Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER LIV.

To John Paston Esqer in Norff.

WYRSSHYPFULL and ryght hertyly belowyd brother, I
     recomande me on to yow letyng yow wete y^t on wed-
nysdaye last past I wrote yow a lett’ wheroff John Carbalde
had the beryng promyttyng me y^t ye shold have it at Norwyche

thys daye or ellys to morowe in the mornyng, wherin I praye
yowe to take a labor accordyng afftr the tenur off the same
and y^t I maye have an answer at London to Hoxon iff any
massenger come as ene I maye doo ffor yow.

     As ffor tydyngs ther was a truse taken at Brussellys about
the xxvj daye off Marche last past be twyn the Duke off Borgoyn
and ye ffrense Kyngs Imbassators and Mast’ Will’m At Clyff
ffor the Kyng heer whyche is a Pese be londe and wat’ tyll the
¹ ffyrst daye off Apryll nowe next comyng betweyn Fraunce
and Ingelond and also y^e Dukys londes. God holde it ffor ever
and grace be.

     It’m the Erle of ² Oxenfford was on sat’daye at ³ Depe and
is p’posyd into Skotlond w^t a xij Schyppys, I mystrust that
werke.

     It’m ther be in London many fflyeng talys seying that y^r
shold be a ⁴ werke and yit they wot not howe.

     It’m my Lorde ⁵ Chamb’leyn sendyth now at thys tyme to
Caleys y^e yonge Lorde ⁶ Sowche and S^r. Thomas Hongreffords
⁷ Dowtre and heyr and some seye y^e yonge Lady Haryngton
thes be iij grett Jowelles, Caleys is a mery town they shall
dwell ther I wot not whylghe.

 No mor but I have ben and ame troblyd w^t myn over large
and curteys delyng w^t my servants and now w^t ther onkynd
nesse Plattyng yowr men wolde thys daye byd me ffar well
to to morow at Dou? notw^tstandyng Thryston yowr other
man is ffrom me and John Myryell and W. Woode whyche
promysed yow and Dawbeney God have hys sowle, at Castre
y^t iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn w^t me y^t then he
wold neu? goo ffro me and ther uppon I have kepyd hym
thys iij yer to pleye Seynt ⁸ Jorge and Robyn Hod and the
Shryff off Notyngh?m and now when I wolde have good
horse he is goon into Bernysdale and I w^towt a keeper.

     Wretyn at Cant?burye, to Caleys warde on tewesday and
happe be, uppon ⁹ Good Frydaye y^e xvj daye off Apryll A^o.
E. iiij^ti. xiij^o.

                                                             Your,

                                                                     ¹⁰ J. P. K.

     It’m the most parte off the Sowdyors y^t went ou’ w^t S^r. Rob^t
Green have leeff and be comyn horn the hyghe weye ffull my
Cariage was behynd me ij hours longer yan I lokyd afftr
but I ¹¹ wysse I wende y^t I myght have etyn my parte on

Good ffrydaye all my garees and pryde had ben goon, but
all was saffe. I pray yow iff W. Mylsent go ffroo vow y^t
he myght come to me to Caleys, I will have hym.

11 ? by 8.

           Paper Mark,
      A Vine Branch, and
        Bunch of Grapes.
            Pl. x. N^o 2.

Canterbury,
                 Good Friday, 16th of April,
                 1473, 13 E. IV.

The historic Facts mentioned in this Letter contradict the Dates of them as given by
our Historians, and place in the year 1473, those which they have given as happening
in the year preceding.

     ¹ From 26th of March, 1473, to 1st of April, 1474.

     ² Our Historians assert that the Earl of Oxford was taken in St. Michael’s Mount, in
Cornwall, in 1472, and thence conveyed to the Castle of Hammes, near Calais, where
he was imprisoned during twelve years; this could not be, as he was now at Dieppe, con-
certing an expedition into Scotland.

³ A Port Town in France, opposite to Rye, in Sussex.

     ⁴ This may refer to some commotions expected to be excited by the Friends of the
House of Lancaster, perhaps to assist the Earl of Oxford, or it may relate to the differences
between the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, &c.

     ⁵ William, Lord Hastings.

     ⁶ John, Lord Zouch of Harringworth; he was attainted in the first year of Henry VII.

     ⁷ Mary, Daughter and Heir of Sir Thomas Hungerford, she afterwards married
Edward, Son and Heir to William, Lord Hastyngs, who in her right became Lord
Hungerford, her Uncle’s attainder being reversed.

