The Paston Letters, A.D. 1422-1509. Volume 5 (of 6) New Complete Library Edition
Volume VI, Part 2 (Index): see https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42494
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The year was shown in a sidenote at the top of each page; this has been merged with the sidenote at the beginning of each Letter or Abstract.
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Footnotes have their original numbering, with added page number to make them usable with the full Index. They are grouped at the end of each Letter or Abstract.
Typographical errors are listed at the end of each Letter, after the footnotes. In the primary text, errors were only corrected if they are clearly editorial, such as missing italics, or mechanical, such as u-for-n misprints. Italic “d” misprinted as “a” was a recurring problem, especially in Volume IV. The word “invisible” means that there is an appropriately sized blank space, but the letter or punctuation mark itself is missing. The form “corrected by author” refers to the Errata printed at the end of the Letters, in Volume VI.
Specifics: The spelling “Jhon” is not an error. Gresham and Tresham are different people. Conversely, the inconsistent spelling “Lipyate” or “Lipgate” in footnotes is unchanged. In this volume, the spelling “apostyle” for “apostille” is used consistently.
Note that the printed book used z to represent original yogh ȝ. This has not been changed for the e-text.
This edition, published by arrangement with Messrs. ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, LIMITED, is strictly limited to 650 copies for Great Britain and America, of which only 600 sets are for sale, and are numbered 1 to 600.
No. 47
[[The number 47 is handwritten.]]
* * * * * * * * *
THE PASTON LETTERS
A.D. 1422-1509
* * * * * * * * *
THE PASTON LETTERS A.D. 1422-1509
New Complete Library Edition
Edited with Notes and an Introduction
by
JAMES GAIRDNER of the Public Record Office
_VOLUME V_
London Chatto & Windus
[Decoration]
Exeter James G. Commin 1904
Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty
THE PASTON LETTERS
_Edward IV_
695
WILLIAM EBESHAM TO SIR JOHN PASTON[1-1]
_To my moost worshupfull maister, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1469(?)]
My moost woorshupfull and moost speciall maister, with all my servyce moost lowly I recomande unto your gode maistirship, besechyng you most tendirly to see me sumwhat rewardid for my labour in the Grete Booke[1-2] which I wright unto your seide gode maistirship. I have often tymes writyn to Pampyng accordyng to your desire, to enforme you hou I have labourd in wrytyngs for you; and I see wele he speke not to your maistership of hit. And God knowith I ly in seint warye [_sanctuary_] at grete costs, and amongs right unresonable askers. I movid this mater to Sir Thomas[1-3] late, and he tolde me he wolde move your maistirship therein, which Sir Thomas desirid me to remembir wele what I have had in money at soondry tymes of hym.[2-1]
. . . . . . .
And in especiall I beseche you to sende me for almes oon of your olde gownes, which will countirvale much of the premysses I wote wele; and I shall be yours while I lyve, and at your comandement; I have grete myst of it, God knows, whom I beseche preserve you from all adversite. I am sumwhat acqueyntid with it. Your verry man,
W. EBSHAM.
Folowyng apperith, parcelly, dyvers and soondry maner of writyngs, which I William Ebesham have wreetyn for my gode and woorshupfull maistir, Sir John Paston, and what money I have resceyvid, and what is unpaide.
First, I did write to his maistership a litill booke of Pheesyk, for which I had paide by Sir Thomas Leevys[2-2] in Westminster xx_d._
Item, I had for the wrytyng of half the prevy seale of Pampyng viij_d._
Item, for the wrytynge of the seid hole prevy seale of Sir Thomas ij_s._
Item, I wrote viij. of the Witnessis in parchement, but aftir xiiij^d. a peece, for which I was paide of Sir Thomas x_s._
Item, while my seide maister was over the see in Midsomerterme
Calle sett me a warke to wryte two tymes the prevy seale in papir, and then after cleerely in parchement iiij_s._ viij_d._
And also wrote the same tyme oon mo of the lengist witnessis, and other dyvers and necessary wrytyngs, for which he promisid me x^s. whereof I had of Calle but iiij^s. viij^d. car. v^s. iiij^d. v_s._ iiij_d._
I resceyvid of Sir Thomas at Westminster, penultimo die Oct., anno viij. iij_s._ iiij_d._
Item, I did write to quairs of papir of witnessis, every quair conteynyng xiiij. leves after ij^d. a leff iiij_s._ viij_d._
Item, as to the Grete Booke--First, for wrytyng of the Coronacion, and other tretys of Knyghthode, in that quaire which conteyneth a xiij. levis and more, ij^d. a lef ij_s._ ii_d._
Item, for the tretys of Werre in iiij. books, which conteyneth lx. levis aftir ij^d. a leaff x_s._
Item, for _Othea_[3-1] pistill, which conteyneth xliij. leves vii_s._ ij_d._
Item, for the Chalengs, and the Acts of Armes which is xxviij^ti lefs iiij_s._ viij_d._
Item, for _De Regimine Principum_, which conteyneth xlv^ti leves, aftir a peny a leef, which is right wele worth iij_s._ ix_d._
Item, for Rubrissheyng of all the booke iii_s._ iiij_d._
Summa rest’ xxij_s._ iiij_d._
Summa non solut’ xlj_s._ j_d._, unde pro magno[4-1] libro scripto xxvij^s cum diu’ chal.[4-2]
Summa Totalis iij_li._ iij_s._ v_d._
WILLIAM EBESHAM.
In further illustration of the payments made in that age for writing, etc., Sir John Fenn gives the following extracts from an original quarto MS. then in his possession, containing--
The various expences of Sir John Howard, Knight, of Stoke by Neyland, in Suffolk (afterwards Duke of Norfolk), page 136.
Item, the vij^th yere of Kynge Edward the iiij^th, and the xxviij. day of July (1467). My master rekened with Thomas Lympnour of Bury, and my master peid hym--
For viij. hole vynets . . . prise the vynett, xii_d._, viij_s._
Item, for xxj. demi vynets . . . prise the demi vynett, iiij_d._ vij_s._
Item, for Psalmes lettres xv^c. and di’ . . . the prise of C. iiij_d._ v_s._ ij_d._
Item, for p’ms letters lxiij^c. . . . prise of a C., j_d._ v iij_d._
Item, for wrytynge of a quare and demi . . . prise the quayr, xx_d._ ij_s._ vj_d._
Item, for wrytenge of a calender, xij_d._
Item, for iij. quayres of velym, prise the quayr, xx_d._ v_s._
Item, for notynge of v. quayres and ij. leves, prise of the quayr, viij[_d._] iij_s._ vij_d._
Item, for capital drawynge iij^c. and di’, the prise, iij_d._
Item, for floryshynge of capytalls, v^c. v_d._
Item, for byndynge of the boke, xij_s._
c_s._ ij_d._
The wyche parcellis my master paid hym this day, and he is content.
This is an account of a limner or illuminator of manuscripts, who resided at Bury.
[Footnote 1-1: [From Fenn, ii. 10.] By the date of one item in the account subjoined to this letter it must have been written after the year 1468, probably in the year following.]
[Footnote 1-2: This ‘great book’ has been identified, on evidence which at first sight seems conclusive, with MS. 285 in the Lansdowne library in the British Museum. But probably this latter is only another transcript by Ebesham of a very similar volume. _See_ Account of this MS. in ‘Sailing Directions for the Circumnavigation of England,’ published by the Hakluyt Society in 1889.]
[Footnote 1-3: Sir Thomas Lewis, a priest.]
[Footnote 2-1: Here (according to Fenn) follows the account as stated more at large in the subjoined Bill.]
[Footnote 2-2: Fenn’s modern transcript reads Lewis. Is ‘Leevys’ in the other a misprint for ‘Lewys’?]
[Footnote 3-1: _Othea_ means a treatise on Wisdom.--F. The name is derived from the Greek Ὠ θεὰ, but was used in the Middle Ages as a proper name. See a poem beginning
‘Othea of prudence named godesse,’
mentioned in the Third Report of the Historical MSS. Commission, p. 188.]
[Footnote 4-1: _magno_, ‘m^o’ in Fenn.]
[Footnote 4-2: So in Fenn. Qu. _cum diurnali challengiorum_? Fenn omits the whole of this clause, unde . . . . chal’, but notices its occurrence in a footnote.]
[[_In this section, many italic “d”s were misprinted as “a”. They have not been individually noted._
... the Chalengs, and the Acts of Armes which is xxviij^ti lefs _text has “less”; corrected from Fenn (“lefs” with “f” misread as “leſs” with long “s”)_
... prise the vynett, xii_d._, _anomalous final comma in original_
Item, for p’ms letters lxiij^c. . . . prise of a C., j_d._ v iij_d._ _text unchanged: _s._ after “v” missing_]]
696
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON[5-1]
_To the worshipfull, and with alle myn hert right entierly bilovyd Sir John Paston, Knyght, this lettre be delivered._
TH’ERLE OF OXINFORD.
[Sidenote: 1469(?) / JAN. 7]
Right hertly welbilovyd, I grete you wele. And where I am for trowth enformyd that the Duchesse of Suffolk wolle hold a court on Monday next commyng at Coton, to th’entent that she wolle fynde the maner of Thempnals holde of hir by knyghts service and they that ben possessioners of the same shulde payle certeine of the Parke of Weverston; and by cause this is nat performyd nor don, thoo that ben possessioners shall at the said court be amersid. And it is agreed that Sir William Yelverton, Sir Thomas Hoo, shalle be at the said court and wolle pay the amercyment, and to delyver the said Duchesse possession of the said service and palyng, and so by this meane to be come tenauntes to the said Duchesse. And what wolle be falle more herof I kan nat sey. Wherfor me thinkith it were welle don ye were at the said court with your councell, and to do therin as they wolle avise you. Also as ye come to the said court take your wey by the said Duchesse to th’entent that ye come to se hir welfare, &c. Do herin as your councell wolle avyse you. I wolde ye dud welle. And to my power I wolle help you. And our Lorde kepe yow. Writyn at Tatyngston the vij. day of Januer.
_Endorsed_: Th’Erle off Oxenfford.
[Footnote 5-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It will be seen by No. 690, that in October 1468 the Duchess of Suffolk had a design of suddenly entering the manor of Cotton and dispossessing Sir John Paston. This letter, in which it is said she proposes to hold a court there, was probably written in the beginning of the following year.]
697
ABSTRACT[6-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / JAN. 9]
W. COTING to JOHN COOK, draper of Norwich, ‘and that he deliver or send this bill to Richard Kalle in all goodly haste, for the matter is of substance.’
This day in the grey morning three men of my Lord of Norfolk with long spears carried off three good horses from John Poleyn, ‘one of your farmers at Tichewell,’ telling him to treat with my Lord of Norfolk. Wishes to know what to do, ‘for such an open wrong unremedied knew I never.’ Saturday after Epiphany.
‘Anno viij^o’ is written below.
[The signature of this letter is written in an abbreviated form, ‘W. Cot.’ According to Blomefield, W. Cotyng was rector of Titchwell from 1450 to 1457, and he had been previously rector of Swainsthorp, to which he was presented by Judge Paston in 1444. This letter is twelve years later than the date at which his incumbency of Titchwell is said to have terminated; but doubtless he is the writer. He is referred to as living even in the year 1485, in a letter written by Dame Elizabeth Browne, who says that he and James Gresham were clerks to her father Judge Paston.]
[Footnote 6-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
698
EDWARD IV. TO SIR JOHN PASTON[6-2]
_To our trusty and welbeloved Sir John Paston, Knight._
BY THE KINGE.
[Sidenote: 1469 / JAN. 18]
Trusty and welbeloved, we grete yow well. And how be it that we late addressed unto yow our letters, and commanded yow by the same, for the consideracions in them conteined, to have ceased of makinge any assemblye of our people for the matter of variance dependinge betwixt yow on that one partie, and our right trustie and right entirely beloved cosin the Duke of Norffolk on that other, and to have appeared before the Lords of our Councell at our Palleys of Westminster at a certeine day in our said letters specified; yett nevertheless we understonde not as yet if ye have conformed yow to the performinge of our said commandement or not. We therefore eftsones write unto yow, willing and straitly charging yow to cease of the said ryotts and assemblies; and that incontinent upon the sight of these our letters that ye dispose yow personally to appear afore the said Lords of our Councell at our said Pallis, there to answere to such thinges as in that behalfe by them shall be laid and objected against yow, not failinge hereof, all excuses laid aparte, as ye will avoide our displeasure. Yeven under our signet at our citye of Salesbury, the xviij. day of January.
[Footnote 6-2: This letter is reprinted from the Paston Genealogy in the _Norfolk Archæology_, to which we have already several times referred (_see_ Nos. 484, 641, 643, etc.). Edward IV. was at Salisbury in January 1469, one of his privy seals being dated there on the 16th of the month.]
