Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XL.

To my Moodre.

MOODRE I recomande me to yow letyng yow wette y^t
     blyssed be God my brother John is a lyffe and farethe
well and in no p’ell off dethe. Neu’ the lesse he is hurt w^t
an Arow on hys ryght arme be nethe y^e elbow and I have
sent hym a Serion whyche hathe dressid hym and he tellythe
me y^t he trustythe y^t he schall be holl w^t in ryght schort tyme.
It is so y^t John Mylsent is ded God have m’cy on hys Sowle and
Wyll’m Mylsent is on lyffe and hys other Servants all be
askepyd by all lyklihod.

     It’m as ffor me I ame in good case blyssyd be God and in
no Jop’te off my lyffe as me lyst my self for I am at my lyberte.

iff nede bee. It’m my Lorde ¹ Archebysshop is in the Towr
neu’thelesse I trust to God y^t he schall do well I noghe he hathe
a Saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neu’thelesse we have ben
troblyd syns but nowe I undrestande y^t he hathe a Pardon and so
we hope well.

     Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde halffe a myle ffrom Ber-
nett on Esterne daye ² the Erle of Warwyk, y^e Marqweys
Montacu S^r Will’m ³ Terell S^r. Lewes Johns and dyu’se other
Esqērs off owr Contre. Godm’ston and Bothe.

     And on the Kynge Edwardes p’tye the Lord ⁴ Cromwell y^e
Lord ⁵ Saye S^r. Omffrey ⁶ Bowghsher off owr contre whyche
is a sore moonyd man her and other peple off bothe p’tyes to y^e
nombre off mor then ⁷ a m¹

     As for other tythynges is undrestande her y^t the Qwyen

                                                                                      Margarett

³ Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr Sone in the west Contre
and I trow y^t as to morow or ellys y^e next daye the Kynge
Edwarde wyll dep’t ffrom hense to hyr warde to dryve her owt
ageyn. It’m I beseche yow y^t I may be recomendyd to my
Cosyn Lomner and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me
wardes iff I had hadde nede as I undrestoode by the berer heroff
and I beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware
off hys delyng or langage as yit ffor the worlde I ensur yow is
ryght qwesye as ye schall know w^t in thys monthe the peple
heer feerythe it soor.

     God hathe schewyd hym selffe marvelouslye lyke hym y^t
made all and can undoo ageyn whan hym lyst, and I kan
thynke y^t by all lyklyod schall schewe hym sylff as mervylous
ageyn and that in schort tyme and as I suppose offter then onys
in casis lyke.

     It’m it is soo that my brother is on p’veyed off monye, I
have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it
pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not p’veye ffor my selffe
in y^e same case.

     Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke I hope
hastely to see yow.

     All ⁹ thys bylle most be secrett, be ye not adoghtyd off the
worlde ffor I trust all schall be well, iff it thusse contenewe

I ame not all undon nor noon off us and iff otherwyse,
then, &c. &c.

 11 ¾ by 8 ½.

            Paper Mark,
      Bull’s Head and Star.
             Pl. XI. N^o 10.

              London,
                   Thursday, 18th of April,
                   1471, 11 E. IV.

     This curious Letter was written by Sir John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 9.) to his Mother,
the fourth day after the Battle of Barnet; wherein he had personally fought; and which
may be said to have settled Edward almost securely on the throne, by depriving him
of his implacable Enemy the great Earl of Warwick, who here sell, most furiously
fighting.

     His Brother, the Marquis of Montagu, shared the same fate; Sir John Paston shows
himself a true Lancastrian, and even now entertains great hopes of a change of affairs
favourable to Henry;—these, I suppose, were raised by the landing of Queen Margaret
and her Son, Prince Edward, in Dorsetshire, but they proved of short continuance, for at
the fatal Battle of Tewkesbury, fought on the 4th of May following, her Army was
totally routed, and herself, and Son, taken Prisoners; when the latter was almost imme-
diately most basely murdered, in the presence of Edward; and our Historians say, that
this young Prince fell by the Swords of the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, and
of the Lords Dorset and Hastyngs!

     He was only eighteen years of age, and was buried without any funeral pomp, in the
Church of the Black Friars, in Tewkesbury.

     It seems somewhat surprising that Sir John should commit to paper his wishes and

opinions so fully, at a time when he was scarcely at liberty himself, and had reason to fear
that if his sentiments were discovered his Life might be in danger.

     ¹ George Neville, Archbishop of York;—it was from the custody of this Prelate, that
Edward escaped, after having been surprised and taken Prisoner by the Earl of Warwick,
in 1470; perhaps the kind treatment of his then Prisoner, now procured his Pardon.

