James Gloys to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 120

25 July 1455

Gairdner, Vol III, item 300; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 10

LETTER X.

    To the right wurchepfull Sr
    and my goode maystr my maystr
    Iobn Paston be this delivred.

REURENT and right wurchepfull Sr and my gode maystr
I recomaund me to you p'yng you to wete that ther is
reysed a slandrows noyse in this Countre up on my maystr Yel-
vrton and you and my maystr Alyngton Which I suppose is do to
bryng you ought of the Conceyte of the pepyll For at this day
ye stand gretly in the Countreys Conceyte It is seyde be Heydeon
and his disciples that my maystr Yelvrton and ye and my maystr

Alyngton shuld haue do oon S^r John Tartyssale ptson of the Est-
churche of ^I Warham and Chapeleyn to the ^z p^ro^r of Walsyngh'm
to put in to the prlemet a bille of diu's Tresons don be my 3 lord
of Norwich Sr Thomas Tudenh'm and John Heydon And ye
shuld have set to yo^r Seales And if that Heydon had be vj howrs
fro the prlement lenger than he was ther had be g'anted an oyer
detrmyner to have enquer of hem &c. This was told yestrday in
right wurchepful Audience and a mong the Thrifties men of this
Countre And thei seyd rihgt shrewedly For my lord of Nor-
wich hath so flatered the lay pepill as he hath redyn a bought his
visitacon that he hath thers herts Wherfor and it please you to
lete me have knowlech what ye wuld I shuld sey to it wher as I
her any such langage I wull do my prte and have do hed toward
as I have thought in my Conceytes best &c. And if ther be any
other srvyce that ye wull comaund me I am and wull be redy at
yowr Comaundment w^t the grace of god How eur have you
in his blyssed kepyng wretyn at Wighton in hast on Sent James
Day.

Be yor srvute,
4 James Gloys.

9 by 4 1/2.
    Paper Mark,
    An Anchor.
    Pl. XXII. No 12.

This Letter appears to have been written in 1461, as it insinuates a suspicion of treason
against Sir Thomas Todenham, &c. who was a faithful Lancastrian, and suffered on the
block, for corresponding with the late Queen, in the February following the date of this
Letter.

1 There were three Churches in the parish of Warham.

2 Thomas Hunt was admitted Prior in 1437.

³ Walter Lyhert was declared Bishop of Norwich by papal provision in 1446. He was
a man of fingular wisdom, and, being of a peaceable disposition, was much beloved by the
Citizens.

In 1449 he entertained King Henry VI. at his Palace in Norwich, and being a man of
great political abilities was sent in the same year Embassador into Savoy.
He died on Whitsunday, 24th of May 1472, and was buried directly before the Rood
Loft in his own Cathedral.

⁴ Autograph. Pl. XXV. No. 16. He was a Priest.

LETTER X.

To the right worshipful Sir, and my good Master, my Master
John Paston, be this delivered.

REVEREND and right worshipful Sir, and my good
Master, I recommend me to you, praying you to weet
that there is raised a slanderous noise in this Country upon my
Master Yelverton, and you, and my Master Alyngton, which I
suppose is done to bring you out of the conceit of the people,
for at this day ye stand greatly in the country's conceit.

It is said by Heydon and his Disciples that my Master Yelver-
yon, and ye, and my Master Alyngton, should have do (made)

one Sir Thomas Tartyssale, Parson of the East Church of 1 War-
ham, and Chaplain to the ² Prior of Walsingham, to put into
the parliament a Bill of divers Treasons done by my ³ Lord of
Norwich, Sir Thomas Todenham, and John Heydon, and (that)
ye should have set (there) to your Seals; and if that Heydon
had been six hours from the Parliament longer than he was,
there had been granted an Oyer Determiner to have enquired of
them, &c. This was told yesterday in right worshipful audience,
and among the thriftiest men of this Country; and they said
right shrewdly, for my Lord of Norwich hath so flattered the
Lay people as he hath ridden about his Visitation, that he
hath their hearts; wherefore and (if) it please you to let me
have knowledge what ye would I should say to it, whereas (that)
I hear any such language, I will do my part, and have done
hitherward as have thought in my conciet best, &c. and if there
be any other service that ye will command me, I am and will be
ready at your commandment with the grace of God, who ever
have you in his blessed keeping. Written at Wighton in haste,
on Saint James's Day.

