Note 284.1 — THE PASTON LETTERS Edward IV

[From Fenn, iv. 18.] This letter speaks of the county of Norfolk as being in an unquiet state, and of John Paston as having been elected knight of the shire. It will be seen by No. 458 that writs for an election were expected as early as the 5th of June in 1461, and as I find that the writer of this letter was murdered on the 4th of July following, the date is probably about the very beginning of that month. From what is said at the beginning of the letter about Paston’s absence from home, it was evidently some time after the last, which was written on the very day of his departure.