Sir John Paston to Master Writtill

LETTER XCII.

      RYGHT wershypfull Syr J recomaund me to you thank-
          yng you of your grete labo'r whych I haue nozt as yet but
J shall desrue to my power and ferthermore lyke yow to wyte
that I haue thoght ryght long aster you. Neyrthelesse I re-
member well that ye delt wythe ryght delayous peple my lord.
Archbyshop and other of my lords and I dempte by cawse of
your long tarryng that by your sad dyscrescyon all hadde ben
sett thorow. neurthelesse I understend by your wrytyng that my
lord of Norff's concell thynketh that hys entent whych ye ser-
tesyed me by your wrytyng sholde be more to hys wyrshep than
the appoyntements and rewll made by the lords of the Kyngs
Concell whych be to my seyd lord of Norff. ner kyne whych
appoyntements sythen yourr departyng hath be largely remem-
bryd amongs the seyd lords here thunkyng it in hem self so ho-
norabyll to my lord of Norff. that ther shuld non of my lords
concell well avysed mevyd to the Contrary ^I Jamys Hobard was
sent for my of Norff. Heder and spake wt my lord ² archbyshop
and answer he had of my seyd lord and howe my lord tendryd
the mater yet and wyll. I trowe he haue told you and yf he
haue not the brynger her of schall informe you and he broght
thys same appoyntemet from my lord that my lord was well
agryed that J shulde ocupye for my parte J ff I shud take no other
apoyntemet but acordyng to your lettr it wer hard for me and for
my tytell to putte my lord in that possessyon for ther ys thyngs
in erthe to myn esse in your lettr gode for me in that appoynte-
ment Sauyng the suerty of my brothers lyffe and my srv'nts
whych ye thynke dowtefull yf so be that thay lakke stuff shotte
and vytayll mervaylyng fore and thynk it Jmpossybell Jn thys
shorte Season or in iiij tyme the season heder to wards that they
shuld lakk other w^t owte it soo be that my lords men haue en-
terd owght the place and so had ther stuffe from hem whych J
cannot thynk Also S^r for the tyme of your Comyng to my lord
of Norff. f^rv'nts of my lords wer w^t my moder at Norwych
meuyng to send to my brother hyr sone to delyu^r the place under
such a forme as youre lettere specefyeth and s o I cannot under-
stand what regard my lords Concell takyth to my lords letter and
to your labo^r in thys behalf but that thay offeryd as largely afore
ze wryteth in your letter hat ye durst nat passe your credens
please you to remember that seyd your credens affore the lords
was ryght large and as large as myght well be in thys mater
b'eth to my lords concell of Norff. to W^tdrawe the seege w^t moor
other mater as ye knowe and to the Iustic of the peas and to the
Shyryff and hys offycers your awtoryte was grete Jnow to Jche
of them. Wherfor Mayster Wretell J neu^r for thys ners zet wyll
take appoyntement in thys mater but as my lords wyll and my
lord archbyshop whych as well as I my self haue holy putte our
tryst to youre dyscrete dyreccyon and my seyd lord sythen youre
deprter zour zoung theynkyng you alls mete man in executyng
there comaundement as cowde be chosyn Neurthelesse for awnswer
to you at thys season my lord archbyshop ys north wards towards
the Kyng how be it it ys seyd uppon a metyng w^t my lord of
Clarens my lord shuld reto'rne a yen and as Zest^r euyn he send a
f^rv'nt of hys to me wenyng to hys lordshyp that s^{r 3} Humfray
and ye wer in Caster as was appoynted and ye shuld send to hys
lordshyp answer of the gydyng ther by wrytyng comaundyng
me that yff any such wrytyngs cam from your yf hys lordshyp
wer not past xx myle from london to com to hys lordshyp w^t
the same understanyng for sertayn that he ys nott yet so ferr.
Wherfor J will in althe hast possybell rde nygt and day till J see
hys lordshyp and after Comunicacyon had w^t hys lordshyp as
sone as ys posssybell that a man may go be twext ye shall haue
an answer of hys dy sposicyon for hys Jntres is such that as I haue
wryten I shall neu^r do therin wtoute hym as my Cosyn brynger
herof more playnly shall ensorme you For I canne thynke ryght
well that as ze wryteth to me my broder wyll not delyu^r the place
to noon erthly person bur yf he see wrytyng from my lord it semyt
be your wrytyng that my lord of Norff. conseyll jntende not
that my lord Archbyshop shuld dele in theys mater for he ys not
named in you lettr wherof J mervayle for it was movyd to you
at your departyng hens the Kyngs concell shuld haue take dyree-
cyon in thys mater or els my lord ⁴ cardenall my lord of Clarens
my lord Archbyshop and my lord of ⁵ Essex &c. Neur thelesse
Maystr Wryttyll all profytht Manr or lyflod leyd apart if it be
so that thorow reklesnese my brother and srv' nts be in such joprte
as ye haue wryten to me whych shold be half Jmpossybell in my
mynd that thay shold myssuse so mech stuff in iiij tymes the
space and that ye haue euident knowlych by my seyd brother
hym self therof. J woll praye yow to se hym and them in suerte
of ther lyffys what so eur shold fall of the lyfflode how be it J
wold not that m^y brother and s^rv'nts shold gyff upp the place
not for a m¹ li. yf thay myght in any wyse kepe it and asve ther
lyves and therfor at the reuerens of God sycht it ys so that my
lord Archbyshop and my lords all and J haue putte o^r trust in
you that ye wyll do yo^r deuoyer to haue the verrey kbowlech of
my brother hymself and not of my lords men wheder he stante
in such Jop^rtye as your lett^r specesyeth or net for J dowte not
uppon the syzth of theys lett^r and of the lett^r that ye had before
that my brother will pur no mystrust in you consyderyng that he
knowyth that ye com from my lords and my lord Archbyshop
and haue my wrytyng and as for my lord Archbyshop wrytyng
and aunswere such as it shalbe ye shall haue it in all the haste
possybell but I thynke v'yly that my lord eschewyth to telle you
any thyng w^tout y^t he myght speke w^t you allone and me
thunketh v^ryly that thay ought not to lette you to speke w^t hym
allone consyderyng that ye haue auctoryte and wrytyng from the
lords so to do and as for the Justisicacyon of entryng the place
and sege layng to the same and the comaundement of the Justic
of the pease and the sherewe to assyste my lord in thys gydyng
J wote ye understond that the lords kinowe all that mater and ye
herd it Comended and how thay toke it in ther consayts ther ys
no more mayst^r Eryttell but J comyth all thys wrytyng unto
your dyuserescyon And as ye thynk best acordyng to such menys
desyre as haue entretyd you therin and for my moyst avayle J
p' y you S^r soo dooo and I shall se unto your besynes and labo^r
that ye shall haue Cause to do for me in tyme Comyng and as
the brynger herof shall tell you and I pry god haue you in hys
kepyng Wryten at london the x day of septembr.

