John Bocking to John Paston

Add. 43488, f. 34

15 May 1456

Gairdner, Vol III, item 331; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 31

LETTER XXXI.

To my Maist’ Paston.

WORSHIPFUL S^r. and my good maister I recomaunde
me to yow yis day I come home and as to our mat’es
I shall be with yow on monday and teusday next be my Maist’s
advys and enforme yow of all and of suche as I will not write
yo^r Cofre is at y^e p’ns’ Inne sende for it whane ye like be
the ¹ token I hadde of Margret Goche a boke of lawe y^t

Wigge brought me as for tidyngs my Maistys yo^r broyer faren
weel and recomaunde yem to my Maistresse y^re moder to yow
and to all, &c. As for tidings elles y^e Kyng is at Shene the
Quene and Prince at ² Tutbury but if it be ye latter remevyng
tidings were y^t y^e lord ³ Beaumont was slayn and my ⁴ lord
Warrewik fore hurte m¹ men slayn and yj^xx knyghts and squiers
hurte and no yng trewe blessed be god as for the lumbards ij of
y^e trespasers were hanged on monday and there ar be yis tyme
p’clamacōns made or shall be thorwe london ye pees to be kepte
up on grete peynes and the lumbards to occupie ye ⁵ m’chaun-
dizes as yei dide til ye Counsail or p’lament have oy’wise
det’myned and noo more as yet the atteynte abidith unreuled til
ye next t’me as I shal telle yow and it shal doo weel w^t God is
g’ce hoe have yow in kepyng and all yo’es Writen at Cast’
vigilia Pentecosten.

Yo^r owen,

?J. B.

9 by 2 ½.

Whitson Even,
15th of May, 1456,
34 H. VI.

This Letter was written on Whitson Eve, the 15th of May, in 1456, a short time
after a tumult in London, between the Inhabitants and some Merchants of Lombardy.

The Court supposed the Duke of York’s Party to have encouraged it, and, by the report
of Lord Beaumont being slain, and the Earl of Warwick much hurt (I suppose in this
tumult,) it appears at least that the Leaders of each party, were drawn into it when it did

happen, although no previous plan might be laid by either party for that purpose. But
as the report was false, of either of these Noblemen being killed or wounded, so possibly
neither might be present in the tumult.

¹ This shows the caution used at this time, for preventing impositions on the delivery of
Goods at Inns, &c.

² In Staffordshire, our Historians say at Coventry.

³ John Beaumont, Viscount Beaumont, the first who was so created in England, in
1439. He was killed at the battle of Northampton, in 1460, fighting for the House of
Lancaster.

⁴ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick, fell in the battle of Barnet, most furiously
fighting against King Edward IV. whose cause he had before most vigorously supported.

⁵ This seems to point out to us that this riot was occasioned by some matters relative
to trade, and not, as some of our Historians relate, “to a Foreigner’s wearing a Dagger.”

⁶ John Bocking was one of the Household of Sir John Fastolf, and appears to have had
some management of his Law business; probably he was his Counsellor, for men of rank
and fortune in those days constantly retained one or more in their service. Pl. III. N^o 33.

His style and spelling differ very little from those of modern times.

The impression on the Seal is a Beast.

LETTER XXXI.

To my Master Paston.

WORSHIPFUL Sir and my good Master, I recommend
me to you; this day I came home, and as to our matters,
I shall be with you on Monday and Tuesday next by my
Master’s advice, and inform you of all, and of such as I will not
write. Your Coffer is at the Prince’s Inn; send for it when ye
like, by the ¹ token, I had of Margaret Goche a Book of Law,
that Wigge brought me.

