The Corporation of Yarmouth to Sir John Paston

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Title
The Corporation of Yarmouth to Sir John Paston
Reference
Add. 27446, f. 96
Date
11 July 1495
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol VI, item 1059; Fenn, Vol V, Henry VII item 35
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (1st transcript)

LETTER XXXV.

 

To our Right honorable
     and especyall good Maister
     ser John Paston Knyght this
     lettr be delyu˜ed in hast

 

RIGHT wurchipfull Ser we Recomaund us to yor good
Maistrrship srtefyeng you that Robert Alban of Yermouth
with many more of our Neybors thys Satrday arn Comen hom
from Caunterbury and Robart Alban hath spokyn with the
English Captayns of the Kyngs Rebellys ther part of theym
that arn takyn and Robart Albon And his Company seith
                                                                                xx
that ther wer takyn and slayn to the Noumbr of vij Wherof
were v Capteyns iiij of them he named ovr Mounford.
Whyght. Belt and Corbett he Coude nott telle the fysst
Capteyns name And they told hym that they haue apoynted
to haue a Town of strength for they wold an had Sandwich
and the Countre had nott a resistid them And so Belt seid
on to Robart Albon he wyst weell that he was but a deed man
and for asmoche as he wyst that he was of Yermouth he
shewed hym that they woll haue Yermouth or they xall dye
for it as seyth to vs And this is a mater of trewth And
therfore we desyre and pray your good Maistrship that we
may haue yor myghty help of Ayde And socowr And that it
woll please you to Comon with Maistr Mayer of Norwiche
to meve hym of hys sokour but jn especyall that we may
haue your Maistrship mongs us with suche strength of yor
good Councell as yor Maistrship shall thynk most best for the
Kyngs pleasur And for the sewyrtye of us alle for we putt
us Jndevyr to furnyssh the Town with all that we can doo
for we know noon odr but that they may be here by possy-
bylyte thys nyght or to morow att nyght at the ferdest No
more to you but Jhu p’serve you Wretyn at Yermouth in
hast this Satrday the xj day of July

                                           Be yor owyn the Balyffs of Yermouth
                                           with our Brethern and Comons of the
                                           same Town.

 

     11½ by 9½.

 

    On the 3d of July, 1495, Perkin Warbeck appeared off Sandwich, on the
coast of Kent, and landed some men; the inhabitants feigned themselves friends
to Perkin, and advised him to land, but he mistrusted their professions, and
stood off; they then fell upon those already landed, and either slew or took the
whole. The five Captains at Canterbury were of the number of those that were
taken prisoners. Stow says their names were Mountfort, Corbet, Whitebelt,
Quintin, and Genine.

     This happened within the view of Perkin, who immediately returned into Flan-
ders. The town of Yarmouth therefore, had they known this, had at this time
nothing to fear.

     Robert Albon, and his neighbours, had been at Canterbury, most probably,
to be present at the Feast of the Translation of St. Thomas à Becket, annually
kept on the 7th of July. He was one of the Bailiffs of Yarmouth the follow-
ing year. John Welles was at this time the Mayor of Norwich.

     By this and the following letter we see the great esteem and respect the Cor-
poration of Yarmouth had for Sir John Paston.

     Autograph, Pl. xxxi. No. 25.
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (2nd transcript)

LETTER XXXV.

 

To our right honourable and especial good Master, Sir John
Paston, Knight, this Letter be delivered in haste.

 

RIGHT worshipful Sir, we recommend us unto your good
Mastership, certifying you that Robert Albon of Yarmouth,
with many more of our neighbours, this Saturday are come
home from Canterbury, and Robert Albon hath spoken with
the English Captains of the King’s rebels there, part of them
that are taken; and Robert Albon and his company saith,
that there were taken and slain to the number of sevenscore,
whereof were five Captains, four of them he named over;
Mountford, Whight, Belt, and Corbet; he could not tell
the fifth Captain’s name; and they told him that they
have appointed to have a town of strength, for they would
have had Sandwich, and [if] the country had not resisted
them; and so Belt said unto Robert Albon he wist well
that he was but a dead man, and for as much as he wist
that he was of Yarmouth, he showed him that they would
have Yarmouth, or they shall die for it, as Robert saith to
us. And this is a matter of truth, and therefore we desire
and pray your good Mastership, that we may have your
mighty help of aid and succour, and that it will please you
to commune with Master Mayor of Norwich, to move him
of his succour, but in especial, that we may have your Mas-
tership among us, with such strength of your good counsel,
as your Mastership shall think most best for the King’s plea-
sure, and for the surety of us all, for we put us in devoir [we
do our utmost] to furnish the town with all that we can do, for
we know none other but that they may be here by possibility
this night or to-morrow at night at the farthest.