⁸ Meaning, I presume, that he had kindly kept him when he did not want him; and
now that he did want him, that he had left him.

     ⁹ This is the first Letter so fully dated, by which the exact time of King Edward’s
reign can be precisely ascertained.

     By the Tables to find Easter, it appears that in 1473, the Prime being 11, and the
Dominical Letter C, Easter Sunday was on the 18th of April.

 Edward the IV?s Reign began the 4th of March.

     The 16th of April, 1473, was therefore the 13th of Edward IV. and consequently
he began his reign on the 4th of March, 1460.

     N. B. The Date of the New Year commenced on the 25th of March.

     ¹⁰ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 10.

     ¹¹ The sense of this latter part is not clear.

LETTER LIV.

To John Paston, Esquire, in Norfolk.

WORSHIPFUL and right heartily beloved Brother, I re-
     commend me unto you, letting you weet, that on
Wednesday last past I wrote you a Letter, whereof John Car-
balde had the bearing, promitting (promising) me that ye should

have it at Norwich this day, or else to-morrow in the morning;
wherein I pray you to take a labour according after the tenure of
the same, and that I may have an answer at London to Hoxon,
if any messenger come, as ene I may do for you.

     As for tidings, there was a Truce taken at Brussels about
the 26th day of March last past, between the Duke of Burgundy
and the French King’s Ambassadors, and Mr. William at Clyff
for the King here; which is a Peace by land and water till the
¹ first day of April now next coming, between France and
England, and also the Duke’s land; God hold it for ever, and
(if) Grace be!

     Item, the Earl of ² Oxford was Saturday at ³ Dieppe, and
is purposed into Scotland with a 12 Ships, I mistrust that
work.

     Item, there be in London many flying Tales, saying, that
there should be a ⁴ work and yet they wot not how.

     Item, my Lord ⁵ Chamberlain sendeth, now at this time to
Calais, the young Lord ⁶ Zouch and Sir Thomas Hungerford’s
⁷ Daughter and Heir, and some say, the young Lady Harring-
ton, these be three great Jewels; Calais is a merry town, they
shall dwell there I wot not whylghe (merrily.)

No more, but I have been, and am troubled with mine over
large and courteous dealing with my servants, and now with
their unkindness; Platting your man would this day bid me
farewell to to-morrow at Dover, notwithstanding Thryston
your other man is from me, and John Myryel, and W. Woode
which promised you and Dawbeney, God have his Soul, at
Caister, that if ye would take him in to be again with me,
that then he would never go from me; and thereupon I have
kept him this three years to play ⁸ Saint George and Robin
Hood, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, and now when I would
have good horse, he is gone into Bernysdale and I without a
Keeper.

     Written at Canterbury, to Calais ward on Tuesday and (if)
hap be, upon ⁹ Good Friday the 16th day of April, in the
13th year of Edward IV.

                                                   Your,

                                                          ¹⁰ JOHN PASTON, Knight.

     Item, the most part of the Soldiers that went over with
Sir Robert Green have leave, and be coming home the High-
way full; my Carriage was behind me two hours longer than
I looked after, but ¹¹ I wis I wend that I might have eaten my

part on Good Friday all my geers and pride had been gone,
but all was safe.

     I pray you if W. Mylsent go from you, that he might come
to me to Calais, I will have him.

11 ? by 8.

           Paper Mark,
      A Vine Branch, and
        Bunch of Grapes.
            Pl. x. N^o 2.

Canterbury,
                 Good Friday, 16th of April,
                 1473, 13 E. IV.

The historic Facts mentioned in this Letter contradict the Dates of them as given by
our Historians, and place in the year 1473, those which they have given as happening
in the year preceding.

     ¹ From 26th of March, 1473, to 1st of April, 1474.

     ² Our Historians assert that the Earl of Oxford was taken in St. Michael’s Mount, in
Cornwall, in 1472, and thence conveyed to the Castle of Hammes, near Calais, where
he was imprisoned during twelve years; this could not be, as he was now at Dieppe, con-
certing an expedition into Scotland.

³ A Port Town in France, opposite to Rye, in Sussex.

     ⁴ This may refer to some commotions expected to be excited by the Friends of the
House of Lancaster, perhaps to assist the Earl of Oxford, or it may relate to the differences
between the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, &c.

