Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk, to John Paston
- Medieval Family Life
- Title
- Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk, to John Paston
- Reference
- Add. 43490, f. 42
- Date
- no later than 1483
- Library / Archive
-
- The British Library
- Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
- Gairdner, Vol VI, item 993; Fenn, Vol II, Appendix Edward IV item 3
- Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (1st transcript)
-
LETTER III.
On to Jan Paston in hast’.
MASTYR Paston I pray yow yt it may plese yow to
1 leue yowr logeyng for iij or for days tyll I may be
2 porved of anodyr and I schal do as musche to yowr plesyr,
for Godys sake say me not nay and I pray yow rekomaund
me to my lord 3 Chambyrleyn.Your Frend Elizabeth.
9 by 4 ¼.
E. IV.
The whole of this Letter is written by Elizabeth, third Daughter of Richard
Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily, Daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of West-
moreland.She was Sister to Edward IV. and Richard III. by the latter of whom her Son,
John Earl of Lincoln (after the Death of his own Son,) was declared heir to the
Crown.She married John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, and lies buried with him in Wingsield
Church in Suffolk. Pl. IV. No 2.Under the Direction is written (I believe) in the hand of Sir John Paston . . . . . . . . . . .
“Littrā Ducisse Suff’.
If so, this Letter was written in the reign of Edward IV. for Sir John died in 1479,
19 E. IV.1 Leue, or lend—I believe it is leve, but it is so written, that it is very difficult to
determine.2 Porved, purveyed.
3 William, Lord Hastyngs, was Lord Chamberlain to Edward IV. the Seal is octan-
gular, the impression a Rose.The curiosity of this Letter consists in the rank of the Lady, and in being perhaps
the only one extant of her writing.It shews likewise the simplicity of the times, when a Princess of the Blood royal
coming to London unprovided of a Lodging, petitions for the use of that of a Friend
for a few days, in the humblest terms; “for Godys sake say me not nay.” - Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (2nd transcript)
-
LETTER III.
Unto John Paston, in haste.
MASTER Paston, I pray you, that it may please you
to 1 leave your Lodging for three or four days, till I
may be 2 purveyed of another, and I shall do as much to your
pleasure; for God’s sake, say me not nay, and I pray you
recommend me to my Lord 3 Chamberlain.Your Friend ELIZABETH
9 by 4 ¼.
E. IV.
The whole of this Letter is written by Elizabeth, third Daughter of Richard
Plantagenet, Duke of York, and Cecily, Daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of West-
moreland.She was Sister to Edward IV. and Richard III. by the latter of whom her Son,
John Earl of Lincoln (after the Death of his own Son,) was declared heir to the
Crown.She married John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, and lies buried with him in Wingsield
Church in Suffolk. Pl. IV. No 2.Under the Direction is written (I believe) in the hand of Sir John Paston . . . . . . . . . . .
“Littrā Ducisse Suff’.
If so, this Letter was written in the reign of Edward IV. for Sir John died in 1479,
19 E. IV.1 Leue, or lend—I believe it is leve, but it is so written, that it is very difficult to
determine.2 Porved, purveyed.
3 William, Lord Hastyngs, was Lord Chamberlain to Edward IV. the Seal is octan-
gular, the impression a Rose.The curiosity of this Letter consists in the rank of the Lady, and in being perhaps
the only one extant of her writing.It shews likewise the simplicity of the times, when a Princess of the Blood royal
coming to London unprovided of a Lodging, petitions for the use of that of a Friend
for a few days, in the humblest terms; “for Godys sake say me not nay.” - Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume VI'
-
993
ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK; TO
JOHN PASTON1On to Jan Paston, in haste.
MASTYR PASTON, I pray yow that it may plese yow
to leve yowr logeyng for iij. or foro days tyl I may
be porved of anodyr, and I schal do as musche to
yowr plesyr. For Godys sake, say me not nay; and I pray
yow rekomaund me to my Lord Chambyrleyn.Yowr frend, ELIZABETH.
1 [From Fenn, ii. 292.] This is a holograph letter of Elizabeth, Duchess of
Suffolk, the sister of Edward IV. There can be little doubt that the Lord Chamber-
lain referred to is the Lord Hastings who has been very frequently mentioned in this
correspondence; and if so, the letter cannot be later than 1483, as he was beheaded
in that year on the 13th June, by order of the Protector Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
We may therefore place it for convenience among the letters of Edward v.’s time,
though undoubtedly it may be a few years earlier. Facsimiles of the original, both
back and front, are given by Fenn. It is endorsed in the hand of John Paston, the
younger (certainly not in that of his brother Sir John, as Fenn supposed)—’ Littra
Ducisse Suff.’Not
after
1483