J Payn to John Paston

Add. 43491, f. 1

1450 (written in 1465)

Gairdner, Vol II, item 126; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 13

LETTER XIII.

To my ryght honurabyll Maister John Paston.

RYGHT honurabyll and my ryght enterly, bylovyd
Maister I recomaunde me un to yow w^t all maner of
due reu^rence in the moste louly wyse as me ought to do eu^rmor
desyryng to here of yo^r worshipfull state prosp’ite and welfar
the whech I beseke God of his aboundant gr’ce encrece and
mayntene to his moste plesaunce and to yo^r hartis desyre.

Pleasyth it yo^r gode and gracios maistershipp tendyrly to
consedir the grete losses and hurts y^t yo^r por peticioner haeth

and haeth jhad evyrseth the Comons of Kent come to the
Blakheth and y^t is at xv yer passed wher’as my Maist’ Syr John
¹Fastolf knyght y^t is youre Testat^r com’andyt yo^r besecher to
take a man and ij of the beste orsse y^t wer in his stabyll w^t
hym to ryde to the Comens of Kent to gete the Articles y^t
they come for. and so I dyd and also sone as I come to the Blak-
heth the ²Capteyn made the Comens to take me and for the
savacion of my Maist’s horse I made my fellowe to ryde a wey
w^t the ij horses and I was brought forth w^t befor the Capteyn
of Kent and the Capteyn demaund^t me what was my cause of
comyng thedyr and why y^t I made my fellowe to stele a wey
w^t he horse and I seyd y^t I come thedyr to cher’ w^t my wyves
brethren and other y^t wer’ my alys and Gossippes of myn y^t
wer’ p’sent ther’ and yan was y^r oone y^r and seid to the Capteyn
y^t I was one of S^r. John Fastolfes men and the ij horse wer’
S^r. John Fastolfes and then the Capteyn lete cry treson upon me
thorought ought all the felde and brought me at iiij p’tes of the
feld w^t a Harrawd of the Duke of ³ Exett^r before me in the
Dukes Cote of Armes makyng iiij Oyes at iiij p’tes of the
feld p’claymyng opynly by the seid Harrawd y^t I was sent
thedyr for to aspy yeyre pusaunce and theyre Abyllyments of
werr fro the grettyst Tray’t^r y^t was in Yngelond or in Fraunce

as y^e seyd Capteyn made p’claymacion at y^t tyme fro oone
S^r. John Fastolf knyght the whech mynnysshyd all the Garri-
sons of Norm^undy and Manns and Mayn the whech was the
cause of the lesyng of all the Kyng’s tytyll and ryght of an
herytñce y^t he had by yonde see and morovyr he seid y^t the
seid S^r. John Fastolf had furnysshyd his plase w^t the olde
Sawdyors of Norm^undy and Abyllymēts of werr to destroy the
Comens of Kent whan y^t they come to Southewerk and y^rfor
he seyd playnly y^t I shulde lese my hede and so furthew^t I was
taken and led to the Capteyns Tent and j ax and j blok was
brought forth to have smetyn of myn hede and yan my Maist’
⁴ Ponyngs yo^r brodyr w^t other of my Frendes come and lettyd
y^e Capteyn and seyd pleynly y^t y^r shulde dye a C or ij y^t in case
be y^t I dyed and so by y^t meane my lyf was savyd at y^t tyme
and yan I was sworen to the Capteyn and to the Comens y^t
I shulde go to Southewerk and aray me in the best wyse y^t I
coude and come ageyn to hem to helpe hem and so I gote
tharticles and brought hem to my Maist’ and y^t cost me mor’
emongs y^e Comens y^t day yan xxvij S.

Wherupon I come to my Maist’ Fastolf and brought hym
tharticles and enforme^d hym of all the mat’ and counseyled hym
to put a wey all his Abyllyments of werr and the olde Sawdiors
and so he dyd and went hymself to the Tour and all his
meyny w^t hym but Betts and j Mathew Brayn and had not I
ben the Comens wolde have brennyd his plase and all his
ten’uryes wherthorough it coste me of my noune p’pr godes at

y^t tyme mor than vj m’rks in mate and drynke and nought
w^tstondyng the Capteyn y^t some tyme lete take me atte Whyte
Harte in Suthewerk and y^r comandyt Lovelase to dispoyle
me oute of myn aray and so he dyd and y^r he toke a fyn Gowne
of Must’ dewyllrs furryd w^t fyn beu^rs and j peyr of ⁵ Bre-
gandyrns kev^rt w^t blew fellewet and gylt naile w^t legharneyse,
the vallew of the gown and the Bregardyns viij li.

