Friar Brackley to John Paston

LETTER XCVII.

            To the rite worschipful
            Esqwyr jon Paston
            be this presentid.

Ihs Maria joh’ Baptista Francisc’ cu’ s’cis o’ibz Affista’t’ vobis
v’ris in laboribus Amen.

WORSCHIPFUL And most i’terely bitrustid mayst’
     And specyal Frend Aft’ Dute of al lowly r’c’me’dacyon
ze schal c’ceyve that j c’tefie zow for tr’wthe j Comonyd late w^t.
a worschipful and a wele namyd a good thrifty man of this
cu’tre which told me i’ secrete wyse that he herd Docto’ Aleyn
seyn aft’ the p’leme’t of ¹ Covintre that yf the lords that tyme
Reyny’g And now discessid myte haf standy’ i’ gov’nans that
Fortesku the justice Docto’ Mor’ton jon Heydon Thorp and he
schuld be made for evir And yf it turny’d to c’trary wyse it
schuld growe to her synal c’fusyon and uttyr destruccyon For
why the p’lyows Writi’g And the myschevous inditi’g was yma-
gini’d co’trivi’d and utt’ly co’cludid by her most vengeable labo’
&c. And her most malicyows ² c’spiracye ayens the i’nocent
lords knytis gentilis and comonys And alle her jssu p’petuel &c.
and as j wrote last to zo’ mayst’schip the text of jer’mie c^o 8^o v^e
me’daciu’ op’at’ e’ stil’ me’dax se’baru’ it folwith i’ the same place
co’fusi su’t sapie’tes p’territi & capti su’t v’bu’ d’ni p’ieceru’t &
sap’ia n’lla e’ i’ eis. p’p’ia dabo mulier’s eoru’ ext’is. Agros eoru’
heredibz alie’is &c. j wolde my’ lord Cha’nceler And my spe-
cyal lord Erl utīa’z Duke of Wa’rwyk w^r al her tr’we assinyte
schuld reme’bre this text which is holy sc’pt’e &c. As j wold do
by for the ky’g And hise lords and at the ³ Cros for the p’ncipil
of this text hath be c’tynued in dayly exp’iens sithe bifor’ the
p’leme’t of ⁴ Bury But the co’clusyon of this text came nev’ zet
to exp’iens And that is gr’t rewthe. De D’noru’ fideliu’ atqz
co’ni’ morte sat’s i’iuriosa m’ltiformit’ lame’tanda d’sc’nendo, p’
si’gula ex pauc’s scit d’sc’c’o v’ra p’pender’ pl’ra &c. & ubi ego
sel’ i’ e’ce pauli pala’ p’dicavi hu’c tex^m No’ c’das i’imico tuo i’
et’nu’ ecc’ 12^o & q’da’ h^s r’gni doctor & ep’s. uti’az no’ i’dign^s
asseruit eu’de’ tex^m Sc’pt’e sacr’ no’ i’corp’atu’ q’ doctor Nich’s
de li’ra Sup’ eu’de’ tex^m dicit Sapie’ti no’ i’sipi^ti scribo Pl’ra
habeo v’re r’v’en^e sc’ber’ q^e ja’ no’ expedit calamo co’me’dar’.
Uxor joh’is Berney de Redh’m ia i’fra triduu’ pep’it filiu’ &c.
Mag’ra mea ux’ v’ra sana e’ cu’ filiis v’ris & filiabz. & to’ fa’ilia
c’^t’s nost’ i’t’ cet’os h’t statu’ v’r’m sp’alissi’e r’c’me’datu’ i’ missis
ac or’o’ibz c’suet’s qz suffragiis & cu’ ia’ sit’s i’ p’lia^to p’nti p’
milite el’co. Uti vob’ c’sulo v’b’ Pauli Ap’li. labora sic’ bon^s
miles ihu X^t. & alibi job ute’do v’b’ milicia sup’ t’ra’ e’ vita
ho’is job i^o viril’r g’ agite & confortet’ cor v’r’m q’ sp’at’s i’ d’no
i’ p^o Q^si’q’ sapie’s sperav^t i’ d’no & c’fus’ e’ & p’ma’sit i’ ma’-
dat’s d’i & der’lict’ e’ q. d. null’. Ex Norwico Fe’ v’ p’ f’m
s’c’i luce enva’geliste ⁵.

           11 ½ by 8 ½.

            Paper Mark
      Bull’s Head and Star.
           Pl. VIII. N^o 2.

         Norwich,
            Thursday
            23d October, 1460,
            39 H. 6.

