Sir John Paston to his brother, John Paston

LETTER XX.

To Mast’ John Paston or to my Mestresse hys Modre be this
     lett’ delyu’yd in hast.

   BROTHER I comand me to yow (then follows an order for
     making out an account and receiving some Rents, &c.)

     By Juddy I sende yow a lett’ by Corby w^t in iiij dayes byffor
thys and ther w^t ij potts off oyle for ¹ Saladys whyche oyle
was goode as myght be when I delyu’yd itt and schall be goode
at y^e reseyvynge iff it be nott mysse handelyd nor maysse karryd,
Itm as ffor tydyngs the Erle off ² Northomb’londe is hoome
in to y^e Noothe and my Lord off ³ Glowcest’ schall afftr as to
morow men seye Also thys daye Robert of Racclyff weddyd
the Lady Dymmok at my place in ffleetstreet and my Ladye
and yowrs Dame Elizbeth ⁴ Bowghcher is weddyd to y^e Lorde
Howards Soon and Heyr, also S^r Thomas Walg’ve is ded off y^e
syknesse y^t reygnyth on tewesdaye, now cheer ffor yowe, also
my Lorde ⁵ Archebysshope was browt to y^e towr on sat’day
at nyght and on mondaye at mydnyght he was conveyd to a
schyppe and so in to y^e see and as yitt I can nott undrestande
whedyr he is sent ner whatt is fallyn off hym men seye y^t he
hathe offendyd, but as John ffort’ seythe some men sey naye but
all hys meny ar dysparblyd eu’y man hys weye and som y^t ar
greete Klerkys and famous Doctors of hys goo now ageyn to
Cambrygge to Scoolle As ffor any other tydyngs I heer noon the
cowntesse off ⁶ Oxenfford is stylle in Seynt Martyns I heer no
worde off hyr, the Qween hadde chylde a ⁷ Dowghter but late
at Wyndefor ther off I trow ye hadde worde, And as ffor me
I am in lyke case as I was and as ffor my Lorde ⁸ Chamb’leyn
he is nott yitt comen to town when he comythe than schall
I weete whatt to doo, S^r John off Parr is yowr ffrende and myn
and I gaffe hym a ffayr armyng Sworde w^tin this iij dayes.
I harde somwhat by hym off a bakke ffreende off yowr ye
schall knowe moor her afftr.

     Wretyn the last daye of Apryll.

            12 by 10 ¾.
            Paper Mark,
           A Demy Bull.
            Pl. X. N^o 5.

     ¹ This Letter, though without any name, was written by Sir John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 9.)
to his Brother John Paston, and the mention of Oil for Sallads, shews us that at this
time Vegetables for the Table were still cultivated here; for the common opinion has
been

been, that most of our Fruits and Garden Productions were so entirely neglected during
these civil wars, as to have been almost totally destroyed.

     ² John Neville, was created Earl of Northumberland, in 1463, but resigned this title
in 1469, to the family of Perey, the ancient possessors of it.

     ³ Richard Plantagenet, afterwards King Richard III.

     ⁴ Thomas Howard, Son of John Lord Howard, was created Earl of Surrey, by
Richard III. and Duke of Norfolk, by Henry VIII. He married Elizabeth, Daughter
and Heir of Sir Frederick Tilney, Kt. and widow of Humphrey Bourchier, Lord Berners;
she died about 1507. Their Son Thomas, afterwards Duke of Norfolk, was born about
1470.

     ⁵ I suppose this means George Neville, Archbishop of York, and brother to Richard
Neville, Earl of Warwick, who at this time was greatly discontented with the proceed-

ings of the King, and perhaps had drawn his brother the Archbishop into the commission
of some act disagreeable to Edward.

     ⁶ Margaret, wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was Daughter of Richard
Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister of Richard, Earl of Warwick.

     This Lady suffered much, both from poverty and distress, during the imprisonment
and exile of her husband.

     ⁷ Elizabeth, afterwards Queen Confort of Henry VII. by this marriage the white
and red Roses were united; the was born in February 1465.

     ⁸ William, Lord Hastyngs.

LETTER XX.

To Master John Paston, or to my Mistress his Mother, be this
Letter delivered in haste.

   BROTHER, I commend me to you (then follows an order for
     making out an Account, and receiving some Rents, &c.)
     By Juddy I sent you a Letter by Corby within four days before
this; and therewith two Pots of Oil for ¹ Sallads, which oil
was good as might be when I delivered it, and shall be good at
the receiving, if it be not mishandled, nor miscarried.

     Item, as for tidings the Earl of ² Northumberland is home
into the North, and my Lord of ³ Gloucester shall after as to-
morrow, men say. Also this day Robert of Ratclyff wedded the
Lady Dymock at my place in Fleet-street, and my Lady and
yours, Dame ⁴ Elizabeth Bourchier, is wedded to the Lord
Howard’s Son and Heir. Also Sir Thomas Walgrave is
dead, of the sickness that reigneth, on Tuesday, (now (Query no)
cheer for you.) Also my Lord ⁵ Archbishop was brought to the
Tower on Saturday at night; and on Monday, at midnight, he
was conveyed to a Ship, and so into the Sea, and as yet I cannot
understand whither he is sent, nor what is fallen (become) of
him; men say, that he hath offended; but, as John Forter faith,
some men say nay; but all his meny (family) are disparbled
(dispersed), every man his way; and some that are great Clerks,
and famous Doctors of his, go now again to Cambridge to school.

