The Earl of Oxford to Thomas Vere

LETTER XXXVII.

To my right dere and welbeloved Brother Thomas Veer.

RIGHT Dere and welbeloved brother I com’nd me hertly
     unto you c’tyfying you that I have receyved yo^r w’tyng
directed now laste unto me by my s’vant Will’m Cooke by
which I und’stande the faithfull gwydyng and disposicōn of the
Cuntre to my gret Cumfote and Pleaser, which I dowbte not
shall redunde to the grethest p’syng and worship that eu’ dide
till eny Cuntre c’tyfying you ferd’more that by Nicheson of
yo^r other tydyngs laste send unto me Also thes by Robt Port’
I have disposed me w^t all the power that I can make in Essex
and Suff’ Cambrygeshire and other places to be on monday next
com[SYM]g at Bury whiche p’pose I intende to obs’ve w^t Godds g’ce
towards you in to Norff’ to the assistence of you and the Cuntre
in case Edwarde w^t his Companye had aryved ther and yete
I shall do the same nōghtw^tstandyng for if he aryve northwarde

like as ye wete by likelyhode he shulde I caste to folow and
porsew hym and where ye desire that I shulde send you woorde
what disposicōn shalbe take in the Cuntre wher ye be I desire
you that ye by theadvyse of the Gentilmē which ben there
chese iij or iiij and send theym to me at Bury on monday next
and than I and they w^t my Counceyle shall take a Direccōn for
the Sur’tie of all that Cuntre by Godds g’ce by whome I shall
send than relacōn whed^r ye shall remayne still ther yo^r selff
or resorte to me w^t all thos that be acompayned w^t you and
Jh’u p’s’ve you. At Hithingh’m the xiiij day of Marche.

                                     By your loving brother,

                                                                        Oxynford.

11 ? by 8 ?.

          Paper Mark, Wheels, &c.
                Pl. x. N^o 9.

Heningham, or Hedingham Castle, in Essex,
14th of March, 1470, 11 E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

                                                                                                                                     LET-

     Sir Thomas de Vere, Knight, was third brother to John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.
It appears from this Letter, that the County of Norfolk was in the interest of Henry VI.
and by the Orders which it contains, that the Earl had had advice from his Brother of
the appearance of Edward’s Fleet on that Coast, and of its proceeding from thence to the
North.

 Hollingshed informs us, that Edward came before Cromer, in Norfolk, on the 12th
of March, where he sent on shore Sir Robert Chamberlaine, Sir Gilbert Debenham,
and others, to understand how the Country stood affected. They sound the vigilance of
the Earl of Oxford, and the great preparations he had made, were such, that it would be
unsafe to land, and therefore they steered Northwards.

     Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 5.

                                                  LETTER XXXVII.

      To my right dear and well beloved Brother, Thomas Veer.

RIGHT dear and well beloved Brother, I commend me
     heartily unto you; certifying you that I have received your
writing, directed now last unto me, by my servant William
Cooke, by which I understand the faithful guiding and dispo-
sition of the Country to my great Comfort and Pleasure;
which I doubt not shall redound to the greatest praising and
worship that ever did till any Country; certifying you farther-
more, that by Nicheson of your other tidings last sent unto me;
also these by Robert Porter. I have disposed me with all the
power that I can make in Essex and Suffolk, Cambridgeshire
and other places, to be on Monday next coming at Bury, which
purpose I intend to observe with God’s Grace towards you into
Norfolk, to the assistance of you and the Country, in case
Edward with his Company had arrived there, and yet I shall do
the same notwithstanding; for if he arrive Northward, like

as ye weet by likelyhood he should, I cast (intend) to follow
and pursue him, and where(as) ye desire that I should send
you word what disposition shall be taken in the Country where
ye be, I desire you, that ye, by the advice of the Gentlemen
which be there, chuse three or four and send them to me at
Bury on Monday next; and then I and they, with my Council,
shall take a direction for the surety of all that Country by God’s
grace; by whom I shall send then to you relation, whether ye
shall remain still there yourself, or resort to me with all those
that be accompanied with you, and Jesu preserve you. At
Hithingham (Heningham) the 14th day of March.

                                               By your loving Brother,

                                                                      OXYNFORD.

         11 ¾ by 8 ½.

          Paper Mark, Wheels, &c.
                Pl. x. N^o 9.

Heningham, or Hedingham Castle, in Essex,
14th of March, 1470, 11 E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

                                                                                                                                     LET-

     Sir Thomas de Vere, Knight, was third brother to John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.
It appears from this Letter, that the County of Norfolk was in the interest of Henry VI.
and by the Orders which it contains, that the Earl had had advice from his Brother of
the appearance of Edward’s Fleet on that Coast, and of its proceeding from thence to the
North.

 Hollingshed informs us, that Edward came before Cromer, in Norfolk, on the 12th
of March, where he sent on shore Sir Robert Chamberlaine, Sir Gilbert Debenham,
and others, to understand how the Country stood affected. They sound the vigilance of
the Earl of Oxford, and the great preparations he had made, were such, that it would be
unsafe to land, and therefore they steered Northwards.

     Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 5.

769

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO THOMAS VERE³

To my right dere and welbeloved brother, Thomas Veer.

RIGHT dere and welbeloved brother, I command me hertly
     unto you; certyfying you that I have receyved your
     writing, directed now laste unto me, by my servant
William Cooke, by which I understande the faithfull gwydyng
and disposicion of the cuntre, to my gret cumfote and pleaser;
which I dowbte not shall redunde to the grethest presyng and
worship that ever dide till eny cuntre; certyfying you ferder-
more that by Nicheson of your other tydyngs laste send unto
me; also thes by Robt. Porter. I have disposed me with all
the power that I can make in Essex and Suffolk, Cambryge-
shire, and other places, to be on Monday next comyng at
Bury, which purpose I intende to observe, with Godds grace,
towards you in to Norffolk, to the assistence of you and the
cuntre, in case Edwarde with his companye had aryved ther,
and yete I shall do the same noughtwithstandyng; for if he
aryve northwarde, like as ye wete by likelyhode he shulde, I
caste to folow and porsew hym. And where ye desire that I
shulde send you woorde what disposicion shalbe take in the
cuntre wher ye be, I desire you that ye, by theadvyse of the
gentilmen which ben there, chese iij. or iiij., and send theym
to me at Bury on Monday next; and than I and they, with
my Counceyle, shall take a direccion for the suretie of all that
cuntre, by Godds grace; by whome I shall send than to you
relacion, wheder ye shall remayne still ther your selff, or
resorte to me with all thos that be accompanyed with you.
And Jhesu preserve you. At Hithingham [Hedingham], the
xiiij. day of Marche.

                                  By your lovyng brothyr,

                                                                                    OXYNFORD.

     ³ [From Fenn, ii. 54.] It is sufficiently apparent from the contents that this was
written during the restoration of Henry VI., and in anticipation of the attempt by
King Edward, which was very soon afterwards successful, to recover his throne.
Edward in fact landed at Ravenspur the very day this letter was written.

1471
MARCH 14