John Paston to the Youngest to -

LETTER III.

   I Recomand me to yow and lete yow wete y^t notwythstandyng
     tydinggs come down as ye know y^t pepill shuld not come
up tyll thei were sent fore but to be redy at all tymes this not-
withstandyng most pepill owt of this cuntre have take wags,
seying thei woll goo up to London but thei have no Capteyn
ner Rewler assigned be the Comissioners to awayte upon and
so thei stragyll abowte be them self and be lyklynes are not
leke to come at London half of them and men that come from
London sey there have not passid Thetford not passyng CCCC
and yet the Townes and the Cuntere that have waged hem shall
thynk thei be discharged and therfore if this Lords above wayte
aftyr more pepill in this Cuntre be lyklynes it woll not be easy
to get w^t owt a newe comission and warnyng and yet it woll be
thought ryght straunge of hem that have waged pepill to wage
any more for eu’y towne hath waged and sent firth and are
redy to send forth as many as thei ded whan the Kyng sent for
hem be fore the feld at Lodlowe and thei that are not go be
goyng in the same forme.

 Itm ther was shrewd rewle toward in this Cuntre for ther
was a c’teyn p’son forth wyth aft’ the ² Jurney at Wakefeld
gadered felaship to have modered John Damme as is seyd and
also ther is at the Castell of ³ Rysing and in other ij plases
made gret gaderyng of pepill and hyryng of harneys and it is
wele undyrstand they be not to the Kyng ward but rather
the cont’ry and for to robbe. Wherfore my ⁴ fadyr is in a dowte
whedir he shall send my broyer up or not for he wold have his
owne men abowte hym if nede were here but not notwythstand-
yng he wyll send up Dawbeney his spere and bowes w^t hym as
⁵ Stapilton and Calthorp or other men of worship of this Cuntre
agree to doo wherfore demene yow in doyng of yowr erandes
ther aftyr and if ye shall bryng any masage from the Lords
take writyng for Darcorts massage is not verely beleved be cause
he browt no wrytyng.

     Itm this Cuntre wold fayne take these ⁶ fals Shrewes that
are of an oppynion cont’ry to the Kyng and his counsell if they
had any auctorite from the Kyng to do so.

     Itm my brother is redyn to Yarmowth for to lette brybe’s
that wold a robbed a Ship undyr color of my Lord of Warwyk
and longe nothyng to hem ward.

                 12 by 8 ½               

                 1461, 1 E. IV.

     This Letter, without either Date, Name or Direction, we may discover, from the Con-
tents, was written by one of John Paston’s Sons, soon after the Accession of Edward IV.
to the Throne; and gives a curious representation of the state of affairs in the County
of Norfolk at this important period.

     The reason for this secresy of address was, lest some one of the Lancastrian Party should
get possession of the letter, and fo discover the sentiments of the Pastons respecting public
affairs.

     ¹ Battle at Mortimer’s Cross near Ludlow, 2d of February, 1460, between Edward,
then Duke of York, and the Lancastrians under Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, who were
routed. Henry VI. was then in London, under the direction of the Earl of Warwick.

 ² Battle of Wakefield, wherein Richard, Duke of York was killed, fought 31st of
December, 1460.

     ³ In Norfolk, it is now a fair and venerable ruin.

     ⁴ John Paston, Esq. he died in 1466.

 ⁵ Sir Miles Stapleton, he died about 1466.

     ⁶ Disloyal men.

     ⁷ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 11.

                                                                 LETTER III.

   I Recommend me to you, and let you weet, that notwithstand-
     ing tidings come down as ye know, that people should not
come up till they were sent for, but to be ready at all times;
this notwithstanding, most people out of this Country have taken
wages, saying, they will go up to London; but they have no
Captain nor Ruler assigned by the Commissioners to await upon,
and so they straggle about by themselves, and by likeliness,
are not like to come at London half of them; and men that
come from London say, there have not passed Thetford not
passing 400; and yet the Towns and the Country that have
waged (engaged) them shall think they be discharged; and there-
fore if these Lords above wait after (expect) more people in this
Country, by likeliness it will not be easy to get without a new
Commission, and Warning, and yet it will be thought right
strange, of them that have waged people, to wage any more,
for every town hath waged, and sent forth, and are ready to send
forth, as many as they did, when the King sent for them before
the ¹field at Ludlow; and they that are not gone, be going
in the same form.

 Item, there was shrewd (bad) rule toward in this Country,
for there was a certain person forthwith after the ² Journey at
Wakefield gathered Fellowship to have murdered John Damme,
as is said.

