Henry VII to the Earl of Oxford

LETTER XVII.

The Kynge to my Lorde of Oxynford.

RIGHT trusty And Entierly beloued Cousin We grete you
well Jnasmuch as it hath liked god to sende us good tidings
oute of Bretayn such as we dought not but that ye be desi-
rous to understonde we wryte unto you of them as they be
Comen to our knowlage and as foloueth The lord Malp’tuis
now late w^t vs in Ambassade from our dere Cousine the
Duchesse of Bretayne shippid at our porte of Dortmouth
and arriued at Saynt powle de lyon in Bretayn on Palme
sonday at iiij after noone from whens he wrote us the dis-
poscion And the state of the Countre there And of the
landyng And the Demeanyng of our Armee We receuied
his Wrytyng on Monday last at Evynsong tyme And be
Cause he was of Bretayn borne and favorable to that p^rtie
We ne gave such trust to his tidings as was thought to us
surete to wryte to you theruppon This Day aftre high Masse
Comyth unto us from oute of Bretayne forsaid and w^t a new
Ambassade from our said Cousine Fawcon oon of our pur-
suiants that Ratifieth the newes of the seid lord Malp’tuis
which ben these after the garysson of Frenshmen in the
towne of Gyngh’m had Certeinte of the landyng of our Armee
ther drewe downe the fabours of Gyngh’m And made thayme
mete to defende A siege but assone as thei undirstode
that our said Armee Jornayned towards theim thei left the
same Gyngh’m where our said Armee ariued the Thursday
next before Palme senday and was receiued w^t p’cession
logged and receiued refreshed in the town iiij dayes And
goyng towards the said Duchesse thei must passe to the
Castell and Borugh of Moncouter Jn that Castell was Also
a garnisson of Frenshemen which incontinently vpon worde
that our said Armee drwe towards theym the Frenshmen
Did Cast downe gret parte of the Walles and fled from thens
Jn that Castell and borugh our seid Armee kept thair Estre
The Castell of Chawson adioyni˜g ner to the towne of
Saynt Bryak was also garnisond w^t Frenshmen that Castell
they set on Fire And soo fled Jn the townes of Henebone
And Vannes were garnsond w^t Frenshmen which breke
downe the walles of the townes and putte them self to Fligth
Thinhabitants a bought Brest haue layd Siege the’unto
And goten the Base Courte of the Frenchmen or the de-
partyng of our said pursiva˜nt The garnson of the towne of
Concarnewe which is oon of the grettest strenghes of all
Bretayn was besieged in like wyse And Drevyn to that neces-
site that thei w^t in offerd or his dep^rtyng to avoyde the
towne w^t staffe in hande how that is takyn or what is more
done sithens he cannot telle Oure said Cousine the Duchesse
is in her Citee of Raynes And our right trusti Knyght And
Counsellour Sir Richard Eggecombe ther also hauyng Cheef
Rule abowte her And the Marchall of Bretayn arredieth
hym to Joyne with them in all haste w^t a gode band of men
mony noble men of that Countree repair to our said Armee
to take their partie These premisses in substance We haue
be Wrytyng aswell from the Chef Capytaynes of our said
Armee as from our Comptrollo^r forsaid And that our said
Armee blessid be god hath Among theyme selfe kepte such
love and accorde that no man^r of fray or debate hath bene
bitwene them sithens the tyme of thair dep’ting out this our
Reame Youen und^r our signed at our Castell at Hartford
the xxij day of Aprill

     Syr thys js the Copye of the lettyr that y^e Kynge sente
my lorde of Oxynford of tydyngs owte of Breten

                                                   Be yowre Brodyr

                                                                     WY˜LLM PASTON.

      11¼ by 12½.

                  Paper Mark.
   Catharine Wheel and Stars, &c.
                 Pl. xxxiii. No. 9.

     A treaty had been concluded at Redon, in February 1488-9, between Henry
and Ann Duchess of Bretaigne, one article of which was, that Henry should
send her an aid of 6000 men. These were the troops now landed in Bre-
taigne, before whom the French garrisons seem to fly with precipitation.

     The caution of the King is very apparent, from the doubts he entertained of
the truth of the account forwarded to him from the Duchess?s ambassador.

     The movements of this army, and the evacuation of her towns by the French,
must have greatly relieved the Duchess from the critical situation to which she
had been reduced by the French King.

      Sir Richard Edgecombe had hazarded his life and fortune in the service of
Henry, and had behaved with the greatest valour and intrepidity at the battle
of Bosworth; when, the crown being placed on the Earl’s head, he amply and
justly rewarded his faithful follower, making to him large grants of land, and
appointing him Comptroller of his Household, and one of his Privy Council.

     This embassy to the Duchess of Bretaigne was the last service he per-
formed, dying at Mortlaix, on the 8th of September, 1489; and where he lies
buried in the Church of the Friars Preachers, where a monument is erected to
his memory.

