man in heart, in will, in thought, in deed, unto the King our alder moft [greateft] high and dread Sovereign Lord, to whom both ye and I be fo much bound to; Charging you as Father can and may, rather to die than to be the contrary, or to know any thing that were against the 3 welfare or profperity of his moft Royal Perfon, but that as far as your body and life may fretch, ye live and die to defend it, and to let his Highness have knowledge thereof in all the hafte ye can. Thirdly, in the fame wife, I charge you, my dear Son, alway as ye be bounden by the Commandment of God to do, to love, to worship, your Lady and Mother; and alfo that ye obey alway her commandments, and to believe her counfels and advices in all your works, the which dread not but shall be beft and trueft to you. And if any other body would fteer you to the contrary, to flee the counsel in any wife, for ye shall find it nought and evil. Furthermore, as far as Father may and can, I charge you in any wise to flee the Company and Counsel of proud men, of covetous men, and of flattering men, the more especially and mightily to withstand them, and not to draw nor to meddle with them, with all your might and power; and to draw to you, and to your company good and virtuous men, and fuch as be of good conversation, and of truth, and by them fhall ye never be deceived nor repent you of. More N. B. Those words with dots over them are added, as in the Copy they were chafed and illegible. This F 2 witte in no wyfe, but in alle youre werkes of fuche Folks as I write of above axeth youre advise and counfel and doyng thus wy m'cy of God ye fhall do right well and lyue in right moche worship and grete herts rest and ease. And I wyll be to you as good Lord and Fader as my hert can thynke. And last of alle as hertily and as lovyngly as ever Fader blessed his child in erthe I yeve you ye bleffyng of Oure Lord and of me, whiche of his infynite m'cy encrece you in alle vertu and good lyvyng. And y' youre blood may by his grace from kynrede to kynrede multeplye in this erthe to hys f'vise in fuche wyfe as after ye departyng fro this wreched world here ye and thei' may glorefye hym et'nally amongs his Aungelys in hevyn. + Wreten of myn hand, This is the Mark on the paper, upon which the Copy of this Letter is written, and being of the fame kind with that on the paper, which contains the account of the Duke's murder, fhows that this copy was transcribed about the fame time, and in some measure authenticates the truth of it. The Apograph is copied from an Indenture, dated 19th of May, 1436, 14 H. VI. and figned by the Duke when Earl of Suffolk. Pl. 1. N° 6. • The concluding fentences are in rhime. This affectionate Letter, ftrongly inculcating his Son's Duty to God, his Sovereign, and his Parents, gives him good and fatherly Counsel, as to his Company, his Converfation Moreover, never follow your own wit in no wife, but in all your works, of fuch Folks as I write of above, ask your advice and counfel, and doing thus, with the mercy of God, ye fhalt do right well, and live in right much worship, and great heart's reft and ease. And I will be to you as good Lord and Father as my heart can. think. And laft of all, as heartily and as lovingly as ever Father bleffed his child in earth, I give you the Bleffing of Our Lord and of me, which of his infinite mercy increafe you in all virtue and good living; and that your Blood may by his grace from kindred to kindred multiply in this earth to his service, in such wife as after the departing from this wretched world here, ye and they, may glorify him eternally amongst his Angels in heaven. + Written of mine hand, The day of my departing fro this Land. Your true and loving Father, April, SUFFOLK. 1450, 28 H. VI. tion and Tranfactions in life; tells him, that in following the advice it contains, he will profper in the world; and then folemnly pronouncing a Bleffing on him, it concludes with a Prayer for him and his Posterity. May not this well written Epistle alone entitle this Duke to a place amongst the Noble Authors of England? This advice written fo immediately upon his departure, and fo fhort a time before his murder, must have made a deep impreffion on his Son's mind, and doubtlefs in that age the Letter was much admired, as even at this period of refined Literature, it may be called a good and an affecting Compofition. LET R LE I TE ER 笑。 To the ryght Worchipfull John Pafton at Norwich. YGHT worchipfull S'. I recomaunde me to yow and am right fory of that I fhalle fey and have foo wefshe this litel bille with forw fulle terys that on ethes ye fhalle reede it. As on monday nexte after may day the' come tydyngs to London that on thorfday before the Duke of Suff' come unto the *Coftes of Kent full nere Dower with his ij Shepes and a litel Spynn' the qweche Spynn' he fente with c'teyn Lett's to c'teyn of his truftid men unto Caleys warde to knowe howe he fhuld be resceyvyd and with hym mette a Shippe callyd Nicolas of the Towre with other Shippis waytyng on hym and by hem that were in the Spyner the maister of the Nicolas hadde knowlich of the Dukes comyng and whanne he efpyed the Dukes Shepis he fent forthe his bote to wete what they were and the Duke hym felfe spakke to hem and feyd he was be the Kyngs comaundemēt fent to Caleys ward, &c. And they feyd he mofte fpeke with here maft' and foo he w' ij or ii of his men wente forth wyth hem yn here bote to the Nicolas and whanne he come the maft badde hym Welcom defyryd to wete yf Traito' as me fey and forth the maift the Shepmen woldde holde with the Duke and they sent word they wold not yn noo wyfe, and foo he was yn the Nicolas tyl Sat'day next folwyng. ! Some of our Historians fay that he put to Sea from the Coast of Norfolk, Soom R LETTER X. To the right worshipful John Pafton, at Norwich. IGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, and am right forry of that I shall say, and have so washed this little bill with forrowful tears, that uneths [fcarcely] ye fhall read it. As on Monday next after May day (4th May) there came Tidings to London, that on Thursday before (30th of April), the Duke of Suffolk came unto the Coafts of Kent full near Dover with his two Ships and a little Spinner; the which Spinner he fent with certain Letters, by certain of his trusted men unto Calais ward, to know how he fhould be received; and with him met a Ship called Nicholas of the Tower with other Ships waiting on him, and by them that were in the Spinner, the Mafter of the Nicholas had knowledge of the Duke's coming. When he espied the Duke's Ships, he fent forth his Boat to weet what they were, and the Duke himself spoke to them, and faid, he was by the King's Commandment fent to Calais ward, &c. and they faid, he muft fpeak with their Mafter; and fo he with two or three of his men went forth with them in their Boat to the Nicholas; and when he came, the Master bade him, Welcome Traitor, as men fay. And further the Mafter defired to wete if the Shipmen would hold with the Duke, and they fent word they would not in no wife; and fo he was in the Nicholas till Saturday (2d May) next following. 2 This Ship belonged to Bristol in 1442, 20 H. VI. and was a great Ship with Fore Stages, and carried 150 men. Some |