Margaret , Countess of Oxford, to John Paston

LETTER VIII.

To my Right trusti and welbiloved John Paston Shrieve of
Norff’ and Suff’.

RIGHT trusti and welbiloved I Recomaund me unto you
     And for as moche as I ame credebly enfourmed that
Fraunceis late Lorde Lovell is now of late resorted into the yle
of Ely to the entente by alle lykelyhod to finde the waies and
meanes to gete him shipping and passage in yo^r costes or ellis to
Resorte ageyn to Seintuary if he can or maie.

     I therfor hertily desire and praie you And nev’thelesse in the
King’s name streitly chargie you that ye in all goodly haste
endevore yo^r self that suche wetche or other meanes be used and
hadde in the Poorts and Creks and othre places wher ye thinke
necessary by your Discrecion to the letting of his seid purpose
And that ye also use all the waies ye can or maie by your
wisdom to the taking of the same late Lorde Lovell And
what pleasur ye maie do to the Kings g’ce in this matier I
am sure is not to you unknowen. And God kepe you.

     Wretyn at Lavenh’m the xix day of May.

                                                               ¹ Margaret Oxynford.

            12 by 8 ½.

 Lavenham, in Suffolk,
             Friday, 19th of May,
             1486.

     As this and the preceding Letter relate to a Nobleman, who was the Lord Cham-
berlain, and Favourite of Richard III. I have given them a place here, though
they were not written till after the Death of this King, and the accession of Henry VII.

    In this Letter we see the anxiety of the new King and his Friends, for the apprehension
of the late Lord Lovell, who had been attainted after the Battle of Bosworth.

     He however escaped all pursuit, and got safe to the Duchess of Burgundy, by whose
persuasion he afterwards joined in the plot of Lambert Simnel, and attending him to
England, was killed at the battle of Stoke, in 1487.

    ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister of Richard,
the great Earl of Warwick, was the first wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford. During
the imprisonment of her Husband, in the reign of Edward IV. she supported herself by
working with her needle, &c. Pl. VII. N^o 6. The Earl himself, in the reign of
Henry VII. became a man of great consequence in the state, and died in 1512, 4 Hen. VIII.

     The male branch of this noble family of the de Veres, Earls of Oxford, have been
extinct from the beginning of this century; but there are still several noble families
descended from the female branches, particularly that of Townshend, of Rainham, in
Norfolk, the present Lord Viscount Townshend being a lineal descendant from Mary,
the daughter and coheir of the famous Horatio, Lord Vere of Tilbury.

     The Seal of this Letter has the Impression of a Head.

LETTER VIII.

To my right trusty and well beloved John Paston, Sheriff of
Norfolk and Suffolk.

RIGHT trusty and well beloved, I recommend me unto
     you; and forasmuch as I am credibly informed, that
Francis, late Lord Lovell, is now of late resorted into the
Isle of Ely, to the intent by all likelihood, to find the ways and
means to get him shipping and passage in your coasts, or else
to resort again to Sanctuary, if he can or may.

     I therefore heartily desire and pray you, and nevertheless, in
the King’s name, straitly charge you, that ye in all goodly haste
endeavour yourself, that such watch, or other means be used
and had in the Ports, and Creeks, and other places, where ye
think necessary by your discretion, to the letting of his said
purpose; and that ye also use all the ways ye can or may by
your wisdom, to the taking of the same late Lord Lovell;
and what pleasure ye may do to the King’s Grace in this
matter, I am sure is not to you unknown; and God keep you.

     Written at Lavenham, the 19th day of May.

                                                    ¹ MARGARET OXYNFORD.

 12 by 8 ?.

 Lavenham, in Suffolk,
             Friday, 19th of May,
             1486.

     As this and the preceding Letter relate to a Nobleman, who was the Lord Cham-
berlain, and Favourite of Richard III. I have given them a place here, though
they were not written till after the Death of this King, and the accession of Henry VII.

    In this Letter we see the anxiety of the new King and his Friends, for the apprehension
of the late Lord Lovell, who had been attainted after the Battle of Bosworth.

     He however escaped all pursuit, and got safe to the Duchess of Burgundy, by whose
persuasion he afterwards joined in the plot of Lambert Simnel, and attending him to
England, was killed at the battle of Stoke, in 1487.

    ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister of Richard,
the great Earl of Warwick, was the first wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford. During
the imprisonment of her Husband, in the reign of Edward IV. she supported herself by
working with her needle, &c. Pl. VII. N^o 6. The Earl himself, in the reign of
Henry VII. became a man of great consequence in the state, and died in 1512, 4 Hen. VIII.

     The male branch of this noble family of the de Veres, Earls of Oxford, have been
extinct from the beginning of this century; but there are still several noble families
descended from the female branches, particularly that of Townshend, of Rainham, in
Norfolk, the present Lord Viscount Townshend being a lineal descendant from Mary,
the daughter and coheir of the famous Horatio, Lord Vere of Tilbury.

     The Seal of this Letter has the Impression of a Head.

1009

MARGARET, COUNTESS OF OXFORD, TO JOHN
PASTON²

To my right trusti and welbiloved John Paston, Shrieve
of Norfolk and Suffolk.

      RIGHT trusti and welbiloved, I recomaund me unto you.
          And for as moche as I am credebly enfourmed that
          Fraunceis, late Lorde Lovell, is now of late resorted
into the Yle of Ely, to the entente by alle lykelyhod, to finde
the waies and meanes to gete him shipping and passage in
your costes, or ellis to resorte ageyn to seintuary, if he can
or maie;

     I therfor hertily desire praie you, and neverthelesse, in the
Kinges name, streitly chargie you that ye in all goodly haste
endevore your self that suche wetche or other meanes be used
and hadde in the poorts, and creks, and othre places wher ye
thinke necessary by your discrecion, to the letting of his seid
purpose; and that ye also use all the waies ye can or maie by
your wisdom, to the taking of the same late Lorde Lovell.
And what pleasur ye maie do to the Kings Grace in this matier,
I am sure, is not to you unknowen. And God kepe you.

     Wretyn at Lavenham, the xix. day of May.

                                                       MARGARET OXYNFORD.¹

     ² [From Fenn, ii. 338.] The date of this is quite certain from the subject to
which it refers, as well as from the fact of John Paston being at the time Sheriff of
Norfolk and Suffolk. Francis, Viscount Lovel, was one of the principal adherents of
Richard III., and was attainted after the accession of Henry VII. in 1485. For some
time he lay concealed, but in the spring of 1486 he attempted to raise an insurrection
along with Humphrey and Thomas Stafford, who had broken out of their sanctuary
at Colchester. He is said to have been drowned in the Trent in 1487, in endeavour-
ing to escape after the battle of Stoke. But according to another story he lived in
concealment for some time after.

     ¹ Margaret, daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and sister of Richard,
the great Earl of Warwick, was the first wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.?F.

MAY 19

1486
FEB. 24