William Barker to William Worcester

LETTER XXV.

To Will’m ¹ Worcester be this L’re delyv^red in hast.

S^R. I recomaunde me to yow and as for tydyngs ye may
     enforme myn Mayst^r ther’ is non but that he hath know-
leche of but that the Kyng the Quene and the Prynce remeven to
Hertford to morwen w^t ought faute, myn Lord ² York to the
Fryres at Ware myn Lord ³ Warwyk to Hunesdon the Erle
⁴ Salysburye to Rye and there they shall abyde to tyme the
⁵ p’lem’t be gynne.

     The Duk ⁶ Buk is come inne and sworn that he shalbe
rewled and draw the lyne w^t theym and ther to he and his
Brethern ben bounde by reconysaunce in notable sum’es to
abyde the same.

     The Erle of ⁷ Wylts sent to the Lordes from a place of his
called Peterfeld a L’re desyring to know if he shuld come and a

byde a bought the Kynges p’sone as he dede be fore and if he
shuld not than that they wold lycence hym to goon in to Er-
land and leve there upon his landes, &c. and before this don the
Lordes were advysed to have made hym to don as the Duk
Buk hath don and no more but what that wolle falle now y^rof no
man can telle as yet.

     The Baron of ⁸ Dudley is in the Towre what shal come of
hym God wote. The Erle of ⁹ Dorsete is in warde w^t the Erle
of Warr’.

     Hit was seyd for sothe that Harp’e and ij other of the Kynges
¹⁰ Chamb^r were confedered to have steked the Deuk York in the
Kynges Chamb^r but hit was not so for they have clered theym
y^rof.

     But London upon the same tale areysen and every man to har-
neys on Corpus Xpi even and moche a doo y^re was.

     S^r. Will’m Oldhall a bydeth no lenger in Seyntwery than the
Chef Juge come for that tyme he shal goo at large and sewe all
his maters himself, &c.

     The Baron Dudley hath appeched many men but what they
ben as yet we can not wete. S^r. Phillyp Wentworth was in the
feld and bare the Kynges Standard and kest hit down and fled,
myn Lord ¹¹ Norff’ seyth he shal be hanged therfore and so is
he worthy, he is in Suff’ now he der not come abought the
Kynge.

Edmond Stendale was w^t Wenlok y^re in the feld and ffowly
hurt.

     ¹² Fylongley is at home at his owen place w^t his wyf and shal
doe ryght weel, but we have a greet losse of his absence this
terme for hit wole be longe er he come this terme I am a ferde.

     Alle the Lordes that dyed at the Jorney arn beryed at Seynt
Albones.

     Other thinges ben non here but ye shal sen’ by Thom’s Scales
L’re the rewle of the Frenshemen, &c.

     God spede us weel in our matres this terme I p’ye to God who
have yow in his kepyng, &c.

                                                                                               ¹³ W. B.

1 ? by 8 ?.

             Paper Mark.
                   A Bull.
             Pl. IX. N^o 10.

London,
     June 1455.
     33 H. VI.

This Letter, written in the beginning of June, gives a plain narrative of the State of
Affairs respecting both Parties, immediately after the first battle of St. Alban’s, which
was fought on the 23d of May, 1455.

     ¹ William Worcester, the Son of William de Worcester, and Elizabeth, the Daughter
of Thomas Botoner, was born at Bristol, about the year 1415, 3 H. V. was educated at
Oxford, &c. at the expence of Sir John Fastolf, Kt. with whom he afterwards lived at
Caister in Norfolk, and to whom he was Esquire, Historian, and Executor. He sometimes
styled himself William Botoner, and at other times William Botoner, al’s Worcester.

 He was a man of great application to Learning, versed in various Sciences, and indefa-
tigable in the study of the Antiquities of this kingdom.

     He wrote many Works, and was alive in 1480.

     ² Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ³ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick.

     ⁴ Richard Nevile, Earl of Salisbury.

     ⁵ The Parliament was summoned to meet on Wednesday, 9th of July, 1455.

     ⁶ Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, &c. slain at Northampton in 1460.

