[THE PASTON LETTERS]
Edward V.
[992]
RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, TO LORD NEVILL[71.1]
To my Lorde Nevyll, in hast.
1483
JUNE 11
My Lorde Nevyll, I recommaunde me to you as hartely as I can; and as ever ye love me, and your awne weale and securty, and this Realme, that ye come to me with that ye may make, defensably arrayde, in all the hast that ys possyble, and that ye wyll yef credence to . . . . . Richarde Ratclyff, thys beerrer, whom I nowe do sende to you, enstructed with all my mynde and entent.
And, my lord, do me nowe gode servyce, as ye have always befor don, and I trust nowe so to remember you as shalbe the makyng of you and yours. And God sende you goode fortunes.
Wrytten att London, xj. day of Jun, with the hande of your hertely lovyng cousyn and master, R. Gloucester.
[71.1] [From Fenn, v. 302.] This letter was not a part of the Paston correspondence, but was printed by Fenn in the series as a letter of much historical interest from a copy given him by the Rev. John Brand, secretary to the Society of Antiquaries. The following memoranda accompanied the copy:—
‘Extract from an ancient MS. of pedigrees, etc., in quarto, late in the possession of Sir Walter Blackett, Bart., and now the property of John Erasmus Blackett, Esq., Alderman of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; p. 333, under title of “A Coppie of some Letters which were found in Rabie Castle after the Rebellion, to shew the fashion . . . . of those times.” The above MS. is of the date of James I., though there are several continuations in a more modern hand.