John Berney to John Paston

LETTER VII.

To the worshipfull John Paston and to my Cosyn Wyll’m
Rokewode Squyer w^t my Lord of Cantyrburi.

   RIGHT worshipfull Sir I Recum’aund me to yow praying
     yow hertyli to labour for that the Kyng may wryte unto
me gevyng me thankyng of y^e good wyll and servyse that I
haff doo unto hym and in beyng w^t hym a yens his adu’saries
and Rebelyones as well in the North as in this Cuntre of Norff.
And in that the Kyng shold please the Comynnes in this Cuntre,
ffor they grudge and sey how that the Kyng Resayvith sych of
this Cuntre, &c. as haff be his gret Eanemyes, and Opresseors
of the Comynes, and sych as haff assystyd his Hynes be not
Rewardyt, and it is to be consedery’d or ellys it wyll hurt as me
semyth by Reason, and in ayd of this chaungebyll Rewle it wer
nessessary to move the good Lords Sp’retuall and Temp’all by
the whech y^t myght be Reformyd, &c. and in cas that any of
myn olde Enemyes ¹ Tudynh’m ² Stapylton and ³ Heydon w^t
theyr affenyte labur the Kyng and Lords unto my hurt, I am
and wylbe Redy to come to my Sou’ayn Lord for my exskeus,
soo y^t I may come saff for unlawfull hurt, purveyed by my
seyd Ennemyes, no more at this tyme but God preserve yow in
gras. Wretyn at Wychyngh’m the xvj day in the moneth of
July ā^o R R E iiij^ti I^o.

                                                                    ⁵ John Berneye.

     12 by 3 ¾.

     Please it yow to move this unto my Lords ⁴ Cauntyrburi
Ely Norwych, &c.

                Witchingham,
                16th of July, 1461,
                1 E. IV.

     It was certainly incumbent upon the King to pay every mark of attention to those
who had espoused his cause, and helped to seat him on the throne, and to make them
appear with consequence amongst their Tenants and Dependants, as noticed and rewarded
by him; at the same time, it was certainly a wise measure in the Prince, to endeavour
to attach to his interest, as many as he could of those who had espoused a contrary party.
This Edward seems to have been endeavouring to accomplish, though, if we may suppose
the Writer of this Letter unbiassed, he began already to neglect those who had served
him in the most critical time.

¹ Sir Thomas Tudenham was a Lancastrian, and being suspected, together with John
de Vere, Earl of Oxford, his son Aubrey, and others, of corresponding with Queen Mar-
garet, was arrested, tried, and convicted before John, Earl of Worcester, and beheaded
on Tower Hill, in February, 1461. Sir Thomas was at that time about 62 years
of age.

     ² Sir Miles Stapylton, Knight, of Ingham, in Norfolk.

     ³ John Heydon was a Lawyer of eminence, in the reign of Henry VI. and afterwards
in that of Edward IV. whereby he advanced his family and fortune, and died in 1480.

 ⁴ Thomas Bourchier was Archbishop of Canterbury, William Gray Bishop of Ely,
and Walter Hart Bishop of Norwich.

  This Letter is sealed with an oval Seal of Wax, having a braid of twine round it.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 15.

 LETTER VII.

To the Worshipful John Paston, and to my Cozen William
Rokewode, Esquire, with my Lord of Canterbury.

   RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, praying
     you heartily to labour for, that the King may write unto
me; giving me thanks of the good will and service that I have
done unto him, and in being with him against his adversaries
and rebellions, as well in the North, as in this Country of
Norfolk. And in that the King should please the Commons
in this Country; for they grudge and say, how that the King
receiveth such of this Country, &c. as have been his great
Enemies, and Oppressors of the Commons; and such as have
assisted his Highness, be not rewarded; and it is to be consi-
dered, or else it will hurt as me seemeth by Reason; and in aid
of this changeable Rule, it were necessary to move the good
Lords Spiritual and Temporal, by the which it might be re-
formed, &c. And in case that any of mine old Enemies ¹ Tu-
denham, ² Stapylton, and ³ Heydon, with their affinity, labour
the King and Lords unto my hurt; I am and will be ready to
come to my Sovereign Lord for my excuse; so that I may come
safe for unlawful hurt, purveyed by my said Enemies. No
more at this time, but God preserve you in grace. Written at
Witchingham, the 16th day in the month of July, in the 1st
year of the reign of Edward IV.

