William Wayte to John Paston

LETTER XXXVII.

       To my Mayst^r John
       Paston in Ryght gret
       hast.

SYR and it plese I was in my lord of Yorks howse And
     I herde meche thynge more yanne my mayst^r wrytyth
un to yow of I herde meche thynge in Fletestrede but S^r. my
lord was w^t the kynge and he vesaged so the mater y’ alle y^e
kynges howshold was and is aferd ryght Sore and my seyd lord
hayth putte a bille to y^e kynge and desyryd meehe thynge
qwych is meche aft^r ye Comouns desyre and all is up on Iustic
and to putte all thos y^t ben indyted under arest w^t owte suerte
or maynpryce and to be tryed be lawe as lawe wyll Jn so meche
y^t on Monday S^r. W. Oldhall was w^t the kynge atte Westm^r
more yanne to houres and hadde of y^e kynge good cher And
y^e kynge desyryd of S^r W. Oldhall y^t he shuld speke to hese
Cosyn York yⁱ he wold be good lord to John Penycock And y^t
my lord of York shuld wryte un to hese ten’nce that they wold
suffyr Peny Cocks Officers go and gader up hys rents fermes w^t
jnne y^e seyd dukes lordsheps and S^r. William Oldhall answherd
ayen to y^e kynge and preyed hym to hold my lord escusyd
for thow my lord wrotte under hese seale of hys armes hys
ten’ntez wyll not obeyet Jn Someche’ Whanne S^r Thomas Hoo
mette w^t my lord of Zork be yon sent Albons ye Western men
felle upon hym and wold a slayne hym hadde S^r William Old-
hall abe And y’for wold y^e West^rne men affalle up on y^e seyd
S¹ William and akyllyd hym And so he tolde the kynge S^r Borle
Jonge and Iosse labour sore for Heydon and Tudenh’m to S^r
Wile’ Oldhall and p’fyr more yanne to Thowsand Pownde for
to have hese good lordshep And y’for it is noon oy^r Remedye
but late Swhafham men be warned to mete w^t my seyd lord on
Fryday nest Comyng atte Pykenh’m on horssebak in y^e most
goodly wyse and putte sum bylle un to my lord of S^r Thomas
Tudenh’m Heydon and Prentys and crye owte on hem And y^t
all the women, of y^e same Towne be y’ also and crye owte on
hem also and calle hem extorconners And pray my lord y^t he
wyll do shap execucyons up on hem. And my Mayst^r Coun-
ceyll yow that ze shuld meve y^e Meyer and all y^e Aldermen
w^t all her Comoners to ryde ayens my lord And y^t y^r ben madde
byllez and putte them up to my lord and late all y^e Towne cry
owte on Heydon Todenh’m Wyndh’m and Prentys And of all
here fals mayntenours and telle my lord how meche hurte y^oi
have don to y^e Cetye and late y^t be don in the most lamentabyl
wyse for S^r but yf my lord here sum fowle tales of hem And
sum hyddows noys and Crye by my feyth y^ei arne ellys lyke to
Come to g’ce And y’for S^r remember yow of all these maters
Syr also J spake w^t William Norwych and asked hym aft^r. y^e
lord Moleyns how he stod to my lord ward and he told me he
was sor owte of g’ce and y^t my lord of York lovyth hym nought
William Norwych tolde me y^t he durste undertake for to brynge
yow un to my lord and make hym your ryght good lord And
S^r my Mayst^r Counceyllyd yow y^t ze shuld not spare but gete
yow hese good lordsh’ S^r be ware of Heydon for he wold de-
stroyed yow be my Feyth y^e lorde Scales and S^r William
Oldhall arne made Frendys S^r labour ze for be knyth of the
Shire and And speke to my Mayst^r Stapulton also y^t he be yt
S^r all Swaf hm and they be warned wyll zeve yow here voyses
S^r speke w^t Th’ Denys And take hese good Avys y’in S^r speke
to Denys y^t he avoyde hys garyson atte Rydon for y’ is non oy^r
remedy but deth for Danyell And for all yos y^t arne indyted
S^r labour ze to y^e Meyer y^t John Dam or Will Ienney be
Burgeys for y^e Cetye of Norwych telle them y^t he may be yt as
well as Yonge is of Brystow or y^e Recordo^r is of London
And as y^e recordour of Coventr is for y^e Cite of Coventre And
it so in many places in Ingland also S^r thynk on Yernemonth y^t
ze ordeyne y^t Iohn Ienney or Limno^r. or sum good man be
burgeys for Yernemouth ordeyne ze y^t Ienneys mown ben in
the p^rlement for they kun seye well S^r it wore wysdam y^t my
lord of Oxenford wayte on my lord of Yorke in good feyth
good S^r thynke on all these maters meche more I hadde to wryte
on to yow yf I kowde a remembryd me but I hadde no leyser
be my fyth hold me escused of my lewde rude wrytyng late
John Dam be ware for y^e lorde Moleyns and S^r late y^e Cetye be
ware for he wyll do hēm a velony but yf he may have hese
men And S^r yf he Come to Norwych loke y’ be redy to wayte
up on y^e Mayer a good fellawshep for it is seyd her y^t they arne
but bestys S^r. my Mayst^r bad me wryte un to yow y^t ze shuld
store y^e Mayer and alle y^e Alderman to crye on my lord y^t they
mown have Justyce of these men y^t be indyted And y^t my lorde
wyll speke un to y^e kynge y^rof And S^r in div’s partes in y^e
Towne y’ my lorde Comyth y’ wolde be ordeyned many por-
cons of Comeners to crye on my lord for Justice of these men
y^t arne indyted and telle her nammes in speciall Todenh’m
Heydon Wyndh’m Prentys S^r I cende yow a Copy of the bylle
y^t my lord of Yorke putte un to y^e kynge, And S^r late Copyes
go abowte the Cetye I now for y^e love of God wyhe have
yow in hese kepyng Wretyn on Seynt Feyth daye in Hast.

