--to -- regarding the reversion of Olton

LETTER V.

To the ryght reu^rent
      and worship S^r John
      Paston sum tyme lord of
      Gresh’m and now fermo^r
      y’of as hit is seid

PERYS of legh come to lynne opon Cristymnesse even in
the fresshest wise and there he dyned. so as was bot when
my lorde of Oxenforde herde hereof he with his feliship
and suche as I and other youre p’sones Come rydyng unto
lynne and even unto the Bysshop Gaele where the seid
Perys dyned with oy^r of his feliship my lorde pulled hym
oute of the seid Gaele and made to kest hym opon an horse
and tyed an halter by his Arme And so ledde hym furth
like hym self And even furth with the seid Bysshop the
mair and oy^r their feliship mette with my seide lorde and
yo^r p’sones and also the seide Perys tyed by an halt^r the
Bysshop havyng thies wordes onto my lorde with his pillion
in his handes my lorde this is a p˜sone^r ye may knowe he
his by his tepet and staff what will ye do with hym Therto
my lorde seide he is my p’son^r nowe Wherto the Bysshop
seid where is youre Waraunt or Comission therto my lorde
seide J have Warraunt sufficiaunt to me And thus they de-
p^rted the mair and all the Coialtie of lynne kepyng theire
silence bot when we weren goon and Perys of legh fast in
Rysyng Castell then the yates of lynne by the bysshop
comaundement weren fast sperred and keped with men of
Armes And then the Bysshop and his squyers rebuked the
mair of lynne and seid that he hade shamed both hym and
his tovn for eu^r with muche oy^r langage &c the Bysshop
shulde haue keped his Cristenmesse at Gaywode bot yet he
Come not oute of lynne Jn faith my lorde dyde quyte hym
als curageousely as eu^r J wist man do the Bysshop Come to
the toun with lx p’sones the same tyme and made to sper
the yates aft^r hym bot when we mette there bede not with
hym ou^r xij p’sones atte the most with his seriaunt of
Armes whiche seriaunt was fayn to ley don his mase and so
oute the same yates we Come in we went oute and no
blode drawen god be thanked yf ye will any thyng atte J
may do send me worde hit shall be doon to my power &c
Comaunde me to my maistresse yo^r wyff &c And yf ye dar
iop˜die yo^r suyrtis of C m’rc I shall come and se you And
elles haue me excused for &c

                                           From your own

                                                                   JOHN DOWBIGGYNG.

    8¾ by 7¼

         Paper Mark,
     Circle and Cross.
         Pl. xxi. N^o. 8.

     We have here a very minute account of the Earl of Oxford taking a person
from the Bishop’s gaol at Lynn, with the conversation between him and the
Bishop, &c.

     Perys of Leigh had been, I suppose, a prisoner of the Earl’s, and had either
escaped, or broken his parole.

   James Goldwell was Bishop of Norwich from 1472 to 1498, and had a palace
and park at Gaywood belonging to his see. Who the writer was, or on what
occasion he became a prisoner to Sir John Paston, I cannot discover; the
latter part of the letter seems to inform us, that a security of 100 marks was
given that he should not escape.

     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 11.

LETTER V.

To the Right Reverend and Worshipful Sir John Paston, some-
time Lord of Gresham, and now Farmer thereof, as it is said.

PERYS of Leigh came to Lynn upon Christmas even in the
freshest wise; and there he dined so as was; but when my
Lord of Oxenford heard hereof, he, with his fellowship, and
such as I and other your prisoners, came riding unto Lynn,
and even unto the Bishop’s gaol, where the said Perys dined
with other of his fellowship. My Lord pulled him out of
the said gaol, and made to cast him upon an horse, and tied
an halter by his arm, and so led him forth like himself; and
even forthwith the said Bishop, the Mayor, and other their
fellowship, met with my said Lord and your prisoners, and
also the said Perys tied by an halter. The Bishop having
these words unto my Lord, with his pillion in his hands,
“My Lord, this is a prisoner, ye may know by his tippet
and staff; what will you have with him?” Thereto my Lord
said, “He is my prisoner now.” Whereto the Bishop said,
“Where is your warrant or commission?” Thereto my Lord
said, “I have warrant sufficient to me.” And thus they
departed, the Mayor and all the Commonalty of Lynn keep-
ing their silence.

     But when we were gone, and Perys of Leigh fast in Rising
Castle, then the gates of Lynn, by the Bishop’s command-
ment, were fast spered [bolted], and kept with men of arms;
and then the Bishop and his squires rebuked the Mayor of
Lynn, and said that he had shamed both him and his town
for ever; with much other language, &c.

     The Bishop should have kept his Christmas at Gaywood,
but yet he comes not out of Lynn; in faith my Lord did
quit [acquit] him as courageously as ever I wist man [to]
do. The Bishop came to the town with sixty persons the
same time, and made to spere the gates after him; but when
we met, there abode not with him over twelve persons at the
most, with his serjeant of arms, which serjeant was fain to
lay down his mace, and so at the same gates we came in we
went out, and no blood drawn, God be thanked.

     If ye will any thing that I may do, send me word; it shall
be done to my power, &c.

     Commend me to my mistress, your wife, &c.; and if ye
dare jeopardy your surety of an hundred marks (66l. 13s. 4d.)
I shall come and see you, and else have me excused for, &c.

                                            From your own

                                                                    JOHN DOWBIGGYNG.

   Between 1486 and 1495.
         2 and 10 H. vii.

     We have here a very minute account of the Earl of Oxford taking a person
from the Bishop’s gaol at Lynn, with the conversation between him and the
Bishop, &c.

     Perys of Leigh had been, I suppose, a prisoner of the Earl’s, and had either
escaped, or broken his parole.

   James Goldwell was Bishop of Norwich from 1472 to 1498, and had a palace
and park at Gaywood belonging to his see. Who the writer was, or on what
occasion he became a prisoner to Sir John Paston, I cannot discover; the
latter part of the letter seems to inform us, that a security of 100 marks was
given that he should not escape.

     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 11.

 446.

ABSTRACTS¹

     The following letters and papers cannot be referred to any
certain date, though probably of the reign of Henry VI.
Being of very little interest, they are noticed as briefly as
possible merely for the sake of completeness.

    ? ?? to??.?My father and I bought the reversion of Olton,
etc., of Ralph Lampet and Alexander Kyngyston. They have now made a
new sale of it to William Jenney without giving notice to me or my father.
We ask your mediation with Jenney, whom we trusted most.

    ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]