[Footnote 260-1: _See_ preliminary note to Letter No. 879.]
Certainly, when they remembered the loss of Caister, which they had now regained--when they recalled his inability to protect them against armed aggression, and the disappointment of their expectations of redress against the Duke of Suffolk for the attack on the lodge at Hellesdon--the Pastons had little cause to pray for the return of Edward IV. They were completely committed to the cause of Henry; and Sir John Paston and his brother fought, no doubt in the Earl of Oxford's company, against King Edward at Barnet. [Sidenote: Sir John Paston and his brother in the battle of Barnet. A.D. 1471.] Both the brothers came out of the battle alive, but John Paston was wounded with an arrow in the right arm, beneath the elbow.[261-1] His wound, however, was not of a very serious character, and in little more than a fortnight he was able to write a letter with his own hand.[261-2] A more serious consideration was, how far the family prospects were injured by the part they had taken against what seemed now to be the winning side. Perhaps they might be effectually befriended by their cousin Lomner, who seems to have adhered to Edward, and who had promised them his good offices, if required. But on the whole the Pastons did not look despondingly upon the situation, and rather advised their cousin Lomner not to commit himself too much to the other side, as times might change. 'I beseech you,' writes Sir John Paston to his mother, 'on my behalf to advise him to be well aware of his dealing or language as yet; for the world, I ensure you, is right queasy, as ye shall know within this month. The people here feareth it sore. God hath showed Himself marvellously like Him that made all, and can undo again when Him list, and I can think that by all likelihood He shall show Himself as marvellous again, and that in short time.'[261-3]
In point of fact, Sir John Paston, when he wrote these words, had already heard of the landing of Queen Margaret and her son in the west, so that another conflict was certainly impending. His brother John, recovering from his wounds, but smarting severely in pocket from the cost of his surgery, looked forward to it with a sanguine hope that Edward would be defeated. 'With God's grace,' he writes, 'it shall not be long ere my wrongs and other men's shall be redressed, for the world was never so like to be ours as it is now. Wherefore I pray you let Lomner not be too busy yet.'[262-1] The issue, however, did not agree with his expectations. [Sidenote: The battle of Tewkesbury.] Four days later was fought the battle of Tewkesbury,[262-2] at which Margaret was defeated, and her son, though taken alive, put to death upon the field. Shortly afterwards she herself surrendered as a prisoner, while her chief captain, Somerset, was beheaded by the conqueror. The Lancastrian party was completely crushed; and before three weeks were over, King Henry himself had ended his days--no doubt he was murdered--within the Tower. Edward, instead of being driven out again, was now seated on the throne more firmly than he had ever been before; and the Paston brothers had to sue for the king's pardon for the part they had taken in opposing him.