Itm the Capteyn sent certeyn of his meyny to my Chamber
in yo^r rents and y^r breke up my Chest and toke a wey j
Obligacion of myn y^t was due unto me of xxxvj li. by a p’st
of Poules and j nother Obligacion of j knyght of x^li and my
purse w^t v ryngs of golde and xvij^s vj^d of golde and sylv^r and j
herneyse complete of the touche of ⁶ Milleyn and j gowne of
fyn perse blewe furryd w^t Mart’ns and ij Gounes one furryd
w^t bogey and j nother lyned w^t ffryse and y^r wolde have smetyn
of myn hede wh’n y^t they had dyspoyled me atte White Harte
and y^r my Maist’ Ponyngs and my Frends savyd me and so I was
put up tyll at nyght y^t the ⁷ bat’yle was at London Brygge
and yan attenyght the Capteyn put me oute into the batayle
atte brygge and y^r I was won’dyt and hurte nere hand to deth,
and y^r I was vj oures in the batayle and myght nevyr come
oute y^r of and iiij tymes befor’ y^t tyme I was caryed abought

thorought Kent and Sousex and y^r they wolde have smetyn of my
hede and in Kent y^r as my wyfe dwellyd they toke awey
all oure godes mevabyll y^t we had and y^r wolde have hongyd
my wyfe and v of my chyldern and lefte her no mor’ gode but her
kyrtyll and her smook and a none aftyr y^t Hurlyng the Bysshop
³ Rosse apechyd me to the Quene and so I was arestyd by the
Quenes com’aundent in to the Marchalsy and y^r was in rygt
grete durasse and fer’ of myn lyf and was thretenyd to have ben
hongyd drawē and qu’rt’yd and so wolde have made me to have
pechyd my Maist’ Fastolf of ⁹ Treson and by cause y^t I wolde
not yey had me up to Westm’ and y^r wolde have sent me to
the Gole house at Wyndsor’ but my wyves and j Coseyn of myn
noune y^t wer’ yomen of y^e Croune yey went to the Kyng and
gote grase and j Chartyr of p’don.

Per le v’re,

11 ½ by 16 ½.

J. Payn.

Paper Mark.
        YHS surrounded with a
       radiated Star of 16 Points.
                 Pl. VIII. N^o 5.

June and July
               1450, 28 H. VI.
               but written
               1465, 5 E. IV.

This Letter was written in 1465, 5 E. IV. but it relates so entirely to a Transaction
in June and July 1450. 28 H. VI. that I have thought it better to place it here, according
to the Date of the Event it records, than according to the Date of the Time when it was
written.

It presents to us, a certain and curious Account of the Commons of Kent, when
assembled at Blackheath under Cade, in 1450, and was written by J. Payn (then a Servant
to Sir John Fastols) who was taken by them, carried about with them, and threatened
to have been beheaded, &c.

It truly shews to us the violence and barbarity of a body of men, collected chiefly from
the meanest of the People, combined together for the pretended purpose of Reformation;
but really for the Destruction of all good Order, and legal Government.

J. Payn had been formerly a Servant to Sir John Fastolf, of some consequence, and
was now a Petitioner for some relief, on account of his losses and misfortunes, while a
Prisoner, &c. with the Rebels, from John Paston, one of the Executors of Sir John
Fastolf’s Will. Pl. III. N^o 30.

¹ He died on the 6th of November, St. Leonard’s Day, in 1459, aged 80 years and
upwards.

² Jack Cade, an Irishman; he called himself John Mortimer, of the House of Marche,
he was likewise styled Captain Mend-all.

³ It cannot be supposed that the Duke of Exeter, a faithful Lancastrian took any part
in this Commotion, but it is probable his Herald might be forced into the service of the Rebels

Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, though he married Anne, Sister of Edward IV. always
adhered to the House of Lancaster, and after the battle of Barnet, in 1471, took
Sanctuary at Westminster; whence he privately escaped abroad, where he lived in great
poverty and distress. It is said that his dead body was found in 1474, on the sea shore,
on the Coast of Kent.

⁴ Robert Poynyngs married Elizabeth, the Sister of J. Paston, and was Sword Bearer
and Carver to Cade.

⁵ A Coat of Mail, consisting of many jointed and scale-like Plates, &c.

⁶ Milan, a City in Italy, famous for its works in iron and steel, &c.

⁷ The battle at the Bridge was fought, according to our Historians, on the 8th of July,
1450; but on a paper, amongst this collection of Letters, marked with the Bull’s Head
and Star, and on which are recorded several Events of the reign of Henry VI. is the
following Note.

?Jak Cade, proditor de Kent fugit de le Blakheth xxij die Junij Anno 28 H. VI.
“—Julij mense decapitat’ suit.”

If therefore Cade sled from Blackheath on the 22d of June, the battle at the Bridge
must have been fought then, and not in July.

⁸ John Lowe, a learned Divine.

⁹ Why this attempt was made upon him to accuse his Master Sir John Fastolf of Trea
son I cannot conceive, unless it was, because Sir John left his House, &c. in Southwark,
and retired to the Tower, instead of resisting and attacking the Rebels.

LETTER XIII.

To my right honourable Master, John Paston.

RIGHT honourable and my right entirely beloved Master,
I recommend me unto you, with all manner of due
reverence in the most lowly wise as me ought to do, evermore
desiring to hear of your worshipful state, prosperity and welfare;
the which I beseek (beseech) God, of his abundant grace,
increase and maintain to his most pleasance, and to your heart’s
desire.

