John Russe to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 188

23 August 1461

Gairdner, Vol III, item 476; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 13

LETTER XIII.

    To my right wrshypfull and
    revrent Maistyr Iohn
    Paston at Norwich

RYGHT wtshypfull Sr and my right honorable maistr I re-
comaunde me louly to you And plese youre maistrirshyp
to wete that my maistr Clement yo're Brothyr and Plater wrot
a letter to my maystr yore Sone yistirday the tenure of whych
was how ye were entretyd there and as ye desyred me so I en-
formyd hem the mater along for they wist not of it til I told
hem and they wrete the more pleynerly inasmych as a wrshpy-
full man rood the same day and bare the letter to my seyd
mairstr youre sone the lord Bourgcher is w^t the Kynge and my
lord Warwyk still in the North, &. It'm S^r thys day cam on
Iohn Waynflet from the Kyng streyt weye and he is of myn
aqueyntaunce and he teld me there was no voyse nor spekyng
aboute the Kyng of that mater. And I teld hym all the mater
along hou ye wre intretd whych he wyll put in remebraunce
in ony place that he cometh in in Suff. of Esex as he goth hom-
ward. For he owyth no good wil to yo're advrsary. And the
seyd Waynflet teld me that he knowyth for srteyn that the
Kyng cometh not to Northefolk til he hathe been upon the
m'rchys of Walys and so there is no srteynte of hyse comyng
thys many dayez he teld me he lefte the Kyng w^t a smal fela-
shyp aboute hym And I enqueryd hym of the gyding of my
maystyr yore Sone whiche he comendyd gretly and seyd that he
stood well inconseys and dayly shuld increse and the was well in
aqueyntaunce and be lovyd w^t Ientilmen about he Kyng, but
he seyd there shal thyng hurte hym but yo're streytnesse of
mony to hym for wtoute he have mony in hyse p'se so as he
may resonably spende among hem ellys they wyll not sette by
hem and there be Ientilmen Sones of lesse reputacion that hath
mony more lyb^ral X tymez than he hath and soo in that they
seyd Waynflet seyd it were full necessary for your to remebre
&c. As for tydyngs here bee noon newe &c. J truste I shal
brynge you a letter from my maystr yo're Sone or thanne I come
for whych I shal rather thanne fayle abyde on day the lenger
And Ihu haue you my right honorable maistr in hyse mrchyfull
govrnaunce and p'srve your from advrsyte wretyn at london on
seynt Bertylmewys evyn.

I can speke w^t noo man but that thynke
the gydyng of yo're adrsary hath been in
many causez ryght straunce and as it is
soposyd that he shal undyrstonde at the
prlament but for gods sake haue men
Jnow aboute yow for ye undyrstonde
is on manrly dysposecion.

Your bedeman and srvaunt,
John Russe.

This Letter was written whilst the Earl of Warwick was in the North Marches, endea-
vouring to manage matters with regard to the Scots. He went thither soon after the
coronation, and before the King had called a Parliament. What the matter was in which
J. Paston had been so strangely treated does not appear.

The account of his son is curious, and shews us that in that remote age money was in
a certain degree as necessary as it would be now, for the bringing a young gentleman
properly forward amongst his equals. It appears from several of thes Letters that J.
Paston kept his children rather to strait for a man of his birth and fortune.

Autograph. Pl. v. NO. 18.

The impression on the seal is a Cross flory. Pl. xiv. No. 21.

William Viscount Bourchier, &c. son of Henry Earl of Essex, who married Elizabeth,
sister of Richard Plantagente Duke of York, by which marriage he became Uncle to
Edward IV.

LETTER XIII.

To my right worshipful and reverend Master John Paston, at
Norwich.

RIGHT worshipful and my right honourable Master, I re-
commend me lowly to you, and please your mastership to
weet that my Master Clement your brother and Playters wrote
a Letter to my master your son yesterday, the tenor of which
was how ye were entreated there, and as ye desired me, so I
informed them the matter along, for they wist (knew) not of
it till In told them, and they wrote the more plainerly (plainly),
in as much as a worshipful man rode the same day, and bare the
letter to my said master your son.

The Lord Bourchier is with the King, and my Lord War-
wick still in the North, &c.

Item, Sir this day came one John Waynfleet from the King
strait way, and he is of mine acquaintance; and he told me
there was no voice nor speaking about the King of that matter,
and I told him all the matter along how ye were enterated, which
he will put in remembrance in any place that he cometh in in
Suffolk or Essex as he goeth homewards, for he oweth no good-
will to your adversary. And the said Waynfleet told me that
he knoweth for certain the King cometh not into Norfolk till

he hath been upon the Marches of Wales, and of there is no cer-
tainty of his coming this many days; he told me he left the
King with a small fellowship about him.

