Ferthermoor men feye that the Frenfhe Kynge is wt hys oft uppon the wat' off 4 Some a lx myle froo Caleys I leve them wheer I ffond them. I made yowr answer to ye ffrends off Mestreffe Jane Godnoston accordyng to yowr Inftrucions. As for me I am nott ferteyn whether I shall to Caleys to Leyfetr or come home into Norff' but I fhall haftely fend yow worde, &c. Wretyn y ij daye of Aprill A°. E. iiij. xiij°. To John Pafton Efqer at Norwych be thys d'd. WYRSHYPFULL and well belovyd Brother, I comand me to yow letyng yow weet y' the Worlde femyth qweyfye heer ffor the most part that be abowt the Kyng have fende hyddr ffor ther harneys and it feyd ffor ferteyn that y° Duke off Clarance makyth hym bygge in that he kan fchewyng as he wolde but dele w the Duke of Glowceft' but the Kyng en tentyth Farthermore men say, that the French King is with his Host upon the water of 4 Somme a 60 miles from Calais; I leave them where I found them. I made your answer to the friends of Mrs. Jane Godnoston according to your Inftructions; as for me, I am not certain whether I fhall to Calais, to Leicester, or come home into Norfolk, but I fhall haftily fend you word, &c. Written the ad day of April, the 13th of Edward IV. Friday, 2d of April, 1473) 13 E. IV. LETTER LIII. To John Pafton, Efquire, at Norwich, be this delivered. WORSHIPFUL and well beloved Brother, I commend me to you, letting you weet, that the World feemeth queafy [unfettled] here; for the most part that be about the King have sent hither for their Harness, and it (is) faid for certain, that the Duke of Clarence maketh him big in that he can, fhewing as he would but [only] deal with the Duke of Gloucester; but the tentyth in eschyewying all Inconvenyents to be as bygge as they bothe and to be a ftyffeler atweyn them, and fom men thynke y undre thys ther fholde be fom other thynge entendyd and fom treafon confpyred fo what shall falle can I nott feye. It'm it is feyde yt yift'daye ij Paffagers off Dovr wer takyn I ffer y1 iff Juddy had noon hafty paffage so y' iff he paffyd nott on Sondaye or mondaye yt he is taken and fom geer off myn yt I wolde not for xx1i. I hope and p'pofe to goo to Caleys warde on fondaye or mondaye or nyghe bye ffor I am nott acompanyed to do any fervyse heer wherffor it wer bett' ffor me to be owt off syght. (Here follow fome money transactions relative to a Doctor Pykenham, his Mother and others.) It'm Sprynge y' wayten on my 'ffadre when he was in Jowel hous whom my ffadre at hys dyeng befett x1' he cryethe evyr on me ffor it and in weye off Almess and he wolde be easyd thow it wer but xx, or xs wherffor he hathe wretyn to my Modr and most have an answer ageyn I wolde y' my Moodr fende hym as thoghe fhe lende hym fom whatt and he woll be pleafyd and ellys he can feye as fhrewdely as any man in Ingelonde. It'm The first part of this curious Letter informs us of the unfettled state of the nation; and that the Duke of Clarence, pretending only to be getting his party together to oppose the Duke of Gloucefter, was fuppofed to be meditating fome Treafon against the State. Thefe royal Brothers had been for fome time at variance, and most probably their Disputes the King intendeth, in efchewing all Inconvenience, to be as big as they both, and to be a Stiffler [Stickler] atween them; and fome men think, that under this, there fhould be fome other thing intended, and fome Treafon confpired; fo what shall fall, can I not fay. Item, it is faid that yesterday two Paffagers [Paffage Boats] of Dover were taken; I fear that if Juddy had no hafty paffage, so that if he paffed not on Sunday or Monday, that he is taken, and some Gear [Goods] of mine, that I would not for 201. I hope and purpose to go to Calais ward on Sunday or Monday or nigh by, for I came not accompanied to do any fervice here; wherefore it were better for me to be out of fight. (Here follow fome money transactions relative to a Doctor Pykenham, his Mother, and others.) I Item, Spring, that waited on my father when he was in Gaol house, whom my father, at his dying befet [bequeathed] 40s. he cryeth ever on me for it, and in way of Alms and he would be eased, though it were but xxs. or xs. wherefore he hath written to my Mother, and must have an answer again; I would that my Mother fend him, as though the lend him fomewhat, and he will be pleased, and [or] elfe he can fay as fhrewdly as any man in England. Difputes were heightened at this time, by the late marriage of the latter with Anne, the Widow of Prince Edward, Henry VI's Son; Daughter and Coheir of the Earl of Warwick; and Sifter to the Duchefs of Clarence, whofe poffeffions the Duke was unwilling to divide with her Sifter, now his Brother's Wife. John Pafton, Efquire, was imprifoned by Edward IV. in 1466. VOL. II. S Itém, 2 It'm the Kynge hathe fent ffor hys Great Seall, fom feye we shall have a newe 3 Chauncelor but fom thynke y' the Kynge dothe as he dyde at the laft ffeldys he wyll have the Seall wt hym, but thys daye Doctor 4 Morton Maft' off y° Rollys rydethe to ye Kynge and berythe the Sease wt hym. It'm I had neu' mor nede off mony than now wherffor Faftolff's v mrks and the mony off Maft' John Smythe wolde make me holl, &c. Wretyn on Seynt Lenards daye Ao. R R. E. iiijú xüij°. It'm. Sende me my Vestment acordyng to ye Lett' I fent yow by Symond Dam in all haft. 112 by 82. 5 3. P. K. This is a proof that the King apprehended fome confpiracy was going forwards. 4 Dr. Morton was a man of great learning and strict loyalty; he was elected Bishop of WYRSSHYPFULL and ryght hertyly belowyd brother, I recomande me on to yow letyng yow wete yt on wed nyfdaye last past I wrote yow a lett' wheroff John Carbalde had the beryng promyttyng me yt ye fhold have it at Norwyche thys |