[The Earl of Oxford] to a Lady

LETTER XLI.

To the ryght reu’ent and wyrchypfull ¹ Lady.

RYGHT reu’ent and wyrchypfull Lady I recomande me
     to yow lettyng yow wete that I am in gret hevynes at the
makyng of thys Lett’ but thankyd be God I am eschapyd my
selfe and sodenly dep’tyd fro my men for I undyrstand my Chap-
leyn wold have detrayed me and if he com in to the Contre let
hym be mad seu’ &c. Also ye shall gyff credence to the bryng’
of thys Lett’ and I beseke yow to reward hym to hys costs for
I was not in power at the makyng of thys Lett’ to gyff hym
but as I wass put in trest by savar of strange pepyll, &c.

     Also ye shall send me in all hast all the redi money that ye

can make and asse mone of my mē asse can com well horsyd
and that they cū in dyu’se p’cellys, Also that my horsse
be sent w^t my stele Sadelles and byd the yoman of the horse
cou’ theym w^t ledd^r. Also ye shall send to my ² Mod^r and
let hyr wete of thys Lett’ and pray hyr of hyr blessyng and
byd hyr send me my Kasket by thys tokyn that she hathe
the Key theroff but it is brokyn.

     Also ye shall send to the Pryor of ³ Thetford and byd hym
send me the S’m of gold that he seyd that I schuld have. Also
sey to hym by thys ⁴ token that I schewyd hym the fyrst p’ve
Seale, &c. Also lete Pastun, Fylbryg Brews com’ to me.
Also ye shall delyu’ the bryng’ of thys Lett’ an horsse sadell
and brydell Also ye schallbe of gud cher and take no thowght
for I schall brynge my ⁵ purpose abowte now by the g’ce of
God qwhome have yow in kepyng.

                                                                       ⁶ O . . . . . . . . . . . D.

11 ? by 5 ?

             Paper Mark,
       Bull’s Head and Star.
             Pl. x. N^o 1.

April, 1471, 11 E. IV.

     This curious and secret Letter, without Name, Date, or Direction, was written by
some Person of consequence in this reign, and I believe by John de Vere, Earl of Oxford,
after the unsuccessful battle of Barner, fought on the 14th of April, 1471, when he
retreated with some of his men towards Scotland; but discovering a design to betray him,
he privately lest them, and went into Wales to join the Earl of Pembroke. The supplies

of men and money, &c. herein required to be fent to him, were intended to strengthen
the Queen’s army, which was now with the utmost expedition assembling, and which,
before the Earls of Pembroke and Oxford could join it, was totally routed at Tewksbury,
on the 4th of May following.

     ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister to the late Earl
of Warwick, and Wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.

     ² Elizabeth, Daughter and Heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, who was Uncle to
John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk, of that name. She was now the widow of
John de Vere, late Earl of Oxford.

     ³ John Vescey, Prior of Thetford, from 1441 to 1479.

     ⁴ The precision of the privy tokens shews the caution observed, lest the Money, &c.
should be fraudulently obtained by making use of his name only.
     ⁵ This shews the expectations formed by this last attempt of the Queen and Prince
Edward.

     ⁶ For an exact Copy of this Signature of which the first Character may be supposed to
resemble an O, and the last a D, though this is only supposition, see Pl. IV. N^o 6.

LETTER XLI.

To the right reverend and worshipful ¹ Lady.

RIGHT reverend and worshipful Lady, I recommend me
     to you, letting you weet that I am in great heaviness at
the making of this Letter; but thanked be God, I am escaped
myself, and suddenly departed from my men; for I understand
my Chaplain would have detrayed (betrayed) me; and if he come
into the Country, let him be made sure, &c.

     Also ye shall give credence to the Bringer of this letter, and
I beseech you to reward him to his costs; for I was not in power
at the making of this letter to give him, but as I was put in
trust by favour of strange people, &c.

     Also ye shall send me in all hast all the ready money that ye

can make; and as many of my men, as can come well horsed,
and that they come in diverse parcels.

     Also that my best horses be sent with my steel saddles, and
bid the Yeoman of the horse cover them with leather.

     Also ye shall send to my ² Mother, and let her weet of this
letter, and pray her of her blessing, and bid her send me my
Casket, by this token; that she hath the Key thereof, but it is
broken.

