James Gresham to John Paston

LETTER VII.

To the right worshipfull and myn esp’iall maister John Paston
esquyer in hast be this deliv’ed.

       AFTER al due recomendacōn like it you to wete yat ye
         day of yo^{r 1} Assi’e is die Lune p’x post tres septiānas s’ti
Mich’is, whiche is on Moneday come vij nyght at whiche tyme
I trost ye wole be here or ellis can I do lytell or nought y^re
inne.

     As touchyng yo^r mater ageynst Gunnore y^t dwelleth in lawe
I have spoken to ² Lyttelton and comuned w^t hym y^re in but
it is not yet spoke of atte barre.

     Gunnore hath waged his lawe of yat he haa’de his day to
wage it of, &c.

     As touchyng yo^r issues at Wentworth sute it is ij^s and it was
retourned er I come here, my maist’ Fastolfs Councel taketh
heed y^rto &c.

     As for tydynges my Lord ³Chaunceler is discharged in his
stede is my Lord of Wynchestre.

     And my Lord of ⁴ Shrewisbury is Tresorer and Broun’ of yo^r
Inn is Undertresorer if ye wold sende to hym to g’unte you ye

namyng of theschetorship of Norff’ &c. it wer weel do for it
is told me he wold do moche for you.

     Maist^r Lawrence ⁵ Bothe is P’ve Seall and it is seid y^t my
Lord of ⁶ York hath be w^t ye^e Kyng and is dep’ted āgeyn in
right good conceyt w^t ye Kyng but not in gret conceyt w^t ye
Whene, and sum men sey ne hadde my Lord of ⁷ Buks not
have letted it my Lord of York had be distressed in his
dep’tyng.

     On moneday last passed was a gret Affray at Coventre bytwene
ye Duke of ⁸ Som^rs^t’ men and ye Wechemen of ye toun and
ij or iij men of the toun wer kylled y^re to gret dist’bance of alle
ye Lords there for ye larom belle was ronge and ye toun arose
and wold have joup’dit to have distressed ye Duke of Som^rs’ &c.
ne had the Duke of Buks not have take a direccon y^rin.

     Also it is seid ye Duke of Buks taketh right straungely that
bothe his brethren arn so sodeynly discharged from ther Offices of
Chauncellerie and Tresoryship and y^t among other causeth hym
that his opynyon is contr’y to ye Whenes entent and many oy^r
also as it is talked.

     Itm sum men seyn ye Counseal is disolved and y^t ye Kyng is
forth to Chester, &c. Also summe sey yat many of ye Lords
shall resorte hiddir to London ageynst ⁹ Alhalwen tyde.

     And as touchyng thel’con of Shiress men wene y^t my Lord of
Canterbury shall have a gret rule and specyall in our countre.

I can no more but Almyghty God send us as his most plea-
ser is.

     Wretyn al in hast the saterday next ast’ Seint Edwards day.

                                                                                    Yo^r S’unt,

                  11 ½ by 6 ½.                                                  James

Saturday, 18th of October,

1449, 28 H. VI.

 This Letter must have been written on the 18th of October, 1449, if the account
of the Chancellorship in Godwin’s Catalogue of the Bishops may be depended upon.

     Lawrence Booth too would not have been stiled only “Maister,” if he then had had
any higher title from his Preferments, which he soon after enjoyed, and yet the accounts
of the nobility, &c. seem to bring it forwarder than the year 1449.

¹ This Law Business shews us that the Writer was a Lawyer. PL. III. No 28.

     ² He was in 1453 Serjeant, and in 1467 the famous Judge Lyttelton.

     ³ John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury, was dismissed from the Chancellorship,
and William Waynfleet, Bishop of Winchester, succeeded him on the 11th of October,
1449; but query, as our Historians differ.

     ⁴ John Talbot.

 ⁵ Was Master of Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge, Dean of St. Paul’s, Bishop of Dur-
ham, and at last Archbishop of York. He died in 1480.

     ⁶ Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ⁷ Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

 ⁸ Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.

     ⁹ Second of November.

