_To my Moodre._
[Sidenote: 1471 / APRIL 18]
Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette that, blyssed be God, my
brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe.
Never the lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the
elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid hym, and he
tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in ryght
schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on hys
sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and hys other servants all be
askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and in no joparte
off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my lyberte iff nede bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop[99-2] is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust
to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for hym
and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben troblyd syns, but nowe I
undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom Bernett, on
Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William
Terrell,[100-1] Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr
contre, Godmerston and Bothe.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell,[100-2] the Lord
Saye,[100-3] Sir Omffrey Bowghsher[100-4] off owr contre, whyche is a
sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe partyes to the nombre off
mor then a m^l.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is
verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre, and I trow that as to
morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense
to hyr warde, to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn Lomner, and to
thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes, iff I had hadde nede, as I
undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseche you on my behalve to
advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the
worlde, I ensur yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys
monthe; the peple heer feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym that made all, and
can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod
schall schewe Hym sylff as mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme;
and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn
hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe yow remembre hym,
ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastely to see
yow.
All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor
I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all
undon, nor noon off us; and iff otherwyse, then, &c. &c.
[Footnote 99-1: [From Fenn, ii. 62.] This letter, as shown by the
contents, was written just four days after the battle of Barnet,
by which Edward IV. recovered his throne. It is not signed, but
the writer is Sir John Paston.]
[Footnote 99-2: George Neville, Archbishop of York. It was from
the custody of this prelate that Edward escaped, after having been
surprised and taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick, in 1470:
perhaps the kind treatment of his then prisoner now procured his
pardon.--F.]
[Footnote 100-1: Sir William Tyrell was cousin to Sir James
Tyrell, the afterwards supposed murderer of Edward V. and his
brother the Duke of York.--F.]
[Footnote 100-2: Humphrey Bourchier, third son of Henry, Earl of
Essex, had summons to Parliament, in 1461, as Lord Cromwell, in
right of his wife.--F.]
[Footnote 100-3: William Fienes, Lord Say.]
[Footnote 100-4: Son of John, Lord Berners.]
775
[THE EARL OF OXFORD] TO A LADY[101-1]
_To the ryght reverent and wyrchypfull Lady._[101-2]
[Sidenote: 1471]
Ryght reverent and wyrchypfull Lady, I recomande me to yow, lettyng yow
wete that I am in gret hevynes at the makyng of thys letter; but thankyd
be God, I am eschapyd my selfe, and sodenly departyd fro my men; for I
undyrstand my chapleyn wold have detrayed me; and if he com in to the
contre, let hym be mad seuer, &c. Also ye shall gyff credence to the
brynger of thys letter, and I beseke yow to reward hym to hys costs; for
I was not in power at the makyng of thys letter to gyff hym, but as I
wass put in trest by favar of strange pepyll, &c.
Also ye shall send me in all hast all the redi money that ye can make,
and asse mone of my men asse can com well horsyd; and that they cum in
dyverse parcellys. Also that my horsse be sent, with my stele sadelles;
and byd the yoman of the horse cover theym with ledder. Also ye shall
send to my moder,[101-3] and let hyr wete of thys letter, and pray hyr
of hyr blessyng, and byd hyr send me my kasket, by thys tokyn; that she
hathe the key theroff, but it is brokyn.
Also ye shall send to the Pryor of Thetford,[101-4] and byd hym send me
the sum of gold that he seyd that I schuld have. Also sey to hym by thys
token, that I schewyd hym the fyrst Prive Seale, &c. Also lete Pastun,
Fylbryg, Brews, come to me. Also ye shall delyver the brynger of thys
letter an horsse, sadell, and brydell. Also ye schallbe of gud cher, and
take no thowght, for I schall brynge my purpose abowte now by the grace
of God, Qwhome have yow in kepyng.