulders, and more little above his pap; and he hath, as he said to the king himself, three or four children, (sons) each one of them as high and as likely as the king himself; and he is legged right enough. Item, I pray you show, or read to my mother, such things as ye think are for her to know after your discretion; and to let her understand of the article of the treaty between Sir William Yelverton and me. Item, my Lord of Warwick, as it is supposed, shall go with the king into Lincolnshire; some men say that his going shall do good, and some say that it doth harm. 1 I pray you ever have an eye to Caister, to know the rule there, and send me word, and whether my wise lord and my lady be yet as sotted upon it (as fond of it) as they were; and whether my said lord resorteth thither as often as he did or not; and of the disposition of the country. JOHN PASTON, knight. LETTER CCXCIV.-(XXXI. vol. ii. p. 35.) This letter, from George Nevile, Archbishop of York, and brother to Richard Earl of Warwick, must have been written either when he was in opposition to Edward in conjunction with his brother the Earl of Warwick, or after his return from his imprisonment abroad not long before his death, when it is probable he found it difficult to raise even a small sum of money. George Nevile was consecrated Bishop of Exeter in 1455, when he was not completely twenty years of age. In 1460 he was appointed Lord Chancellor, and in 1466 advanced to the Archbishopric of York. In 1470 he had the custody of Edward IV. when taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick, and died in 1476, æt. 41. LETTER CCXCV.-(XXXII. vol. ii. p. 37.) This letter was written a short time after the battle of Stamford, wherein Edward was victorious, having slain and dispersed the forces commanded by Sir Robert Welles, who in this engagement had fought most furiously; being exasperated at the recent death of his father the Lord Welles. We are here acquainted with the movements of the king after his victory, and with some of the executions which took place by his order on those who had opposed him. [After the quarrel of Edward IV. with Warwick his rule became much more severe and sanguinary than it had been. A proof that the previous moderation was owing, as it is usually asserted, to the counsels of Warwick.] To my cousin, THE king came to Grantham, and there tarried Thursday1 all day, and there was headed Sir Thomas Delalaunde and one John Neille, a great captain; and upon the Monday2 next after that at Doncaster, and there was headed Sir Robert Welles and another great captain; and then the king had word that the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was at Easterfield, twenty miles from Doncaster; and upon the Tuesday, at nine of the bell, the king took the field, and mustered his people; and it was said, that (there) were never seen in England so many goodly men and so well arrayed in a field; and my lord 5 was worshipfully accompanied, no lord there so well; wherefore the king gave my lord a great thank. And than (when) the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick heard that the king was coming to themward, incontinent (immeliately) they departed, and went to Manchester in Lancashire, hoping to have had John Paston. help and succour of the Lord Stanley; but in conclusion there they had little favour, as it was informed the king; and so men say they went westward, and some men deem to London. And when the king heard they were departed and gone, he went to York, and came thither the Thursday 7 next after, and there came into him all the gentlemen of the shire; and upon our Lady-days (he) made Percy Earl of Northumberland, and he that was earl afore Marquis Montague; and so the king is purposed to come southward; God send him good speed. Written the 27th day of March. LETTER CCXCVI.-(CIII. vol. iv. p. 429.) I have given this letter as not only containing a case of law, but to show the steps taken by the Duke of Norfolk's counsel to harass and distress Sir John Paston and his party for the death of two men who, I presume, were shot by those in the place during the siege of Caister. It appears from this and some other letters in this collection, that the Townshend therein mentioned was a lawyer. It is therefore most probable that the person was Roger Townshend, of Lincoln's Inn, afterwards a serjeant-at-law, and by Richard III. appointed one of the judges of the Common Pleas, in which important office he was continued by Henry VII. and knighted. His second son John (the issue of the elder being extinct) was ancestor to the present most noble the Marquis Townshend, of Rainham, in Norfolk. To Sir John Paston, Knight, or to Thomas Stomps, to deliver to the said Sir John. RIGHT worshipful Sir, and my special good brother, I recommend me to you; and foras much as I cannot send you good tidings ye shall have such as I know. 9 John Nevile, brother to the Earl of Warwick; by this advancement in honour we must suppose that the king had no suspicion of the loyalty of the marquis. I have been more particular in ascertaining the dates of the occurrences in this letter, as they differ from some of those in our historians. 10 The name of the writer is not put to this letter, but at the end, in a hand of the time, though in a different one from that used in the letter, is written "for trowyth." It is so, that on Wednesday last past ye and I, Pampyng, and Edmund Broom were indicted of felony at the sessions here in Norwich, for shooting off a gun at Caister, in August last past, which gun slew two men, Pampyng, and Broom as principal, and ye as accessary, notwithstanding Townshend and Lomner hold an opinion that the verdict is void, for there were two of the inquest that would not agree to the indictment, and inasmuch as they two were agreed in other matters and not in that, and that they two were not discharged from the remnant at such time as that verdict of your indictment was given, their opinion is that all the verdict is void, as well of all other matters as of yours; whether their opinion be good or not I cannot determine, nor themselves neither. I pray you let not this matter be slept, for I can think that my Lord of Norfolk's counsel will cause the widows to take an appeal, and to remove it up into the King's Bench at the beginning of this term; Townshend hath promised me that he shall be at London on