Richard Calle to John Paston

                                              LETTER JJ.

    To my right Reverent
    worschipfull mast ' my
    mastr Iohn Paston.

    RIGHT reverent and worschipfull Mastr J lowly reco-
    made me unto yo' good mast'schip plesith you to witte
yt I haue ben at Framelyngh'm and spake Ric Sothwell to hafe
hes advice in this matr wherin he wolde geue me but litell
Councell and seide ze were st'ungely disposed for ye trusted no
man and had moche langage weche the berer herof schal enforme
your mastrschip And as for the letters yey were deliu'd my lorde
at the logge but I cowde not speke wt hese lordeschip and suche
tyme as they were delyurd Fitz Williz whas there weche is now
keper of Castre and what tyme as my lorde had sene the lett's
he comaunded hum to avoide and so he did And thaune my
lorde sent for Sothwell And in the meene tyme my lorde sent a
man to me and axed me where ye were and J tolde he ye were
wt the kyng and so he sent me worde that an answere schulde be
made be Sothwel to the King seyng that ii or iij eyers had ben
w^t my lorde and shewed her euidence and delyurd it to my lorde
seyng yey haue had gret wrong besechyng my lorde yat it myght
be reformed Wherfor he comunded me that J shulde go hom
for other answer cowde I non have so I aboude uppon sothwel
to a know my lordes answer to the Kyng weche answere Sothwel
tolde my was yt he writeth to dthe kyng that certeine points in
yo^r lett's be untrew and that he schal prove suche tyme as he
Cometh befor the kyng besechyng the Kyng to take it to no
displesur for he is advised to kepe it still unto the tyme that he
hath spaden Wt his highnesse for he trusteth to God to schewe
suche evidence to the kyng and to the lords that he schulde haue
best right and titill therto and so he sent a man forthe to ye Kyng
this Day it were right wele don ye awayted upon hes man
Comyng y^t ye myght knowe the redy entent of my lordes wri-
tyng Berthelmew Elysse hathe ben wt my lorde and made a
relesse to my lord and S' Will Chamb'leine was ther ij dayes
afore J come thirder I can thynke for the same matr And
Thom's Fastoplf whas there ye same tyme yt I was yer and as I
am enformed they haue delyu'd my lorde serteine evidence
Wherfor me semeth it wer right wele don savyng yor bettr ad-
vice to com hem and sele up yor evidence and haue hem wt you
to london to p'ue his titill noght. Ther be but ij or iij men
wt in the place and if ye thynke it best to do it send word and J
suppose a remedy schal be had also J here no word of mast' Will'
nor of the Writts for the p'lament Also it is tolde here that
Tudenh'm and Heydon haue a prdon of the Kyng and that they
schal come up to london wt the lady of Suff. to the Coronacon
Also as for the lettr yt ye sent to Thom's Wyngfeld I haue it still
for he is at london some men sey he meved my lord for to entre
and som sey Fitz Willia is in defaute so J can see ther is but fewe
goode Also my mast' S' Thom's Howys schol send a lett' to the
Prson ye wote of for to deliu' you the gere at london the next
weke my right worschipfull and reurerent mastre Almyghti God
P'serue you Wreten at Norweche on the morwe aftr Corpus
xpi Day.

                Yor pore srvut and bedman,

                                                                                            A. C.

11 3/4 by 3 1/2.
    Paper Mark,
     A Bull.

    PI. XXII. No 16.
     Seal : an Eagle's Head erased, having
         an Escroll issuing from its Mouth.
         Motto illegible. PI. XXIII. No 8.

    In the XXXVIII. Letter of the Third Volume of this Work we have seem that the
Duke of Norfolk reported that Sir John Fastolf had given him Caister ; we find he has
now asserted his claim, and seems to be in possession ; and though this Letter contains
nothing very curious, yet as it relates to Caister and to the possession of that Estate, it
was very proper to give it to the Reader, as it leads to a previous knowledge of circum-
stances, which a few years after brought on the regular siege of that place, the account
of which is both very remarkable and very curious.

    It seems by this Letter that the Duke of Norfolk was at this time keeping his secret
house at the Lodge, where the Writer of this Letter was not permitted to speak with him.

