The Duke of Norfolk to John Paston

LETTER VI.

To my welbelovyd frena John Paston be thys byll delyveryd in hast.

WELBELOVYD frend I cūmaunde me to yow letyng yow
     to undyrstond that y^e Kyngs Enmysse be a land and y^t
the Kyng wold hafe set forthe as uppon Monday but only for
howre ¹ Lady day but for serten he gothe forward as uppon
tewsday for a s^rvant of myne browt to me the sertente.

     Wherfor I pray yow that ye met w^t me at ² Bery for be the
grace of God I purposse to lye at Bery as uppon tewsday nyght
and that ye brynge w^t yow seche cōpany of tall mē as ye may
goodly make at my cost and charge be seyd that ye have p’mysyd
the Kyng and I pray yow ordeyne them ³ Jakets of my Levery
and I shall cōtente yow at yo^r metyng w^t me.

                                                                      Your Lover,

                                                                               J. Norfolk.

              8 ½ by 5.

 Between the 8th and 15th of August,
              1485, 3 R. III.

     Henry, Earl of Richmond, landed upon Saturday the 6th of August, 1485, at
Milford Haven, in South Wales; this Letter therefore could not be written before the
Friday or Saturday following (12th or 13th of August).

     Richard appears not to have regarded the landing of the Earl as a matter of that great
importance which it soon became; for as a valiant Prince he certainly would have set
forwards to meet his Competitor as soon as possible, and however great his veneration
might have been for the day of “the Assumption of our Lady,”‘ yet his fears of lofing
a Crown, for the possession of which he had ventured every thing, would have been still
greater; and would have prompted him to break in upon the services due to our Lady.

     The Duke of Norfolk survived the writing of this Letter only a few days, for he
joined his Royal Master, and commanded the Vanguard of his Army in the Field of
Bosworth, where he fell on Monday the 22d of August, valiantly fighting for his Sove-
reign Lord and Benefactor. Pl. VII. N^o 4.

    ¹ The Assumption of our Lady, 15th of August.

     ² Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk.

     ³ From this it appears that the royal army when embodied, was clothed in Jackets
of the Livery of the respective great Lords and Commanders.

     The Editor cannot help remarking, that he feels a pleasing satisfaction at the thought,
that the Original Letter now lying before him, and which he has just now transcribed,
&c. has this day, Friday the 12th of August, 1785, N. S. been written (most probably)
exactly three hundred years, During this Period ten generations of the Howards have
passed away; the present Duke of Norfolk, now in his 65th year, being the tenth in
lineal Descent from the noble Writer of this Letter.

LETTER VI.

To my well beloved Friend John Paston, be this bill delivered in haste.

WELL beloved Friend, I commend me to you, letting
     you to understand that the King’s Enemies be a-land,
and that the King would have set forth as upon Monday, but
only for our ¹ Lady day; but for certain he goeth forward as
upon Tuesday, for a Servant of mine brought to me the certainty.

     Wherefore I pray you, that ye meet with me at ² Bury, for,
by the Grace of God, I purpose to lie at Bury as upon Tuesday
night; and that ye bring with you such Company of tall men as
ye may goodly make at my cost and charge, besides that which
ye have promised the King; and, I pray you, ordain them
³ Jackets of my Livery, and I shall content you at your meet-
ing with me.

                                                                      Your Lover,

                                                                              J. NORFOLK.

            8 ? by 5.

 Between the 8th and 15th of August,
              1485, 3 R. III.

     Henry, Earl of Richmond, landed upon Saturday the 6th of August, 1485, at
Milford Haven, in South Wales; this Letter therefore could not be written before the
Friday or Saturday following (12th or 13th of August).

     Richard appears not to have regarded the landing of the Earl as a matter of that great
importance which it soon became; for as a valiant Prince he certainly would have set
forwards to meet his Competitor as soon as possible, and however great his veneration
might have been for the day of “the Assumption of our Lady,”‘ yet his fears of lofing
a Crown, for the possession of which he had ventured every thing, would have been still
greater; and would have prompted him to break in upon the services due to our Lady.

     The Duke of Norfolk survived the writing of this Letter only a few days, for he
joined his Royal Master, and commanded the Vanguard of his Army in the Field of
Bosworth, where he fell on Monday the 22d of August, valiantly fighting for his Sove-
reign Lord and Benefactor. Pl. VII. N^o 4.

    ¹ The Assumption of our Lady, 15th of August.

     ² Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk.

     ³ From this it appears that the royal army when embodied, was clothed in Jackets
of the Livery of the respective great Lords and Commanders.

     The Editor cannot help remarking, that he feels a pleasing satisfaction at the thought,
that the Original Letter now lying before him, and which he has just now transcribed,
&c. has this day, Friday the 12th of August, 1785, N. S. been written (most probably)
exactly three hundred years, During this Period ten generations of the Howards have
passed away; the present Duke of Norfolk, now in his 65th year, being the tenth in
lineal Descent from the noble Writer of this Letter.

1002

THE DUKE OF NORFOLK TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my welbelovyd frend, John Paston, be thys byll
delyveryd in hast.

       WELBELOVYD frend, I cummaunde me to yow,
             letyng yow to undyrstond that the Kyngs enmysse
             be a land, and that the Kyng wold hafe set forthe
as uppon Monday but only for Howre Lady Day;² but for
serten he gothe forward as uppon Tewsday, for a servant of
myne browt to me the sertente.

     Wherfor, I pray yow that ye met with me at Bery,³ for, be
the grace of God, I purposse to lye at Bery as uppon Tewsday
nyght, and that ye brynge with yow seche company of tall men
as ye may goodly make at my cost and charge, be seyd that ye
have promysyd the Kyng; and I pray yow ordeyne them
jakets of my levery, and I shall contente yow at your metyng
with me.

                                          Yower lover,               J. NORFFOLK.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 334.] This letter must have been written in August 1485,
some days after the landing of the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII., at
Milford Haven.                      ² The Assumption of Our Lady, 15th of August.

     ³ Bury St. Edmund’s in Suffolk.

1485
AUG.