The Paston Letters Volume Iv Part 52

[Footnote 276.3: Third daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn.]

667

ABSTRACT[277.1]

[Sidenote: 1467 / MAY 1]

'Bill indented' 1 May, 7 Edw. IV., between Sir John Paston and Thomas Lomnor, whereby the latter sells to the former an ambling horse 'upon this condition, that if the marriage betwixt the Lord Charles, son and heir to the Duke of Burgon, and the Lady Margaret, sister to our Sovereign Lord the King' take effect within two years, Sir John agrees to pay 6 marks for the horse on the day of the marriage; but if it do not take effect within that period he will pay only 40 s.h.i.+llings.

[There is a modern copy of this doc.u.ment in the Heralds' College, in the collection called Brooke's _Aspilogia_, vol. i. f. 47, where a drawing is given of Sir John Paston's seal, which seems to have been attached to it when the transcript was made. It has been since removed at some time or other.]

[Footnote 277.1: [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 192.]]

668

THE DUKE OF NORFOLK TO SIR JOHN HOWARD[277.2]

THE DUC OF NORFFOLK.

[Sidenote: 1467 / MAY 18]

Rygth trusty and enteerly beloved cousyn I comaunde me to you with all myn herte. And lyke it you to wete that G.o.d hath vyset me with grete infirmite and dissease, wherthurgh I neyther can nor may at this season and comynge of the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Burgoyne attende to th'execucion off myn offyce, as my wyll and duete were to, in myn owne persone. Wherfor of verray necessite I must depute suche a person in all goodly hast to ocupye as my deputee and to have my full power undere me at that season as is bothe of byrthe honorable and one all other wyse lykly. How be it that of long tyme contynnuynge I have ben enured of your stedfaste and preved feythful good cosyngnage and tendyrnesse to me shewed unfeyned to my gret refute[278.1] and hertes ease at all seasons. Wiche emboldeth me to call uppon you now; and also remembrynge the honour of the offyce doynge and the neighnesse of blode that ye be of to me, I thenke no person so convenable to ocupye in myn absence as you. For myn excuse, therfore, I specyally pray you, as my feythfull truste is holy in you, to take the labour uppon you and to do theryn be your discrecion to the most honour of the kynge, the realme, and be lyke as I am asured that ye can and wyll, puttynge you in surete that I wull become tributary to your costes and charges in that behalve. And as for all suche duteis as schall belonge to me at that tyme by reason of myn offyce, I gyff theme you for parcell of your said costes; and at such tyme as ye and I and myn counsell mete next ye schal not fayle to be agreid with, to your pleasure for the residue, by G.o.ddis grace, Wiche ever preserve you. And, cousyn, I sende you be the berer herof the double of this lettre, praying that ye will subscribe it with your owne hande and send it me a geyn be hym. Wryten under my signet the xviij. day of May.

_To my rigth trusty and rigth enteerly belovyd cousyn, Sir John Howard, knygth._

And this letter is a.s.signed with my lordes own hande.

[Footnote 277.2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 59.] The famous tournament between Lord Scales and the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Burgundy took place at Smithfield on the 11th and 12th June 1467. See _Excerpta Historica_, 176. This paper is evidently a copy of the original letter.]

[Footnote 278.1: _Sic_ in MS.]

[[Footnote 277.2: ... _Excerpta Historica_, 176.

_final . invisible_]]

669

SIR JOHN HOWARD[279.1]

[Sidenote: 1467 / JUNE]

This wrytenge made at London the vij^th yer of kyng Edward the iiij^th and the ----[279.2] day of June wytnessyth what Jakettes my master Sir John Howard geveth at the fytenge betwyx my Lord Scales and the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of Burgoyne.