   The order for the establishment of the secret House is given in the Earl of Northum-
berland's Household Book, where it is said that " at certain times of the year the nobility re-
tired from their principal Mansion to some little adjoining Lodge ; where they lived private,
no longer kept open house, but put their Servants to Board-wages, dismissed part of
them to go to their Friends, and only retained a few of the most necessary about their
person."

    Edward IV. was crowned on Monday the 29th of June, 1461 ; and from the mention
of his Coronation the exact date of this Letter is ascertained ; Corpus Christi day is the
Thursday after the Octave of Whitsunday.

    Autograph. PI. XVIII. No g.

                                                      LETTER II.

To my right reverend and worshipful Master, my Master John Pafton.

    RIGHT reverend and worshipful Master, I lowly recom-
mend me unto your good mastership, pleaseth you to
weet that I have been at Framlingham, and spake ( with ) Richard
Southwell to have his advice in this matter, wherein he would
give me but little counsel, and said ye were strangely disposed,
for ye trusted no man ; and had much language, which the
bearer hereof shall inform your mastership.

    And as for the Letters they were delivered my Lord at the
Lodge, but I could not speak with his Lordship, and such time
as they were delivered Fitzwilliam was there, which is now
keeper of Caister, and what time as ( when ) my Lord had seen
the Letters, he commanded him to avoid and so he did ; and
then my Lord sent for Southwell, and in the mean time my
Lord sent a man to me and asked me where ye were, and I told
him ye were with the king, and so he sent me word that an
answer should be made by Southwell to the king, saying that
two or three heirs had been with my Lord and shewed their evi-
dence, and delivered it to my Lord, saying they have great
wrong, beseeching my Lord that it might be reformed ; where-
fore he commanded me that I should go home, for other answer
could I none have ; so I abode ( waited ) upon Southwell to have
known my Lord's answer to the King, which answer Southwell
told me was, that he writeth to the King that certain points in
your Letters be untrue, and that he shall prove ( at ) such time
as he cometh before the King, beseeching the King to take it to
no displeasure, for he is advised to keep it still unto the time
that he hath spoken with his Highness, for he trusteth to God
to shew such evidence to the King and to the Lords that he
should to the King this day ; it were right well done, ye awaited
upon his man coming, that ye might know the ready intent of
my Lord's writing."

    Bartholomew Ellis hath been with my Lord, and made a re-
lease to my Lord ; and Sir William Chamberlaine was there two
days before I came thither, I can think for the same matter ; and
Thomas Fastolf was there ( at ) the same time that I was there,
and as I am informed they have delivered my Lord certain
evidence ; wherefore me seemeth it were right well done, saving
your better advice, to come home and seal up your evidence,
and have them with you to London, to prove his title nought.
There be but two or three men within the place, and if ye
think it best to do it send word, and I suppose a remedy shall
be had.

    Also, I hear no word of Master William, nor of the Writs for
the parliament. Also it is told here that Todenham and Heydon
have a pardon of the King, and that they shall come up to Lon-
don with the Lady of Suffolk to the Coronation ; also as for the
letter that ye sent to Thomas Wingfield, I have it still, for he is
at London ; some men say he moved my Lord for to enter, and
some say Fitzwilliam is in default, so I can see there is but few
good. Also my Master Sir Thomas Howys shall send a Letter
to the Person ye weet of, for to deliver you the geer at London
the next week ; my right worshipful and reverend Master,
Almighty God preserve you. Written at Norwich, on the
morrow after Corpus Christi day.

        Your poor Servant and Beadsman,
                        RICHARD CALLE.

         Norwich,
         Friday, 5th of June,
         1461. 1 E. IV.

    In the XXXVIII. Letter of the Third Volume of this Work we have seem that the
Duke of Norfolk reported that Sir John Fastolf had given him Caister ; we find he has
now asserted his claim, and seems to be in possession ; and though this Letter contains
nothing very curious, yet as it relates to Caister and to the possession of that Estate, it
was very proper to give it to the Reader, as it leads to a previous knowledge of circum-
stances, which a few years after brought on the regular siege of that place, the account
of which is both very remarkable and very curious.

    It seems by this Letter that the Duke of Norfolk was at this time keeping his secret
house at the Lodge, where the Writer of this Letter was not permitted to speak with him.

