Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER LIII.

To John Paston Esqēr at Norwych be thys d’d.

WYRSHYPFULL and well belovyd Brother, I comand me
     to yow letyng yow weet y^t the Worlde semyth qweysye
heer ffor the most part that be abowt the Kyng have sende hyddr
ffor ther harneys and it seyd ffor serteyn that y^e Duke off
Clarance makyth hym bygge in that he kan schewyng as he
wolde but dele w^t the Duke of Glowcest’ but the Kyng en-

tentyth in eschyewying all Inconvenyents to be as bygge as
they bothe and to be a stysseler atweyn them, and som men
thynke y^t undre thys ther sholde be som other thynge en-
tendyd and som treason conspyred so what shall falle can I
nott seye.

     It’m it is seyde y^t yist’daye ij Passagers off Dovr wer takyn
I ffer y^t iff Juddy had noon hasty passage so y^t iff he passyd
nort on Sondaye or mondaye y^t he is taken and som geer off
myn y^t I wolde not for xx^li.

     I hope and p’pose to goo to Caleys warde on sondaye or
mondaye or nyghe bye ffor I am nott acompanyed to do any
servyse heer whersfor it wer bett’ ffor me to be owt off syght.

     (Here follow some money transactions relative to a Doctor Pyken-
ham, his Mother and others.)

     It’m Sprynge y^t wayten on my ¹ ffadre when he was in Jowel
hous whom my ffadre at hys dyeng besett xl^s he cryethe
evyr on me ffor it and in weye off Almess and he wolde be
easyd thow it wer but xx^s or x^s wherffor he hathe wretyn to
my Modr and most have an answer ageyn I wolde y^t my Moodr
sende hym as thoghe she lende hym som whatt and he woll
be pleasyd and ellys he can seye as shrewdely as any man in
Ingelonde.

It’m the Kynge hathe sent ffor hys ² Great Seall, som seye
we shall have a newe ³ Chauncelor but som thynke y^t the
Kynge dothe as he dyde at the last ffeldys he wyll have the
Seall w^t hym, but thys daye Doctor ⁴ Morton Mast’ off y^e
Rollys rydethe to y^e Kynge and berythe the Sease w^t hym.

     It’m I had neu’ mor nede off mony than now wherffor
Fastolff’s v mrks and the mony off Mast’ John Smythe wolde
make me holl, &c.

     Wretyn on Seynt Lenards daye A^o. R R. E. iiij^ti xiij^o.

     It’m. Sende me my Vestment acordyng to y^e Lett’ I sent yow
by Symond Dam in all hast.

                                                                                           ⁵ J. P. K.

11 ? by 8 ?.

Thursday,
                 15th of April, 1473,
                 13 E. IV.

The first part of this curious Letter informs us of the unsettled state of the nation;
and that the Duke of Clarence, pretending only to be getting his party together to oppose
the Duke o Gloucester, was supposed to be meditating some Treason against the State.

     These royal Brothers had been for some time at variance, and most probably their

Disputes were heightened at this time, by the late marriage of the latter with Anne, the
Widow of Prince Edward, Henry VI’s Son; Daughter and Coheir of the Earl of War-
wick; and Sister to the Duchess of Clarence, whose possessions the Duke was unwilling to
divide with her Sister, now his Brother’s wife.

     ¹ John Paston, Esquire, was imprisoned by Edward IV. in 1466.

     ² This is a proof that the King apprehended some conspiracy was going forwards.

     ³ Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, was the then Chancellor.

     ⁴ Dr. Morton was a man of great learning and strict loyalty; he was elected Bishop
of Ely, in 1478; and in the same year appointed Lord Chancellor;—in 1484, he was
advanced to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury, and died in 1500.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 10.

LETTER LIII.

To John Paston, Esquire, at Norwich, be this delivered.

WORSHIPFUL and well beloved Brother, I commend me
     to you, letting you weet, that the World seemeth queasy
(unsettled) here; for the most part that be about the King have
sent hither for their Harness, and it (is) said for certain, that
the Duke of Clarence maketh him big in that he can, shewing
as he would but (only) deal with the Duke of Gloucester; but
 

the King intendeth, in eschewing all Inconvenience, to be as
big as they both, and to be a Stiffler atween them; and some
men think, that under this, there should be some other thing
intended, and some Treason conspired; so what shall fall, can
I not say.

     Item, it is said that yesterday two Passagers (Passage Boats)
of Dover were taken; I fear that if Juddy had no hasty passage,
so that if he passed not on Sunday or Monday, that he is
taken, and some Gear (Goods) of mine, I would not for 20l.

     I hope and purpose to go to Calais ward on Sunday or Mon-
day or nigh by, for I came not accompanied to do any service
here; wherefore it were better for me to be out of sight.

     (Here follow some money transactions relative to a Doctor Py-
kenham, his Mother, and others.)

