The Paston Letters Volume V Part 6

If my modre be at Caster, as ther schall be no dowt for the kepyng of the place whyl the Kynge is in that contre, that I may have the most parte at Caster; and whether ye woll offre your selfe to wayte uppon the Lorde of Norfolk or not, I wolde ye dyde that best wer to do; I wolde do my Lorde plesur and servyse, and so I wolde ye dyde, if I wyst to be sur of hys G.o.de lordeschyp in tyme to kome. He schall have CC. in a lyverye blewe and tawny, and blew on the leffte syde, and bothe darke colors.

I pray yow sende me worde, and your advyse by Judd of what men and what horse I cowde be purveyd off, if so be that I most nedys kome, and of your advyse in all thyngs be wryghtyng, and I schall send yow hastely other tydyngs. Late Sorell be well kept.

JOHN PASTON, Kt.

[Footnote 29-1: [From Fenn, ii. 22.] This letter must have been written in the beginning of June 1469. Edward IV., as appears by the dates of his privy seals, was at Windsor on the 29th May and at Norwich on the 19th June in that year. Fenn says he was also in Norfolk in the year 1474, but I can find no evidence of the fact.]

716

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[30-1]

[Sidenote: 1469 / JUNE]

To begyn, G.o.d yeld yow for my hatys. The Kyng hathe ben in this contre, and worchepfully receyvyd in to Norwyche, and had ryght good cher and gret gyftys in thys contre, wherwythe he holdyth hym so well content that he wyll hastyly be her agayn, and the Qwen allso, with whom, by my power avyse, ye shall com, if so be that the terme be do by that tym that she com in to this contre. And as for yowr maters her, so G.o.d help me, I have don as myche as in me was, in laboryng of theym, as well to my Lord Revers[30-2] as to my Lord Scalys,[30-3] Syr John Wydwyll,[30-4]

Thomas Wyngfeld, and othyr abowt the Kyng. And as for the Lord Revers, he seyd to myn oncyll William, Fayrfax, and me, that he shold meve the Kyng to spek to the two Dukys of Norffolk and Suffolk, that they shold leve of ther tytyls of syche lond as wer Syr John Fastolfs. And if so be that they wold do nowt at the Kyngs reqwest, and then the Kyng shold comand theym to do no wasts, nor mak non a.s.sawtys nor frayis upon your tenants nor plasys, tyll syche tym as the lawe hathe determynd with yow or ayenst yow; this was seyd by hym the sam day in the mornyng that he depertyd at noon. Whedyr he meved the Kyng with it or nowt I can not sey, myn oncyll Wyllyam thynkys naye. And the same aftyr none folowyng I told my Lord Scalys that I had spokyn with my Lord hys fadyr, in lyek forme as I have rehersyd, and axyd hym whedyr that my Lord hys fadyr had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, and he gave me thys answer, that whedyr he had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, that the mater shold do well inow.

Thomas Wygfeld told me, and swore on to me, that when Brandon meuvyd the Kyng, and besowght hym to shew my Lord favour in hys maters ayenst yow, that the Kyng seyd on to hym ayen, 'Brandon, thow thou can begyll the Dwk of Norffolk, and bryng hym abow the thombe as thow lyst, I let the wet thow shalt not do me so; for I undyrstand thy fals delyng well inow.' And he seyd on to hym, more over, that if my Lord of Norffolk left not of hys hold of that mater, that Brandon shold repent itt, every vayn in hys hert, for he told hym that he knew well inow that he myght reauyll [_rule_] my Lord of Norffolk as he wold; and if my Lord dyd eny thyng that wer contrary to hys lawys, the Kyng told hym he knew well inow that it was by no bodys menys but by hys; and thus he depertyd fro the Kyng.

Item, as by wordys, the Lord Scalys and Syr John Wydwyll tok tendyr your maters mor then the Lord Revers.

Item, Syr John Wydvyll told me, when he was on horsbak at the Kyngs depertyng, that the Kyng had comandyd Brandon of purpose to ryd forthe fro Norwych to Lyne, for to tak a conclusyon in your mater for yow; and he bad me that I shold cast no dowghtys but that ye shold have your entent, and so dyd the Lord Scalys also; and when that I preyd them at eny tyme to shew ther favor to your mater, they answered that it was ther mater as well as yours, consyderyng, the alyans[31-1] betwyx yow.

Comon with Jakys Hawt, and he shall tell yow what langage was spekyn betwen the Duk of Suffolks consell, and hym, and me; it is to long to wryght, but I promyse yow ye ar be held to Jakys, for he sparyd not to spek.

Item, the Kyng rod thorow Heylysdon Waren towads Walsyngham, and Thomas Wyngfeld promysyd me that he wold fynd the menys that my Lord of Glowsestyr[31-2] and hym sylf bothe shold shew the Kyng the loge that was breke down, and also that they wold tell hym of the brekyng down of the plase. Contrary to thys maters, and all the comfort that I had of my Lord Scalys, Sir John Wydvyll, and Thomas Wyngfeld, myn oncyll Wylliam sethe that the Kyng told hym hys owne mowthe, when he had redyn for by the loge in Heylysdon Waren, that he supposyd as well that it myght fall downe by the self as be plukyd downe, for if it had be plukyd down, he seyd that we myght have put in our byllys of it, wehn hys jugys sat on the _oyeer determyner_ in Norwyche, he beyng ther. And then myn oncyll seythe how that he answered the Kyng, that ye trustyd to hys good grace that he shold set yow thorow with both the Dwkys, by mene of trete; and he seythe that the Kyng answerd hym that he wold neythyr tret nor spek for yow, but for to let the lawe proced, and so he seyth that they depertyd. And by my trowthe, and my Lord Tresorer encorage you not more than he dyd us her, ye shall have but esy [_indifferent_] help as on that party. Wherfor labor your maters effectually; for by my trowthe it is nedy[s], for, for all ther wordys of plesur, I cannot undyrstand what ther labor in thys contre hathe don good; wherfor be not ovyr swyft tyll ye be swyr of your lond, but labor sore the lawe, for by my trowthe tyll that be pa.s.syd with yow, ye get but esy help as I can undyrstand.