                                                              Be yowr Srvūt,

                                                                  W. Wayte.

         11 ½ by 17.

This Letter from a favourer of the Duke of York’s interest, must have been written
between the years 1451 and 1456, at such time as the King was under the direction and
guidance of the Yorkists, as it affords us a variety of directions relative to their proceed-
ings, and for their acquiring friends in the House of Commons. Sir William Oldhall
was Speaker of that House in 1451 and 1452, but it does not appear that he was so at
the time this Letter was written, though, from his being so particularly mentioned, if not
Speaker, he was certainly a man of weight and consequence there.

  J. Paston also seems to have been a man of much consideration and interest in the County
of Norfolk, from the requests here made to him, and the instructions given him.

     We have in this Letter a curious and natural description of a state divided by factions,
from which the historian may draw a truer picture of the times here treated of, than from
any sketches hitherto exhibited.

     Autograph. Pl. XVIII. N^o II.

     Paper Mark,
     A Pillar and Cross.
         Pl. XXI. N^o 7.

            6th of October.
           Between 1451 and 1456.
           30 and 35 H. VI.

LETTER XXXVII.

To my Master, John Paston, in right great haste.

SIR, and it please, I was in my Lord of York’s house, and I
     heard much thing more than my master writeth unto you
of; I heard much thing in Fleet street; but, Sir, my Lord was
with the King, and he visaged so the matter that all the King’s
household was, and is, afraid right sore, and my said Lord hath
put a bill to the King, and desired much thing, which is much after
the Commons desire, and all is upon justice, and to put all those
that be indicted under arrest, without surety or mainprise, and to
be tried by law as law will, insomuch that on Monday Sir Wil-
liam Oldhall was with the King at Westminster more than two
hours, and had of the King good cheer; and the King desired
of Sir William Oldhall that he should speak to his cousin York,
that he would be good Lord to John Penycock, and that my Lord
of York should write unto his tenants that they should suffer
Penycock’s officers (to) go and gather up his rent farms within
the said Duke’s Lordships; and Sir William Oldhall answered
again to the King, and prayed him to hold my Lord excused,
for though my Lord wrote under his Seal of his Arms his tenants
will not obey it, insomuch (that) when Sir Thomas Hoe met
with my Lord of York beyond Saint Alban’s the Western men
fell upon him and would have slain him, had (not) Sir William
Oldhall have been, and therefore would the Western men have
fallen upon the said Sir William, and have killed him, and so
he told the King.

