John Jenney to John Paston
- Medieval Family Life
- Title
- John Jenney to John Paston
- Reference
- Add. 34888, f. 117
- Date
- 25 June 1455
- Library / Archive
-
- The British Library
- Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
- Gairdner, Vol III, item 295; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 95
- Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume III' (1st transcript)
-
LETTER XCV.
To my Wurshipfull
Maister John Paston
Squier.MI Wurshipfull Master I recomaunde me to you And I
thanke you that it plesith you to take seche labor for me
as ye doo my srv’nt tolde me ye desired to knowe what my lord
of Norff’ seid to me whan 1 spake of you And he seid in asmeche
as howard myght not be he wolde write a l’re to the Undershreve
that the Shire shulde have fre eleccon soo that Sr Thom’s 1 Toden-
h’m wer not nor none that was toward the Duc of 2 Suff’ he seid
he knewe ye wer nevr to hym ward ye may sende to the under-
shreve and see my lord Ire Howard was as wode as a wilde bul-
lok god sende hym seche Wurshipp as he deservith it is a evill
precedent for the shire that a straunge man shulde be chosyn and
no Wurshipp to my lord off Yorke nor to my lord of Norff’ to
write for hym For yf the Ientilmen of the Shire will suffre sech
inconvenyens in good feithe the shire shall not be called of
seche 3 Wurshipp as it hathe be Wreten atte Jntewode this Wed-
nesday next after sceint John in hast.Your s’vūt,
4 John Jenney.
11 ½ by 4 ½.
Paper Mark,
A Bull’s Head and Star.
Pl. VIII. No 2.Intwood,
Wednesday
before 1460. 38 H. VI.Though this Letter shews us the influence of the great men in the Election of the
Members of the House of Commons, yet it appears from it that in this case the Duke
of Norfolk’s power was limited, as he could not bring in his friend and relation Sir John
Howard, for I conclude he was the person mentioned in the Letter, and his being call-
ed a “straunge man” most probably arose from his not having been resident in the
County, as he was for a long time occupied in the wars of France. He was High Sheriff
of the County of Norfolk and Suffolk in the first year of Edward IV. and by him was
afterward created Lord Howard. His Sovereign Richard III. granted him the title of
Duke of Norfolk, as being descended from the heir-female of the Mowbrays, and with
his royal master, he fell in the battle of Bosworth-field in 1485.1 Sir Thomas Todenham, a steady Lancastrian, was beheaded in 1461, upon a suspi-
cion of having received Letters from Margaret, Queen of Henry VI. when he was about
62 years of age.2 John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.
3 It appears that Norfolk was in this age a County of great worship and consequence.
owing to the riches, power, and ancestry of its inhabitants. May it ever continue so!4 John Jenney married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Thomas Wetherby, the rich
Alderman of Norwich, by whom he became possessed of the Intwood Estate. He died in
1497. Autograph. Pl. XIX. No 18. - Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume III' (2nd transcript)
-
LETTER XCV.
To my worshipful Master John Paston, Esquire.
MY worshipful Master, I recommend me to you, and I
thank you that it pleaseth you to take such labour for me
as ye do, my servant told me ye desired to know what my Lord
of Norfolk said to me when I spake of you, and he said in as
much as Howard might not be, he would write a Letter to the
Under Sheriff, that the Shire should have free Election, so that
Sir Thomas 1 Todenham were not, nor none that was toward the
Duke of 2 Suffolk; he said he knew ye were never to him ward;
the Mayor sent to the Under Sheriff, and saw my Lord’s Letter;
Howard was as wode (mad) as a wild Bullock; God send him
such worship as he deserveth; it is an evil precedent for the
Shire that a strange man should be chosen, and no worship to my
Lord of York, nor to my Lord of Norfolk to write for him; for
if the Gentlemen of the Shire will suffer such inconvenience, in
good faith the Shire shall not be called of such 3 worship as it
hath been. Written at Intwood, the Wednesday next after Saint
John, in haste.Your Servant,
4 JOHN JENNEY.
11 ½ by 4 ½.
Paper Mark,
A Bull’s Head and Star.
Pl. VIII. No 2.Intwood,
Wednesday
before 1460. 38 H. VI.Though this Letter shews us the influence of the great men in the Election of the
Members of the House of Commons, yet it appears from it that in this case the Duke
of Norfolk’s power was limited, as he could not bring in his friend and relation Sir John
Howard, for I conclude he was the person mentioned in the Letter, and his being call-
ed a “straunge man” most probably arose from his not having been resident in the
County, as he was for a long time occupied in the wars of France. He was High Sheriff
of the County of Norfolk and Suffolk in the first year of Edward IV. and by him was
afterward created Lord Howard. His Sovereign Richard III. granted him the title of
Duke of Norfolk, as being descended from the heir-female of the Mowbrays, and with
his royal master, he fell in the battle of Bosworth-field in 1485.1 Sir Thomas Todenham, a steady Lancastrian, was beheaded in 1461, upon a suspi-
cion of having received Letters from Margaret, Queen of Henry VI. when he was about
62 years of age.2 John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.
3 It appears that Norfolk was in this age a County of great worship and consequence.
owing to the riches, power, and ancestry of its inhabitants. May it ever continue so!4 John Jenney married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Thomas Wetherby, the rich
Alderman of Norwich, by whom he became possessed of the Intwood Estate. He died in
1497. Autograph. Pl. XIX. No 18. - Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume III'
-
295
JOHN JENNEY TO JOHN PASTON2
To my wurshipfull maister, John Paston, Squier.
MI wurshipfull maister, I recomaunde me to you; and I
thanke you that it plesith you to take seche labour
for me as ye doo. My servaunt tolde me ye desired
to knowe what my Lord of Norffolk seid to me whan I spake
of you; and he seid in asmeche as Howard3 myght not be, he
wolde write a lettre to the Under-Shreve that the shire shulde
have fre eleccion, soo that Sir Thomas Todenham wer not,
nor none that was toward the Duc of Suffolk; he seid he
knewe ye wer never to hym ward. Ye may4 sende to the
Under-Shreve, and see my Lord lettre. Howard was as
wode as a wilde bullok; God sende hym seche wurshipp as
he deservith. It is a evill precedent for the shire that a
straunge man shulde be chosyn, and no wurshipp to my
Lord off Yorke, nor to my Lord of Norffolk to write for
hym; for yf the jentilmen of the shire will suffre sech in-
convenyens, in good feithe, the shire shall not be called of
seche wurshipp as it hathe be.Wreten atte Intewode, this Wednesday next after Sceint
John, in hast. Your servaunt,JOHN JENNEY.
2 [From Fenn, iii. 380.] This letter clearly refers to the same matters as the pre-
ceding, and was written the day after.3 See p. 38, Note 2.
4 The modern version in Fenn reads, ‘The Mayor sent to the Under-Sheriff, and
saw my Lord’s letter.’JUNE 25