    The account of the behaviour and discipline of the English forces redounds
greatly to the honour of their commander and officers.

     This is a copy of the original letter from the King to the Earl of Oxford,
sent to Sir John Paston by his brother William, and contains a curious and
most authentic account of the proceedings and progress of the army employed
in the assistance of the Duchess of Bretaigne, in order to recover her fortresses
from the French.

     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 12.

LETTER XVII.

The King to my Lord of Oxenford.

RIGHT trusty and entirely beloved Cousin, we greet you
well; inasmuch as it hath liked God to send us good tidings
out of Bretaigne, such as we doubt not but that ye be desi-
rous to understand; we write unto you of them, as they be
come to our knowledge, and as followeth.

     The Lord Malpertuis, now late with us in ambassade from
our dear Cousin the Duchess of Bretaigne, shipped at our port
of Dartmouth, and arrived at St. Paul de Lyon in Bretaigne,
on Palm Sunday [12th April], at 4 in the afternoon, from
whence he wrote us the disposition and the state of the
country there, and of the landing and the demeaning of our
army.

     We received his writing on Monday last at evensong
time; and because he was of Bretaigne born, and favourable
to that party, we ne gave [did not give] such trust to his
tidings, as was thought to us surety to write to you there-
upon.

     This day after high mass cometh unto us from out of Bre-
taigne aforesaid, and with a new ambassade from our said
Cousin, Falcon one of our Pursuivants, that ratifieth the
news of the said Lord Malpertuis, which be these.

     After the garrison of Frenchmen in the town of Gyngham
[Guingamp] had certainty of the landing of our army, they
drew down the fabours [Portcullises or Fauxbourgs] of Gyng-
ham, and made them meet [ready] to defend a siege; but
as soon as they understood that our said army journeyed
towards them, they left the same Gyngham, where our said
army arrived the Thursday next before Palm Sunday, and
was received with procession, lodged and received, and re-
freshed in the town four days; and going towards the said
Duchess, they must pass to the castle and borough of Mon-
couter; in that castle was also a garrison of Frenchmen,
which incontinently, upon word that our said army drew
towards them, the Frenchmen did cast down great part of
the walls and fled from thence; in that castle and borough
our said army kept their Easter. The castle of Chauson, ad-
joining near to the town of Saint Bryak [St. Brieu] was also
garrisoned with Frenchmen, that castle they set on fire, and
so fled in. The towns of Henebone and Vannes were gar-
risoned with Frenchmen, which brake down the walls of the
towns, and put themselves to flight. The inhabitants about
Brest have laid siege thereunto, and gotten the Base Court
of the Frenchmen ere the departing of our said Pursuivant.

       The garrison of the town of Concarnell, which is one of the
greatest strengths of all Bretaigne, was besieged in like wise,
and driven to that necessity, that they within offered, ere
his said departing, to avoid the town with staff in hand;
how that is taken, or what is more done since, we cannot
tell.

     Our said Cousin, the Duchess, is in her city of Rennes;
our right trusty Knight and Counsellor, Sir Richard Edge-
combe, [is] there also, having chief rule about her; and the
Marshal of Bretaigne arredieth him [makes himself ready] to
join with them in all haste with a good band of men.
Many noblemen of that country repair to our said army to
take their party.

     These premisses in substance we have by writing, as well
from the chief Captains of our said army, as from our
Comptroller aforesaid. And that our said army, blessed be
God! hath among themselves kept such love and accord,
that no manner of fray or debate hath been between them
since the time of their departing out [of] this our realm.

     Given under our signet, at our Castle of Hertford, the
22d day of April.

           Hertford,
   Wednesday, 22d April,
         1489. 4 H. vii.

     Sir, this is the copy of the letter that the King sent to
my Lord of Oxenford of tidings out of Bretaigne.

                                                       By your brother,

                                                                        WILLIAM PASTON.

  A treaty had been concluded at Redon, in February 1488-9, between Henry
and Ann Duchess of Bretaigne, one article of which was, that Henry should
send her an aid of 6000 men. These were the troops now landed in Bre-
taigne, before whom the French garrisons seem to fly with precipitation.

     The caution of the King is very apparent, from the doubts he entertained of
the truth of the account forwarded to him from the Duchess?s ambassador.

     The movements of this army, and the evacuation of her towns by the French,
must have greatly relieved the Duchess from the critical situation to which she
had been reduced by the French King.

      Sir Richard Edgecombe had hazarded his life and fortune in the service of
Henry, and had behaved with the greatest valour and intrepidity at the battle
of Bosworth; when, the crown being placed on the Earl’s head, he amply and
justly rewarded his faithful follower, making to him large grants of land, and
appointing him Comptroller of his Household, and one of his Privy Council.