     No more to you, but Jesu preserve you. Written at Yar-
mouth, in haste, this Saturday the 11th day of July.

                                           By your own the Bailiffs of Yarmouth,
                                           with our Brethren the Commons of the
                                           same town,

           Yarmouth,
      Saturday, 11th July,
        1495. 10 H. vii.

 

     On the 3d of July, 1495, Perkin Warbeck appeared off Sandwich, on the
coast of Kent, and landed some men; the inhabitants feigned themselves friends
to Perkin, and advised him to land, but he mistrusted their professions, and
stood off; they then fell upon those already landed, and either slew or took the
whole. The five Captains at Canterbury were of the number of those that were
taken prisoners. Stow says their names were Mountfort, Corbet, Whitebelt,
Quintin, and Genine.

     This happened within the view of Perkin, who immediately returned into Flan-
ders. The town of Yarmouth therefore, had they known this, had at this time
nothing to fear.

     Robert Albon, and his neighbours, had been at Canterbury, most probably,
to be present at the Feast of the Translation of St. Thomas à Becket, annually
kept on the 7th of July. He was one of the Bailiffs of Yarmouth the follow-
ing year. John Welles was at this time the Mayor of Norwich.

     By this and the following letter we see the great esteem and respect the Cor-
poration of Yarmouth had for Sir John Paston.

     Autograph, Pl. xxxi. No. 25.
Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume VI'

1059

 

THE CORPORATION OF YARMOUTH TO
SIR JOHN PASTON1

 

To our right honorable and especyall good maister, Ser
John Paston, Knyght, this letter be delyvered in hast.

 

RIGHT wurchipfull ser, we recomaund us onto your good
     maistership, sertefyeng you that Robart Albon of
     Yermouth with many more of our neybors, this Sater-
day arn comen hom from Caunterbury. And Robart Albon
hath spokyn with the English captayns of the Kynges rebellys
ther, part of theym that arn takyn; and Robart Albon and his
company seith that ther wer takyn and slayn to the noumbre of
vijxx., wherof were v. captayns, iiij. of them he named, oon
Mounford, Whyght, Belt, and Corbett: he coude nott telle
the fyfft capteyns name. And they told hym that they have
apoynted to have a town of strength, for they wold an had
Sandwich, and the countre had nott a resistid them. And so
Belt seid on to Robart Albon he wyst weell that he was but a
deed man, and for asmoche as he wist that he was of Yermouth,
he shewid hym that they woll have Yermouth or they xall dye
for it, as Robart seyth to us.

     And this is a mater of trewth, and therfore we desyre and
pray your good maistership, that we may have your myghty
help of ayde and socowr, and that it woll please you to comon
with Maister Mayer of Norwiche, to meve hym of hys sokour,
but in especyall that we may have your maistership amongs us,
with suche strength of your good councell, as your maistership
shall thynk most best for the Kynges pleasur, and for the
sewyrtye of us alle; for we putt us in devyr to furnysh the
town with all that we can doo, for we know noon oder but
that they may be here by possybylyte this nyght or to morow
att nyght at the ferdest. No more to you, but Jesu preserve
you.

     Wretyn at Yermouth, in hast, this Saterday, the xj. day of
July.

                                            Be your owyn, the Balyffes of Yer-
                                                 mouth, with our Brethern and
                                                 Comons of the same Town.

 

     1 [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to the attempt of Perkin Warbeck
at Deal, where a number of his followers landed on the 3rd July 1495, and were all
either killed or taken prisoners by the people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1495
JULY 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1495
JULY 11