April 30th 1471: John Paston’s worries
The Armies get ever closer
King Edward waited impatiently to learn of the Lancastrian intentions. Believing that they were approaching Bath, and marching towards him to do battle, he broke his camp outside Cirencester and moved towards them, but getting no news of the Lancastrian location. He stopped that night at Malmesbury.
Queen Margaret’s host was indeed marching from Wells towards Bath, but they were clearly not ready to confront the Yorkists.
Meanwhile, from London, we have a view of the problems which John Paston was having because he’s been on the losing side at the Battle of Barnet. He wrote a letter to his mother. His wound had healed, but he was very short of the necessities of life. As he had not yet been pardoned he signed himself ‘J of Gelston’ and didn’t give an address. He was lying low.
Mother, I beseech you, and ye may spare any money, that ye will do your alms on me and send me some in as hasty wise as is possible, for by my truth my lechecraft [doctoring] and physic, and rewards to them that have kept me and conducted me to London, hath cost me since Easter Day more than v li. And now I have neither meat, drink, cloths, lechecraft, nor money but upon borrowing, and I have assailed my friends so far that they begin to fail now in my greatest need that ever I was in.
After giving detailed instructions for the care of his horse he made other requests:
Item, that Boton send me hither the two shirts that were in my casket, and that he send me hither xl s. by the next messenger that cometh to London.
Item, that Mistress Broom send me hither iij long gowns and ij doublets, and a jacket of plonket chamlett, and a murry bonnet out of my coffer; Sir James hath the key; as I sent her word before this.
Item, that such other wrightings and stuff as was in my casket be in your keeping, and that nobody look my wrightings.
Item, that the horse that Purdy hath of mine be put to some good grass in haste. And if it please you to have knowledge of our royal person, I thank God I am whole of my sicknesses, and trust to be clean whole of all my hurts within a seven-night at the furthest, by which time I trust to have other tidings. And those tidings once had, I trust not to be long out of Norfolk, with God’s grace, whom I beseech preserve you and yours for my part. Written the last day of April. The bearer hereof can tell you tidings such as be true for very certain. Your humblest servant J. of Gelston
The good tidings he was waiting for were his pardon, which wasn’t granted until July 22nd.