Item, the King hath fent for his Great Seal; fome fay, we shall have a new Chancellor, but fome think, that the King doth as he did at the laft Fields, he will have the Seal with him, but this day Doctor + Morton, Master of the Rolls, rideth to the King, and beareth the Seafe [Seals] with him.

Item, I had never more need of money than now, wherefore Faftolf's 5 marks, (31. 6s. 8d.) and the money of Mafter John Smythe would make me whole, &c.

Written on St. Leonard's day, in the 13th year of the reign of Edward IVth.

Item, fend me my veftment, according to the Letter I fent you by Symond Dam, in all haste.

Thursday,

15th of April, 1473,

13 E. IV.

5 JOHN PASTON, Knight.

of Ely, in 1478; and in the fame year appointed Lord Chancellor ;-in 1484, he was advanced to the Archiepifcopal See of Canterbury, and died in 1 500.

s Autograph. Pl. Iv. N° 10.

LETTER

LIV.

To John Pafton, Efquire, in Norfolk.

WORSHIPFUL and right heartily beloved Brother, I re

commend me unto you, letting you weet, that on Wednesday last past I wrote you a Letter, whereof John Carbalde had the bearing, promitting [promifing] me that ye fhould

thys daye or ellys to morowe in the mornyng, wherin I praye yowe to take a labor accordyng afftr the tenur off the fame and y' I have an answer at London to Hoxon iff any maffenger come as ene I maye doo ffor yow.

maye

As ffor tydyngs ther was a trufe taken at Bruffellys about the xxvj daye off Marche last past be twyn the Duke off Borgoyn and ye ffrenfe Kyngs Imbaffators and Maft' Will'm At Clyff ffor the Kyng heer whyche is a Pefe be londe and wat' tyll the ffyrst daye off Apryll nowe next comyng betweyn Fraunce and Ingelond and alfo y Dukys londes. God holde it ffor ever and grace be.

I

It'm the Erle of 2 Oxenfford was on fat'daye at 3 Depe and is p'pofyd into Skotlond wa xij Schyppys, I mystrust that werke.

It'm ther be in London many fflyeng talys feying that y shold be a 4 werke and yit they wot not howe.

It'm my Lorde 5 Chamb'leyn fendyth now at thys tyme to Caleys y yonge Lorde Sowche and S. Thomas Hongreffords Dowtre and heyr and fome feye ye yonge Lady Haryngton thes be iij grett Jowelles, Caleys is a mery town they shall dwell ther I wot not whylghe.

The hiftoric Facts mentioned in this Letter contradict the Dates of them as given by our Historians, and place in the year 1473, thofe which they have given as happening in the year preceding.

From 26th of March, 1473, to 1ft of April, 1474.

2 Our Historians affert that the Earl of Oxford was taken in St. Michael's Mount, in Cornwall, in 1472, and thence conveyed to the Caftle of Hammes, near Calais, where he was imprisoned during twelve years; this could not be, as he was now at Dieppe, concerting an expedition into Scotland.

No

have it at Norwich this day, or elfe to-morrow in the morning; wherein I pray you to take a labour according after the tenure of the fame, and that I may have an answer at London to Hoxon, if any messenger come, as ene I may do for you.

As for tidings, there was a Truce taken at Bruffels about the 26th day of March last past, between the Duke of Burgundy and the French King's Ambaffadors, and Mr. William at Clyff for the King here; which is a Peace by land and water till the 'first day of April now next coming, between France and England, and also the Duke's land; God hold it for ever, and [if] Grace be!

2

Item, the Earl of Oxford was on Saturday at 3 Dieppe, and is purposed into Scotland with a 12 Ships; I mistrust that work.

Item, there be in London many flying Tales, faying, that there should be a 4 work and yet they wot not how.

6

Item, my Lord 5 Chamberlain fendeth, now at this time to Calais, the Lord Zouch and Sir Thomas Hungerford's young 7 Daughter and Heir, and fome fay, the young Lady Harrington, these be three great Jewels; Calais is a merry town, they shall dwell there I wot not whylghe [how long],

3 A Port Town in France, oppofite to Rye, in Suffex.

This may refer to fome commotions expected to be excited by the Friends of the House of Lancaster, perhaps to affist the Earl of Oxford, or it may relate to the differences between the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucefter, &c.

s William, Lord Hastings.

6 John, Lord Zouch of Harringworth; he was attainted in the firft year of Henry VII. 7 Mary, Daughter and Heir of Sir Thomas Hungerford; fhe afterwards married Edward, Son and Heir to William, Lord Haftyngs, who in her right became Lord Hungerford, her Uncle's attainder being reverfed.

No

No mor but I have ben and ame troblyd wt myn over large and curteys delyng wt my fervants and now w' ther onkynd neffe Plattyng yowr men wolde thys daye byd me ffar well to to morow at Dou' notw'ftandyng Thryfton yowr other man is ffrom me and John Myryell and W. Woode whyche promyfed yow and Dawbeney God have hys fowle, at Caftre yt iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn wt me yt then he wold neu' goo ffro me and ther uppon I have kepyd hym thys iij yer to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robyn Hod and the Shryff off Notyngh'm and now when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernyfdale and I w'owt a keeper.

8

Wretyn at Cant'burye, to Caleys warde on tewesday and happe be, uppon • Good Frydaye ye xvj daye off Apryll A°.

E. iiiji. xiijo.

Powr,

10

J. P. K.

ffull my

It'm the most parte off the Sowdyors yt went ou' w' St. Rob' Green have leeff and be comyn hom the hyghe weye Cariage was behynd me ij hours longer yan I lokyd afftr but I wyffe I wende y' I myght have etyn my parte on

8

II

Meaning, I prefume, either that he had kindly kept him when he did not want him; and now that he did want him, that he had left him; or that he had kept him to be an Actor in fuch Interludes.

This is the first Letter fo fully dated, by which the exact time of King Edward's reign can be precisely ascertained.

By the Tables to find Eafter, it appears that in 1473, the Prime being 11, and the Dominical Letter C, Eafter Sunday was on the 18th of April.

I

Good

No more, but I have been, and am troubled with mine over large and courteous dealing with my fervants, and now with their unkindness; Platting your man would this day bid me farewell to to-morrow at Dover, notwithstanding Thryston your other man is from me, and John Myryel, and W. Woode which promised you and Dawbeney, God have his Soul, at Caifter, that if ye would take him in to be again with me, that then he would never go from me; and thereupon I have kept him this three years to play Saint George and Robin Hood, and the Sheriff of Nottingham, and now when I would have good horse, he is gone into Bernyfdale and I without a Keeper.

8

Written at Canterbury, to Calais ward on Tuesday and [if] hap be, upon 9 Good Friday the 16th day of April, in the 13th year of Edward IV.

Item, the most part of the Soldiers that went over with Sir Robert Green have leave, and be coming home the Highway full; my Carriage was behind me two hours longer than I looked after, but " I wis I wend that I might have eaten my

Edward the IVth's Reign began the 4th of March.

The 16th of April 1473, was therefore the 13th of Edward IV. and confequently he began his reign on the 4th of March, 1460.

N. B. The Date of the New Year commenced on the 25th of March.

10 Autograph. Pl. iv. N° 10.

11 The sense of this latter part is not clear; perhaps he meant to say that he was fo fure that his finery was loft, that he might have ventured to promife to eat his part of it on Good Friday without breaking his faft.

pait