Edmund Bedyngfeld to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXXI.

Un to the Ryght Wurschepful S^r. John Paston knyght.

MAST’ Paston after all dew recomandacōn and herty dissire
      to here of your good hele Plese yt you to wete, I have
spoken w^t S^r John of Medilton as wel as I cowde and yt had ben
for myself for his Hoby that ye dissired, and tolde hym he
myght wel forbere hym nowe in as moche as Mastres Jane was
ded, and that yt is a great cost for hym to kepe moo hors than
he nedyth, and he answered me that he wold selle hym w^t good
will, but ther shuld no man bie hym under ¹ x li. Flemesch,
and I offered hym in your name x marke for he wold not here
of none other ambelyng horse that ye myght geve hym therfore,
And also my Lord dissired to have bowte hym for the Lord
Schauntrell that is Cheff Capteyn of  ² Seynt Omers and he wold
no lesse lete my Lord have hym than x li. and so my Lord
bowte another, and gave hym the seide Lord, for he thoughte
this to dere, neu’thelesse he wol not selle hym to no man under
that mony that he sette hym on, And so ye may bye your
plesur in hym and ye lest, for otherwyse he wol not doo for
you as I conseve.

     And as for tydyngs in theyse p’tyes, the Frenche Keng leyzth
at Sege at ² Seynt Omers on the on’ side of the town a myle of,
but he hath no gret Ordenaunce ther, and they of the town
skyrmysh w^t them eu’y day, and kepe a passage halff a myle w^t
oute the town, And the French Keng hath brenned All the
townys and fayre Abbeys that were that way aboute Seynt
Omers, and also the Cornes weche ar there. And also as yt ys
seide for serteyn the French Keng hath brenned ³ Cassell, that
ys myn hoold ⁴ Lady of Burgeynys Joynttor and all the countre
there aboute, whereby she hath lost a gret part of her Lyvelod,
and that is a sherewed tokyn that he ⁵ menyth wel to the
Keng howur Suffereygn Lord when he intendyth to distroye
her.

     Morou’ S^r. Phylep de Crevekere hath takyn them that were in
Fynys w^t inne this iiij dayes to the noumbre of xiiij p’sonys
and the remñt where fled, and he had them to the French
Keng, and he hath brentte all the place, and pulled down the
Towre and a part of the wall and disstroyed yt.

   And as yt is seid yf the Fench Keng can not gete Seynt Omers
that he intendyth to brenge his Armye thorwe theyse Marchys
into Flaundres, wherefore my Lord hath do brokyn all the
passages excep Newham bryge, weche is wached and the Turne
Pyke shette eu’y nyght. And, the seide French Keng w^t inne
these iij dayes rayled gretely of my Lord to Tygyr Purseūnt
opynly byfore ij hundred of his Folks, wherefore yt ys thaught
here that he wold seynde a quarell to sett upon thys town, yf
he myght gete avñtage, And as I understonde the ⁶ Emp’o’ys
Sone ys maryed at ⁷ Gaūnte as this day, and ther cam w^t hym
but iiij hundred horse, and I can here of no moo that be comyng
in serteyn, and in mony he brēgyth w^t hym an hundred thow-
sand ³ Dokets, wheche is but a smalle thyng in regard for
that he hath to doo, wherefore I fere me fore that Flaundres
will be lost, And yf Seynt Omers be whonnyn all is gon in
my conceyt, neu’ the lesse they say there shuld come gret powere
after the Emp’o’ys Son but I be leve yt not by cause they have ben
so long of comyng.

     And I pray you to recomaunde me unto S^r. Tyrry ⁹ Robsert
and that yt plese you to lete hym knowe of your tydyngs
and hour Lord have you in his kepyng.

    At Calais the Sunday next after hour Lady the Assumpsion.

                                                                    Your,

                                                                          ¹⁰ E. Bedyngfeld.

           11 ¾ by 8 ½.

  Calais,
               Sunday, 17th of August,
               1477, 17 E. IV.

 We have in this Letter several Anecdotes of a public nature, relative to the wars in
France, and particularly concerning the Hostilities committed by the French King on the
Possessions of the Heiress of Burgundy.

    ¹ Between 5 and 61. English, and equal in value to upwards of 20l. at this present
time, apparently a great price for a Hobby.

     ² A City of the French Netherlands, about 18 miles S. E. from Calais, and a part of
the possessions of the House of Burgundy.

     ³ A Town situated about 10 miles N. E. of St. Omers.

     ⁴ Margaret, Sister to Edward IV.

     ⁵ This seems to be spoken in irony.

    ⁶ Maximilian, Son of the Emperor Frederick, married Mary, Daughter and Heir of
Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.—She was the richest Heiress of her time, and
had been promised by her Father to many Princes, and amongst the number to this Prince,
whom she now chose for herself.—She was about 19 years of age at the time of her
marriage, in August 1477, and lived only five or six years after it.

     ⁷ A City of the Austrian Netherlands, and the capital of Flanders.

     ⁸ A Ducat of Gold is worth about 10s.?Of Silver, nearly 5s.

