LETTER XIV.

Richard Duke of York's Petition to King Henry for the Punishment of Traitors, &c.

PLE

LEASE it, your Highness, tenderly to confider the great grudging and Rumour that is univerfally in this your Realm, of that Juftice is not duly miniftered to fuch as trespass, and offend against your laws; and in fpecial of them, that (have) been endited of Treafon, and others, being openly noised of the fame; wherefore, for great inconvenience that have fallen, and great is like to fall hereafter, in your faid Realm, which God defend, unless by your Highness, provision convenable be made for due reformation, and punishment in this behalf; Wherefore I, your humble Subject, and Liege man, Richard Duke of York, willing as effectually as I can, and defiring furety and profperity of your moft royal person, and welfare of this your noble Realm, counsel and advertise your excellence, for the converfation of good tranquillity and peaceable rule among all true fubjects, for to ordain and provide, that due Juftice be had against all fuch that (have) been fo endited, or openly fo noifed; Wherein I offer, and will put

Wales, and from thence fent this Petition to the King, which was chiefly aimed at the Duke of Somerfet. Pl. 1. N° 4.

A civil Answer was returned, informing him that proper measures were to be taken, and that he would be one of the Commiffioners for putting, them into execution.

Should not this word be eonferration?

VOL. I.

K

myfelf

wol put me in Devour for to execute your comaundements in thes p'mises of fuch offenders and redreffe of the feid myfrewlers to my myth and power And for the hafty execucon herof lyke it your hyghnes to dreffe your lett'es of prevy feale and writts to your officers and miniftres to do take and areste all foch p'fons fo noyfed or endited of what aftatte degre or condicōn fo ev' thei be and them to comytte to your 2 tour of London or to other your p'fons ther to abyde with outen bayle or maynprice on to the tyme y' that thei be utt'ly tryed and declared after the cours of your lawe.

11 by 4 1.

Paper Mark.

N. B. The paper is cut fo
that only part of the Mark
remains; it appears to be

a Pillar.

Pl. VIII. N° 7,

LCT

2 This fhews, that the Tower of London, was, in this age, a Prison allotted for the keeping of thofe, who were accufed of Crimes against the State.

This

myself in Devour [duty] for to execute your commandments in these premises, of fuch offenders and redress of the said mifrulers, to my might and power. And for the hafty execution hereof, like it your Highness to address your Letters of Privy feal and Writs, to your officers and minifters, to do take, and arreft all fuch perfons fo noifed or endited, of what eftate, degree, or condition fo ever they be, and them to commit to your Tower of London, or to other your Prisons, there to abide without bail or mainprize unto the time that they be utterly tryed, and declared after the course of your Law.

1451, 30 H. VI.

This Letter (as well as fome others) is a curious instance of the motley form of our Language, when the general ufe of it was ftill in its Infancy-a Sugett - put me in Devour convenable, &c. &c.

To my right wurfbipfull Mayfter John Pafton be yis de- :

R

lyvryd i haft.

IGHT wurshipfull Hofband I recom'and me to yow p'yig yow to wete, &c. (here follows fome account of money received, &c.)

2

As for tydyngs ye Quene come in to yis town on 'Tewyfday last past aft none and abode her' tyll itt was Thursday iij aft none and she sent aft' my Cos Elyfabeth Cler' by Sharyn born to come to her and fhe durft not dyfabey her com'andment and come to her and when the come in ye Quenys p'fens ye Quene made ryght meche of her and defyrid here. to have an hofbond y' which ye fhall know of her' aft', but as for that he is nev" nerrer than he was befor.

The Quene was right well pleasid w' her answer and reportyht of her in ye beft wyfe and feyth be here trowth she sey no Jantylwoman fyn fhe come into Norffolk y' fhe lyk bett yan fhe doth her.

Blake

Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VI. alarmed at the report of the approach of Edward, Earl of March, (Son to the Duke of York,) towards London with a great power, endeavoured to make what Fiends he could; and amongst other pl ces, on her journey for that purpose, visited Norwich, Edmund de Hadham, and Jasper of Hatfield, the King's half Brothers attending her.

Her

LETTER XV.

To my right worshipful Mafter, John Pafton, be this delivered in bafte.

R

IGHT worshipful Hufband, I recommend me to you, praying you to weet, &c. (here follows fome account of money received, &c.)

I

As for tidings, the Queen came into this town on Tuesday laft paft after noon, and abode here till it was Thursday three (o'clock) afternoon; and the fent after my Coufin Elizabeth

Clere by Sharinborn to come to her; and she durft not disobey her commandment, and came to her; and when the came in the Queen's Prefence, the Queen made right much of her, and defired her to have an husband, the which ye shall know of hereafter; but as for that he is never nearer than he was before; the Queen was right well pleafed with her answer, and reporteth of her in the beft wife, and faith, by her truth, fhe faw no Gentlewoman fince fhe came into Norfolk, that he liked better than fhe doth her.

Her familiarity and obliging addrefs pleafed the Gentry, and hows that he understood the art of conciliating the goodwill of thofe with whom the converfed.

Tuesday 18th of April. Thursday 20th of April.

2 Daughter of Robert Clere, Efq. of Ormesby,

Blake,