Volume Vi Part 32 (1/2)
[Sidenote: 1490, or later]
Cousin Paston, in my most herty wyse I recomaund me unto you, and thank you for many kindnesses of tyme past, and also for that ye have bene so good maister unto my sarvaunt William May, and now at his comyng to me ye have at your greate coste sent him to me dressed in suche wise as is veray necessary for me to have men appareled; for the whiche your kindnesse I think myselfe right muche beholden to do you pleasure and it moght lye in my power, which I wuld right gladly do, as knoweth our Lord, whom I beseche to send you moche harte pleasure. Wreten at Sherifhoton, the vj^th day of July, with the hand of
Your lovyng Cousin,
THOMAS SU[RREY].[135-2]
[Footnote 135-1: [MS. in Pembroke College, Cambridge.] This letter may well follow the last as being probably of the same year. At all events it lies within much the same range of date.]
[Footnote 135-2: Mutilated. Below is written in a later hand, and also mutilated: 'Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, the ... . of Scots at Flodden.' The letter is indorsed 'Litt. Com. Surrey.']
1045
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON[135-3]
_To the right wors.h.i.+pfull and my right intierly welbelovyd counsellour, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1491(?) / MARCH 27]
Right wors.h.i.+pfull and right intierly welbelovyd councellour, I commaund me hertely to you. And forasmoche as for certayne especiall causes moving, there be sessions appoynted to be holden at Gyppiswiche, the Friday sevenyght aftre Estre, which shall be the xv. day of Aprile, where I purpose then certaynly to be, and to have aswell the matere by twene Sir Edmounde Benyngfeld[136-1] and Yelverton[136-2] there to be harde and commenyd, as diverse othre grete maters in that contrey necessary to be had in comynycacion; I therfor desire and pray you that ye fayle nat to be there the same day, bryngyng with you the forseide Yelverton, trusting that then suche direccion shall be takyn in that matere as can be thought resonable, and to the weale of the parties; nat doubting but that Sir Edmound Benyngfeld shall be there in like wise.
And Almyghty G.o.d kepe you.
Wretin at my castell of Hedingham, the xxvij. day of Marche.
OXYNFORD.
[Footnote 135-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] As 'Friday se'nnight after Easter' was the 15th April, Easter Day must have fallen on the 3rd in the year in which this letter was written. This would suit either 1491 or 1496.]
[Footnote 136-1: Bedingfield.]
[Footnote 136-2: William Yelverton, Sir John Paston's brother-in-law, grandson of the Judge.]
1046
HENRY VII. TO THE EARL OF OXFORD[136-3]
[Sidenote: 1491 / APRIL 6]
Ryght trusty and ryght welbelovyd cousyn, we grete yow well, &c. In that we desyer all the dogers [_fis.h.i.+ng smacks_] of thos partes schuld have our licens to departe in the viage towardes Islond, as they have ben accustommyd to do yerly in tyme pa.s.syd, and that ye woll undertak they shall have with them no more quant.i.tes of graynes then woll only suffice for ther vitallyng and expensis; we late yow witte that owr fully interly belovyd cousyn the Kyng of Demarke hath showyd and compleynyd un to us by dyverse his letters, that when our subjectes come to the seid Islelond, beyng in hys obeissiance, they stelle, robbe, and exstorte his subjectes ther ageynse ryght and conciens. Wherfore, the seyd doggeres fyndyng sufficient surte be forne yow, such as ye will answer unto us, that they shall not have with them no graynes mo then shall only suffice for ther vitallyng, nor odyr thyng woth them that ys for bedyn, and that also they shall not in goyng, comyng, nor in ther beyng at the seyd Islond, take noo thyng but that they treuly pay or agre for, and frendly entrete our seyd cousyns subjectes withowth eny robbyng or exstartyng them in there bodyes ner goodys; we be content the seyd doggeres make ther viages thedyr at ther libertes, eny our wrytyng or comandment mad in to the contrary nat withstandyng; and ellys we woll that our restraynte of ther thedyr goyng stond styll in his strenthe and vertu.
Yovyn ondir our signet, at our maner of Shene, the vj^th day of Aprile.
JOHN VER, Erle of Oxynford, Gret Chambyrleyn and Admirall of Ynglond, Viscount Bulbek, and Lord Skalys, to all them that this present writyng shall see or here, gretyng. And for asmuch as I late have recevyd the Kyng our Sovereyn Lords letters, beryng date the vj^th day of this monyth of Aprile, accordyng to a copy of the same, signyd with myn hand, wiche my ritht trusty servant, John Rowe, Marchall of my Admyralite, hath for to showe;
Know ye that I, the seyd Erle and Admirall, have a.s.sygned and deputyd my seyd servant to see our seyd Sovereyn Lordes lettyrs pleynly executyd acordyng to the tenure of the same, and by thys present wrytyng have yevyn to hym full autoryte and pouer to put undyr arest all such doggeres as be dysposyd to mak the viage towardes Islond, to such tyme as they have fownd surte afor me, accordyng to owr seyd Sovereyn Lordys comandment, for ther demenyng in the seyd viagys.
Yovyn under myn signett and signee manuell the x^th day of Aprile the vj. yere of the reygne of our seyd Sovereyn Lord Kyng Hery the vij^{th}.