     ⁹ Sir Terry Robsart, knight, of Sidistern, in Norfolk, by the marriage of his Daugh-
ter Lucy, to Edward Walpole, Esq. became an Ancestor to the present Earl of Orford.
He died in 1496.

    ¹⁰ Edmund Bedyngfeld married Margaret, Daughter of Sir John Scot, Comptroller
of Calais, and was created a Knight of the Bath, at the Coronation of Richard III.

He was highly in favour with Henry VII. who paid him a royal visit at Oxburgh, in
Norfolk; which fine Seat he built.—He died in 1496. Pl. VI. N^o 30.

LETTER LXXXI.

Unto the Right Worshipful Sir John Paston, Knight.

MASTER Paston, after all due recommendation, and hearty
       desire to hear of your good Hele (health), please it you
to weet, I have spoken with Sir John of Middylton as well as
I could, and it had been for myself, for his Hobby that ye
desired, and told him he might well forbear him now in as much
as Mrs. Jane was dead, and that it is a great cost for him to
keep more Horse than he needeth; and he answered me, that
he would sell him with good will, but there should no man
buy him under ¹ 10l. Flemish; and I offered him 10 Marks,
for he would not hear of none other ambling Horse, that ye
might give him therefore.

     And also my Lord desired to have bought him for the Lord
Schauntrell that is chief Captain of Saint  ² Omers; and he
would (for) no less let my Lord have him than 10l. and so my
Lord bought another, and gave him the said Lord, for he thought
this too dear; nevertheless he will not sell him to no man under
that money, that he set him on, and so ye may buy your pleasure
in him and ye list; for otherwise he will not do for you as I
conceive.

     And as for tidings in these parts, the French King lieth at
siege at  ² St. Omers, on the one side of the Town a mile off,
but he hath no great Ordnance there; and they of the town
skirmish with them every day, and keep a passage half a mile
without the town; and the French King hath brenned (burnt)
all the Towns, and fair Abbeys, that were that way about St.
Omers, and also the Corns which are there.

    And also, as it is said for certain, the French King hath brenned
³ Cassell, that is my old ⁴ Lady of Burgundy’s Jointure, and all
the Country thereabout, whereby she hath lost a great part of her
livelihood; and that is a shrewd token that he ⁵ meaneth well to
the King our Sovereign Lord, when he intendeth to destroy her.

     Moreover Sir Philip de Creveker hath taken them that were
in Fynes within this four days to the number of 14 persons, and
the remanent were fled, and he had them to the French King,
and he hath brent all the place, and pulled down the Tower,
and a part of the wall, and destroyed it.

     And as it is said, if the French King cannot get St. Omers,
that he intendeth to bring his Army through these Marches into
Flanders, wherefore my Lord hath do broken (ordered to be broken)
all the passages, except Newham Bridge, which is watched, and
the Turnpike shut every night.

     And the said French King within these three days railed greatly
of my Lord to Tyger Poursuivant, openly before two hundred of
his Folks; wherefore it is thought here, that he would feign a
quarrel to set upon this town, if he might get advantage.

     And as I understand, the ⁶ Emperor’s Son is married at
⁷ Ghent as this day; and there came with him but four hundred
Horse, and I can hear of no more that be coming in certain;
and in money he brought with him an hundred thousand ⁸ Du-
cats, which is but a small thing in regard for that he hath to do;
wherefore I fear me sore, that Flanders will be lost; and if St.
Omers be won, all is gone in my conceit; nevertheless they say
there should come great power after the Emperor’s Son, but
I believe it not, because they have been so long of coming.

     And I pray you to recommend me unto Sir Terry ⁹ Robfart,
and that it please you to let him know of your tidings, and our
Lord have you in his keeping.

    At Calais, the Sunday next after the Assumption.

                                                     Your,

                                                          ¹⁰ EDMUND BEDYNGFELD.

  11 ? by 8 ?.

  Calais,
               Sunday, 17th of August,
               1477, 17 E. IV.

 We have in this Letter several Anecdotes of a public nature, relative to the wars in
France, and particularly concerning the Hostilities committed by the French King on the
Possessions of the Heiress of Burgundy.

    ¹ Between 5 and 61. English, and equal in value to upwards of 20l. at this present
time, apparently a great price for a Hobby.

     ² A City of the French Netherlands, about 18 miles S. E. from Calais, and a part of
the possessions of the House of Burgundy.

     ³ A Town situated about 10 miles N. E. of St. Omers.

     ⁴ Margaret, Sister to Edward IV.

     ⁵ This seems to be spoken in irony.

    ⁶ Maximilian, Son of the Emperor Frederick, married Mary, Daughter and Heir of
Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.—She was the richest Heiress of her time, and
had been promised by her Father to many Princes, and amongst the number to this Prince,
whom she now chose for herself.—She was about 19 years of age at the time of her
marriage, in August 1477, and lived only five or six years after it.

     ⁷ A City of the Austrian Netherlands, and the capital of Flanders.

