it be ageyn hyr wyll tyll fyche tyme as he bryng hyr to Our Lady of Walfÿgh'm.

Alfo I prey yow to recomand me in my moft humbyll wyfe onto y good Lordshepe of y° moft corteys gentylest wysest kyndeft most compenabyll freeft largeeft most bowntefous knyght my Lord the Erle of 3 Arran whych hathe maryed the Kyngs Suftyr of Scotland. Herto he is on' the lyghtest delynerst best fpokyn fayrest Archer devowghtest most p'fyghte and trewest to hys Lady of all the Knyghtys that ever I was aqweyntyd wt fo wold God my Lady lyekyd me as well as I do hys perfon and moft knyghtly condycyons wt whom I prey yow to be aqweyntyd as yow femyth beft he is lodgyd at y George in Lombard ftreet, he hath a book of my Syft. Annys of y Sege of Thebes when he hathe doon with it he p'myfyd to delyver it yow I prey lete Portland bryng ye book hom wt hym. Portland is loggyd at y George in Lombard street alfo. And thys I promyfe yow ye fchall not be fo longe ayen w ought a byll fro me as ye have ben thow I fhold wryght how ofte the wynd changyth for I fe be yo' wryghtyng ye can be

croffe it
·+

wrothe and ye wyll 4 for lytyll. Wretyn the v day of June.

11 by 8.

5 J. Patton.

Paper Mark,

Bull's Head and Star,

Pl. x. N° 1.

3 Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, in 1466, married Mary, Daughter of James II. and Sifter of James the III. Kings of Scotland. He was appointed Regent, but becoming unpopular was banished, and died in exile before 1474.

LET

it be against her will, till fuch time as he bring her to Our Lady of Walfingham.

Alfo I pray you to recommend me in my moft humble wise unto the good Lordship of the most courteous, gentleft, wifeft, kindest, most companionable, freeft, largeft, and most bounteous Knight, my Lord the Earl of 3 Arran, which hath married the King's Sifter of Scotland. Hereto he is one the lightest, delyverft [nimbleft], best spoken, faireft archer; devoutest, most perfect, and trueft to his Lady of all the Knights that ever I was acquainted with; fo would God, my Lady liked me as well as I do his perfon and most knightly conditions, with whom I pray you to be acquainted, as (to) you feemeth beft; he is lodged at the George in Lombard-street. He hath a book of my Sifter Anne's of the Siege of Thebes, when he hath done with it, he promised to deliver it you. I pray you let Portland bring the book home with him. Portland is lodged at the George in Lombard-street also.

And this I promise you, ye shall not be fo long again without a bill from me, as ye have been, though I should write how oft the wind changeth, for I fee by your writing ye can be

4 These two words are croffed as here represented, and over them is written, "croffe it.": 5 Autograph. Pl. iv. N° 12.

VOL. II.

LET

LEI I CR

XLUJJ.

To my ryght trufty frend John Carenton Baylye of Maldon.

RYGHT trufty frend I comand me to yow preying you

to call to yo' mynd that lyek as ye and I comonyd of it were neceffary for my Lady and you all hyr Serūnts and teñnts to have thys p❜lement as for ōn of the Burgeys of the towne of Maldon fyche a man of worthep and of wytt as wer towardys my feyd Lady and alfo fyche on as is in favor of the Kyng and of the Lords of hys confayll nyghe abought hys p'fone. Sertyfyig yow that my feid Lady for hyr parte and fyche as be of hyr confayll be moft agreeabyll that bothe ye and all fyche as be hyr fermors and teñntys and wellwyllers fhold geve your voyfe to a worchepfull knyght and on' of my Lady's confayll S. John Pafton whyche ftandys gretly in favore w' my Lord Chamberleyn and what my feyd Lord Chamberleyn may do w' the Kyng and w all the Lordys of Inglond

I trowe

and

This Letter exhibits to us almost a Picture of modern manners, in the terms an address used in recommending a Member of Parliament to the Corporation of Maldon. The Agent of the great Lady writes to the Bailiff of the Borough, and to the Tenants, &c. to use their influence with the Electors in favour of Sir John Pafton, a Friend of the Lady's, in the good graces of the King, and in the intereft of the Council, and the Lord Chamberlain.

It appears too, that a Seat in Parliament was then an object of purfuit, and not a burden laid upon the Reprefentative, as we are informed by fome of our Hiftorians; and

LETTER XLVII.

To my right trufty Friend John Carenton, Bailiff of Maldon.

R'

IGHT Trufty Friend, I commend me to you, praying

you to call to your mind, that like as ye and I communed of, it were neceffary for my Lady and you all, her Servants, and Tenants, to have this Parliament as for one of the Burgeffes of the Town of Maldon, fuch a man of worship and of wit as were towards my faid Lady; and alfo fuch one as is in favour of the King, and of the Lords of his Council nigh about his perfon; certifying you, that my faid Lady for her part, and fuch as be of her council be most agreeable, that both ye, and all fuch as be her Farmers, and Tenants, and Wellwillers, should give your voice to a worshipful Knight, and one of my Lady's Council, Sir John Paston; which stands greatly in favour with my Lord Chamberlain; and what my faid Lord Chamberlain may do with the King and with all the Lords of

and we are apt to suppose that there is now more interest made and more bribery used in obtaining a feat in the House of Commons than there was 300 years ago; the defire of parliamentary Intereft, we here fee, was much the fame.-Engines were fet at work, the Patronage of the Great was held out, and promises were made even as at this day; and though the Friends of a Candidate would not now come from divers parts of the County to Norwich, (fee the next Letter) break their fafts, and return home again at the expence of the Candidate, for a bill amounting to nine fillings and one penny halfpenny, yet the motive is fill the fame, the Manners, Customs, and Expences of the times forming the only difference.

I trowe it be not unknowyn to you most of eny on man alyve. Wherefor by the meenys of the feyd S. John Paston to my feyd Lord Chamberleyn bothe my Lady and ye of the towne kowd not have a meeter man to be for yow in the perlement to have yor needys fped at all feafons. Wherfor I prey yow labor all fyche as be my Ladys feruntts teñnts and wellwyllers to geve ther voyseys to the feyd Sr. John Pafton and that ye fayle not to fped my Ladys intent in thys mater as ye entend to do hyr as gret a plefur as if ye gave hyr an C. And God have yow in hys kepig Wretyn at Fyfheley the xx day of Septebyr.

• J. Arblaffer.

I prey yow be redy w all the Acoptanttys belongg to my Lady at the fertheft w'in viij dayes next aftyr Perdon Sonday for then I fhall be wt yow wt Gods Grace who have yow in kcepуg.

11 by 7.

Paper Mark,

Bull's Head and Star,

Pl. x. N° 1.

N. B. Under the Direction, and

in a fimilar hand is written,

A°. E. iij xij.

James Arblafter, Efquire, a Gentleman of Fortune in the County of Norfolk. Pl. v. N° 21.

LCT