     Item, Spring, that waited on my ¹father when he was in
Gaol house, whom my father, at his dying beset (bequeathed)
40s. he cryeth ever on me for it, and in way of Alms he would
be eased, though it were but xxs. or xs. wherefore he hath
written to my Mother, and must have an answer again; I would
that my Mother send him, as though she lend him somewhat,
and he will be pleased, and (or) else he can say as shrewdly as
any man in England.

tem, the King hath sent for his ² Great Seal; some say, we
shall have a new ³ Chancellor, but some think, that the King
doth as he did at the last Fields, he will have the Seal with
him, but this day Doctor ⁴ Morton, Master of the Rolls, rideth
to the King, and beareth the Sease (Seals) with him.

     Item, I had never more need of money than now, wherefore
Fastolf’s 5 marks, (3l. 6s. 8d.) and the money of Master John
Smythe would make me whole, &c.

     Written on St. Leonard’s day, in the 13th year of the reign
of Edward IVth.

     Item, send me my vestments, according to the Letter I sent
you by Symond Dam, in all haste.

                                                                ⁵ JOHN PASTON, Knight.

11 ? by 8 ?.

Thursday,
                 15th of April, 1473,
                 13 E. IV.

The first part of this curious Letter informs us of the unsettled state of the nation;
and that the Duke of Clarence, pretending only to be getting his party together to oppose
the Duke o Gloucester, was supposed to be meditating some Treason against the State.

     These royal Brothers had been for some time at variance, and most probably their

Disputes were heightened at this time, by the late marriage of the latter with Anne, the
Widow of Prince Edward, Henry VI’s Son; Daughter and Coheir of the Earl of War-
wick; and Sister to the Duchess of Clarence, whose possessions the Duke was unwilling to
divide with her Sister, now his Brother’s wife.

     ¹ John Paston, Esquire, was imprisoned by Edward IV. in 1466.

     ² This is a proof that the King apprehended some conspiracy was going forwards.

     ³ Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, was the then Chancellor.

     ⁴ Dr. Morton was a man of great learning and strict loyalty; he was elected Bishop
of Ely, in 1478; and in the same year appointed Lord Chancellor;—in 1484, he was
advanced to the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury, and died in 1500.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 10.

841

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To John Paston, Esquier, at Norwych, be thys delyvered.

WYRSHYPFULL and well belovyd brother, I comand
     me to yow, letyng yow weet that the worlde semyth
     qweysye heer; ffor the most part that be abowt the
Kyng have sende hyddr ffor ther harneys, and it [is] seyd ffor
serteyn, that the Duke off Clarance makyth hym bygge in
that he kan, schewyng as he wolde but dele with the Duke
of Glowcester; but the Kyng ententyth, in eschyewying all
inconvenyents, to be as bygge as they bothe, and to be a
styffeler atweyn them; and som men thynke that undre thys
ther sholde be som other thynge entendyd, and som treason
conspyred; so what shall falle, can I nott seye.

     Item, it is seyde that yisterdaye ij. passagers off Dovr wer
takyn; I ffer that iff Juddy had noon hasty passage, so that
iff he passyd nott on Sondaye or Mondaye, that he is taken,
and som geer off myn, that I wolde not for xxli.

  I hope and purpose to goo to Caleys warde on Sondaye
or Mondaye or nyghe bye, ffor I am nott accompanyed to
do any servyse heer; wherffor it wer better ffor me to be owt
off syght.¹

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

     Item, Sprynge, that wayten on my ffadre when he was in
Jowel hous [gaol house], whom my ffadre at hys dyeng besett
xls. he cryethe evyr on me ffor it, and in weye off almess, and
he wolde be easyd, thow it wer but xxs. or xs.; wherffor he
hathe wretyn to my modr, and most have an answer ageyn;
I wolde that my moodr sende hym, as thoghe she lende hym
som whatt, and he woll be pleasyd, and ellys he can seye as
shrewdely as any man in Ingelonde.

     Item, the Kynge hathe sent ffor hys Great Seall; some
seye we shall have a newe Chauncelor, but som thynke that
the Kynge dothe as he dyde at the last ffeldys, he wyll have
the Seall with hym; but thys daye Doctor Morton, Master
off the Rollys, rydethe to the Kynge, and berythe the Sease
[Seals] with hym.

     Item, I had never mor nede off mony than now; wherffor
Fastolffes v. mrks and the mony off Master John Smythe
wolde make me holl, &c.

     Wretyn on Seynt Lenards Daye, Anno R. R. E. iiij^ti xiij^o.

     Item, sende me my vestment acordyng to the letter I sent
yow by Symond Dam, in all hast.                                J. P., K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 126.] This letter is misdated in Fenn as of the 15th April.
St. Leonard’s Day is the 6th November.

     ¹ Here follow some money transactions relative to a Doctor Pykenham, his mother,
and others.

NOV. 6

1473

NOV. 6