     ⁸ A Ducat of Gold is worth about 10s.?Of Silver, nearly 5s.

     ⁹ Sir Terry Robsart, knight, of Sidistern, in Norfolk, by the marriage of his Daugh-
ter Lucy, to Edward Walpole, Esq. became an Ancestor to the present Earl of Orford.
He died in 1496.

    ¹⁰ Edmund Bedyngfeld married Margaret, Daughter of Sir John Scot, Comptroller
of Calais, and was created a Knight of the Bath, at the Coronation of Richard III.

He was highly in favour with Henry VII. who paid him a royal visit at Oxburgh, in
Norfolk; which fine Seat he built.—He died in 1496. Pl. VI. N^o 30.

918

EDMUND BEDYNGFELD TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

Un to the ryght wurschepful Sir John Paston, Knyght.

     MASTER PASTON, after all dew recomandacion, and
         herty dissire to here of your good hele, plese yt you
         to wete I have spoken with Sir John of Medilton as
wel as I cowde, and yt had ben for myself, for his hoby that
ye dissired, and tolde hym he myght wel forbere hym nowe in
as moche as Mastres Jane was ded, and that yt is a great cost
for hym to kepe moo hors than he nedyth; and he answered
me, that he wold selle hym with good will, but ther shuld no
man bie hym under xli. Flemesch;² and I offered hym in
your name, x. marke, for he wold not here of none other
ambelyng horse, that ye myght geve hym therfore. And also
my lord dissired to have bowte hym for the Lord Schauntrell
that is cheff capteyn of Seynt Omers; and he wold no lesse
lete my lord have hym than xli. and so my lord bowte another,
and gave hym the seide lord, for he thoughte this to dere;
neverthelesse he wol not selle hym to no man under that
mony, that he sette hym on, and so ye may bye your plesur in
hym and ye lest; for otherwyse he wol not doo for you, as I
conseve.

      And as for tydyngs in theyse partyes, the Frenche Keng
leyzth at sege at Seynt Omers, on the one side of the town a
myle of, but he hath no gret ordenaunce ther; and they of the
town skyrmysh with them every day, and kepe a passage halff a
myle with oute the town; and the French Keng hath brenned
all the townys, and fayre abbeys, that were that way aboute
Seynt Omers, and also the cornes weche ar there. And also,
as yt ys seide for serteyn, the French Keng hath brenned
Cassell, that ys myn hoold Lady of Burgeynys¹ joynttor, and
all the countre there aboute, whereby she hath lost a gret part
of her lyvelod; and that is a sherewed tokyn that he menyth
wel to the Keng, howur suffereygn Lord, when he intendyth to
distroye her.

     Morover Sir Phylep de Crevekere hath takyn them that
were in Fynys with inne this iiij. dayes to the noumbre of xiiij.
personys, and the remnaunt where fled, and he had them to
the French Keng, and he hath brentte all the place, and pulled
down the towre, and a part of the wall, and disstroyed yt.

     And as yt is seid, yf the French Keng can not gete Seynt
Omers, that he intendyth to brenge his armye thorwe theyse
marchys into Flaundres; wherefore my lord hath do brokyn
all the passages excep Newham bryge, weche is wached, and
the turne pyke shette every nyght. And the seide French
Keng with inne these iij. dayes rayled gretely of my lord to
Tygyr Pursevaunt, opynly byfore ij. hundred of his folks;
wherefore yt ys thaught here that he wold feynde a quarell to
sett upon thys town, yf he myght gete avantage. And as I
understonde, the Emperorys sone² ys maryed at Gaunte as
this day; and ther cam with hym but iiij. hundred horse, and
I can here of no moo that be comyng in serteyn; and in mony he
brengyth with hym an hundred thowsand dokets, wheche is but
a smalle thyng in regard for that he hath to doo. Wherefore,
I fere me sore, that Flaundres will be lost; and yf Seynt
Omers be whonnyn, all is gon, in my conceyt. Never the
lesse they say there shuld come gret powere after the Em-
perorys son; but I be leve yt not, by cause they have ben so
long of comyng.

     And I pray you to recomaunde me unto Sir Tyrry Robsert,
and that yt plese you to lete hym knowe of your tydyngs, and
Hour Lord have you in His kepyng.

     At Calais, the Sunday next after Hour Lady the Assump-
sion.

                                            Your,                          E. BEDYNGFELD.¹

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 250.] The events referred to in this letter prove that it was
written in the year 1477.

     ¹ Margaret, sister to Edward IV., widow of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.

     ² Between ?5 and ?6 English, and equal in value to upwards of ?20 at this
present time, apparently a great price for a hobby.?F.

     ² Maximilian, son of the Emperor Frederick, married Mary, daughter and heir of
Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.?F.

    ¹ Edmund Bedyngfeld married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Scot, Comptroller
of Calais, and was created a Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of Richard III. He
was highly in favour with Henry VII., who paid him a royal visit at Oxburgh, in
Norfolk, which fine seat he built. He died in 1496.—F.

AUG. 17

1477

AUG. 17

1477

AUG. 17