John Crane to John Paston

LETTER XXIV.

Unto my worshipfull and welbeloved Cosyn John Paston be this
L’re delivred in hast.

RIGHT worshipfull and entierly welbeloved Sir I re-
     commaunde me unto you desiring hertly to her’ of your
welfar’.

     Furthermor’ lettyng you wete as for such tydinges as we have
here such thre Lordes be dede the Duke of ¹ Somerset the Erle
of ² Northombrelonde and the Lord ³ Clyfford and as for any
other men of name I knowe noon save only ⁴ Quotton of
Cammbrigeshir’.

     As for any oy^r Lordes many of theym be hurt and as for
Fenyngley he lyveth and fareth well as fer as I can enquere,
&c.

     And as for any grete Multytude of people y^t ther was as we
can tell ther was at most slayn ⁵ (x) vj score. And as for the

Lordes that wer’ w^t the Kyng they and her men wer pilled and
spoyled out of all their harneys and horses and as for what
Rule we shall have yit I wote nett fave only ther be made newe
certayn Officers.

     My Lord of ⁶ Yorke Constabil of Englande, my Lord of
⁷ Warweke is made Captayn of Calyes, My Lord ⁸ Burgchier
is made Treasorer of Englande and as yit other Tydinges have
I none.

     And as for our soverayn Lorde thanked be Gad he hathe
no grete harme.

     No more to you at this tyme but I pray you send this Lettyr
to my Maistresse Paston when ye have sene hit, preyng you to
Remembre my Systir Margrete ageyne the tyme y^t she shal be
made nonne.

     Written at Lamehith on ⁹ Witsonday, &c.

 By your Cosyn,

¹⁰ John Crane.

11 ½ by 8 ¼.  

              Paper Mark.  
          A Pair of Shears.
              Pl. IX. N^o 11.

 Lambeth,
               Whitsunday,
               25th of May, 1455,
               33 H. VI.

 The Account in this Letter refers to the first Battle of St. Alban?s, which Rapin says
was fought on the 31st of May, 1455, 33 H. VI. but which all our other Historians
place on the 23d of May.

     This Letter certainly fixes it before the 25th (Whitsunday) therefore it was most pro-
bably fought on Friday the 23d.

     History informs us that Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Stafford, and eldest Son and Heir
of the Duke of Buckingham, died of the wounds he received in this battle, when this
Letter therefore was written, he was not dead.

     And we are told by our Historians that the King lost 5000 or 8000 men, though
Hollingshead thinks it should be only 800, whereas this Letter says only Six score, how

this prodigious difference in numbers can be reconciled, I own I cannot form any con-
jecture.

     ¹ Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, &c. he was some years Regent of Normandy,
and in this Battle commanded the Royal Army.

     ² Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, had been a favourite with Henry V. and
continued a loyal and faithful Subject to his Son Henry VI. when slain he was about 60
years of age.

     ³ Thomas Clifford, Lord Clifford.

     ⁴ William Quotton or Cotton, of Landwade in Cambridgeshire, was Vice Chamberlain to
Henry VI.

     ⁵ In the Original Letter the x is struck out, and vj placed after it in the same line.

  ⁶ Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ⁷ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick.

     ⁸ Henry Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier.

 ⁹ Whitsunday in 1445 sell on the 25th of May.

     ¹⁰ The Family of Crane flourished at this time in Norfolk and Suffolk. See Letter xi.
Pl. III. N^o 29.

LETTER XXIV.

Unto my worshipful and well beloved Cousin, Jobn Paston, be
this Letter delivered in haste.

RIGHT worshipful and entirely well beloved Sir, I re-
     commend me unto you, desiring heartily to hear of your
welfare.

     Furthermore letting you weet, as for such Tidings as we
have here, such (these) three Lords be dead, the Duke of
¹ Somerset, the Earl of ² Northumberland, and the Lord
³ Clifford; and as for any other men of name, I know none,
save only ⁴ Quotton (Cotton) of Cambridgeshire.

     As for any other Lords, many of them be hurt, and as for
Feningley he liveth, and fareth well, as far as I can enquire,
&c.

     And as for any great Multitude of people that there was, as we
can tell, there was at most slain ⁵ (ten) six score; and as for the

Lords that were with the King, they and their men were pilled
(plundered) and spoiled out of all their Harness and Horses;
and as for what Rule we shall have yet I weet not, save only
there be made new certain Officers.

