feld and of mysfortwne an horfe ftrake my Lord Bastard on the lege and hathe hurt hym fo fore that I can thynk he shalbe of no power to acomplyfhe up hys armys and that is gret pete for by my trowthe I trow God mad neu' a mor worchepfull knyt. And as for the Dwkys coort as of Lords Ladys and Gentylwomen Knyts Sqwyers and Gentylmen I hert neu' of non lyek to it fave Kyng Artourys cort and by my trowthe I have no wyt nor remebrans to wryte to yow half the worchep that is her but y' lakyth as it comyth to mynd I fhall tell yow when I come home whyche I tryft to God fhal not belong to for we depart owt of Brygys homward on twyfday next comyng and all folk yt cam w my Lady of Burgoyn owt of Inglond except fyche as shall abyd her ftyll wt hyr whyche I wot well fhall be but fewe. We depart the foner for the Dwk hathe word that the frenfhe Kyng is p'pofyd to mak wer upon hym haftyly and that he is w'in iiij or v dayis jorney of Brugys and the Dwk rydyth on twyfday next comyng forward to met w' hym God geve hym good fped and all hys for by my trowthe they are the goodlyeft felawfhep the eu' I cam among and best can behave them and moft lyek Gentylmen.

6

Othyr tydyngs have we non her but that the Dwke of Som'fet and all hys bands depertyd welbefeyn owt of Brugys a day befor that my Lady the Dwches cam thedyr and they fey

her

Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was born in 1433, and was flain in battle, near Nancy, in Lorrain, in 1477.

7 Charles VII. It is worthy of Remark how cautious the Writers of these times were not to give the title of King of France, to the Ruler of that Kingdom, but to style him the French King. In this place, (and I have observed it in others) the word "Kyng" (intending

2

Scales into the field; and of misfortune an horse struck my Lord Bastard on the leg, and hath hurt him fo fore, that I can think he fhall be of no power to accomplish up his arms; and that is great pity, for by my truth I trow [think] God made never a more worshipful Knight.

And as for the Duke's Court, as of Lords, Ladies and Gentlewomen, Knights, Efquires, and Gentlemen, I heard never of none like to it, fave King Arthur's Court. And by my truth, I have no wit nor remembrance to write to you, half the worship that is here; but what lacketh, as it cometh to mind I fhall tell you, when I come home, which I truft to God fhall not be long tofore. We depart out of Bruges homeward on Tuesday next coming, and all Folk that came with my Lady of Burgoyn [Burgundy] out of England, except fuch as fhall abide here still with her, which I wot [know] well fhall be but few.

6

We depart the fooner, for the Duke hath word that the 'French King is purposed to make war upon him hastily, and that he is within four or five days journey of Bruges, and the Duke rideth, on Tuesday next coming, forward to meet with him; God give him good speed, and all his; for by my truth they are the goodliest Fellowship that ever I came amongst, and best can behave them, and most like Gentlemen.

Other Tidings have we none here, but that the Duke of * Somerfet, and all his Bands departed well befeen out of Bruges a day before that my Lady the Duchefs came thither, and they

(intending to go on with, of France) was written without confideration, and then, on obferving it, immediately croffed out, and "Frenthe Kyng" put in its place.

Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerfet, an Adherent to Henry VI. and his Queen Margaret, commanded at the battle of Tewkesbury, in 1471; which being loft, he fled to Sanctuary, whence he was taken and beheaded.

fay

her that he is to Qwen Margaret yt was and fhal no mor come ayen nor be holpyn by the Dwk.

her

No mor but I befeche yow of you' blyffyng as lowly as I can whyche I befeche yow forget not to geve me eu' day onys And Modyr I befeche yow y' ye wolbe good maftras to my lytyll man and to fe y he go to fcole I fent my cofyn Dawbeney v by Callys man for to bye for hym fyche ger as he nedyth and modyr I pray yow thys byll may recomend me to my Suftyrs bothe and to ye Maftyr my cofyn Dawbeney Syr Jamys St John Stylle and to pray hym to be good Mastyr to lytyll Jak and to lerne hym well and I pray yow yt thys byll may recomand me to all you' folkys and my wellwyllers. And I pray God fend yow you' herts defyr.

Wretyn at Bruggys the fryday next aftyr Seynt Thom's.

12 by 11.

Paper Mark,

A Catharine Wheel.

Pl. x. N° 6.

Yo'. Sone and humbyll Servit,

J. Patton, pe ponger.

The Seal is round, having a Fleur de Lys with an Annulet by the fide of it.

LCT

This Little John, whose school Education, J. Pafton feems fo anxious about, must have been born before 1464, and most probably died under age, if he was his Son, as Sir William Pafton, Knight, who as fome pedigrees ftate was born in 1464, stands

in

say here, that he is to Queen Margaret that was, and shall no more come here again, nor be holpen by the Duke.

No more, but I beseech you of your blefling as lowly as I can, which I befeech you forget not to give me every day once; and, Mother, I befeech you that ye will be good mistress to my little man, and to fee that he go to school.

I fent my Cousin Dawbeney 5s by Calle's man, for to buy for him fuch gear as he needeth: and, Mother, I pray you this bill may recommend me to my Sifters both, and to the Mafter, my Coufin Dawbeney, Sir James, Sir John Stylle, and to pray him to be good Master to little Jack, and to learn him well; and I pray you that this bill may recommend me to all your Folks, and to my Well Willers; and I pray God fend you your heart's

defire.

Written at Bruges the Friday next after Saint 10 Thomas.

Your Son and humble Servant,

J. PASTON, the Younger.

Bruges,

Friday, 8th of July,

1468, 8 E. IV.

in the Pedigree as heir to his Father; but I rather think that J. Pafton had not been married at this time, and that this "lytyll man" was not his fon.

10 This must mean either the 3d or 7th day of July, the one being the Tranflation of St. Thomas the Apostle, the other of St. Thomas à Becket. I believe it means the latter.

VOL. II.

C

LET

To my mooft worshupfull Maift Sr. John Pafton knyght.

MY

Y mooft woorfhupfull and mooft speciall Maift' with all my f'vyce mooft lowly I recomande unto your gode Maiftirfhip befechyng you mooft tendirly to fee me fumwhat rewardid for my labour in the Grete Booke which I wright unto your feide gode Maiftirship I have often tymes writyn to Pampyng accordyng to yo' defire to enfo'me you hou I have labourd in wrytyngs for you. And I fee wele he fpeke not to your Maift'fhip of hit and God knowith I ly in Seint warye at grete cofts and amongs right unrefonable afkers, I movid this mat' to S. Thomas late and he tolde me he wolde move your Maiftirfhip therein, which S. Thomas defirid me to remembir wele what I have had in money at foondry tymes of hym. (Then comes the Account, as ftated more at large in the following Bill.)

And in espĩall I befeche you to fende me for Almes oon of yo olde Gownes which will coutirvale much of the p'myffes I wote

wele,

Before the invention of Printing, the number of Writers and Copiers was very great ; most monafteries and religious houfes having an office called a Scriptorium, wherein feveral Writers were almost constantly employed in copying Books on various fubjects, Mitals and Books of Pfalms, &c. richly and elegantly adorned with Illuminations, &c. Men of Fortune and Learning likewife occafionally employed Copiers to transcribe Books for their Libraries.

W. Ebe