John Wykes to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXII.

    Un to the ryght Wyrshypfull
    Mayster S' Iohn Paston Knygt
    be thys lett' delyu'yd.

RYGHT wyrshypfull and my especyall gode Mayster I
recomaund me unto your gode maystershyp letyng you
wyte that the beror herof told me that ye had grete mervyll that
j send to you no word ne lettr of awnswer of the letters that ye
had send to me to london, as for on letter ye send to me by
Rychard Playtorys man and therof J send you an awnswer in a
letter by a man of the P'or of Bromholm and as for other letters
ther com no more to me but that on. Jt'm Mayster Flemmyng
lokyth dayly for hys hors and at eu^y tyme that J mete wt hym
he askyth of me when hys hors shuld Com and when I here any
word from you wherfore J p'y you send me word in a letter
how he shall be awnswerd and yf the hors shall Com lette me
knowe when for and he had not trustyd theruppon he wold
haue p' veyd hym in a nother place &c. Jt'm Iohn Oter ys not
yet payd but as Isuppose it shall not be long to tyll he haue it
for he hath spoken to my maystr your sader a yer therfor and
as for Gylmyn he hath not spoken to my mayst^r as yet &c.
jt'm I truste he wylbe your gode Fader for Iohn Say hath told
hym playnly of hys demenyg ayenst you and told hym that he
had the laffe favor for your fake &c. It' m the Erle of Arundell
ys ^r Son hath weddyd the Quyne ys fuster It'm ythe lord louell
ys ^z Son hath weddyd my lady Fytzhugh ys doghter &c. It'm
Ienney desyryth a trety wt my maystr and spake to my mayster
therof hym sylf in Westmr hall Jt'm all felaws in the Kyngs
hows fareid well and wold haue you ther No more to you at
thys tyme but the holy Trynyte haue you kepyng Wryten at
london the Monday next after Seynt Volentyn.

Your s^rvant
                                       ³ John whlips.

        11 ? by 7 ?.

Paper Mark, a radiated Star, consisting
    of nine large and nine small rays, having
    in the centre within a border the letters
    NNs. Pl. XXVI. N^o4

    Though this Letter contains nothing very curio0us, yet the easy style of it, and the
news of the day which it announces to Sir John Paston, make it worthy the Reader's
notice. His Father's unkindness is likewise just hinted.

    ¹ Thomas Fitz Alan, Lord Maltravers, eldest Son of William Fitz Alan, Earl of
Arundel, married Margaret, second Daughter of Richard Widville, Earl Rivers, and
Sister to Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV.

    He succeeded his father as Earl of Arundel, in 1487. 3 H. VII. and died in 1524.
16 H. VIII.

    ² Francis Lovel, Son and heir to John, Lord Lovel married Anne, Daughter of
Henry, Lord Fitz Hugh. He very soon succeeded his Father as Lord Lovel, and was
afterwards created Viscount Lovel.

    This nobleman was Lord Chamberlain to Richard III. whom he attended at Bosworth
Field, and was killed at the battle of Stoke, in 1487, zH. VII.

    ³ Autograph. Pl. V. No. 16. This Writer had an appointment in the Household of
Edward IV. and it may be supposed, from the concluding part of this Letter, that Sir
John Paston belonged to it likewise.

LETTER LXII.

Unto the right worshipful Master, Sir John Paston, Knight, be
this Letter delivered.

RIGHT worshipful and my especial good Master, I recom-
mend me unto your good mastership, letting you weet
that the bearer hereof told me that ye had great marvel that I
send to you no word nor letter of answer of the letters that ye
had sent to me to London; as for one letter ye sent to me by
Richard Playters' man, and thereof I sent you an answer in a let-
ter by a man of the Prior of Bromholm and as for other letters
there came no more to me but that one.

    Item, Master Flemming looketh daily for his horse, and at
every time that I meet with him he asketh of me, when his
horse should come, and when I heard any word from you;
wherefore I pray you send me word in a letter how he shall be
answered, and if the horse shall come let me know when, for and
(if) he had not trusted thereupon, he would have purveyed him
him another place, &c.

    Item, John Oter is not yet paid, but as I suppose it shall not
belong to till he have it, for he hath spoken to my Master your
Father again therefore; and as for Gilmyn he hath not spoken
to my Master as yet, &c.

    Item, I rust he will be your good Father, for John Say hath
told him plainly of his demeaning against you, and told him that
he had the less favour for your sake, &C.

    Item, the Earl of Arundel's ^I Son hath wedded the Queen's
Sister.

    Item, the Lord Lovel's ² Son hath wedded my Lady Fitz-
hugh's Daughter &c.

    Item, Jenney desireth a treaty with my Master, and spake to
my Master thereof himself in Westminster-Hall.