Pleaseth it, your good and gracious Mastership, tenderly to con-
sider the great losses and hurts, that your poor Petitioner hath,

and hath had, ever since the Commons of Kent came to the
Blackheath, and that is at 15 years passed; whereas my Master
Sir John ¹ Fastolf knight, that is, your Testator, commanded
your Beseecher to take a man, and two of the best horses that
were in his stable, with him to ride to the Commons of Kent,
to get the Articles that they come for; and so I did; and also
(as) soon as I came to the Blackheath, the ² Captain made the
Commons to take me; and for the savation (saving) of my
Master’s horses I made my Fellow to ride away with the two
horses; and I was brought forthwith before the Captain of Kent;
and the Captain demanded (of) me, what was my cause of
coming thither, and why that I made my Fellow to steal away
with the horses; and I said, that I came thither to cheer with
my wife’s brethren, and others that were mine Allies, and
Gossips of mine, that were present there; and then was there
one there, and (who) said to the Captain, that I was one of
Sir John Fastolf’s men, and the two horses were Sir John
Fastolf’s; and then the Captain, let cry Treason upon me
throughout all the field, and brought me at four parts of the
field, with a Herald of the Duke of ³ Exeter before me, in the
Duke’s Coat of Arms, making four Oyez at four parts of the
field; proclaiming openly by the said Herald, that I was sent
thither for to espy their puissance, and their habiliments of war,
from the greatest Traitor that was in England or in France, as

the said Captain made proclamation at that time, from one
Sir John Fastolf knight, the which minished (diminished) all the
Garrisons of Normandy, and Manns, and Mayn, the which
was the cause of the losing of all the King’s title and right of
an heritance, that he had beyond sea. And moreover, he said,
that the said Sir John Fastolf had furnished his Place with the old
Soldiers of Normandy and habiliments of war, to destroy the
Commons of Kent, when that they came to Southwark, and
therefore he said plainly that I should lose my head; and so
forthwith I was taken, and led to the Captain’s Tent, and one
axe and one block was brought forth to have smitten off mine
head; and then my Master ⁴Poynyngs your brother, with
other of my Friends came, and letted (prevented) the Captain,
and said plainly, that there should die an hundred or two, that
in case be, that I died; and so by that mean my life was saved
at that time.

And then I was sworn to the Captain, and to the Commons,
that I should go to Southwark, and array me in the best wise
that I could, and come again to them to help them; and so I
got the Articles, and brought them to my Master, and that
cost me more amongst the Commons that day than 27’.

Whereupon I came to my Master Fastolf, and brought him the
Articles, and informed him of all the matter, and counselled
him to put away all his habiliments of war, and the old Soldiers,
and so he did, and went himself to the Tower, and all his meny
(family) with him, but Betts and Matthew Brayn; and had not
I been, the Commons would have brenned (burnt) his Place,
and all his Tenuries; where though it cost me of my own proper

goods at that time more than six marks (4l.) in meat and
drink, and (yet) notwithstanding the Captain that same time,
let take me at the White Hart in Southwark, and there commanded
Lovelace to despoil me out of mine array, and so he did; and
there he took a fine Gown of Muster’ devillers furred with fine
beavers, and one pair of ⁵ Brigandines covered with blue velvet
and gilt nails, with leg-harness; the value of the Gown and the
Brigandines 8l.

Item, the Captain sent certain of his meny to my Chamber in
your rents, and there (they) broke up my Chest, and took
away one Obligation of mine, that was due unto me of 36l.
by a Priest of Paul’s, and one other Obligation, of one knight
of 10l. and my purse with five Rings of gold, and 17s. and 6d.
of gold and silver; and one harness complete of the touch of
⁶ Milan; and one Gown of fine Perse blue, furred with Martens;
and two Gowns, one furred with Bogey, and one other lined
with frieze; and there would have smitted off mine head,
when that they had dispoiled me at (the) White Hart; and there
my Master Poynyngs, and my Friends saved me, and so I was
put up, till at night that the ⁷ Battle was at London Bridge;
and then at night the Captain put me out into the battle at the
Bridge, and there I was wounded, and hurt near hand to
death; and there I was six hours in the battle, and might never
come out thereof; and four times before that time, I was

carried about throughout Kent and Suffex, and there they would
have smitten off my head; and in Kent there as (where) my
Wife dwelled, they took away all our Goods moveable that we
had; and there would have hanged my Wife, and five of my
Children, and left her no more goods but her Kirtle and her
Smock; and anon after that Hurling (Commotion), the Bishop of
⁸ Rochester impeached me to the Queen, and so I was arrest-
ed by the Queen’s commandment into the Marshalsea, and
there was in right great duress, and fear of mine life, and was
threatened to have been hanged, drawn, and quartered; and so
(they) would have made me have impeached my Master Fastolf
of ⁹ Treason, and because that I would not, they had me up to
Westminster, and there would have sent me to the Gaol
House at Windsor, but my Wife’s, and one Cousin of mine
own, that were Yeomen of the Crown, they went to the King,
and got grace and one Charter of Pardon.

Per le v’re,

J. PAYN.

11 ? by 16 ?.