John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XXV.

To the ryght worchepfull
     S^r John Paston Knyght
     lodgyd at the George by
     Powlys Wharf in london

RYGHT werchepfull S^r I recomand me to yow sertyfyi˜g
yow that I haue comenyd w^t Barnard and other your well-
wyllers w^t my lord of Norff whyche avise me that ye shold
for yo^r nyghest meane to get caster A yen labore to get a
lettre fro the Kyng dyrect to R. Sothewell Jamys Hubbard
and ou^r of my lordys consayll bei˜g and to Jche of theym
And in the seyd letter to lete theym hawe knowlage that the
Kyng mevyd to my lord of the seyd mater beyond y^e see
and hough my lord answerd the Kyng that at hys comy˜g in
to Jnglend he wold meve to hys seyd Consayll of the seyd
mat^r and geue the Kyng an answer wherfor the Kyng in the
seyd lettyr must streyghtly charge theym and iche of theym
to comon w^t my lord in the seyd mater in syche wyse that
the Kyng may be sertyfyed of an answer fro my lord and
theym at the ferthest by crasti˜o a˜i˜aru˜ for Suthewell nor
Iamys Hubbard shall not be at london befor Halowmass and
thys is the best wey that ye may take as we thynke here
my lady ¹sweryth and so dethe barnard on hyr behalf that
she wold as fayne ye had it as eny body notu^tstandyng she
seyd not so to me sythe J cam hom for I spak not w^t hyr
but onys sythe I sye yow last yet she lythe in Norwyche
and shall do tyll she be delyuerd but J haue be seek euer
sythe J cam on thys syd the see but I trust hastyly to amend
for all my seknesse that I had at Caleys and sythe I cam
ouer also com but of cold but I was never so well armyd for
the werre as I haue now armyd me for cold Wherfor J avyse
yow take exampyll by me if it happyn yow to be seek as ye
wer when I was at Caleys in eny wyse kepe yow warme
I weene herry Woodhous nor Jamys Arblaster ware never at
onys so many cotys hose and botewx as J doo or ellys by
god we had gone therfor what we shall yet I can not sey but
I bere me bold on ij dayes amendy˜g my modyr sendyth yow
gods blyssi˜g and hyrs And she wold fayne haue yow at hom
w^t hyr and if ye be onys mette she tellyth me ye shall net
lyghtly dep’rt tyll dethe dep’t yow As J was wryghty˜g thys
lettyr on told me that the Kyng shold be at ²Walsy˜gh’m
thys next if it be so it wer best for yow to awayte on the
Kyng all the wey and if ye have not men and horse J
nowghe J shall send yow do as ye thynk best And as ye
wyll have me to do send me your avyse and I shall acco˜-
plyshe it to my power w^t gods grace who p’serue yow Wretyn
at Norwyche the x day of Octob^r A^o xv^o E iiij^ti

                                                                                          ³J. P.

       12 by 10.

                 Paper mark,
                  Wheels, &c.
               Pl. xxii. No. 10.

    After what had passed between the King and the Duke of Norfolk, the
advice here given appears proper, as the King’s letter would oblige the counsel
to consider the matter immediately, and report their opinion to their Lord.
How very respectable the Duke’s counsel were, we may learn from James
Hobart being one of them; he was a great lawyer, and in the reign of Henry
VII. was constituted Attorney-General, and afterwards became a Privy Coun-
sellor. He was made a Knight of the Sword at the creation of Henry Prince
of Wales in 1503, and dying about 1509, was buried in the Cathedral Church
of Norwich, though he had built the fair church of Loddon, where his por-
traiture lately remained in the east window. Fuller saith ?he was a right good
man, of great learning and wisdom.? He acquired a large fortune with honour,
and was the ancestor of the present Earl of Buckinghamshire, the proprietor
of the noble mansion at Blickling, in Norfolk, built in the year 1628, and im-
proved by his lordship, with great taste, in a style suitable to the original plan.

     ¹   We must not consider this phrase to be so coarse as it would sound in
modern language: it is merely a strong asseveration.

     ²   This journey was undertaken, I suppose, to return thanks to Our Lady for
his safe return from his expedition into France.