699
SIR JOHN PASTON TO ROGER TOWNSEND[7-1]
_To the ryght worshypfull and hys best betrustyd Frende, Roger Townesende._
[Sidenote: 1467-9 / FEB. 12]
Right worshipfull sir, I comaunde me to yow, praying yow hertly to remembre that by the award made bytwen yow and me by Roger Townesend for a tenement in Stratton in Norfolk callid Rees, I shuld delyver yow all the evydens apperteynyng to the said plase, and not from thens forth to chalenge nor interupte my lady your wife ner yow of the said tenement; And that for thes said causes ye shuld and therto were agreyd to geve me an horse and x_li._ to an harneys. And moreovir before Cristemasse in the kynges chambre ye ther ageyn promysed me that ye wold such tyme as I send to yow home to yowre plase by any servant of myne er any man from me, that ye wold delyver it hym and send it to me by hym. My brothir John hath send me word that he remembird yow therof on my behalfe and that you answerid hym that ye wold gyfe hym or me a fayre harneys at your comyng to London. I deme in yow that ye thynke par case to bye a fayre harneys here for x. markz; but, cosyn, as God help me, I bowte an harneys syn that tyme for my self, which cost me xx_li._ But I con not desire of yow so moch. Wherfore, cosyn, with all myn hert I pray yow accordyng to yowre promyse that it like yow to send me by my servaunt, berer herof, the said somme of x_li._, as my trust is in yow, and as I wolde in like case have don to yow, and as in the premysses I delt feithfully with yow and evir so shall dele, with the grase of God, Who have yow in Hys kepyng. Wretyn at London the xii. day of Feveryer.--Youris,
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 7-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 186.] This letter was probably written after the death of John Paston, the writer’s father, but the precise year is uncertain.]
[[John Paston, k. _printed with anomalous small “k.”_]]
700
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[8-1]
_To my mastyr, Sir John Paston, knyght, in Flet stret._
[Sidenote: 1468-9(?)]
Syr, &c. It is so that, with owght ye have hasty reparacyon doon at Caster, ye be lyek to have doubyll cost in hast, for the reyn hathe so moystyd the wallys in many plasys that they may not tylle the howsys tyll the wallys be reparyd; or ellys ye shall have doubyll cost for to untylle your howsys ayen at syche tyme as ye shall amend the wallys. And if it be not do thys yer, many of the wallys wyll lye in the moot or longe to; ye knowe the febyllnesse of the utter coort of old. John Pampyng hathe had hame to Caster as good as x^ml. tylle fyr the plase at Yermeuthe, and it wer pete that the tyll wer lost; and the lenger that it lythe unleyd the wers it wyll be. I have thys day bespok as myche lyme as wyll serve for the tyll. Wherfor I prey yow remembyr the cost of the werkmanschep and purvey the money by oo mean or othyr, what shefte so evyr ye make. And, for your owne profyte, remembyr to goo thorow with Hwghe of Fen; for by my trowthe ye wyll ellys repent yow er owght longe. For bothe ye shall loose hys good wyll and lett peraventure that avantage that he myght do yow in your lond recoveryng; wher as he may do yow harme and [_if_] he wyll and then, to late wyse. Item, that ye remembyr your relesys and gounys of my Lord of Norffolk er ye com hom. Item, I send yow by the berer herof a lettyr dyrect to yow that a man of my Lord of Oxenfortheys delyverd me; whych lettyr comyth fro the Kyng. Item, that ye remembyr in eny wyse to serche for the fyne in syche plasys as my modyr sent you woord of in a lettyr; for myn oncyll and my grauntdam report that they have serchyd in all plasys thar as it shold be, but they can not fynd no thyng of it. Also that ye look whedyr the fyne was reryd to eny feeffeys mor then to my grauntfadyr and my grauntdam and ther issu; for and ther wer eny feoffeys namyd in the fyn, it is the bettyr for yow. My Lady and my grauntdam be com to London for the same mater; wherfor it wer well do that the jwgys wer enformyd of your mater befor they spok with theym. I prey yow hye yow hom hastyly and se your owne profyte your sylf. Pampyng and I shall clowt up your howsys as we may with the money that we have tyll more come, but ye shold do bettyr your sylf. I prey red thys byll onys on a day tyll ye have sped thes maters wretyn her in; thowe it be to your peyne to labore theym, remembyr your profyt. Nomor, &c., but God kep yow thys Lent fro lollardy of fleshe. Wretyn at Norwyche the Twysday next aftyr that I departyd fro yow.
J. P.
[Footnote 8-1: [Add. MS. 33,597, f. 4.] The year in which this letter was written is doubtful, but it was most probably either 1468 or 1469, at the beginning of Lent.]
701
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[10-1]
_To Sir John Paston, knyght, be this delivered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1469 / MARCH 12]
I grete you wele and send you Goddes blyssyng and myn, desiryng you to recomaund me to my brother William, and to comune with hym and your councell in such materis as I wryght to you, that ther may be purveyd be some writyng fro the Kyng that my Lord of Norffolk and his councell seas [_cease_] of the wast that thei done in your lordsheps, and in especiall at Heynford; for thei have felled all the wood, and this weke thei wull carie it a wey, and lete renne the wateris and take all the fyssh. And Sir William Yelverton and his sone William, John Grey and Burgeys, William Yelvertons men, have ben at Guton and takyn distresses, and with ought that [_unless_] thei wull pay them thei shall not set ought no plow to till there lande; thei byd them lete there land lye on tilled but if [_unless_] thei pay them. So that if the tenauntes have no remedy that thei may pesibily, with ought assaught or distresse takyng, be the seid Yelverton or his men, or of any other in there names, at there liberte herye there landis, with in this vij. days there tylth in the feldis be lost for all this yere and thei shall be on doon; and though ye shuld kepe it here after pesibilly ye shuld lese the ferme of this yere, for thei may not pay you but if [_unless_] thei may occupie there landis; thei set not so sone a plow ought at ther gatis but ther is a felesship redy to take it. And thei ride with speris and launyegays, like men of werre, so that the seid tenauntis arn a ferd to kepe there owyn howses. Therfore purvey an redy remedy, or ellis ye lese the tenauntis hertis and ye gretly hurt; for it is gret pety to here the swemefull[10-2] and petowse compleyntis of the pore tenauntis that come to me for comfort and socour sometime vi. or vij. to geder. Therfore, for Goddis love, se that thei ben helpyn, and desire my brothere William to geve you good concell here.
Also it is told me that my Lady of Suffolk hath promysed you here good will, if your bargayn of the mariage[11-1] holdyth, to do as largely as she shall be disired, or largelyer if there be any appoyntment takyn a twix you for any materes a twyx her and you. And [_i.e._ if] thei wuld avyse you to geve any money to here to make here refuse or disclayme here titill, me semyth ye may wele excuse you be the money that she had last, and be the wrongis that were don be here and here men in fellyng of wood and pullyng doune of your place and logge at Heylesdon, and takyn a wey of the shep and your faderis goodis, which were takyn a wey at the pullyn don of the seid place; wheche wele considered, she were wurthy to recompense you. And [_if_] the Kyng and the lordis were wele enformed thei wuld considere the redilyer your hurtis. It semyth this Sir William Yelverton hath comfort that he is so bold, for [he[11-2]] hath ryght prowde and fowle langage and ryght slaundrows to the tenauntis, as thei have reported to me. Therfor be ryght ware that ye bynde not your self nor mak non ensurance till ye be suer of a pesibill possession of your lande; for oftyn tyme rape rueth, and whan a man hath made such a covenante he must kepith it, he may not chese; there[fore[11-2]] be not to hasty till your londe be clere. And labore hastly a remedy for thes premysses, or ellis Sir John Fastolffis lyvelode, though ye entre it pesibilly, shall not be worth to ye a grote this yere with ought ye wull on do your tenauntis. I pray you remembre a kerchye of Cremyll for your suster Anne. Remembre to labore some remedy for your faderis will whill my Lord of Caunterbury[11-3] lyvyth, for he is an old man and he is now frendly to you and if he happed to dye, how [_who_] shuld come after hym ye wote never; and if he wer a nedy man, in asmych as your fader was noysed of so greet valew he wull be the mor straunge to entrete. And lete this be not for gete; for [if] ther were on [_one_] that aught us no good wyll he myght calle us up to make accounte of his goodis, and if we had not for to showe for us where by we have occupied, he myght send doun assentence to curse us in all the diosyse and to make us to delivere his goodis; which were to us a gret shame, and a rebuke. There fore purvey hastly and wyssely therfore whill he lyvyth, and do not as ye dede whill my Lord of York[12-1] was Chanceller make delays, for if ye had labored in his tyme as ye have do sith, ye had be thurgh in your materis; be ware be that, and lete slauth nomor take you in such diffaught; thynk of after clappes and have provysion in all your work, and ye shall do the better. God kepe you. Wretyn on Myd Lent Sonday in hast.
Be your moder,
M. P.
[Footnote 10-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 202.] This letter must have been written in 1469, after the Duke of Norfolk and Sir William Yelverton had taken possession of Fastolf’s lands.]
[Footnote 10-2: _swemeful_, sorrowful.--Halliwell.]
[Footnote 11-1: With Anne Haute.]
[Footnote 11-2: Omitted in MS.]
[Footnote 11-3: Cardinal Bourchier.]
[Footnote 12-1: George Nevill, Archbishop of York. He surrendered the Great Seal on the 8th June 1467.]
[[ride with speris and launyegays _text unchanged; expected form is “launzegays” (launȝegays)_]]
702
CARDINAL BOURCHIER’S DECLARATION[12-2]
[Sidenote: 1469]
To all cristen men to whom this present writyng shall come, Thomas, by the providence of God, Preeste Cardinall Archiebisshopp of Caunterbury, Primat of all Inglond and Legat of the Appostallic See, gretyng. Where now late Alice, Duchesse of Suffolk, come to us and desirid of us to dismysse us of oure estate and to enseall a deed of a relees of the maner of Haylysdon with the appurtenaunce in the counte of Norffolk; which we denyed, in as myche as wee stode infeoffyd in the seid maner with othirs to the use of Sir John Paston knyght, sone and heire to John Paston sqwyer; to the whiche the seid Duchesse replied, seying and affermyng that she was accordyd and agreed with the seid Sir John Paston by the meane of the ryght Reverent fader in God, George Archebysshop of York, and that the seid Sir John Paston was fully assented and agreed that the seid Duchesse shuld have the seid manere wyth th’appurtenaunce to hir, hir heyris and assignes for ever more, and that all the feoffees enfeoffid and seisid in the seid manere wyth the appurtenaunce shuld relees and make astate to hir or such as shee wolde assigne of the seid manere wyth th’appurtenaunce; the wehych we answerde and seid upon condicion that the seid Sir John Paston weere so agreed we wold relees wyth a goodwyll, and els not; and yff so were that we cowde understand hereafter by the seid Right reverent Fadir in God, George Archebisshop of York, or by the seid Sir John Paston, that ther ware noon such accorde made by twex the seid Duchesse and the seid Sir John, that than oure deed and relees by us so ensealed off the seid maner wyth th’appurtenaunce shuld stond as voyd, and of no force nor effecte; to the wehyche the seid Duches agreed, and prayd us that we wold sealle hir a deed of the same maner, wyche shee had theere redy, uppon the same condicion and uppon noone other. And wee than, at hir specyall request upon the condicion aforeseyd rehersid, sealid the seyd deed and delyvered it; and the seid Duchesse at the same tyme promitted us that she wold use and kepe the seid writyng noo notherwise, nor to noon othir use but uppon the same condicion as is aforeseid. In witnesse whereoff, to this oure present writyng we have sette oure seall.
[Footnote 12-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 127.] From what Margaret Paston writes to her son Sir John in the end of the last letter about his father’s will, and also from what she says a little later about the Duchess of Suffolk (_see_ page 15), we may assign this document with great probability to the year 1469.]
[[_page 15 = Letter 704_]]
703
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[13-1]
_To myght’ well belovyd brother, John Paston, or to John Dawbeney, in his absence._
[Sidenote: 1469 / MARCH 17]
Ryght worschypful and well belovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng you wete that Sir Thomas Howes hadde a free chapell at Castr, wher of the gyfte longyth to me, whyche chapell, as I understande, scholde be in the olde tyme, er the place at Caster wer bylte, with in the motte, wherfor I ame but the better pleased; and soo it is now that at the speciall request of the Qwen and other especiall good Lordes of myn, I have gevyn it to the berer her of, callyd Master John Yotton, a chapleyn of the Qwenys. Neverthelle[ss] in tyme passyd I proposyd that the master of the colegg scholde have hadd it, and so er longe to I hope he schall, wherfor I thynke he most take possession, and that is the cawse of hys comyng. Wherfor I pray yow make hym good cher. He is informyd that it scholde be worthe C_s._ be yer, whyche I belyve not; I thynke it der jnow xl_s._ by yeer. He most have it as it was hadde befor.
Item, thys daye I understonde that ther be comen letteris from my moder and yow, and Dawbeney, wherin I schall sende yow answer when I have seyn them.
No mor at this tyme, for within this iij. dayes I shall lette yow have kneleche of other maters.
