The Paston Letters, A.D. 1422-1509. Volume 6 (of 6), Part 1 (Letters, Chronological Table) / New Complete Library Edition :: THE PASTON LETTERS Edward V. 992 RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, TO LORD NEVILL 71.1

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.

‘This copy has doubtless been a transcript of an original letter of the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III., and written just before his seizure of the crown.

‘Raby Castle is in the county of Durham.’

Fenn adds that it does not appear clearly who this Lord Nevill was. But as the letter was found in Raby Castle after the great rebellion of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland, in 1569, it was evidently addressed to one of that family of Nevills, the heads of which were Earls of Westmoreland. In 1483 the Earl of Westmoreland’s name was Ralph Nevill, but he died in the year following, and was succeeded in the title by Ralph, son and heir of his brother, John, Lord Nevill, who was slain at Towton. It was this Ralph, then heir-presumptive to the earldom, who is here called Lord Nevill. He had got his father’s attainder reversed in 1472, and his title of Lord Nevill was recognised. See G. Ele’s Peerage, viii. 112.

993
ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK, TO JOHN PASTON72.1

On to Jan Paston, in haste.

Not after 1483

Mastyr Paston, I pray yow that it may plese yow to leve yowr logeyng for iij. or foro days tyl I may be porved of anodyr, and I schal do as musche to yowr plesyr. For Godys sake, say me not nay; and I pray yow rekomaund me to my Lord Chambyrleyn. Yowr frend, Elizabeth.

72.1 [From Fenn, ii. 292.] This is a holograph letter of Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk, the sister of Edward IV. There can be little doubt that the Lord Chamberlain referred to is the Lord Hastings who has been very frequently mentioned in this correspondence; and if so, the letter cannot be later than 1483, as he was beheaded in that year on the 13th June, by order of the Protector Richard, Duke of Gloucester. We may therefore place it for convenience among the letters of Edward V.’s time, though undoubtedly it may be a few years earlier. Facsimiles of the original, both back and front, are given by Fenn. It is endorsed in the hand of John Paston, the younger (certainly not in that of his brother Sir John, as Fenn supposed)—‘Littra Ducisse Suff.’

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993 ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK, TO JOHN PASTON72.1

993
ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK, TO JOHN PASTON72.1