A couple of weeks ago I attended a fascinating seminar at
the IHR presented by Ed Meek on the topic of his recent book: The Calais Letterbook of William Lord
Hastings (1477) and Late Medieval Crisis Diplomacy 1477-83. Some of the research as well as the publication of this exciting contribution to our understanding of Richard III’s age was funded
by the Richard III and Yorkist History Trust (which was founded by the Richard
III Society in 1984).
The letterbook of the title is a severely damaged manuscript
that is now housed in the Huntingdon Library, California. It is a record of
William Lord Hastings’s French correspondence between April and September 1477,
a crucial period in England’s relations with the continent in the aftermath of
Charles the Bold’s death. Meek has provided both a transcription and
translation as well as a detailed introduction interpreting the significance of
the letters.
He explained that the manuscript has occasionally been used
by other historians. However, he argued that its importance for our
understanding of English policy has not been fully realised. For one thing, we
should not accept Cora Scofield’s influential interpretation that Edward IV and
Hastings were at odds at this time. On the contrary what comes through most
strongly about Lord Hastings from these letters is his very deep loyalty to Edward
IV. I came away fully persuaded that the manuscript provides both a vivid
glimpse into a crucial moment in English politics and intriguing insight into
the perennially controversial Lord Hastings. The book has been published by the
Richard III and Yorkist History Trust and is available from Amazon or on ebay
at £35. There will be a special discount for members of the Richard III Society:
see the March 2018 edition of The
Ricardian Bulletin for further details.
J L Laynesmith
