Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER LXX.

To John Paston Esquyer at Norwyche in hast.

I   Recomaunde me to yow letyng yow weete y^t yist’daye be-
     ganne the grete Cowncell to whyche alle the Astats off y^e
londe shall com to butt if it be ffor gret and reasonable excusis
and I suppose y^e cheffe cawse off thys Assemble is to comon
what is best to doo now uppon y^e greet change by the dethe
off y^e Duke of Burgoyne and ffor y^e kepyng off Caleys and
the Marchys and ffor the p’servacōn off y^e Amyteys taken late
as weell w^t Fraunce as now w^t the Membrys off Flaundres
wher to I dowt nott y^r shall be in all hast bothe y^e Duks
off Clarance and Glowcestre wheroff I wolde y^t my brother
E wyst.

     I’tm I ffeele butt litell effecte in the labor off W. Alyngton,
neu’thelesse I deme it is nott for yow she shall not passe CC
Mr’k as fferr as I can undrestand ap’te. It’m I will nott fforget
yow otherwyse.

     Itt is so y^t thys daye I heer grett liklyhood y^t my Lorde
Hastyngs shall hastely goo to Caleys w^t greet Company iff
I thynke it be for yow to be on I shall nott fforgeet yow.

     It’m thys daye the Mat’ by twyen Mestresse Anne Haulte
and me hathe been soor broken bothe to y^{e 1} Cardinall to my
Lorde ² Chamb’leyn and to my selffe and I am in goode hope
when I heer and knowe moor I shall sende yow worde.

     It semythe y^t the ³ worlde is alle qwaveryng it will reboyle
somwher so y^t I deme yonge men shall be cherysshyd take yowr
hert to yow. I ffeer y^t I can nott be excusyd but y^t I shall
fforthe w^t my Lorde Hastyngs ovyr y^e See butt I shall sende yow
worde in hast and iff I goo I hope nott to tary longe.

     It’ to my Brother Edmōd. I am like to speke to Mestresse
Dyxon in hast and som deme y^t y^r shall be condyssendyd y^t iff
E. P. come to London y^t hys costs shall be payed ffor.

     I shall hastely sende yow worde off moor thyngs.

     Wretyn at London y^e xiiij day off Feu’er A^o. E. iiij^ti. xvj. y^e
ffryday a for ffastyngong.

                                                                 ⁴ John Paston, K.

           12 by 5 ¾.

London,
              Friday, 14th of February,
              1476, 16 E. IV.

     The Politicians of these times, we here see, looked upon the Death of Charles the
Bold, Duke of Burgundy, as an Event of great importance to all Europe.

     He was dismounted from his horse, and flain in a battle fought on the 5th of January,
1476, before Nancy, the capital City of Lorrain, between his Forces and those of
Renate, Duke of Lorrain.

     He was sond of state and magnificence, and rather an ambitious than a prudent Prince.
He reigned upwards of nine years, and died at about the age of forty five.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, was raised to the dignity of a
Cardinal, by the Pope in 1464.

     ² William, Lord Hastyngs. Though this important business between Sir John Paston
and Mrs. Anne Hault, has been so often mentioned, it has never been so clearly stated
as to be exactly ascertained.

     ³ This part of the Letter seems to hint not only at foreign Commotions, but at internal
diffensions at home.

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

LETTER LXX.

To John Paston, Esquire, at Norwich, in haste.

I   Recommend me to you, letting you weet, that yesterday
     began the great Council, to which all the Estates of the Land
shall come to, but if (unless) it be for great and reasonable
excuses; and I suppose the chief cause of this Assembly is, to
commune what is best to do, now upon the great change by the
Death of the Duke of Burgundy, and for the keeping of Calais,
and the Marches, and for the preservation of the Amities taken
lately, as well with France as now with the Members of
Flanders; whereto I doubt not there shall be in all haste both
the Dukes of Clarence, and Gloucester, whereof I would that
my brother Edmund wist (knew).

     Item, I feel but little effect in the labour of W. Alyngton,
nevertheless I deem it is not for you, she shall not pass 200
Marks, as far as I can understand apart.

     Item, I will not forget you otherwise.

     Item, it is so that this day I hear great likelihood, that my
Lord Hastyngs shall hastily go to Calais with great Com-
pany; if I think it be for you to be one, I shall not forget
you.

