LETTER CCCXXXVIII.-(LVI. vol. ii. p. 139.) The former part of this letter is of little consequence, except to show us the attendants necessary for a person of Sir John Paston's rank; the latter hints to us the unsettled state of the government; and that the king and the Duke of Clarence were not on amicable terms. To John Paston, Esq., be this delivered. RIGHT worshipful brother, I recommend me to you; letting you weet that this day I was in very purpose to Calais ward all ready to have gone to the barge; save I tarried for a young man that I thought to have had with me thither, one that was with Rows which is in the country; and because I could not get him, and that I have no more here with me but Pampyng, Edward, and Jack, therefore Pampyng remembered me that at Calais he told me that he purposed to be with the Duchess of Norfolk, my lady and yours; and Edward is sick and seemeth not abiding, he would see what shall fall of this world, and so I am as he that saith; "come hither, John, my man;" and as hap was yesterday Juddy went afore to Calais ward, wherefore I am now ill purveyed; which for aught that I know yet is like to keep me here this Whitsuntide,' wherefore if ye know any likely men, and fair conditioned, and good archers, send them to me though it be four, and I will have them, and they shall have four marks (27. 13s. 4d.) by the year and my livery. He may come to me hither to the Goat, or yet (else) to Calais with a rial, if he be wise, which if need be I would that Barker took (gave) him to come up with, if it be such one as ye trust. Item, I suppose both Pytte and Kothye Plattyng shall go from me in haste: I will never cherish knaves so as I have done for their sakes. Item, I pray you send me a new vestment of white damask for a deacon, which is amongst mine other gear at Norwich, for he shall thereto as ye wot of; I will make an arming doublet of it, though I should another time give a long gown of velvet for another vestment; and send it in all haste to Hoxon to send me. 1 Whitsunday, 6th of June, 1473. 2 A rial a gold coin of 10s. value. I hoped to have been very merry at Calais this Whitsuntide, and am well apparelled and appointed save that these folks fail me so, and I have matter there to make of right excellent. Some man would have hasted him to Calais, though he had had no better errand, and some men think it wisdom and profit to be there now well out of the way. Item, as for the bishop3 and I, we be nearer to a point than we were, so that my part is now all the lands in Flegg wholly, the manor of Heylesdon, Tolthorpe, and tenements in Norwich and Earlham, except Fairchild's; but farewell Drayton, the devil do it them (do them good of it). Item, large and fair communication hath been between Sir John Fagge and Richard Hawte for their sister and me, before Doctor Wyntborne and elsewhere, so that I am in better hope than I was by St. Lawrence that I shall have a deliverance. Item, as for tidings here, I trow ye have heard your part, how that the Earl of Oxford landed by St. Osyth's in Essex, the 28th day of May, save he tarried not long; for if he had the Earl of Essex' rode to him wards, and the Lords Denham and Duras (Galliard de Durefort), and other more, which by likeli hood should have distressed him; but yet coming saved Hogan his head, and his prophecy is the more believed; for he said that this trouble should begin in May, and that the king should northwards, and that the Scots should make us work and him battle. his Men look after they wot not what, but men buy harness fast; the king's menial men, and the Duke of Clarence's, are many in this town; the Lord Rivers came to day, men say to purvey in like wise. 3 James Goldwell, Bishop of Norwich, 1472. 4 10th of August. 5 Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex, lord treasurer 6 Anthony Wideville, Earl Rivers, beheaded st Pontefract, 1483. Item, how that the Countess of Warwick1 is now out of Beverley sanctuary, and Sir James Tyrell conveyeth her northwards men say by the king's assent, whereto some men say that the Duke of Clarence is not agreed. Item, men say that the Earl of Oxford is about the Isle of Thanet, hovering, some say with great company, and some say with few. No more, but God keep you. Written at London the 3rd day of June, in the 13th year of Edward IV. JOHN PASTON, knight. London, 1473. 13 E. IV. LETTER CCCXXXIX.-(LVII. vol. ii. p. 147.) Though this letter from Sir John Paston contains nothing very_material, it informs us of an engagement at sea between some ships of this country, and those of the Easterlings or inhabitants of the eastern part of Germany. It likewise acquaints us with some private anecdotes of Sir John Paston as a man of gallantry. To Edmund Paston, Esq., at Calais, be this delivered. BROTHER EDMUND, I greet you well; letting you weet that about this day sev'nnight I sent you a letter by Nicholas Bardesley, a soldier, which is wont to be at border (query, brother) Perauntys; and also an hosecloth of black for you; I wend that ye should have had it within two days, but I am afraid that he deceived me. Item, I let you weet that Plattyng is coming hither, and he saith that ye gave him leave to fetch his gear and Pytt's; and that is his errand hither and none other, nor he thought never to go from me, nor he will not go from me, as he saith; wherefore I pray you send me word of his conditions, and why ye think that he should never do me worship. He saith also, that he and Pytt were at the taking of the Esterlings, and that he was in the Packer, and Pytt in the Cristopher; I pray you send me word how both he and Pytt quit them by the report of some indifferent true man that was there; if they quit (acquitted) them well I would love them the better; wherefore the next day after the sight of this letter I pray you write again, and send it by the next passage. Anne, widow of Richard Nevile, the great Earl of Warwick, sister and heir to Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, and mother of Isabel, the wife of George, Duke of Clarence. 