     Sir Borle Yonge and Josse labour sore for Heydon and Toden-
ham to Sir William Oldhall, and proffer more than two thou-
sand pounds for to have his good Lordship, and therefore it is
none other remedy but let Swaffham men be warned to meet
with my said Lord on Friday next coming at Pickenham on
horseback in the most goodly wise, and put some bill unto my
Lord of Sir Thomas Todenham, Heydon, and Prentice, and
cry out on them, and that all the women of the same town be
there also, and cry out on them also, and call them Extortioners,
and pray my Lord that he will do sharp execution upon them.
And my Master counsel you that ye should move the Mayor and
all the Aldermen with all their Commoners to ride against
(to meet) my Lord, and that there be made bills, and put them
up to my Lord, and let all the town cry out on Heydon,

Todenham, Windham, and Prentice, and of all their false main-
tainers, and tell my Lord how much hurt they have done to the
City, and let it be done in the most lamentable wise, for Sir but
if (unless) my Lord hear some foul tales of them, and some
hideous noise and cry, by my faith they are else like to come to
grace, and therefore Sir remember you of all these matters.

     Sir, also I spake with William Norwich, and asked him after
the Lord Molyns how he stood to my Lord ward, and he told
me he was sore out of grace, and that my Lord of York loveth
him nought; William Norwich told me that he durst undertake
for to bring you unto my Lord, and make him your right good
Lord; and Sir my master counselled you that ye should not
spare, but get you his good Lordship.

     Sir beware of Heydon for he would (have) destroyed you by
my faith.

     The Lord Scales and Sir William Oldhall are made friends.

     Sir, labour ye for (to) be Knight of the shire, and speak to
my Master Stapleton also that he be it; Sir, all Swaffham, and
(if) they be warned, will give you their voices; Sir, speak
with Thomas Denys and take his good advice therein; Sir,
speak to Denys that he avoid his Garrison at Reydon, for there
is none other remedy but death for Daniel, and for all those
that are indicted; Sir, labour ye to the Mayor that John Dam
or William Jenney be Burgess for the City of Norwich, tell them
that he may be it as well as Yonge is of Bristol; or the Recor-
der is of London; and as the Recorder of Coventry is for the
city of Coventry; and it (is) so in many places in England. Also,
Sir, think on Yarmouth that ye ordain that John Jenney, or
Lomnor, or some good man be Burgess for Yarmouth; ordain

ye that Jenneys may be in the parliament for they can say
well.

     Sir, it were wisdom that my Lord of Oxford wait on my
Lord os York; in good faith, good Sir, think on all these
matters; much more I had to write unto you, if I could have
remembered me, but I had no leisure by my faith, hold me excused
of my lewd rude writing; let John Dam beware for the Lord
Molyns; and, Sir, let the City beware for he will do them a
villainy, but if (unless) he may have his men; and Sir, if he
come to Norwich, look there be ready to wait upon the Mayor
a good fellowship, for it is said here that they are but Beasts.
     Sir, my Master bade me write unto you that ye should stir
the Mayor and all the Aldermen to cry on my Lord that they
may have justice of these men that be indicted, and that my
Lord will speak unto the King thereof; and Sir, in divers parts
in the town there (where) my Lord cometh, there would be
ordained many portions (parties) of Commoners to cry on my
Lord for justice of these men that are indicted, and tell their
names, in special Todenham, Heydon, Windham, (and) Pren-
tice. Sir, I send you a copy of the bill that my Lord of York
put unto the King, and Sir, let copies go about the city enough,
for the love of God, which have you in his keeping. Written
on Saint Faith’s day in haste.

