The Earl of Oxford to Henry Spilman and Others

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
The Earl of Oxford to Henry Spilman and Others
Reference
Add. 43489, f. 42
Date
19 March 1471
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 770; Fenn, Vol II, Edward IV item 38
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (1st transcript)

                                        LETTER XXXVIII.

 

To my right trusty and welbelovyd Henry Spilman Thos Seyve
     John Seyve James Radclif John Brampton the older and to
     eche of them.

TRUSTY and welbeloved I comñde me to you lettyng
     you witte that I have credible tydyngs that the Kyngs
gret enemys and rebellis acompanyed wt enemys estūngers be
nowe aryved and landyd in the north p’ties of this his land to
the utter destruction of his roiall p’sone and subu’sion of all
his realm if they myght atayne whom to encountr’ and resiste
the Kings Highnesse hath comūnded and assigned me under
his seall sufficient power and auctorite to call reyse gad’r and
assemble fro tyme to tyme all his liege people of the Shir’ of
Norff’ and other places to assiste ayde and strenght me in the
same entent Wherfor in the Kyngs name and by auctorite
aforesaid I straitly charge and comānd you and in my owne
byhalf hertly desir’ and p[SYM] you that all excuses leid ap’t ye
and eche of you in your owne p’sones defensibly araied wt

asmony men as ye may goodly make be on fryday next comyng
at Lynne and so forth to Newark wher? wt the leve of God,
I shall not faile to be at that tyme entendyng fro thence to goo
foorth wt the help of God you and my fryndes to the recountr
of the said enemyes And that ye faill not hereof as ye tendr?
the weele of our said Sou?eygne Lord and all this his realme
Written at Bury the xixth day of Marche.

 

                                                                              Oxynford.

 

12 by 6?.

          Paper Mark,
     Bull?s Head and Star.
           Pl. x. No 3.

        Bury,
            19th of March,
            1470, II E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

 

 

    

  This spirited Letter was written immediately after notice of the landing of Edward at
Ravenspur, in Yorkshire, on the 14th of March; but whether the forces raised in
Norfolk, and the neighbouring Counties, marched towards Newark does not appear;
—if they did, they and those they might meet there, never faced Edward’s Army, which
came forwards to the Earl of Warwick’s Forces intrenched at Coventry. Edward there
made a feint of attacking them, but being joined by his Brother the Duke of Clarence,
it was determined to omit that, and proceed immediately to London; where he arrived
on the 11th of April, without opposition, and instantly re-assumed the Government of
the Kingdom.

     Autograph. Pl. IV. No 5.

     

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (2nd transcript)

                                           LETTER XXXVIII.

 

To my righe trusty and well beloved Henry Spilman, Thomas Seyve,
     John Seyve, James Radclif, John Brampton the elder, and to
     each of them.

TRUSTY and well beloved, I commend me to you,
     letting you weet, that I have credible tidings that the
King’s great Enemies and Rebels, accompanied with Enemies
Estrangers, be now arrived, and landed in the North parts of this
his land, to the utter destruction of his royal person, and sub-
version of all his realm, if they might attain; whom to encoun-
ter and resist the King’s Highness hath commanded and assigned
me, under his Seal sufficient power and authority to call, raise,
gather, and assemble, from time to time, all his liege people
of the shire of Norfolk, and other places to assist, aid, and
strengthen me in the same intent.

     Wherefore in the King’s name, and by authority aforesaid, I
straitly charge and command you, and in my own behalf heartily
desire and pray you, that, all excuses laid a-part, ye and each

of you, in your own persons defensibly arrayed, with as many
men as ye may goodly make, be on Friday next coming at Lynne,
and so forth to Newark; where, with the leave of God, I shall
not fail to be at that time; intending from thence to go forth
with the help of God, you, and my Friends to the re-counter
of the said Enemies; and that ye fail not hereof, as ye tender
the weal of our said Sovereign Lord, and all this his Realm.
Written at Bury, the 19th day of March.

 

                                                                    OXYNFORD.

 

12 by 6?.

          Paper Mark,
     Bull?s Head and Star.
           Pl. x. No 3.

        Bury,
            19th of March,
            1470, II E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

 

 

     This spirited Letter was written immediately after notice of the landing of Edward at
Ravenspur, in Yorkshire, on the 14th of March; but whether the forces raised in
Norfolk, and the neighbouring Counties, marched towards Newark does not appear;
—if they did, they and those they might meet there, never faced Edward’s Army, which
came forwards to the Earl of Warwick’s Forces intrenched at Coventry. Edward there
made a feint of attacking them, but being joined by his Brother the Duke of Clarence,
it was determined to omit that, and proceed immediately to London; where he arrived
on the 11th of April, without opposition, and instantly re-assumed the Government of
the Kingdom.

     Autograph. Pl. IV. No 5.

          

Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'

770

 

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO HENRY SPILMAN
AND OTHERS1

 

To my right trusty and welbelovyd Henry Spilman, Thos. Seyve,
     John Seyve, James Radclif, John Brampton the older, and to
     eche of them.

TRUSTY and welbeloved, I comende me to you, lettyng
     you witte that I have credible tydyngs that the Kyngs
     gret enemys and rebellis, acompanyed with enemys
estraungers, be nowe aryved, and landyd in the north parties
of this his land, to the utter destruction of his roiall persone,
and subversion of all his realm, if they myght atayne; whom
to encountre and resiste the Kings Highnesse hath comaunded
and assigned me, under his seall, sufficient power and auctorite
to call, reyse, gader, and assemble, fro tyme to tyme, all his
liege people of the shire of Norff., and other places, to assiste,
ayde, and strenght me in the same entent.

     Wherfor, in the Kyngs name, and by auctorite aforesaid, I
straitly charge and command you, and in my owne byhalf
hertly desire and pray you, that, all excuses leid apart, ye, and
eche of you in your owne persones defensibly araied, with
asmony men as ye may goodly make, be on Fryday next
comyng at Lynne, and so forth to Newark, where, with the
leve of God, I shall not faile to be at that tyme; entendyng
fro thence to goo foorth with the help of God, you, and my
fryndes, to the recountr of the said enemyes; and that ye faill
not hereof, as ye tendre the weele of our said sovereygne
Lord, and all this his realme. Written at Bury, the xixth day
of Marche.                                                                  OXYNFORD.

    1 [From Fenn, ii. 58.] This letter was evidently written five days after the last.

 

 

 

 

 

1471
MARCH 19