_To my right worshipfull maister, John Paston, at Norwiche, be this
delyvred._
[Sidenote: 1455 / OCT. 28]
Please it your maistership to wete[48.2] . . . .
Here be many marvaylos tales of thynggs that shall falle this next
moneth, as it is seyd; for it is talked that oon Doktor Grene, a preest,
hath kalked [_calculated ?_] and reporteth, that by fore Seynt Andreu
day next comyng shall be the grettest bataill that was sith the bataill
of Shrewisbury,[48.3] and it shall falle bytwene the Bisshoppes Inne of
Salesbury and Westminster Barres, and there shall deye vij. Lords,
whereof iij. shuld be bisshoppes. Althis and meche more is talked and
reported. I trust to God it shall not falle so.
Also there is gret varyance bytwene the Erll of Devenshire and the Lord
Bonvyle, as hath be many day, and meche debat is like to growe therby;
for on Thursday at nyght last passed, the Erll of Denshyres sone and
heir come with lx. men of armes to Radford’s[49.1] place in Devenshire,
whiche was of counseil with my Lord Bonvyle; and they sette an hous on
fyer at Radfords gate, and cryed and mad an noyse as though they had be
sory for the fyer; and by that cause Radfords men set opyn the gats and
yede owt to se the fyer; and for with th’erll sone forseid entred into
the place and intreted Radford to come doun of his chambre to sp[e]ke
with them, promyttyng hym that he shuld no bodyly harm have; up on
whiche promysse he come doun, and spak with the seid Erll sone.
In the mene tyme his menye robbe his chambre, and ryfled his
huches,[49.2] and trussed suyche as they coude gete to gydder, and
caryed it awey on his own hors. Thanne th’erll sone seid, ‘Radford, thou
must come to my lord my fadir.’ He seid he wold, and bad oon of his men
make redy his hors to ride with hem, whiche answerd hym that alle his
hors wern take awey; thanne he seid to th’erll sone, ‘Sir, your men have
robbed my chambre, and thei have myn hors, that I may not ride with you
to my lord your fadir, wherfor, I pray you, lete me ride, for I am old,
and may not go.’
It was answerid hym ageyn, that he shuld walke forth with them on his
feete; and so he dede till he was a flyte[49.3] shote or more from his
place, and thanne he was . . . softly, for cawse he myght not go fast.
And whanne thei were thus departed, he turned . . . oon; forwith come
ix. men ageyn up on hym, and smot hym in the hed, and fellid . . . . of
them kyt his throte.
This was told to my Lord Chaunceler[49.4] this fornoon . . . . . .
messengers as come of purpos owt of the same cuntre. This matier is take
gretly . . . . . . passed at ij. after mydnyght rod owt of London, as it
is seid, more thanne . . . . . the best wyse. Summe seyne it was to ride
toward my Lord of York, and summe . . . . . k, so meche rumor is here;
what it menyth I wot not, God turne it . . . . . . at Hertford,[50.1]
and summe men ar a ferd that he is seek ageyn. I pray God . . . . . . my
Lords of York, Warwyk, Salesbury and other arn in purpos to conveye hym
. . . . . . . . . &c. The seid N. Crome, berer her of, shall telle you
suche tydynggs . . . . . . . . . in hast, at London, on Seint Simon day
and Jude.