     ⁷ James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire, Son and Heir of James Butler, Earl of Ormond.

  ⁸——— Sutton, Baron Dudley.

     ⁹ Henry Beaufort, Earl of Dorset, Son and Heir of the late Duke of Somerset.

     He is here styled only Earl of Dorset, though by the death of his Father at the battle of
St. Alban’s, he was now Duke of Somerset, &c.

¹⁰ Grooms of the King’s Chamber.

     ¹¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, he died in 1461.

 ¹² He appears to have been a Lawyer, and it seems as if he had been wounded in the
battle of St. Alban’s.

¹³ The Writer W. B.

Most probably was brought up to the law. Pl. II. N^o 27.

LETTER XXV.

To William ¹ Worcester be this Letter delivered in haste.

SIR, I recommend me to you, and as for Tidings ye may
     inform mine Master, that for new there is none but that he
hath knowledge of.

     But that the King, the Queen and the Prince, remove to
Hertford tomorrow without fault; my Lord of ² York to the
Fryers at Ware; my Lord of ³ Warwick to Hunsdon; the Earl of
⁴ Salisbury to Rye; and there they shall abide to the time the
⁵ Parliament begins.

     The Duke of ⁶ Buckingham is come in, and sworn that he
shall be ruled, and draw the line with them; and thereto he and
his Brothers be bound by recognizance in notable sums to abide
the same.

     The Earl of ⁷ Wiltshire sent to the Lords, from a place of his
called Petersfield, a Letter desiring to know if he should come,

and abide about the King’s Person as he did before, and if he
should not, then that they would license him to go into Ireland,
and live there upon his lands, &c.

     And before this done, the Lords were advised to have made
him to do as the Duke of Buckingham hath done and no more;
but what that will fall now thereof, no man can tell as yet.

     The Baron of ⁸ Dudley is in the Tower, what shall come of
him God wot.

     The Earl of ⁹ Dorset is in ward with the Earl of Warwick.

     It was said forsooth, that Harper and two other of the King’s
¹⁰ Chamber, were confederated to have sticked (stabbed) the
Duke of York in the King’s Chamber, but it was not so, for
they have cleared them thereof.

     But London upon the same tale arisen, and every man to har-
ness on Corpus Christi even (5th of June) and much ado
there was.

     Sir William Oldhall abideth no longer in Sanctuary than (till)
the Chief Justice come; for (at) that time he shall go at large
and sue all his matters himself, &c.

     The Baron Dudley hath impeached many men; but what they
be, as yet we cannot weet.

     Sir Philip Wentworth was in the Field, and bore the King’s
Standard, and cast it down and fled; my Lord of ¹¹ Norfolk
saith, he shall be hanged therefore, and so is he worthy; he is
in Suffolk now, he dares not come about the King.

Edmund Stendale was with Wenlock there in the field and
fouly hurt.

     ¹² Fylongley is at home at his own place with his wife, and
shall do right well, but we have a great loss of his absence this
terme, for it will be long ere he come this terme, I am afraid.

     All the Lords that died at the Journey (Battle) are buried
at Saint Alban’s.

     Other things be none here, but ye shall see by Thomas Scales’
Letter the rule of the Frenchmen, &c.

     God speed us well in our matters this term, I pray to God,
who have you in his keeping, &c.

                                                                                      ¹³ W. B.

1 ? by 8 ?.

             Paper Mark.
                   A Bull.
             Pl. IX. N^o 10.

London,
     June 1455.
     33 H. VI.

This Letter, written in the beginning of June, gives a plain narrative of the State of
Affairs respecting both Parties, immediately after the first battle of St. Alban’s, which
was fought on the 23d of May, 1455.

     ¹ William Worcester, the Son of William de Worcester, and Elizabeth, the Daughter
of Thomas Botoner, was born at Bristol, about the year 1415, 3 H. V. was educated at
Oxford, &c. at the expence of Sir John Fastolf, Kt. with whom he afterwards lived at
Caister in Norfolk, and to whom he was Esquire, Historian, and Executor. He sometimes
styled himself William Botoner, and at other times William Botoner, al’s Worcester.

