Original Letters, Written During the Reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., And
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This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com ^J*} \ f/. /. 7 -^ ,■a**"' I rt • \ \ s/j '.A •ftIt tttt tttI 1/iuttA a/~* '. ( ruff a. Original betters, mn^^%%(&fi D«m3iB® €$œ acai^B© jdjf $€ji*3&P ^31. €2E>W^B2i) 3®- 3 Jft ffi> æ 31 c $ a æ m 33% C2l3f«>^:<Efi t§®ieK. i, $ 3U SE> 0 15, grttiwd for 0. <P. 3t aiu> & Robinson, in $am-ttoifer-lftoto. 1787. *. ->v *. •,.-.> -f.-A •'••• •**. --* '." t- f- . ' <* 'r >• .~ S.i.7* . ' . i_ * tir- . .'nttfiiAtlftill fc" £.OlJ0(f, atC-ft j, (i.:i ORIGINAL LETTERS, Written during the Reigns of HENRY VI. EDWARD IV. AND RICHARD III. By various Persons of Rank or Consequence ; CONTAINING Many curious ANECDOTES, relative to that turbulent and bloody, but hitherto dark, Period of our History; AND Elucidating, not only PUBLIC MATTERS of STATE, but likewise the PRIVATE MANNERS of the AGE: Digested in CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER; WITH NOTES, Historical and Explanatory ; AND Authenticated by Engravings of Autographs, Fac Similes, Paper-Marks, and Seals. IN TWO VOLUMES. By JOHN FENN, Esq. M. A. and F.A.S. " Tempora mutantur." " Litera scripts manet." THE SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. VOL. II. LONDON, Printed for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, in Pater-noster-Row. M DCCLXXXVII. ORIGINAL LETTERS. EDWARD IV. I468 ----- I483. 8 - - - - - 23 E. IV. Vol. II. B ORIGINAL LETTERS. a c % i c a $n$$%. 'so my ryght reuend and worchepfull Modyr Margaret Paston dwellyng at Caster be thys delyuyd in hast. RYTH reu'end and worchepfull Modyr I recom'and me on to you as humbylly as I can thynk defyryng most hertly to her of you' welfare and herts ese whyche I pray God send yow as hastyly as eny hert can thynk Pies yt yow to wete y* at the makyng of thys byll my bredyr and I and allou' felawshep wer in good helle blyflyd be God As for the gydyng her in thys contre it is as worchepfull as all the world can devyse it and ther wer neu' ' englyshe men had so good cher owt of Inglong that eu' I herd of. As for tydyngs her but if it be of the fest I can non send yow savyng yr my Lady * Margaret was maryd on Sonday last past at We have in this Letter a most curious and authentic Account of the Marriage of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, with Margaret, Daughter of Richard Plantage- net, Duke of York, and sister of Edward IV. and of the subsequent Diversions exhibited at Bruges in honour of it, written by John Paston, (PI. iv. N° 12.) an eye-witness, who, with his Brother Sir John Paston, Knight, attended in the Retinue of the Princess. The EDWARD IV. LETTER XXIII. iso my right reverend and worshipful Mother, Margaret Paston, dwelling at Caflsr, be this delivered In hqfie. TT) IGHT reverend and worshipful Mother, I recommend .*•*• me unto you as humbly as I can think, desiring most heartily to hear of your welfare and heart's ease, which I pray God send you as hastily as any heart can think. Please it you to weet, that at the making of this bill, my Brother, and I, and all our Fellowship, were in good heele [health], blessed be God. As for the Guiding here in this Country, it is as worshipful as all the world can devise, and there were never r Englishmen had so good chear out of England, that ever I heard of. As for Tidings here, but if [unless] it be of the Feast, I can none send you ; saving, that my Lady 2 Margaret was married The Description here given affords us an high idea of the Splendour of the Court of the Duke, and of the Politeness of the Courtiers. 1 This is the opinion of a true Englishman. 