At Erle Soham lodge, this xxviij. day of February. N. E. N.
[159.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It seems probable that this letter was written in the February following Sir Harry Grey’s death. (See [No. 1061].)
[1065]
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON AND ANOTHER[160.1]
To my right trusty and right welbel[oved Sir] John Paston, Knyght, and Sir . . . . . Knyght, . . . . of them.
1499
AUG. 20
Right trusty and welbeloved councellours, I comaunde me to you. And where the Kinges Grace is lately acerteinyed that Th’Erl of Suffolk is departid owt of this his Realme, Hys Grace hath commaundid me to wryte unto you that ye incontynent uppon the sight of this my writing endeovour you to enquyre aswell of such persones as be departid over with the seid Erle as of theim that accompanyed hym in his repayre to the see, and retornyd ageyn, or in any wyse were prevy to the same, and theruppon, in as goodly hast as ye kan, to put them and every of them in suertie savely to be kept, and therof t’acerteyn me, to th’entent ye maye knowe his ffurther pleasure in the same. And if ye shall at any tyme herafter perceyve any suspect person nyghe unto the see costes which shall seme unto you to be of the same affynyte, than His Grace will that ye put them in lyke suertie. And Almighti God have you in His keping.
Written at Gaddishill, in the Ile of Wight, the xxti daye of August. Oxynford.
[160.1] [Douce MS. 393, f. 87.] Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, escaped abroad on the 1st July 1499, and proclamations were issued on the 20th August following (the day on which this letter was written) against persons leaving the kingdom without a license. (See my Letters and Papers Illustrative of the Reigns of Richard III. and Henry VII., vol. i. preface p. xl., vol. ii. p. 377.) It appears that the King was at this time staying at Godshill, in the Isle of Wight, the place from which this letter is dated (see Excerpta Historica, p. 122).
[1066]
HENRY VII. TO SIR JOHN PASTON[161.1]
To our trusty and welbeloved knight, Sir John Paston.