_To my ryght trusti and wyth all myn hert intyerly welbelovyd Sir Mylys
Stapelton, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1450(?) / AUG. 21]
Ryght trusty and wyth all myn hert entierly welbelovyd, I grete yow
wele, and wol that ye wete that a gentelman of your ally haghe [_hath_]
ben wyth me, at whos instans and steryng and by hese good avyes I wold
ful fayne amet [_have met_] wyth yow at Framyngham; but I may no lenger
abyde here for the strayte comaundment that I have to be wyth the Kyng.
Wherfore I pray yow to comown wyth Brews and Paston, and to put in
artycles be ther avyses and be your wysdom the indisposicion of the
people of this counte, and what were most necesary to be desierid of the
Kyng and of my Lordis of the Councell for the restreynte of ther
mourmour and the peas, and to sende it me be the brynger herof, to whom
I pray yow gef credens. And the Holy Ternyte kepe yow. Wretyn at Wynche,
the xxj. day of August.
_To my ryght trusty and entierly welbelovyd Thomas Brewes, Squyer._
Ryght trusty and intyerly welbelovid, I grete yow wele. And for as
mouche as ye were with my wyf at Wynche in the name and behalve of the
substaunce of the gentelys of this shyer, and cause my wyf to wryte to
me for to turne agayn into Norffolk, be wheche wrytyng, and be your
report it semyd to me that a gret asemble had be purposid wythin the
counte heer. I therfore sayd unto yow, wolyng and mevyng yow aftyr your
trowth, and as ye know, that ye do put in artycles the indisposicion of
the people, and what your avyce is to be do for the restreynyng of the
same; and this articles I pray yow set to your seal, and cause other
gentelmen with wham ye have comonyng set ther seales, for this is
necessary, and that I may schew it to the Kyng and to my Lordis of hese
Councell, and that I fayle not here of for your honeste and myn excuse.
And the Ternyte kepe yow. Wreten at Wynche, the xxj. day of August.
[Footnote 164.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The two letters
following are from contemporaneous copies written on the same
paper. Being dated the same day as the preceding letter of the
Earl of Oxford, and addressed to the two persons named in the
postscript, we should have every reason to suppose they are the
copies there mentioned, were it not for the circumstance that
the Earl of Oxford’s seat at Wynche, near Lynn, in Norfolk, must
have been a good day’s journey from Bury St. Edmunds. The
internal evidence, however, is in other respects so strong that
we have no doubt at all upon the subject. The difficulty as to
the date may be accounted for by supposing that these two
letters were really written at Wynche the day before, but that
the date 21st August was filled in by the Earl at Bury St.
Edmunds at the time he despatched his letter of the same date to
John Paston.]
134
[THE EARL OF OXFORD TO THE DUKE OF NORFOLK][165.1]
[Sidenote: 1450 / [AUG.]]
Ryght high and myghty Prynce and my right good Lord, I recomaunde me un
to youre good Lordshep. And for asmouch as I am enformed [that] certeyn
notable knyghtis and squyers of this counte dispose thaym self to be
with youre Lordshep in hasty tyme at Fram[yngham], theer to have
comonyngs with youre good Lordshep for the sad rule and governaunce of
this counte, wych standyth ryght . . . . . indisposyd, God amend it;
for qwych sad rule and governaunce to be had I wold full fayn a ben with
your good [Lordship]. But for asmouch as the Kynge hath geve to me
straitly in charge to be with hys Highnesse at Westminstre on
Saterda[y]. . . . . . [I must] departe towards London. Therfore therof I
beseche your good Lordship that ye vouchesaf to comon with the seyd
k[nyghtes and squyers] as with your feytfull servaunts; and I trost to
God to se youre good Lordship at Framyngham as I shall . . . . . And yf
your Lordshep seme necessary that I now beynge at Westminster shall any
thynge laboure or des[ire for the rule] and governaunce of the counte
forsayd, or for reformacion of suche wronge as the peples herts most
agrugge as . . . . . . . . lyke that I meve to the Kynge and the Lordes
of the Counceyll, so wyll I meve, and none otherwyse as . . . . . . . .
Wheryn I beseche your grace to know your entente by the brynger her of.
And my service is redy to your Lords[hip] . . . . . mercy who kepe who
kepe[166.1] nebbey (?) for hese grace.
[Footnote 165.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This would seem by
internal evidence to be the letter of excuse written by Oxford
to the Duke of Norfolk, which the Earl mentions in his letter to
John Paston of the 21st August. The original from which it is
taken is a copy without signature or address, and mutilated in
the margin.]
[Footnote 166.1: So in MS.]
135