William Yelverton to John Paston

Add. 43488, f. 9

1444-1460

Gairdner, Vol II, item 66; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 6

LETTER VI.

To my Ryght Wurchepfull Cosyn John Paston Esquier.

RIGHT worchepful Cosyn I recomaunde me to yowthankyng
yow as hertyly as I kan for my selff &c. and specially for
yat ye do so moche for Oure Ladyes Hous of Walfyngh’m which
I trust v^ryly ye do the rather for y^e grete love yat ye deme I
have yerto, for trewly if I be drawe to any worchep or wellfare
and discharge of myn Enmyes daunger I ascryve it unto Our
Lady. Preyng yow y^rfore yat ye woln ben as frendly to Oure
Ladyes hous as I wote well ye have alwey ben, and in especyall
now yat I myght have of yow the report certeynly be your Lett^r
of yat that Naunton your Cosyn informyd yow and told yow
be mouthe of all mat^rs towchyng Oure Ladyes hous of Wal-
syngh’m

For me thynkyth be yat I have herde be Oure Ladys prest of
Walsyngh’m if I understode weel yat mater yat it shuld do moch
to the gode spede of the mater, and dought yow not our Lady
shall quyte it yow and here poer P’our here aftyr as he may &c.
Preyng yow also Cosyn and avysyng for the ease of us both and
of our frendes and of many other yat ye be at London be tymes
y^is t^rme and if we spede well now, all well all y^is yere aftir for
I knowe v^ryly y^r was nevyr made grett^r labour yanne shall be
made now and yerfore I pray to Our Lady help us and her
blissid Sone which have you in his holy kepyng.

Wreten at yo^rur poer place of Bayfeld on Sent Fraunces day
in hast.

Yo^r Cosyn,
William Yelverton, Justis.

12 by 4.

Bayfield,
    in Norfolk,
    St. Francis Day,
    4th October.
    Between 1444, and 1460,

In 1440, William Yelverton, Son of John Yelverton, by Elizabeth, Daughter of
Richard Read, and widow of Robert Clere, was appointed King’s Serjeant, and in 1444,
a Justice of the King’s Bench, and in 1460 he was created a Knight of the Bath.

This Letter therefore was most probably written before 1460, as had it been written
after that time, he would have signcd himself Knight as well as Justice. PL. II. N^o 14.

The Image of our Lady of Walsingham, in Norfolk, was in these days, and had been
for ages, particularly resorted to by all ranks of people, from the King to the Peasant,
by foreigners as well as natives; and was held in the highest veneration for the various-
miracles, &c. ascribed to her.

We must not therefore wonder, in this enlightened age, that a Judge, bigotted to his
religion, and the credulity of the times, should ascribe not only every fortunate event
which befel him to the influence of our Lady of Walsingham, but likewise attribute his
escape from every danger which had threatened him, to her protection.

This famous and wonder-working Image was however, in 1538, 30 H. VIII. brought
to Chelsea, and there burnt.

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

The impression on the wax with which this Letter is sealed is a Cinquefoil, having some
motto, (which I cannot make out) round it.

There is a braid of twine about the Seal.

LETTER VI.

To my right worshipful Cousin, John Paston, Esquire.

RIGHT worshipful Cousin, I recommend me to you, thank-
ing you as heartily as I can for myself, &c. and especially
for that ye do so much for Our Lady’s House of Walsingham,
which I trust verily ye do the rather for the great Love that
ye deem I have thereto; for truely if I be drawn to any worship
or welfare, and discharge of mine Enemies’ danger, I ascribe it
unto Our Lady.

Praying you therefore, that ye will be as friendly to Our
Lady’s House as I wote (know) well ye have alway been, and in
especial now, that I might have of you the report certainly by
your Letter of that, that Naunton your Cousin informed you,
and told you by mouth of all matters touching Our Lady’s
House of Walsingham; for methinketh by that I have heard by
Our Lady’s Priest of Walsingham, if I underftood well that
matter, that it should be much to the good speed of the matter,
and doubt you not Our Lady shall quite (requite) it you, and
her poor Prior hereafter as he may, &c.

