John Bocking to Yelverton, Paston, and Filongley

LETTER XLV.

To my right Worshipful Maistris Will’m Yelu’ton Justice John
Paston and Herr’ Filongley and to eche of them.

   RIGHT worshipful Sres I recomaunde me to yow and
     like it yow to wete that my lord Chaunceller is right
good and tendre lord in all your mat’es and soo wil contynue
and my lord Tresorier in like wise whiche bothen have an-
swerid Wyndham not aldermoste to hise plesir because of his
noiseful langage seyng how he myght have noo lawe and that
my lord Chaunceller was not made executor but for meigntenñce
w^t many othir woordis noo ying p’fitable ner furtheryng his
entents as for ony p’ticuler mat^res the p’lament as yet abideth
upon the grete mat’es of atteyndre and forfetur and soo
y’e be many and div’se p’ticuler billes put inne but noon
redde ner touchyng us as nygh as we can herken to whiche
Playter and I attenden daily trustyng on my lords aboveseid my
lord p’ve seall and other good lords and many also of your ac-
quayntance and owres that and ony thing be we shall sone have
knowlege.

     The chief Justice is right herty and seith ful wel and kyndely
of my maist’ whom J’hu for his m’cy p’donne and have yow
in his blessid gou’naunce Writen at Coventre the morwne aft’
seint ¹ Nich’.

     And as to money I delyu’ed tin to the Undertresouer a l’re
from Maist’ Filongley and I fonde hym right wele disposid
to doo that may please yow in all our mat’es and take noo
money of hym as yette for we have noo nede to spende ony
sumes as yette ner w^t gods g’ce shall not have I come to this
town of Coventre suche day sevenyght as the p’lement byganne
and as for suche things as I coude herken aftyr I sende to Will’m
Worcetre a grete bille of tidings to shewe yow and all
yest’day in the mornyng come inne therle of ² Penbroke w^t
a good felechip, and the Duchesse of ³ York come yest’even
late as the bring’ here of shall more plenily declare yow to
whom ye like to gif credence, The Bushop of ⁴ Excester
and the lord Grey ⁵ Ruthyn have declarid them ful worshipfuly
to the Kings grete plesir Playter and I writen you a l’re by Norff’
yoman for ye Kyngs mouth.

                                                     Your,

             11 ½ by 3 ½.                                                          ⁶ John Bokking.

7th of December, 1459.
               38 H. VI.
               Coventry.

The following List of those of the Duke of York’s Party who were attaint-
ed by Parliament is pinned to the above Letter.

     This Letter, was written at Coventry, where the Parliament appears to have met,
after the Desertion of some, and the Surrender of others of the Duke of York?s Troops
to the Army of Henry VIth, commanded by the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter, near
Ludlow, in October, 1459; and though it contains chiefly accounts of a private na-
ture, yet as a List of those there attainted is affixed, it seemed worthy of insertion.

 ¹ St. Nicholas?s Day, 6th of December.

     ² Jasper of Hatfield, half brother to Henry VI. Earl of Pembroke.

     ³ Cecily, Daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland; she was deprived of all
her Goods, &c.

 ⁴ George Neville, sixth Son of Richard, Earl of Salisbury, and Brother of Richard, Earl
of Warwick; he was afterwards Archbishop of York.

     ⁵ Edmund Lord Grey, of Ruthin, afterwards Earl of Kent.

 ⁶ John Bokking, was in employment under J. Paston. Pl. III. N^o 33.

⁷ Alice, Daughter and heir of Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, wise of Richard
Neville, in her right, Earl of Salisbury.

 LETTER XLV.

To my right worshipful Masters, William Yelverton Justice, John
Paston, and Henry Filongley, and to each of them.

   RIGHT worshipful Sirs, I recommend me to you, and
     like it you to know, that my Lord Chancellor is a right
good and tender Lord in all your matters, and so will continue;
and my Lord Treasurer in like wife, which both have answered
Wyndham not altogether to his pleasure, because of his noiseful
language; saying how he might have no law, and that my Lord
Chancellor was not made Executor but for maintenance, with
many other words nothing profitable nor furthering his in-
tents. As for any particular matters, the Parliament, as yet,
abideth upon the great matters of Attainder and Forfeiture;
and so there be many, and diverse particular bills put in, but
none ready, nor touching us, as nigh as we can harken, to
which Playters and I attend daily, trusting on my Lords above-
said, my lord Privy Seal and other good Lords, and many also
of your acquaintance, and ours; that if any thing be, we shall
soon have knowledge. The Chief Justice is right well and
hearty, and sayeth full well and kindly of my Master, whom
Jesu for his mercy pardon, and have you in his blessed gover-
nance. Written at Coventry the morrow after St. ¹ Nicholas.
And as to money, I delivered unto the Undertreafurer a Letter
from Master Filongley, and I found him right well disposed
to do, that may please you in all our matters; and took no
money of him as yet, for we have no need to spend any sums
as yet, nor with God’s grace shall not have. I came to this
town of Coventry, such day sev’night as the parliament began;
and as for such things as I could harken after, I send to William
Worcester a great bill of tidings to shew you and all.

