LETTER XJJJ.

To my right honorabil and whypfull Maift' my Maift' Pafton.

PLE

2

LEASE it yōre w'shipfull Maistyr hyp to wete that it is informyd me thys day fcretly that there is dyrected out a com'yffion to Mayft' Yelwyrton and Maift' Jenney which shall tomorwyr fyttyn be vertu of the fame at Seynt Oleffes and the substaunce of Jentilmen and Yemen of Lodyngland be affygned to be afore the feyd Com'esyoners and it is supposed it is for my Maifters londs, for as the feyd p'fone informyd me the feyd Comelyoners have been at Cotton and there entred and holdyn a Court, I can not informe yōre Maystyrship that it is thus in f'teyn but thus it was told me and defyryd me to kepe it fecret, but be cause I confeyue it is ageyn youre Maistyrship it is my part to geve you relacion thereof.

I fende you a Letter which cometh from 3 W'ceftyr to my Maift' youre Brothyr, I wold ye undyrftod the intente of it for as for W'ceft' I knowe well he is not good, fum men ar besy to make werre, for p' the abfentyng of my Maift' the p'fon comyth not of hyfe owyn mocyon, but I wold yōre Maistyrship knewe be

The first part of this Letter relates to the difputes concerning Sir John Faflolf's Eftates, and fhews that proceedings concerning Property were often carried on in a clandeftine manner.

To my right honourable and Worshipful Mafter, my Mafter Pafton.

LEASE it your worshipful Mastership to weet, that it is

PL

fecretly, is directed out a

2

Commiffion to Mafter 'Yelverton and Mafter 'Jenney, which shall tomorrow fit by virtue of the fame at Saint Olave's, and the substance of Gentlemen and Yeomen of Lothingland be affigned to be afore the faid Commiffioners; and it is supposed it is for my Master's Lands, for as the said person informed me, the faid Commiffioners have been at Cotton, and there entered, and holden a Court; I cannot inform your Mastership that it is thus in certain, but thus it was told me, and defired me to keep it fecret; but because I conceive it is against your Mastership, it is my part to give you relation thereof.

I send you a Letter which cometh from 3 Worcester to my - Mafter your Brother, I would ye understood the intent of it, for as for Worcester, I know well he is not good.

Some men are bufy to make war, for by the abfenting of my. Mafter, the Parfon cometh not of his own motion, but I would

* I suppose these were William Yelverton, a Judge of the King's Bench, and William Jenney, a Serjeant at Law.

2 St. Olave's, a village in the hundred of Lothing, in Suffolk.

3 William Worcester was the Secretary and confidential Servant of Sir John Fastolf, nd one of his Executors.

your

whom it is mevyd, I herd you neu' calle hym falfe Pryst be my trouth nor other language that is reherfyd hym, but Gode fende a good Accord for of varyaunce comyth gret hurt of tyn tyme, and I beseche J'hu fende youre Maistyrship youre herts defyre and amende hem that wold the contrary.

S. yeft'euyn a man came from London and he feyth the Kyng cam to London on fatyrday and there dede make a 4 p'clamacion that all men that were be twyx lx and xvj fhuld be redy to wayte upon hym whan fo eu' they were callyd and it is feyd that my Lord Warwyk had fent to the Kyng and informyd hyfe Hyghneffe that the Lord 5 Summyrfet had wretyn to hym to come to grace, but of the fleet of Shyppis there is no tydings in f'teyn at London on monday last past.

6

Yōre bedman and f'vaunt,

7 John Huffe.

111 by 5 1.

* A fimilar proclamation is faid to have been iffued in 1464.

s This Letter must have been written in 1462, as in that year the Duke of Somerset was generoufly pardoned, but revolting, was taken at the battle of Hexham, and beheaded.

To my right bonoʻabyl and w’fbypfull Maift my Maist John Pafton.

PLES

LESE yōr W'hypfull Maifterfhip to wette, her is a Ship of Hith wyche seith that John Cole cam from the west coft an wednysday last past and he feyth that the fleet of Shippis of this

londe

I heard you never

your Mastership knew by whom it is moved. call him falfe Priest, by my truth, nor other language that is rehearsed (to or by) him, but God fend a good accord, for of variance cometh great hurt often time, and I beseech Jesu send your Mastership your heart's defire, and amend them that would the contrary.

Sir, yefter even a man came from London, and he faith, the King came to London on Saturday, and there did make a 4 Proclamation that all men that were between 60 and 16 fhould be ready to wait upon him whenfoever they were called; and it is faid, that my Lord Warwick had fent to the King, and informed his Highnefs that the Lord 5 Somerset had written to him to come to grace, but of the Fleet of Ships there is no tidings in certain at London on Monday last past.

1462, 2 E. IV.

Your Beadman and Servant,

7 JOHN RUSSE.

6 This Fleet was most probably that which our Historians mention as being fent this year to Bretagne and the Ifle of Rhée, but of which the foreign Historians say nothing. 7 Autograph. Pl. v. N° 18. Pl. xiv. N° 21.

To my right honourable and worshipful Mafter, my Mafter

PLEA

John Pafton,

LEASE your worshipful Mastership to weet, there is a
Ship of Hythe, which faith, that John Cole came from

the west coast on Wednesday laft paft; and he faith, that the

Fleet

londe met w' lx feile of Spanyards Brettenys and Frenfhemen and there tok of hem 1-wherof xij fhyppys were as gret as the Grace de Dewe, and there is flayn on thys partyes the Lords Clynton and Dakyr and many Jentilmen juve and othyr, the nombre of ij, and the feid Spanyards were purpofyd w marchaundise in to Flaundres, my Lord of Warwyks fhyp the Mary Grace and the Trenyte hadde the gretteft hurt for they wer formoft, God fend Grace thys be trew on thursday last past at London was no tydings in f'teyn where the flet was nor what they had doon and therfore I fere the tydings the more.

Itm S. as for tydings at London ther were aryftyd be the treforer xl feyles lyeng in Temfe wherof many smale fhyppis and it is feyd it is to carye men to Caleyfe in all hafte for feer of the Kyng of Fraunce for a Sege and it was told me fecretly there were CC in Caleyfe fworn contrary to the Kyngs well, and for defaute of there wags and that Qwen Marget was redy at Boleyn w myche fylver to paye the foudyers in cas they wold geve here entreffe, many men be gretly aferd of thys mater, and fo the treforer hath mych to do for thys cause. - Itm S. as for tydings out of Ireland ther wer many men at London at the ffeyre of the contres next them of Ireland,

and

This appears to contain the report of the day, relative to the Tranfactions of the Fleet, which was fent out towards Brittany, in 1462, but which feems to have had no foundation, at least no material one, as our Hiftorians make no mention of fuch an engagement, nor does the Writer (Pl. v. N° 18.) himself give much credit to the report. 1t however authenticates the truth of a fleet having been fent out at that time.

John, Lord Clinton, revolted from Henry VI. about 1459, and joined the Duke of York's Party, on which account his Lands were centifcated, and himself attainted, but

on