Sir Thomas Howes to John Paston

LETTER XIX.

     To the ryght Wurshipfull
     S^r and Meyst^r myn Mayst^r
     Iohn Paston squier.

RYGHT worshipful S^re and Mayst^r I recomaunde me to
yow and please that the Chirche of Drayton is or
shal be resyngned in hast in to the bysshopys hands by S^r John
Bullok desyryng yow hertly y^t ye lyke I may haue the p'senta-
con of the next Avoydaunce for a newew of myn callyd S^r Rey-
nold Spendlove whiche J truste y'ore mayst^rship wold agree to
make in yo'e name and myn as was last &c. And S^r Please yow
also y^t I haue hadde div^rse communicacons wi^t Worcestr sethe
Crystmesse and I fele by hym otterly that he wole not appoynt
in other fourme than to have the londs of Feyrechildes and other
londes in Drayton to the sume of X m'rc of yow pprely by syde
that y^t he desyreth of myn Mayst^r whom God affoyle whiche
mater I remytte to yo^r noble discrecon. And as for Answere of
the bylles y^t J have I have ben so sekelew sethe Crystmasse that I
myght not yette don hem but J shal in alle hast wher inne ye
may excuse yow by me if ye please tyl the next terme at whiche
tyme ale shal be aunswered be godds grace who p's^rve yow
and send yow th accomplyshem't of yo'e desyres &c. It' sere
please yo^re mayst^rship hit was leten me wete in ryght secrete wyse
y^t a pyssaunce is redy to aryve in thre p'ties of this londe by
the meane of Kyng Herry and the quene y^t wes and by the
Dewk Som^rcete and others of VI^xx m^l men and here dey if
Wynde and weder hadde s^rvyd theym shuld a ben here sone
upon Candelmasse at Trente to london werdes yeⁱ shuld a ben
by Candelmasse or sone after one p^rte of theym and another p^rte
comyng from Walys and the thredde fro Yernessey and Gar-
nesseye wher fore it is weel don ye enforme myn lord Warwyk
y^t he may speke to the Kyng y^t good p'vyion be hadde for W^t-
standyng there malicyous p'pose and evyl wylle whiche god
graunt we may our come theym and so we shuld I dought not

if we were alle on there ben many medelers and they ben best
cheryshed whyche wold hurt moche if these come to as God
diffende &c.

                                                                                             T. Howys

                           12 by 6.

                      Paper Mark

     Two Pales, in a Lozenge Shield,

     surmounted by a Coronet.

                     Pl. IX . No 13.

                             Seal,

                 A Bear and ragged staff,

     or rather a Bear passant, I believe.

     The following Extracts from the institution Books in the Registry of the Bishop of Nor-
wich, ascertain the date of this Letter.

Draiton.

     "Reg. xi. 124. 19 January, 1460-I. Johnanes Bullock ad pr?sentationem Johīs
Paston arm. & Tho. Howys Capellani."

     "Reg. xi. 131. 15 March, 1461-2. Johēs Flourdew ad pr?sentationem eorundem."

     It appears from hence that John Bullock resigned the Living of Drayton in 1461-2,
and that on the 15th of March John Flowerdew was presented thereto, and not S^r Rey-
nold Spendlowe.

     At this time Henry Vi. was in Scotland, and his Queen if France solliciting assistance
from Lewis XI. though with little success; the report therefore of an invasion with so
large and army could have no real foundation; it was, however, the news of the day, and
alarmed the friends of Edward.

     On the seal of this Letter is the impression of the Bear, the well known cognizance of
the Earl of Warwick. It shew both the popularity and power which this great peer had
at this time when his friends used this device of his on their seals.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. No 16.

                                                          LETTER XIX.

To my right worshipful Sir and Master, mine master John
Poston, Esquire.

RIGHT worshipful Sir and Master, I recommend me to
you, and please you that the Church of Drayton is or shall
be resigned in haste into the Bishop's hands by Sir John Bullock,
desiring you heartily that ye like I may have the presentation of
the next avoidance for a nephew of mine called Sir Reynold
Spendelowe, which I trust your mastership will agree to make
in your name and mine as was last, &c. And Sir, Please you
also that I have had divers communications with Worcester since
Christmas, and I feel by him utterly that he will not appoint in
 

other form than to hold the land of Fairchilds, and other lands
in Drayton to the sum of ten Marks (6l. 13s. 4d.) of you pro-
perly, beside that that he desireth of mine Master, whom God
assoil, which matter I remit to your noble discretion.

     And as for answer of the Bills that I have, I have been so
sekelele (sickly) since Christmas that I might not yet done them,
but I shall in all haste, wherein ye may excuse you by me if ye
please till the next term, at which time all shall be answered by
God's grace, who preserve you and send you the accomplishment
of your desires, &c.