     ² The Bodies of these two Noblemen were exposed three days to public view in St.
Paul’s Cathedral, and then conveyed to, and buried at Bisham Abbey, in Berkshire.

     ³ Sir William Tyrel, was Cousin to Sir James Tyrel, the afterwards supposed Murderer
of Edward V. and his brother the Duke of York.

     ⁴ Humphrey Bourchier, third Son of Henry Earl of Effex, had summons to parlia-
ment, in 1461, as Lord Cromwell, in right of his wife.

     ⁵ William Fienes, Lord Say.

     ⁶ Son of John Lord Berners.

     ⁷ This number is considerably less than the least given by any of our Historians, who,
some of them, made the list of slain to amount to 10,000, others to 4000, and those who
speak the most moderately to 1500 men.

     The Battle of Barnet began on the morning, and lasted till afternoon on Easter Sunday,
the 14th of April, 1471.

³ Queen Margaret, and Prince Edward her Son, landed at Weymouth, in Dorsetshire,
about the 13th or 14th of April.

     ⁹ Sir John had sufficient reason to say, “All this bill must be secret,” for if the
conclusion of this Letter had been seen by the York Party; his Liberty, if not his Life,
would have been at stake.

                                                    LETTER XL.

                                                To my Mother.

MOTHER, I recommend me to you, letting you weet, that,
     blessed be God, my brother John (Paston) is alive and
fareth well, and in no peril of death; nevertheless he is hurt
with an Arrow on his right arm, beneath the elbow; and I have
sent him a Surgeon, which hath dressed him, and he telleth
me, that he trusteth that he shall be all whole within right
short time.

     It is so that John Milsent is dead, God have mercy on his
Soul! and William Milsent is alive, and his other Servants
all be escaped by all likelihood.

     Item, as for me, I am in good case blessed be God; and
in no jeopardy of my life, as me list myself; for I am at my
liberty if need be.

     Item, my Lord ¹ Archbishop is in the Tower; nevertheless
I trust to God, that he shall do well enough; he hath a Safe-
guard for him and me both; nevertheless we have been troubled
since, but now I understand, that he hath a Pardon; and so we
hope well.

     There was killed upon the Field, half a mile from Barnet, on
Easter day, ² the Earl of Warwick, the Marquis Montagu,
Sir William ³ Tyrell, Sir Lewis Johns, and divers other Esquires
of our Country, Godmerston and Booth.

     And on the King Edward’s party, the Lord ⁴ Cromwell, the
Lord ⁵ Say, Sir Humphrey ⁶ Bourchier of our Country, which
is a sore moonyd (mourned) man here; and other people of both
Parties to the number of more than ⁷ a thousand.

     As for other tidings, (it) is understood here, that the Queen

³ Margaret is verily landed and her Son, in the West Country,
and I trow (believe) that as to-morrow or else the next day,
the King Edward will depart from hence to her ward, to drive
her out again.

     Item, I beseech you that I may be recommended to my
Cousin Lomner, and to thank him for his good will to me ward,
if I had had need, as I understood by the Bearer hereof; and I
beseech you on my behalf to advise him to be well ware of his
dealing or language as yet, for the world, I assure you, is
right queasy (unsettled) as ye shall know within this month;
the People here feareth it sore.

     God hath shewed himself marvellously like him that made
all, and can undo again when him list; and I can think that
by all likelihood shall shew himself as marvellous again, and
that in short time; and, as I suppose, oftner than once in cases
like.

     Item, it is so, that my Brother is unpurveyed (unprovided)
of money, I have holpen (helped) him to my power and above;
wherefore, as it pleaseth you, remember him, for cannot purvey
for myself in the same case.

     Written at London the Thursday in Easter week.

     I hope hastily to see you. ⁹ All this bill must be secret.
Be ye not adoubted (suspicious) of the world, I trust all shall

be well; if it thus continue, I am not all undone, nor none of
us; and if otherwise then, &c. &c.

 11 ¾ by 8 ½.

            Paper Mark,
      Bull’s Head and Star.
             Pl. XI. N^o 10.

              London,
                   Thursday, 18th of April,
                   1471, 11 E. IV.

     This curious Letter was written by Sir John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 9.) to his Mother,
the fourth day after the Battle of Barnet; wherein he had personally fought; and which
may be said to have settled Edward almost securely on the throne, by depriving him
of his implacable Enemy the great Earl of Warwick, who here sell, most furiously
fighting.