                                                             By your Servant,

                                                                          WILLIAM WAYTE.

This Letter from a favourer of the Duke of York’s interest, must have been written
between the years 1451 and 1456, at such time as the King was under the direction and
guidance of the Yorkists, as it affords us a variety of directions relative to their proceed-
ings, and for their acquiring friends in the House of Commons. Sir William Oldhall
was Speaker of that House in 1451 and 1452, but it does not appear that he was so at
the time this Letter was written, though, from his being so particularly mentioned, if not
Speaker, he was certainly a man of weight and consequence there.

  J. Paston also seems to have been a man of much consideration and interest in the County
of Norfolk, from the requests here made to him, and the instructions given him.

     We have in this Letter a curious and natural description of a state divided by factions,
from which the historian may draw a truer picture of the times here treated of, than from
any sketches hitherto exhibited.

     Autograph. Pl. XVIII. N^o II.

Paper Mark,
     A Pillar and Cross.
         Pl. XXI. N^o 7.

 6th of October.
           Between 1451 and 1456.
           30 and 35 H. VI.

142

WILLIAM WAYTE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my mayster, John Paston, in ryght gret hast.

SYR, and it plese, I was in my Lord of Yorks² howse, and
     I herde meche thynge more thanne my mayster³ wrytyth
     un to yow of; I herde meche thynge in Fletestrede.
But, Sir, my Lord was with the Kynge, and he vesaged so the
mater that alle the Kynges howshold was and is aferd ryght
sore; and my seyd Lord hayth putte a bille to the Kynge, and
desyryd meche thynge, qwych is meche after the Comouns
desyre, and all is up on justice, and to putte all thos that ben
indyted under arest with owte suerte or maynpryce, and to be
tryed be lawe as lawe wyll; in so meche that on Monday Sir
William Oldhall was with the Kynge atte Westminster more
thanne to houres, and hadde of the Kynge good cher. And
the Kynge desyryd of Sir William Oldhall that he shuld speke
to hese cosyn York, that he wold be good Lord to John Peny-
cock, and that my Lord of York shuld wryte un to hese
tenance that they wold suffyr Peny Cocks officers go and
gader up hys rents fermes with inne the seyd Dukes lordsheps.
And Sir William Oldhall answherd ayen to the Kynge, and
preyed hym to hold my Lord escusyd, for thow my Lord
wrotte under hese seale of hys armes hys tenantez wyll not
obeyet; in someche that whanne Sir Thomas Hoo mette with
my Lord of Zork be yon Sent Albons, the Western men felle
upon hym, and wold a slayne hym, hadde [not?] Sir William
Oldhall abe [have been], and therfor wold the Westerne men
affalle up on the seyd Sir William, and akyllyd hym. And so
he tolde the Kynge.

     Sir Borle Jonge and Josse labour sore for Heydon and
Tudenham to Sir Wilem Oldhall, and profyr more thanne to
thowsand pownde for to have hese good Lordshep; and
therfor it is noon other remedye but late Swhafham men be
warned to mete with my seyd Lord on Fryday nest comyng
atte Pykenham on horssebak in the most goodly wyse, and
putte sum bylle un to my Lord of Sir Thomas Tudenham,
Heydon, and Prentys, and crye owte on hem, and that all the
women of the same town be there also, and crye owte on hem
also, and calle hem extorcionners, and pray my Lord that he
wyll do sharp execucyons up on hem. And my mayster
counceyll yow that ze shuld meve the Meyer and all the
Aldermen with all her Comoners to ryde ayens my Lord, and
that ther ben madde byllez, and putte them up to my Lord,
and late all the towne cry owte on Heydon, Todenham,
Wyndham, and Prentys, and of all here fals mayntenours, and
telle my Lord how meche hurte thei have don to the cetye,
and late that be don in the most lamentabyl wyse; for, Sir, but
yf [unless] my Lord here sum fowle tales of hem, and sum
hyddows noys and crye, by my feyth thei arne ellys lyke to
come to grace. And therfor, Sir, remember yow of all these
maters.