The Seal of this Letter has the impression of a Grasshopper, being the device of the
family of Gresham.

LETTER VII.

To the right worshipful, and mine especial Master, John Paston,
Esquire, in haste be this delivered.

     AFTER all due recommendation, like it you to weet,
        that the day of your ¹ Assise is die Lunæ proxime pōst tres
septimanas Sancti Michaelis, which is on Monday come sev’night,
at which time I trust ye will be here, or else can I do little or
nothing therein.

     As touching your matter against Gunnor that dwelleth in
law, I have spoken to ²Lyttelton, and communed with him
therein, but it is not yet spoken of at bar. Gunnor hath waged
his law of that he had his day to wage it of, &c.

     As touching your issues at Wentworth’s suit it is 2^s and it was
returned ere I came here; my Master Fastolf’s Counsel taketh
heed thereto, &c.

     As for tidings, my Lord ³ Chancellor is discharged, and in his
stead is my Lord of Winchester. And my Lord of ⁴Shrewsbury
is Treasurer. Brown of your Inn is Under Treasurer, if ye would
send to him to grant you the naming of the Escheatorship of

Norfolk, &c. it were well done, for it is told me, he would do
much for you.

     Master Laurence ⁵ Booth is Privy Seal.

     It is said that my Lord of ⁶ York hath been with the King,
and is departed again in right good conceit with the King,
but not in great conceit with the Queen.

     Some men say, had my Lord of ⁷ Buckingham not have letted
(hindered) it, my Lord of York had been distressed (seized) in his
departing.

     On Monday last past, was a great Affray at Coventry, between
the Duke of ⁸ Somerset’s men, and the Watchmen of the Town,
and two or three men of the Town were killed there, to (the)
great disturbance of all the Lords there, for the alarum Bell
was rung, and the Town arose, and would have jeoparded
(hazarded) to have distressed the Duke of Somerset, &c. had
not the Duke of Buckingham taken a direction therein.

     Also it is said, the Duke of Buckingham taketh right strangely,
that both his Brethren are so suddenly discharged from their
Offices of Chancellery and Treasurership; and that among
other causeth him that his opinion is contrary to the Queen’s
intent, and many other also, as it is talked.

     Item, some men say, the Council is dissolved, and that the
King is forth to Chester, &c. Also some say, that many of the
Lords shall resort hither to London against ⁹ All-hallows-tide.

     And as touching the Election of Sheriffs, men ween that my Lord
of Canterbury shall have a great rule, and specially in our Country.

 I can no more, but Almighty God send us, as his most
pleasure is.

     Written all in haste, the Saturday next after Saint Edward’s
day.

                                                           Your Servant,

                                                                        JAMES GRESHAM.

11 ? by 6 ?.                                                  James

Saturday, 18th of October,

1449, 28 H. VI.

 This Letter must have been written on the 18th of October, 1449, if the account
of the Chancellorship in Godwin’s Catalogue of the Bishops may be depended upon.

     Lawrence Booth too would not have been stiled only “Maister,” if he then had had
any higher title from his Preferments, which he soon after enjoyed, and yet the accounts
of the nobility, &c. seem to bring it forwarder than the year 1449.

¹ This Law Business shews us that the Writer was a Lawyer. PL. III. No 28.

     ² He was in 1453 Serjeant, and in 1467 the famous Judge Lyttelton.

     ³ John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury, was dismissed from the Chancellorship,
and William Waynfleet, Bishop of Winchester, succeeded him on the 11th of October,
1449; but query, as our Historians differ.

     ⁴ John Talbot.

 ⁵ Was Master of Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge, Dean of St. Paul’s, Bishop of Dur-
ham, and at last Archbishop of York. He died in 1480.

     ⁶ Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ⁷ Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

 ⁸ Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.

     ⁹ Second of November.

The Seal of this Letter has the impression of a Grasshopper, being the device of the
family of Gresham.

348

JAMES GRESHAM TO JOHN PASTON¹

To the right worshipfull and myn especiall maister, John
Paston, Esquyer, in hast be this delivered.