     His Brother, the Marquis of Montagu, shared the same fate; Sir John Paston shows
himself a true Lancastrian, and even now entertains great hopes of a change of affairs
favourable to Henry;—these, I suppose, were raised by the landing of Queen Margaret
and her Son, Prince Edward, in Dorsetshire, but they proved of short continuance, for at
the fatal Battle of Tewkesbury, fought on the 4th of May following, her Army was
totally routed, and herself, and Son, taken Prisoners; when the latter was almost imme-
diately most basely murdered, in the presence of Edward; and our Historians say, that
this young Prince fell by the Swords of the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, and
of the Lords Dorset and Hastyngs!

     He was only eighteen years of age, and was buried without any funeral pomp, in the
Church of the Black Friars, in Tewkesbury.

     It seems somewhat surprising that Sir John should commit to paper his wishes and

opinions so fully, at a time when he was scarcely at liberty himself, and had reason to fear
that if his sentiments were discovered his Life might be in danger.

     ¹ George Neville, Archbishop of York;—it was from the custody of this Prelate, that
Edward escaped, after having been surprised and taken Prisoner by the Earl of Warwick,
in 1470; perhaps the kind treatment of his then Prisoner, now procured his Pardon.

     ² The Bodies of these two Noblemen were exposed three days to public view in St.
Paul’s Cathedral, and then conveyed to, and buried at Bisham Abbey, in Berkshire.

     ³ Sir William Tyrel, was Cousin to Sir James Tyrel, the afterwards supposed Murderer
of Edward V. and his brother the Duke of York.

     ⁴ Humphrey Bourchier, third Son of Henry Earl of Effex, had summons to parlia-
ment, in 1461, as Lord Cromwell, in right of his wife.

     ⁵ William Fienes, Lord Say.

     ⁶ Son of John Lord Berners.

     ⁷ This number is considerably less than the least given by any of our Historians, who,
some of them, made the list of slain to amount to 10,000, others to 4000, and those who
speak the most moderately to 1500 men.

     The Battle of Barnet began on the morning, and lasted till afternoon on Easter Sunday,
the 14th of April, 1471.

³ Queen Margaret, and Prince Edward her Son, landed at Weymouth, in Dorsetshire,
about the 13th or 14th of April.

     ⁹ Sir John had sufficient reason to say, “All this bill must be secret,” for if the
conclusion of this Letter had been seen by the York Party; his Liberty, if not his Life,
would have been at stake.

774

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my Moodre.

MOODRE, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette
     that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and
     farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the
lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the
elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid
hym, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all
holl with in ryght schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is
ded, God have mercy on hys sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is
on lyffe, and hys other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.

     Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and
in no joparte off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my
lyberte iff nede bee.

     Item, my Lorde Archebysshop² is in the Towr; neverthe-
lesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a
saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben
troblyd syns, but nowe I undrestande that he hathe a pardon;
and so we hope well.

     Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom
Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Mar-
qweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell,¹ Sir Lewes Johns, and
dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and
Bothe.

     And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell,²
the Lord Saye,³ Sir Omffrey Bowghsher⁴ off owr contre,
whyche is a sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe
partyes to the nombre off mor then a m^1.

     As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen
Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre,
and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge
Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr warde, to dryve her
owt ageyn.

     Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn
Lomner, and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes,
iff I had hadde nede, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I
beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware off
hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur yow, is
ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys monthe; the
peple heer feerythe it soor.

     God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym
that made all, and can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I
kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Hym sylff as
mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme; and, as I suppose,
offter than onys in casis lyke.

     Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye.
I have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it
pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not purveye ffor my
selffe in the same case.

     Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I
hope hastely to see yow.

     All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off
the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse con-
tenewe, I ame not all undon, nor noon off us; and iff other-
wyse, then, &c. &c.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 62.] This letter, as shown by the contents, was written just
four days after the battle of Barnet, by which Edward IV. recovered his throne. It is
not signed, but the writer is Sir John Paston.

     ² George Neville, Archbishop of York. It was from the custody of this prelate
that Edward escaped, after having been surprised and taken prisoner by the Earl of
Warwick, in 1470: perhaps the kind treatment of his then prisoner now procured his
pardon.—F.

 ¹ Sir William Tyrell was cousin to Sir James Tyrell, the afterwards supposed
murderer of Edward V. and his brother the Duke of York.—F.

     ² Humphrey Bourchier, third son of Henry, Earl of Essex, had summons to Par-
liament, in 1461, as Lord Cromwell, in right of his wife.—F.

     ³ William Fienes, Lord Say.                              ⁴ Son of John, Lord Berners.

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1471
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