                                                                  ⁵ JOHN BERNEYE.

          12 by 3 ¾.           

                Witchingham,
                16th of July, 1461,
                1 E. IV.

     Please it you move this unto my Lords ⁴ Canterbury, Ely,
Norwich, &c.

  It was certainly incumbent upon the King to pay every mark of attention to those
who had espoused his cause, and helped to seat him on the throne, and to make them
appear with consequence amongst their Tenants and Dependants, as noticed and rewarded
by him; at the same time, it was certainly a wise measure in the Prince, to endeavour
to attach to his interest, as many as he could of those who had espoused a contrary party.
This Edward seems to have been endeavouring to accomplish, though, if we may suppose
the Writer of this Letter unbiassed, he began already to neglect those who had served
him in the most critical time.

¹ Sir Thomas Tudenham was a Lancastrian, and being suspected, together with John
de Vere, Earl of Oxford, his son Aubrey, and others, of corresponding with Queen Mar-
garet, was arrested, tried, and convicted before John, Earl of Worcester, and beheaded
on Tower Hill, in February, 1461. Sir Thomas was at that time about 62 years
of age.

     ² Sir Miles Stapylton, Knight, of Ingham, in Norfolk.

     ³ John Heydon was a Lawyer of eminence, in the reign of Henry VI. and afterwards
in that of Edward IV. whereby he advanced his family and fortune, and died in 1480.

 ⁴ Thomas Bourchier was Archbishop of Canterbury, William Gray Bishop of Ely,
and Walter Hart Bishop of Norwich.

  This Letter is sealed with an oval Seal of Wax, having a braid of twine round it.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 15.

470

JOHN BERNEY TO JOHN PASTON³

To the worshipfull John Paston, and to my cosyn, Wylliam
Rokewode, Squyer, with my Lord of Cantyrburi.

RIGHT worshipfull sir, I recummaund me to yow, pray-
     ing yow hertyli to labour for that the Kyng may wryte
     unto me, gevyng me thankyng of the good wyll and
servyse that I haff doo unto hym, and in beyng with hym a
yens his adversaries and rebelyones, as well in the North, as in
this cuntre of Norffolk. And in that the Kyng shold please
the Comynnes in this cuntre; for they grudge and sey, how
that the Kyng resayvith sych of this cuntre, &c. as haff be his
gret eanemyes, and opresseors of the Comynes; and sych as
haff assystyd his Hynes, be not rewardyt; and it is to be con-
sederyd, or ellys it wyll hurt, as me semyth by reason. And
in ayd of this chaungebyll rewle, it wer nessessary to move the
good Lords Spiretuall and Temperall, by the whech that myght
be reformyd, &c. And in cas that any of myn olde enemyes,
Tudynham, Stapylton, and Heydon, with theyr affenyte labur
the Kyng and Lords unto my hurt, I am and wylbe redy to
come to my souverayn Lord for my exskeus, soo that I may
come saff for unlawfull hurt, purveyed by my seyd ennemyes.
No more at this tyme, but God preserve yow in gras. Wretyn
at Wychyngham the xvj. day in the moneth of July, anno regni
Regis E. iiij^ti. primo.                                         JOHN BERNEYE.

     Please it yow to move this unto my Lords Cauntyrburi,
Ely, Norwych, &c.

     ¹ That is to say, make imputations against them. See vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.

     ² John Jerningham, junior, son of John Jerningham, senior, of Somerleyton,
Suffolk.

     ³ [From Fenn, i. 238.]

JULY 16

1461
JULY 16