                                  By yo^r srend for ever

                                                                                          ⁶ John Pattou, n.

       Paper Mark,

        A Coronet.

    Pl. XXVI. N^o . 2.

    Sir John Paston in this Letter gives further directions to Master Writtill, and in forms
him of what had passed at London, between the Lords and himself, &c. he apears like-
wise to rely much on his wisdom and discretion.

    ¹ This most probably was James Hobart, who, in 1478, was Lent-reader at Lincoln's
Inn, and in 1487 Attorney- general.

    He died in 1516, and lies buried in Norwich Cathedral; form him the present Earl of
Buckinghamshire is lineally descended.

    ² George Neville, was translated from Exeter to York, in 1464.

    ³ Sir Humphrey Talbot, was a Captain at this siege, under the Duke of Norfolk.

    ⁴ Thomas bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord cardinal.

    ⁵ Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex.

    ⁶ Autoguph ph IV. No 9-

LETTER XCII.

To Master Writtill.

     RIGHT Worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, thanking
         you of your great labour, which I have not as yet, but I
shall deserve to my power; and furthermore like you to weet
that I have thought right long after you; nevertheless I remem-
ber well that ye dealt with right delayous people, my Lord
Archbishop and other of my Lords, and I dempt (deemed) be-
cause of your long tarrying, that by your sad (sage) discretion
all had been set through; nevertheless I understand by your
writing that my Lord of Norfolk's counsel thinketh that his
intent, which ye certified me by your writing, should be more
to his worship than the appointments and rule made by the
Lords of the King's council, which be to my said Lord of Nor-
folk ner kyne (nothing kind), which appointments since your
departing hath been largely remembered among the said Lords
here, thinking it in themselves so honourable to my Lord of
Norfolk, that there should none of my Lord's counsel well advis-
ed (have) moved to the contrary.

