[Sidenote: 1470 / SEPT. 7]
Trusty and welbeloved, we grete you well. And for soo muche as we be
credibly acertayned that our auncient ennemyes of Fraunce and our
outward rebells and traitors be drawe to gadre in acorde, and entende
hastily to lande in our countre of Kent, or in the parties therof ner
adjonyng, with grete might and power of Frenshemen, utterly to destroie
us and our true subgietts, and to subverte the comon wele of the same
our royalme: We straitly charge and commaunde you, upon the feyth and
liegeaunce that ye bare unto us, that ye arredie you with alle the
felaship ye can make, and as sone as ye may undrestonde that thay lande
in our said countie or nerbye, that you draw thider, as we have
comaunded othere our subgietts to doo, and put you in uttremost devoir
with thaim to resiste the malice of our said ennemyes and traitours; and
if thai and ye be not of power soo to doo, that thanne ye drawe you to
our citie of London, by which tyme we trust to be there in our owne
personne or nerby; and if we be not that, that thanne ye do farther all
ye shal bee commaunded by our Counsail there, upon the payne above said.
Yeven undre oure signet at oure citie of York, the vij. day of Septembr.
[Footnote 83-1: [From Fenn, iv. 438.] This letter does not
properly belong to the Paston correspondence. It was copied by
Fenn from an original in the library of Brigg Price Fountaine,
Esq. of Narford, in Norfolk, nephew and heir of the celebrated
antiquary, Sir Andrew Fountaine. The MS. was contained in a
volume of State Papers, some of them originals, and some copies,
of various dates, which had belonged to Sir Edward Coke.
The date of the document is undoubtedly in September 1470, when
Edward was at York, anticipating the invasion of Clarence and
the Earl of Warwick, aided by the King of France.]