Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER LIX.

Mestresse Margrett Paston at Norwyche.

RYGHT honorable and most tendr good Moodr I re-
     comand me to yowe besechyng yow to have, as my tryst
is y^t I have, yowr dayly blessyng and thanke yow off yowr
good moderhood, kyndenesse, cheer, charge and costes whyche
I had and putte yow to, att my last beyng w^t yow, whyche
God gyffe me Grace her afftr to deserve.

     Please it yow to weet y^t I thynge longe y^t I heer nott ffrom
yow or ffrom Pekok yowr Servaunt ffor the knowlege ho[ILL]e
he hathe doon in y^e sale off my fferme Parlye, ner whatt
is made theroff wherffor I beseche yowe if it be not answeryd
by that tyme y^t thys bylle comythe to yowe to hast hym and itt
hyddre wards ffor iff y^t had nott taryed me I deme I had been at
Caleys by thys daye, ffor it is soo as men seye y^t y^e Frense
Kynge w^t a gret hoste is at ¹ Amyās but iij^xx myle from Caleys
and iff he or hys roode byffor Caleys and I nott theer I wolde
be sorye.

     It’m men seye y^t the Erle of ² Oxenfford hathe ben con-
streynyd to sewe ffor hys pardon only off hys lyffe and hys
body goodes londes w^t all y^e remenaunt at y^e Kynges wyll
and soo sholde in all haste nowe come in to y^e Kyng and som’
men seye y^t he is goon owt off y^e Mounte men wot not to
what plase and yit lefte a greet Garuyson theer weell ffornysshyd
in vytayll and all other thynge.

     It’m as ffor the havyng ageyn off Castre I trust to have good
tydyngs theroff hastelye.

     It’m my Brother John ffarethe weell and hathe doon ryght
delygentlye in my cosyn Elizabz Berneys mater wheroff hastely
I trust he shall sende hyr tydyngs y^t schall please hyr and as
to morow he p’posyth to take hys Jurneye to Walys warde to
y^e Lorde ³ Ryverse. No mor at thys tyme but Jeswe have
yow in hys kepyng.

Wretyn at London the xx daye off Feu’er A^o. E. iiij^ti. xiij^o.

                                                                  Yowr Sone,

                                                                                ⁴ J. Paston, k.

           8 ¾ by 7.

  London,
            Sunday, 20th of February,
            1473, 13 E. IV.

     ¹ The Capital of Picardy, in France.

     ² John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a staunch Friend to the House of Lancaster, fled
and went abroad, after the total discomsiture of that Party in 1471. Our Historians say
that he returned in the same year, and took by surprise St. Michael’s Mount, in Cornwall,
where, in February 1471-2, he surrendered himself to the King’s Forces.

     This and a previous Letter ascertain these Events to have happened in 1473, being the
13th of Edward IV.

     After his surrender, his Estates were confiscated, his Countess left destitute, and he
was conveyed to the Castle of Hammes, near Calais, in Picardy, where he remained a
Prisoner many years, namely, till 1484, 2 R. III. when he escaped, and joined the Earl
of Richmond.

     ³ Anthony Widevile, Earl Rivers.

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

LETTER LIX.

Mrs. Margaret Paston, at Norwich.

RIGHT honourable and most tender good Mother, I re-
     commend me to you, beseeching you to have, as my trust
is that I have, your daily Blessing; and thank you of your
good Motherhood, kindness, cheer, charge, and costs, which I
had, and put you to, at my last being with you, which God
give me Grace hereafter to deserve!

     Please it you to weet, that I think long that I hear not from
you, or from Peacock your Servant, for the knowledge how he
hath done in the sale of my farm Barley, nor what is made
thereof; wherefore I beseech you, if it be not answered by that
time that this bill cometh to you, to hast him and it hither-
ward; for if that had not tarried me, I deem I had been at
Calais by this day; for it is so, as men say, that the French
King with a great Host is at ¹ Amiens, but threescore miles
from Calais; and if he, or his, rode before Calais, and I not
there, I would be sorry.