     As for any other tidings I hear none; the Countess of
⁶ Oxford is still in St. Martin’s, I hear no word of her.

     The Queen had Child a ⁷ Daughter but late at Windsor,
thereof I trow ye had word. And as for me, I am in like case,
as I was; and as for my Lord ³ Chamberlain he is not yet come
to Town, when he cometh then shall I weet what to do.
Sir John of Parr is your Friend and mine, and I gave him a
fair arming Sword within this three days. I heard somewhat by
him of a back friend of yours; and ye shall know more here-
after.

     Written the last day of April.

          12 by 10 ?.
            Paper Mark,
           A Demy Bull.
            Pl. X. N^o 5.         

  30th of April,
               1466.
               6 E. IV.

     ¹ This Letter, though without any name, was written by Sir John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 9.)
to his Brother John Paston, and the mention of Oil for Sallads, shews us that at this
time Vegetables for the Table were still cultivated here; for the common opinion has
been

been, that most of our Fruits and Garden Productions were so entirely neglected during
these civil wars, as to have been almost totally destroyed.

     ² John Neville, was created Earl of Northumberland, in 1463, but resigned this title
in 1469, to the family of Perey, the ancient possessors of it.

     ³ Richard Plantagenet, afterwards King Richard III.

     ⁴ Thomas Howard, Son of John Lord Howard, was created Earl of Surrey, by
Richard III. and Duke of Norfolk, by Henry VIII. He married Elizabeth, Daughter
and Heir of Sir Frederick Tilney, Kt. and widow of Humphrey Bourchier, Lord Berners;
she died about 1507. Their Son Thomas, afterwards Duke of Norfolk, was born about
1470.

     ⁵ I suppose this means George Neville, Archbishop of York, and brother to Richard
Neville, Earl of Warwick, who at this time was greatly discontented with the proceed-

ings of the King, and perhaps had drawn his brother the Archbishop into the commission
of some act disagreeable to Edward.

     ⁶ Margaret, wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was Daughter of Richard
Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister of Richard, Earl of Warwick.

     This Lady suffered much, both from poverty and distress, during the imprisonment
and exile of her husband.

     ⁷ Elizabeth, afterwards Queen Confort of Henry VII. by this marriage the white
and red Roses were united; the was born in February 1465.

     ⁸ William, Lord Hastyngs.

800

SIR JOHN PASTON TO HIS BROTHER,
JOHN PASTON²

To Master John Paston, or to my mestresse, hys Modre,
be this letter delyveryd in hast.

BROTHER, I comand me to yow³ . . .
     . . . . . . . .
     By Juddy I sende yow a letter by Corby with in iiij.
dayes byffor thys; and ther with ij. potts off oyle for saladys,
whyche oyle was goode as myght be when I delyveryd itt, and
schall be goode at the reseyvynge, iff it be nott mysse handelyd,
nor mysse karryd.

     Item, as ffor tydyngs, the Erle of Northomberlonde is
hoome in to the Northe, and my Lord off Glowcester schall
afftr as to morow, men seye. Also thys daye Robert of
Racclyff weddyd the Lady Dymmok at my place in Fleet-
street, and my Ladye and yowrs, Dame Elizbeth Bowghcher,¹
is weddyd to the Lorde Howards soon and heyr.² Also Sir
Thomas Walgrave is ded off the syknesse that reygnyth, on
Tewesday, now [no] cheer ffor yowe. Also my Lorde Arche-
bysshope³ was browt to the Towr on Saterday at nyght, and
on Mondaye, at mydnyght, he was conveyd to a schyppe, and
so in to the see, and as yitt I can nott undrestande whedyr he
is sent, ner whatt is fallyn off hym; men seye, that he hathe
offendyd, but as John Forter seythe, some men sey naye; but
all hys meny ar dysparblyd [dispersed], every man hys weye;
and som that ar greete klerkys, and famous doctors of hys,
goo now ageyn to Cambrygge to scoolle. As ffor any other
tydyngs I heer noon. The Cowntesse off Oxenfford⁴ is stylle
in Seynt Martyns; I heer no word off hyr. The Qween
hadde chylde, a dowghter, but late at Wyndesor; ther off I
trow ye hadde worde. And as ffor me, I am in lyke case as
I was. And as ffor my Lorde Chamberleyn,⁵ he is nott yitt
comen to town; when he comythe than schall I weete what to
doo. Sir John of Parr is yowr ffrende and myn, and I gaffe
hym a ffayr armyng sworde within this iij. dayes. I harde
somwhat by hym off a bakke ffreende off yowr; ye schall
knowe moor her afftr.

     Wretyn the last daye of Apryll.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 288.] The date of this letter is ascertained by the fact that Sir
Thomas Waldegrave died on the 28th April 1472.—See Inquisition post mortem,
12 Edw. IV., No. 4.

     ³ Here (according to Fenn) follows an order for making out an account and
receiving some rents, etc.

¹ Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Frederic Tilney, Knight, and widow of
Sir Humphrey Bourchier, son of John, first Lord Berners. Her husband was slain at
the battle of Barnet.

     ² Thomas Howard, afterwards created Duke of Norfolk, by Henry VIII., for his
victory over the Scots at Flodden. He was son and heir of John, Lord Howard.

     ³ George Nevill, Archbishop of York.

     ⁴ Margaret, wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, daughter of Richard Nevill,
Earl of Salisbury, and sister of Warwick the Kingmaker.

     ⁵ William, Lord Hastings.

APRIL 30

1472
APRIL 30