Wretyn the xviij. day of Marche.
Whether he nedyth indoccion, or institucion, or non, I wot not; if it nede, brother, ye may seale any suche thynge as well as I. Master Stevyn kan tell all suche thynges.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 13-1: [From Fenn, iv. 308.] Sir Thomas Howes appears to have died in the latter part of the year 1468. Before the end of that year his living of Pulham was vacant, and his death is alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston’s, written on the 30th September 1469, as having occurred ‘within this twelvemonth.’ It would appear by the following extract, quoted by Fenn, from the Institution Books of the Bishop of Norwich, that Sir John’s presentation referred to in this letter was not allowed, or was not made out in time, and that the Bishop presented by a lapse:--
‘Cantaria in Cayster-hall.
‘Lib. xi. p. 170, 21 March 1468. Mr. Joh’es Yetton, S.T.P. ad col. Ep’i. per laps’.’]
[[Sidenote: 1469 / MARCH 17 _printed as shown, but text of letter says “xviij” (18)_]]
704
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[14-1]
_To Sir John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 3]
I grete you wele, and send you Godds blissyng and myn, thankyng you for my seall that ye sent me; but I am right sory that ye dede so grete cost ther up on, for on of xl_d._ should have served me right wele. Send me ward what it cost you, and I shall send you money therfor. I send you a letter be a man of Yarmoth; send me word if ye have it, for I marveyll ye sent me non answer ther of be Juddy.
I have non very knowleche of your ensuraunce [_engagement_], but if ye be ensured I pray God send you joy and wurchep to geder, and so I trost ye shull have, if it be as it is reported of her[15-1]; and a nemps God, ye arn as gretly bownd to her as ye were maried, and therfor I charge you up on my blissyng, that ye be as trew to her as she wer maried on to you in all degrees, and ye shall have the mor grace and the better spede in all other thyngs.
Also, I wuld that ye shuld not be to hasty to be maried til ye wer more suer of your lyvelode, for ye must remembr what charge ye shall have, and if ye have not to mayntene it, it wull be gret rebuke; and therfor labour that ye may have releses of the londs, and be in more suerte of your lond, or than ye be maried.
The Duchesse of Suffolk[15-2] is at Ewhelm, in Oxford shir, and it is thought be your frends her that it is do that she myght be ferr and ought of the wey, and the rather feyne excuse be cause of age or sikenesse, and if that the Kyng wuld send for her for your maters.
Your elmyse [_enemies_] be as bold her as thei wer befor, wherfor I can not thynk but that thei have sume comfort. I sent to Cayster that thei shuld be war in kepyng of the place, as ye dede wright to me. Hast you to spede your maters as spedily ye can, that ye may have lesse felesshep at Cayster, for the expences and costs be grete, and ye have no nede therof and [_if_] ye remembre you wele what charges ye have beside, and how your liffelode is dispoyled and wasted by your adversaries.
Also I wuld ye shuld purvey for your suster[15-3] to be with my Lady of Oxford,[16-1] or with my Lady of Bedford,[16-2] or in sume other wurchepfull place, wher as ye thynk best, and I wull help to her fyndyng, for we be eyther of us werye of other. I shall tell you more whan I speke with you. I pray you do your devyr her in as ye wull my comfort and welefar, and your wurchep, for diverse causes which ye shall understand afterward, &c.
I spake with the Lord Skales at Norwich, and thanked hym for the good lordshep that he had shewed to you, and desired his Lordship to be your contynuall good lord; and he swore be his trought he wold do that he myght do for you; and he told me that Yelverton the Justice had spoke to hym in your maters, but he told me not what; but I trow, and ye desired hym to telle you, he wuld. Ye ar be holdyng to my Lord of his good report of you in this contre, for he reported better of you than I trow ye deserve. I felt be hym that ther hath be profered hym large proferes on your adversaries parte ageyn you.
Send me word as hastly as ye may after the begynnyng of the terme, how ye have sped in all your maters, for I shall thynk right long till I her sume good tidyngs.
Item, I pray you recomaund me to the good mayster[16-3] that ye gaffe to the chapell of Cayster, and thank hym for the gret cost that he dede on me at Norwych; and if I wer a grette lady he shuld understand that he shuld far the better for me, for me semyth be his demenyng he shuld be right a good man.
Item, I send you the nowche[16-4] with the dyamaunch, be the berer herof. I pray yow forgate not to send me a kersche[16-5] of Cr’melle for nekkerchys for your syster Anne, for I am schente of the good lady that sche is with, be cawse she hathe non, and I can non gette in all thys towne.
I xuld wrythe mor to yow but for lakke of leyser. God have yow in Hys kepyng, and send yow good spede in alle your maters. Wryten in haste on Eestern Munday.
Be your Moder.
[Footnote 14-1: [From Fenn, iv. 312.] Allusion is made in this and the next letter to the expected visit of Edward IV. to Norfolk in 1469. Owing to the proposed marriage of Sir John Paston with his kinswoman, Anne Haute, Lord Scales appears at this time to have interested himself in Sir John’s behalf. On the back of this letter, as Fenn tells us, is a note: ‘The L. Scales is now frend to Sr. J. Paston.’ But the handwriting is not contemporaneous.]
[Footnote 15-1: The lady here referred to is Anne Haute.]
[Footnote 15-2: Alice, widow of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.]
[Footnote 15-3: This was most probably Margery Paston, with whom the whole family were, very soon after the writing of this letter, so much displeased for having without their consent contracted herself in marriage to Richard Calle.--F.]
[Footnote 16-1: Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir John Howard, Knight, and widow of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who was beheaded in 1461-2.--F.]
[Footnote 16-2: _See_ vol. iv. p. 188, Note 3.]
[Footnote 16-3: Dr. John Yotton. _See_ No. 703.]
[Footnote 16-4: An ouch is a collar of gold, formerly worn by women; a gold button, set with some jewel, is likewise so called, and that most probably was the ornament here mentioned to be sent to Sir John by his mother; we may suppose it was intended as a present to his betrothed bride.--F.]
[Footnote 16-5: A kersche of Cr’melle, perhaps means a kerchief of Cremell, crewel or worsted, to be made into neck-handkerchiefs for her daughter Anne, who appears to have been for education and board with some lady of consequence.--F.]
705
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[17-1]
_To Master Syr John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 7]
Syr, I pray yow recomand me to my Lord Scalys good lordshep, and to let hym weet that, in lyek wyse as hys Lordshep gave me in comandement, I have enqweryd what the gentyllmanys answer was that my Lord of Norffolk sent to to awayte up on hym at the Kyngs comyng in to thys contre. Hys answer was to my Lord of Norfolks messenger, that he had promysyd my Lord Scalys to awayte up on hym at the same seson, and in as myche as he had promysyd my Lord Scalys, he wold not false hys promesse for no man on lyve. I fond the menys that the seyd gentylemanys wyfe mevyd hyr husbend with the same mater as thow she had axyd hym of hyr awne hed, and he told hyr that he had gevyn thys answer. Thys gentylman is Sir William Calthorp;[17-2] but I pray yow tell my Lord Scalys that ye undyrstand not who it is, for he preyid me to be secret ther in.
I pray with all my hart, hye yow hom in hast, for we thynk longe tyll ye coome. And I pray yow send me woord whedyr ye shall be mad a Crysten man or ye com home, or nowt; and if so be that ye send eny man hom hastly, I pray yow send me an hat and a bonet by the same man, and let hym bryng the hat upon hys hid for mysfacyonyng of it. I have ned to bothe, for I may not ryd nor goo owt at the doorys with non that I have, they be so lewde [_shabby_]. A murry bonet, and a blak or a tawny hat. And God send yow your desyr. Wretyn at Caster, the viij. day of Apryll.
Your J. PASTON.
[Footnote 17-1: [From Fenn, iv. 318.] For the date of this letter see preliminary note to the last (p. 14, Note 1).]
[Footnote 17-2: Sir William Calthorpe, Knight, had been High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, both in this and the preceding reign, and died very old in 1494. His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, Knight, of Ingham.--F.]
[[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 7 _printed as shown, but text of letter says “viij” (8)_]]
706
LORD SCALES TO THE COUNCIL OF THE DUKE OF NORFOLK[18-1]
Ih’s.
[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 10]
Wyrshypfull and my ryght gode frend, I comaund me to you. And where as I am enformed that my Lorde of Norffolk pretendeth title to serteyn londys of Sir John Pastons whych were late of Sir John Fastolf, it is sayd that by the comaundement and supportacyon of my sayd Lord, sertayn hys servaunts felleth wode, maketh grete wast, and destrayned the tenants of the seyd lands, to the grete damage of the seyd Sir John Paston and hys sayd tenants; and also that my sayd Lord entendyth to entre sertayn places of the same. And for asmoch as maryage ys fully concluded by twyx the seyd Sir John Paston and on of my nerrest kynneswomen, I dout not that your reason wele conceyveth that nature must compelle me the rather to shewe my gode wylle, assystens, and favour unto the seyd Sir John in such thyngs as concerne hys enherytans. And because I am on of my said Lordys councayll, and must and will tendre hys honour, I hertely pray you that it may lyke you to advertyse and avyse my sayd Lord and yourys, that all such entres, fellyng of wode, destraynyngs of tenants, and all such maters lyke touchyng the sayd londes or any part of them, be cessyd unto such tyme as a resonabell meane may be founde by my sayd Lords counsayll, my Lord my faders[19-1] and other cousyns and frendes of my seyd kynneswoman thys next terme, as may be to my sayd Lordys honour, and to the savyng of the ryght tytle of the seyd Sir John Paston.
Over thys I pray you that ye wille enforme my gode frend James Hobard of the premysses, that he may advertyse my seyd Lord in lyke wyse; and that ye will yeve credens unto William Paston, and I shal be welwilled to do that may be to your plesur, with Godds mercy.
Fro Westmynstre, the x. day of Apryll.
[Footnote 18-1: [From Fenn, iv. 322.] This and the following letter were printed by Fenn from contemporaneous copies, written on the same paper without signature or address. On the back, however, is the following memorandum:--‘Copea litērz Dñi de Scales;’ to which has been added in a later handwriting: ‘ad Conciliū Duc’ Norff’ et aliis (_sic_) in favore J. Paston mil. eo quod maritaret cognatā suam Annā Hawte.’ The date is clearly in the year 1469, when the Duke of Norfolk laid claim to Caister.]
[Footnote 19-1: Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers.]
707
LORD SCALES TO ----[19-2]
[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 10]
Ryght trusty and welbelovyd, I grete you well. And for asmoch as a maryage ys fully concluded bytwyx Sir John Paston and my ryght nere kynneswoman Hawte, I will that ye and all other my servaunts and tenants understand that my Lord, my fader,[19-3] and I must of nature and reason shewe unto hym our gode assystens and favour in such maters as he shall have a doo. Wherfor I pray you hertely that ye will take the labour to come to Norwych, to comen with William Paston, and to yeve credens unto hym in such maters as he shall enforme you of myne entent, and of sertayn persones with whom ye shall comen by th’avyse of the seyd William Paston, of such maters as touch the sayd Sir John Paston; prayng you to tendre thys mater as ye wolde do myne owne.
Fro Westmynstre, the x. day of Aprill.
[Footnote 19-2: [From Fenn, iv. 324.] _See_ preliminary note to the last letter (p. 18, Note 1).]
[Footnote 19-3: _See_ Note 1, _supra_.]
[[Sidenote: 1469 / APRIL 10 _sidenote missing in original: date supplied from body of letter_]]
708
ABSTRACT[20-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / MAY 5]
Citation by Thomas, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury, to William [Waynflete], Bishop of Winchester, and John Beauchamp, Knight, Lord Beauchamp, to appear before the Archbishop in fifteen days after being summoned, and take upon them the charge of the execution of Sir John Fastolf’s will, if they so will to do.
Lambeth, 5th May 1469, in the 15th year of the Archbishop’s translation.
[The MS. belongs to the Castle Combe Collection.]
[Footnote 20-1: [Add. Charter, 18,249, B.M.]]
709
ARCHBISHOP NEVILL TO SIR JOHN PASTON[20-2]
_To my right trusty and welbeloved Sir John Paston._
Ih’s.
[Sidenote: 1469(?) / MAY 7]
Right trusty and welbeloved, I grete you hertely well, and sende you by Thomas your childe xx.^li., prayng you to spare me as for eny more at this tyme, and to hold you content with thessame, as my singlr truste is in you; and I shalle within bref tyme ordeigne and purveye for you such as shalbe unto your pleasir, with the grace of Almightty God, who have you in His proteccion and keping.
Writen in the manoir of the Mor[20-3] the vij^th daye of Maye.
G. EBORAC.
[Footnote 20-2: [From Fenn, ii. 34.] This letter was almost certainly written between the years 1467 and 1469, and is not unlikely to be of the latter year, before the Nevills and the Archbishop had come to be regarded as open enemies of Edward IV.]
