Volume Iv Part 6 (1/2)

511

JOHN PASTON, THE ELDER, TO HIS FATHER[34.1]

_To myn ryth reverent and worschypfull fader, John Paston, beyng in the Inder Temple._

[Sidenote: 1462 / MARCH 13]

Ryght reverent and wyrshypfull fader, I recomand me un to you, be sychyng you of your blessyng and G.o.de faderhode. Pleasyt it you to understond the grete expens that I have dayly travelyng with the Kyng, as the berour here of can enfourme you; and howe long that I am lyke to tary here in thys country or I may speke with you a gayn, and howe I am chargyd to have myn hors and harnys redy, and in hasty wyse, besykyng you to consyder theys causes, and so to remembr me that I may have suche thynges as I may do my mayster servys with and pleasur, trusting in G.o.d it schall be to your wyrshyp and to myn and vayll [_avail_]. In especiall I besyche you, that I may be sur where to have mony somwhat be fore Estern, other of you, or by myn uncle Clement, when nede ys. Of othir causes the berour hereof can enfourme you. No more to you at thys tyme, but G.o.d have you in Hys kepyng.

Wryten at Stamford, the xiij. day of March.

Be yowr sone and servant,

JOHN PASTON, THE OLDER.

[Footnote 34.1: [From Fenn, iv. 126.] It appears by the dates of the Privy Seal writs that Edward IV. was at Stamford, from the 9th to the 17th March, in the second year of his reign, _i.e._ in 1462. This letter belongs therefore to that year.]

512

REPORT OF FRENCH PRISONERS[35.1]

_Memorandum. This is the confessyon of xvj. Frenshemen with the Mastyr, takyn at Sheryngam, the iij. wek of Lent._

[Sidenote: 1462 / MARCH]

Right wors.h.i.+pfull sir, I recomaund me to you, and lete you wytte, that I have be at s.h.i.+ryngham, and examyned the Frenshmen to the nombre of xvj.

with the maister. And thei telle that the Duke of Somerset is in to Scotland; and thei sey the Lord Hungyrforthe was on Monday last pa.s.sed afore Sheryngham in to Scotland ward, in a kervyle [_carvel_] of Depe, no gret power with hym, ne with the seid Duk neyther. And thei sey that the Duk of Burgoyn[35.2] is poysened, and not like to recovere. And as for powers to be gadered ayenst our weelfare; thei sey, there shulde come in to Seyne CC. gret forstages[35.3] owt of Spayne, from the Kyng there;[35.4] and CCC. s.h.i.+ppes from the Duk of Bretayne[35.5] with the navy of Fraunce, but thei be not yet a.s.sembled, ne vitayll there purveyd, as thei sey, ne men. And the Kyng of Fraunce[35.6] is in to Spayne on pilgrymage with fewe hors as thei sey; what the purpose is thei can not telle certeyn, &c. In hast at Norwich.

The Kyng of Frauns hath comitted the rewle of Bordews on to the marchaunds of the toun, and the browd[35.7] tha[t] be therin to be at ther wages; and like as Caleys is a Stapole of wolle here in England, so is that made staple of wyne.

John Fermer, presoner, seyth, on [_one_] John Gylys, a clerk that was with the Erle of Oxforthe, wych was some tym in Kyng Herrys hows, was a prevy secretary with the Erle of Oxforthe; and if any wrytyng wer made by the seyd Erle, the seyd Gylys knew ther of in this gret matyeres.

[Footnote 35.1: [From Fenn, i. 250.] This letter evidently refers to the state of matters in the beginning of the year 1462, when Henry VI. and Margaret of Anjou were in Scotland, and when the Earl of Oxford had just been beheaded for conspiring against Edward IV. The date of Oxford's execution was the 20th of February. This confession of the Frenchmen is dated in the third week of Lent, that is to say, between the 14th and the 20th of March.]

[Footnote 35.2: Philip the Good.]

[Footnote 35.3: Large s.h.i.+ps with forestages or forecastles.]

[Footnote 35.4: Henry IV., King of Castile.]

[Footnote 35.5: Francis II., the last Duke.]

[Footnote 35.6: Lewis XI.]

[Footnote 35.7: This word, says Fenn, is imperfect in the original.]

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