To the right worshipful, and mine especial Mafter, John Pafton, Efquire, in hafte be this delivered.

A

FTER all due recommendation, like it you to weet,

that the day of your Affife is die Lunæ proxime pōst tres feptimanas Sancti Michaelis, which is on Monday come sev'night, at which time I truft ye will be here, or else can I do little or nothing therein.

As touching your matter against Gunnor, that dwelleth in law, I have spoken to Lyttelton, and communed with him therein, but it is not yet spoken of at bar. Gunnor hath waged his law of that he had his day to wage it of, &c.

As touching your issues at Wentworth's fuit it is 2o and it was returned ere I came here; my Mafter Faftolf's Counsel taketh heed thereto, &c.

As for tidings, my Lord 3 Chancellor is difcharged, and in his ftead is my Lord of Winchester. And my Lord of 4 Shrewsbury is Treasurer. Brown of your Inn is Under Treasurer, if ye would fend to him to grant you the naming of the Efcheatorship of

• This Law Business fhews us that the Writer was a Lawyer. Pl. 11. N° 28. 2 He was in 1453 Serjeant, and in 1467 the famous Judge Lyttelton.

3 John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury, was difmiffed from the Chancellorship, and William Waynfleet, Bishop of Winchester, fucceeded him on the 11th of October, 1449; but query, as our Hiftorians differ.

4 John Talbot.

VOL. I.

:

namyng of theschetorship of Norff' &c. it wer weel do for it is told me he wold do moche for you.

Maift' Lawrence 5 Bothe is P've Seall and it is feid y' my Lord of York hath be w ye Kyng and is dep'ted āgeyn in right good conceyt w' ye Kyng but not in gret conceyt w' ye Whene, and fum men fey ne hadde my Lord of 7 Buks not have letted it my Lord of York had be distressed in his dep'tyng.

8

On moneday last paffed was a gret Affray at Coventre bytwene ye Duke of Som's" men and ye Wechemen of ye toun and ij or iij men of the toun wer kylled ye to gret dift'bance of alle ye Lords there for ye larom belle was ronge and ye toun arose and wold have joup'dit to have diftreffed ye Duke of Som's' &c.¡ ne had the Duke of Buks not have take a direccon y'in..

Alfo it is feid ye Duke of Buks taketh right ftraungely that bothe his brethren arn so sodeynly discharged from ther Offices of Chauncellerie and Treforyship and yt among other causeth hym. that his opynyon is contr'y to ye Whenes entent and many oy' alfo as it is talked!

Itm fum men feyn ye Counfeal is diffolved and y' ye Kyng is forth to Chester, &c. Alfo fumme fey yat many of ye Lords fhall reforte hiddir to London ageynft 9 Alhalwen tyde.!

And as touchyng thel'con of Shirefs men wene y' my Lord of Canterbury fhall have a gret rule and fpecyall in our countre.

s Was Mader of Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge, Dean of St. Paul's, Bishop of Durham, and at last Archbishop of York. He died in 1480.

• Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

7 Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

I can

Norfolk, &c. it were well done, for it is told me, he would do

much for you.

Mafter Laurence 5 Booth is Privy Seal.

It is faid that my Lord of 6 York hath been with the King, and is departed again in right good conceit with the King, but not in great conceit with the Queen.

Some men say, had my Lord of 7 Buckingham not have letted [hindered] it, my Lord of York had been diftreffed [feized] in his departing.

On Monday laft paft, was a great Affray at Coventry, between the Duke of Somerfet's men, and the Watchmen of the Town, and two or three men of the Town were killed there, to (the) great disturbance of all the Lords there, for the alarum Bell was rung, and the Town arofe, and would have jeoparded [hazarded] to have diftreffed the Duke of Somerset, &c. had not the Duke of Buckingham taken a direction therein.

Also it is faid, the Duke of Buckingham taketh right ftrangely, that both his Brethren are fo fuddenly discharged from their Offices of Chancellery and Treasurership; and that among other caufeth him that his opinion is contrary to the Queen's intent, and many other alfo, as it is talked.

Item, fome men fay, the Council is diffolved, and that the King is forth to Chefter, &c. Alfo fome fay, that many of the Lords fhall refort hither to London against 9 All-hallows tide.

And as touching the Election of Sheriffs, men ween that my Lord of Canterbury shall have a great rule, and specially in our Country.

Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerfet.

9 Second of November.

E. 2

I can

I can no more but Almyghty God fend us as his moft pleafer is.

Wretyn al in haft the faterday next aft' Seint Edwards day.

11 1 by 6 1.

Yo' S'unt,

James
Gretham.

The Seal of this Letter has the impreffion of a Grafshopper, being the device of the family of Grefham. Pl. xiv. N° 2.

T E T T ER UJJJ.

To my rytz worchypful Mayftyr Jon Pafton be this delyveryd in baft.

R

YTZ worchipful hofbond I recomawnd me to yow defyri'g hertyly to her of z' well-far &c. (then follows fome common bufinefs about his farms and tenants.)

2

I

Wyllyam Rutt the whiche is w' Sir Jōn Heveny'gh'm' kom hom' from London zeft'day and he fey'd pleynly to his maft' and to many other folks y' the Duke of Suffolk is pardonyd and hath his men azen wayty'g up on hym and is rytz wel at efe and mery and is in the Kyngs gode g'fe and in y gode cōfeyt of all y Lords as well as ev' he was.

Ther

The Family of Heveningham had large poffeffions in Norfolk, and was a family of confequence in that County for many Defcents.

Articles of Impeachment were exhibited by the Commons in parliament, against the

Duke

I can no more, but Almighty God fend us, as his most pleasure is.

Written all in hafte, the Saturday next after St. Edward's day.

Saturday, 18th of October,

1449, 28 H. VI.

Your Servant,

JAMES GRESHAM.

LETTER

VIII.

To my right worshipful Mafter John Pafton, be this deli

R

vered in bafte.

IGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you, defiring heartily to hear of your welfare, &c. (then follows fome common bufinefs about his farms and tenants.)

William Rutt, the which is with Sir John Heveningham came home from London yesterday, and he said plainly to his Master, and to many other Folks, that the Duke of Suffolk is pardoned, and hath his men again waiting upon him, and is right well at ease and merry, and is in the King's good grace, and in the good conceit of all the Lords, as well as ever he was.

Duke of Suffolk, in February 1449; and the King, to appeafe them, committed the Duke to the Tower; his enlargement from thence, &c. is here related; and it seems by what is here mentioned, that he appeared abroad ufually with a Guard.