[Footnote 20-3: The Moor in Hertfordshire, a seat of Archbishop Nevill.]
710
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[21-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / [MAY]]
Syr, plesyth it to undyrstand, that I conceyve, by your lettyr whyche that ye sent me by Jwde, that ye have herd of R. C.[21-2] labor whyche he makyth by our ungracyous sustyrs[21-3] assent; but wher as they wryet that they have my good wyll ther in, savyng your reverence, they falsly lye of it, for they never spake to me of that mater, ner non othyr body in ther name. Lovell axyd me onys a qwestyon whedyr that I undyrstood how it was betwyx R. C. and my suster. I can thynk that it was by Callys menys, for when I axyd hym whedyr C. desyird hym to meve me that qwestyon or not, he wold have gotyn it aweye by humys and by hays, but I wold not so be answeryd; wherfor at the lest he told me that hys oldest sone desyird hym to spere [_inquire_] whedyr that R. C. wes swyr of hyr or nowt, for he seyd that he knew a good maryage for hyr, but I wot he lyeyd, for he is hole with R. Cale in that mater. Wherfor to the entent that he nor they sholl pyck no comfort of me, I answerd hym, that and my fadyr, whom God asoyle, wer a lyve, and had consentyd ther to, and my modyr, and ye bothe, he shold never have my good wyll for to make my sustyr to selle kandyll and mustard in Framlyngham; and thus, wythe mor whyche wer to longe to wryet to you, we departyd.
And wher as it plesythe you in your lettyr to crye me mercy for that ye sent me not syche ger as I sent yow mony for, I crye yow mercy that I was so lewde [_bold_] to encomber yow with eny so sympyll a mater, consyderyng the grette maters and weyghty that ye have to doo; but need compellyd me, for in thys contre is no syche stuffe as I sent to yow for.
Also, wher as it plesyth yow to send to Rychard Calle to delyver me monye, so God help me, I wyll non axe hym for my sylfe, nor non had I of hym, nor of non othyr man but of myne owne, syne ye depertyd; but that lytyll that I myght forbere of myne owne, I have delyveryd to Dawbeney for howsold, and pay it for yow in menys wagys; and ther for who ever sendys yow word that I have spent yow eny mony syne ye went hens, they must geve yow an othyr reknyng, savyng in met and drynk, for I eete lyek an horse, of purpose to eete yow owte at the dorys. But that nedythe not, for ye com not within them; wherfor, so God help me, the felaushep her thynkys that ye have forgetyn us alle. Wherfor and eny thyng be ille rewlyd when ye come home, wyet it [_impute it to_] your selfe for defawt of oversyght.
Also, I undyrstand for verry se[r]teyn, and it is sent me so woord owt of my Lordys howse, that thys Pentcost is my Lordys consell at Framlyngham, and they purpose thys week and the next to hold coortys her at Caster, and at all othyr maners that wer Sir John F.,[22-1] and purchasyd of Yelverton and of Syr T. H.,[22-2] whom God asoyle, and how that my demenyng sholbe, it is to late to send to yow for avyse; wherfor, and I do well I axe no thank, and if I do ille, I pray yow leythe the defawt on over lytyll wyte, but I purpose to use the fyrst poynt of hawkyng, to hold fast and I maye; but so God help me, and they myght pulle downe the howse on our hedys, I wyet [_blame_] hem not, whyche I trust to God to help hem from; for by God that bowght me, the best Erle in Inglond wold not dele so with my Lord and my Lady as ye do, withowt makyng of some menys to them; so God help me, whoso ever avyse yow to do so, he is not your frend. And I may, I trust to God to se yow abowght Mydsomer or befor, for in good feythe I wene ye purpose yow that it shall be Estern er ye come hom, for all your servants her wen [_here ween_] that ye purpose ne more to dele with them, but to leve hem her [_here_] in ostage to my Lord of Norfolk.
Also, syr, I pray yow purvey what Ine that my brodyr Edmund shall be in, for he losythe sore hys tyme her, I promyse yow; I pray yow send me word by the next messenger that comyth, and I shall eythyr send hym or bryng hym up with me to London.
Also, syr, we pore _sanz deners_ of Castr have brook iij. or iiij. stelle bowys; wherfor we beseche yow, and ther be eny maker of steele bowys in London whyche is very kunnyng, that ye wyll send me woord, and I shall send yow the bowys that be broken, whyche be your owne greet bowe, and Roberd Jacksonys bowe, and Johon Pampyngs bowe; thes iij. have kast so many calvys, that they shall never cast qwarellys[23-1] tyll they be new mad.
I praye yow fynd the menys that my Lord have some resonable meane profyrd, so that he and my Lady may undyrstand that ye desyr to have hys good lordshep. I promyse yow it shall do yow ease and your tenaunts bothe, and God preserve.
J. P.
[Footnote 21-1: [From Fenn, iv. 344.] This letter appears by the contents to have been written a little before Whitsuntide after the death of Sir Thomas Howes, and when the Duke of Norfolk was preparing to make good a claim to the manor of Caister, which, as we shall see, he regularly besieged and took in September 1469. The date is therefore certain.]
[Footnote 21-2: Richard Calle’s.]
[Footnote 21-3: Margery Paston.]
[Footnote 22-1: Fastolf’s.]
[Footnote 22-2: Sir Thomas Howes.]
[Footnote 23-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 101, Note 3.]
[[Footnote 21-2 Richard Calle’s. _final . missing or invisible_]]
711
ROBERT BROWNE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[23-2]
_To the right worshipful Sir John Paston knyght be this delivered._
[Sidenote: 1469]
Right worshipfull Sire, I recommaunde me to you, &c., certefying you for certeyn that the kyng sent a lettre unto my Lord of Norffolk for to contenue all maner of materes unto suche tyme as he sholl take a direction therin, as I am enformed by Master Haute, and by a messenger of his owne [it was sent[23-3]], &c. Acordyng to the same entent and the rehersall by estimacion by cause the Secretary of his Clerkes was with the Kyng the Quene hath sent a[24-1] lettre unto my Lady of Norffolk and a nother lettre unto my Lady of Suffolk the elder, desyeryng theym to common with my lordis that all such materis as the Kyng wrote unto them fore mabe kept so that no defaute be founden in them, as ye may understand by youre lettre sent frome the Quene, &c. Also Roger Ree the Shirereve of the Shire wilbe at Caster, as my Lord Tresourer told me, upon Tuesday or Wedynsday, to se that goode rule be kept. Also my Lord of York[24-2] sendis you a lettre, &c. My Lord Scalez is with the Kyng, &c. I take unto the brynger herof xx_s._ that is sufficaunt as he wille telle you, also the secretarye, vj_s._ viij_d._ As for all othere materes for haste I contenue unto that I may have leyser to write to you. I pray you to recommaunde me to my mastres your moder. At London upon Sonday in hast.
ROBERT BROWNE.
The letter is endorsed in another hand:--
‘The Counsell of my Lord of Suffolk, Robert Harlesdon. The Counsell of my Lord of Norffolk, Sir Thomas Walgrave, knyght [sergeant at] lawe and Richard Southwell and to everiche of them.’
[Footnote 23-2: [Add. MS. 33,889, f. 70.] The date of this letter is fixed by Roger Ree being Sheriff of Norfolk, which he was from November 1468 to November 1469. The time would seem to be April or May 1469, when the Duke of Norfolk was proposing to take forcible possession of Caister.]
[Footnote 23-3: These words are interlined before ‘&c.,’ but possibly are intended to be read with the next sentence, which is difficult to construe, there being no punctuation in the MS.]
[Footnote 24-1: Before the word ‘a’ ‘nothere’ is interlined, probably by inadvertence.]
[Footnote 24-2: Archbishop Nevill.]
712
ABSTRACT[24-3]
RICHARD CALLE TO SIR JOHN PASTON
[Sidenote: 1469 / MAY 22]
I would have been with you on Sunday before Ascension Day, had I received any command to that effect. Henry Wheler told me my day of the surety of peace was _quindena Trinitatis_, ‘and thereof he made me a bill. He is foully to blame to serve me so.’ I am much bound to you, nevertheless, for the safeguard of my sureties. Gives an account of monies disbursed since parting with Sir John at London. Repaid ‘my mistress’ 66_s._ 8_d._, part of 100_s._ she lent for Mariot’s matter. Paid Dawbeney for household since Midlent, 30_s._ Received from the farmer of the dairy, £11, 11_s._ 4_d._ Delivered ‘to the master of the college onward for his hire,’ 50_s._ Has received of Paston’s ‘lifelode’ since he came from London but £18, 10_s._ Has spent £12, 10_s._ more than he received, and has borrowed of John Wellys and others. Could borrow nothing of Mr. William. ‘And of all this twelvemonth I have not had one penny for my wages. There is none of them that hath purveyed nor chevised have so much as I have done. Here is no man paid of their wages, but all spent in household.’ Cannot get a penny in all Suffolk or Flegge, of Paston’s ‘lifelode,’ nor in Boyton nor Heyneford. Can get money only at Gughton, which I must gather myself, for the bailiff will not come there. Much malt made, which had better be sold to pay the men’s wages, who complain grievously, ‘and the master of the college and Sir John Stille both.’ Will obtain for Dawbeney in ten days 6 or 7 marks more, which should keep the household for the next seven or eight weeks. The price of malt is but 20_d._ a quarter, but it would be better to sell some than that the men should be unpaid. Wonders he has no word from him about letting Spoorle. Cannot give Mariot an estate in Bekham as Paston directs, for Paston has the deed which James Andrewes sealed, but will talk with him and see how he is disposed; for it would be well that Paston were through with him. He is not trusty, but seeks pretexts for delay. Jekson’s crossbow is broken. Shall he send it to London to be mended?
Caster, Monday in Pentecost week.
[The mention of Jekson’s crossbow being broken proves this letter to be of the year 1469. Compare No. 710, p. 23.]
[Footnote 24-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
713
RICHARD CALLE TO MARGERY PASTON[25-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Myn owne lady and mastres, and be for God very trewe wyff, I with herte full sorowefull recomaunde me unto you, as he that can not be mery, nor nought shalbe tyll it be othewise with us then it is yet, for thys lyf that we lede nough is nowther plesur to Godde nor to the worlde, consederyng the gret bonde of matrymonye that is made be twix us, and also the greete love that hath be, and as I truste yet is be twix us, and as on my parte never gretter; wherfor I beseche Almyghty Godde comfort us as sone as it plesyth Hym, for we that ought of very ryght to be moost to gether ar moost asondre; me semyth it is a m^ll. [_thousand_] yere a goo son that I speke with you. I had lever thenne all the goode in the worlde I myght be with you. Alas, alas! goode lady, full litell remembre they what they doo that kepe us thus asunder; iiij. tymes in the yere ar they a cursid that lette matrymonye; it causith many men to deme in hem they have large consyence in other maters as wele as herin. But what lady suffre as ye have do; and make you as mery as ye can, for I wys, lady, at the longe wey Godde woll of Hys ryght wysnes helpe Hys servants that meane truly, and wolde leve accordyng to Hes lawys, &c.
I undrestende, lady, ye have hadde asmoche sorwe for me as any gentelwoman hath hadde in the worlde, aswolde Godd all that sorwe that ye have hadde had rested upon me, so that ye hadde be discharged of it, for I wis, lady, it is to me a deethe to her that ye be entreted other wise thene ye ought to be. This is a peyneful lyfe that we lede. I can not leve thus withoute it be a gret displesure to Godde.
Also like you to wete that I had sent you a letter be my ladde from London, and he tolde me he myght not speeke with you, ther was made so gret awayte upon hym and upon you boothe. He told me John Threscher come to hym in your name, and seide that ye sent hym to my ladde for a letter or a token, weche I shulde have sent you, but he truste hym not; he wold not delyver hym noon. After that he brought hym a rynge, seyng that ye sent it hym, comaundyng hym that he schulde delyver the letter or token to hym, weche I conceyve sethen be my ladde it was not be your sendyng, it was be my mastres and Sir Jamys[26-1] a vys. Alas, what meane they? I suppose they deeme we be not ensuryd to gether, and if they so doo I merveyll, for thene they ar not wele avised, remembryng the pleynes that I breke to my mastres at the begynnyng, and I suppose be you bothe, and ye dede as ye ought to do of very ryght; and if ye have do the contrare, as I have be enformed ye have do, ye dede nouther concyensly nor to the plesure of Godde, withoute ye dede it for feere, and for the tyme to please suche as were at that tyme a boute you; and if ye so dede it for this service it was a resonable cause, consederyng the grete and importable callyng upon that ye hadde, and many an on trewe tale was made to you of me, weche God knowt I was never gylty of.