After the dispersion of the Duke of York?s army near Ludlow, the government of
course came into the hands of the King?s party, and consequently the Friends of that
party were then in employment, and so continued till the following Summer, when

                                                                                                                             the

the battle of Northampton proved fatal to his cause, Humphrey Stafford, Duke of
Buckingham, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and John Viscount Beaumont, with
others his chief Counsellors and Commanders being then slain.

     ¹ Held in December 1459.

² This relates to the Attainders passed against the Duke of York, the Earl of March,
&c. &c. whereby their Estates were confiscated, and they and their posterity declared
incapable of inheritance to the fourth generation. For the list of those then attainted,
see Vol. I. Letter XLV. Note at the end.

     ³ St. Paul?s Cross, where public Sermons were preached.

     ⁴ The Parliament assembled at Bury St. Edmund?s, in Suffolk, in February 1446,
25 H. VI. where the Duke of Gloucester was murdered.

     This Letter abounds with Quotations from the Holy Scriptures, in the Writer?s
opinion pertinent to the disorders and vicissitudes of the times.

 The latter part of it is in the familiar Latin of the age. In a Note at the end of the
second Letter in the first Volume of this work, I gave my opinion that the Character
(there explained and referred to) signified Jesu Maria; these Letters of Dr. Brackley
confirm that opinion, as all his Letters have a beginning in words at length, where
these very words are used with others following them; this very Letter beginning
?Jesus, Maria, Johannes Baptista, &c. &c.?

     Autograph. Pl. XX. N^o 25.

 ⁵ The Editor hopes for the Reader?s indulgence if he have, in some instances, mis-
taken the sense intended by the Latin contractions in Dr. Brackley?s Letters.

     He consulted a learned and ingenious friend, who likewife took some pains to decy-
pher them; some, however, the Editor fears have eluded both this Gentleman?s and his
own endeavours to explain them.

LETTER XCVII.

To the right worshipful Esquire, John Paston, be this presented.

Jesus, Maria, Johannes Baptista, Franciscus, cum Sanctis omni-
     bus assistant vobis vestris in laboribus. Amen.

WORSHIPFUL and most entirely betrusted Master
     and special Friend, after duty of all lowly recommen-
dation, ye shall conceive, that I certify you for truth; I com-
muned late with a worshipful and a well named, a good thrifty
man of this country, which told me in secret wise, that he heard
Doctor Aleyn say after the Parliament of ¹ Coventry, that if the
Lords that time reigning, and now deceased might have standyn
(continued) in governance, that Fortescu the Justice, Doctor
Morton, John Heydon, Thorp and he, should be made for
ever; and if it turned to contrary wise, it should grow to their
final confusion and utter destruction; for why, the perilous
writing, and the mischievous indicting was imagined, contrived,
and utterly concluded by their most vengeable labour, &c. and
their most malicious ² conspiracy against the innocent Lords,
Knights, Gentles, and Commons, and all their issue perpetual,
&c. And as I wrote last to your mastership the text of Jeremiah,
Chap. viii. “vere mendacium operatus est stilus mendax Scriba-
rum,” it followeth in the same place, “Confusi sunt sapientes,
perterriti & capti sunt; verbum Domini projecerunt, & sapientia
nulla est in eis; propterea dabo mulieres eorum exteris; agros
eorum hæredibus alienis, &c. (Jeremiah viii. 8, 9, 10.)

     I would my Lord Chancellor, and my special Lord Earl, utinam,
Duke of Warwick, with all their true affinity should remember
this text which is Holy Scripture, &c. as I would do before the
King and his Lords, and at the ³ Cross; for the principle of this
text hath been continued in daily experience sith (since) before
the Parliament of  ⁴ Bury; but the conclusion of this text came
never yet to experience, and that is great ruth “De Dominorum
fidelium atque Communium morte satis injuriosa multiformiter
lamentanda, discernendo per singula, ex paucis scit discretio vestra
perpendere plura, &c. & ubi ego (scilicet in ecclesia Pauli) palam
predicavi hunc textum “Non credas inimico tuo in æternum”
(Eccle. xii. 10, &c.) & quidam hujus regni Doctor & Episcopus,
utinam non indignus, asseruit eundem textum Scripturæ Sacræ
non incorporatum, quare Doctor Nicholas de Lira super eundem
textum dicit, &c. &c. Sapienti non insipienti scribo, plura habeo
vestræ reverentiæ scribere, quæ jam non expedit calamo com-
mendare. Uxor Johannis Berney de Reedham jam infra tri-
duum peperit filium, &c. Magistra mea uxor vestra sana est
cum filiis vestris & filiabus & totâ familiâ. Cognatus noster
inter cæteros habet statum vestrum specialissime recommendatum
in missis ac orationibus, consuetisque suffragiis; & cum jam
fitis in parliamento præsenti pro milite electo, uti vobis consulo
verbis Pauli Apostoli, “Labora sicut bonus Miles Jesu Christi.”
(2 Tim. ii. 3.) & alibi, Job utendo verbis, “Militia super terram
est vita hominis,” (Job vii. 1.) “Viriliter igitur agite, & con-
fortetur cor vestrum, qui speratis in Domino, (Psal. xxx. xxxi.
24.) Quis, inquit sapiens, speravit in Domino & confusus est,
& permansit in mandatis Domini, & derelictus est? q. d. nullus-
Ex Norwico feria quinta post festum Lucæ Evangelistæ⁵.