AFTER al due recomendacion, like it you to wete, that
     the day of your assise is die Lunæ proximo post tres
     septimanas Sancti Michaelis, whiche is on Moneday
come vij. nyght; at whiche tyme I trost ye wole be here, or
ellis can I do lytell or nought there inne.

     As touchyng your mater ageynst Gunnore, that dwelleth
in lawe, I have spoken to Lyttelton,² and comuned with hym
there in, but it is not yet spoke of atte barre. Gunnore
hath waged his lawe³ of that he haade his day to wage it
of, &c.

     As touchyng your issues at Wentworth sute, it is ijs., and
it was retourned er I come here. My Maister Fastolfs
councel taketh heed thereto, &c.

     As for tydynges, my Lord Chaunceler¹ is discharged. In
his stede is my Lord of Wynchestre.² And my Lord of
Shrewisbury³ is Tresorer, and Broun⁴ of your Inn is Under-
tresorer. If ye wold sende to hym to graunte you the namyng
of th’eschetorship of Norffolk, &c., it were weel do, for it is
told me he wold do moche for you.

     Maister Lawrence Bothe⁵ is Prive Seall. And it is seid
that my Lord of York⁶ hath be with the Kyng, and is
departed ageyn in right good conceyt with the Kyng, but
not in gret conceyt with the Whene [Queen]; and sum men
sey, ne hadde my Lord of Buks⁷ not have letted it, my Lord
of York had be distressed in his departyng.

     On Moneday last passed was a gret affray at Coventre
bytwene the Duke of Somersets men and the wechemen
[watchmen] of the toun, and ij. or iij. men of the toun were
kylled there, to gret disturbance of alle the Lords there; for
the larom belle was ronge, and the toun arose, and wold have
jouperdit to have distressed the Duke of Somerset, &c., ne
had the Duke of Buks not have take a direccion therein.

     Also it is seid the Duke of Buks taketh right straungely
that bothe his brethren⁸ arn so sodeynly discharged from ther
offices of Chauncellerie and Tresoryship; and that among
other causeth hym that his opynyon is contrary to the Whenes
[Queen’s] entent, and many other also, as it is talked. Item,
sum men seyn, the counseal is dissolved, and that the Kyng
is forth to Chester,¹ &c. Also summe sey that many of the
Lords shall resorte hiddir to London ageynst Alhalwen tyde.

     And as touchyng th’eleccion of Shirefs, men wene that my
Lord of Canterbury shall have a gret rule, and specyall in our
countre.

     I can no more, but Almyghty God send us as his most
pleaser is.

     Wretyn al in hast, the Saterday next after Seint Edwards
day.

                          Your Servaunt,                       JAMES GRESHAM.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 24.] This letter is assigned by Fenn to the year 1449, but the
true date is 1456, as will be seen by the footnotes.

     ² See p. 84, Note 5.

     ³ Wager of law was an ancient process by which a defendant cleared himself in an
action of debt. He gave sureties that on a certain day he would ‘make his law,’
then took oath that he did not owe the plaintiff anything, as alleged, and called
eleven compurgators to swear they believed him.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, afterwards Cardinal.

     ² William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, was appointed Chancellor in Arch-
bishop Bourchier’s place on the 11th October 1456.

     ³ John Talbot, second Earl. He was appointed Treasurer on 5th October 1456.
—Patent Roll, 35 Hen. VI., p. 1, m. 16.

     ⁴ John Brown.—See William Wyrcestre’s Annals under the year 1468.

     ⁵ Afterwards Bishop of Durham, and finally Archbishop of York.

     ⁶ Richard, Duke of York.

     ⁷ Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

     ⁸ The two Bourchiers, viz. Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and
Henry, Viscount Bourchier, the former of whom had been Lord Chancellor and the
latter Lord Treasurer (see Notes 1, 2, and 3 above), were the Duke of Buckingham’s
half-brothers by the mother’s side.

  ¹ The Court had been staying at Coventry.

1456
OCT. 16

1456
OCT. 16

1456
OCT. 16