The Earl of Warwick to John Paston

Add. 43488, f. 23

23 August 1454

Gairdner, Vol II, item 257; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 20

LETTER XX.

To the worshipfull and my right trusty Frende John
Paston Squyer.

WORSHIPFULL and my right trusty and welbeloved
frende I grete you well and for asmuch as I have
purchased of the worshipfull and my welbeloved frende ¹ Priour
of Walsyngham ij maners in lityl Snoryng w^t thap ptenants
in the Counte of Norff’ which maners be cleped Bowles and
Walcotes I desir and hertily praye yow that ye woll shewe
to me and my Feoffes in my name your good will and favour
so that I may by your frendship the more peasably rejoy my
forsaid purchase.

And more ou^r I praye you to yeve credens in this mater to
my welbeloved Chapellayn S^r. John Suthwell bcrer of thes my
Lett’, and in the same mater to be my feithfull frende as my
gret trust is in you wherin ye shall do to me a singuler pleasir
and cause me to bee to yow right good Lord which sumtyme
shall be to you available by the grace of God who p’serve you
and sende you welfare.

Yoven under my signet at ²Midilh’m the xxiij day of
August.

RICHARD Erl of R. Warwick.
WARREWIK.

11 ½ by 5.

     Paper Mark.
     Cross Keys.
     Pl. vIII. N^o 9.

Middleham,
23d of August,
Before 1460, 38 H. VI.

This Letter is written by the Secretary, and signed by the Earl himself; it has no
date of the year, but was certainly written before 1460, for in that year the Earl pre

sented Richard Cheyne, to the Rectory of Little Snoring, which was an appurtenant to
the Manors, and which, when this Letter was written, had been lately purchased.

¹ Thomas Hunt, was Prior of Walsingham, from 1437 to 1474.

² The Lordship of Middleham, in Yorkshire, came to the Family of Nevile, by the
marriage of Robert de Nevile, with Mary, the Daughter and Co-heir of Ralph Fitz-
Randulph.

The Seal of the Letter is of red wax, and has the Bear, and Motto of the Earl.

This and the preceding Letter, though they contain nothing curious in themselves, yet
deserve a place in this collection, as being perhaps the only private Letters extant of
this Nobleman, who, from his great Power and Authority, was called, the King Maker;
and from his large Possessions and magnificent Style of Living, the Great Earl of War-
wick.

He was the Son and Heir of Richard Nevile, Earl of Salisbury, and married Anne,
Daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, who, on the death of Anne,

Countess of Warwick, (the only Child of her Brother Henry, Duke of Warwick) in
her infancy, became Heir to the Honours and Inheritance of her Family.

Richard, in right of his Lady, assumed the Title of Earl of Warwick, and in 1449
obtained a Confirmation of it from Henry VI. Pl. I. N^o 7.

In 1460, he succeeded his Father as Earl of Salisbury.

This valiant and ambitious Nobleman was killed in the battle of Barnet, on Easter-day
1471, most furiously fighting against King Edward IV. whose advancement to the throne
he had so vigorously and warmly supported, and in whose cause he had formerly so often
fought.

LETTER XX.

To the worshipful, and my right trusty Friend, John
Paston, Esquire.

WORSHIPFUL, and my right trusty and well beloved
Friend, I greet you well, and forasmuch as I have
purchased, of the worshipful and my well beloved friend,
¹ Priour of Walsingham, two Manors in Little Snoring with,
the Appurtenances in the County of Norfolk, which Manors be
cleped (called) Bowle’s and Walcote’s.

I desire and heartily pray you, that ye will shew to me, and
my Feoffees in my name, your good will and favour; so that I
may by your Friendship the more peaceably enjoy my aforesaid
purchase.

And moreover I pray you to give credence in this matter to
my well beloved Chaplain Sir John Southwell, bearer of this my
Letter.

And in the same matter to be my faithful Friend, as my great
trust is in you; wherein ye shall do to me a singular pleasure,
and cause me to be to you right good Lord, which sometime shall
be to you available by the grace of God, who preserve you
and send you welfare.

Given under my Signet at ² Middleham, the 23d day of
August.

RICHARD Earl of R. Warwick.
WARWICK.

11 ½ by 5.

     Paper Mark.
     Cross Keys.
     Pl. vIII. N^o 9.

Middleham,
23d of August,
Before 1460, 38 H. VI.

This Letter is written by the Secretary, and signed by the Earl himself; it has no
date of the year, but was certainly written before 1460, for in that year the Earl pre

sented Richard Cheyne, to the Rectory of Little Snoring, which was an appurtenant to
the Manors, and which, when this Letter was written, had been lately purchased.

¹ Thomas Hunt, was Prior of Walsingham, from 1437 to 1474.

² The Lordship of Middleham, in Yorkshire, came to the Family of Nevile, by the
marriage of Robert de Nevile, with Mary, the Daughter and Co-heir of Ralph Fitz-
Randulph.

The Seal of the Letter is of red wax, and has the Bear, and Motto of the Earl.

This and the preceding Letter, though they contain nothing curious in themselves, yet
deserve a place in this collection, as being perhaps the only private Letters extant of
this Nobleman, who, from his great Power and Authority, was called, the King Maker;
and from his large Possessions and magnificent Style of Living, the Great Earl of War-
wick.

He was the Son and Heir of Richard Nevile, Earl of Salisbury, and married Anne,
Daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, who, on the death of Anne,

Countess of Warwick, (the only Child of her Brother Henry, Duke of Warwick) in
her infancy, became Heir to the Honours and Inheritance of her Family.

Richard, in right of his Lady, assumed the Title of Earl of Warwick, and in 1449
obtained a Confirmation of it from Henry VI. Pl. I. N^o 7.

In 1460, he succeeded his Father as Earl of Salisbury.

This valiant and ambitious Nobleman was killed in the battle of Barnet, on Easter-day
1471, most furiously fighting against King Edward IV. whose advancement to the throne
he had so vigorously and warmly supported, and in whose cause he had formerly so often
fought.

257

THE EARL OF WARWICK TO JOHN PASTON²

To the worshipfull and my right trusty frende
John Paston, Squyer.

   WORSHIPFULL and my right trusty and welbeloved
     frende, I grete you well. And forasmuch as I have
     purchased of the worshipfull and my welbeloved
frende, Priour of Walsyngham, ij. maners in Lityl Snoryng,
with thappurtenants, in the Counte of Norffolk, which maners
be cleped Bowles and Walcotes,—I desir and hertily praye
yow, that ye woll shewe to me, and my feoffes in my name,
your good will and favour, so that I may by your frendship
the more peasably rejoy my forsaid purchase.

And more over I praye you to yeve credens in this mater
to my welbeloved chapellayn, Syr John Suthwell, berer of this
my lettre, and in the same mater to be my feithfull frende, as
my gret trust is in you, wherin ye shall do to me a singular
pleasir, and cause me to bee to yow right good lord, which
sumtyme shall be to you available by the grace of God, who
preserve you and sende you welfare.

Yeven under my signet at Midilham, the xxiij. day of
August.

RICHARD, ERL OF
WARREWIK. R. WARREWYK.

² [From Fenn, i. 88.] See preliminary note to the last letter (p. 331, Note 1).

AUG. 23

1454
AUG. 23