The Paston Letters
Chapter 31 : W. L.[Footnote 146.1: [From Fenn, i. 38.] The date of this letter is perfectly determin

W. L.

[Footnote 146.1: [From Fenn, i. 38.] The date of this letter is perfectly determined by the events to which it relates.]

[Footnote 146.2: 4th May.]

[Footnote 146.3: 30th April.]

[Footnote 146.4: 2nd May.]

[Footnote 147.1: An allusion to Friar Hauteyn's suit or Oxnead.]

[Footnote 147.2: Sent to France to carry succours to the Duke of Somerset, but defeated and taken prisoner at the battle of Fourmigni, 15th April 1450.]

[Footnote 147.3: Matthew Gough, a celebrated captain in the French war.]

[Footnote 148.1: This singular subscription Fenn believes to have been owing to a momentary forgetfulness on the part of the writer, William Lomner, who had been in the habit of acting as Margaret Paston's secretary in writing to her husband.]

121

JOHN CRANE TO JOHN PASTON[148.2]

_To my right worshupfull cosygne, John Paston of Norwyche, Squyer._

[Sidenote: 1450 / MAY 6]

Right worshupfull sir, I recomaunde me unto yow in the most goodly wyse that y can; and forasmuche as ye desired of me to sende yow worde of dyvers matirs here, whiche been opened in the Parliament openly, I sende yow of them suche as I can.

First moost especiall, that for verray trowthe upon Saterday[148.3] that last was, the Duke of Suffolk was taken in the see, and there he was byheded, and his body with the appurtenaunce sette at lande at Dover, and alle the folks that he haad with hym were sette to lande, and haad noon harme.

Also the Kyng hath sumwhat graanted to have the resumpsion agayne in summe, but nat in alle, &c.

Also yef ye purpose to come hydre to put up your bylles, ye may come now in a good tyme; for now every man that hath any, they put theme now inne, and so may ye, yif ye come with G.o.dds grace to your pleasur.

Ferthermore, upon the iiij^th day of this monthe, the Erle of Deveness.h.i.+re[148.4] come hydre with iij^c. [300] men wel byseen, &c.

And upon the morow after my Lord of Warrewyke[148.5] with iiij^c. [400]

and moo, &c.

Also, as hyt ys noysed here Calys shal be byseged withynne this vij.

dayes, &c.

G.o.d save the Kyng, and sende us pees, &c.

Other t.i.thyngs be ther noon here, but Almyghty G.o.d have yow in his kepyng.

Writen at Leycestre, the vj. day of May.

Your cosigne,

JOHN CRANE.[149.1]

[Footnote 148.2: [From Fenn, i. 44.] The date of this letter, as of the preceding, is clearly proved by internal evidence.]

[Footnote 148.3: 2nd May.]

[Footnote 148.4: Thomas Courtenay.]

[Footnote 148.5: Richard Nevill. --_See_ Letter 98.]

[Footnote 149.1: Probably John Crane of Woodnorton, of whom there are some notices in Blomefield (_Hist. Norf._ viii. 313, 316; x. 282).]

122

ABSTRACT[149.2]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOS. HOWYS, Parson of Castlecombe, 'being at Castre.'

[Sidenote: 1450 / MAY 7]

Begs him to solicit the expedition of the matters of which he wrote since Easter.--Debts of Thos. Symmys for rents and sale of wools not yet paid to F. in Dedham.--As for the matter of Rydlyngfold and Hykele, 'seth it ys soo the world is changed gretely over it was, y pray you, and charge you, parson, labour ye to my frendz Lampet and others' to get a copy of their evidences; for 'howbeit the said prioress say that her evidence be in the Duke of Suffolk's keeping or his counsel,' she had a book in which all the evidence is copied. The thing would have been sped long ere this, if 'my Lord Norwich['s] Chancellor' or Master Pope, had labored as they promised. For G.o.d's sake send me a good answer. 'If an inordinate book be made, remembering the deliverance' of cloths, &c.

into F.'s wardrobe, let the indentures be engrossed. Wonders Howys cannot furnish him with a full account of the damages sustained by F.

and his tenants these ten or twelve years past. He has only sent a declaration of costs in defending some of them. Get a letter of Nich.

Bokkyng of the 100 to whom it was paid.

London, 7 May 28 Henry VI.

_Signed._

[Footnote 149.2: [MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 223.]]

[[_footnote marker misprinted as 1_]]

123

THOMAS DENYES TO JOHN PASTON[150.1]

_To my maister Paston._

[Sidenote: 1450 / MAY 13]

I recomaund me unto your good maisters.h.i.+p; and as for tidings, Arblaster come home to my Lord[150.2] on Munday, at sopertyme; and my Maister Danyell[150.3] is Styward of the d.u.c.h.e of Lancastre by yonde Trent, and Arblastr seith he hath made me his undirstyward.

And as for the Chamberleyns.h.i.+p of Inglond, the Lord Beamond[150.4] hath it, and the Lord Rivers[150.5] Constable of Inglond.

As for the d.u.c.h.e on this side Trent, Sir Thomas Tudenham had a joynte patent with the Duke of Suffolk,[150.6] which, if it be resumed, Sir Thomas Stanley hath a bille redy endossed therof.