     Item, men say, that the Earl of ² Oxford hath been constrain-
ed to sue for his Pardon only of his Life; and his Body, Goods,
Lands, with all the remanent, at the King’s Will, and so
should in all haste now come in to the King; and some men
say, that he is gone out of the Mount, men wot not to what
place, and yet left a great Garrison there, well furnished in
victual, and all other thing.

     Item, as for the having again of Caister, I trust to have good
tidings thereof hastily.

     Item, my Brother John fareth well, and hath done right dili-
gently in my Cousin Elizabeth Berney’s matter, whereof hastily
I trust he shall send her tidings, that shall please her; and
as to morrow he purposeth to take his Journey to Wales ward
to the Lord ³ Rivers.

     No more at this time, but Jesu have you in his keeping.

     Written at London the 20th day of February, in the 13th
year of Edward IV.

                                                  Your Son,

                                                             ⁴ J. PASTON, Knight.

   8 ? by 7.

  London,
            Sunday, 20th of February,
            1473, 13 E. IV.

     ¹ The Capital of Picardy, in France.

     ² John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a staunch Friend to the House of Lancaster, fled
and went abroad, after the total discomsiture of that Party in 1471. Our Historians say
that he returned in the same year, and took by surprise St. Michael’s Mount, in Cornwall,
where, in February 1471-2, he surrendered himself to the King’s Forces.

     This and a previous Letter ascertain these Events to have happened in 1473, being the
13th of Edward IV.

     After his surrender, his Estates were confiscated, his Countess left destitute, and he
was conveyed to the Castle of Hammes, near Calais, in Picardy, where he remained a
Prisoner many years, namely, till 1484, 2 R. III. when he escaped, and joined the Earl
of Richmond.

     ³ Anthony Widevile, Earl Rivers.

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

846

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

Mestresse Margrett Paston, at Norwyche.

RYGHT honorable and most tendr good moodr, I re-
    comand me to yowe, besechyng yow to have, as my
    tryst is that I have, yowr dayly blessyng; and thanke
yow off yowr good moderhood, kyndenesse, cheer, charge, and
costes, whyche I had, and putte yow to, att my last beyng with
yow, whyche God gyffe me grace her afftr to deserve!

     Please it yow to weet, that I thynge longe that I heer nott
ffrom yow or ffrom Pekok yowr servaunt, ffor the knowlege
howe he hathe doon in the sale off my fferme barlye, ner whatt
is made theroff; wherffor I beseche yowe, if it be not answeryd
by that tyme that thys bylle comythe to yowe, to hast hym
and itt hyddre wards; ffor iff that had nott taryed me, I deme
I had been at Caleys by thys daye; ffor it is soo, as men seye,
that the Frense Kynge with a gret hoste is at Amyans, but
iij^xx. myle from Caleys; and iff he, or hys, roode byffor Caleys,
and I nott theer, I wolde be sorye.

     Item, men seye that the Erle of Oxenfford hathe ben con-
streynyd to sewe ffor hys pardon only off hys lyffe; and hys
body, goodes, londes, with all the remenaunt, at the Kynges
wyll, and soo sholde in all haste nowe come in to the Kyng;
and some men seye that he is goon owt off the Mounte,² men
wot not to what plase, and yit lefte a greet garnyson theer,
weell ffornysshyd in vytayll, and all other thynge.

     Item, as ffor the havyng ageyn off Castre, I trust to have
good tydyngs theroff hastelye.

     Item, my brother John ffarethe weell, and hathe doon
ryght delygentlye in my cosyn Elizabet Berneys mater, wheroff
hastely I trust he shall sende hyr tydyngs that schall please
hyr; and as to morow he purposyth to take hys jurneye to
Walys warde to the Lorde Ryverse. No mor at thys tyme,
but Jeswe have yow in Hys kepyng.

      Wretyn at London the xx. daye off Feverer, Anno E. iiij^ti
xiij^o.

                                        Yowr sone,                        J. PASTON, K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 154.]                 ² St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall.

1474
FEB. 20

1474
FEB. 20