     Item, Sir please your mastership, it was letten me weet in
right secret wise that a puissance is ready to arrive in three parts
of this land, by ht mean of King Harry and the Queen that
was, and by the Duke (of) Somerset and others, of six score
thousand men, and their day, if wind and weather had served
them, should have been here soon upon Candlemass, at Trent
to London ward, they should have been by Candlemass, or soon
after, one part of them, and another part coming from Wales,
and the third from Jersey and Guernsey, wherefore it is well
done ye inform mine Lord Warwick, that he may speak to the
King, that good provision be had for withstanding their mali-
cious purpose and evil will, which God grant we may overcome

them, and so we should I doubt not it we were all one, there
be many meddlers, and they be best cherished, which would hurt
much if these come too, as God defend, &c.

                                                                               THOMAS HOWYS.

     February, 1461-2.

         1 E. IV.

     The following Extracts from the institution Books in the Registry of the Bishop of Nor-
wich, ascertain the date of this Letter.

Draiton.

     "Reg. xi. 124. 19 January, 1460-I. Johnanes Bullock ad pr?sentationem Johīs
Paston arm. & Tho. Howys Capellani."

     "Reg. xi. 131. 15 March, 1461-2. Johēs Flourdew ad pr?sentationem eorundem."

     It appears from hence that John Bullock resigned the Living of Drayton in 1461-2,
and that on the 15th of March John Flowerdew was presented thereto, and not S^r Rey-
nold Spendlowe.

     At this time Henry Vi. was in Scotland, and his Queen if France solliciting assistance
from Lewis XI. though with little success; the report therefore of an invasion with so
large and army could have no real foundation; it was, however, the news of the day, and
alarmed the friends of Edward.

     On the seal of this Letter is the impression of the Bear, the well known cognizance of
the Earl of Warwick. It shew both the popularity and power which this great peer had
at this time when his friends used this device of his on their seals.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. No 16.

509

SIR THOMAS HOWES TO JOHN PASTON²

To the ryght wurshipfull sir and meyster, myn
Mayster John Paston, Squier.

RYGHT worshipfull sire and mayster, I recomaunde me
     to yow. And please yow that the chirche of Drayton
     is or shal be resyngned in hast in to the Bysshopys
hands by Sir John Bullok, desyryng yow hertly that ye lyke I
may have the presentacion of the next avoydaunce for a newew
of myn, callyd Sir Reynold Spendlove, whiche I truste youre
maystership wold agree to make in youre name and myn as
was last, &c. And, sir, please yow also that I have hadde
diverse communicacions with Worcestr sethe Crystmesse,¹ and
I fele by hym otterly that he wole not appoynt in other fourme
than to have the londs of Feyrechildes and other londes in
Drayton to the sume of x. marc of yow proprely, by syde that
that he desyreth of myn mayster, whom God assoyle, whiche
mater I remytte to your noble discrecion.

     And as for answere of the bylles that I have, I have ben so
sekelew seythe Crystmasse that I myght not yette don hem,
but I shal in alle hast, wher inne ye may excuse yow by me if ye
please tyl the next terme, at whiche tyme alle shal be aunswered,
be Godds grace, who preserve yow and send yow th’ accom-
plyshement of youre desyres, &c.

     Item, sere, please youre maystership hit was leten me wete
in ryght secrete wyse that a pyssaunce is redy to aryve in thre
parties of this londe, by the meane of Kyng Herry and the
Quene that wes, and by the Dewk Somercete and others, of
vi.^xx. m.^l. [120,000] men; and here day, if wynde and weder
hadde servyd theym, shuld a’ ben here sone upon Candelmasse;
at Trente to London werdes thei shuld a’ ben by Candelmasse
or sone after, one parte of theym, and another parte comyng
from Walys, and the thredde fro Yernessey and Garnesseye.
Wher fore it is weel don ye enforme myn Lord Warwyk, that
he may speke to the Kyng that good provy[s]ion be hadde for
withstandyng there malicyous purpose and evyl wylle, whiche
God graunt we may our come theym; and so we shuld, I
dought not, if we were alle on [one]. There ben many mede-
lers, and they ben best cheryshed, whyche wold hurt moche if
these come to, as God diffende, &c.

                                                                                        T. HOWYS.

     ² [From Fenn, iv. 68.] For evidence of the date of this letter, Fenn quotes the
following extracts from the Institution Books in the Registry of the Bishop of
Norwich:—

        ’Draiton

     ’Reg. xi. 124. 29 January 1460-1. Johannes Bullock ad præsentationem Joh’is
Paston arm. et Tho. Howys capellani.

     ’Reg. xi. 131. 15 March 1461-2. Joh’es Flourdew ad præsentationem
eorundem.’

     It thus appears that the living was resigned by John Bullock in 1461-2, and on
the 15th March John Flourdew was presented to it, not the person here recommended
by Howes.

     ¹ This word is indicated by Fenn as indistinct in the MS.

[FEB.]

1462
[FEB.]

1462
[FEB.]