     Yesterday in the morning, came in the Earl of ² Pembroke
with a good Fellowship; and the Duchess of ³ York came
yester evening late, as the Bringer hereof shall more plainly
declare (to) you, to whom ye like to give credence.

     The Bishop of ⁴ Exeter and the Lord Grey of ⁵ Ruthin have
declared them full worshipfully to the King’s great pleasure.

Playters and I (have) written you a Letter by Norff, Yeoman
for the King’s mouth.

                                                                                 Your,

       11 ? by 3 ?.                                                             ⁶ JOHN BOKKING.

           7th of December, 1459.
               38 H. VI.
               Coventry.

  This Letter, was written at Coventry, where the Parliament appears to have met,
after the Desertion of some, and the Surrender of others of the Duke of York?s Troops
to the Army of Henry VIth, commanded by the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter, near
Ludlow, in October, 1459; and though it contains chiefly accounts of a private na-
ture, yet as a List of those there attainted is affixed, it seemed worthy of insertion.

 ¹ St. Nicholas?s Day, 6th of December.

     ² Jasper of Hatfield, half brother to Henry VI. Earl of Pembroke.

     ³ Cecily, Daughter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland; she was deprived of all
her Goods, &c.

 ⁴ George Neville, sixth Son of Richard, Earl of Salisbury, and Brother of Richard, Earl
of Warwick; he was afterwards Archbishop of York.

     ⁵ Edmund Lord Grey, of Ruthin, afterwards Earl of Kent.

 ⁶ John Bokking, was in employment under J. Paston. Pl. III. N^o 33.

⁷ Alice, Daughter and heir of Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, wise of Richard
Neville, in her right, Earl of Salisbury.

396

JOHN BOCKING TO YELVERTON, PASTON,
AND FILONGLEY⁶

To my right worshipful maistris, William Yelverton, Justice,
John Paston, and Herre Filongley, and to eche of them.

      RIGHT worshepful Sers, I recomaunde me to yow.
           And like it yow to wete, that my Lord Chaunceller⁷
           is right good and tendre Lord in all your materes,
and soo wil contynue, and my Lord Tresorier⁸ in like wise;
which bothen have answerid Wyndham, not aldermoste to
hise plesir, becaus of his noiseful langage, seyng [saying] how
he myght have noo lawe, and that my Lord Chaunceller was
not made executor but for meigntenaunce,⁹ with many othir
woordis noo thing profitable ner furtheryng his entents. As
for ony particuler materes, the parlament as yet abideth upon
the grete materes of atteyndre and forfetur;¹ and soo there
be many and diverse particuler billes put inne, but noon redde,
ner touchyng us, as nygh as we can herken; to whiche Playter
and I attenden daily, trustyng on my Lords aboveseid, my
Lord Privy Seall,² and other good Lords, and many also of
your acquayntance and owres, that and ony thing be, we shall
sone have knowlege.

     The Chief Justice³ is right herty, and seith ful wel and
kyndely of my maistr, whom Jesu for his mercy pardonne,
and have yow in His blessid governaunce.

     Writen at Coventre the morwne after Seint Nicholas.⁴

     And as to money, I delyvered unto the Under-tresorier⁵
a lettre from Maister Filongley, and I fonde hym right wele
disposid to doo that may please yow in all our materes; and
take noo money of hym as yette, for we have noo nede to
spend ony sumes as yette, ner with Gods grace shall not have.
I come to this town of Coventre suche day sevenyght as the
parlement byganne; and as for suche things as I coude herken
aftyr, I sende to William Worcetre a grete bille of tidings to
shewe yow and all.

     Yesterday in the mornyng come inne th’erle of Pembroke⁶
with a good felechip; and the Duchesse of York⁷ come yester-
even late, as the bringer here of shall more pleinly declare yow,
to whom ye like to gif credence. The Bushop of Excester⁸
and the Lord Grey Ruthyn⁹ have declarid them ful worship-
fuly to the Kings grete plesir. Playter and I writen you a
lettre by Norffolk, yoman for the Kyngs mouth.

                                          Your                        JOHN BOKKING.

The following list of those of the Duke of York’s party who
     were attainted by Parliament was found by Fenn pinned
     to the above letter:—

     ⁶ [From Fenn, i. 178.] This letter was written at Coventry during the Parlia-
ment which sat there in 1459, when the Duke of York and his adherents were
attainted.                                     ⁷ William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.

     ⁸ James, Earl of Wiltshire, was made Treasurer of England on the 30th October
1458.—Patent Roll, 37 Hen. VI., p. 1, m. 21.                  ⁹ See vol. ii. p. 167, Note 3.

     ¹ Against the Duke of York and his adherents.     ² Lawrence Booth.

     ³ Sir John Fortescue.     ⁴ St. Nicholas’ Day is the 6th December.

     ⁵ ‘Undertresouer’ in Fenn must, I think, be a misprint.

     ⁶ Jasper Tudor.—See vol. ii. p. 298, Note 1.

     ⁷ Cecily, daughter of Ralph Nevill, Earl of Westmoreland.

     ⁸ George Nevill, son of Richard, Earl of Salisbury, brother of Richard, Earl of
Warwick. He was afterwards Archbishop of York.

     ⁹ Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthin, afterwards created Earl of Kent.

DEC. 7

1459

DEC. 7

1459

DEC. 7