Sir John Paston to John Paston

Add. 34889, ff. 105v-106r

15 November 1470

Gairdner, Vol V, item 762; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 109

LETTER CIX.

To Iohn Paston.
Esquyere in haste.

BROTHER I comand me to yow praying yow y^t thys be
yow guydyng if other Folkys wy agree to y^e same y^t M.
Roos olde ^I Kneuett ye adn the worshypfullest y^t wyll do for owr
sake as Arlast^r Iohn Gyneye ² Wodhows and al other gentel-
men y^t at the daye wyll be in Norwyche y^t ye all holl as on
bodye Come to ged^r y^t my lorde of Oxenforde maye ondrestande
y^t som strenkethethe restyth ther by whyche if it be well handely
and proue in the handely I trow Heydonnes parte woll be but
an easy comparyson. Neu^rthelesse ye than most ye be war of on
Payn and tht is thys Heydon wyll of ³ Crafte sende amonge
yow for case vj or mor w^t Harneyse For to sclandre yowr felaw-
schep w^t seyng that they be ryotous peple and natt of sustance
requer the gentelmen aboue wretyn that if any men be in Nor-
wyche of the Contre that ber any suche harneyse to do them leue
it or any glyst^ryng byll the meyr and Siteseynes of Nowyche
wher wont to haue asertayne in ⁴ harneyse of men of the town
to ye nombr of ij or iij or v^e whyche if they now do in lyke case
those wole owe bett^r wyll to M Roos and yow yⁿ to other
Folkys and if it be so y^t the thowt nat to haue non suche at thys
tyme I thynke the Meyr woll do it at y^e reqeust of M Roos and
yow if lake of tyme Cawse it not. It'm be well war of Clopton
for he hathe avysed my lorde to be all to gydre rewled by Hey-
don in so moche he hathe reportyd that all thyng and all materys
of my lordes and in all the Contre scholde guydyd by Heydon
if Chopto or Hygham or lowes Iohn be besy prese in to my
lorde byfor the For the be no Suff. mat^rys and tell the Raylyng
Prayng them not to cawse my lorde to owe hys fauor For the
pleser to som Folkys ther present For if my lorde fayuoryd or
theye owther by lykelyed my lorde and they myght lose vj tyme
as many Frendes as he scholde wynn by ther meanes Also if ye
Cowde fynde the meanes M R. and ye to Cawse Meyr in my
lordes ere to telle hym thow he scholde bynde my lorde to Con-
cell that the loue of the Contre and syte restyth on owr syde
and that other Folkys be not belouyd ner neuyr wer thys wolde
do nonn harme if it be soo y^t all thynge go ⁵ olyver currant w^t
mor to remember that ther is owt of that Contre that be nat at
Norw. besyde me that be ryght worshypfull and as worshypfull
as few be lengyng to Norff. that woll and schall do my lorde
sruyse the rather For my sake and Mastr Rossys and the rather if
my lorde semyth nat moche thynge to Heydon guydyng Also
the godely menes wherby ye best can entrete my Cosyn S^r W
Calthope at the seyde Day wse them to cawe hym if itt wyll be
to Come ye in hys Companye and he in yow in cheff at yow
cheff schew and M Roos and he in Comapany latyng mg seyde
cosyn wete y^t I tolde hym ones y^t I scholde meue hym of a thyng
I trostyn scholde be encressyng bother to hys honor and well I
sende yow a lettyr Com to Norwyche by lyklyed to yow on
monday last past it Come some what the lattre for J wende haue
dyed nat longe by foer it Also I receyued on from yow by M
blomvyle yist^r euyn tell my Cosyn W. ⁶ Yelurton that he may
not appyr of a whylle in no wyse I trow my Cosyn hys fadr
schall sende hym worde or the same do y^t ye can secretly that my
lorde be nat heuy lorde on to hym it is understande y^t itt is doon
by the craffte off Heyd' he gate hym in to that offyce to haue to
be ageyn me and nowe he sethe that he hathe don all y^t he can
ageyn me and now may doo No mor nowe he wolde remeve
hym the dayeis Comen y^t he fastyd the euyn for as an holye
yonge monke fastyd mor than all the Couent aftr that for hys
holynesse and Fastyng hopyd to be Abbott whyche aft^rwards
was Abbott than lefte he hys Abstynens seyng the daye was
Come y^t he fast the euyn for.

