To my most honorabl and Tendre Modre Margrete Pafton be

thys Lett' d'd.

OST worfchypfull and kynde Moodre I comande me

M°

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to yow and befeche yow off yowr dayly blyffyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my 1 pardon as y berer heroff can informe yow for cōffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Cryftmeffe, and have been parte theroff wt St. Geroge Browen and wt my Lady myn Aunte hys wyffe, and be ffor 3 twelthe I come to my Lorde * Archebyfshope wher I have hadde as greete cheer and ben as welkom as I cowde devyfe and iff I hadde ben in fewerte y Caftr weer hadde ageyn I wolde have comen homewards thys daye.

4

(Here follow directions about Caifter, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.) And I beseche yow to remembr my brother to doo hys deveyr thatt I maye have agayn my 5 ftuffe, my bookes and Vestmēts and my beddyng how fo evyr he doo thoghe I fcholde gyffe xxti Scutes

For joining the Friends of Henry VI. in order to his restoration.

2 Sir George Browne, Knight, of Beechworth Castle, in Surry.

3 Twelfth day, 6th of January.

LETTER XLIV.

To my most honourable and Tender Mother Margaret Pafton, be this Letter delivered.

OST Worshipful and kind Mother, I commend me to you, and befeech you of your daily bleffing and remembrance. Please it you to weet, that I have my Pardon, as the Bearer hereof can inform you, for comfort whereof I have been the merrier this Christmas; and have been part thereof with Sir George Browne, and with my Lady mine Aunt his wife; and before 3 Twelfth I came to my Lord 4 Archbishop, where I have had as great Cheer, and been as welcome as I could devife; and if I had been in furety that Caifter were had again, I would have come home this day.

2

(Here follow directions about Caifter, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.) And I beseech you to remember my Brother to do his devyr [endeavour] that I may have again my s ftuff, my books, and vestments, and my Bedding how foever he do, though I fhould give 20" Scutas

• George Neville, Archbishop of York.

5 These were what had been taken at Caifter, I suppose.

by

by hys advyfe to my Lady Brandon or fom' other goode felawe.

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As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, faffe y' the Kyng hath kept a ryall Cryftmeffe and now they feye yt hastelye he woll northe and fome feye y he woll into Walys and fome feye yt he woll into the Weft Contre, As ffor Qween Margrett I underston' yt sche is remevyd from Wyndefor to Walyngfforthe nyghe to Ewhelme my Lady of Suff' place in Oxenforthe fchyre.

And men feye yt the Lorde Ryu'se schyppyd on Crystmesse evyn in to Portyngale warde I am not ferteyn.

Also the schalle be a convocacōn off the Clergye in all haste whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a Dyme and an halffe some seye. I befeche God fende yow goode heele and greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij. Wretyn att the Moor the viij daye off Janeu' Ao. E. iiij xj.

12 by 10.

By yowr Soone,

? John Patton, K,

Margaret, Queen of Henry VI. was taken after the Battle of Tewkesbury, and continued a Prisoner till 1475, when he was ranfomed by her Father, for 50,000 crowns, which he borrowed of Lewis XI. King of France.

LCT

by his advice to my Lady Brandon, or fome other good Fellow.

As for any tidings there be none here, fave that the King hath kept a royal Christmas; and now they fay, that hastily he will North, and fome fay, that he will into Wales, and fome fay, that he will into the West Country. As for Queen 6 Margaret, I understand that he is removed from Windfor to Wallingford, nigh to Ewelm, my Lady of Suffolk's Place in Oxfordshire.

And men say, that the Lord Rivers fhipped on Christmas Even into [unto] Portugal ward; I am not certain.

Also there fhall be a Convocation of the Clergy in all hafte, which men deem, will avail the King, a Dyme [Tenth] and an half, fome fay. I befeech God fend you good health and. greater joy in one year than ye have had these feven. Written at the Moor the 8th day of January, in the 11th of Edward IV. By your Son,

BRO

ROTHER I comande me to yow and praye yow to loke uppe my teple off Glaffe and fend it me by the

berer herof.

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It'm as for dyngs I have spoken wt Meftreffe Anne Hault at a praty leyfer and blyffyd be God we be as ffer fforthe as we weer toffoor and fo I hoope we fchall contenew and I promyfed hyr that at the next leyser that I kowd ffynde therto yt I wolde come ageyn and fee hyr whyche wyll take a leyser as deeme now fyn thys obfervance is over doon. I p'pofe nott to tempte God noo moor foo.

Yift'day the Kynge the Qween my Lordes of Claraunce and Glowceft' wente to Scheen to pardon men fey nott alle in cheryte what wyll falle men can nott seye.

The Kynge entretyth my Lorde off Clarance ffor my Lorde

of

We have in this Letter a Clue to conduct us towards a discovery of the reason for the Duke of Gloucester's diflike to his Brother the Duke of Clarence, and if this Account be true, it had a reasonable foundation.

The Duke of Gloucester was defirous of marrying Anne (now the widow of Prince Edward, fo cruelly murdered at Tewkesbury), Daughter and Coheir of the great Earl of Warwick, and Sifter to Ifabel, Duchefs of Clarence.

This Alliance we here find was opposed by the Duke of Clarence; not from any point of delicacy, refpecting the murder of this Lady's late Hufband (for, according to our Historians,

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