     ³   Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21. Seal, a Fleur-de-lys and Annulet, Pl. xiv.
No. 22.

     In the course of this work we have been often informed of the meeting of
the council of the Duke of Norfolk, at the residence of that nobleman; a
few words respecting the nature of this council, and of their duty when assem-
bled will not be unacceptable to the reader. From what we have collected
from these Letters, and from the various accounts of similar councils mentioned
by our historians, it plainly appears that the Baron, (for many members of this
council often appear to be summoned in consequence of their feudal connexion
with the barony,) when surrounded by his council, represented the King, sur-
rounded by his Privy Council, or Counsellors of State. In this assembly all
matters relative to the disputes between his vassals and dependants were heard
and determined; orders and regulations respecting his own territorial posses-
sions were debated and confirmed, and many even of his domestic affairs were
here settled; for in this council the officers on his establishment had a seat un-
der titles similar to those in the royal household, as Treasurer, Comptroller, &c.

LETTER XXV.

To the Right Worshipful Sir John Paston, Knight, lodged at
the George, by Paul’s Wharf, in London.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, certifying
you that I have communed with Barnard, and other your
well-willers, with my Lord of Norfolk, which advise me that
ye should, for your nighest mean to get Caister again,
labour to get a letter from the King, directed to Richard
Southwell, James Hobart, and other of my Lord’s counsel
being, and to each of them; and in the said letter to let
them have knowledge, that the King moved to my Lord of
Norfolk the said matter beyond the sea, and how my Lord
answered the King, that at his coming into England he
would move to his said counsel of the said matter, and give
the King an answer; wherefore the King in the said letter
must straitly charge them, and each of them to commune
with my Lord in the said matter, in such wise that the King
may be certified of an answer from my Lord and them at the
farthest by crastino animarum (3d Nov.), for Southwell nor
James Hobart shall not be at London before Hallowmas;
and this is the best way that ye may take, as we think here.

     My Lady ¹sweareth, and so doth Barnard on her behalf,
that she would as fain ye had it as any body; notwithstand-
ing she said not so to me, since I came home, for I spake not
with her but once, since I saw you last; yet she lieth in Nor-
wich, and shall do, till she be delivered: but I have been sick,
ever since I came on this side the sea, but I trust hastily to
amend, for all my sickness that I had at Calais, and since I
came over also, came but of cold; but I was never so well
armed for the war as I have now armed me for cold; where-
fore I advise you take example by me, if it happen you to
be sick, as ye were when I was at Calais, in any wise keep
you warm. I ween Harry Wodehouse, nor James Arblaster,
wear never at once so many coats, hose, and boots as I do,
or else by God we had gone therefore; what we shall yet I
cannot say, but I bear me bold on two days amending.

     My mother sendeth you God’s blessing and her’s, and she
would fain have you at home with her; and if ye be once
met, she telleth me, ye shall not lightly depart, till death
depart [part] you.

     As I was writing this letter, one told me that the King
should be at ²Walsingham this next [week]; if it be so, it
were best for you to await on the King all the way; and if ye
have not men and horse enough, I shall send you. Do as
ye think best: and as ye will have me do, send me your
advice, and I shall accomplish it to my power with God’s
grace, who preserve you.

     Written at Norwich, the 10th day of October, in the
fifteenth year of Edward IV.

                                                                   ³JOHN PASTON.

             Norwich,
      Tuesday, 10th Oct.
         1475. 15 E. iv.

  After what had passed between the King and the Duke of Norfolk, the
advice here given appears proper, as the King’s letter would oblige the counsel
to consider the matter immediately, and report their opinion to their Lord.
How very respectable the Duke’s counsel were, we may learn from James
Hobart being one of them; he was a great lawyer, and in the reign of Henry
VII. was constituted Attorney-General, and afterwards became a Privy Coun-
sellor. He was made a Knight of the Sword at the creation of Henry Prince
of Wales in 1503, and dying about 1509, was buried in the Cathedral Church
of Norwich, though he had built the fair church of Loddon, where his por-
traiture lately remained in the east window. Fuller saith ?he was a right good
man, of great learning and wisdom.? He acquired a large fortune with honour,
and was the ancestor of the present Earl of Buckinghamshire, the proprietor
of the noble mansion at Blickling, in Norfolk, built in the year 1628, and im-
proved by his lordship, with great taste, in a style suitable to the original plan.