2 Margaret Plantagenet, Sister of Edward IV. according to this Account, was married on Sunday the 3d of July, 1468, 8 E. IV. For a more particular History of this Princess and the Duke, the Reader is referred to the Description of the Plate wherein they are both represented. B z on «Jf***"V 4 ORIGINAL LETTERS. at a towne yl is callyd the Dame iij myle owt of 3 Brugys at v of the clok in the mornyg and iche was browt the same day to Bruggys to hyr dener and ther sche was receyvyd as worchep- fully as all the world cowd devysse as wl presesiion wl Ladys and Lordys best be sey n of eny pepyll that ever I {ye or herd of many Pagentys wer pleyed in hyr wey in Bryggys to hyr wel comyng the best yl eu' I fye And the same Sonday my Lord the 4 Bastard took upon hym to anfwere xxiiij knyts and Gentyl- men ws in viij dayes at Jostys of pese and when y' they wer answeryd they xxiiij and hym selve schold torney W uthyr xxv the next day aftyr whyche is on monday next comyg and they that have jostyd wl hym into thys day have ben as rychely beseyn and hymselve also as clothe of gold and fylk and sylvyr and goldsmyths werk myght mak hem for of fyche ger and gold and perle and stanys they of the Dwkys coort neythyr Gentyl- men nor Gentylwomen they want non for wl owt yl they have it by wyshys by my trowthe I herd nevyr of so gret plente as ther is. Thys day my Lord 5 Scalys justyd wl a Lord of thys contre but not wl the Bastard for they mad promysse at London that non of them bothe mold never dele wl othyr in armys but the Bastard was on' of the Lords yl browt the Lord Scalys in to the feld 3 A City and Port Town in Flanders. * Anthony, Count de la Roche, called the Bastard of Burgundy, was a natural Son of Duke Philip the Good, by Johanna of Prulles, famous for his wit, courage, and polite accomplishments. He was-bom in 1421, and died in 1504. J Anthony Widvilie, or Woodville, Lord Scales, &c. and afterwards Earl Rivers, Son of Sir Richard Widvilie, by Jaqueline of Luxemburgh, Duchess Dowager of Bed ford, ,?w--rj— n.»V EDWARD IV. 5 on Sunday last past at a Town that is called The Dame, three miles out of 3 Bruges, at five of the clock in the morning; and she was brought the same day to Bruges to her dinrrer ; and there she was received as worsshipfully as all the world could desire ? as with procession with Ladies, and Lords, best beseen of any people, that ever I saw or heard of. Many Pageants were played in her way in Bruges to her welcoming, the best that ever I saw ; and the same day my Lord, * the Bastard, took upon him to answer 24 Knights and Gentlemen, within 8 days at Justs of FeaCe ; and when that they were answered, they 24 and himself should turney with other 25 the next day after, which is on Monday next coming ; and they that have justed with him into this day, have been as richly beseen, and him self also, as cloth of Gold, and S.ilk, and Silver, and Goldsmiths work, might make them ; for of such Gear, and Gold, and Pearl, and Stones, they of the Duke's Court, neither Gentlemen nor Gentlewomen, they want none ; for without [unless] that they have it by withes, by my truth, 1 heard never of so great plenty as here is. This day my Lord s Scales justed with a Lord of this country, but not with the Bastard ; for they made (a) promise at London, that none of them both should never deal with other in arms ; but the Bastard was one of the Lords, that brought the Lord ford, and Brother of Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. was born about 1441, and became the most distinguished Warrior, Statesman, and most learned Gentleman, of his time. In the 7 Edward IV. he challenged and vanquished the Bastard of Burgundy in a grand and solemn Just in Smithfield ; at which time the promise mentioned in this Letter was made. This accomplished Nobleman was beheaded at Pomfret, in June 1483, by the command of the Protector, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Scales 6 ORIGINAL LETTERS. feld and of mysfortwne an horse strake my Lord Bastard on the lege and hathe hurt hym so sore that I can thynk he shalbe of no power to "acomplyshe 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 Gen- tylwomen Knyts Sqwyers and Gentylmen I hert neu of non lyek to it save Kyng Artourys cort and by my trowthe I have no wyt nor remebrans to wryte to yow half the worchep that is her but yl lakyth as it comyth to mynd I shall tell yow when I come home whyche I tryst to God shal not belong to for we depart owt of Brygys homward on twysday next comyng and all folk yl cam wl my Lady of Burgoyn owt of Inglond except syche as shall abyd her styli wl hyr whyche I wot well shall be but fewe. We depart the soner for the • Dwk hathe word that the 7 frenshe Kyng is p'posyd to mak wer upon hym hastyly and that he is wfin iiij or v dayis jorney of Brugys and the Dwk rydyth on twysday next comyng forward to met wl hym God geve hym good sped and all hys for by my trowthe they are the goodlyest felawshep the eu' I cam among and best can behave them and most lyek Gentylmen.