John Russe to John Paston

LETTER XIII.

To my right bono^rabil and w’shypfull Maist’ my Maist’ Paston.

   PLEASE it yōre w’shipfull Maistyrshyp to wete that it is
     informyd me thys day scretly that there is dyrected out a
com’yssion to Mayst’ ¹ Yelwyrton and Maist’ Jenney which shall
tomorwyr syttyn be vertu of the same at ² Seynt Oleffes and
the substaunce of Jentilmen and Yemen of Lodyngland be as-
sygned to be afore the seyd Com’esyoners and it is supposed it is
for my Maisters londs, for as the seyd p’sone informyd me the
seyd Comesyoners have been at Cotton and there entred and
holdyn a Court, I can not informe yōre Maystyrship that it is
thus in s’teyn but thus it was told me to kepe it secret, but
be cause I conseyue it is ageyn youre Maistyrship it is my
part to geve you relacion thereof.

     I sende you a Letter which cometh from ³ W’cestyr to my
Maist’ youre Brothyr, I wold ye undyrstod the intente of it for
as for W’cest’ I knowe well he is not good, sum men ar besy to
make werre, for p’ the absentyng of my Maist’ the p’son comyth
not of hyse owyn mocyon, but I wold yōre Maistyrship knewe be
whom it is mevyd, I herd you neu’ calle hym false Pryst be
my trouth nor other language that is rehersyd hym, but Gode
sende a good Accord for of varyaunce comyth gret hurt of tyn
tyme, and I beseche J’hu sende youre Maistyrship youre herts
desyre and amende hem that wold the contrary.

     S^r. yest’euyn a man came from London and he seyth the Kyng
cam to London on satyrday and there dede make a ⁴ p’clamacion
that all men that were be twyx lx and xvj shuld be redy to
wayte upon hym whan so eu’ they were callyd and it is seyd
that my Lord Warwyk had sent to the Kyng and informyd
hyse Hyghnesse that the Lord ⁵ Summyrset had wretyn to hym
to come to grace, but of the ⁶ fleet of Shyppis there is no tydings
in s’teyn at London on monday last past.

                                                   Yōre bedman and s’vaunt,

                                                                                       ⁷ John Russe.

               11 ? by 5 ?.

           1462, 2 E. IV.

     The first part of this Letter relates to the disputes concerning Sir John Fastolf’s
Estates, and shews that proceedings concerning Property were often carried on in a clan-
destine manner.

     ¹ I suppose these were William Yelverton, a Judge of the King’s Bench, and William
Jenney, a Serjeant at Law.

     ² St. Olave’s, a village in the hundred of Lothing, in Suffolk.

     ³ William Worcester was the Secretary and considential Servant of Sir John Fastolf,
and one of his Executors.

     ⁴ A similar Proclamation is said to have been issued in 1464.

     ⁵ This Letter must have been written in 1462, as in that year the Duke of Somerset
was generously pardoned, but revolting, was taken at the Battle of Hexham, and
beheaded.

     ⁶ This Fleet was most probably that which our Historians mention as being sent this
year to Bretagne and the Isle of Rhée, but of which the foreign Historians say nothing.

     ⁷ Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 18.

LETTER XIII.

To my right honourable and worshipful Master, my Master Paston.

   PLEASE it your worshipful Mastership to weet, that it is
     informed me this day secretly, that there is directed out a
Commission to Master ¹ Yelverton and Master Jenney, which
shall tomorrow sit by virtue of the same at ² Saint Olave’s, and
the substance of Gentlemen and Yeomen of Lothingland be
assigned to be afore the said Commissioners; and it is supposed
it is for my Master’s Lands, for as the said person informed me,
the said Commissioners have been at Cotton, and there entered,
and holden a Court; I cannot inform your Mastership that it
is thus in certain, but thus it was told me, and desired me
to keep it secret; but because I conceive it is against your Master-
ship, it is my part to give you relation thereof.

     I send you a Letter which cometh from ³ Worcester to my
Master your Brother, I would ye understood the intent of it,
for as for Worcester, I know well he is not good.

     Some men are busy to make war, for by the absenting of my
Master, the Parson cometh not of his own motion, but I would
your Mastership knew by whom it is moved. I heard you never
call him false Priest, by my truth, nor other language that is
rehearsed (to or by) him, but God send a good accord, for of
variance cometh great hurt often time, and I beseech Jesu send
your Mastership your heart’s desire, and amend them that would
the contrary.