I had with me on day at dener in my modyrs plase, she beyng owt, the Lord Scalys, Sir John Wydvyll, Sir John Haward, Nicolas Haward, John of Par, Thomas Gornet, Foscwe, Cheyny, Trussell, the Knyghts son, Thomas Boleyn, _qua propter_, Brampton, Barnard, and Broun, Perse, Howse, W.

Tonstale, Lewes Debretayll, and othyr, and mad hem good cher, so as they held them content.

Item, my Lord of Norffolk gave Bernard, Broom, nor me no gownys at thys seson, wherfor I awaytyd not on hym; notwithstandyng I ofyrd my servyse for that seson to my Lady, but it was refusyd, I wot by avyse; wherfor I purpose no more to do so. As for Bernard, Barney, Broom, and W.

Calthorp, ar sworn my Lord of Glowsetyrs men, but I stand yet at large; not withstandyng my Lord Scalys spok to me to be with the Kyng, but I mad no promes so to be, for I told hym that I was not woorthe a groote withowt yow, and therfor I wold mak no promes to n.o.body tyll they had your good wyll fyrst; and so we depertyd.

It was told me that ther was owt a preve seall for yow to attend upon the Kyng northeward; and if it be so, I thynk veryly it is do to have yow fro London be craft, that ye shold not labor your maters to a conclusyon thys terme, but put them [in] delaye. I pray yow purvey yow on it to be at hom as sone as the terme is doone, for be G.o.d I take gret hurt for myn absence in dyvers plasys, and the most part of your men at Caster wyll deperte withowt abod, and ye be not at hom within thys fortnyght. I pray yow bryng hom poynts and lasys of sylk for yow and me.

J. P.

[Footnote 30-1: [From Fenn, iv. 334.] Edward IV. arrived at Norwich in the middle of the month of June 1469. There are privy seals dated at Bury on the 15th and 16th of the month, at Norwich on the 19th and 21st, at Walsingham on the 21st and 22nd, at Lynn on the 26th, and at Stamford on the 5th July. Edward did not return with the Queen as he intended, but she visited Norwich without him a little later. See a paper on the subject of her visit by Mr. Harrod, in the _Norfolk Archaeology_, vol. v. p. 32.]

[Footnote 30-2: Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers, father to the Queen, Lord Treasurer and Constable of England.]

[Footnote 30-3: Anthony Woodville, Lord Scales, eldest son of the Earl Rivers.]

[Footnote 30-4: A younger son of Earl Rivers.]

[Footnote 31-1: This refers to the contract between Sir John Paston and Anne Hawte.--F.]

[Footnote 31-2: Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III.--F.]

[[tyll / that be pa.s.syd with yow _text has "he pa.s.syd": corrected from Fenn_]]

717

ABSTRACT[33-1]

RICHARD CALLE TO SIR JOHN PASTON

[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 3]

Has arranged with Mariot's debtors at Bekham, and discharged him of the debt of 16. Has thus taken an open estate in the manor, as Paston desired. Had much trouble to bring Mariot, and especially his wife, [to reason], but with fair words and money got her out of the house. Lord Scales has sent to-day to Mr. Roos and others for men to come to Middleton on Wednesday,--short warning enough; and we were in doubt 'what purveyance ye had made at London.' I believe my mistress and my master your brother have sent you word of the demeaning of the King and the Lords here.

Norwich, Monday after St. Peter's day.

[The reference to the King's being in Norfolk fixes the date of this letter to the year 1469.]

[Footnote 33-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

718

JOHN AUBRY[34-1] TO SIR HENRY SPELMAN[34-2]

_To the right reverent Sir Henry Spelman, Recordor of the Cite of Norwich, be this Letter delivered._

[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 9]

Right reverent sir, I recomaunde me to you. Plese it you to knowe, this same day com to me the Shirreve of Norffolk[34-3] hymself, and tolde me that the Quene shall be at Norwich up on Tuysday[34-4] cometh sevenyght suyrly. And I desired to have knowe of hym, by cause this shuld be hir first comyng hedir, how we shuld be rulyd, as well in hir resseyvyng, as in hir abidyng here. And he seide, he wold nat ocupie hym ther wyth, but he councelid us to wryte to you to London, to knowe of hem that ben of counsell of that cite, or wyth other wurshepfull men of the same cite, that ben knowyng in that behalf, and we to be ruled ther aftir, as were acordyng for us; for he lete me to wete that she woll desire to ben resseyved and attendid as wurshepfully as evir was Quene a forn hir.

Wherefore, sir, I, be the a.s.sent of my Bretheren Aldermen, &c., prey you hertily to have this labour for this cite. And that it plese you, if it may be, that at that day ye be here in propre persone; and I trust in G.o.d, that outher in rewards, or ellys in thankynges, both of the Kyngs comyng, and in this, ye shall ben plesid as worthy is.

Wrete in hast at Norwich the vj. day of Juyll Anno ix^o Regis E. quarti.

By your weelwyller,

JOHN AUBRY, &c.

[Footnote 34-1: Mayor of Norwich in 1469.]

[Footnote 34-2: [From Fenn, ii. 18.]]

[Footnote 34-3: Roger Ree was Sheriff of Norfolk this year.]

[Footnote 34-4: 18th July.]

[[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 9 _printed as shown, but body of letter says "vj" (6)_]]

719

EDWARD IV. TO THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, &c.[35-1]