By your Servant,
⁴ JAMES GLOYS.

Wighton,
Saturday, 25 July 1461.
I E. IV.

This Letter appears to have been written in 1461, as it insinuates a suspicion of treason
against Sir Thomas Todenham, &c. who was a faithful Lancastrian, and suffered on the
block, for corresponding with the late Queen, in the February following the date of this
Letter.

1 There were three Churches in the parish of Warham.

2 Thomas Hunt was admitted Prior in 1437.

³ Walter Lyhert was declared Bishop of Norwich by papal provision in 1446. He was
a man of fingular wisdom, and, being of a peaceable disposition, was much beloved by the
Citizens.

In 1449 he entertained King Henry VI. at his Palace in Norwich, and being a man of
great political abilities was sent in the same year Embassador into Savoy.
He died on Whitsunday, 24th of May 1472, and was buried directly before the Rood
Loft in his own Cathedral.

⁴ Autograph. Pl. XXV. No. 16. He was a Priest.

300

JAMES GLOYS TO JOHN PASTON²

To the right wurchepfull Sir, ana my goode mayster, my Mayster
John Paston, be this delivered.

   REVERENT and right wurchepfull Sir, and my gode
     mayster, I recomaund me to you, prayng you to wete
     that ther is reysed a slandrows noyse in this countre
up on my Mayster Yelverton and you and my Mayster
Alyngton, which I suppose is do to bryng you ought of the
conceyte of the pepyll, for at this day ye stand gretly in the
countreys conceyte. It is seyde be Heydon and his disciples
that my Mayster Yelverton and ye and my Mayster Alyng-
ton shuld have doo oon Sir John Tartyssale, parson of the
Estchurche³ of Warham and chapeleyn to the priour⁴ of
Walsyngham, to put in to the Parlement, a bille of divers
tresons don be my Lord of Norwich,⁵ Sir Thomas Tudenham,

and John Heydon, and ye shuld have set to your seales; and
if that Heydon had be vj. howrs fro the Parlement lenger
than he was, ther had be granted an oyer determiner to have
enquer of hem, &c. This was told yesterday in right wur-
chepfull audience, and a mong the thrifties men of this countre;
and thei seyd right shrewedly, for my lord of Norwich hath so
flatered the lay pepill as he hath redyn a bought his visitacion
that he hath thers herts. Wherfor, and it plese you to lete
me have knowlech what ye wuld I shuld sey to it, wher as I
her any such langage, I wull do my parte, and have do hed
toward as 1 have thought in my conceytes best, &c. And if
ther be any other servyce that ye wull comaund me, I am and
wull be redy at yowr comaundment with the grace of God,
how [who] ever have you in his blyssed kepyng.

Wretyn at Wighton in hast, on Sent James day,

Be your servaunte, JAMES GLOYS.¹

² [From Fenn, iv. 32.] This letter is attributed by Fenn to the year 1461, but
that date is certainly inaccurate, as it was answered by John Paston at Norwich the
very day it was written, whereas in July 1461 Paston was in London. Moreover, it
certainly could not have been after 1461, as Sir Thomas Tuddenham was beheaded in
February of the following year. It must therefore belong to the reign of Henry VI.;
and considering the time of the year, 1455 is the only date at which it is at all likely
that any one would have ventured to attempt the impeachment of Tuddenham and
Heydon in Parliament, or could have been plausibly accused of such a design against
persons of so much influence.

³ There were three churches in the parish of Warham.

⁴ Thomas Hunt. ⁵ Walter Lyhert, Bishop of Norwich.

¹ He was a priest, and a dependant of the Pastons.

JULY 25

1455
JULY 25