Tuesday next coming, and then ye may commune with him in that matter, and take his advice. Item, Townshend and Lomner think that and (if) ye have good counsel, ye may justify the keeping of the place for the peaceable possession that ye have had in it more than three year; but in conclusion, all this is done for nought else but for to enforce you to take a direction with my Lord of Norfolk. I understood by R. Southwell, for he and I communed in this matter right largely betwixt him and me, insomuch he telleth me that and (if) I be at London in the week next after St. Peter, at which time he shall be there himself, he saith that my lady hath promised me her good ladyship, and sent me word by him, inasmuch as he spake for me to her, that she would remember mine old service, and forget the great displeasure, in such wise that I shall understand that the suit that I have made to my lord, her hus band, and her, shall turn to your advantage and mine more than we ween as yet or shall understand till such time as I have spoken with her good grace; and upon this promise I have promised Southwell to meet with him at London that same week next after St. Peter; wherefore I would passingly fain that ye were in London at that season, or nigh about London, so that I might understand at your place where that I might speak with you or them (before) 1 I speak with my lady. I purpose to go to Canterbury 2 on foot this next week with God's grace, and so to come to London from thence. I pray you see that I be safe for Parker's and Harry Collett's matter. Southwell told me this, that if so be that ye will yourself, ye shall have both good lordship and ladyship, and money, or lands, or both, and all your matters set clear; what that he meaneth I cannot say. As for all other matters in this country, shall do as well as I may for fault (default) of money till I speak with you: I have many collars on as I shall tell you when I come. No more, but God preserve you and yours: written at Norwich, Friday next after Corpus Christi day. JOHN PASTON. I did as much as I could to have let (hindered) the indictments, but it would not be, as I shall inform you, and Townshend know eth the same. Norwich, Friday, 22nd of June, 1470. 10 E. IV. [In the original-or then I spek, &c.-which is clearly ere then I speak, &c.] 2 On pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, I suppose. 3 Richard Southwell, Esq., of Wood-Rising; he acquired this estate by marrying Amy, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Wichingham, kuight. LETTER CCXCVII.—(CIV. vol. iv. p. 435.) The former part of this letter gives us the same information as we received from the last, and would not have been inserted, had I not thought the account of the proceedings relative to the levying the fine worthy of notice. The being able to produce the copy of the fine shows the propriety of Margaret Paston's cautions to Sir John, respecting the great care which he ought to take of his deeds and writings. To Sir John Paston, Knight, or to Thomas Stomps, to deliver to the said Sir John. As I sent you word, by a letter that John Wymondham brought to London, J. Pampyng is indicted of felony, and Edmund Broom, as principals, and ye as accessary, for shooting off a gun in August last past, which gun killed two men, and I trow that my Lord of Norfolk's counsel will make one of the widows or both to sue an appeal upon the same indictment this term, wherefore I pray you see well to this matter, that when it is certified into the King's Bench, Broom and Pampyng may have warning that they may purvey for themselves if there come any capias out for them; Townshend can tell you all the mat ter. Also, ye must in any wise beware, for my grandam, and mine Lady Anne, and mine uncle William, shall be at London within these eight or ten days; and I wot well it is for nought else but to make mine uncle William sure of her land, notwithstanding she hath reared (levied) a fine of it before Goodred, the justice, in my grandfather's days; and my mother telleth me that ye have the copy of the same fine, I would advise you to have it ready whatsoever betide; I trow they will be the more busy about the same matter, because they think that ye dare not come in London nor at Westminster to let them, but if so be that ye have not the copy of the same fine, look that ye spare for no cost to do (make) search for it, for it will stand you on hand I feel by the working. This day sevinnight I trust to God to be forward to Canterbury at the farthest, and upon Saturday come sev'nnight I trust to be in London, wherefore I pray you leave word at your place in Fleet-street where I shall find you, for I purpose not to be seen in London till Í have spoken with you. I pray you remember these matters, for all is done to make you to draw to an end with these lords that have your land from you. No more, but I pray God send you your heart's desire in these matters and in all others. Written at Norwich, the Monday next after St. John Baptist. JOHN PASTON. Norwich, Monday, 25th of June, 1470. 10 E. IV. LETTER CCXCVIII.-(XXXIII. vol. ii. p. 41.) These letters of King Edward were copied, and the copies appear to have been sent inclosed immediately to the person to whom the letter containing them was directed. The letters were written by the king in 1470, either immediately before he was taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick, or soon after his escape and reassuming the government, when a conference was held at Westminster under a safe conduct; or (which is most probable) they were written at the time that the king had ordered his forces to rendezvous at Nottingham, in order to oppose Warwick; when, on the earl's approach, he retreated, and marched for Lynn, in Norfolk, from whence he embarked for Holland. The date will not coincide with the time as fixed by our historians. The letters are short and concise, but contain everything the writer intended, and, as royal letters, are certainly curious. The signature at the top is copied from an autograph of King Edward. 1 Agnes, widow of Sir W. Paston, the judge. 2 Anne, daughter of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, married William Paston, the uncle of Sir John Paston. VOL II. 3 William Goodrede was created a serjeant-at law in 1425, in 1431 he was appointed king's serjeant,and in 1424 became a justice of the King's Bench. E |