    Item, all fellows in the King's house fared well, and would
have you there. No more to you at this time, but the holy
Trinity have your(in) keeping. Written at London, the Monday
next after saint Valentine.

your Servant

                                                                                                       ³ JOHN WYKYS.

        London,
                Monday 17th of February.
                1465. ₅ E: IV

    Though this Letter contains nothing very curio0us, yet the easy style of it, and the
news of the day which it announces to Sir John Paston, make it worthy the Reader's
notice. His Father's unkindness is likewise just hinted.

    ¹ Thomas Fitz Alan, Lord Maltravers, eldest Son of William Fitz Alan, Earl of
Arundel, married Margaret, second Daughter of Richard Widville, Earl Rivers, and
Sister to Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV.

    He succeeded his father as Earl of Arundel, in 1487. 3 H. VII. and died in 1524.
16 H. VIII.

    ² Francis Lovel, Son and heir to John, Lord Lovel married Anne, Daughter of
Henry, Lord Fitz Hugh. He very soon succeeded his Father as Lord Lovel, and was
afterwards created Viscount Lovel.

    This nobleman was Lord Chamberlain to Richard III. whom he attended at Bosworth
Field, and was killed at the battle of Stoke, in 1487, zH. VII.

    ³ Autograph. Pl. V. No. 16. This Writer had an appointment in the Household of
Edward IV. and it may be supposed, from the concluding part of this Letter, that Sir
John Paston belonged to it likewise.

626

JOHN WYKES TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

Un to the ryght wyrshypfull mayster, Sir John Paston, Knygt,
be thys letter delyverya.

      RYGHT wyrshypfull and my especyall gode mayster, I
          recomaund me unto your gode maystershyp, letyng
          you wyte that the berour herof told me that ye had
grete mervyll that I send to you no word ne letter of awnswer
of the letters that ye had send to me to London. As for on
letter ye send to me by Rychard Playtorys man, and therof I
send you an awnswer in a letter by a man of the Prior of
Bromholm; and as for other letters, ther com no more to me
but that on.

     Item, Mayster Flemmyng lokyth dayly for hys hors, and at
every tyme that I mete with hym, he askyth of me when hys
hors shuld com, and when I here any word from you. Wher-
fore I pray you send me word in a letter how he shall be
awnswerd, and yf the hors shall com, lette me knowe when;
for and he had not trustyd theruppon, he wold have purveyd
hym in a nother place, &c.

     Item, John Oter ys not yet payd, but as I suppose it shall
not be long to tyll he have it, for he hath spoken to my mayster
your fader a yer therfor; and as for Gylmyn, he hath not spoken
to my mayster as yet, &c.

     Item, I truste he wylbe your gode fader, for John Say hath
told hym playnly of hys demenyng ayenst you, and told hym
that he had the lasse favour for your sake, &c.

     Item, the Erle of Arundell ys¹ son hath weddyd the Quyne
ys suster.

     Item, the Lord Lovell ys son² hath weddyd my Lady
Fytzhugh ys doghter, &c.

     Item, Jenney desyryth a trety with my mayster, and spake
to my mayster therof hym sylf in Westminster Hall.

     Item, all felaws in the Kyngs hows fareid well, and wold
have you ther.

     No more to you at thys tyme, but the Holy Trynyte have
you [in] kepyng. Wryten at London, the Monday next after
Seynt Volentyn.

                                     Your servant,                   JOHN WYKYS.

     ² [From Fenn, iv. 246.] As this letter was written after Edward IV.’s marriage,
and before the death of John Paston the father, the date must be either 1465 or 1466.
Fenn assigns it to the latter year, and I think he is right, though he does not state his
reasons. I find that John, Lord Lovel, died on the 9th January 1465, leaving his son
and heir, Francis, only nine years old, so that even if we date this letter 1466, the
young lad was married at the early age of ten. This was probably owing to his
wardship having been obtained by Lord Fitzhugh, or some person interested; but as
the inquisition on his father’s death (Inq. p. m., 4 Edw. IV., No. 27) was not taken till
October 1465, there seems no ground for believing that he could have been forced
into wedlock a month after he was left an orphan.

     ¹ Thomas Fitz Alan, Lord Maltravers, eldest son of William Fitz Alan, Earl of
Arundel, married Margaret, second daughter of Richard Widville, Earl Rivers, and
sister to Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. He succeeded his father as Earl of Arundel
in 1487, 3 Hen. VII., and died in 1524, 16 Hen. VIII.—F.

     ² Francis Lovel, son and heir to John, Lord Lovel, married Anne, daughter of
Henry, Lord Fitz Hugh. It is curious that she is here called ‘Lady Fitz Hugh’s
daughter,’ when her father was alive.

1466
FEB. 17

1466
FEB. 17