2 May not this sentence be thus read? Is wont to be at border paravant this, i. e. is accustomed to reach the border, march or edge, of Calais much sooner,-before this,-before so much time was elapsed. Cloth for hosen. VOL. II. Item, I send a little pretty box herewith, which I would that Juddy should deliver to the woman that he weeteth of, and pray her to take it to the man that she weeteth of; that is to say as much as ye know all well enough, but ye may not make you wise in no wise. (You must by no means seem to know anything of the business in hand.) Item, I pray you send me word as ye were wont to do of her welfare; and whether I were out and other in or not; and whether she shall forsake Calais as soon as ye sent me word of or not. By God I would be with you as fain as yourself, and shall be in haste, with God's grace. Item, as for my brother John, I hope within this month to see him in Calais; for by likelihood to-morrow, or else the next day, he taketh ship at Yarmouth, and goeth to St. James ward; and he hath written to me that he will come homeward by Calais. Item, I suppose that James Songer shall come with me to Calais the rather for your sake. Item, Mistress Elizabeth fareth well, but as yet Songer knoweth not so perfectly all that ye would weet, that he will not write to you of these two days, till he know more; but if she had been bold, and durst have 4 On a pilgrimage, I suppose, to St. James of Compostella, in the province of Gallicia, in Spain. [Not very likely, we think. He could scarcely have made this journey, and been at Calais "within this month," it being then the 5th.] G abiden still at her gate, and spoken with me, so God help me, she had had this same (box) that I send now where ye wot of, which ye shall see worn hereafter; it is a pretty ribbon with pretty aglets' and goodly. Make you not wise to Juddy, neither not [note] that ye would weet anything, for I may say to you at his coming over he brought goodly gear reasonably. Item, as for my bill that is gilt, I would it were taken heed to; there is one in the town that can glaze (polish) well enough as I heard say; also there is one cometh every market day from St. Omer's to Calais, and he bringeth daggers and fetcheth also, he may have it with him, and bring it again the next market day, for 12d. or 16d. at the most; and (or) else let it be well oiled and kept till I come. No more. Written at London the 5th day of July, in the 13th year of Edward IV. JOHN PASTON, knight. London, Monday, 5th of July, 1473. 13 E. IV. This and the Letter cccxciv. are perhaps the only letters extant of this nobleman, who, though he disliked King Edward's Queen, was a true and loyal subject to the king; and continued faithful to his young Prince Edward V., for which he lost his head in 1483. If we may judge from his expressions in these letters, he was a polite gentleman and a kind master. His remembering his fellows, the soldiers," in an age when his noble rank placed him so high above the plebeians, characterises him as a commander attentive to the concerns of those under him. To my right heartily-beloved friends and fellows, Sir John of Middleton, and Sir John Paston, Knights. AFTER hearty recommendation, I thank you of the good attendance that ye gave unto the king's counsel at Calais; and the good and effectual devoirs that ye put you in to assist my deputy Sir John Scot, in all such things as might concern the safeguard of my charge there. Letting you weet that if there be anything that I can and may do for you, shall with right good will perform it to my power. And I pray you to recommend me to my Lady Howard,3 my Lady Bourgchier,* and all other ladies and gentlewomen of the said town. And in likewise to the mayor, lieutenant, and fellowship of the staple; my I 1 Pendent ornaments of metal, like tags or points, &c. 2 A warlike instrument of offence. 3 Margaret, wife of Sir John Howard, Lord Howard, and afterwards Duke of Norfolk. She was daughter of Sir John Chedworth, knight, and died in 1490, 5 H. VII. 4 Lady Bourchier was probably the wife of a son of Sir John Bourchier, Lord Berners. LETTER CCCXLI.