     Sir, yester even a man came from London, and he saith, the
King came to London on Saturday, and there did make a
⁴ Proclamation that all men that were between 60 and 16 should
be ready to wait upon him whensoever they were called; and
it is said, that my Lord Warwick had sent to the King, and
informed his Highness that the Lord ⁵ Somerset had written to
him to come to grace, but of the ⁶ Fleet of Ships there is no
tidings in certain at London on Monday last past.

                                            Your Beadman and Servant,

                                                                      ⁷ JOHN RUSSE.

           11 ? by 5 ?.

           1462, 2 E. IV.

     The first part of this Letter relates to the disputes concerning Sir John Fastolf’s
Estates, and shews that proceedings concerning Property were often carried on in a clan-
destine manner.

     ¹ I suppose these were William Yelverton, a Judge of the King’s Bench, and William
Jenney, a Serjeant at Law.

     ² St. Olave’s, a village in the hundred of Lothing, in Suffolk.

     ³ William Worcester was the Secretary and considential Servant of Sir John Fastolf,
and one of his Executors.

     ⁴ A similar Proclamation is said to have been issued in 1464.

     ⁵ This Letter must have been written in 1462, as in that year the Duke of Somerset
was generously pardoned, but revolting, was taken at the Battle of Hexham, and
beheaded.

     ⁶ This Fleet was most probably that which our Historians mention as being sent this
year to Bretagne and the Isle of Rhée, but of which the foreign Historians say nothing.

     ⁷ Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 18.

529

JOHN RUSSE TO JOHN PASTON²

To my right honorabil and worshypfull maister, my
Maister Paston.

PLEASE it youre worshipfull maistyrshyp to wete, that it
     is informyd me thys day scretly, that there is dyrected
     out a commyssion to mayster Yelwyrton and maister
Jenney, which shall tomorwyr syttyn be vertu of the same at
Seynt Oleffes;³ and the substaunce of jentilmen and yemen of
Lodyngland be assygned to be afore the seyd commesyoners;
and it is supposed it is for my maisters londs, for as the seyd
persone informyd me, the seyd comesyoners have been at
Cotton, and there entred, and holdyn a court. I can not
informe youre maystyrship that it is thus in serteyn, but thus
it was told me, and desyryd me to kepe it secret; but be cause
I conseyve it is ageyn your maistyrship, it is my part to geve
you relacion thereof.

     I sende you a letter which cometh from Worcestyr¹ to my
maister youre brothyr. I wold ye undyrstod the intente of it,
for as for Worcester, I knowe well he is not good. Sum men
ar besy to make werre, for p’² the absentyng of my maister,
the parson comyth not of hyse owyn mocyon, but I wold youre
maistyrship knewe be whom it is mevyd. I herd you never
calle hym false pryst, be my trouth, nor other language that is
rehersyd hym, but Gode sende a good accord, for of varyaunce
comyth gret hurt of tyn tyme, and I beseche Jesu sende youre
maistyrship youre herts desyre, and amende hem that wold the
contrary.

     Sir, yesterevyn a man came from London, and he seyth,
the Kyng cam to London on Satyrday, and there dede make a
proclamacion that all men that were be twyx lx. and xvj. shuld
be redy to wayte upon hym whan so ever they were callyd;
and it is seyd, that my Lord Warwyk had sent to the Kyng,
and informyd hyse Hyghnesse that the Lord Summyrset had
wretyn to hym to come to grace; but of the fleet of shyppis
there is no tydings in serteyn at London on Monday last
past.

                           Youre bedman and servaunt,

                                                                                      JOHN RUSSE.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 260.] This letter must have been written in the year 1462 before
the Duke of Somerset was received into favour. Proclamations similar to those
mentioned in this letter were issued on the 6th March 1461 and the 11th May 1464;
but neither of these can be the case referred to. The coming of the King to London
must have been in the beginning of September 1462. He was in London on the 14th
of that month, and had been at Fotheringay on the 1st, as the dates of Privy Seals
inform us.                                 ³ St. Olave’s, in Suffolk.

     ¹ William Worcester.

     ² p’.—So in Fenn’s left-hand copy. The word seems to have been ambiguous in
the original MS., and is rendered ‘by’ (in italics) in the modern version.

SEPT.

1462

SEPT.