Volume Vi Part 30 (1/2)

[Footnote 125-2: Here the MS. breaks off abruptly.]

[[of this yere, Cxviij_li._ iiij_d._ _text unchanged: error for ”Cxviij_s._”?_]]

1036

HENRY VII. TO THE EARL OF OXFORD[125-3]

[Sidenote: 1489 / APRIL 22]

Right trusty and entierly beloved cousin, we grete you well. Inasmuch as it hath liked G.o.d to sende us good tidinges oute of Bretayn, such as we dought not but that ye be desirous to undrestonde, we wryte unto you of them as thay be comen to our knowlage, and as foloueth.

The Lord Malpertuis, now late with us in amba.s.sade from our dere cousine, the d.u.c.h.esse of Bretayne, s.h.i.+ppid at our porte of Dortmouth, and arrived at Saynt Powle de Lyon, in Bretayn, on Palme Sonday,[126-1]

at iiij. after noone, from whens he wrote us the disposicion and the state of the countre there, and of the landyng and the demeanyng of oure armee. We received his wrytyng on Monday last, at evynsong tyme; and be cause he was of Bretayn borne, and favorable to that partie, we ne gave such trust to his tidinges, as was thought to us surete to wryte to you theruppon.

This daye, aftre High Ma.s.se, comyth unto us from oute of Bretayne forsaid, and with a new amba.s.sade from our said cousine, Fawcon, oon of our pursivantes, that ratifieth the newes of the seid Lord Malpertuis, which ben these.

After the garysson of Frenshmen in the towne of Gyngham[126-2] had certeinte of the landyng of our armee, thei drewe downe the fabours[126-3] of Gyngham, and made thayme mete to defende a siege; but a.s.sone as thei undirstode that our said armee jornayned towardes theim, thei left the same Gyngham, where our said armee arrived the Thursday next before Palme Sonday, and was received with procession, logged and received, refreshed in the town iiij. dayes. And goyng towardes the said d.u.c.h.esse, thei must pa.s.se to the castell and borugh of Monconter. In that castell was also a garnisson of Frenshemen, which incontinently, upon worde that our said armee drwe towardes theym, the Frenshmen did cast downe gret parte of the walles, and fled from thens; in that castell and borugh our seid armee kept thair Estre. The castell of Chawson, adjoyning nere to the towne of Saynt Bryak, was also garnisond with Frenshmen; that castell they set on fire, and soo fled in the townes of Henebone and Vannes[126-4] were garnisond with Frenshmen, which breke downe the walles of the townes, and putte them selff to fligth. Th'inhabitantes a bought Brest have layd siege therunto, and goten the Base Courte of the Frenshmen or the departyng of our said pursivaunt. The garnson of the towne of Concarnewe, which is oon of the grettest strenghes of all Bretayn, was besieged in like wyse, and drevyn to that necessite that thei with in offerid, ar his said departyng, to avoyde the towne with staffe in hande; how that is takyn, or what is more done sithens, he cannot telle.

Oure said cousine, the d.u.c.h.esse, is in her citee of Raynes; and our right trusti knyght and counsellour, Sir Richard Eggecombe, there also, havyng cheeff rule abowte her; and the Marchall of Bretayn arredieth hym to joyne with them in alle haste with a G.o.de band of men. Mony n.o.ble men of that countree repair to our said armee to take their partie.

These premisses in substaunce we have be wrytyng, aswell from the cheff capytaynes of our said armee, as from our comptrollour[127-1] forsaid.

And that our said armee, blessid be G.o.d, hath among theyme selfe kepte such love and accorde, that no maner of fray or debate hath bene bitwene theym sithens the tyme of thair departing out this our Reame. Yoven under our signed, at our castell at Hartford, the xxij. day of Aprill.

Syr, thys is the copye of the lettyr that the Kynge sente my Lorde of Oxynford of tydyynges owte of Breten.

Be yowre brodyr,

WYLLIAM PASTON.

[Footnote 125-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was evidently written in the same year as No. 1030, in which it is mentioned that Sir Richard Edgecombe and others had gone over to Brittany.]

[Footnote 126-1: 12th April.]

[Footnote 126-2: Guingamp.]

[Footnote 126-3: Fauxbourgs, which Fenn supposes here to mean portcullises, but I know not if the word was ever used in such a sense. Perhaps what is meant is, that they destroyed the suburbs to fortify their position.]

[Footnote 126-4: The word 'which' appears to be omitted.]

[Footnote 127-1: Sir Richard Edgecombe.]

1037

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON[127-2]

_To the right wors.h.i.+pfull and my right welbeloved Sir John Paston, Knyght._