Volume Vi Part 37 (1/2)
ELIZABETH, d.u.c.h.eSS OF NORFOLK, TO SIR JOHN PASTON[159-1]
_To my right welbeloved frende, Sire John Paston, Knyght._
ELIZABETH, d.u.c.h.eS OF NORFFOLK.
[Sidenote: 1497(?) / FEB. 28]
I commaunde me to you, thankyng you as hartely as I can for your labour and substancyall serching owte of Thomas Martynz matyr, preing you of contenuance, and of your best advyse therin, how he shall breke the mater so as, by your helpe and wysdam, a frendely comunycacion may be hadde, so as the mater may be had in examynacion by suche gentylmen as shalbe named by th'a.s.sent of bothe parties, suche as tendyr and love the wele of bothe parties, and also the pees and tranquyllyte of the c.u.n.tre, and love to eschewe variaunce and parties in the c.u.n.tre, wherin ye shall not only do a greete pleasure to me, but a grete dede of charyte for the profight and ease of both parties, and also a pleasure to G.o.d, Who have you in keping.
At Erle Soham lodge, this xxviij. day of February.
N. E. N.
[Footnote 159-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It seems probable that this letter was written in the February following Sir Harry Grey's death. (_See_ No. 1061.)]
1065
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON AND ANOTHER[160-1]
_To my right trusty and right welbel[oved Sir] John Paston, Knyght, and Sir ... . . Knyght, ... . of them._
[Sidenote: 1499 / AUG. 20]
Right trusty and welbeloved councellours, I comaunde me to you. And where the Kinges Grace is lately acerteinyed that Th'Erl of Suffolk is departid owt of this his Realme, Hys Grace hath commaundid me to wryte unto you that ye incontynent uppon the sight of this my writing endeovour you to enquyre aswell of such persones as be departid over with the seid Erle as of theim that accompanyed hym in his repayre to the see, and retornyd ageyn, or in any wyse were prevy to the same, and theruppon, in as goodly hast as ye kan, to put them and every of them in suertie savely to be kept, and therof t'acerteyn me, to th'entent ye maye knowe his ffurther pleasure in the same. And if ye shall at any tyme herafter perceyve any suspect person nyghe unto the see costes which shall seme unto you to be of the same affynyte, than His Grace will that ye put them in lyke suertie. And Almighti G.o.d have you in His keping.
Written at Gaddis.h.i.+ll, in the Ile of Wight, the xx^ti daye of August.
OXYNFORD.
[Footnote 160-1: [Douce MS. 393, f. 87.] Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, escaped abroad on the 1st July 1499, and proclamations were issued on the 20th August following (the day on which this letter was written) against persons leaving the kingdom without a license. (_See_ my _Letters and Papers Ill.u.s.trative of the Reigns of Richard III. and Henry VII._, vol. i. preface p. xl., vol. ii.
p. 377.) It appears that the King was at this time staying at G.o.ds.h.i.+ll, in the Isle of Wight, the place from which this letter is dated (see _Excerpta Historica_, p. 122).]
1066
HENRY VII. TO SIR JOHN PASTON[161-1]
_To our trusty and welbeloved knight, Sir John Paston._
BY THE KINGE.
[Sidenote: 1500 / MARCH 20]
Trusty and welbeloved, we grete yow well, letting yow wete that our derest cousins, the Kinge and Queene of Spaine, have signified unto us by their sundry letters that the right excellent Princesse, the Lady Katherine, ther daughter, shal be transported from the parties of Spaine aforesaid to this our Realme, about the moneth of Maye next comeinge, for the solempnization of matrimony betweene our deerest sonne the Prince and the said Princesse. Wherfore we, consideringe that it is right fittinge and necessarye, as well for the honor of us as for the lawde and praise of our said Realme, to have the said Princesse honourably received at her arriveall, have appointed yow to be one amonge others to yeve attendance for the receivinge of the said Princesse; willinge and desiringe yow to prepare yourselfe for that intent, and so to continue in redynesse upon an houres warninge, till that by our other letters we shall advertise yow of the day and time of her arrivall, and where ye shall yeve your said attendance; and not to fayle therin, as ye tender our pleasure, the honor of yourselfe, and of this our foresaid Realme.
Yeven under our signet at our manner of Richmount, the xx^ty day of Marche.
[Footnote 161-1: [From the _Paston Genealogy_, compiled by Sandford, and printed by Mr. Wors.h.i.+p, in the _Norfolk Archaeology_.] Catherine of Arragon was expected in England in the spring of the year 1500, although she did not actually arrive till October 1501, owing to some alteration of plans.]