_Sir John Hevyngham,[50-2] Th. Wyngfeld,[50-3] Gilbert Debenham,[50-4]
Wil. Brandon,[50-5] and to everych of them severally in otheris
absence._
[Sidenote: 1469 / [SEPT.]]
Hit is so that accordyng to such direccion as was mevid to be desird of
my Lords beyng heer, as for such as heere bee they marveil gretly
therof, thynkyng and remembring in themself that such offre as was made
by my credence to my Lorde,[50-6] and to fore you reported, shuld have
sownyd more to his pleasure and honour than this his desire.
Nevirthelesse my Lords thenke where as they wrote and desirid joyntly
that such credence as ye remembre myght be observyd and taken, and by
you refusid, nowe yif they shuld assent to the desire of this direccion,
hit is thought in them not so to doo; for it is so fortuned that dyvers
of my Lords, from whome I brought both wrytyng and credence, be at the
Kyngs high commaundement hastely departed unto his Highnesse, trustyng
in God to have heeryng in brief tyme of their hasty ayen comyng, atte
which tyme my Lords that heere be, and they that shal come ayen, shal
comon and speke to gyder of this desire and direccion, and such answere
as they geve and make shall be sent unto you than with haste possible.
Ovir this, me thenkith for your excuse of burden and charge such as I
hier will be leid unto you concernyng the grete werks that dailly be and
ar at the maner of Castre, yif ye thenk that God shuld have pleasir, and
also the Kyng oure sovereign Lorde, and that my seide Lords shuld thenk
in you gode avise or sad, and that ye entendid to avoide the sheddyng of
Cristyn blode and the destruccion of the Kyngs liege people, that at
your politik labour and wisedome ye myght bryng my Lord to th’abstynence
of warre, and a trieux to be had and contynued unto tyme of the retourn
of my seid Lords, or els knowlege of their entent; certifieng you for
trouth that ther be messengers sent unto my seid Lords with lettrez of
such answere as I had of you to your desire to gyder, knowyng certeinly
that ther shal be hasty relacion of ther entents in the premisis, which
answers ye shall have atte ferthist by Monday cometh sevenyght.
Ferthirmore lettyng you wit that I understond for certein that my Lords
that be heere eschewe, for such inconveniense that myght fall, to
conclude any answere by them self, consideryng that my credence was
geven by all the Lords; prayng you, as shal be doon to the continuaunce
of this trieux aforesaid, that I may be acerteyned, or yif at this houre
ye coude yit thenk my credence resonable and honourable to be accepted
and taken, sendith me woorde in wrytyng from you by my servant, brynger
of this, al delaies leid aparte. For I acertein you, as he that owe you
service, I was and yit am gretly blamed for my long tarying with you,
for, dyvers of my Lords taried heere for me, by th’assent of al my
Lords, lenger than they wold have don, to know myn answere and guydyng
from you.
And ovir this I certyfie you that ye cannot make my Lords heere to thenk
that yif ther be inconvenient or myshief, murdre, or manslauter had or
done, but and your wills and entents were to the contrarye, my Lord is
notid so well disposid that, with oute your grete abettement, he neither
will doo nor assent to non such thyng; prayng you therfor, as your
frende, to remembre wele your self, and so to rule you, as my Lords may
have in tyme to come knowlege of your more sadd disposicion than as yit
I feele they thenk in you. And how that my Lords note sum of you, James
Hobert, beyng of my Lords counsel, can enforme you; wherefor for Godds
sake remembr you, and delyver my servant, and yif ye thenk my first
credence or this advertisement shal be taken to effect, than I pray you
that my servaunt, brynger hereof, may have sure condyte to speke with
John Paston, and to report to hym these direccions, and upon that to
delyver hym a bill certifyng the same.
[Footnote 50-1: [From Fenn, iv. 404.] This letter is anonymous,
but was evidently written by Writtill during his negotiations for
a suspension of hostilities.]
[Footnote 50-2: Sir John Heveningham, Knight and Banneret, was a
descendant of an ancient family situated at the town of
Heveningham, in Suffolk. His son Thomas became owner of the estate
at Ketteringham, in Norfolk, where this family continued for
several generations.--F.]
[Footnote 50-3: Sir Thomas Wingfield was a younger son either of
Sir Robert or Sir John Wingfield of Letheringham, in Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-4: Sir Gilbert Debenham, Knight, was descended of an
ancient and knightly family in the county of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-5: Sir William Brandon married Elizabeth, daughter of
Sir Robert Wingfield, and was ancestor to Charles Brandon,
afterwards Duke of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-6: The Duke of Norfolk.]
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