Wreten at Bury Seynt Edmondis, the xvj. day of Octobr.
[184.1] [Douce MS. 393, f. 92.] This letter and that which follows clearly refer to the same matter. The time of year and the part taken by the Duke of York in the election are circumstances which in themselves create a pretty strong presumption in favour of the year 1450. And this presumption almost becomes a certainty, when we observe that the date of this letter—16th October—was a Friday in that year; for the meeting of York and Norfolk is stated in the next letter to have been on a Thursday and Friday, and this letter would doubtless have been written as soon as a decision had been come to between the two Lords.
[149]
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO JOHN PASTON[184.2]
To owr welbeloved John Paston.
1450
OCT. 18
Right welbeloved, I grete yow well. And as towchyng for tydyngs, I can none, savyng that my Lord of Norffolk met with my Lord of York at Bury on Thursday, and there were to gedre til Friday, ix. of the clokke, and than they departed. And there a gentilman of my Lord of York toke unto a yeman of myn, John Deye, a tokene and a sedell of my Lords entent, whom he wold have knyghtts of the shyre, and I sende you a sedell closed of their names in this same lettre, wherfore me thynkith wel do to performe my Lords entent.
Wretyn the xviijº day of Octobr, at Wynche. Oxenford.
| Com. Norff’, |
Sir William Chambirlayn.[185.1] Henry Grey. |
[184.2] [From Fenn, i. 98.] For evidence of date, see note to preceding letter.
[185.1] The names actually returned by the Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk for this Parliament were—for Norfolk, Sir Miles Stapleton and Henry Gray; for Suffolk, Sir Roger Chamberleyn and Sir Edmund Mulso.