    I James Hobart was sent from My (Lord) of Norfolk hither,
and spake with my Lord z Archbishop, and answer he had of
my said Lord, and how my Lord tendered the matter yet and will,
I trow he hath told you, and if he have not, the bringer hereof
shall inform you; and he brought this same appointment from
my Lord, that my Lord was well agreed that I should occupy
for my part if J should take no other appointment, but accord-
int to your Letter it were hard for me and for my title to put my
Lord in that possession, for there is things in erthe (scarcely)
to mine ease in your Letter, good for me in that appointment,
saving the surety of my brother 's life and my servants, which
ye think doubtful, if so be that they lack stuff, shot and victuals,
marvelling sore, and think it impossible in this short season, or in
four times the season hither towards, that they should lack either,
without it so be that my Lord' men have entered ought (some-
what) the place, and so had theri stuff from them, which I
cannot think. Also Sir, for the time of your coming to my Lord
of Norfolk, servants of my Lord's were with my mother at Nor-
wich, moving to send to my brother her son, to deliver the place
under such a form as your Letter specifieth, and so I cannot un-
derstand what regard my Lord's counsel taketh to my Lord's
Letter, and to your labour in this behalf but that they offered
as largely afore; ye writeth in your Letter that ye durst not
Pass you credence, please you to remember that said your cre-
dence afore the Lords was right large, and as large as might
well be in this matter, both to my Lord's counsel of Norfolk to
withdraw the siege, with more other matter as ye Know; and
to the Justice of the Peace and to the Sheriff and his officers,
your authority was great enough to each of them.

    Wherefore, Master Writtill I never for this, nor yet will take
appointment in this matter, but as my Lords will and my Lord
Archbishop, which as well as I myself, have wholly put our trust
to your discreet direction; and my said Lord since your depar-
ture your going, thinking you as meet a man in executing their
commandment as could be chosen; nevertheless for answer to
you at this season, my Lord Archbishop is northwards towards
the King; howbeit, it is said upon a meeting with my Lord of
Clarence, my Lord shall return again; and as yester even he sent
a servant of his to me, weening to his Lordship (his Lordship
thinking), that Sir 3 Humphrey and ye were in Caister as was
appointed, and ye should send to his Lordship answer of the
guiding there by writing, commanding me, that if any such
writings came from you, if his Lordship were not past twenty
miles from London, to come to his Lordship with the same;
understanding for certain that he is not yet so far; wherefore I
will in all the haste possible ride night and day till I see his Lord -
ship, and after communication had with his Lordship, as soon as
is possible that a man may go betwixt, ye shall hve an answer of
his disposition; for his interest is such that, as I have written, I
shall never do therein without him, as my Cousin, bringer hereof,
more plainly shall inform you; for I can think right well, that
as ye writeth to me, my brother will not deliver the place to none
earthly person, but if (unless) he see writing from my Lord.

    It seemeth by your writing that my Lord of Norfolk's counsel
intend not that my Lord Archbishop should deal in this matter,
for he is not named in your Letter, whereof I marvel; for it was
moved to you at your departing hence, the King's council should
have taken direction in this matter, or else my ⁴ Lord Cardinal,
my Lord of Clarence, my Lord Archbishop, and my Lord of
⁵ Essex, &c. Nevertheles, Master Writtil, all prosit, manor or
livelihood, lais apart, if be so that through rekelessness (neg-
ligence) my brother and servants be in such jeopardy as ye have
written to me, which should be half impossible in my mind that
they should misuse so much stuff in four times the space, and that
ye have evident knowledge by my said brother himself thereof;
I will pary you to see him and them in surety of their lives,
whatsoever shall fall of the livelihood, I would not that
my brother and servants should giver up the place not for a thou-
sand pounds, if they might in any wise keep it and save their
lives; and therefore, at the reverence of God, since it is so, that
my Lord Archbshop and my Lords all, and I have put our trust
in you, that ye will do your devoir to have the very knowledge
of my brother himself, and not of my Lord's men, whether he
stand in such jeopardy as you Letter specisieth or not, for I
doubt not upon the sight of this Letter, and of the letter that
ye had before, that my brother will put no mistrust in you, con-
fidering that he knoweth that ye come from my Lords, and my
Lord Archbishop, and have my writing ; and as for my Lord
Archbishop's writing and answer such as it shall be, ye shall have
it in all haste possible, but I think verily that my Lord eschew-
eth to tell you any thing without that he might speak with you
alone, and me thinketh verily that they ought not to let (hinder)
you to speak with him alone, considering that ye have authority
and writing from the Lords so to do; and as for the justisication
of entering the place, and siege laying to the same, and the con-
mandment of the justice of the peace and the sheriff to assist my
Lord in this guiding, I wot ye understand that the Lords know
all that matter, and ye herard it communed, and how they took
it in their conceits.