Brother I p'y yow recomand me to my lord of Oxfor gode
lorsdhyp and wher as I told my lord that I shuld haue awayted
uppon hys lorsdhyp in Norff. I wold that I myght soo haue don
leu^r then a hundred li but in godefeth thos maters that I told my
lord trewed shold lette me war not fynyshed tyl yesterday wher-
for yf that Cause and also syn Halowmasse eu'y other day myst
not hold uppe myn heed nor yet may in semech that sythen the
seyd day in Westmr Halle and in other place I haue goon w^t a
staffe as a Goste as men sayd more lyke that I rose owte of the
erth then owte of a fayr laydys bedd and yet am in lyke Case
sauyng I am in gode hope to Amende Wherfor I beshyche hys
lordshyp to pardon me and at a nother tyme J shall make dobell
Amends For by my trouth a man Cowyd not haue hyred me for
^v Mark w^t so gode will to haue ryden in to Norff. as to haue at
thys season ther to haue awaytyd in hys lordshyp and also I wold
haue ben glad for my lord shold haue knowyn what s^ruys that
I myght haue don hys lordshyp in that Contray It' your geer ys
send to you as Thom's Stampes sayth sauyng Mylsents Geer and
the ⁷ Shafeson whych I cannot entrete Thom's Stampes to goo
therfor thys iij or iiij days Wherfor I knokkyd hym on the
Crowne &c. It' loke that ye take hyde that the letter wer not
³ broken or that it Com to your hands &c. Wryten at london
on Thursday next after seynt 9 Erkenwolds Day &c.

¹⁰ John Pasrou, it.

12 by 17. A whole Sheet.

Paper Mark,

A Coronet.

PI. XXVI. N^o 2.

It appears plainly from the contents of this Letter, that it was written during the short
time that Henry VI. was in possession of the throne.

The Earl of Oxford was coming to Norwich to see how the County of Norfolk stood
affected to the present change in the government, and most probably to be present at the
election of Members to be returned for the City, as well as for the County, to serve in
the ensuing Parliament.

It is a most curious Letter, and gives us a very particular description both of the par-
ties and of the polities of the times.

¹ John Knevet, Esq. of Buckenham Castle.

² Sir Edward Wodehouse, Knight, ancestor to the present Sir John Wodehouse, Bart.
of Kimberley, in Norfolk.

³ This is a curious scheme, and worthy the conductor of a modern election contest.

⁴ These seem to be the same men as are now continued at Elections for the City, under
the denomination of Stavesmen; they are generally the promoters, if not the beginners,
of all riots, and were at the last contested Election, in 1787, very prudently, and to the
honour of the magistracy, discontinued.

⁵ This appears to be the word in the original, but the meaning of it I shall be glad to
have explained.

⁶ William Yelverton had been in the interest of Edward IV. and therefore durst not
appear till he had secured a pardon from the present government.

⁷ A covering for a horse's head made of iron, jacked leather, &c.

⁸ The caution concerning the safe delivery of the Letter unopened, is worthy of ob-
servation.

⁹ Erkenwald, Bishop of London, sounded one Monastery at Chertsey, in Surrey, for
men, and another at Barking, in Essex, for women, who before that time were often
obliged to retire into France for want of a proper retreat in England. He was the son
either of Offa or Ina, a King of the East Angles, and died at Barking, in the latter end
of the 7th century, when his body was interred in his own Cathedral, but was taken up
in 1148, and deposited a-new with great veneration, on the 14th of November.

¹⁰ Autograph. PI. IV. N^o 9.

LETTER CIX.

To John Paston, Esq. in haste.

BROTHER, I commend me to you, praying your that this
be your guiding, if other folks will agree to the same,
that master Roos, old ^I Knivet, ye, and the worshipfullest that
will do for our sake, as Arblaster, John Gyney, ² Wodehouse,
and all other gentlemen, that at the day will be in Norwich,
that ye all whole as one body come together, that my Lord of
Oxford may understand that some strength refteth thereby, which
if it be well handled and prove in the handling, I trow Hey-
don's party will be but an easy comparison; nevertheless, ye then
must ye beware of one pain, and that is this, Heydon will of
³ craft send among you per case (probably) six or more with har-
ness for to slander your fellowship, with saying that they be
riotous people, and not of substance; require the gentlemen
above written that if any men be in Norwich of the country that
bear any such harness to be (make) them leave it, or any glister-
ing bill (pole-axe).

