John Wykes to John Paston

LETTER XI.

To my ryght trusti and welbelovid ffrend John Paston Esquier.

   RIGHT worshipfull, and myn enterly welbelovyd frend
     I recomaund me un to you hertely thankyng you of your
gret p’sent of ffisch and of the felyshipp that my Cosyn your
fonne shewid unto me att Norwiche p’posyng be the grace of God
to des’ve it un to you in tyme to come in such place as I may
do for you.

     Desiryng you specyally wher as a Tenūt of myne of Laven-
ham called John Fermōr is sesid and arestid w^tin the Towne of
Yermowth be cause he dwellid with the Erle of Oxonfords
Son and p’posid to have passid the See w^tou lycence, and stond-
yth out of the conceyte of much peple, I wold desyre you, that
ye wold wryte to the Baylyffs of Yermouth to delyu’ the seid
John Fermor to my s’vñt John Brenerigg bryng^r of this, with
an officer of the seid Towne to be caried un to the Kyngs Castell
of Rysing at my cost, ther to be examynid of certeyne Arty-
cules which I may not disclose til I have spoke with the Kyngs
Highnes, praying you to wryte to the seid Bayliffs that I shall
be her suffisant Discharge ayenst the Kynge.

     Desyryng yow to geve credence to the bryng^r herof, as my
verray trust is in yow.

     Wretyn at Lavenham the xxv^th day of Marche.

                 Your trew and feithfull frend, havyng no blame
                                  for my gode wylle,

                                                                      John Wykes,

                                                         Ussher of the Kyngs Chambr’.

        11 ? by 6.

           Lavenham,
              Thursday, 25th of March,
              1462, 2 E. IV.

     This Letter appears to have been written the year after the Accession of Edward IV.
as in the February preceding this Letter John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, and Aubrey his
Son were beheaded.

     The Informations then given might probably make it necessary to have many of their
Dependants and Servants taken into custody and detained in prison.

     The Attention of the Father and Son to the writer of this Letter, who appears to have
been a confidential Servant of Edward, seems to be directed to the obtaining of his Favour
with the King on their behalf. Pl. V. N^o 16.

     Lavenham, in Suffolk, had been in the possession of the de Veres, from the reign of
Henry I. The Church there, is a noble and elegant Structure, and was built by
them and the Family of Spring.

LETTER XI.

To my right trusty and well beloved Friend, Johu Paston, Efquire.

   RIGHT worshipful, and mine entirely well beloved Friend,
     I recommend me unto you, heartily thanking you of your
great Present of Fish, and of the Fellowship that my Cousin your
Son shewed unto me at Norwich, proposing by the grace of God
to deserve it unto you in time to come, in such place as I may
do for you. Desiring you specially, whereas a Tenant of mine
of Lavenham, called John Fermor, is seized, and arrested within
the Town of Yarmouth, because he dwelled with the Earl of
Oxford’s Son, and proposed to have passed the Sea without
license, and standeth out of the conceit of much people.
     I would desire you, that ye would write to the Bailiffs of
Yarmouth to deliver the said John Fermor to my servant John
Brenerigg, bringer of this, with an officer of the said town, to be
carried unto the Kings Castle of Rising at my cost; there to be
examined of certain Articles, which I may not disclose, till I
have spoken with the King’s Highness.

     Praying you to write to the said Bailiffs, that I shall be their
sufficient discharge against the King, desiring you to give
credence to the bringer hereof, as my very trust is in you.

     Written at Lavenham, the 25th day of March.

                Your true and faithful Friend, having no blame for
                                      my good Will,

                                                         JOHN WYKES,

                                                                Usher of the King’s Chamber.

        11 ? by 6.

           Lavenham,
              Thursday, 25th of March,
              1462, 2 E. IV.

     This Letter appears to have been written the year after the Accession of Edward IV.
as in the February preceding this Letter John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, and Aubrey his
Son were beheaded.

     The Informations then given might probably make it necessary to have many of their
Dependants and Servants taken into custody and detained in prison.

     The Attention of the Father and Son to the writer of this Letter, who appears to have
been a confidential Servant of Edward, seems to be directed to the obtaining of his Favour
with the King on their behalf. Pl. V. N^o 16.

     Lavenham, in Suffolk, had been in the possession of the de Veres, from the reign of
Henry I. The Church there, is a noble and elegant Structure, and was built by
them and the Family of Spring.

514

JOHN WYKES TO JOHN PASTON²

To my right trusti and welbelovid frend, John Paston, Esquier.

RIGHT worshipfull, and myn enterly welbelovyd frend,
     I recomaund me un to you, hertely thankyng you of
     your gret present of fisch, and of the felyshipp that
my cosyn your sonne shewid unto me att Norwiche, purposyng
be the grace of God to deserve it un to you in tyme to come,
in such place as I may do for you.

     Desiryng you specyally, wher as a tenaunt of myne of
Lavenham, called John Fermour, is sesid and arestid with in
the towne of Yermowth, be cause he dwellid with the Erle of
Oxonfords son, and purposid to have passid the see withou[t]
lycence, and stondyth out of the conceyte of much peple, I
wold desyre you, that ye wold wryte to the Baylyffs of Yer-
mouth to delyver the seid John Fermor to my servaunt John
Brenerigg, brynger of this, with an officer of the seid Towne,
to be caried unto the Kyngs Castell of Rysing at my cost;
ther to be examynid of certeyne Artycules, which I may not
disclose, til I have spoke with the Kyngs Highnes: praying
you to wryte to the seid Bayliffs, that I shall be her suffisant
discharge ayenst the Kynge. Desyryng yow to geve credence
to the brynger herof, as my verray trust is in yow.

     Wretyn at Lavenham, the xxv^th. day of Marche.
                                                  Your trew and feithfull frend,
                                              havyng no blame for my gode
                                              wylle.                 JOHN WYKES,

                                                    Ussher of the Kyngs Chambre.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 252.] As this letter relates to the arrest of a confederate of the
Earl of Oxford and his son, who were executed in February 1462, for conspiring
against Edward IV., the date must be referred to that year.

MARCH 25

1462
MARCH 25