-(XII. vol. v. p. 55.) [THIS letter, from Sir John Paston to his brother John, touches on many curious matters illustrative of the period. He commences by acknowledging the receipt of a letter from him of the 6th of October, "letting me weet of the decease of Sir James (Glois), and that my mother is in purpose to be at Norwich, and I am right glad that she will now do somewhat by your advice, wherefore, beware from henceforth that no such fellow creep in between her and you." He goes on, "ye send me word also that she in no wise will purvey the 1007. for the redeeming of Sporle; let it go: as touching that matter, John Osbern told me that he communed with you at Sporle of that matter; further, he devised that Cocket, or such another man, should, to have it the better cheap, lay out the value of six year for to have it seven year, whereto I would agree; and for God's sake, if that may be brought about, let it be done: as ye wot of, it is let for 227. a year, yet the farmer grant but 217.; but to Cocket it would be worth 251., yea, and better; nevertheless if Cocket will deliver six score pounds, I would he had it for seven years, with this, that my mother be agreeable to the same, because of the interest that she hath for my brother William, which shall not be of age this seven year; nevertheless, as ye know my old intent, I purpose to purvey for him in another place better than there; of which grant of my mother I pray you be my solicitor, in which, an it be brought about, Sporle shall be in as good case as ever it was. John Osbern willed me to make you a sufficient warrant to sell and fell wood at Sporle, which I remember ye have in as ample form as may be; nevertheless, if this mean above written, of letting to farm, may be had, it The LETTER CCCXLII.-(XIII. vol. v. p. 63.) [THIS letter contains chiefly instructions from Sir John Paston to his brother John and his mother, as to empowering him, Sir John, to administer to his father's will. His father died in 1466, and it appears a long time to elapse without this having been done, but the date of the letter is fixed (London, Thursday, Nov. 25, 1473) by its reference to the Earl of Oxford being besieged in St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, which happened in 1473, where he was captured, and afterwards imprisoned for several years in the castle of Hammes near Calais, from whence he escaped, and accompanied Henry VII. in his successful attempt on England, dying in 1512; and to his anticipated immediate possession of Cais ter. With reference to this place he says, "send me word if I have Caister again, whether she (his mother) will dwell there or not, and I will find her a priest towards at my charge, and give her the dove-house and cther commodities there; and if any horse keeper of mine lie there, I will pay for his board also, as well as for the priest's. Item, if my mother should have a new priest, I think that my brother Sir J. Goos were a meetly man to be there; he would also do as ye would have him." This is very cunning advice for his own good, and the advantages he offers to his mother of the dove-house and other commodities must have been then thought very seductive.] LETTER CCCXLIII.-(LIX.—(vol. ii. p. 155.) [In the previous letter we have a notice of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who is here again particularly mentioned. We may add, however, that, as it is here said, all his estates were confiscated, but were restored soon after the accession of Henry VII.] Mrs. Margaret Paston, at Norwich. RIGHT honourable and most tender good mother, I recommend me to you, beseeching you to have, as my trust is that I have, your daily blessing; and thank you of your good motherhood, kindness, cheer, charge, and costs, which I had and put you to at my last being with you, which God give me grace hereafter to deserve! Please it you to weet, that I think long that I hear not from you, or from Peacock your servant, for the knowledge how he hath done in the sale of my farm barley, nor what is made thereof; wherefore I beseech you, if it be not answered by that time that this bill cometh to you, to haste him and it hitherward; for if that had not tarried me I deem I had been at Calais by this day; for it is so, as men say, that the French king with a great host is at Amiens, but threescore miles from Calais; and if he or his rode before Calais, and I not there, I would be sorry. Item, men say that the Earl of Oxford hath been constrained to sue for his pardon only of his life; and his body, goods, lands, with all the remanent, at the king's will, and so should in all haste now come in to the king; and some men say that he is gone out of the Mount, men wot not to what place, and yet left a great garrison there, well furnished in victual and all other thing. Item, as for the having again of Caister, I trust to have good tidings thereof hastily. Item, my brother John fareth well, and hath done right diligently in my cousin Elizabeth Berney's matter, whereof hastily I trust he shall send her tidings that shall please her; and as to-morrow he purposeth to take his journey to Wales ward to the Lord Rivers. No more at this time, but Jesu have you in his keeping. Written at London the 20th day of Febru ary, in the 13th year of Edward IV. Your son, London, Sunday, 20th of February, 1473. 13 E. IV. J. PASTON, knight. LETTER CCCXLIV.-(LX. vol. ii. p. 159.) We have in this letter a pleasing account of the intended excursion of the king into divers counties in 1474; the motive of which most probably was to raise, more easily by his presence and cheerful address, benevolences upon his subjects towards the expenses of his war with France. We are here informed likewise |