                                                                    JOHN BRACKLEY.

          11 ? by 8 ?.

            Paper Mark
      Bull’s Head and Star.
           Pl. VIII. N^o 2.

         Norwich,
            Thursday
            23d October, 1460,
            39 H. 6.

  After the dispersion of the Duke of York?s army near Ludlow, the government of
course came into the hands of the King?s party, and consequently the Friends of that
party were then in employment, and so continued till the following Summer, when

the battle of Northampton proved fatal to his cause, Humphrey Stafford, Duke of
Buckingham, John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and John Viscount Beaumont, with
others his chief Counsellors and Commanders being then slain.

     ¹ Held in December 1459.

² This relates to the Attainders passed against the Duke of York, the Earl of March,
&c. &c. whereby their Estates were confiscated, and they and their posterity declared
incapable of inheritance to the fourth generation. For the list of those then attainted,
see Vol. I. Letter XLV. Note at the end.

     ³ St. Paul?s Cross, where public Sermons were preached.

     ⁴ The Parliament assembled at Bury St. Edmund?s, in Suffolk, in February 1446,
25 H. VI. where the Duke of Gloucester was murdered.

     This Letter abounds with Quotations from the Holy Scriptures, in the Writer?s
opinion pertinent to the disorders and vicissitudes of the times.

 The latter part of it is in the familiar Latin of the age. In a Note at the end of the
second Letter in the first Volume of this work, I gave my opinion that the Character
(there explained and referred to) signified Jesu Maria; these Letters of Dr. Brackley
confirm that opinion, as all his Letters have a beginning in words at length, where
these very words are used with others following them; this very Letter beginning
?Jesus, Maria, Johannes Baptista, &c. &c.?

     Autograph. Pl. XX. N^o 25.

 ⁵ The Editor hopes for the Reader?s indulgence if he have, in some instances, mis-
taken the sense intended by the Latin contractions in Dr. Brackley?s Letters.

     He consulted a learned and ingenious friend, who likewife took some pains to decy-
pher them; some, however, the Editor fears have eluded both this Gentleman?s and his
own endeavours to explain them.

426

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON²

To the rite worshipful esqwyr, John Paston, be this presentid.

Jesus, Maria, Johannes Baptista. Franciscus, cum Sanctis
omnibus, assistant vobis vestris in laboribus.    Amen.

         WORSCHIPFUL and most interely bitrustid mayster
               and specyal frend, after dute of al lowly recomen-
               dacyon, ze schal conceyve that I certefye zow for
trewthe. I comonyd late with a worschipful and a wele namyd,
a good thrifty man of this cuntre, whiche told me in secrete
wyse that he herd Doctor Aleyn seyn after the Parlement of
Covintre³ that yf the Lords that tyme reynyng and now
discessid myte haf standyn in governans, that Fortesku the
justise, Doctor Moreton, Jon Heydon, Thorp and he, schuld
be made for evir; and yf it turnyd to contrary wyse, it schuld