My ladde tolde me that my mastres your modre axyd hym if he hadde brought any letter to you, and many other thyngs she bare hym on hande,[27-1] and a monge all other at the last she seide to hym that I wolde not make her prevy to the begynnyng, but she supposyd I wolde at the endyng; and as to that, God knowt sche knewe furst of me and non other. I wott not what her mastreschip meneth, for be my trowthe ther is no gentylwoman on lyve that my herte tendreth more then it dothe her, nor is lother to displese, savyng only your person, weche of very ryght I ought to tendre and love beste, for I am bounde therto be the lawe of Godde, and so wol do whyle that I leve, what so ever falle of it. I supose, and ye telle hem sadly the trouthe, they wold not dampne ther soules for us; though I telle hem the trouthe they woll not be leve me as weele as they woll do you; and ther for, goode lady, at the reverence of Godde be pleyne to hem and telle the trouthe, and if they woll in no wise agree therto, betwix God, the Deelf, and them be it, and that perell that we schuld be in, I beseche Godde it may lye upon them and not upon us. I am hevy and sory to remembre ther disposicion, God sende them grace to gyde all thyngs weele, as wele I wolde they dede; Godde be ther gide, and sende them peas and reste, &c.
I mervell moche that they schulde take this mater so heedely as I undrestonde they doo, remembryng it is in suche case as it can not be remedyed, and my desert upon every be halfe it is for to be thought ther shulde be non obstacle a yenst it; and also the worchipfull that is in them, is not in your mariage, it is in ther owne mariage, weche I beseche Godde sende hem suche as may be to ther worschip and plesur to Godde, and to ther herts ease, for ell[es] were it gret pety. Mastres, I am aferde to write to you, for I undrestonde ye have schewyd my letters that I have sent you be for this tyme; but I prey you lete no creatur se this letter. As sone as ye have redde it lete it be brent, for I wolde no man schulde se it in no wise; ye had no wrytyng from me this ij. yere, nor I wolle not sende you no mor, therfor I remytte all this matre to your wysdom. Almyghty Jesu preserve, kepe, and [give] you your hertys desire, weche I wotte weele schulde be to Goods plesur, &c.
Thys letter was wreten with as greete peyne as ever wrote I thynge in my lyfe, for in goode feyth I have be ryght seke, and yet am not veryly weele at ease, God amend it, &c.
[Footnote 25-1: [From Fenn, iv. 350.] This letter was evidently written about the same period as No. 710. The original appears to have had no address, although Fenn prints one in the right-hand copy; but on the back was the following memorandum, evidently not quite contemporary: ‘Litera Ric’i Calle Margeriæ Paston filiæ Joh’is Paston ar’i quam postea duxit in uxorem.’]
[Footnote 26-1: Sir James Gloys, a priest.]
[Footnote 27-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.]
[[me semyth it is a m^ll. [_thousand_] _final italic “d” misprinted as “a”_]]
714
JAMES HAWTE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[28-1]
_To my worchypfull brother, Sir John Paston, be thys byll delyvered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1469 / MAY 22]
Ryght worchipfull brother, I recomaund me onto you, lettyng you to wytte, that my Lorde Stafford[28-2] was made Erle of Deveneschere apon Sonday; and as for the Kyng, as I understond, he departyt [_departeth_] to Walsynggame apon Fryday com vij. nygth, and the Quene also, yf God send hyr good hele.
And as for the Kyng [he] was apoyntyd to goo to Calys, and now hyt ys pute of. And also as for the goyng to the see, my Lord of Warwyke schyppys gothe to the see, as I understond. None other tydynggys I can none wryte unto you, but Jesu have you in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Wyndysore on Monday after Whytsonday, in hast, &c.
By your brother,
JAMES HAWTE.
[Footnote 28-1: [From Fenn, ii. 16.] The King’s visit to Norfolk and the creation of Lord Stafford as Earl of Devonshire both fix the date of this letter as 1469. The writer seems to be the brother of Anne Hawte, to whom Sir John Paston was engaged, and he accordingly calls him his brother.]
[Footnote 28-2: Humphrey Stafford, Lord Stafford of Southwick, was created Earl of Devonshire on Sunday, 7th May 1469; so that the writer ought to have said, not ‘upon Sunday,’ but ‘upon Sunday fortnight.’]
715
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[29-1]
_To my Modr, and to my brother, John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1469 / JUNE]
Brother, it is so that the Kyng schall come in to Norffolk in hast, and I wot nat whethyr that I may come with hym or nowt; if I come I most do make a livere of xx^ti gownes, whyche I most pyke owt by your advyse; and as for clothe for suche persones as be in that contre, if it myght be had ther at Norwyche, or not, I wot not; and what persones I am not remembryd.
If my modre be at Caster, as ther schall be no dowt for the kepyng of the place whyl the Kynge is in that contre, that I may have the most parte at Caster; and whether ye woll offre your selfe to wayte uppon the Lorde of Norfolk or not, I wolde ye dyde that best wer to do; I wolde do my Lorde plesur and servyse, and so I wolde ye dyde, if I wyst to be sur of hys gode lordeschyp in tyme to kome. He schall have CC. in a lyverye blewe and tawny, and blew on the leffte syde, and bothe darke colors.
I pray yow sende me worde, and your advyse by Judd of what men and what horse I cowde be purveyd off, if so be that I most nedys kome, and of your advyse in all thyngs be wryghtyng, and I schall send yow hastely other tydyngs. Late Sorell be well kept.
JOHN PASTON, Kt.
[Footnote 29-1: [From Fenn, ii. 22.] This letter must have been written in the beginning of June 1469. Edward IV., as appears by the dates of his privy seals, was at Windsor on the 29th May and at Norwich on the 19th June in that year. Fenn says he was also in Norfolk in the year 1474, but I can find no evidence of the fact.]
716
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[30-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / JUNE]
To begyn, God yeld yow for my hatys. The Kyng hathe ben in this contre, and worchepfully receyvyd in to Norwyche, and had ryght good cher and gret gyftys in thys contre, wherwythe he holdyth hym so well content that he wyll hastyly be her agayn, and the Qwen allso, with whom, by my power avyse, ye shall com, if so be that the terme be do by that tym that she com in to this contre. And as for yowr maters her, so God help me, I have don as myche as in me was, in laboryng of theym, as well to my Lord Revers[30-2] as to my Lord Scalys,[30-3] Syr John Wydwyll,[30-4] Thomas Wyngfeld, and othyr abowt the Kyng. And as for the Lord Revers, he seyd to myn oncyll William, Fayrfax, and me, that he shold meve the Kyng to spek to the two Dukys of Norffolk and Suffolk, that they shold leve of ther tytyls of syche lond as wer Syr John Fastolfs. And if so be that they wold do nowt at the Kyngs reqwest, and then the Kyng shold comand theym to do no wasts, nor mak non assawtys nor frayis upon your tenants nor plasys, tyll syche tym as the lawe hathe determynd with yow or ayenst yow; this was seyd by hym the sam day in the mornyng that he depertyd at noon. Whedyr he meved the Kyng with it or nowt I can not sey, myn oncyll Wyllyam thynkys naye. And the same aftyr none folowyng I told my Lord Scalys that I had spokyn with my Lord hys fadyr, in lyek forme as I have rehersyd, and axyd hym whedyr that my Lord hys fadyr had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, and he gave me thys answer, that whedyr he had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, that the mater shold do well inow.
Thomas Wygfeld told me, and swore on to me, that when Brandon meuvyd the Kyng, and besowght hym to shew my Lord favour in hys maters ayenst yow, that the Kyng seyd on to hym ayen, ‘Brandon, thow thou can begyll the Dwk of Norffolk, and bryng hym abow the thombe as thow lyst, I let the wet thow shalt not do me so; for I undyrstand thy fals delyng well inow.’ And he seyd on to hym, more over, that if my Lord of Norffolk left not of hys hold of that mater, that Brandon shold repent itt, every vayn in hys hert, for he told hym that he knew well inow that he myght reauyll [_rule_] my Lord of Norffolk as he wold; and if my Lord dyd eny thyng that wer contrary to hys lawys, the Kyng told hym he knew well inow that it was by no bodys menys but by hys; and thus he depertyd fro the Kyng.
Item, as by wordys, the Lord Scalys and Syr John Wydwyll tok tendyr your maters mor then the Lord Revers.
Item, Syr John Wydvyll told me, when he was on horsbak at the Kyngs depertyng, that the Kyng had comandyd Brandon of purpose to ryd forthe fro Norwych to Lyne, for to tak a conclusyon in your mater for yow; and he bad me that I shold cast no dowghtys but that ye shold have your entent, and so dyd the Lord Scalys also; and when that I preyd them at eny tyme to shew ther favor to your mater, they answered that it was ther mater as well as yours, consyderyng, the alyans[31-1] betwyx yow. Comon with Jakys Hawt, and he shall tell yow what langage was spekyn betwen the Duk of Suffolks consell, and hym, and me; it is to long to wryght, but I promyse yow ye ar be held to Jakys, for he sparyd not to spek.
Item, the Kyng rod thorow Heylysdon Waren towads Walsyngham, and Thomas Wyngfeld promysyd me that he wold fynd the menys that my Lord of Glowsestyr[31-2] and hym sylf bothe shold shew the Kyng the loge that was breke down, and also that they wold tell hym of the brekyng down of the plase. Contrary to thys maters, and all the comfort that I had of my Lord Scalys, Sir John Wydvyll, and Thomas Wyngfeld, myn oncyll Wylliam sethe that the Kyng told hym hys owne mowthe, when he had redyn for by the loge in Heylysdon Waren, that he supposyd as well that it myght fall downe by the self as be plukyd downe, for if it had be plukyd down, he seyd that we myght have put in our byllys of it, wehn hys jugys sat on the _oyeer determyner_ in Norwyche, he beyng ther. And then myn oncyll seythe how that he answered the Kyng, that ye trustyd to hys good grace that he shold set yow thorow with both the Dwkys, by mene of trete; and he seythe that the Kyng answerd hym that he wold neythyr tret nor spek for yow, but for to let the lawe proced, and so he seyth that they depertyd. And by my trowthe, and my Lord Tresorer encorage you not more than he dyd us her, ye shall have but esy [_indifferent_] help as on that party. Wherfor labor your maters effectually; for by my trowthe it is nedy[s], for, for all ther wordys of plesur, I cannot undyrstand what ther labor in thys contre hathe don good; wherfor be not ovyr swyft tyll ye be swyr of your lond, but labor sore the lawe, for by my trowthe tyll that be passyd with yow, ye get but esy help as I can undyrstand.
I had with me on day at dener in my modyrs plase, she beyng owt, the Lord Scalys, Sir John Wydvyll, Sir John Haward, Nicolas Haward, John of Par, Thomas Gornet, Foscwe, Cheyny, Trussell, the Knyghts son, Thomas Boleyn, _qua propter_, Brampton, Barnard, and Broun, Perse, Howse, W. Tonstale, Lewes Debretayll, and othyr, and mad hem good cher, so as they held them content.
Item, my Lord of Norffolk gave Bernard, Broom, nor me no gownys at thys seson, wherfor I awaytyd not on hym; notwithstandyng I ofyrd my servyse for that seson to my Lady, but it was refusyd, I wot by avyse; wherfor I purpose no more to do so. As for Bernard, Barney, Broom, and W. Calthorp, ar sworn my Lord of Glowsetyrs men, but I stand yet at large; not withstandyng my Lord Scalys spok to me to be with the Kyng, but I mad no promes so to be, for I told hym that I was not woorthe a groote withowt yow, and therfor I wold mak no promes to nobody tyll they had your good wyll fyrst; and so we depertyd.
It was told me that ther was owt a preve seall for yow to attend upon the Kyng northeward; and if it be so, I thynk veryly it is do to have yow fro London be craft, that ye shold not labor your maters to a conclusyon thys terme, but put them [in] delaye. I pray yow purvey yow on it to be at hom as sone as the terme is doone, for be God I take gret hurt for myn absence in dyvers plasys, and the most part of your men at Caster wyll deperte withowt abod, and ye be not at hom within thys fortnyght. I pray yow bryng hom poynts and lasys of sylk for yow and me.
J. P.
[Footnote 30-1: [From Fenn, iv. 334.] Edward IV. arrived at Norwich in the middle of the month of June 1469. There are privy seals dated at Bury on the 15th and 16th of the month, at Norwich on the 19th and 21st, at Walsingham on the 21st and 22nd, at Lynn on the 26th, and at Stamford on the 5th July. Edward did not return with the Queen as he intended, but she visited Norwich without him a little later. See a paper on the subject of her visit by Mr. Harrod, in the _Norfolk Archæology_, vol. v. p. 32.]
[Footnote 30-2: Richard Woodville, Earl Rivers, father to the Queen, Lord Treasurer and Constable of England.]
[Footnote 30-3: Anthony Woodville, Lord Scales, eldest son of the Earl Rivers.]
[Footnote 30-4: A younger son of Earl Rivers.]
[Footnote 31-1: This refers to the contract between Sir John Paston and Anne Hawte.--F.]
[Footnote 31-2: Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III.--F.]
