Trusty and welbeloved, we greet yow well. And where it is accorded betwixt us and our cozen the Duke of Burgundye that he shall wedde our derrest sister, Margaret, and that in shorte while we intende to sende her into the parts of Flanders for the accomplishment and solempnizacion of the marriage so concluded; at the which time it behoveth her to be accompanied with great nobility of this realme, for the honour thereof, of us and our said sister: We therefore, wele understanding and remembering the good affection ye bere towards us all, our pleasure is, and our said sister, whereupon we greatly trust, desire and pray yow right effectuously that, every excuse or delaye laide aparte, ye will dispose yourselfe to the saide intent and purpose against the first day of June next cominge, according to your honour and degree, and that ye faile not so to doe, as we singularly trust yow, and as ye intend to do us justys, pleass.[297.1] Yeven under our signet at our mannor of Greenwich, the xviij. day of Aprill.
[296.1] This letter is reprinted from Mr. Worship’s article on Sandford’s genealogy of the Paston family in the Norfolk Archæology. The original was transcribed by Sandford, but is not now to be found. Margaret, sister of Edward IV., was married to Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, at Bruges, on the 3rd July 1468.
[297.1] So, as printed in the Norfolk Archæology.
[684]
JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGER TO MARGARET PASTON[297.2]
To my ryght reverend and worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston, dwellyng at Caster, be thys delyveryed in hast.
1468
JULY 8
Ryth reverend and worchepfull modyr, I recomaund me on to you as humbylly as I can thynk, desyryng most hertly to her of your welfare and herts ese, whyche I pray God send yow as hastyly as my hert can thynk. Ples yt yow to wete, that at the makyng of thys byll, my brodyr and I, and all our felawshep, wer in good helle, blyssyd be God. As for the gydyng her in thys contre, it is as worchepfull as all the world can devyse it, and ther wer never Englyshe men had so good cher owt of Inglong that ever I herd of.
As for tydyngs her, but if it be of the fest, I can non send yow; savyng my Lady Margaret[297.3] was maryd on Sonday[297.4] last past, at a towne that is callyd the Dame, iij. myle owt of Brugys, at v. of the clok in the mornyng; and sche was browt the same day to Bruggys to hyr dener; and ther sche was receyvyd as worchepfully as all the world cowd devyse, as with presession with ladys and lordys, best beseyn of eny pepyll, that ever I sye or herd of. Many pagentys wer pleyed in hyr wey in Bryggys to hyr welcomyng, the best that ever I sye. And the same Sonday my Lord the Bastard,[298.1] took upon hym to answere xxiiij. knyts and gentylmen, with in viij. dayes at jostys of pese; and when that they wer answeryd, they xxiiij. and hym selve schold torney with othyr xxv. the next day aftyr, whyche is on Monday next comyng; and they that have jostyd with hym into thys day, have ben as rychely beseyn, and hymselve also, as clothe of gold, and sylk and sylvyr, and goldsmyths werk, myght mak hem; for of syche ger, and gold, and perle, and stanys, they of the Dwkys coort, neythyr gentylmen nor gentylwomen, they want non; for with owt that they have it by wyshys, by my trowthe, I herd nevyr of so gret plente as ther is.
Thys day my Lord Scalys[298.2] justyd with a Lord of thys contre, but not with the Bastard; for they mad promyse at London that non of them bothe shold never dele with othyr in armys; but the Bastard was one of the Lords that browt the Lord Scalys in to the 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 never a mor worchepfull knyt.
And as for the Dwkys coort, as of lords, ladys and gentylwomen, knyts, sqwyers, and gentylmen, I hert never of non lyek to it, save Kyng Artourys cort. And by my trowthe, I have no wyt nor remembrans to wryte to yow, half the worchep that is her; but that lakyth, as it comyth to mynd I shall tell yow when I come home, whyche I tryst to God shal not be long to; for we depart owt of Brygys homward on Twysday next comyng, and all folk that cam with my Lady of Burgoyn owt of Inglond, except syche as shall abyd her styll with hyr, whyche I wot well shall be but fewe.