Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER LXIX.

To Mestresse Margrete Paston at Norwyche, or hyr Sone John
Paston esquyer and to eu’ych off them.

I Recomande me to yowe, like it yow to weete y^t I am nott
     serta[SYM]e yitt whether my ¹ Lorde and I shall come into Inge-
londe y^e weke byffoor Estne or Ellys the weke afftr Estne
wherffor Moodr I beseche yow to take noo dysplesyr w^t me
ffor my longe tarynge ffor I most doo noon otherwyse ffor
dysplesyng off my Lorde. I was noo thynge gladde off thys
jornaye iff I myght goodely have chosen neu’thelesse savyng
y^t ye have cawse to be dyspleasyd w^t me ffor the mat’ off Kokett
I am ellys ryght gladde ffor I hope y^t I ame fferre moor in ffavor
w^t my Lorde then I was to ffoor.

     It’m I sende yow brother John a Lett’ herw^t whyche was
browte hyddr to Caleys ffrom y^e George at Powles wharff I
deme it comethe ffrom my brother Wat’.

     It’m iff ye entende hyddrewarde itt weer weell doon y^t ye
hygthed yowe ffor I suppose y^t my Lorde wille take the vywe
off alle hys retynywe heer nowe byffoor hys dep’tyng and
I thynke y^t he woolde be bett’ contente w^t yowr comyng
nowe than an other tyme doo as ye thynke best and as ye
maye.

     It’m wher Mast^r. ² Fytzwalt’ made me to wryght to yowe to
advyse yow to tarye I remytte thatt to yowr dyscretion.

     As ffor tydyngs heer we her ffrom alle the worlde, ffyrst
the Lorde Ryverse was at Roome right weell and honorably
and other Lords off Ynglonde as y^e Lord ³ Hurmonde and y^e
Lord ⁴ Scrope and at ther dep’tyng xij myle on thysehalff
Roome, the Lorde Ryverse was robbyd off alle hys Jowelles
and Plate whyche was worthe m^{le 5} mr’ke or bett’ and is retornyd
to Rome ffor a Remedy.

     It’m y^e Duke of ⁶ Burgoyne hathe conqueryd Loreyn and
Qune ⁷ Margreet shall nott nowe be lykelyhod have it wherffor
the frenshe Kynge cheryssheth hyr butt easelye, but afftr thys
conquest off Loreyn the Duke toke grete corage to goo uppon
the Londe off the Swechys to conquer them butt the berded
hym att an onsett place and hathe dystrussyd hym and hathe
slayne the most parte off hys vanwarde and wonne all hys
all his Ordynaunce and Artylrye and mor ovyr alle stuffe thatt he
hade in hys ost w^t hym exceppte men and horse y^t ffledde nott
but they roode y^t nyght xx myle and so the Ryche ⁸ Saletts
Heulmetts Garter ⁹ Nowchys gelt and alle is goone w^t Tents
Pavylons and alle and soo men deme hys pryde is abatyd. Men
tolde hym that they weer ffrowarde Karlys butte he wolde nott
beleve it and yitt men seye y^t he woll to them ageyn Gode
spede them bothe.

     It’m S^r. John Mydelton toke leve off y^e Duke to sporte hym
but he is sett in pryson att Bruffellys.

     I praye yowe sende me som worde iff ye thynke likly y^t
I may entr Cast’ when I woll by the next Messeng^r.

     Wretyn at Caleys in resonable helthe, off bodye and sowle I
thanke Good the xxj daye off Marche A^o. E. iiij^ti. xvj^o.

                                                                             J. P. K.

          12 by 8 ½.

          Paper Mark,
     The Letter G. and a Cross.
          Pl. XII. N^o 18.

Calais,
          Thursday, 21st of March,
          1475, 16 E. IV.

     This Letter furnishes us with a curious Anecdote relative to Earl Rivers, who, we may
suppose, had been on a Pilgrimage to Rome; for Caxton tells us, that he was “sometime
“ full vertuously occupied in goyng of Pilgrimagis,” he likewise procured “greet and
“ large indulgance and grace from our holy Fader the Pope”. But it is plain, he had
not procured a papal Protection from Robbers.

     ¹ Sir John Paston (Pl. IV. N^o 10.) attended his Lord to Calais, on Saturday the 9th
of March, as appears by another Letter from him, dated the 12th of March, 16 E. IV.
and written from Guisnes, where they then were.—Easter Sunday was this year on the
14th of April.

     ² In the same Letter he tells his Brother that Master Fitzwalter is very anxious to have
him remain in Norfolk, and not come to Calais, as he and his Family are coming to
their house at Atileborough to reside; and that from Master Fitzwalter’s discourse he
found that it would be long “er he scholde be wery off yowr expencs off horse or
“man.”

     ³ Quaere, Lord Ormond?

