Blake y Bayle of Swaffh'm was here wt ye Kyngs 'broy' and he come to me weny'g yt ye had be at hom and feyd y' y Kyngs broy' defyrid hym yt he fhuld p'y yow in his name to come to hym for he wold right fayn that ye had come to hym

if

ye had ben at hom', And he told me y' he weft wele y' he fhuld fend for yow when he come to London, boy for Coffey and other thyngs.

..I p'y yow y' ye woll do y' coft on me ayens Witfontyd y I may have fomme thyng for my nekke, when y Quene was her' I borowd my Cof: Elyfab Cleris Devys for I durft not for fhame 5 beds among go w my fo many "frefch Jantylwomen as her' wer' at y' tym.

The bliffid T'nyte have yow in his kepy'g.

Wretyn at Norwych on ye fryday next befor Seynt George.

3 Either Edmund, afterwards Earl of Richmond, Father to Henry VII. or Jasper, Earl of Pembroke.

A Device or Ornament for the neck.

5 Necklaces of Beads, &c. appear to have been worn at this time, though fhe either did not think her's handsome, or fashionable enough to be put on upon this occafion.

Blake, the Bailey of Swaffham, was here with the King's 'Brother, and he came to me, wening that ye had been at home; and said, that the King's brother defired him that he should pray you in his name to come to him, for he would right fain that ye had come to him, if ye had been at home; and he told me, that he wift well that he fhould fend for you, when he came to London, both for Coffey and other things.

I pray you that ye will do your coft on me against Whitfuntide, that I may have something for my neck; when the Queen was here, I borrowed my Coufin Elizabeth Clere's 4 Device, for I durft not for shame go with my 5 Beads amongst so Gentlewomen as here were at that time.

The bleffed Trinity have you in his keeping.

many

6 fresh

Written at Norwich on the Friday next before Saint George.

Norwich,

Friday, 21st of April,

1452, 30 H. VI.

By yours,

7 MARGARET PASTON.

May not the word frefch mean French or foreign Gentlewomen, attendant on the Queen? though it most probably means, fresh, gay, or well-dreffed or fashionable Ladies. ? Margaret, Wife of John Pafton, Efq. &c. Pl. 11. N° 20.

LET.

R

LEI IE

T TER

XUJ.

To his wurchypfull Brodyr Jo'n Pafton.

2

YTH wurchypfull brod' I recomande to yow and as for tedyng my Lord of 'Yorke hathe take my Lord of Exfat' in to hys awarde The Duke of 'Som'fet is ftyll in p'fon in warfe cafe than he was. Syr Jon Faftolf recomande hym to yow, &c. he wyll ryde in to Norfolke ward as on Trusday and he wyll dwelle at Caft and Skrop wyth hym he faythe ye ar the hartyeft kynysmã and frynd y' he knowyts he wolde have yow at Mawdeby dwellyng.

I had gret cher of Byllyng be y way and he told me in cownfayle wathe he fayd to Ledam.

ус

Ledam wulde a do hys wyfe to a mad a complent to Pryothe in ye scherhowse of yow, and Byllyng confallyd hym to leve and tolde Ledam ye and he wer no felawys, and fayd to Ledam y' is the gyfe of yowr contre me to spend alle the good they have on me and lew'y Gownys and hors and harnes and fo beryt owth for j wylle and at the lafte they arn but beggars

This Letter is given not only as containing fome ftate Anecdotes, but as exhibiting a Character of John Pafton, Efq. from Thomas Billing, who in 1453 was created a Serjeant at Law, and in 1458 appointed King's Serjean'.

He became Chief Juftice of Engl..nd, in 1472.

Richard, Duke of York.

and

IGHT worshipful Brother, I recommend (me) to you;

Rand as for tidings, my Lord of York hath taken my

Lord of Exeter into his award; the Duke of 'Somerset is ftill in prison, in worse case than he was.

Sir John Faftolf recommends him to you, &c. he will ride into Norfolk ward as on Thursday, and he will dwell at Caifter, and Scroop with him; he faith ye are the heartiest Kinsman and Friend that he knoweth, he would have you at Mawlteby dwelling.

I had great cheer of Billing by the way, and he told me, in counsel, what he faid to Ledam.

Ledam would have done his wife [endeavour] to have made a complaint to Pryothe in the Shire houfe of you, and Billing counfelled him to leave, and told Ledam, ye and he were no Fellows, and faid to Ledam "it is the guife of your Country "men to fpend all the Goods they have on men and livery Gowns, "and Horfe and Harness, and fo bear it out for a while, and at "the last they are but Beggars; and fo will ye do, I would ye

Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter.

3 Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerfet, was imprifoned by the Duke of York's Party in 1452, and again for a confiderable time in 1453. He was killed at the battle of St. Albans, in 1455.

VOL. I.

L

"fhould

and fo wyll ye do I wylde ye fchufl do wyll be cause felaw in Grays In wer I was a felaw.

As for Pafton he ys a Swyr of Wurchyp and of gret lyvelode and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys Good as onys but he fparyt yerly C mark or jć li. he may do his Ennemy a fcherewd turne and nev' far the warfe in hys howfholde ner the leffe me abowthe hym ye may not do fo but if yt be for j fefun I confayll yow not to contenu long as ye do I wulle confalle yow to feke refte wyth Pafton.

And I thankkyd Byllyng on yowr behalfe.

God have yow in hys kepyng.

Meche odyr thyng I can telle and I had lefur, recomande me to my fuft Margeth m'y Cofyn Elizabet Cly I pray

yow.

A younger Son of Sir William Pafton. Pl. 11, N° 21. Pl. xiv. N°

LET