And I enquired (of) him of the guiding of my master your
son, which he commended greatly, and said that he stood well
in conceit, and daily should increase; and he was well in ac-
quaintance, and beloved with gentlemen about the King; but
he said there shall nothing hurt him, but your straitness of money
to him, for without he have money in his purse, so as he may
reasonably spend among them, else they will not set by him;
and there be Gentlemen's Sons of less reputation, that hath money
more liberal ten times than he hath; and so in that the said
Waynfleet said it were full necessary for you to remember, &c.
As for tidings here by none new, &c. I trust I shall bring
you a letter from my Master your son, or than (when) I come,
for which I shall rather than fail abide one day the longer; and
Jesu have you, my right honourable Master, in his merciful
governance, and preserve you from adversity. Written at Lon-
don on Saint Bartholomew's even.

I can speak with no man but that think the guiding of your
adversary hath been in many causes right strange, and as it is
supposed, that he shall understand at the Parliament, but for
God's sake have men enough about you, for ye understand his
unmannerly disposition.

Your beadsman and servant,
JOHN RUSSE.

London, Sunday,
23 August, 1461,
I. E. IV.

This Letter was written whilst the Earl of Warwick was in the North Marches, endea-
vouring to manage matters with regard to the Scots. He went thither soon after the
coronation, and before the King had called a Parliament. What the matter was in which
J. Paston had been so strangely treated does not appear.

The account of his son is curious, and shews us that in that remote age money was in
a certain degree as necessary as it would be now, for the bringing a young gentleman
properly forward amongst his equals. It appears from several of thes Letters that J.
Paston kept his children rather to strait for a man of his birth and fortune.

Autograph. Pl. v. NO. 18.

The impression on the seal is a Cross flory. Pl. xiv. No. 21.

William Viscount Bourchier, &c. son of Henry Earl of Essex, who married Elizabeth,
sister of Richard Plantagente Duke of York, by which marriage he became Uncle to
Edward IV.

476

JOHN RUSSE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right worshypfull and reverent maistyr,
John Paston, at Norwich.

RYGHT worshypfull sir, and my right honourable maister,
I recomaunde me louly to you. And plese youre
maistirshyp to wete that my Maister Clement, youre
brothyr, and Plater, wrot a letter to my mayster yore sone²
yistirday, the tenure of whych was how ye were entretyd there.
And as ye desyred me, so I enformyd hem the mater along,
for they wist not of it til I told hem; and they wrete the more
pleynerly inasmych as a worshypfull man rood the same day,
and bare the letter to my seyd maister youre sone.

The Lord Bourgcher is with the Kynge, and my Lord
Warwyk still in the North, &c.

Item, sir, thys day cam on John Waynflet from the Kyng
streyt weye, and he is of myn aqueyntaunce; and he teld me
there was no voyse nor spekyng aboute the Kyng of that
mater; and I teld hym all the mater along hou ye were
intretyd, whych he wyll put in remembraunce in ony place
that he cometh in in Suffolk or Esex as he goth homward, for
he owyth no good wil to youre adversary. And the seyd
Waynflet teld me that he knowyth for serteyn that the Kyng
cometh not to Northefolk til he hathe been upon the Marchys
of Walys, and so there is no serteynte of hyse comyng thys
many dayez. He teld me he lefte the Kyng with a smal
felashyp aboute hym.

And I enqueryd hym of the gyding of my maystyr yore
sone, whiche he comendyd gretly, and seyd that he stood
well inconseyt, and dayly shuld increse; and he was well in
acqueyntaunce and be lovyd with jentilmen aboute the Kyng.
But he seyd ther shal no thyng hurte hym but youre streyt-
nesse of mony to hym, for withoute he have mony in hyse
purse, so as he may resonably spende among hem, ellys they
wyll not sette by hem; and there be jentilmen sones of lesse
reputacion that hath mony more lyberal x. tymez than he hath,
and soo in that they seyd Waynflet seyd it were full necessary
for you to remembre, &c.

As for tydyngs here bee noon newe, &c. I truste I shal
brynge you a letter from my mayster your sone, or thanne I
come, for whych I shal rather thanne fayle abyde on day the
lenger. And Jesu have you, my right honourable maister, in
Hyse mercyfull governaunce, and preserve you from adversyte.
Wretyn at London, on Seynt Bertylmewys Evyn.

I can speke with noo man but that thynke the gydyng of
youre adversary hath been in many causez ryght straunce, and
as it is soposyd that he shal undyrstonde at the Parlament; but
for Gods sake have men inow aboute yow, for ye undyrstonde
is on manerly dysposecion.

Your bedeman and servaunt,

JOHN RUSSE.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 42.] Edward IV. went into the Marches of Wales, as men-
tioned in this letter, in the autumn of 1461. He was at Gloucester on the 11th
September, and at Ludlow on the 21st, as appears by the dates of his privy seals.
The matter mentioned in the postscript is doubtless Howard’s contention with Paston
in the shire-house at Norwich, to which allusion is made in the letter following.

² John Paston, the eldest son.

AUG. 23

1461
AUG. 23