Volume Vi Part 32 (2/2)
[Footnote 136-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[[our seyd Sovereyn Lord Kyng Hery the vij^{th}.
_final . missing or invisible_]]
1047
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON[138-1]
_To the right wors.h.i.+pfull and my right welbeloved Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1491(?) / JULY 31]
Right wors.h.i.+pfull and right welbeloved, I comaunde me to you. And where as I late receyved your wrytyng, beryng date the xxvj. day of this present monthe, by the whiche I understand that one Richard Calle toke certeyne men of werre robbyng upon the coste there; and in somoche as I understand that they be under the obeissaunce of the Kyng of Denmarke, I wolle and desyre you that ye delyver theym unto the seid Richard Calle to take his avauntage of theym as prisoners, seyng my dutee reserved in every thyng, as my trust is in you. And Almyghty G.o.d kepe you.
Writen at my castell of Hedyngham, the last day of Jule.
OXYNFORD.
[Footnote 138-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is uncertain, but, as Fenn suggests, it is not unlikely to have been written in the year 1491, when it may be supposed that Danish sailors endeavoured to requite the injuries inflicted by the English in Iceland, of which mention is made in the last letter.]
1048
THE OLD AND NEW BAILIFFS OF YARMOUTH TO SIR JOHN PASTON[138-2]
_To oure right reverent and wors.h.i.+pfull and special good maister, Maister Paston._
[Sidenote: 1491 / [SEPT.]]
Right reverent and wors.h.i.+pfull sir, and oure veray lovyng and curteys good mayster, we recomaund us on to you in as feythefull wyse as on oure part aperteynith; and hertely we thanke you for your labour and letter, whiche ye sent to us be your servaunt, be the whiche we wer a.s.serteynid of the Kynges pleasure, and to acomplyshe the same, we with the a.s.sistens of youre maistirs.h.i.+p wyll put us in oure devoir.
We were at your manoir of Castir to have sen your maistirshyp, but ye were departyd as well from Yermouth yistirday, as this day from Castre.
We wold have ben joyous to have seen your maistirs.h.i.+p, if our fortune so had ben.
Sir, we be enfourmyd that ore old special good Lord of Oxford, in whom we founde as gret favour be the mediacion of your maystirs.h.i.+p, as ever we had of any creature, as we have wryting to shewe, in rec.u.mpens of whiche at all tymes sethyn hise lordshyp hathe had our preyeris; and now we wold have waytid upon hise lordshyp, but your maystirs.h.i.+p knowith well we may not be absent on Mychilmesse Day for dyverse consederacions.
Wherfore we beseke your good maystirshyp, ye lyke of your jentilnesse, to recomaund us unto our seyd good lord, and to make our exkuse to hym, and to do hyse lordshyp [to be] presentyd with a porpeyse, whiche we send yow be the brynger of thys; and if we had any othyr deyntes to do hym a pleasure, we wold, that knowyth G.o.d, Whom we beseke of Hyse infenit mercy to preserve the Kyng our Soverayn Lord, and oure seyd good lord, and you, and all the frutys of you from all adversite.
Youre loveres and bedmen, the old Baliffes of Yermouth, and the newe Balyffes that now shalbe.
[Footnote 138-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] 'Several ordinances,'
says Fenn, 'respecting corporation business, made by the men of Yarmouth, through Sir John Paston and Lord Oxford's attention to them, received the King's a.s.sent by his Attorney-General in 1491.
It was for their activity in those matters, I presume, that this letter of thanks, etc. was addressed to Sir John.' The time of year appears by the letter itself to be about Michaelmas.]
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