    There is no more, Master Writtil, but I commit all this writing
unto your discretion, and as ye think best according to such men's
desire as have intreated you therein, and for my most avail, I pray
you, Sir so do, and i shall see unto your business, and labout that
ye shall have cause to do for me in time coming, and as the bringer
hereof shall tell you, and I pray God have you in his keeping.
           Written at London, the 10th day of September.

                                  By your Friend for ever,

                                                                                  ⁶ JOHN PASTON , knight.

    London, Sunday,

         10th of september,

         1469. 9 E. IV.

    Sir John Paston in this Letter gives further directions to Master Writtill, and in forms
him of what had passed at London, between the Lords and himself, &c. he apears like-
wise to rely much on his wisdom and discretion.

    ¹ This most probably was James Hobart, who, in 1478, was Lent-reader at Lincoln's
Inn, and in 1487 Attorney- general.

    He died in 1516, and lies buried in Norwich Cathedral; form him the present Earl of
Buckinghamshire is lineally descended.

    ² George Neville, was translated from Exeter to York, in 1464.

    ³ Sir Humphrey Talbot, was a Captain at this siege, under the Duke of Norfolk.

    ⁴ Thomas bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord cardinal.

    ⁵ Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex.

    ⁶ Autoguph ph IV. No 9-

723

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MASTER WRITTILL¹

RYGHT wershypfull syr, I recomaund me to you, thank-
     yng you of your grete labour whych I have nozt as
     yet, but I shall deserve to my power; and ferther-
more lyke yow to wyte that I have thoght ryght long after
you; nevyrthelesse I remember well that ye delt wythe
ryght delayous peple. My Lord Archbyshop and other of
my Lords, and I, dempte by cawse of your long tarryng,
that by youre sad dyscrescyon all hadde ben sett thorow.
Neverthelesse I understend by your wrytyng that my Lord
of Norffolks concell thynketh that hys entent, whych ye
sertefyed me by your wrytyng, sholde be more to hys
wyrshep than the appoyntements and rewll made by the
Lords of the Kyngs concell whych be to my seyd Lord of
Norffolk ner kyne [near kin]; whych appoyntements sythen
yourr departyng hath be largely remembryd amongs the seyd
Lords here, thynkyng it in hem self so honorabyll to my
Lord of Norffolk, that ther shuld non of my Lords concell
well avysed mevyd to the contrary.

     Jamys Hobard¹ was sent fro my [Lord] of Norffolk
heder, and spake with my Lord Archbyshop,² and answer
he had of my seyd Lord; and howe my Lord tendryd the
mater yet and wyll I trowe he have told you, and yf he have
not, the brynger her of schall informe you; and he broght
thys same appoyntement from my Lord, that my Lord was
well agryed that I shulde ocupye. For my parte, iff I shud
take no other apoyntement but acordyng to your letter, it
wer hard for me and for my tytell to putte my Lord in that
possessyon; for ther ys thyngs in erthe [uneath, i.e. scarcely]
to myn esse in your letter, gode for me in that appoyntement,
savyng the suerty of my brothers lyffe and my servants,
whych ye thynke dowtefull yf so be that thay lakke stuff,
shotte, and vytayll; mervaylyng sore, and thynk it im-
possybell in thys shorte season, or in iiij. tyme the season
heder towards, that thay shuld lakk other [either], with owte
it soo be that my Lords men have enterd owght the place, and
so had ther stuffe from hem, whych I cannot thynk. Also, sir,
for [fore] the tyme of your comyng to my Lord of Norffolk,
servaunts of [my Lords wer with]³ my moder at Norwych,
mevyng to send to my brother hyr sone, to delyver the place
under such a forme as youre lettere specefyeth, and so I
cannot understand what regard my Lords concell takyth to
my Lords letter, and to your labour in thys behalf, but that
they offeryd as largely afore. Ze wryteth in your letter that
ye durst not passe your credens; please you to remember that
seyd your credens affore the Lords was ryght large, and as
large as myght well be in thys mater, both to my Lords concell
of Norffolk to withdrawe the seege, with moor other mater as
ye knowe; and to the Justice of the Peas and to the Shyryff
and hys offycers, your awtoryte was grete inow to iche of them.