     My Lord of ⁶ York, Constable of England; my Lord of
⁷ Warwick is made Captain of Calais; my Lord ⁸ Burgchier is
made Treasurer of England; and as yet other Tidings have I
none.

     And as for Our Sovereign Lord, thanked be God, he hath no
great harm.

     No more to you at this time, but I pray you send this Letter
to my Mistress Paston, when ye have seen it; praying you to
remember my Sister Margaret against the time that she shall
be made a Nun.

     Written at Lamehith (Lambeth) on ⁹ Whitsunday, &c.

                                                                 By your Cousin,

                                                                            ¹⁰ JOHN CRANE.

11 ½ by 8 ¼.  

              Paper Mark.  
          A Pair of Shears.
              Pl. IX. N^o 11.

 Lambeth,
               Whitsunday,
               25th of May, 1455,
               33 H. VI.

 The Account in this Letter refers to the first Battle of St. Alban?s, which Rapin says
was fought on the 31st of May, 1455, 33 H. VI. but which all our other Historians
place on the 23d of May.

     This Letter certainly fixes it before the 25th (Whitsunday) therefore it was most pro-
bably fought on Friday the 23d.

     History informs us that Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Stafford, and eldest Son and Heir
of the Duke of Buckingham, died of the wounds he received in this battle, when this
Letter therefore was written, he was not dead.

     And we are told by our Historians that the King lost 5000 or 8000 men, though
Hollingshead thinks it should be only 800, whereas this Letter says only Six score, how

this prodigious difference in numbers can be reconciled, I own I cannot form any con-
jecture.

     ¹ Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, &c. he was some years Regent of Normandy,
and in this Battle commanded the Royal Army.

     ² Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, had been a favourite with Henry V. and
continued a loyal and faithful Subject to his Son Henry VI. when slain he was about 60
years of age.

     ³ Thomas Clifford, Lord Clifford.

     ⁴ William Quotton or Cotton, of Landwade in Cambridgeshire, was Vice Chamberlain to
Henry VI.

     ⁵ In the Original Letter the x is struck out, and vj placed after it in the same line.

  ⁶ Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ⁷ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick.

     ⁸ Henry Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier.

 ⁹ Whitsunday in 1445 sell on the 25th of May.

     ¹⁰ The Family of Crane flourished at this time in Norfolk and Suffolk. See Letter xi.
Pl. III. N^o 29.

285

JOHN CRANE TO JOHN PASTON¹

Unto my worshipfull and welbeloved cosyn, John Paston,
be this lettre delivred in hast.

   RIGHT worshipfull and entierly welbeloved Sir, I re-
     commaunde me unto you, desiring hertly to here of
     your welfare. Furthermore lettyng you wete, as for
such tydinges as we have here, such [these] thre Lordes be
dede, the Duke of Somerset, the Erle of Northombrelonde,
and the Lord Clyfford; and as for any other men of name, I
knowe noon save only Quotton of Cammbrigeshire. As for
any other Lordes, many of theym be hurt; and as for Fen-
yngley, he lyveth and fareth well, as fer as I can enquere, &c.

     And as for any grete multytude of people that ther was,
as we can tell, ther was at most slayn [x]² vj. score. And as
for the Lordes that were with the Kyng, they and her men
wer pilled and spoyled out of all their harneys and horses;
and as for what rule we shall have yit I wote nett, save only
ther be made newe certayn officers.

     My Lord of Yorke, Constabil of Englande; my Lord of
Warweke is made captayn of Calyes; my Lord Burgchier is
made Treasorer of Englande; and as yit other tydinges have
I none.

     And as for our soverayn Lorde, thanked be God, he hathe
no grete harme.

     No more to you at this tyme, but I pray you send this
lettyr to my Maistresse Paston, when ye have sene hit; preyng
you to remembre my systir Margrete ageyne the tyme that
she shal be made nonne.

     Written at Lamehith, on Witsonday, &c.

                                       By your cosyn,

                                                                                  JOHN CRANE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 100.] This letter relates to the first battle of St. Albans and
the principal changes which took place immediately after it.

     ² In the original letter, the x is struck out, and vj. placed after it in the same
line.—F.

1455
MAY 25