     ¹   We must not consider this phrase to be so coarse as it would sound in
modern language: it is merely a strong asseveration.

     ²   This journey was undertaken, I suppose, to return thanks to Our Lady for
his safe return from his expedition into France.

     ³   Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21. Seal, a Fleur-de-lys and Annulet, Pl. xiv.
No. 22.

     In the course of this work we have been often informed of the meeting of
the council of the Duke of Norfolk, at the residence of that nobleman; a
few words respecting the nature of this council, and of their duty when assem-
bled will not be unacceptable to the reader. From what we have collected
from these Letters, and from the various accounts of similar councils mentioned
by our historians, it plainly appears that the Baron, (for many members of this
council often appear to be summoned in consequence of their feudal connexion
with the barony,) when surrounded by his council, represented the King, sur-
rounded by his Privy Council, or Counsellors of State. In this assembly all
matters relative to the disputes between his vassals and dependants were heard
and determined; orders and regulations respecting his own territorial posses-
sions were debated and confirmed, and many even of his domestic affairs were
here settled; for in this council the officers on his establishment had a seat un-
der titles similar to those in the royal household, as Treasurer, Comptroller, &c.

876

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To the ryght worchepfull Sir John Paston, Knyght, lodgyd
at the George, by Powlys Wherf, in London.

RYGHT werchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, sertyfy-
         ing yow that I have comonyd with Barnard and other
         your wellwyllers with my Lord of Norffolk, whyche
avise me that ye shold, for your nyghest meane to get Caster
a yen, labore to get a lettre fro the Kyng dyrect to R. Sothewell,
Jamys Hubbard, and other of my lordys consayll being, and to
iche of theym; and in the seyd letter to lete theym have know-
lage that the Kyng mevyd to my lord of the seyd mater beyond
the see, and hough my lord answerd the Kyng that at hys
comyng in to Inglond he wold meve to hys seyd consayll of the
seyd mater, and geve the Kyng an answer. Wherfor the Kyng
in the seyd lettyr must streyghtly charge theym, and iche of
theym, to comon with my lord in the seyd mater in syche
wyse that the Kyng may be sertyfyed of an answer fro my lord
and theym at the ferthest by crastino Animarum;² for Suthewell
nor Jamys Hubbard shall not be at London befor Halowmass,
and thys is the best wey that ye may take, as we thynke here.

     My lady sweryth, and so dothe Barnard on hyr behalff,
that she wold as fayne ye had it as eny body; notwithstandyng
she seyd not so to me, sythe I cam hom, for I spak not with
hyr but onys sythe I sye yow last. Yet she lythe in Norwyche,
and shall do tyll she be delyverd; but I have be seek ever sythe
I cam on thys syd the see, but I trust hastyly to amend for all
my seknesse that I had at Caleys, and sythe I cam over also,
cam but of cold. But I was never so well armyd for the werre
as I have now armyd me for cold; wherfor I avyse yow, take
exampyll by me, if it happyn yow to be seek, as ye wer when I
was at Caleys, in eny wyse kepe yow warme. I weene Herry
Woodhous nor Jamys Arblaster ware never at onys so many
cotys, hose, and botewx as I doo, or ellys by God we had gone
therfor. What we shall yet I can not sey, but I bere me bold
on ij. dayes amendyng.

     My modyr sendyth yow Godes blyssing and hers, and she
wold fayne have yow at home with hyr; and if ye be onys
mette, she tellyth me ye shall not lyghtly depart tyll dethe
depart yow.

     As I was wryghtyng thys lettyr, on told me that the Kyng
shold be at Walsyngham thys next.¹ If it be so, it wer best
for yow to awayte on the Kyng all the wey, and if ye have not
men and horse i nowghe I shall send yow. Do as ye thynk
best; and as ye wyll have me to do, send me your avyse, and
I shall accomplyshe it to my power, with Godes grace, Who
preserve yow.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, the x. day of October, anno xv^o
E. iiij^ti.

                                                                                         P. J.²

                           ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

                           ² The Morrow of All Souls, i.e. 3rd November.    

OCT. 10

1475
OCT. 10