     ⁴ John, Lord Scroop, of Bolton.

     ⁵ Allowing for the difference of weight, and value of money between this and the
present time, he lost to the amount of nearly 4000l.

     ⁶ During the preceding Autumn, the Duke of Burgundy having subdued the whole
Duchy of Lorrain, he now attacked the Swiss, and took a town called Granson, just as
a body of troops were arriving to its relief; these he went to meet, as they came down
the narrow passes of the Mountains; when his Army, being seized with a panick, fled,
and left his baggage to be plundered by the Enemy.

     Within a short time after this he besieged Morat, a small town near Bern, when a battle
ensued, in which he was totally routed.

     ⁷ This Queen had been lately delivered from her imprisonment in the Tower, to the
French King, on his engaging to pay 50,000 Crowns for her ransom.

     ⁸ Light Head pieces.

     ⁹ Embossed Ornaments—Chains—Buckles, &c.

LETTER LXIX.

To Mrs. Margaret Paston, at Norwich, or her Son John
Paston, Esquire, and to each of them.

I Recommend me to you, like it you to weet, that I am not
     certain yet whether my ¹ Lord and I shall come into Eng-
land the week before Easter, or else the week after Easter;
wherefore Mother, I beseech you to take no displeasure with
me for my long tarrying, for I must do none otherwise for
displeasing of my Lord.

     I was nothing glad of this journey, if I might goodly have
chosen; nevertheless saving that ye have cause to be displeased
with me for the matter of Koketts, I am else right glad, for I
hope that I am far more in favour with my Lord than I was
tofore.

     Item, I send you, Brother John, a Letter herewith, which
was brought hither to Calais, from the George at Paul’s Wharf;
I deem it cometh from my brother Walter.

     Item, if ye intend hitherwards, it were well done that ye
hygthed (hastened) you, for I suppose that my Lord will take
the view of all his Retinue here, now before his departing; and
I think that he would be better content with your coming
now, than another time; do as ye think best, and as ye
may.

     Item, where(as) Master ² Fytzwalter made me to write to
you to advise you to tarry, I remit that to your discretion.

     As for tidings here, we hear from all the world, first, the Lord
Rivers was at Rome right well and honourably, and other Lords
of England, as the Lord ³ Hurmonde, the Lord ⁴ Scrope, and
at their departing twelve miles on this half Rome, the Lord
Rivers was robbed of all his Jewels and Plate, which was worth
1000 ⁵ Marks (666l. 13s. 4d) or better, and is returned to
Rome for a Remedy.

     Item, the Duke of ⁶ Burgundy hath conquered Lorrain, and
Queen ⁷ Margaret shall not now by likelihood have it; wherefore
the French King cherisheth her but easily; but after this con-
quest of Lorrain, the Duke took great courage to go upon the
Land of the Swiss to conquer them, but they berded (attacked)
him at an unset place, and hath distressed (query, overcome) him,
and hath slain the most part of his Vanward (vanguard), and won
all his Ordnance and Artillery, and moreover all Stuff that he had
in his Host; except men and horse that fled not, but they rode
that night twenty miles; and so the rich ⁸ Salets, Helmets,
Garter ⁹ Nowches gilt, and all is gone with Tents, Pavillions
and all, and so men deem his pride is abated; men told him,
that they were froward Carles, but he would not believe it,
and yet men say, that he will to them again, God speed them
both.

     Item, Sir John Myddleton took leave of the Duke to sport
him, but he is set in prison at Brussels.

     I pray you send me some word, if ye think likely, that I
may enter Caister when I will, by the next Messenger.

     Written at Calais, in reasonable health of body and soul, I
thank God, the 21st day of March, in the sixteenth year of
Edward IV.

                                                  JOHN PASTON, Knight.

12 by 8 ½.

          Paper Mark,
     The Letter G. and a Cross.
          Pl. XII. N^o 18.

Calais,
          Thursday, 21st of March,
          1475, 16 E. IV.

     This Letter furnishes us with a curious Anecdote relative to Earl Rivers, who, we may
suppose, had been on a Pilgrimage to Rome; for Caxton tells us, that he was “sometime
“ full vertuously occupied in goyng of Pilgrimagis,” he likewise procured “greet and
“ large indulgance and grace from our holy Fader the Pope”. But it is plain, he had
not procured a papal Protection from Robbers.

     ¹ Sir John Paston (Pl. IV. N^o 10.) attended his Lord to Calais, on Saturday the 9th
of March, as appears by another Letter from him, dated the 12th of March, 16 E. IV.
and written from Guisnes, where they then were.—Easter Sunday was this year on the
14th of April.

     ² In the same Letter he tells his Brother that Master Fitzwalter is very anxious to have
him remain in Norfolk, and not come to Calais, as he and his Family are coming to
their house at Atileborough to reside; and that from Master Fitzwalter’s discourse he
found that it would be long “er he scholde be wery off yowr expencs off horse or
“man.”