Praying you also Cousin, and advising for the ease of us both,
and of our Friends, and of many other, that ye be at London
by times this term, and if we speed well now, all well all this
year after; for I know verily there was never made a greater
labour than shall be made now, and therefore I pray to Our
Lady, help us, and her Blessed Son, which have you in his
holy keeping.

Written at your poor place of Bayfield, on Saint Francis’s
day, in haste.

Your Cousin,

WILLIAM YELVERTON, Justice.

12 by 4.

Bayfield,
    in Norfolk,
    St. Francis Day,
    4th October.
    Between 1444, and 1460,

In 1440, William Yelverton, Son of John Yelverton, by Elizabeth, Daughter of
Richard Read, and widow of Robert Clere, was appointed King’s Serjeant, and in 1444,
a Justice of the King’s Bench, and in 1460 he was created a Knight of the Bath.

This Letter therefore was most probably written before 1460, as had it been written
after that time, he would have signcd himself Knight as well as Justice. PL. II. N^o 14.

The Image of our Lady of Walsingham, in Norfolk, was in these days, and had been
for ages, particularly resorted to by all ranks of people, from the King to the Peasant,
by foreigners as well as natives; and was held in the highest veneration for the various-
miracles, &c. ascribed to her.

We must not therefore wonder, in this enlightened age, that a Judge, bigotted to his
religion, and the credulity of the times, should ascribe not only every fortunate event
which befel him to the influence of our Lady of Walsingham, but likewise attribute his
escape from every danger which had threatened him, to her protection.

This famous and wonder-working Image was however, in 1538, 30 H. VIII. brought
to Chelsea, and there burnt.

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

The impression on the wax with which this Letter is sealed is a Cinquefoil, having some
motto, (which I cannot make out) round it.

There is a braid of twine about the Seal.

66

WILLIAM YELVERTON TO JOHN PASTON³

To my ryght wurchepfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquier.

     RIGHT worchepful cosyn, I recomaunde me to yow,
         thankyng yow as hertyly as I kan for my selff, &c.,
     and specially for that ye do so moche for Oure Ladyes
hous at Walsyngham, which I trust veryly ye do the rather
for the grete love that ye deme I have therto; for trewly if I
be drawe to any worchep or wellfare, and discharge of myn
enmyes daunger, I ascryve it unto Our Lady.

Preyng yow therfore that ye woln ben as frendly to Our
Ladyes hous as I wote well ye have alwey ben, and in especyall
now, that I myght have of yow the report certeynly be your
letter of that, that Naunton your cosyn informyd yow, and
told yow be mouth of all maters towchyng Oure Ladyes hous
of Walsyngham.

For me thynkyth be that I have herde be Oure Ladys
prest of Walsyngham, if I understode weel that mater, that it
shuld do moch to the gode spede of the mater; and dought
yow not our Lady shall quyte it yow and here poer priour
here aftyr, as he may, &c.

Preying yow also, cosyn, and avysyng for the ease of us
both, and of our frendes, and of many other, that ye be at
London be tymes this terme, and if we spede well now, all
well all this yere aftir; for I knowe veryly ther was nevyr
made gretter labour thanne shall be made now, and therfore I
pray to Our Lady, help us, and her blissid Sone, which have
you in His holy kepyng.

Wreten at your poer place of Bayfeld, on Sent Fraunces
day,¹ in hast.

Your cosyn,

WILLIAM YELVERTON, Justis.

³ [From Fenn, i. 20.] The date of this letter is not earlier than 1444, when
William Yelverton was appointed a Justice of the King’s Bench; and, as Fenn
remarks, it is probably not later than 1460, when he was made a Knight of the Bath,
otherwise he would have signed himself Knight as well as Justice.

¹ St. Francis’ day is the 4th of October.

Between
1444
and
1460