The Mayor and Citizens of Norwich were wont to have a
certayne (a number) of men in ⁴ harness of men of the town to
the number of two or three, or five hundred, which if they now
do in like case, these will owe better will to Master Roos and your
than to other folks; and if it be so that they thought not to
have none such at this time, I think the Mayor will do it at the
request of Master Roos and you, if lack of time cause (prevent)
it not.

Item, be well ware of Clopton, for he hath advised my Lord
to e altogether ruled by Heydon, in so much he hath reported
that all things and all matters of my Lord's, and in all that coun-
try should (be) guided by Heydon; if Clopton or Hygham or
Lewise John be busy, press into my Lord before them, for they
be no sufficient matters, and tell the railing; praying them not
to cause my Lord to owe his favour for their pleasure to some
folks there present; for if my Lord favour or they eithr, by
likelihood my Lord and they might lose six times as many
friends as he should win by their means.

Also, if ye could find the means, Master Roos and ye, to cause
(the) Mayor in my Lord's ear to tell him, though he should bind
me Lord to conceal (it), that the love of the country and city
resteth on our side, and that other folks be not beloved nor never
were; this would do none harm.

It it be so that all things go ⁵ olyver current, with more to
remember that there is out of that country, that be not at Nor-
wich beside me, that be right worshipful, and as worshipful as
few belonging to Norfolk, that will and shall do my Lord ser-
vice, the rather for my sake and Master Roos's, and the rather
if my Lord remit not much thing to Heydon's guiding.

Also, the goodly means whereby ye best can entreat my cousin
Sir William Calthorpe at the said day wse (advise) them to cause
him, if it will be, to come ye in his company, and he in yours
in chief at your chief shew, and Master Roos and he in com-
pany, letting my said cousin weet that I told him once that I
should move him of a thing I trusted should be increasing both
to his honour and weal.

I sent you a Letter, which came to Norwich by likelihood to
you on Monday last past, it came somewhat the later, for I wend
(to) have died not long before it.

Also, I received one from you by Master Blomvile yester even.
Tell my, Cousin W. ⁶ Yelverton that he may not appear of a
while in no wise, I trow my Cousin his Father shall send him
word of the same; do that ye can secretly, that my Lord be not
heavy Lord unto him; it is understood that it is done by the
craft of Heydon, he gat him into that office to have to be against
me, and now he saith that he hath done all that he can against
me, and now may do not more, now he will remove him.

The day is come that he fasted the even for, as an holy young
Monk fasted more than all the Convent, after that for his holi-
ness and fasting hoped to be Abbot, which afterward was Abbot,
then left he his abstinence, saying, "the day was come that he
fasted the even for."

Brother, I pray you recommend me to my Lord of Oxford's
good Lordship; and whereas I told my Lord that I should have
awaited upon his Lordship in Norfolk, I would that I might so
have done lever (rather) than an hundred pound; but in good
faith these matters that I told my Lord (I) trowed should let
me, were not finished till yesterday, wherefore of that cause, and
also since Holymas every other day must not hold up mine head,
nor yet may, insomuch that since the said day, in Westminster-
Hall and in other place, I have gone with a staff as a Ghost, as
men said, more like that I rose out of the earth than out of a
fair Lady's bed, and yet am in like case, saving I am in good
hope to amend, wherefore I beseech his Lordship to pardon me,
and at amend, wherefore I beseech his Lordship to pardon me,
and at another time I shall make double amends, for by my troth a
man could not have hired me for five hundred marks ( 333l. 6s. 8d. )
with so good will to have ridden into Norfolk, as to have at this
season, there to have awaited on his Lordship ; and also I would
have been glad, for my Lord should have known what service
that I might have done his Lordship in that country.

Item, your geer is sent to you as Thomas Stomps saith, saving
Milisent's geer and the ⁷ Shaffron which I cannot intreat Thomas
Stomps to go therefore this three or four days, wherefore I
knocked him on the crown, &c.

Item, look that ye take heed that the Letter were not 8 broken
ere that it came to your hands, &c. Written at London, on
Thursday next after Saint ⁹ Erkenwalk's day, (14th November).

¹⁰JOHN PASTON, Knight.

London, Thursday,

15th of November, 1470.

10 E. IV. ( 49 H. VI. )