     This embassy to the Duchess of Bretaigne was the last service he per-
formed, dying at Mortlaix, on the 8th of September, 1489; and where he lies
buried in the Church of the Friars Preachers, where a monument is erected to
his memory.

    The account of the behaviour and discipline of the English forces redounds
greatly to the honour of their commander and officers.

     This is a copy of the original letter from the King to the Earl of Oxford,
sent to Sir John Paston by his brother William, and contains a curious and
most authentic account of the proceedings and progress of the army employed
in the assistance of the Duchess of Bretaigne, in order to recover her fortresses
from the French.

     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 12.

1036

HENRY VII. TO THE EARL OF OXFORD³

    RIGHT trusty and entierly beloved cousin, we grete
        you well. Inasmuch as it hath liked God to sende
        us good tidinges oute of Bretayn, such as we dought
not but that ye be desirous to undrestonde, we wryte unto
you of them as thay be comen to our knowlage, and as
foloueth.

     The Lord Malpertuis, now late with us in ambassade from
our dere cousine, the Duchesse of Bretayne, shippid at our
porte of Dortmouth, and arrived at Saynt Powle de Lyon, in
Bretayn, on Palme Sonday,¹ at iiij. after noone, from whens he
wrote us the disposicion and the state of the countre there,
and of the landyng and the demeanyng of oure armee. We
received his wrytyng on Monday last, at evynsong tyme; and
be cause he was of Bretayn borne, and favorable to that partie,
we ne gave such trust to his tidinges, as was thought to us
surete to wryte to you theruppon.

     This daye, aftre High Masse, comyth unto us from oute
of Bretayne forsaid, and with a new ambassade from our said
cousine, Fawcon, oon of our pursivantes, that ratifieth the
newes of the seid Lord Malpertuis, which ben these.

     After the garysson of Frenshmen in the towne of Gyng-
ham² had certeinte of the landyng of our armee, thei drewe
downe the fabours³ of Gyngham, and made thayme mete to
defende a siege; but assone as thei undirstode that our said
armee jornayned towardes theim, thei left the same Gyngham,
where our said armee arrived the Thursday next before Palme
Sonday, and was received with procession, logged and received,
refreshed in the town iiij. dayes. And goyng towardes the
said Duchesse, thei must passe to the castell and borugh of
Monconter. In that castell was also a garnisson of Frenshe-
men, which incontinently, upon worde that our said armee
drwe towardes theym, the Frenshmen did cast downe gret
parte of the walles, and fled from thens; in that castell and
borugh our seid armee kept thair Estre. The castell of
Chawson, adjoyning nere to the towne of Saynt Bryak, was
also garnisond with Frenshmen; that castell they set on fire,
and soo fled in the townes of Henebone and Vannes⁴ were
garnisond with Frenshmen, which breke downe the walles of
the townes, and putte them selff to fligth. Th’inhabitantes a
bought Brest have layd siege therunto, and goten the Base
Courte of the Frenshmen or the departyng of our said pursi-
vaunt. The garnson of the towne of Concarnewe, which is
oon of the grettest strenghes of all Bretayn, was besieged in
like wyse, and drevyn to that necessite that thei with in
offerid, ar his said departyng, to avoyde the towne with staffe
in hande; how that is takyn, or what is more done sithens, he
cannot telle.

     Oure said cousine, the Duchesse, is in her citee of Raynes;
and our right trusti knyght and counsellour, Sir Richard
Eggecombe, there also, havyng cheeff rule abowte her; and
the Marchall of Bretayn arredieth hym to joyne with them in
alle haste with a gode band of men. Mony noble men of
that countree repair to our said armee to take their partie.

     These premisses in substaunce we have be wrytyng, aswell
from the cheff capytaynes of our said armee, as from our
comptrollour¹ forsaid. And that our said armee, blessid be
God, hath among theyme selfe kepte such love and accorde,
that no maner of fray or debate hath bene bitwene theym
sithens the tyme of thair departing out this our Reame.
Yoven under our signed, at our castell at Hartford, the xxij.
day of Aprill.

     Syr, thys is the copye of the lettyr that the Kynge sente
my Lorde of Oxynford of tydyynges owte of Breten.

                  Be yowre brodyr,                    WYLLIAM PASTON.

     ³ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was evidently written in the same year
as No. 1030, in which it is mentioned that Sir Richard Edgecombe and others had
gone over to Brittany.

 ¹ 12th April.                                                                                ² Guingamp.

     ³ Fauxbourgs, which Fenn supposes here to mean portcullises, but I know not if
the word was ever used in such a sense. Perhaps what is meant is, that they destroyed
the suburbs to fortify their position.           ⁴ The word ‘which’ appears to be omitted.

 ¹ Sir Richard Edgecombe.

1489
APRIL 22

1489
APRIL 22

1489
APRIL 22