     ⁵ William, Lord Hastings.

     ⁶ John, Lord Zouch of Harringworth; he was attainted in the first year of Henry VII.

     ⁷ Mary, Daughter and Heir of Sir Thomas Hungerford, she afterwards married
Edward, Son and Heir to William, Lord Hastyngs, who in her right became Lord
Hungerford, her Uncle’s attainder being reversed.

⁸ Meaning, I presume, that he had kindly kept him when he did not want him; and
now that he did want him, that he had left him.

     ⁹ This is the first Letter so fully dated, by which the exact time of King Edward’s
reign can be precisely ascertained.

     By the Tables to find Easter, it appears that in 1473, the Prime being 11, and the
Dominical Letter C, Easter Sunday was on the 18th of April.

 Edward the IV?s Reign began the 4th of March.

     The 16th of April, 1473, was therefore the 13th of Edward IV. and consequently
he began his reign on the 4th of March, 1460.

     N. B. The Date of the New Year commenced on the 25th of March.

     ¹⁰ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 10.

     ¹¹ The sense of this latter part is not clear.

832

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To John Paston, Esqer, in Norfolk.

WYRSSHYPFULL and ryght hertyly belowyd brother,
     I recomande me on to yow, letyng yow wete that
     on Wednysdaye last past I wrote yow a letter,
wheroff John Carbalde had the beryng, promyttyng me that
ye shold have it at Norwyche thys daye, or ellys to morowe in
the mornyng, wherin I praye yowe to take a labor accordyng
afftr the tenur off the same, and that I maye have an answer at
London to Hoxon, iff any massenger come, as ene I maye doo
ffor yow.

     As ffor tydyngs, ther was a truse taken at Brussellys about
the xxvj. daye off Marche last past, be twyn the Duke off
Borgoyn and the Frense Kyngs imbassators and Master
William At Clyff ffor the Kyng heer, whyche is a pese be
londe and water tyll the ffyrst daye off Apryll nowe next
comyng, betweyn Fraunce and Ingelond, and also the Dukys
londes. God holde it ffor ever and grace be.

     Item, the Erle of Oxenfford was on Saterdaye at Depe,
and is purposyd into Skotlond with a xij. schyppys. I mys-
trust that werke.

     Item, ther be in London many fflyeng talys, seying that
ther shold be a werke, and yit they wot not howe.

     Item, my Lorde Chamberleyn² sendyth now at thys
tyme to Caleys the yonge Lorde Sowche³ and Sir Thomas
Hongreffords dowtre and heyr,⁴ and some seye the yonge
Lady Haryngton, thes be iij. grett jowelles, Caleys is a
mery town, they shall dwell ther I wott not whylghe [how
long].

     No mor, but I have ben, and ame troblyd with myn over
large and curteys delyng with my servants, and now with ther
onkynd nesse; Plattyng, yowr men wolde thys daye byd me
ffar well to to morow at Dover, notwithstandyng Thryston
yowr other man is ffrom me, and John Myryell, and W. Woode
whyche promysed yow and Dawbeney, God have hys sowle, at
Castre, that iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn with me, that
then he wold never goo ffro me, and ther uppon I have kepyd
hym thys iij. yer to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robyn Hod and the
Shryff off Notyngham, and now when I wolde have good horse
he is goon into Bernysdale, and I withowt a keeper.

     Wretyn at Canterburye, to Caleys warde on Tewesday and
happe be, uppon Good Frydaye the xvj. daye off Apryll, Anno
E. iiij^ti xiij^o.

                                               Yowr,                             J. P., K.

     Item, the most parte off the sowdyors that went over with
Sir Robert Green have leeff, and be comyn hom, the hyghe
weye ffull; my cariage was behynd me ij. hours longer than I
lokyd afftr, but I wysse I wende that I myght have etyn my
parte on Good Frydaye all my garees [finery] and pryde had
ben goon, but all was saffe. I pray yow iff W. Mylsent go
ffroo yow, that he myght come to me at Caleys, I will have
hym.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 130.]

     ² William, Lord Hastings.—F.

     ³ John, Lord Zouch of Harringworth; he was attainted in the first year of
Henry VII.—F.

     ⁴ Mary, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Hungerford; she afterwards married
Edward, son and heir to William, Lord Hastings, who in her right became Lord
Hungerford, her uncle’s attainder being reversed.—F.

1473
APRIL 16

1473
APRIL 16