growe to her fynal confusyon and uttyr destruccyon; for why,
the parlyows [perilous] writing and the myschevous inditing
was ymaginid, contrivid, and utterly concludid by her most
vengeable labour, &c., and her most malicyows conspiracye
ayens the innocent lords, knytis, gentilis, and comonys, and
alle her issu perpetuel, &c. And as I wrote last to zour
maysterschip the text of Jeremiae c^o 8^o Vere mendacium operatus
est stilus mendax scribarum; it folwith in the same place,
Confusi sunt sapientes, perterriti et capti sunt; verbum Domini
projecerunt, et sapientia nulla est in eis. Propterea dabo mulieres
eorum exteris; agros eorum haeredibus alienis, &c. I wolde myn
Lord Chaunceler and my specyal Lord Erl, utinam Duke, of
Warwyk, with al her trewe affinyte, schuld remembre this
text, which is Holy Scripture, &c., as I wold do by for the
Kyng and hise Lords at the Cros;¹ for the principil of this
text hath be contynued in dayly experiens sithe bifore the
Parlement of Bury;² but the conclusyon of this text came
never zet to experiens, and that is gret rewthe. Consideret
discretio vestra singulorum annorum curricula, et percipietis
tunc perplurima exempla de dominorum fidelium atque com-
munium morte satis injuriosa multiformiter lamentanda dis-
currendo per singula. Ex paucis scit discretio vestra
perpendere plura, &c. Et ubi ego semel in ecclesia Pauli
palam praedicavi hunc textum, Non credas inimico tuo in
?ternum (Ecc. 12^o), et quidam hujus regni doctor et episcopus,
utinam non indignus, asseruit eundem textum Scripturae Sacrae
non incorporatum, quid doctor Nicholaus de Lira super eundem
textum dicit, contra audietis. Non credas, &c., id est, Nun-
quam credas ei quem probasti inimicum, &c. Sequitur in
textu:?Sicut ?ramentum ?ruginat malicia illius, id est, rubigi-
nem odii servat interius, licet contrarium ostendatur exterius.
Ideo in textu sequitur:?Etsi humiliatus vadat corvus [curvus],
tibi magnam reverenciam exhibendo, affirma, abice [abjice]
animum tuum ab illo, nullo modo credendo ei, et custodi te ab
illo. Non statuas illum penes te (id est, ipsum tibi familiarem
exhibendo); ne conversus stet in loco suo [should be tuo] te
supplantando; et in novissimo agnoscas verba mea esse vera, sed

nimis tarde. Sequitur: Quis miserebitur incantatori a serpente
percusso, &c.; et qui comitatur cum viro iniquo et obvolutus est
in peccatis ejus? Una hora tecum permanebit; si autem de-
clinaveris non supportabit. In labiis suis indulcat inimicus, et
in corde suo insidiatur, ut subvertat te in foveam. In oculis suis
lacrimatur inimicus, et si invenerit tempus non saciabitur sanguine.
Si incurrerint tibi mala [invenies] eum illic priorem, &c. In
finem rogo, videte textum et postillatores super eodem, ex
quibus potestis plane considerare episcopum modernum ali-
quando Scripturam Sacram ignorare, &c. Utinam dominorum
fidelium provida discrecio amicorum dileccionem sapienter sic
pensaret quod inimicorum dileccionem nequaquam sic amaret,
ut inimicis mortalibus confidenciam exhiberet; quare ut prius
sic replico Jesu Sirach sanum et salubre consilium, Non credas
inimico tuo in æternum. Sapienti, non insipienti scribo. Plura
habeo vestræ reverentiæ scribere quæ jam non expedit calamo
commendare. Uxor Johannis Berney de Redham jam infra
triduum peperit filium, &c. Magistra mea uxor vestra sana
est cum filiis vestris et filiabus ac tota familia. Conventus
noster inter cæteros habet statum vestrum specialissime recom-
mendatum in missis ac orationibus, consuetisque suffragiis; et
cum jam sitis in parliamento præsenti pro milite electo, uti
vobis consulo verbis Pauli Apostoli, Labora sicut bonus miles
Jesu Christi;¹ et alibi, Job utendo verbis, Militia super terram
est vita hominis (Job 7). Viriliter igitur agite et confortetur cor
vestrum quia speratis in Domino (in Psalmo).² Quis, inquit
Sapiens, speravit in Domino et confusus est, et permansit in
mandatis Dei et derelictus est?³ quasi diceret, nullus.

     Ex Norwico feria sexta post festum Sancti Lucæ
Evangelistæ.                                              [Not Signed.]

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 386.] This letter was clearly written after the battle of
Northampton in 1460, by which the state of parties at the Parliament of Coventry in
1459 was exactly reversed.

     With regard to this and other letters of Dr. Brackley, the original editor, Sir
John Fenn, has expressed a misgiving that he may in some instances have misread the
contractions used in the Latin words. This was certainly the case in the present letter,
in which misreadings have been corrected, and some passages supplied from the MS.

     ³ Held in December 1459.

    ¹ Paul’s Cross.                                         ² In 1447.

     ¹ 2 Tim. ii. 3.                                     ² Psalm xxx. (xxxi.) 24.

     ³ Eccles. ii. 11, 12 (v. 10 of our English version

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