     Also ye shall send to the Prior of ³ Thetford, and bid him send
me the Sum of Gold that he said that I should have; also say to
him by this ⁴ token; that I shewed him the first Privy Seal, &c.

     Also let Paston, Felbrig, and Brews, come to me.

     Also ye shall deliver the bringer of this letter an horse, saddle,
and bridle.

     Also ye shall be of good cheer, and take no thought, for I
shall bring my ⁵ purpose about now by the grace of God, Who
have you in keeping.

                                                                          ⁶ O . . . . . . . . . . . D.

11 ? by 5 ?

             Paper Mark,
       Bull’s Head and Star.
             Pl. x. N^o 1.

April, 1471, 11 E. IV.

     This curious and secret Letter, without Name, Date, or Direction, was written by
some Person of consequence in this reign, and I believe by John de Vere, Earl of Oxford,
after the unsuccessful battle of Barner, fought on the 14th of April, 1471, when he
retreated with some of his men towards Scotland; but discovering a design to betray him,
he privately lest them, and went into Wales to join the Earl of Pembroke. The supplies

of men and money, &c. herein required to be fent to him, were intended to strengthen
the Queen’s army, which was now with the utmost expedition assembling, and which,
before the Earls of Pembroke and Oxford could join it, was totally routed at Tewksbury,
on the 4th of May following.

     ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and Sister to the late Earl
of Warwick, and Wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.

     ² Elizabeth, Daughter and Heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, who was Uncle to
John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk, of that name. She was now the widow of
John de Vere, late Earl of Oxford.

     ³ John Vescey, Prior of Thetford, from 1441 to 1479.

     ⁴ The precision of the privy tokens shews the caution observed, lest the Money, &c.
should be fraudulently obtained by making use of his name only.
     ⁵ This shews the expectations formed by this last attempt of the Queen and Prince
Edward.

     ⁶ For an exact Copy of this Signature of which the first Character may be supposed to
resemble an O, and the last a D, though this is only supposition, see Pl. IV. N^o 6.

775

[THE EARL OF OXFORD] TO A LADY¹

To the ryght reverent and wyrchypfull Lady.²

RYGHT reverent and wyrchypfull Lady, I recomande me
     to yow, lettyng yow wete that I am in gret hevynes at
     the makyng of thys letter; but thankyd be God, I am
eschapyd my selfe, and sodenly departyd fro my men; for I
undyrstand my chapleyn wold have detrayed me; and if he
com in to the contre, let hym be mad seuer, &c. Also ye shall
gyff credence to the brynger of thys letter, and I beseke yow
to reward hym to hys costs; for I was not in power at the
makyng of thys letter to gyff hym, but as I wass put in trest
by favar of strange pepyll, &c.

     Also ye shall send me in all hast all the redi money that ye
can make, and asse mone of my men asse can com well horsyd;
and that they cum in dyverse parcellys. Also that my horsse
be sent, with my stele sadelles; and byd the yoman of the
horse cover theym with ledder. Also ye shall send to my
moder,³ and let hyr were of thys letter, and pray hyr of hyr
blessyng, and byd hyr send me my kasket, by thys tokyn; that
she hathe the key theroff, but it is brokyn.

     Also ye shall send to the Pryor of Thetford,⁴ and byd hym
send me the sum of gold that he seyd that I schuld have. Also
sey to hym by thys token, that I schewyd hym the fyrst Prive
Seale, &c. Also lete Pastun, Fylbryg, Brews, come to me.
Also ye shall delyver the brynger of thys letter an horsse,
sadell, and brydell. Also ye schallbe of gud cher, and take no
thowght, for I schall brynge my purpose abowte now by the
grace of God, Qwhome have yow in kepyng.

                                                                            O . . . D (?).

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 68.] The signature of this letter is composed of flourishes
which were probably devised on purpose to make it unintelligible. Fenn suggests that
the first character may be taken for an O, and the last for a D; but to our thinking
the resemblance is rather difficult to trace. There is, however, great probability in his
conjecture that the writer was the Earl of Oxford, and the date just after the battle of
Barnet.

     ² Margaret, daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, sister to the late Earl
of Warwick, and wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.—F.

     ³ Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, who was the grand-
father of John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk of that name. She was now the widow
of John de Vere, late Earl of Oxford.

     ⁴ John Vescey, Prior of Thetford, from 1441 to 1479.—F.

1471

1471