Victorian Books, History of the Fortescue Family

23rd December 1463. Letter from Sir John Fortescue to the Earl of Ormond, containing direclions how to -proceed in his mission into Portugal, to obtain assistance for Henry VI, at that time dethroned by Edward IV.

Ryghte worfhipfulle and myne efpecially belovyde lord, I recommaunde me to you ; and it is fo that in the fefte of the Concepcioune of our Lady I refceyvide, at Seynte Mighal in Barroys, frome you a lettre writyne at Porte in Portingale, on Monday nexte before the fefte of Seynte Mighel, to my righte finguler comfort, God knowith. Of which lettre the quentr, my lord prince, and alle theire fervantes were fulle gladde, and namely of youre welfare and efcapynge the power of youre ennymyes. And it is fo that the quene nowe defirethe you to do certayne meflage frome here to the kynge of Portyngale, of whiche ye moure clercly underftande here entente by an inftruclione, and alfo by here lettres, which here highnefle now fendithe to you by the berer hereof. Wherfore I write nowe nothynge to you of tho materes.

And as touchynge the fauf conducle whiche ye defire to have of the kynge of Fraunce, it were gode that ye hadde it. And yet yf his hyghnefle do to us nothynge but righte, the queues ccrtificat, whiche we fende to you herewith, fhulle be to you fwerte fufficiant. Noethelefle I counfeille you not to trufte fermely theruppone, and therby to aventure you to pafle thorghe his lande, for he hathe made many appoyntements withe our rebelles, by whiche it femythe he hathe not alwey entended to kepe the peace and triwes whiche he made withe us ; but yet I knawe no caufe that he hathe to breake hit, nor hetherto he hathe not takene nor imprifoned any mane of oure partie by any foche occafione. And Thomas Scales hathe fente me worde that he hopithe to mowe getc, by the meanes of my lord Senyfchalle, a fauf conducle for you. And elles my lord of Kcndale canne fynde the meanes howe ye mowe pafle foche parties of Gyane, Langdok, and other, whereas moft juperte is, as ye fhulle be in no perille. My lord of Somerfet that now is and his brother come frome Britayne by Parys thorghe Fraunce unto the quene withe vj. horfes, and no maim refonyd ham in there way. And fo didde I from Parys into Barroys; but yet this is no verrey furety to you. Wherfore your aune wyfdome moft gyde you in this cafe, not truftynge myne advife, that knawe not the maner of this contrey as ye do ; but yet I wote welle that a bille figned with my lorde Senyfchalle is hande mall be fufficiant unto you to pafle thorghe oute alle Fraunce.

My lord, herebuthe withe the quene the dukes of Exceftre and Somerfet, and his brother, whiche, and alfo fir Johne Courtenay, buth defcended of the houfe of Lancaftre. Alfo here buthe my lord Prive Seal, mafter Johne Mortone, the bifThope of Seynte AfTe, fire Edmond Mountford, fir Henry Roos, fir Edmond Hampdene, fir William Vaux, fir Robert Whityngham, and I, knyghtes, my maifter youre brother, William Grymmefby, William Jofepe, fquiers for the body, and many other worfhipfulle fquiers, and alfo clerkes. We buthe alle in grete poverte, but yet the quene fufteynethe us in mete and drinke, fo as we buthe not in extreme neceflite. Here highnefle may do no more to us thanne me dothe. Wherfore I counfeille you to fpend fparely foche money as ye have, for whanne ye come hether ye fhulle have nede of hit. And alfo here buthe maney that nede, and wolle defire to parte with you of youre aune money ; and in all this contray is no manne that wolle or may lene you any money, have ye never fo grete nede. We have here none other tythinges but foche as buthe in your inftruccione. Ji Item, yf ye fynde the kynge of Portingale entretable in clofe materes, fparithe not to tarie longe withe hym. And yf ye fynde him alle eftraunge, difpendithe not your money in that contrey in idilce ; for after that ye came hithere, hit is like that ye fhulle be putte to grete coftes fone uppone, and peradventure not long tarie here.

Item, my lord Prince fendithe to you nowe a lettre writyne withe his awne hande, and another lettre directed to the kynge of Portyngale, of whiche I fende nowe to you the double enclofyd hereyn.

I write at Seynt Mighel in Barroys, the xiij. daye of Decembre.

Your servant, J. Fortescue.

My lord, by caufe we knew not verrely the kynge of Portingale is name, the quene is lettre hathe no fuperfcripcione, nor the lettre fro my lord Prince ; but ye moure knowe ham alfo welle by the feales as by this, that in the fyde where the feal is fette of the quenes letter is writyne thife wordes, " Pro Regina," and in like wyfe in my lordes lettre is writyne, " Pro Principe." And I fende to you hereyn foche wordes of fuperfcripcion as ye fhalle fette uppone bothe lettres, whiche wordes buthe writyn withe the hande of the clerke that hath writyne bothe lettres.

Item, the berer hereof had of us but iij. scutes for alle his costes towardes you, by cause wee hadde no more money.

(Dorfo.) To the righte worshipfulle and my singulerly belovide lorde, the Erie of Ormonde.