     And also there is at the Castle of ³ Rising, and in other two
places made great gathering of People, and hiring of Harness,
and it is well understood, they be not to the King ward, but
rather the contrary, and for to rob.
     Wherefore my ⁴ Father is in a doubt, whether he shall send
my Brother up or not, for he would have his own men about
him, if need were here; but notwithstanding, he will send up
Dawbeney his Spear and Bows with him; as ⁵ Stapleton and
Calthorp or other men of worship of this Country agree to do;
wherefore demean you in doing of your Errands thereafter;
and if ye shall bring any message from the Lords, take writing,
for Darcort’s message is not verily believed, because he brought
no writing.

     Item, this Country would fain take these ⁶ false Shrews, that
are of an opinion contrary to the King, and his Council, if
they had any authority from the King to do so.

     Item, my Brother is rode to Yarmouth for to let Bribers
(hinder plunderers) that would have robbed a Ship under colour
of my Lord of Warwick, and belong nothing to them ward.

                                                                   ⁷ JOHN PASTON.

                  12 by 8 ½               

                 1461, 1 E. IV.

 This Letter, without either Date, Name or Direction, we may discover, from the Con-
tents, was written by one of John Paston’s Sons, soon after the Accession of Edward IV.
to the Throne; and gives a curious representation of the state of affairs in the County
of Norfolk at this important period.

     The reason for this secresy of address was, lest some one of the Lancastrian Party should
get possession of the letter, and fo discover the sentiments of the Pastons respecting public
affairs.

     ¹ Battle at Mortimer’s Cross near Ludlow, 2d of February, 1460, between Edward,
then Duke of York, and the Lancastrians under Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, who were
routed. Henry VI. was then in London, under the direction of the Earl of Warwick.

 ² Battle of Wakefield, wherein Richard, Duke of York was killed, fought 31st of
December, 1460.

     ³ In Norfolk, it is now a fair and venerable ruin.

     ⁴ John Paston, Esq. he died in 1466.

 ⁵ Sir Miles Stapleton, he died about 1466.

     ⁶ Disloyal men.

     ⁷ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 11.

449

JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGEST TO ——¹

I RECOMAND me to yow, and lete yow wete that not-
     wythstandyng tydinggs come down, as ye know, that
     pepill shuld not come up tyll thei were sent fore, but to
be redy at all tymes; this notwithstandyng, most pepill owt
of this cuntre have take wages, seying thei woll goo up to
London; but thei have no capteyn, ner rewler assigned be the
commissioners to awayte upon, and so thei stragyll abowte be
them self, and be lyklynes are not like to come at London
half of them. And men that come from London sey, there
have not passid Thetford, not passyng CCCC.; and yet the
townes and the cuntere that have waged hem shall thynk thei
be discharged, and therfore if this Lords above wayte aftyr
more pepill in this cuntre, be lyklynes it woll not be easy to
get with owt a newe comission and warnyng. And yet it woll
be thought ryght straunge of hem that have waged pepill
to wage any more, for every towne hath waged and sent firth,
and are redy to send forth, as many as thei ded whan the

Kyng sent for hem be fore the feld at Lodlowe;¹ and thei that
ar not go, be goyng in the same forme.

     Item, ther was shrewd rewle toward in this cuntre, for ther
was a certeyn person forth wyth after the jurney at Wakefeld,
gadered felaship to have mo[r]dered John Damme, as is seyd;
and also ther is at the Castell of Rysing, and in other ij. plases,
made gret gaderyng of pepill, and hyryng of harneys, and it is
wele undyrstand they be not to the Kyng ward, but rather the
contrary, and for to robbe. Wherfore my fadyr is in a dowte,
whedir he shall send my brother up or not, for he wold
have his owne men abowte hym, if nede were here; but not-
wythstandyng, he wyll send up Dawbeney, his spere and bowes
with hym, as Stapilton and Calthrop or other men of worship
of this cuntre agree to doo. Wherfore demene yow in doyng
of yowr erandes ther aftyr, and if ye shall bryng any masage
from the Lords, take writyng, for Darcorts massage is not
verely beleved be cause he browt no wrytyng.

     Item, this cuntre wold fayne take these fals shrewes that
are of an oppynion contrary to the Kyng and his Counsell, if
they had no auctorite from the Kyng to do so.

     Item, my brother is redy[n] to Yarmowth for to lette
brybers that wold a robbed a ship undyr color of my Lord of
Warwyk, and longe nothyng to hem ward.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 226.] According to Fenn, this letter is in the original ‘without
either date, name, or direction,’ the contents only proving it to have been written by
’one of John Paston’s sons.’ Nevertheless, in a very misleading way, the signature
’John Paston’ is inserted at the foot of the right-hand copy, with a reference to a
facsimile of the signature of John Paston the youngest. There is every appearance,
however, that John Paston the youngest really was the writer, and that the date is,
as Fenn supposes, just after the accession of Edward IV.

¹ The battle of Mortimer’s Cross, near Ludlow, gained by Edward IV. before he
was king, on the 3rd February 1461.

1461

1461