_The copie of a notable Lettre, written by the Duke of Suffolk to his
Sonne,[142.2] giving hym therein very good counseil.[142.3]_
[Sidenote: 1450 / APRIL 30]
My dere and only welbeloved sone, I beseche oure Lord in Heven, the
Maker of alle the world, to blesse you, and to sende you ever grace to
love hym, and to drede hym; to the which, as ferre as a fader may charge
his child, I both charge you, and prei you to sette alle spirites and
wittes to do, and to knowe his holy lawes and comaundments, by the which
ye shall with his grete mercy passe alle the grete tempestes and
troubles of this wrecched world. And that also, wetyngly, ye do no thyng
for love nor drede of any erthely creature that shuld displese hym. And
there as any freelte maketh you to falle, be secheth hys mercy soone to
calle you to hym agen with repentaunce, satisfaccion, and contricion of
youre herte never more in will to offend hym.
Secondly, next hym, above alle erthely thyng, to be trewe liege man in
hert, in wille, in thought, in dede, unto the Kyng oure alder most high
and dredde sovereygne Lord, to whom bothe ye and I been so moche bounde
to; chargyng you, as fader can and may, rather to die than to be the
contrarye, or to knowe any thyng that were ayenste the welfare or
prosperite of his most riall person, but that as ferre as your body and
lyf may strecthe, ye lyve and die to defende it, and to lete his
highnesse have knowlache thereof in alle the haste ye can.
Thirdly, in the same wyse, I charge you, my dere sone, alwey, as ye be
bounden by the commaundement of God to do, to love, to worshepe youre
lady and moder, and also that ye obey alwey hyr commaundements, and to
beleve hyr councelles and advises in alle youre werks, the which dredeth
not, but shall be best and trewest to you. And yef any other body wold
stere you to the contrarie, to flee the councell in any wyse, for ye
shall fynde it nought and evyll.
Forthe[rmore],[143.1] as ferre as fader may and can, I charge you in any
wyse to flee the company and councel of proude men, of coveitowse men,
and of flateryng men, the more especially and myghtily to withstonde
hem, and not to drawe, ne to medle with hem, with all youre myght and
power. And to drawe to you and to your comp[any good][143.1] and
vertuowse men, and such as ben of good conversacion, and of trouthe, and
be them shal ye never be deseyved, ner repente you off. [Moreover never
follow][143.1] youre owne witte in no wyse, but in alle youre werkes,
of suche folks as I write of above, axeth youre advise a[nd
counse]l;[143.1] and doyng thus, with the mercy of God, ye shall do
right well, and lyve in right moche worship, and grete herts rest and
ease. And I wyll be to you as good lord and fader as my hert can thynke.
And last of alle, as hertily and as lovyngly as ever fader blessed his
child in erthe, I yeve you the blessyng of oure Lord and of me, which of
his infynite mercy encrece you in alle vertu and good lyvyng. And that
youre blood may by his grace from kynrede to kynrede multeplye in this
erthe to hys servise, in such wyse as after the departyng fro this
wreched world here, ye and thei may glorefye hym eternally amongs his
aungelys in hevyn.
Wreten of myn hand,