As for tidings, my Masters your Brethren fare well, and
recommend them to my Mistress their Mother, to you and to all,
&c. As for tidings else, the King is at Shene, the Queen
and Prince at ² Tutbury, but if it be, the latter removing.
Tidings were that the Lord ³ Beaumont was slain, and my
⁴ Lord Warwick sore hurt, 1000 men slain and six score
Knights and ‘Squires hurt, and nothing true, blessed be God.
As for the Lombards, two of the trespassors were hanged on
Monday, and there are by this time proclamations made, or
shall be, through London, the Peace to be kept upon great
pains; and the Lombards to occupy their ⁵ merchandizes as
they did, till the Council and Parliament have otherwise deter-
mined, and no more as yet.

The Atteint abideth unruled till the next term, as I shall
tell you, and it shall do well with God’s grace, who have
you in keeping and all yours. Written at Caistor vigilia
Pentecosten.

Your own,

⁶ JOHN BOCKING.

9 by 2 ½.

Whitson Even,
15th of May, 1456,
34 H. VI.

This Letter was written on Whitson Eve, the 15th of May, in 1456, a short time
after a tumult in London, between the Inhabitants and some Merchants of Lombardy.

The Court supposed the Duke of York’s Party to have encouraged it, and, by the report
of Lord Beaumont being slain, and the Earl of Warwick much hurt (I suppose in this
tumult,) it appears at least that the Leaders of each party, were drawn into it when it did

happen, although no previous plan might be laid by either party for that purpose. But
as the report was false, of either of these Noblemen being killed or wounded, so possibly
neither might be present in the tumult.

¹ This shows the caution used at this time, for preventing impositions on the delivery of
Goods at Inns, &c.

² In Staffordshire, our Historians say at Coventry.

³ John Beaumont, Viscount Beaumont, the first who was so created in England, in
1439. He was killed at the battle of Northampton, in 1460, fighting for the House of
Lancaster.

⁴ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick, fell in the battle of Barnet, most furiously
fighting against King Edward IV. whose cause he had before most vigorously supported.

⁵ This seems to point out to us that this riot was occasioned by some matters relative
to trade, and not, as some of our Historians relate, “to a Foreigner’s wearing a Dagger.”

⁶ John Bocking was one of the Household of Sir John Fastolf, and appears to have had
some management of his Law business; probably he was his Counsellor, for men of rank
and fortune in those days constantly retained one or more in their service. Pl. III. N^o 33.

His style and spelling differ very little from those of modern times.

The impression on the Seal is a Beast.

331

JOHN BOCKING TO JOHN PASTON³

To my Maister Paston.

   WORSHIPFUL Sir, and my good maister, I re-
     comaunde me to yow. This day I come home;
     and as to our materes, I shall be with yow on
Monday and Teusday next, be my maisters advys, and enforme
yow of all, and of suche as I will not write. Your cofre is at
the Prinse Inne; sende for it whane ye like, be the token, I
hadde of Margret Goche a boke of lawe that Wigge brought
me. As for tidyngs, my maistys your brother faren weel, and
recomaunde them to my maistresse, there moder, to yow, and
to all, &c.

As for tidings elles, the Kyng is at Shene, the Quene and
Prince at Tutbury, but if it be the latter remevyng. Tidings
were that the Lord Beaumont was slayn, and my Lord Warre-
wik sore hurte, m^l. [1000] men slayn, and vj^xx. [six score]
knyghts and squiers hurte, and no thing trewe, blessed be
God. As for the Lumbards,¹ ij. of the trespasers were hanged
on Monday, and there ar be this tyme proclamacions made, or
shall be, thorwe London, the pees to be kepte up on grete
peynes; and the Lumbards to occupie the merchaundizes as
thei dide til the Counsail or Parlament have otherwise deter-
myned. And noo more as yet.

The atteynte abidith unreuled til the next terme, as I shal
telle yow, and it shal doo weel with God is grace, hoe have
yow in kepyng and all youres.

Writen at Caster vigilia Pentecosten.

Your owen J. B.

³ [From Fenn, i. 130.] Whitsun Eve, the day on which this letter is dated, fell
on the 15th May in 1456, just a week after the date of last letter; and no one can
doubt that they both belong to the same year.

¹ See Note 2, preceding page.

MAY 15

1456

MAY 15