     Item, this day the matter between Mrs. Anne Haulte and me
hath been sore (very much) broken both to the ¹ Cardinal, to
my Lord ² Chamberlain, and to myself, and I am in good hope;
when I hear and know more, I shall send you word.

     It seemeth that the ³ World is all quavering, it will reboil
somewhere, so that I deem young men shall be cherished, take
your heart to you, (that is, be of good courage;) I fear that I
cannot be excused, but that I shall forth with my Lord Hastings
over the Sea, but I shall send you word in haste, and if I go, I
hope not to tarry long.

     Item, To my brother Edmund.

     I am like to speak with Mistress Dixon in haste, and some
deem that there shall be condescended, that if E. P. (Edmund
Paston) come to London that his costs shall be paid for.

     I shall hastily send you word of more things.

     Written at London, the 14th day of February, in the 16th
year of Edward IV. the Friday afore Fastingong (Lent.)

                                                      ⁴ JOHN PASTON, Knight.

12 by 5 ¾.

London,
              Friday, 14th of February,
              1476, 16 E. IV.

     The Politicians of these times, we here see, looked upon the Death of Charles the
Bold, Duke of Burgundy, as an Event of great importance to all Europe.

     He was dismounted from his horse, and flain in a battle fought on the 5th of January,
1476, before Nancy, the capital City of Lorrain, between his Forces and those of
Renate, Duke of Lorrain.

     He was sond of state and magnificence, and rather an ambitious than a prudent Prince.
He reigned upwards of nine years, and died at about the age of forty five.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, was raised to the dignity of a
Cardinal, by the Pope in 1464.

     ² William, Lord Hastyngs. Though this important business between Sir John Paston
and Mrs. Anne Hault, has been so often mentioned, it has never been so clearly stated
as to be exactly ascertained.

     ³ This part of the Letter seems to hint not only at foreign Commotions, but at internal
diffensions at home.

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

900

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To John Paston, Esquyer, at Norwyche, in hast.

I RECOMAUNDE me to yow, letyng yow weete, that
     yisterdaye beganne the grete cowncell, to whyche alle the
     astats off the londe shall com to, butt if it be ffor gret and
reasonable excusis; and I suppose the cheffe cawse off thys
assemble is, to comon what is best to doo, now uppon the
greet change by the dethe off the Duke of Burgoyne, and ffor
the kepyng off Caleys and the Marchys, and ffor the preserva-
cion off the amyteys taken late, as weell with Fraunce as now
with the Membrys off Flaundres; wher to I dowt nott ther
shall be in all hast bothe the Duks off Clarance and Glowcestre,
wheroff I wolde that my brother E.² wyst.

     Item, I ffeele butt litell effecte in the labor off W. Alyng-
ton; neverthelesse I deme it is nott for yow. She shall not
passe CC. mark, as fferr as I can undrestand aparte.

     Item, I will nott fforget yow otherwyse.

     Itt is so that thys daye I heer grett liklyhood, that my
Lorde Hastyngs shall hastely goo to Caleys with greet com-
pany; iff I thynke it be for yow to be on [one], I shall nott
fforgeet yow.

     Item, thys daye the mater by twyen Mestresse Anne
Haulte and me hathe been soor broken bothe to the Car-
dinall,³ to my Lorde Chamberleyn,⁴ and to my selffe, and I
am in goode hope. When I heer and knowe moor, I shall
sende yow worde.

     It semythe that the worlde is alle qwaveryng; it will
reboyle somwher, so that I deme yonge men shall be
cherysshyd; take yowr hert to yow. I ffeer that I can nott
be excusyd, but that I shall fforthe with my Lorde Hastyngs
ovyr the see, but I shall sende yow worde in hast, and iff I goo,
I hope nott to tary longe.

     Item, to my brother Edmond. I am like to speke to
Mestresse Dyxon in hast, and som deme that ther shall be
condyssendyd, that iff E. P. come to London that hys costs
shall be payed ffor.

     I shall hastely sende yow worde off moor thyngs.

     Wretyn at London, the xiiij. day off Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti
xvj. the Fryday a for Fastyngong.

                                                                            JOHN PASTON, K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 204.]     ² Edmund Paston, who was in the garrison of Calais.

     ³ Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury.—F.

     ⁴ William, Lord Hastyngs.—F.

1477
FEB. 14

1477
FEB. 14