[[tyll / that be passyd with yow _text has “he passyd”: corrected from Fenn_]]
717
ABSTRACT[33-1]
RICHARD CALLE TO SIR JOHN PASTON
[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 3]
Has arranged with Mariot’s debtors at Bekham, and discharged him of the debt of £16. Has thus taken an open estate in the manor, as Paston desired. Had much trouble to bring Mariot, and especially his wife, [to reason], but with fair words and money got her out of the house. Lord Scales has sent to-day to Mr. Roos and others for men to come to Middleton on Wednesday,--short warning enough; and we were in doubt ‘what purveyance ye had made at London.’ I believe my mistress and my master your brother have sent you word of the demeaning of the King and the Lords here.
Norwich, Monday after St. Peter’s day.
[The reference to the King’s being in Norfolk fixes the date of this letter to the year 1469.]
[Footnote 33-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
718
JOHN AUBRY[34-1] TO SIR HENRY SPELMAN[34-2]
_To the right reverent Sir Henry Spelman, Recordor of the Cite of Norwich, be this Letter delivered._
[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 9]
Right reverent sir, I recomaunde me to you. Plese it you to knowe, this same day com to me the Shirreve of Norffolk[34-3] hymself, and tolde me that the Quene shall be at Norwich up on Tuysday[34-4] cometh sevenyght suyrly. And I desired to have knowe of hym, by cause this shuld be hir first comyng hedir, how we shuld be rulyd, as well in hir resseyvyng, as in hir abidyng here. And he seide, he wold nat ocupie hym ther wyth, but he councelid us to wryte to you to London, to knowe of hem that ben of counsell of that cite, or wyth other wurshepfull men of the same cite, that ben knowyng in that behalf, and we to be ruled ther aftir, as were acordyng for us; for he lete me to wete that she woll desire to ben resseyved and attendid as wurshepfully as evir was Quene a forn hir. Wherefore, sir, I, be the assent of my Bretheren Aldermen, &c., prey you hertily to have this labour for this cite. And that it plese you, if it may be, that at that day ye be here in propre persone; and I trust in God, that outher in rewards, or ellys in thankynges, both of the Kyngs comyng, and in this, ye shall ben plesid as worthy is.
Wrete in hast at Norwich the vj. day of Juyll Anno ix^o Regis E. quarti.
By your weelwyller,
JOHN AUBRY, &c.
[Footnote 34-1: Mayor of Norwich in 1469.]
[Footnote 34-2: [From Fenn, ii. 18.]]
[Footnote 34-3: Roger Ree was Sheriff of Norfolk this year.]
[Footnote 34-4: 18th July.]
[[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 9 _printed as shown, but body of letter says “vj” (6)_]]
719
EDWARD IV. TO THE DUKE OF CLARENCE, &c.[35-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / JULY 9]
_These iij. letteres undirwreten, the Kyng of his own hand wrote unto my Lords Clarence, Warrewyke, and Archbishop of York. The credence wherof in substaunce was, that every of them shulde in suech pesibil wise, as thei have be accustumed to ryde, come unto his Highness._
R. E.
_To our Brother of Clarence._
Brodir, we pray you to yeve feight [_faith_] and credence to our welbeloved Sir Thomas Montgomery and Morice Berkly, in that on our behalf thei shal declare to you. And we truste ye wole dispose you accordyng to our pleser and comaundement. And ye shal be to us right welcome. At Notyngham the ix. day of Jull.
_To our Cosyn Th’erl of Warr’._
Cosyn, we grete you well, and pray you to yeve feight and credence to Sir Thomas Mongomery and Morice Berkley, &c. And we ne trust that ye shulde be of any suech disposicion towards us, as the rumour here renneth, consederyng the trust and affeccion we bere in yow. At Notyngham the ix. day of Jull. And, cosyn, ne thynk but ye shalbe to us welcome.
_To our Cosyn Th’archbyshop of Yorke._
Cosyn, we pray you that ye wul, accordyng to the promyse ye made us, to come to us as sone as ye goodely may. And that [ye] yeve credence to Sir Thomas Mongomery and Morice Berkly, in that un our behalve thei shal sey to you; and ye shalbe to us welcome. At Notyngham the ix. day of Jul.
[Footnote 35-1: [From Fenn, ii. 40.] The dates of Edward the Fourth’s privy seals show that he was at Nottingham in July 1469. He was not there in 1470, the year to which Fenn assigns these letters; and both Clarence and Warwick were then in France. It would appear, therefore, that these letters were written at the time of Robin of Redesdale’s rebellion, which the King was going northwards to suppress.]
720
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[36-1]
_To Sir John Paston, be this delivered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1469 / AUG. 31]
I grete you wele, and send you Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that Sir John Hevenyngham was at Norwich this day, and spake with me at my moders, but he wuld not that it shuld be understand, for my Lord hath mad hym on of the capteynes at Caystre of the pepill that shuld kepe the wetche abaught the place, that no mann shuld socour them, if my Lord departed. I desired hym to favour them, if any man shuld come to them fro me or you, and he wuld not graunte it, but he desired me to write to you to understand if that my Lord myght be mevyd to fynde suerte to recompense you all wrongs, and ye wuld suffre hym to entre pesibilly, and the lawe after his entre wuld deme it you. Be ye avysed what answer ye wuld yeve.
Item, sith that that I spake with hym, and the same day a feythfull frende of owrs came on to me and mevyd me if that my Lord myght be entreted to suffre endifferent men to kepe the place, and take the profites for bothe parties till the right be determyned be the lawe; and my Lord for his parte, and ye for your parte, to fynde sufficient suerte that you nowther shuld vex, lette, ner trobilled the seid endifferent men to kepe pesibiley the possession of the seid place, and to take the profights on to the tyme to be determyned be the lawe, to his behowe that the lawe demeth it. And the seid persones that so endifferently kepe possession befor ther entre into the seid place, to fynde also sufficient suerte to answer the parte that the lawe demeth it to, of the profits duryng ther possession, and to suffre hym pessibilly to entre, or any in his name, whan so ever thei be required be the parte to whom the right is demyd of all thes premyses. Send werd how ye will be demened be as good advyse as ye can gete, and make no longer delay, for thei must neds have hasty socour that be in the place, for thei be sore hurt, and have non help. And if thei have hasty help it shall be the grettest wurchip that ever ye had, and if thei be not holpen it shall be to you a gret diswurchep; and loke never to have favour of your neybors and frends but if this spede wele; therfor pretend it in your mend, and purvey therfor in hast. How so ever ye do, God kepe you, and send yow the vittory of your elmyse, and geve yow and us al grace to leve in peas. Wretyn on Sent Gyles Evyn,[37-1] at ix. of the belle at nyght.
Robyn came home yester evyn, and he brought me nowther writyng from you, ner good answer of this mater, which grevyth me right ill that I have sent you so many messangers, and have so febill answers ageyn.
Be your Moder.
[Footnote 36-1: [From Fenn, iv. 366.] This letter was written after the Duke of Norfolk had begun to besiege Caister, which he did in the year 1469.]
[Footnote 37-1: St. Giles’ Day is the 1st September; St. Giles’ Eve the 31st August.]
721
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[37-2]
[Sidenote: 1469]
I grete zow wel, and send zow Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that on Thurysday last was my moder and I wer with my Lord of Norwych,[37-3] and desyerd hym that he woold no mor do in the mater towscheyng zowr syster, tyl that ze and my brother and other that wern executors to zowr fader mythe beyn her to geder, for they had the rule of her as weel as I; and he sayde playnly that he had be requeryd so oftyn for to exameyn her, that he mythe not nor woold no longar delay yt, and schargyd me, in peyn of cursyng, that sche schuld not be deferred, but that she xuld a per beforn hym the nexte day; and I sayd pleynly that I woold nowder bryng her nor send her; and than he sayd that he woold send for her hym sylfe, and schargyd that she schuld be at her lyberte to cume wan he sent for her; and he seyd be hys trowthe that he woold be as sory for her and [_if_] sche ded not welle, as he wold be and sche wer ryth ner of hys kyn, bothe for my moder ys sake and myn, and other of her frendds, for he woost welle that her demenyng had stekyd soor at our harts.
My moder and I in formyd hym that we kowd never onderstond be her sayyng, be no language that ever sche had to hym, that neyther of hem wer bownd to other, but that they myth schese bothe. Than he seyd that he woold sey to her as wele as he kowde, before that he exameynd her; and so that was told me be dyverse persones that he ded as welle and as pleynly as sche had be rythe ner to hym, wych wer to long to wrythe at thys tyme: her aftyr ye xalle wete, and hoo wer laberers ther in. The schanseler[38-1] was not so gylty her in as I wend he had ben.
On Fryday the Bysschope he sent for her be Asschefeld and other that arn ryth sory of her demenyng. And the Bysschop seyd to her ryth pleynly, and put her in rememberawns how she was born, wat kyn and frendds that sche had, and xuld have mo yf sche wer rulyd and gydyd aftyr hem; and yf she ded not, wat rebuke, and schame, and los yt xuld be to her, yf sche wer not gydyd be them, and cause of forsakyng of her for any good, or helpe, or kownfort that sche xuld have of hem; and seyd that he had hard sey, that sche loved schecheon [_such one_] that her frend[es] wer not plesyd with that sche xuld have, and therfor he had her be ryth weel avysyd how sche ded, and seyd that he woold undyrstand the woords that sche had seyd to hym, wheyther that mad matrimony or not. And sche rehersyd wat sche had seyd, and seyd, yf thoo wordds mad yt not suher, she seyd boldly that sche wold make that suerher or than sche went thens, for sche seyd sche thowgthe in her conschens sche was bownd, wat so ever the wordds wern. Thes leud wordds greveth me and her grandam as myche as alle the remnawnte. And than the Bysschop and the Schawnseler bothe seyd that ther was neyther I ner no frend of hers wold reseyve [her].
And than Calle was exameynd aparte be hym sylfe, that her wordds and hys acordyd, and the tyme, and wher yt xuld a be don. And than the Bysschop sayd that he supposyd that ther xuld be fownd other thynggs ageyns hym that mythe cause the lettyng ther of; and ther for he say he wold not be to hasty to geve sentens ther upon, and sayd that he wold geve overe day tyl the Wednsday or Thursday aftyr Mykylmes, and so yt tys delayyd. They woold an had her wyl performyd in haste, but the Bysschope seyd he woold non other wyse than he had seyd.
I was with my moder at her plase whan sche was exameynd, and wan I hard sey what her demenyng was, I schargyd my servaunts that sche xuld not be reseyved in my hows. I had zeve hir warnyng, sche mythe a be war a for, yf sche had a be grasyows; and I sent to on or ij. mor that they xuld not reseyve her yf sche cam; sche was browthe a geyn to my place for to a be reseyved, and Sir Jamys[39-1] tolde them that browthe her that I had schargyd hem alle and sche xuld not be reseyved; and soo my Lord of Norwych hath set her at Roger Bests, to be ther tyle the day befor sayd, God knowyth fule evel ageyn hys wyle and hys wyvys, yf they durst do other wyse. I am sory that they arn a cumyrd with her, but zet I am better payed that sche isther for the whyle, that sche had ben in other place be cause of the sadnes and good dysposysion of hys sylfe and hys wyfe, for sche xal not be sou’d [_suffered ?_] ther to pleye the brethele.[39-2] I pray zow and requer zow that ye take yt not pensyly, for I wot wele yt gothe ryth ner zowr hart, and so doth yt to myn and to other; but remembyr zow, and so do I, that we have lost of her but a brethele,[39-2] and set yt the les to hart, for and sche had be good, wherso ever sche had be, yt xuld not aben as it is, for and he wer ded at thys owyr, she xuld never be at myn hart as sche was. As for the devors [_divorce_] that ze write to me of, I supose wat ze ment, but I scharge zow upon my blyssyng that ze do not, ner cause non other to do, that xuld offend God and zour conschens, for and ze do, or cause for to be do, God wul take vengawns ther upon, [and] ye xuld put zour sylfe and other in gret joparte; for wettyt wele, sche xal ful sor repent her leudnes her aftyr, and I pray God sche mute soo. I pray zow for myn hard ys hese [_heart’s ease_], be ze of a good cownfort in alle thynggs; I trust God xal helpe ryth wele, and I pray God so do in alle our maters. I wuld ze toke hed yf ther weher any labor mad in the kort of Cawntrybery for the leud mater forsayd.
But yf [_i.e._ unless] the Duke[40-1] be purveyd for, he and hys wyse kow[n]sel xalle lefe thys cuntre; yt is told me that he seythe that he wul not spar to do that he is purposyd, for no Duke in Ynglond. God helpe at nede.
[Footnote 37-2: [From Fenn, iv. 358.] This letter has reference to the contract of marriage between Richard Calle and Margery Paston in 1469. _See_ No. 710, preceding. The last paragraph seems to have reference to the propositions mentioned in the preceding letter.]
[Footnote 37-3: Walter Lyhert.]
[Footnote 38-1: Fenn thinks this was Dr. John Saresson, otherwise Wigenhale, who, he tells us, was Chancellor to the Bishop from 1435 to 1471, and had other Church preferment in the Diocese. But I am a little doubtful whether he lived so long, as it does not appear that he kept any other of his preferments to so late a date. We know that Dr. William Pykenham was Chancellor in 1471.]