 The order for the establishment of the secret House is given in the Earl of Northum-
berland's Household Book, where it is said that " at certain times of the year the nobility re-
tired from their principal Mansion to some little adjoining Lodge ; where they lived private,
no longer kept open house, but put their Servants to Board-wages, dismissed part of
them to go to their Friends, and only retained a few of the most necessary about their
person."

    Edward IV. was crowned on Monday the 29th of June, 1461 ; and from the mention
of his Coronation the exact date of this Letter is ascertained ; Corpus Christi day is the
Thursday after the Octave of Whitsunday.

    Autograph. PI. XVIII. No g.

458

RICHARD CALLE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right reverent worschipfull master,
my Master John Paston.

RIGHT reverent and worschipfull master, I lowly re-
     comande me unto your good masterschip. Plesith
     you to witte that I have ben at Framelyngham, and
spake Ric Sothwell to hafe hes advice in this mater; wherin he
wolde geve me but litell councell, and seide ze were straungely
disposed, for ye trusted no man, and had moche langage, weche
the berer herof schal enforme your masterschip.

     And as for the letters, they were delivered my Lorde² at
the Logge, but I cowde not speke with hese Lordeschip. And
suche tyme as they were delyvered Fitz William whas there,
weche is now keper of Castre; and what tyme as my Lorde
had sene the lettres, he comaunded hym to avoide, and so he
did. And thanne my Lorde sent for Sothwell. And in the
meene tyme my Lorde sent a man to me, and axed me where
ye were, and I tolde hem ye were with the Kyng; and so he
sent me worde that an answere schulde be made be Sothwel to
the King, seyng that ii. or iij. eyers [heirs] had ben with my
Lorde, and shewed her [i.e. their] evidence, and delyvered it
to my Lorde, seyng they have had gret wrong, besechyng my
Lorde that it myght be reformed. Wherfor he comaunded me
that I shulde go hom, for other answer cowde I non have. So
I aboude uppon Sothwel to a’ know my Lordes answer to the

Kyng; weche answere Sothwel tolde me was, that he writeth to
the Kyng that certeine points in your lettres be untrew, and
that he schal prove suche tyme as he cometh befor the Kyng,
besechyng the Kyng to take it to no displesur; for he is
advised to kepe it still unto the tyme that he hath spaken with
his Highnesse, for he trusteth to God to schewe suche evidence
to the Kyng and to the Lords, that he schulde have best right
and titill therto; and so he sent a man forthe to the Kyng
this day. It were right wele don ye awayted upon hes man
comyng, that ye myght knowe the redy entent of my Lordes
writyng.

     Berthelmew Elysse hathe ben with my Lorde, and made a
relesse to my Lord; and Sir Will Chamberleine was ther ij.
dayes afore I come thirder, I can thynke for the sam mater.
And Thomas Fastolf whas there the same tyme that I was
ther; and as I am enformed, they have delyvered my Lorde
serteine evidence. Wherfore me semeth it were right wele
don, savyng your better advice, to com hom and sele up your
evidence, and have hem with you to London, to prove his titill
noght. Ther be but ii. or iij. men with in the place, and if ye
thynke it best to do it, send word, and I suppose a remedy
schal be had.

     Also I here no word of Master William, nor of the writts
for the Parlament. Also it is tolde here that Tudenham¹ and
Heydon have a pardon of the Kyng, and that they schal come
up to London with the Lady of Suffolk to the Coronacion.
Also as for the letter that ye sent to Thomas Wyngfeld, I have
it still, for he is at London. Some men sey he meved my Lord
for to entre, and some sey Fitz William is in defaute. So I
can see ther is but fewe goode. Also my master Sir Thomas
Howys schol send a letter to the person ye wote of, for to
deliver you the gere at London the next week. My right
wourschipfull and reverent master, Almyghti God preserve
you.

     Wreten at Norweche, on the morwe after Corpus Christi
Day.

                        Your pore servant and bedman,              R. C.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 6.] The date of this letter, like that of the last, is shown by a
reference to the approaching coronation of Edward IV.

     ² The Duke of Norfolk, who appears by this time to have taken possession of
Caister, and appointed a keeper for it.

¹ Sir Thomas Tuddenham was beheaded in February following.     

JUNE 5

1461
JUNE 5