The Earl of Oxford to Sir John Paston

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Reference

Add. 27446, f. 86

Date

?31 July 1491

Library / Archive

Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)

Gairdner, Vol VI, item 1047; Fenn, Vol V, Henry VII item 25

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (1st transcript)

LETTER XXV.

To the Right Worshipfull
and my Right Welbeloued
S^r John Paston Knyght

RIGHT Worshipfull and Right Welbeloued I comaunde me
to you And where as I late Receyued yo^r Wrytyng beryng
Date the xxvj day of this present Monthe By the whiche I
understand that one Richard Calle toke certeyne men of
Werre Robbyng opon the coste there And in somoche
as I understand that they be under the obeissaunce of
the Kyng of Denmarke J wolle and desyre you that ye
delyuer theym unto the seid Richard Calle to take his
avauntage of theym as p’soners seyng my Dutee reserued in
eu^ry thyng as my trust is in you And Almyghty god kepe
you Writen at my Castell of Hedyngham the last day of
Jule

OXYNFORD.

11¼ by 8.

           Paper Mark.
            A Unicorn.
          Pl. xi. No. 14.

The date of this letter is uncertain; but, as complaints were made in the year
1491 concerning the behaviour of the English sailors at Iceland, perhaps about
the same time some of the Danish sailors might rob and plunder on our coast.

A Richard Calle married Margery, a sister of Sir John Paston, but whether
he is the person here mentioned as the captor of the Danish ships, does not
appear.

If this capture happened later in this reign than the date here fixed, he might
be a son of his.

John Vere, Earl of Oxford, was Lord Admiral of England during the whole
reign of Henry VII. and Sir John Paston was his Vice Admiral during part
of that time, at least upon the Norfolk coast.

Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 5.

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

LETTER XXV.

To the Right Worshipful, and my right well-beloved Sir John
Paston, Knight.

RIGHT worshipful and right well-beloved, I commend me
to you; and whereas I late received your writing, bearing
date the 26th day of this present month; by the which I
understand that one Richard Calle took certain men of war
robbing upon the coast there; and insomuch as I understand
that they be under the obeissance of the King of Denmark;
I will and desire you that ye deliver them unto the said
Richard Calle, to take his advantage of them as prisoners,
seeing my duty reserved in every thing, as my trust is in
you. And Almighty God keep you.

Written at my Castle of Hedingham, the last day of
July.

OXYNFORD.

       Hedingham Castle,
       Sunday, 31st July,
          1491. 6 H. vii.

A Richard Calle married Margery, a sister of Sir John Paston, but whether
he is the person here mentioned as the captor of the Danish ships, does not
appear.

If this capture happened later in this reign than the date here fixed, he might
be a son of his.

John Vere, Earl of Oxford, was Lord Admiral of England during the whole
reign of Henry VII. and Sir John Paston was his Vice Admiral during part
of that time, at least upon the Norfolk coast.

Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 5.

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

1047

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To the right worshipfull and my right welbeloved
Sir John Paston, Knyght.

RIGHT worshipfull and right welbeloved, I comaunde me
to you. And where as I late receyved your wrytyng,
beryng date the xxvj. day of this present monthe, by
the whiche I understand that one Richard Calle toke certeyne
men of werre robbyng upon the coste there; and in somoche
as I understand that they be under the obeissaunce of the
Kyng of Denmarke, I wolle and desyre you that ye delyver
theym unto the seid Richard Calle to take his avauntage of
theym as prisoners, seyng my dutee reserved in every thyng,
as my trust is in you. And Almyghty God kepe you.

Writen at my castell of Hedyngham, the last day of Jule.

OXYNFORD.

¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is uncertain, but, as Fenn
suggests, it is not unlikely to have been written in the year 1491, when it may be
supposed that Danish sailors endeavoured to requite the injuries inflicted by the
English in Iceland, of which mention is made in the last letter.

1491(?)
JULY 31