John Alpherde Brome William Noryse Herry Straunge Robert c.u.mberton Hastynges John Fowler John Nyter Thomas Moleyns John Waleys Robart Thorppe John Bleaunt Thomas Thorppe Davy h.o.r.ell Robert Cooke Robart Clerke John Hobbes Wynche John Wady William Fernwale Raff Barlyscose Thomas Seynclew Whyttebye Kechyn John de Spayn Jenyn Saunpere John Kyngton Lytell Edmond John Coles Thomas Mershe Rechard Leder John Gylder Rechard Waleys Ravenysbye Thomas a Chambre Thomas Whytenge Thomas Grymston Roger Jewell Colson John Squyre[279.3]

Scarlett[279.3]

William West[279.4]

John Dykynson Thomas Bowden William Denny John Starkeweder George Hardwyn Thomas Caunterbury Dyott Robart Messeden John Mynshe Richard Pulton John Wakeleyn Nicholas Shakerley Hew Flynte Thomas Newton William Clerke Robart Nosbet Herry Nudygate William Yngram John Brodebryge Aleyn Cowper Rechard Roger Herry Cooke Edward Holman Rechard Halbroke[280.1]

Robart Sleper John Cheynour John Hylle

[Footnote 279.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 61.]]

[Footnote 279.2: Blank in MS.]

[Footnote 279.3: These two names, John Squyre and Scarlett, are bracketed together, and the name 'Alford' written opposite.]

[Footnote 279.4: Opposite this name is written 'Wal' in the margin.]

[Footnote 280.1: Opposite this name is written 'chad' in the margin.]

670

JAMES GRESHAM TO SIMON DAMME[280.2]

_To my wors.h.i.+pfull cosyn, Symond Damme, [at] Lyncoln Inne, at London, [be] this delyvered._

[Sidenote: 1467(?) / JULY 2]

Right wors.h.i.+pfull sir, and as in my trost my veray speciall good maister, I recomande me to you with al the servyce I can and may. Lyke it you to wytte that I have do my bysynes to enquere for suyche dedes as ye wrot for on to me, and, so G.o.d me helpe, I can not wytte where I shuld spede to have ony suyche dedes. I spak to a persone that is your good lover, the whiche tolde me that ther was a gret plee bytwene my Lord of Suffolk and Sir John Fastolf for the maner of Drayton, for whiche matier William Wysetre was sent to enquere for evydencez touchyng the Pooles lyvelond in suyche places as thei were lords of in their dayes. And the seid Wysetre fonde evydencez that touched a maner called Mundham maner, sum tyme longyng to the Pooles that were owenners of Drayton, the whiche evydences eased meche Sir John Fastolf; but the seid persone that enfourmed me of this can not telle the armes, ne what evydencez tho shuld be in certeyn, savyng he thynkyth indoubted that William Worcetre shuld not be unremembred of this. Wherfore it is thought to the same persone that enfourmed me of this and by me also, that it shuld be expedyent for you to comune of this matier by your wysdam with the same William Wysetre, now beyng at London, for he by lyklyhod can telle you a certeynte. And as touchyng my maister, Sir Thomas Mongomery, I trost veryly that he nothyr hath ne shall have cause of grudger by my defaut, for I can not understond ony cause of grudger; for ever whanne my cosyn Damme[281.1] hath spoken with my seid maisters attourne to have knowelage by writyng of what thyng shuld be the cause of callyng on you, he answerith that my maister, W. Paston, hath a bille therof, but my cosyn can non gete. Wherfor I deme that the seid attourne meneth not weel. I entende noon other but in als meche as in me is to se your indempnyte with the grace of G.o.d, who ever mote be your guyde and protector. Wretyn at Norwich the ij. day of Juylle.

Your servaunt in that he can and may to his powar,

I, JAMES GRESHAM.