[Footnote 39-1: Sir James Gloys.]
[Footnote 39-2: _Brethele_ or _brethelyng_ signified a worthless person.]
[Footnote 40-1: The Duke of Norfolk.]
722
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MASTER WRITTILL[40-2]
_To Mastyr Wryttyll._
[Sidenote: 1469 / [SEPT.]]
Master Wrytyll, I recomande me to yow, besechyng yow hertely, as myn holl trust is in yow, that ye doo yowr devoyr to contynew trews tyll Fryday or Saturday in the mornyng, by whych tyme I hope the massanger shall come, and that ye be not dryven to take an appoyntment if ye kan undrestand by any lyklyed that itt be able to be abydyn and recystyd, and that ye fele my brotherys dysposycion therin, as my trust is in yow, prayng yow to remembre that it restythe, as God helpe me, on all my well. For as God helpe me, I hadd levyr the place wer brennyd, my brother and servants savyd, than the best appoyntment that evyr ye and I comonyd of scholde be my goode wyll be takyn, if this massage from the Kynge may reskwe it. And if it be so, that my Lorde be remevyd by the Kynges comandement, whyche restythe with hys honour, I may in tyme to kome do hym servyse, as schall recompence any grodge or dysplesur that he evyr had, or hathe to me or myn; and ye, if it the rather by your wysdam and polesye the moene above wryten may be hadd, schall be as sewr of the servyce of my trewe brother and servantys, and me, as ye kan devyse by my trowthe; for in goode feythe thys mater stykyth mor nyghe myn hart and me than I kan wryght on to yow, and to my brother and servaunts mor ner than as God knowyth they wot off. Wherfor, Master Wryttyll, all owre welfare restyth in yow, besechyng yow to remembre it. For thys mater is to all usse eyther makyng or marryng.
Item, asfor Arblaster or Lovell, I kan not thynke that they or any of them may be with yow. Wherfor in yow is all, and God have yow in kepyng.
Wretyn at London, the day next affor yowr departyng. I schall sende yow mor knowleche to morrow, with Godds grace.
Yowrs,
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 40-2: [From Fenn, iv. 370.] Master Writtill, to whom this and the next letter are addressed, is mentioned later as a servant of the Duke of Clarence, by whose means Sir John was endeavouring to arrange a suspension of hostilities with the Duke of Norfolk, who was now besieging Caister.]
723
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MASTER WRITTILL[41-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 10]
Ryght wershypfull syr, I recomaund me to you, thankyng you of your grete labour whych I have nozt as yet, but I shall deserve to my power; and ferthermore lyke yow to wyte that I have thoght ryght long after you; nevyrthelesse I remember well that ye delt wythe ryght delayous peple. My Lord Archbyshop and other of my Lords, and I, dempte by cawse of your long tarryng, that by youre sad dyscrescyon all hadde ben sett thorow. Neverthelesse I understend by your wrytyng that my Lord of Norffolks concell thynketh that hys entent, whych ye sertefyed me by your wrytyng, sholde be more to hys wyrshep than the appoyntements and rewll made by the Lords of the Kyngs concell whych be to my seyd Lord of Norffolk ner kyne [_near kin_]; whych appoyntements sythen yourr departyng hath be largely remembryd amongs the seyd Lords here, thynkyng it in hem self so honorabyll to my Lord of Norffolk, that ther shuld non of my Lords concell well avysed mevyd to the contrary.
Jamys Hobard[42-1] was sent fro my [Lord] of Norffolk heder, and spake with my Lord Archbyshop,[42-2] and answer he had of my seyd Lord; and howe my Lord tendryd the mater yet and wyll I trowe he have told you, and yf he have not, the brynger her of schall informe you; and he broght thys same appoyntement from my Lord, that my Lord was well agryed that I shulde ocupye. For my parte, iff I shud take no other apoyntement but acordyng to your letter, it wer hard for me and for my tytell to putte my Lord in that possessyon; for ther ys thyngs in erthe [_uneath_, _i.e._ scarcely] to myn esse in your letter, gode for me in that appoyntement, savyng the suerty of my brothers lyffe and my servants, whych ye thynke dowtefull yf so be that thay lakke stuff, shotte, and vytayll; mervaylyng sore, and thynk it impossybell in thys shorte season, or in iiij. tyme the season heder towards, that thay shuld lakk other [_either_], with owte it soo be that my Lords men have enterd owght the place, and so had ther stuffe from hem, whych I cannot thynk. Also, sir, for [_fore_] the tyme of your comyng to my Lord of Norffolk, servaunts of [my Lords wer with][42-3] my moder at Norwych, mevyng to send to my brother hyr sone, to delyver the place under such a forme as youre lettere specefyeth, and so I cannot understand what regard my Lords concell takyth to my Lords letter, and to your labour in thys behalf, but that they offeryd as largely afore. Ze wryteth in your letter that ye durst not passe your credens; please you to remember that seyd your credens affore the Lords was ryght large, and as large as myght well be in thys mater, both to my Lords concell of Norffolk to withdrawe the seege, with moor other mater as ye knowe; and to the Justice of the Peas and to the Shyryff and hys offycers, your awtoryte was grete inow to iche of them.
Wherfor, Mayster Wretell, I never for this, nere zet wyll, take appoyntement in thys mater, but as my Lords wyll and my Lord Archbyshop, whych, as well as I my self, have holy putte our tryst to youre dyscrete dyreccyon; and my seyd Lord sythen youre departer, zour zoyng,[43-1] thynkyng you alls mete a man in executyng ther comaundement as cowde be chosyn. Neverthelesse for awnswer to you at thys season, my Lord Archbyshop ys north wards towards the Kyng; how be it, it ys seyd, uppon a metyng with my Lord of Clarens, my Lord shuld retourne a yen; and as zester evyn he send a servaunt of hys to me, wenyng to hys Lordship that Sir Humfray[43-2] and ye wer in Caster as was appoynted, and ye shuld send to hys Lordshyp answer of the gydyng ther by wrytyng, comaundyng me that yff any such wrytyngs cam from you, yf hys Lordshyp wer not past xx. myle fr[om Lond]on,[43-3] to com to hys Lordshyp with the same. Understandyng for sertayn that he ys nott yet so ferr, wherfor I will in althe hast possybell ryde nygt and day till I see hys Lordshyp, and after comunicacyon had with hys Lordshyp, as sone as ys possybell that a man may go be twext, ye shall have an answer of hys dysposicyon; for hys intres is such that, as I have wryten, I shall never do therin withoute hym, as my cosyn, brynger herof, more playnly shall enforme you; for I canne thynke ryght well, that as ze wryteth to me, my broder wyll not delyver the place to non erthly person, but yf he see wrytyng fro my Lord.
It semyt be yowr wrytyng that my Lord of Norffolk conseyll intende not that my Lord Archbyshop shuld dele in thys mater, for he ys not named in your letter, wherof I mervayle; for it was movyd to you at your departyng hens, the Kyngs concell shuld have take dyreccyon in thys mater, or els my Lord Cardenall,[44-1] my Lord of Clarens, my Lord Archbyshop, and my Lord of Essex,[44-2] &c. Neverthelesse, Mayster Wryttyll, all profytht, maner, or lyflod, leyd apart, if it be so that thorow reklesnese my brother and servaunts be in such joperte as ye have wryten to me (whych shold be half impossybell in my mynd that thay shold myssuse so mech stuff in iiij. tymes the space), and that ye have evident knowlych by my seyd brother hym self therof, I woll praye yow to se hym and them in suerte of ther lyffys, what so ever shold fall of the lyfflode; how be it I wold not that my brother and servaunts shold gyff upp the place not for a m^l_li._, yf thay myght in any wyse kepe it and save ther lyves. And therfor, at the reverens of God, sycht it ys so, that my Lord Archbyshop and my Lords all, and I, have putte our trust in you, that ye wyll do your devoyer to have the verrey knowlech of my brother hymself, and not of my Lords men, wheder he stante in such jopertye as your letter specefyeth or net, for I dowte not uppon the syzth of thys letter, and of the letter that ye had before, that my brother will put no mystrust in you, consyderyng that he knowyth that ye com from my Lords, and my Lord Archbyshop, and have my wrytyng; and as for my Lord Archbyshop wrytyng and aunswere, such as it shalbe, ye shall have it in all the haste possybell. But I thynke veryly that my Lord eschewyth to telle you any thyng without that he myght speke with you allone, and me thynketh veryly that thay ought not to lette [_hinder_] you to speke with hym allone, consyderyng that ye have auctoryte and wrytyng from the Lords so to do. And as for the justificacyon of entryng the place, and sege layng to [the same][44-3] and the comaundement of the Justice of the Pease and the Sherewe to assyste my Lord in thys gydyng, I wote ye understond that the Lords knowe all that mater, and ye herd it comened, and how thay toke it in ther consayts.
Ther ys no more, Mayster Wryttell, but I commyth all thys wrytyng unto your dyscrescyon; and as ye thynk best acordyng to such menys desyre as have entretyd you therin, and for my moyst avayle, I pray you, sir, soo doo, and I shall se un to your besynes and labour, that ye shall have cause to do for me in tyme comyng, and as the brynger herof shall tell you. And I pray God have you in Hys kepyng.
Wryten at London, the x. day of Septembr.
By your frend for ever,
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 41-1: [From Fenn, iv. 372.] See preliminary note to last letter. We have adopted a different punctuation from that of Fenn in some parts of this letter.]
[Footnote 42-1: This most probably was James Hobart, who, in 1478, was Lent-Reader at Lincoln’s Inn, and in 1487 Attorney-General.--F.]
[Footnote 42-2: George Neville, Archbishop of York.]
[Footnote 42-3: The original MS. was indistinct in these places.]
[Footnote 43-1: The words ‘zour zoyng’ (your going) seem to be redundant.]
[Footnote 43-2: Sir Humphrey Talbot was a Captain at this siege, under the Duke of Norfolk.--F.]
[Footnote 43-3: The original MS. was indistinct in these places.]
[Footnote 44-1: Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Cardinal.]
[Footnote 44-2: Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex.]
[Footnote 44-3: Here the original MS. was indistinct.]
724
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[45-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 12]
I grete you wele, letyng you wete that your brother and his felesshep stand in grete joperte at Cayster, and lakke vetayll; and Dawbeney[45-2] and Berney[45-3] be dedde, and diverse other gretly hurt; and they fayll gunnepowder and arrowes, and the place sore brokyn with gonnes of the toder parte, so that, but thei have hasty help, thei be like to lese bothe ther lyfes and the place, to the grettest rebuke to you that ever came to any jentilman, for every man in this countre marvaylleth gretly that ye suffre them to be so longe in so gret joperte with ought help or other remedy.
The Duke hathe be more fervently set therup on, and more cruell, sith that Wretyll, my Lord of Claraunce man, was ther, than he was befor, and he hath sent for all his tenaunts from every place, and other, to be ther at Cayster at Thorysday next comyng, that ther is than like to be the grettest multitude of pepill that came ther yet. And thei purpose them to make a gret assaught--for thei have sent for gannes [_guns_] to Lynne and other place be the seeys syde--that, with ther gret multitude of gannes, with other shoot and ordynaunce, ther shall no man dar appere in the place. Thei shall hold them so besy with ther gret pepill, that it shall not lye in their pore within to hold it ageyn them with ought God help them, or have hasty socour from you.
Therfor, as ye wull have my blyssyng, I charge you and require you that ye se your brother be holpyn in hast. And if ye can have nonmeane, rather desire writyng fro my Lord of Clarens, if he be at London, or ell[es] of my Lord Archebusshop of York, to the Duke of Norffolk, that he wull graunte them that be in the place her lyfes and ther goodes; and in eschewyng of insurreccions with other in convenyens that be like to growe within the shire of Norffolk, this trobelows werd [_world_], be cause of such conventicles and gaderyngs within the seid shire for cause of the seid place, thei shall suffre hym to entre up on such appoyntment, or other like takyn be the advyse of your councell ther at London, if ye thynk this be not good, till the law hath determyned otherwyse; and lete hym write a nother letter to your brother to deliver the place up on the same appoyntment. And if ye think, as I can suppose, that the Duke of Norffolk wull not aggre to this, be cause he graunted this aforn, and thei in the place wuld not accept it, than I wuld the seid massanger shuld with the seid letters bryng fro the seid Lord of Clarence, or ell[es] my Lord Archebusshop, to my Lord of Oxenford, other letters to rescue them forth with, thowghe the seid Erle of Oxenford shuld have the place duryng his lyfe for his labour. Spare not this to be don in hast, if ye wull have ther lyves, and be sett by in Norffolk, though ye shuld leys the best maner of all for the rescuse. I had lever ye last the lyffelode than ther lyfes. Ye must gete a massanger of the Lords or sume other notabill man to bryng ther letters.