     ³ Quaere, Lord Ormond?

     ⁴ John, Lord Scroop, of Bolton.

     ⁵ Allowing for the difference of weight, and value of money between this and the
present time, he lost to the amount of nearly 4000l.

     ⁶ During the preceding Autumn, the Duke of Burgundy having subdued the whole
Duchy of Lorrain, he now attacked the Swiss, and took a town called Granson, just as
a body of troops were arriving to its relief; these he went to meet, as they came down
the narrow passes of the Mountains; when his Army, being seized with a panick, fled,
and left his baggage to be plundered by the Enemy.

     Within a short time after this he besieged Morat, a small town near Bern, when a battle
ensued, in which he was totally routed.

     ⁷ This Queen had been lately delivered from her imprisonment in the Tower, to the
French King, on his engaging to pay 50,000 Crowns for her ransom.

     ⁸ Light Head pieces.

     ⁹ Embossed Ornaments—Chains—Buckles, &c.

889

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To Mestresse Margrete Paston, at Norwyche, or hyr sone,
John Paston, Esquyer, and to everych off them.

I RECOMANDE me to yowe. Like it yow to weete
     that I am nott sertayne yitt whether my lorde² and I
     shall come into Ingelonde the weke byffor Est[er]ne, or
ellys the weke afftr Est[er]ne; wherffor, moodr, I beseche
yow to take noo dysplesyr with me ffor my longe tarynge,
ffor I most doo noon otherwyse ffor dysplesyng off my lorde.
I was noo thynge gladde off thys jornaye, iff I myght goodely
have chosen; neverthelesse, savyng that ye have cawse to be
dyspleasyd with me ffor the mater off Kokett, I am ellys
ryght gladde, ffor I hope that I ame fferre moor in ffavor with
my lorde then I was to ffoor.

     Item, I sende yow, brother John, a letter herwith, whyche
was browte hyddr to Caleys, ffrom the George at Powles
Wharff; I deme it comethe ffrom my brother Water.

     Item, iff ye entende hyddrewarde, itt weer weell doon that
ye hygthed yowe, ffor I suppose that my lorde wille take the
vywe off alle hys retynywe heer, nowe byffoor hys departyng;
and I thynke that he woolde be better contente with yowr
comyng nowe, than an other tyme; doo as ye thynke best,
and as ye maye.

     Item, wher Master Fytzwalter made me to wryght to
yowe to advyse yow to tarye, I remytte thatt to yowr
dyscretion.

     As ffor tydyngs heer, we her ffrom alle the worlde; ffyrst,
the Lorde Ryverse was at Roome right weell and honorably,
and other Lords off Ynglonde, as the Lord Hurmonde,¹ and
the Lord Scrope,² and at ther departyng xij. myle on thyse-
halff Roome, the Lorde Ryverse was robbyd off alle hys
jowelles and plate, whyche was worthe m^le. marke or better,
and is retornyd to Rome ffor a remedy.

     Item, the Duke of Burgoyne hath conqueryd Loreyn, and
Quene Margreet shall nott nowe be lykelyhod have it; wher-
ffor the Frenshe Kynge cheryssheth hyr butt easelye; but afftr
thys conquest off Loreyn, the Duke toke grete corage to goo
uppon the londe off the Swechys [Swiss] to conquer them, butt
the [they] berded hym att an onsett place, and hathe dystrussyd
hym, and hathe slayne the most parte off hys vanwarde, and
wonne all hys ordynaunce and artylrye, and mor ovyr all stuffe
thatt he hade in hys ost with hym; exceppte men and horse
ffledde nott, but they roode that nyght xx. myle; and so the
ryche saletts,³ heulmetts, garters, nowchys⁴ gelt, and alle is
goone, with tents, pavylons, and alle, and soo men deme hys
pryde is abatyd. Men tolde hym that they weer ffrowarde
karlys, butte he wolde nott beleve it, and yitt men seye, that
he woll to them ageyn. Gode spede them bothe.

      Item, Sir John Mydelton toke leve off the Duke to sporte
hym, but he is sett in pryson att Brussellys.

     I praye yowe sende me som worde iff ye thynke likly that
I may entr Caster when I woll, by the next messenger.

     Wretyn at Caleys, in resonable helthe off bodye and sowle,
I thanke Good, the xxj. daye off Marche, anno E. iiij^ti xvj^o.

                                                                                      J. P., K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 198.]                           ² Hastings.

     ¹ John, sixth Earl of Ormond.                   ² John, Lord Scrope of Bolton.

     ³ Light head-pieces.—F.     ⁴ Embossed ornaments, chains, buckles, etc.—F.

MARCH 21

1476
MARCH 21

1476
MARCH 21