To Mestresse Margret Paston, be thys delyveryd.

1469
[OCT.]

Ryght worchypfull Moodre, I comand me to yow, and beseche yow of yowr blyssyng and Gods. Thanke yow for yowr tendrenesse and helpe bothe to me, my brother, and servants.[62.2]

. . . . . . .

The Kynge is comyn to London, and ther came with hym, and roode ageyn hym, the Duke of Glowcestr, the Duke of Suffolke, the Erle of Aroundell, the Erle of Northumbreland, the Erle of Essex, the Lordes Harry and John of Bokyngham, the Lord Dakres, the Lorde Chambreleyn, the Lorde Montjoye, and many other Knyghtys and Sqwyers, the Meyr of London, xxij. Aldremen, in skarlett, and of the Crafftys men of the town to the nombre of CC., all in blewe. The Kynge come thorow Chepe, thowe it wer owt of hys weye, be cawse he wold not be seyn, and he was accompanyed in all peple with ml. horsse, som harneysyd and som nat. My Lorde Archebysshop[62.3] com with hym from Yorke, and is at the Moor,[62.4] and my Lorde of Oxenfford roode to have mett the Kyng, and he is with my Lorde Archebysshop at the Moor, and come nat to town with the Kynge; some sey that they wer yesterdaye iij. myle to the Kyng wards from the Moor, and that the Kyng sent them a massangr that they scholde com when that he sent for them. I wot not what to suppose therin; the Kyng hymselffe hathe good langage of the Lords of Clarance, of Warwyk, and of my Lords of York [and] of Oxenford, seyng they be hys best frendys; but hys howselde men have other langage, so that what schall hastely falle I cannot seye.

My Lorde of Norffolke schall be her thys nyght. I schall sende yow mor when I knowe mor.

Item, iff Ebysham come not home with myn oncle W., that than ye sende me the ij. Frenshe bookys that he scholde have wretyn, that he may wryght them her, John Paston, Kt.

[62.1] [From Fenn, i. 292.] The allusion in an unprinted passage in this letter to the approaching marriage of Richard Calle with Margery Paston proves it to be of the year 1469. In that year it appears by the dates of the privy seals that Edward IV. remained during the whole of September in Yorkshire, having been detained by Warwick at Middleham as a prisoner during the month of August; but he was in London as early as the 13th October.

[62.2] Here, according to Fenn, follow passages touching ‘an account of monies, debts, &c., a dispute with his uncle William, and a desire to defer his sister Margery’s marriage with Richard Calle till Christmas.’

[62.3] George Nevill, Archbishop of York.