The Duke of Norfolk to John Paston, the Youngest

LETTER XVII.

     To owr trusty and enterly
     beloved Servauut Iohn
     Paston Esquyr.

                                       The deuke of Norff.

RYGHT welbeloved Servaunt y grete yow hertly welle fer-
tesyng that we shulle be at fulle age on Fryday nexst
comyng wherfor wele Cōsayled be the lordes of owr Cōsayle
and oder of owr Cōsayle that ye on of owr Servaunts of hows-
hold w^t Oder be w^t. us at London on Fryday or Saterday nexst
comyng at the ffurdest too a cōpanye us thaun too owr Worshyp
for we shull have thaun levery of owr landes and Offyces And
that ye ffayle us not as ye woll have owr goodlordeshyp in tyme
comyng And also that ye doo warne owr ¹ ffeede men And
Servaunts suche as be nye too yow that they be ther thaun in
owr leverey y wreton the xij day of October.

                                                                                                   ² Norff.

     12 by 4 ?.

     John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, succeeded his father in 1461, I E. IV. and I should
suppose came at age very soon after, for in November, 1462, he by the King's command
was to keep his Christmas at his Castle of Holt in Denbighshire, when he appears to have
been married, and was then most probably past his twenty-first year.

     This Letter might, therefore, be written on the 12th of October, 1461, and at latest
on the same day in 1462.

     We are here acquainted with the parade and attendance expected by the nobility from
their Retainers and Vassals on the delivery of their lands, and on their taking possession of
offices.

    ¹ Feedmen were those who held lands by and acknowledgment of any superiority to a
higher Lord.

    ² John Mowbray was the last Duke of Norfolk of that name, and married Elizabeth
daughter of that renowned warrior John Talbot Earl of Shrewbury; he died suddenly at
Framlingham Castle, in Suffolk, on Wednesday the 17th of January, 1475. See Letter
LXVII. vol. i. p. 187.

   Autograph.      Pl. IV. No 3.

                                                   LETTER XVII.

          To our trusty and entirely beloved Servant John Paston, Esq.

                                               The Duke of Norfolk.

RIGHT well-beloved Servant, I greet you heartily well,
certifying (you) that we shall be at full age on riday
next coming, wherefore well counselled by the Lords of our
Counsel and other of our Counsel, that ye one of our Servants
of household with others be with us at London on Friday or
Saturday next coming at the furthest to accompany us then to
our worship, for we shall have then livery of our Lands and
Offices, and that ye fail us not, as ye do will have our good Lordship
in time coming, and also that ye do warn do warn our ¹ Feedmen and
Servants, such as be nigh to you, that they be there then in our
Livery. Written the 12th day of October.

                                                                                    ² NORFOLK.

    Monday,

       12 October, 1461.

       I E. IV.

     John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, succeeded his father in 1461, I E. IV. and I should
suppose came at age very soon after, for in November, 1462, he by the King's command
was to keep his Christmas at his Castle of Holt in Denbighshire, when he appears to have
been married, and was then most probably past his twenty-first year.

     This Letter might, therefore, be written on the 12th of October, 1461, and at latest
on the same day in 1462.

     We are here acquainted with the parade and attendance expected by the nobility from
their Retainers and Vassals on the delivery of their lands, and on their taking possession of
offices.

    ¹ Feedmen were those who held lands by and acknowledgment of any superiority to a
higher Lord.

    ² John Mowbray was the last Duke of Norfolk of that name, and married Elizabeth
daughter of that renowned warrior John Talbot Earl of Shrewbury; he died suddenly at
Framlingham Castle, in Suffolk, on Wednesday the 17th of January, 1475. See Letter
LXVII. vol. i. p. 187.

     Autograph.      Pl. IV. No 3.

614

THE DUKE OF NORFOLK TO JOHN PASTON,
THE YOUNGEST¹

To owr trusty and enterly beloved servaunt,
John Paston, Esquyr.

THE DEUKE OF NORFF.

      RYGHT welbeloved servaunt, y grete yow hertly welle,
          sertefyng that we shulle be at fulle age on Fryday
          nexst comyng. Wherfor, wele consayled be the
Lordes of owr Consayle and oder of owr Consayle, that ye,
on of owr servaunts of howsholde, with oder, be with us at
London on Fryday or Saterday nexst comyng at the ffurdest,
too a companye us thann too owr worshyp, for we shull have
thann levery of owr landes and offyces; and that ye ffayle us
not, as ye woll have owr good Lordeshyp in tyme comyng;
and also that ye doo warne owr ffeede men¹ and servaunts,
suche as be nye too yow, that they be ther thann in owr
leverey. Y wreton the xij. day of October.

                                                                                    NORFF.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 62.] John Mowbray, third Duke of Norfolk, died on the 6th
November 1461. It appears by the Inquisitions post mortem, 1 Edward IV., No. 46,
that John, his son and successor in the title, was seventeen years old on St. Luke’s
Day (18th October) in that year. He must therefore have been born on the 18th
October 1444, and would have been of full age on Friday, 18th October 1465. The
John Paston, Esq., to whom this letter was addressed, must have been the youngest of
that name, who, as we have seen already, had been serving in the Duke’s household.
His father was at this time a prisoner in the Fleet, so that the letter could not have
been intended for him.

                 ¹ Those who held lands of the Duke as their superior.

OCT. 12

1465
OCT. 12