T Griggs to Sir John Paston

LETTER XII.

To the Right honorable S^r
      John Paston Knyght be this
      delyu^rid

RIGHT Reu^rent and honorable After the ordre of all diew
Recōmendacon had J Recomaunde me vn to yo^r maist^rship
S^r it is so that Talyour of Brytch’m Debite in yo^r office of
thadmirallite was with me this mornyng to haue myn advyce
in this mater folowyng the whiche is this ther was taken
ageyns Thornh’m in the Kyngs Streeme beyng ij fadam and
an half depe vpon the See a whall Fyssh by Thornh’m
men labouryng all nyght on Sunday nyght last was and so
haue slayn it and brought to londe vpon the whiche yo^r said
Debite hath ben ther as yist^r Day and seysed my lords p’t
therof Wherof the puple was glad it shuld so be than John
A lowe was there and he seyd to yo^r Debite that he wold
haue the Kyngs p’t in this wise that the Kyng and my lord
shuld p’t the half S^r the lawe Cyvyle seyth thus. if any
Fyssh ryall be founde on the Se that is to say, Whall Bales
Sturgion Porpeys or Grapeys that my lord Admyrall shall haue
the haluerdele &c J thynke my lord hath the kyng’s p’ro-
gatyff vpon the See the whiche J remytte to yo^r discreccon
&c S^r by lyklyhode w^tout ye take hede and send thedir som
of youres my lords p’t shall be litill it is a greit F. and A
ryall yo^r Debite sheweth me it is xj fadam and mor of length
and ji Fadam of bygnes and depnes in the mydde F. S^r
Remembr what ye have to do there coms not suche a
casualte in yo^r tyme of yo^r office &c Wherfor this by
thenfourmacion of yo^r sayd Debite cause me to wryte on to
you this sympill bille p’ying you to p^rdone me of the
writyng for it was don in hast and this bille J sent to Will’m
Brykks yo^r se^r’nt to Matelask by Masse tyme to brynke it to
you and this Day they purpose to breke it Do heryn now
as it please you and allmighti god haue you and all youres
in hese kepyng Besechyng you that thys symple bille may
recomaunde my pouer wif vn to your maist^rshipp Wret’ on
Candlemas Day in hast at Wells.

                                                                        Yo^r T. GRIGGES.

     12 by 7¼.

            Paper Mark.
          Hand and Star.
         Pl. xxxiii. No. 8.

      It appears by this letter that Sir John Paston was Vice-Admiral of Norfolk
under the Earl of Oxford.

     The claims here made are still in force, and, I believe, often enforced by the
King’s and the Admiral’s officers.

     “On the taking of a whale on the coasts, which is a royal fish, it shall be
divided between the King and Queen.”—1 Blackst. 222.

     Thornham lies upon the sea on the north coast of Norfolk.
     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 10.

LETTER XII.

To the Right Honourable Sir John Paston, Knight, be this
delivered.

RIGHT reverend and honourable, after the order of all due re-
commendation had, I recommend me unto your mastership.
Sir, it is so that John Taylor of Bridgeham, Deputy in your
office of the Admiralty, was with me this morning to have
mine advice in this matter following, and the which is this.

     There was taken against Thornham, in the King’s stream,
being two fathoms and an half deep upon the sea, a Whale
Fish by Thornham-men labouring all night on Sunday night
last was, and so have slain it, and brought [it] to land;
upon the which your said Deputy hath been there as yes-
terday and seized my Lord’s part thereof, whereof the people
was glad it should so be; then John a’Lowe was there, and
he said to your Deputy that he would have the King’s part
in this wise, that the King and my Lord should part the
half; Sir, the law civil saith thus, “If any fish royal be
“ found on the sea, that is to say, Whale, Bales, Sturgeon,
“ Porpus, or Grampus, that my Lord Admiral shall have the
“ halverdele, &c.”

     I think my Lord hath the King’s prerogative upon the
sea, the which I remit to your discretion, &c.