Cosyn, an noon after this was wretyn, had I knowelage of the ma.s.sageris comyng to London berar of this, and I had thought to have wretyn the letter above wretyn newe, by cause of the foule wrytyng and interlynyeng, but now I lakke leyser. Wherfor I pray you understond the pyth of my seid wrytyng, and enfourme my seid maister Sir John P. of the same, for I wold fayne do that shulde please hym, &c. And the persone that enfourmed me dar not be a knowe of his name, ne he wold not it shuld be understond to them that be of counsell ageyn my maister. It was the parson of Heylesdon, &c. More over, as I have wretyn to you of late, Palmer, unders.h.i.+reve of Norffolk, hath sent his letter to his depute to acomplyssh our entent for Chyldes matier as ye and I were accordet. This told Wykes me for verray certeyn, &c., the ij. day of Juylle.

On the back of this letter are some scribblings in another hand, viz.:--First, a partial copy of the address; second, the name 'John Dode'; third, the following inscription, 'Orate pro anima Johnnes (_sic_) de Boys _armenger_ de Londonn.'

[Footnote 280.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] As this letter has reference to the disputes between the Duke of Suffolk and the Paston family about Drayton, it might be supposed to have been written about the year 1464, but that the entire absence of any mention of John Paston the father makes it probable that the true date is after his death. It is therefore not unlikely to be of the same year as No. 671, in which Margaret Paston mentions the probability of h.e.l.lesdon being taken again out of their hands, and also desires an answer to a letter that she had sent to her son, Sir John, 'by James Gresham's man.']

[Footnote 281.1: As it appears by the postscript that this letter was hurriedly despatched, we may perhaps presume that it was intended in the first instance for Sir John Paston, but that as 'my cousin Damme' required to be informed of the same particulars, it was afterwards addressed to him, with instructions to communicate the contents to Sir John.]

671

MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[282.1]

_To Sir John Paston, Knyght, be this delivered in hast._

[Sidenote: 1467 / JULY 11]

I grete you wele, and send you G.o.dds blissyng and myn, letyng you wete that Blykklyng of Heylesdon came fro London this weke, and he is right mery, and maketh his bost that with in this fourtnyght at Heylesdon shuld be bothe new lords and new officers. And also this day was brought me word fro Caystr that Rysyng of Freton shuld have herd seid in diverse places, ther as he was in Suffolk, that Fastolf of Coughawe maketh all the strenght that he may, and proposith hym to a.s.saught Caystr, and to entre ther if he may, in samych that it is seyd that he hath a v. score men redy, and sendyth dayly aspies to understand what felesshep kepe the place. Be whos power, or favour, or supportacion that he wull do this, I knowe not; but ye wote wele that I have ben affrayd ther befor this tyme, whan that I had other comfort than I have now, and I can not wele gide ner rewle sodyours, and also thei set not be a woman as thei shuld set be a man. Therfor I wold ye shuld send home your brothers, or ell[es] Dawbenye, to have a rewle, and to takyn in such men as wer necessary for the saffegard of the place; for if I wer ther withought I had the mor sadder or wurchepfull persones abought me, and ther comyn a meny of knavys, and prevaylled in ther entent, it shuld be to me but a vylney. And I have ben abought my liffelode to set a rewle ther in, as I have wretyn to you, which is not yet all performed after myn desyre, and I wuld not goo to Caystr till I had don. I wull no mor days make ther abowtyn if I may; therfor in any wyse send sume body home to kepe the place, and whan that I have do and performed that I have be gunne, I shall purpose me thederward if I shuld do ther any good, and ell[es]

I had lever be thens.

I have sent to Nicholas, and such as kepe the place, that thei shuld takyn in sume feles [_fellows_] to a.s.siste and strengh them till ye send hame sume other word, or sume other man to governe them that ben therin, &c.

I marvayll gretly that ye send me no word how that ye do, for your elmyse [_enemies_] begynne to wax right bold, and that putt.i.th your frends bothyn in grete fere and dought. Therfor purvey that thei may have sume comfort, that thei be no more discoraged; for if we lese our frends, it shall hard in this troubelous werd [_world_] to kete them ageyn.