     Sir, also I spake with William Norwych, and asked hym
after the Lord Moleyns how he stod to my Lord ward; and he
told me he was sor owte of grace, and that my Lord of York
lovyth hym nought. William Norwych tolde me that he
durste undertake for to brynge yow un to my Lord, and make
hym your ryght good Lord; and, Sir, my mayster coun-
ceyllyd yow that ze shuld not spare, but gete yow hese good
Lordshep.

     Sir, be war of Heydon, for he wold destroyed yow be my
feyth. The Lord Scales and Sir William Oldhall arne made
frendys.

     Sir, labour ze for [to] be knyth of the shire, and speke to
my Mayster Stapulton¹ also that he be yt; Sir, all Swafham,
and they be warned, wyll zeve yow here voyses. Sir, speke
with Thomas Denys, and take hese good avys therin. Sir,
speke to Denys that he avoyde hys garyson atte Rydon, for
there is non other remedy but deth for Danyell, and for all
thos that arne indyted. Sir, labour ze to the Meyer that John
Dam² or Will Jenney be burgeys for the cetye of Norwych,
telle them that he may be yt as well as Yonge is of Brystow,
or the Recordor is of London, and as the Recordour of
Coventre is for the cite of Coventre, and it so in many places
in Ingland. Also, Sir, thynk on Yernemouth that ze ordeyne
that John Jenney, or Limnour, or sum good man be burgeys
for Yernemouth. Ordeyne ze that Jenneys mown ben in the
Parlement, for they kun seye well.

     Sir, it wore wysdam that my Lord of Oxenford wayte on
my Lord of Yorke. In good feyth, good Sir, thynke on all
these maters; meche more I hadde to wryte on to yow, yf I
kowde a remembryd me, but I hadde no leyser be my fyth.
Hold me escused of my lewde rude wrytyng. Late John Dam
be ware for the Lorde Moleyns; and, Sir, late the cetye be
ware, for he wyll do hem a velony, but yf he may have hese
men; and, Sir, yf he come to Norwych, look there be redy to
wayte up on the Mayer a good fellawshep, for it is seyd her
that they arne but bestys.

      Sir, my mayster bad me wryte un to yow that ze shuld
store the Mayer and alle the Alderman to crye on my Lord
that they mown have justyce of these men that be indyted, and
that my Lorde wyll speke un to the Kynge therof. And, Sir,
in divers partes in the town there [where] my Lord comyth,
there wolde be ordeyned many porcions of Comeners to crye
on my Lord for justice of these men that arne indyted, and
telle her nammes, in speciall Todenham, Heydon, Wyndham,
Prentys. Sir, I cende yow a copy of the bylle¹ that my Lord
of Yorke putte un to the Kynge; and, Sir, late copyes go
abowte the cetye i now, for the love of God, wy[c]he have yow
in hese kepyng.

     Wretyn on Seynt Feyth daye, in hast.

                                         Be your Servaunt,                  W. WAYTE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 154.] This letter must have been written just after the Duke
of York came over from Ireland in 1450, when he demanded that justice should be
fairly administered against persons accused. A Parliament was summoned, which
met on the 6th November, and Sir William Oldhall was chosen as Speaker.

     ² Richard, Duke of York, afterwards Protector, the father of King Edward IV.

     ³ The writer was clerk to Judge Yelverton.

     ¹ Sir Miles Stapleton.
     ² John Dam actually was returned to Parliament for the city of Norwich in
November 1450.

    ¹ See next No.

OCT. 6

1450
OCT. 6

1450
OCT. 6

1450
OCT. 6