Rygth trusty and enteerly beloved cousyn I comaunde me to you with all myn herte. And lyke it you to wete that God hath vyset me with grete infirmite and dissease, wherthurgh I neyther can nor may at this season and comynge of the Bastard of Burgoyne attende to th’execucion off myn offyce, as my wyll and duete were to, in myn owne persone. Wherfor of verray necessite I must depute suche a person in all goodly hast to ocupye as my deputee and to have my full power undere me at that season as is bothe of byrthe honorable and one all other wyse lykly. How be it that of long tyme contynnuynge I have ben enured of your stedfaste and preved feythful good cosyngnage and tendyrnesse to me shewed unfeyned to my gret refute[278.1] and hertes ease at all seasons. Wiche emboldeth me to call uppon you now; and also remembrynge the honour of the offyce doynge and the neighnesse of blode that ye be of to me, I thenke no person so convenable to ocupye in myn absence as you. For myn excuse, therfore, I specyally pray you, as my feythfull truste is holy in you, to take the labour uppon you and to do theryn be your discrecion to the most honour of the kynge, the realme, and be lyke as I am asured that ye can and wyll, puttynge you in surete that I wull become tributary to your costes and charges in that behalve. And as for all suche duteis as schall belonge to me at that tyme by reason of myn offyce, I gyff theme you for parcell of your said costes; and at such tyme as ye and I and myn counsell mete next ye schal not fayle to be agreid with, to your pleasure for the residue, by Goddis grace, Wiche ever preserve you. And, cousyn, I sende you be the berer herof the double of this lettre, praying that ye will subscribe it with your owne hande and send it me a geyn be hym. Wryten under my signet the xviij. day of May.

To my rigth trusty and rigth enteerly belovyd cousyn, Sir John Howard, knygth.

And this letter is assigned with my lordes own hande.

[277.2] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 59.] The famous tournament between Lord Scales and the Bastard of Burgundy took place at Smithfield on the 11th and 12th June 1467. See Excerpta Historica, 176. This paper is evidently a copy of the original letter.

[278.1] Sic in MS.

See Excerpta Historica, 176.
final . missing

[669]
SIR JOHN HOWARD[279.1]

1467
JUNE

This wrytenge made at London the vijth yer of kyng Edward the iiijth and the ——[279.2] day of June wytnessyth what Jakettes my master Sir John Howard geveth at the fytenge betwyx my Lord Scales and the Bastard of Burgoyne.

John Alpherde