James Gresham to John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
James Gresham to John Paston
Reference
Add. 34888, f. 205
Date
24 March 1462
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol IV, item 513; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 21
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (1st transcript)

LETTER XXI

 

     To my right Singler

     Maister J. Paston

     Squyer in hast &c.

 

AFTER due recomendacon Please it yor maistrship to wyte
Maistr Yeluerton Justic seid in ye Sessions yt ye Kyng
shulde kepe his Estern at Bury and from thens Come unto yis
Cuntre and se suyche riottes as haue be in yis Cuntre punyshed
in suche fourme as happely summe shulde hange by ye nekke
And he tolde what thank he had of ye Kyng at Cambrigg for
cause he declarid so well ye Charge of extorcons doon by shirefs
and oyr officers &c for ye whiche declaracon ye Kyng tooke
hym by ye hand and seid he cowde hym grett thanke and p'yed
hym so to do in yis Cuntre &c. In hast at Norwich ye Wed-
nesseday next tofore yannunciacon &c.

 

                                                            Yor povre

                                                                                   J. Gresh'm.

 

     11 ? by 3 ?.

 

     It appears from this letter that the king in person attended at the Assizes in Cam-
bridge, during the time that his Judges transacted the business of the Court.

     The extortions, and other acts of oppression, done by the Sheriffs, & of counties were
at this time very great, and loudly called for reformation.

    On the back of this letter is written the following memorandum: "Justice Yelverton
boasteth of cōmendacon had at the King's hands,"

     Autograph. Pl. III. No 28.

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (2nd transcript)

LETTER XXI.

 

       To my right singular Master, J. Paston, Esq. in haste, &c.

 

AFTER due recommendation please it your mastership to
weet that master Yelverton Justice, said in the Sessions
that the King should keep his Easter at Bury, and from thence
come into this country and see such riots as have been in this
country punished in such form as happily some should hang by
the neck; and he told what thank he had of the King at Cam-
bridge for cause he declared so well the charge of extortion
done by Sheriffs and other officers, &c. for the which declara-
tion the King took him by the hand, and said he cowde (owed)
him great thanks, and prayed him so to do in this country, &c.
            In haste at Norwich the Wednesday next before the Annun-
ciation.           

                                                  Your Poor

                                                                             JAMES GRESHAM.

 

Norwich,

         Wednesday, 24 March,

         1461 - 2. 2 E. IV.

         but this date is not certain,.

 

     It appears from this letter that the king in person attended at the Assizes in Cam-
bridge, during the time that his Judges transacted the business of the Court.

     The extortions, and other acts of oppression, done by the Sheriffs, & of counties were
at this time very great, and loudly called for reformation.

On the back of this letter is written the following memorandum: "Justice Yelverton
boasteth of cōmendacon had at the King's hands,"

     Autograph. Pl. III. No 28.
Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume IV'

513

 

JAMES GRESHAM TO JOHN PASTON1

 

To my right singler maister, J. Paston, Squyer, in hast, &c.

AFTER due recomendacion, please it your maistership to
     wyte Maister Yelverton, justice, seid in the Sessions
     that the Kyng shulde kepe his Estern at Bury, and
from thens come unto this cuntre and se suyche riottes as have
be in this cuntre punyshed in suche fourme as happely summe
shulde hange by the nekke. And he tolde what thank he had
of the Kyng at Cambrigg for cause he declarid so well the
charge of extorcions doon by Shirefs and other officers, &c.,
for the whiche declaracion the Kyng tooke hym by the hand,
and seid he cowde hym grett thanke, and prayed hym so to do
in this cuntre, &c.

     In hast, at Norwich, the Wednesseday next tofore th’An-
nunciacion, &c.

                                            Your povere,                   J. GRESHAM.

 

     1 [From Fenn, iv. 76.] It does not appear that Edward IV. ever did spend an
Easter at Bury, as here projected. He was, however, at Cambridge in the beginning
of March 1462; from which he proceeded to Peterborough, Stamford, Newark, and
Lincoln, and at Easter (18th April) he seems to have been at Leicester.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH 24