     Wherfor, Mayster Wretell, I never for this, nere zet wyll,
take appoyntement in thys mater, but as my Lords wyll and
my Lord Archbyshop, whych, as well as I my self, have holy
putte our tryst to youre dyscrete dyreccyon; and my seyd
Lord sythen youre departer, zour zoyng,¹ thynkyng you alls
mete a man in executyng ther comaundement as cowde be
chosyn. Neverthelesse for awnswer to you at thys season,
my Lord Archbyshop ys north wards towards the Kyng;
how be it, it ys seyd, uppon a metyng with my Lord of
Clarens, my Lord shuld retourne a yen; and as zester evyn
he send a servaunt of hys to me, wenyng to hys Lordship that
Sir Humfray² and ye wer in Caster as was appoynted, and ye
shuld send to hys Lordshyp answer of the gydyng ther by
wrytyng, comaundyng me that yff any such wrytyngs cam
from you, yf hys Lordshyp wer not past xx. myle fr[om
Lond]on,³ to com to hys Lordshyp with the same. Under-
standyng for sertayn that he ys nott yet so ferr, wherfor I
will in althe hast possybell ryde nygt and day till I see hys
Lordshyp, and after comunicacyon had with hys Lordshyp, as
sone as ys possybell that a man may go be twext, ye shall have
an answer of hys dysposicyon; for hys intres is such that, as
I have wryten, I shall never do therin withoute hym, as my
cosyn, brynger herof, more playnly shall enforme you; for I
canne thynke ryght well, that as ze wryteth to me, my broder
wyll not delyver the place to non erthly person, but yf he see
wrytyng fro my Lord.

     It semyt be yowr wrytyng that my Lord of Norffolk
conseyll intende not that my Lord Archbyshop shuld dele in
thys mater, for he ys not named in your letter, wherof I
mervayle; for it was movyd to you at your departyng hens,
the Kyngs concell shuld have take dyreccyon in thys mater,
or els my Lord Cardenall,¹ my Lord of Clarens, my Lord
Archbyshop, and my Lord of Essex,² &c. Neverthelesse,
Mayster Wryttyll, all profytht, maner, or lyflod, leyd apart,
if it be so that thorow reklesnese my brother and servaunts
be in such joperte as ye have wryten to me (whych shold be
half impossybell in my mynd that thay shold myssuse so
mech stuff in iiij. tymes the space), and that ye have evident
knowlych by my seyd brother hym self therof, I woll praye
yow to se hym and them in suerte of ther lyffys, what so ever
shold fall of the lyfflode; how be it I wold not that my
brother and servaunts shold gyff upp the place not for a m¹li.,
yf thay myght in any wyse kepe it and save ther lyves. And
therfor, at the reverens of God, sycht it ys so, that my Lord
Archbyshop and my Lords all, and I, have putte our trust
in you, that ye wyll do your devoyer to have the verrey
knowlech of my brother hymself, and not of my Lords men,
wheder he stante in such jopertye as your letter specefyeth or
net, for I dowte not uppon the syzth of thys letter, and of the
letter that ye had before, that my brother will put no mystrust
in you, consyderyng that he knowyth that ye com from my
Lords, and my Lord Archbyshop, and have my wrytyng; and
as for my Lord Archbyshop wrytyng and aunswere, such as
it shalbe, ye shall have it in all the haste possybell. But I
thynke veryly that my Lord eschewyth to telle you any
thyng without that he myght speke with you allone, and me
thynketh veryly that thay ought not to lette [hinder] you to
speke with hym allone, consyderyng that ye have auctoryte
and wrytyng from the Lords so to do. And as for the
justificacyon of entryng the place, and sege layng to [the
same]³ and the comaundement of the Justice of the Pease
and the Sherewe to assyste my Lord in thys gydyng, I wote
ye understond that the Lords knowe all that mater, and ye
herd it comened, and how thay toke it in ther consayts.

     Ther ys no more, Mayster Wryttell, but I commyth all
thys wrytyng unto your dyscrescyon; and as ye thynk best
acordyng to such menys desyre as have entretyd you therin,
and for my moyst avayle, I pray you, sir, soo doo, and I shall
se un to your besynes and labour, that ye shall have cause to
do for me in tyme comyng, and as the brynger herof shall tell
you. And I pray God have you in Hys kepyng.

     Wryten at London, the x. day of Septembr.

                                 By your frend for ever,

                                                                     JOHN PASTON, K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 372.] See preliminary note to last letter. We have adopted a
different punctuation from that of Fenn in some parts of this letter.

  ¹ This most probably was James Hobart, who, in 1478, was Lent-Reader at
Lincoln’s Inn, and in 1487 Attorney-General.—F.

     ² George Neville, Archbishop of York.

     ³ The original MS. was indistinct in these places.

    ¹ The words ‘zour zoyng’ (your going) seem to be redundant.

     ² Sir Humphrey Talbot was a Captain at this siege, under the Duke of Norfolk.
—F.

     ³ The original MS. was indistinct in these places.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Cardinal.

     ² Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex.

     ³ Here the original MS. was indistinct.

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