The Paston Letters Volume Ii Part 16

Wretyn at Geddyng, the xv. day of September.

Your Cosyn,

SIR ROGER CHAMBERLEYN.

[Footnote 75.1: [From Fenn, iii. 38.] Nothing can be said as to the date of this letter, except that it is evidently after the death of William Paston.]

65

THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM TO THE VISCOUNT BEAUMONT[75.2]

_To the right worshipful, and with all myn herte right entirely belovid brother, the Viscounte Beaumont._

[Sidenote: Between 1442 and 1455]

Right worshipful, and with all myn herte right entierly beloved brother, I recomaunde me to you, thenking right hertili youre good brotherhode for your G.o.de and gentill letters, the whiche it hath liked you to sende unto me nowe late; and like it you to knowe I perseeve by the tenor of the seid lettre, your G.o.de desire of certein dubete that I owe unto you.

In G.o.de faith, brother, it is so with me at this tyme, I have but easy stuffe of money withinne me, for so meche as the seison of the yer is not yet growen, so that I may not plese youre seide G.o.de brotherhode, as G.o.d knoweth my will and entent were to do, and I had it.

Nevertheless, and it like you, I sende you, bi my sonne Stafford,[76.1]

an obligacion wherof, of late tyme, I have rescevid part of the dubete therinne comprisid; the residue of whiche I prai you to resceve bi the seid obligacion, and that I may have an acquitance therof, and to yeve credence unto my seid sonne in such thing as he shall say unto your G.o.de brotherhode on my behalve.

Right worshipfull, and with all myn herte right entirely belovid brother, I beseche the blissed Trinite, preserve you in honor and prosperite.

Writen at my Castell of Makestok,[76.2] the xvij. day of Marche.

Yowre trew and fethfull broder,

H. BUKINGHAM.

[Footnote 75.2: [From Fenn, i. 16.] There appear to be no means of ascertaining the exact year when this letter was written; but as the writer was created Duke of Buckingham on the 14th September 1441, and his son, the Earl of Stafford, was killed at the battle of St. Albans on the 22nd May 1455, the date must lie between these two limits.]

[Footnote 76.1: Humphrey, Earl of Stafford, the Duke's eldest son, who was slain at St. Albans in 1455.]

[Footnote 76.2: In Warwickshire.]

66

WILLIAM YELVERTON TO JOHN PASTON[76.3]

_To my ryght wurchepfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquier._

[Sidenote: Between 1444 and 1460]

Right worchepful cosyn, I recomaunde me to yow, thankyng yow as hertyly as I kan for my selff, &c., and specially for that ye do so moche for Oure Ladyes hous at Walsyngham, which I trust veryly ye do the rather for the grete love that ye deme I have therto; for trewly if I be drawe to any worchep or wellfare, and discharge of myn enmyes daunger, I ascryve it unto Our Lady.

Preyng yow therfore that ye woln ben as frendly to Our Ladyes hous as I wote well ye have alwey ben, and in especyall now, that I myght have of yow the report certeynly be your letter of that, that Naunton your cosyn informyd yow, and told yow be mouth of all maters towchyng Oure Ladyes hous of Walsyngham.

For me thynkyth be that I have herde be Oure Ladys prest of Walsyngham, if I understode weel that mater, that it shuld do moch to the G.o.de spede of the mater; and dought yow not our Lady shall quyte it yow and here poer priour here aftyr, as he may, &c.

Preying yow also, cosyn, and avysyng for the ease of us both, and of our frendes, and of many other, that ye be at London be tymes this terme, and if we spede well now, all well all this yere aftir; for I knowe veryly ther was nevyr made gretter labour thanne shall be made now, and therfore I pray to Our Lady, help us, and her blissid Sone, which have you in His holy kepyng.

Wreten at your poer place of Bayfeld, on Sent Fraunces day,[77.1] in hast.

Your cosyn,

WILLIAM YELVERTON, Justis.

[Footnote 76.3: [From Fenn, i. 20.] The date of this letter is not earlier than 1444, when William Yelverton was appointed a Justice of the King's Bench; and, as Fenn remarks, it is probably not later than 1460, when he was made a Knight of the Bath, otherwise he would have signed himself Knight as well as Justice.]

[Footnote 77.1: St. Francis' day is the 4th of October.]

67

ABSTRACT[77.2]

[Sidenote: 1446 / OCT. 30]

Indenture, dated 30 Oct. 25 Henry VI., by which Agnes Paston grants a lease to John Downing, miller, and others, of the mill called Woodmill, in Paston.

[Footnote 77.2: [Add. Charter 14,819, B.M. (D. Turner's Coll.)]]

68

THE BAILIFF AND JURATS OF JERSEY TO VISCOUNT BEAUMONT[78.1]

_A nos treshonores et n.o.bles Signours Visconte Beaumont, Connestable d'Engleterre et Seigneur de Sudele, grant mestre de hostel de nostre Souverayn Seigneur le Roy d'Engleterre et France._

[Sidenote: 1447]

Treshonorablez et n.o.blez seigneurs, nous nous recommandons tant que faire le povons a voz honnorablez seignouriez. Et vous plese savoir que le samedy xv^me jour du moys de Aprille nous avons receu unez lettrez patentes de nostre Souverain Seigneur le Roy d'Engleterre et de France, contenant comme il vous a donne la guarde dez islez de Jersey et Guernesey durant le non aage de l'er de mon Seigneur de Warwyk, et unez aultrez lettrez a nous directes de par vous, presentees de par voz servitours John Morin et Robert Haxby. Et pour cause que eulx n'avoyent point de procuracions, ou feisions difficultey, et non obstant a voz ditz servitours a estey delivree et baillie la pocession de la dicte isle de Jersey, et ont jure et promis par lours serementz de guarder le loys et coustumez et anciens usagez de la dicte isle, et nous envoier lettrez soubz lez seaulx de voz armez, comme voz promettez tenir en fermete ce que eulx ont promis, et de ce nous ont bailly plege Sire John Bernard, cappitaine desdictez islez, quer aultrement nous ne lez eussons point receus, comme il apparest par le certificat a eulx par nous donne, quer tous lez seigneurs, guardes, cappitaines, juges, et aultrez officers de audevant de cez hourez ont estey jurez a nous lois, coustumez et anciens usagez, lez queilz ont estey guardez et seront en tempz advenir avecquez l'aide de Dieu, qui vous ayt en sa sainte guarde.

Escript en Jersey le xvij^me jour du moys de Aprill.

De par lez vostrez le Bailiff [et]

Jures de l'Isle de Gersy.

[Footnote 78.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The custody of the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, &c., during the minority of Ann, daughter and heir of Henry de Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, was granted in 25 Henry VI. to John, Viscount Beaumont, and Sir Ralph Butler, Lord Sudley. --_See_ Dugdale's _Baronage_, ii. 54.]

[[nous nous recommandons _printed "recommandous" (the doubled "nous" is not an error)_]]

69

EDMUND PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[79.1]