Thomas Playter to John Paston

Add. 43489, f. 7

1461

Gairdner, Vol III, item 457; Fenn, Vol I, Edward IV item 4

LETTER IV.

To my right good Maister John Paston in all hast.

AFTER my most sp’al Recomendacōn Please yo^r Mais-
terchip wete The Kyng be cause of the sege a boute
Carelylle chūnged his day of Coronacōn to be upon the sunday
nexst after seynt John Baptyste to thentent to spede hym north-
ward in all hast, and how be it blyssed be God that he hath now
good tydynggs that Lord Mountagu hath broken the sege
and slayn of Scotts vj m¹ and ij knyghes, whereof Lord Clifford’s
brother is on’, yet not wythstandyng he wol be Crowned the
sayd Sunday. And John Jeney enformed me and as I have
v’ely lerned Sethen ye ar inbylled to be made Knygth at this
Coronacōn, wheder ye have understandyng before hand I wot not,
but and it lyke you to take the worchip uppon you consyderyng
the comfortable tytynggs afore sey^d and for the gladnesse and
pleso^r of al yo^r welwyllers and to the pyne and dyscomfort of all
yo^r Ille wyllers, it were time yo^r gere necessarye on that by halfe
were p’veyd fore, and also ye had nede higth you to London
for as I conceyve the Knygthes schuld be made uppon the Sater-
day by for y^e Coronacōn, and as moche as may he p’veyed
for you in secrete wyse wythouten cost I schall by speke for you
if nede be, ayens yo^r comyng in trust of the best, nev’the-
lesse if ye be dysposed ye had nede send a man by fore in all hast
that no thing be to seke. Will’m Calthorp is inbylled, and
Yelu’tōn is inbylled, whiche caused Markh’m be cause Yel-
u’ton loked to have ben Chef Juge and Markh’m thynketh to
plese hym thus. And as for the mat’ a yens Pontrell we
can no farther p’cede tyl we have my maist’ yo^r faders testamē^t,
I sent my maistres a lett’ for it, no more but I p’y al myghty
Jh’u have you in his kepyng.

Y^r.

11 ½ by 4 ¾.

Thom’s playter.

         London,
            May or June, 1461,
            1 E. IV.

By this Account it appears that Lord Montagu must have marched very soon after the
battle of Tow ton to the Siege of Carlisle; but our Historians are silent on this subject.

J. Paston does not appear to have been knighted at the Coronation, John Markham and
William Yelverton, were called to the degree of Serjeants, in 1440, and in 1444 both
made Judges, the former succeeded as Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, in 1462.

Below the Direction of this Letter, and in a more modern hand is written, “J. Paston,
w^th others imbilled to be made knights at the Coronation of E. y^e iiij^th”.

Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 14.

Autograph. Pl. v. N^o 14.

LETTER IV.

To my right good Master, John Paston, in all haste.

AFTER my most special Recommendation, Please your
Mastership weet; the King, because of the Siege of Car-
lisle, changed his day of Coronation to be upon the Sunday
next after Saint John Baptist, to the intent to speed him North-
ward in all haste. And how be it, blessed be God, that he hath
now good tidings, that Lord Montagu hath broken the Siege,
and slain of Scotts six thousand, and two Knights, whereof
Lord Clifford’s brother is one; yet notwithstanding he will be
crowned the said Sunday.

And John Jeney informed me, and as I have verily learned
sithen (since) ye are inbilled to be made a Knight at this Coro-
nation; whether ye have understanding before hand, I wot not;
but and it like you to take the worship upon you, considering
the comfortable tidings aforesaid; and for the gladness and
pleasure of all your Welwillers; and to the pine and discom-
fort of all your Ill willers; it were time your geer necessary
on that behalf were purveyed for; and also ye had need hight
you (come) to London, for as I conceive the Knights should be
made upon the Saturday before the Coronation. And as much
as may be purveyed for you in secret wise without cost; I shall
bespeak for you, if need be, against your coming, in trust of
the best; nevertheless if ye be disposed, ye had need send a
man before in all haste, that nothing be to seek. William
Calthorp is inbilled, and Yelverton is inbilled, which caused
Markham; because Yelverton looked to have been Chief Judge,
and Markham thinketh to please him thus. And as for the
matter against Pontrell, we can no farther proceed, till we have
my Master your Father’s Testament; I sent my Mistress a
Letter for it. No more, but I pray Almighty Jesu have you
in his keeping.

Your,

THOMAS PLAYTER.

11 ? by 4 ?.

         London,
            May or June, 1461,
            1 E. IV.

By this Account it appears that Lord Montagu must have marched very soon after the
battle of Tow ton to the Siege of Carlisle; but our Historians are silent on this subject.

J. Paston does not appear to have been knighted at the Coronation, John Markham and
William Yelverton, were called to the degree of Serjeants, in 1440, and in 1444 both
made Judges, the former succeeded as Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, in 1462.

Below the Direction of this Letter, and in a more modern hand is written, “J. Paston,
w^th others imbilled to be made knights at the Coronation of E. y^e iiij^th”.

Autograph. Pl. V. N^o 14.

Autograph. Pl. v. N^o 14.

457

THOMAS PLAYTER TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right good maister, John Paston, in all hast.

AFTER my most special recommendacion, please your
maisterchip wete, the Kyng, be cause of the sege a
boute Carelylle, chaunged his day of Coronacion to
be upon the Sunday² nexst after Seynt John Baptyste, so
the’ntent to spede hym northward in all hast; and how be it,
blyssed be God, that he hath now good tydynggs, that Lord
Mountagu hath broken the sege, and slayn of Scotts vj.^ml.
[6000] and ij. knyghes, whereof Lord Cliffords brother is one,
yet not wythstandyng he wol be crowned the sayd Sunday.
And John Jeney enformed me, and as I have verely lerned
sethen, ye ar inbylled to be made knygth at this Coronacion.³
Wheder ye have understandyng before hand, I wot not; but
and it lyke you to take the worchip uppon you, consyderyng
the comfortable tytynggs afore seyd, and for the gladnesse and
plesour of al your welwyllers, and to the pyne and dyscomfort
of all your ille wyllers, it were tyme your gere necessarye on
that by halfe were purveyd fore, and also ye had nede higth
you to London, for as I conceyve the knygthes schuld be made
uppon the Saterday by for the Coronacion; and as moche as
may be purveyed for you in secrete wyse wythouten cost I
schall by speke for you, if nede be, ayens your comyng, in
trust of the best; neverthelesse, if ye be dysposed, ye had
nede send a man by fore in all hast, that no thing be to seke.
William Calthorp is inbylled, and Yelvertoun is inbylled,
whiche caused Markham; because Yelverton loked to have
ben chef juge, and Markham thynketh to plese hym thus.
And as for the mater ayens Poutrell, we can no farther pro-

cede, tyl we have my maister your faders testament. I sent
my maistres a letter for it. No more, but I pray Al myghty
Jesu have you in His kepyng.

Your, THOMAS PLAYTER.

¹ [From Fenn, i. 230.] It is evident from the contents that this letter was written
some time before the coronation of Edward IV. ² 28th June.

³ John Paston was not made knight at the coronation of Edward IV., but his eldest
son was made knight, probably as a substitute for himself, within two years after.

1461