     Sir, by likelihood, without ye take heed and send thither
some of yours, my Lord’s part shall be little; it is a great
fish and a royal; your Deputy showeth me it is eleven fathom
(66 feet) and more of length, and two fathom (12 feet) of
bigness and deepness in the mid fish.

     Sir, remember what ye have to do there, caus [because] not
such a casualty in your time of your office, &c.
     Wherefore this, by the information of your said Deputy,
cause me to write unto you this simple bill, praying you to
pardon me of the writing, for it was done in haste, and this
bill I sent to William Brykks (Briggs, q?) your servant, to
Matlaske, by mass time, to bring it to you; and this day they
purpose to break it. Do herein now as it please you, and
Almighty God have you and all yours in his keeping; be-
seeching you that this simple bill may recommend my poor
wife unto your mastership.

     Written on Candlemas day, in haste, at Wells.

                                                                       Your

                                                                                   T. GRIGGS.

            Wells,
    Saturday, 2d February,
        1487-8. 3 H. vii.

     It appears by this letter that Sir John Paston was Vice-Admiral of Norfolk
under the Earl of Oxford.

     The claims here made are still in force, and, I believe, often enforced by the
King’s and the Admiral’s officers.

     “On the taking of a whale on the coasts, which is a royal fish, it shall be
divided between the King and Queen.”—1 Blackst. 222.

     Thornham lies upon the sea on the north coast of Norfolk.
     Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 10.

1029

T. GRIGGS TO SIR JOHN PASTON³

To the Right Honorable Sir John Paston, Knyght, be
this delyverid.

    RIGHT reverent and honorable, after the ordre of all
       diew recommendacion had, I recomaunde me un to
        your maistership. Sir, it is so that John Talyour of
Brytcham, debite [deputy] in your office of Th’admirallite, was
with me this mornyng to have myn advyce in this mater
folowyng, the whiche is this.

     There was taken ageyns Thornham, in the Kynges streeme,
leyng ij. fadam and an halff depe upon the see, a whalle fyssh,
by Thornham men labouryng all nyght on Sunday nyght last
was, and so have slayn it, and brought to lande; upon the
whiche your said debite hath ben ther as yister day, and seysed
my lordes part therof; wherof the puple was glad it shuld so
be. Than John a Lowe was there, and he seyd to your debite
that he wold have the Kynges part in this wise, that the Kyng
and my lord shuld part the halff. Sir, the lawe cyvylle seyth
thus, ?If any fyssh ryall be founde on the se, that is to say,
whalle, bales, sturgion, porpeys, or gra[m]peys, that my Lord
Admyrall shall have the halvendele,? &c.

     I thynke my lord¹ hath the Kynges prerogatyff upon the
see, the whiche I remytte to your discrecion, &c.

     Sir, by lyklyhode, without ye take hede and send thedir
som of youres, my lordes part shall be litill. It is a greet
fissh and a ryall; your debite sheweth me it is xj. fadam and
more of length, and ij. fadam of bygnes and depnes in the
mydde fyssh.

     Sir, remembre what ye have to do; there came not suche
a casualte in your tyme of your office, &c. Wherfore this, by
th?enfourmacion of your sayd debite, cause me to wryte un to
you this sympill bille, praying you to pardone me of the writ-
yng, for it was don in hast; and this bille I sent to Willyam
Brykkes your servant, to Matelask, by masse tyme, to brynke
it to you. And this day they purpose to breke it. Do
hereyn now as it please you, and Allmighti God have you
and all youres in Hese kepyng; besechyng you that this
symple bille may recomaunde my pouer wiff un to your
maistershipp.

     Wretyn on Candilmas Day, in hast, at Welles.

                                            Your,                           T. GRIGGES.

     ³ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is evidently of the same year as that
which follows it, to which we refer the reader.

¹ The Earl of Oxford was Lord Admiral.

1489
FEB. 2

1489
FEB. 2