 He was a man of great application to Learning, versed in various Sciences, and indefa-
tigable in the study of the Antiquities of this kingdom.

     He wrote many Works, and was alive in 1480.

     ² Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

     ³ Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick.

     ⁴ Richard Nevile, Earl of Salisbury.

     ⁵ The Parliament was summoned to meet on Wednesday, 9th of July, 1455.

     ⁶ Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, &c. slain at Northampton in 1460.

     ⁷ James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire, Son and Heir of James Butler, Earl of Ormond.

  ⁸——— Sutton, Baron Dudley.

     ⁹ Henry Beaufort, Earl of Dorset, Son and Heir of the late Duke of Somerset.

     He is here styled only Earl of Dorset, though by the death of his Father at the battle of
St. Alban’s, he was now Duke of Somerset, &c.

¹⁰ Grooms of the King’s Chamber.

     ¹¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, he died in 1461.

 ¹² He appears to have been a Lawyer, and it seems as if he had been wounded in the
battle of St. Alban’s.

¹³ The Writer W. B.

Most probably was brought up to the law. Pl. II. N^o 27.

287

WILLIAM BARKER TO WILLIAM WORCESTER²

To William Worcester, be this lettre delyvered in hast.

   SIR, I recomaunde me to yow; and as for tydyngs, ye
     may enforme myn mayster, there is non but that he
     hath knowleche of, but that the Kyng, the Quene, and
the Prynce remeven to Hertford to morwen withought faute;
myn Lord York to the Fryres at Ware; myn Lord Warwyk
to Hunesdon; the Erle Salysburye to Rye; and there they
shall abyde to tyme the Parlement be gynne.

     The Duk Buk is come inne, and sworn that he shal be
rewled, and draw the lyne with theym; and ther to he and
his brethern ben bounde by reconysaunce in notable summes
to abyde the same.

     The Erle of Wylts sent to the Lordes from a place of his,
called Peterfeld, a lettre desyring to know if he shuld come,

and abyde abought the Kynges persone as he dede be fore;
and if he shuld not, than that they wold lycence hym to goon
in to Erland, and leve there upon his landes, &c., and before
this don, the Lordes were advysed to have made hym to don
as the Duk Buk hath don, and no more; but what that wolle
falle now therof, no man can telle as yet.

     The Baron of Dudley is in the Towre; what shal come
of hym, God wote. The Erle of Dorsete is in warde with
the Erie of Warrwyk.

     Hit was seyd, for sothe, that Harpere and ij. other of the
Kynges chamber were confedered to have steked the Deuk
York in the Kynges chamber; but hit was not so, for they
have clered theym therof.

     But London upon the same tale areysen, and every man
to harneys on Corpus Christi even, and moche adoo there
was.

     Syr William Oldhall a bydeth no lenger in Seyntwery than
the Chef Juge come, for that tyme he shal goo at large, and
sewe all his maters himself, &c.

     The Baron Dudley hath appeched many men; but what
they ben, as yet we can not wete. Sir Phillyp Wentworth
was in the feld, and bare the Kynges standard, and kest hit
down and fled. Myn Lord Norffolk seyth he shal be hanged
therfore, and so is he worthy. He is in Suffolk now. He
der not come abought the Kynge.

     Edmond Stendale was with Wenlok there in the feld, and
ffowly hurt.

     Fylongley is at home at his owen place with his wyf, and
shal doe ryght weel; but we have a greet losse of his absence
this terme, for hit wole be longe er he come this terme, I am
a ferde.

     Alle the Lordes that dyed at the jorney arn beryed at
Seynt Albones.

     Other thinges ben non here, but ye shal sene by Thomas
Scales lettre the rewle of the Frenshemen, &c.

     God spede us weel in our matres this terme, I praye to
God, who have yow in his kepyng, &c.

                                                                                          W. B.

          ² [From Fenn, i. 104.] This letter relates entirely to occurrences after the battle
of St. Albans. The writer here only signs with his initials, but from the facsimile
given by Fenn of his ‘W. B.,’ he can be clearly identified with William Barker.

JUNE

1455
JUNE