Do your devoir now, and lete me send you no mor massangers for this maters; but send me be the berer her of more certeyn comfort than ye have do be all other that I have sent be for. In any wyse, lete the letters that shall come to the Erle of Oxenford comyn with the letters that shall comyn to the Duke of Norffolk, that if he wull not aggree to the ton, that ye may have redy your rescuse that it nede no mor to send therfor. God kepe you.
Wretyn the Tuesday next befor Holy Rood Day, in hast.
Be your Moder.
[Footnote 45-1: [From Fenn, iv. 382.] This and the other letters relating to the siege of Caister are all rendered certain in point of date by the documents touching its surrender on the 26th September.]
[Footnote 45-2: John Dawbeney, Esq.]
[Footnote 45-3: Osbert Berney, the other person here mentioned as dead, was not killed at the siege. He survived, and died without issue some years after, when he was buried in Bradeston Church in Norfolk, there being a brass plate in the chancel having the following inscription to his memory:--‘_Hic jacet Osbertus filius Joh. Berney, Armig. de Redeham Dni. et de Brayston._’ He was the son of John Berney, Esq., by Catherine, daughter of Osbert Mundeford of Hockwell, Esq.--F.]
725
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[47-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 15]
Moodr, uppon Saterday last was, Dawbeney and Bernay wer on lyve and mery, and I suppose ther com no man owt of the place to yow syn that tyme that cowde have asserteynyd to yow of ther dethys. And as towchyng the fyrsenesse of the Duke or of hys peple schewyd syn that tyme that Wryttel departyd, I trowe it was concludyd that trews and abstynence of werre scholde be hadd er he departyd, whych shalle dewr tyl Monday next comyng; and by that tyme I trow that trews shall be takyn tyll that day vij. nyght aftr, by whych tyme I hope of a goode dyreccion schall be hadde.
And wher as ye wryght to me that I scholde sewe for letteris from my Lordys of Clarans and Yorke, they be not her, and if they wrot to hym as they have don ij. tymes, I trow it wolde nat advayle; and as for to labor thois letteris and the rescu to gedre, they ben ij. sendry thyngys, for when the rescu is redy, that the cost ther of is don. For if I be drevyn therto to rescu it er they com ther that scholde do it, it shall cost a m^{l}. escuys, and as meche after, whyh wey wer harde for me to take, whyll that I maye do it otherwise; but as to sey that they schall be rescuyd if all the lands that I have in Ingelond and frendys maye do it, they shall, and God be frendly, and that as schertly as it may goodlely and wele be brout abut. And the grettest defawt erthly is mony and som frendys and neyborys to helpe; wherfor I beseche yow to sende me comfort with what money ye coude fynde the menys to get or chevysche uppon suerte sufficient, er uppon lyflod to be inmorgage er yit solde, and what peple by lyklyed yowr frendys and myn kowde make uppon a schort warnyng, and to send me worde in all the hast as it is needfull. But, moodre, I fele by yowr wryghtyng that ye deme in me I scholde not do my devyr withowt ye wrot to me som hevye tydyngs; and, modre, if I had nede to be qwykynyd with a letter in thys nede, I wer of my selfe to slawe [_too slow_] a felaw; but, moodre, I ensur yow that I have herde x. tymes werse tydyngs syn the assege by gan than any letter that ye wrot to me, and somtyme I have herde ryght goode tydyngs both. But thys I ensure yow that they that be within have no werse reste than I have, ner castyth mor jupperte; but whethyr I had goode tydyngys er ill, I take Gode to wittnesse that I have don my devoyr as I wolde be don for in case lyke, and schall doo tyll ther be an ende of it.
I have sent to the Kynge to Yorke, and to the Lordys, and hope to have ansswer from them by Wednysday at the ferthest, and after that answer shall I be rewlyd, and than send yow word, for tyll that tyme kan I take non dyreccion. And to encomfort yow, dy[s]peyre yow not for lak of vytayle ner of gonne powder, ner be natt to hevy ner to mery therfor; for and hevynesse or sorow wolde have be the remedy ther of, I knew nevyr mater in my lyfe that I kowde have ben so hevy or sory for, and with Goddys grace it schall be remedyed well inow; for by my trowthe I hadde lever lose the maner of Caister than the symplest mannys lyfe therin, if that may be hys saveacion. Wherfor I beseche yow to sende me worde wat mony and men ye thynke that I am lyke to get in that contre; for the hasty purchace of mony and men schall be the getyng and rescu of it, and the sauevacion of most mennys lyfys, if we take that weye.
Also thys daye I porpose to sende to Yorke to the Kyng for a thyng, whych same only maye by lyklyod be the savacion of all. Ye must remembre that the rescue of it is the last remedy of all, and how it is nat easy to get; and also ye sende me worde that I scholde nat kome hom withowt that I kome stronke. But if I had hadd on other stronge place in Norfolke to have comen to, thowe I have browt ryght fewe with me, I scholde, with Godds grace, have rescued it by thys tyme, er ellys he scholde have ben fayne to have besegyd bothe placys or yit, and the Duke had not kept Yarmoth owthe. But, mother, I beseche yow sende me som mony, for by my trowth I have but x_s._ I[49-1] wot not wher to have mor, and moreovyr I have ben x. tymes in lyke case or werse within thys x. wekys. I sent to Rychard Call for mony, but he sendyth me non.
I beseche yow to gyde the evydence that Pekok can tell yow of, and to se it saffe; for it is tolde me that Richard Call hath hadd right large langage of them. I wolde nat they com in hys fyngrys. I have no worde from yow of them, ner whether ye have yit in yowr kepyng the evydence of Est Bekham owt of hys handys, ner whethyr ye have sent to my manerys that they schold not paye hym no mor mony or not. Also that it like yow to geve credence to Robyn in other thyngs.
Wret the Fryday next after Holy Roode Day.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 47-1: [From Fenn, iv. 386.] This letter was clearly written in reply to the last.]
[Footnote 49-1: _I._ The right-hand copy in modern spelling reads ‘and.’]
726
WRITTILL TO THE BESIEGERS OF CAISTER[50-1]
_Sir John Hevyngham,[50-2] Th. Wyngfeld,[50-3] Gilbert Debenham,[50-4] Wil. Brandon,[50-5] and to everych of them severally in otheris absence._
[Sidenote: 1469 / [SEPT.]]
Hit is so that accordyng to such direccion as was mevid to be desird of my Lords beyng heer, as for such as heere bee they marveil gretly therof, thynkyng and remembring in themself that such offre as was made by my credence to my Lorde,[50-6] and to fore you reported, shuld have sownyd more to his pleasure and honour than this his desire. Nevirthelesse my Lords thenke where as they wrote and desirid joyntly that such credence as ye remembre myght be observyd and taken, and by you refusid, nowe yif they shuld assent to the desire of this direccion, hit is thought in them not so to doo; for it is so fortuned that dyvers of my Lords, from whome I brought both wrytyng and credence, be at the Kyngs high commaundement hastely departed unto his Highnesse, trustyng in God to have heeryng in brief tyme of their hasty ayen comyng, atte which tyme my Lords that heere be, and they that shal come ayen, shal comon and speke to gyder of this desire and direccion, and such answere as they geve and make shall be sent unto you than with haste possible. Ovir this, me thenkith for your excuse of burden and charge such as I hier will be leid unto you concernyng the grete werks that dailly be and ar at the maner of Castre, yif ye thenk that God shuld have pleasir, and also the Kyng oure sovereign Lorde, and that my seide Lords shuld thenk in you gode avise or sad, and that ye entendid to avoide the sheddyng of Cristyn blode and the destruccion of the Kyngs liege people, that at your politik labour and wisedome ye myght bryng my Lord to th’abstynence of warre, and a trieux to be had and contynued unto tyme of the retourn of my seid Lords, or els knowlege of their entent; certifieng you for trouth that ther be messengers sent unto my seid Lords with lettrez of such answere as I had of you to your desire to gyder, knowyng certeinly that ther shal be hasty relacion of ther entents in the premisis, which answers ye shall have atte ferthist by Monday cometh sevenyght. Ferthirmore lettyng you wit that I understond for certein that my Lords that be heere eschewe, for such inconveniense that myght fall, to conclude any answere by them self, consideryng that my credence was geven by all the Lords; prayng you, as shal be doon to the continuaunce of this trieux aforesaid, that I may be acerteyned, or yif at this houre ye coude yit thenk my credence resonable and honourable to be accepted and taken, sendith me woorde in wrytyng from you by my servant, brynger of this, al delaies leid aparte. For I acertein you, as he that owe you service, I was and yit am gretly blamed for my long tarying with you, for, dyvers of my Lords taried heere for me, by th’assent of al my Lords, lenger than they wold have don, to know myn answere and guydyng from you.
And ovir this I certyfie you that ye cannot make my Lords heere to thenk that yif ther be inconvenient or myshief, murdre, or manslauter had or done, but and your wills and entents were to the contrarye, my Lord is notid so well disposid that, with oute your grete abettement, he neither will doo nor assent to non such thyng; prayng you therfor, as your frende, to remembre wele your self, and so to rule you, as my Lords may have in tyme to come knowlege of your more sadd disposicion than as yit I feele they thenk in you. And how that my Lords note sum of you, James Hobert, beyng of my Lords counsel, can enforme you; wherefor for Godds sake remembr you, and delyver my servant, and yif ye thenk my first credence or this advertisement shal be taken to effect, than I pray you that my servaunt, brynger hereof, may have sure condyte to speke with John Paston, and to report to hym these direccions, and upon that to delyver hym a bill certifyng the same.
[Footnote 50-1: [From Fenn, iv. 404.] This letter is anonymous, but was evidently written by Writtill during his negotiations for a suspension of hostilities.]
[Footnote 50-2: Sir John Heveningham, Knight and Banneret, was a descendant of an ancient family situated at the town of Heveningham, in Suffolk. His son Thomas became owner of the estate at Ketteringham, in Norfolk, where this family continued for several generations.--F.]
[Footnote 50-3: Sir Thomas Wingfield was a younger son either of Sir Robert or Sir John Wingfield of Letheringham, in Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-4: Sir Gilbert Debenham, Knight, was descended of an ancient and knightly family in the county of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-5: Sir William Brandon married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Wingfield, and was ancestor to Charles Brandon, afterwards Duke of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-6: The Duke of Norfolk.]
727
WRITTILL TO THOMAS WINGFIELD[52-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Mr. Wyngfeld, I recomande me to you. Please you to wit I have sent a lettre joyntly to you and to al my Lordes[52-2] counsel; nevirtheles, for the special favor and service that I bere and owe to you, I write to you aparte, praying you to put your hasty devoir to the delyverans of my servaunt, with th’answere of the same; and ovir that for Goddis sake remember you hou that ye stond my Lordes nygh kynnesman, and by whom my Lordes wulle gretly be steerid, that ye eschewe and avoide to be non of those that my Lordes here thenk shuld set or cause my Lord to do thynges otherwise than accordith to the pleasir of my Lordes; for it is so that there be dyvers of my Lordes counsel stond in hevy report of my Lordes, of which I wold ye were non; certifieng you that I know so ferre that yif ye any thyng doo in this mater to the pleasir of my Lordes, it will neither be unremembrid ne unrecompensid, not doutyng but that hereafter to have a large thonk of you for this my counsel; praying you ferthermor to move Sir John Hevyngham, and such as ye knowe wele disposid, to assist you in this; and that this bille be kept secrete, as my trust is in you. Wreten at London.
[Footnote 52-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This and the letter following are corrected drafts upon the same paper, and both evidently written at the same time, and by the same writer, as the last letter.]
[Footnote 52-2: The Duke of Norfolk’s.]
728
WRITTILL TO JOHN PASTON[53-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Mr. Paston, it is so that sith tyme I spake with you I sent you a bill which concludith an abstinence of werre to be had unto Fryday last was, trustyng in that season that by the menes of my Lordes heere a conclusion shal be taken; lettyng you wit that before my comyng hider certein of my Lordes were departid hens towards the Kyng northwards. And for asmich as I cannot in this season have no hasty answere of such lettrez as were sent unto them concernyng this mater, I have wretyn by the meanes of my Lordes heere I have wretyn a lettre to my Lordes counsell a lettre,[53-2] and amonges other thynges movid them in the seid lettre to advertise my Lord for abstynence of werre til Monday come sevenyght; and yif my Lordes and his counsell so agree, I have comaundid my servaunt, brynger hereof, to geve you knowlege of the same, avisyng you that contenuyng the seid seson to absteyne you from werre gevyng outward in like wise; and by that season I hope to have knowlege of my Lordes ententes.
[Footnote 53-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] _See_ preliminary note to last letter.]
[Footnote 53-2: So in the MS., the redundant words being left uncancelled.]
729
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[53-3]
_To John Paston, and to non othyr._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 18]
I recomand me to yow, and promyse yow that I have and schall labore and fynde the meane that ye schall have honor of yowr delyng as ye have hyddr towards, as all Ingelond and every man reportythe; and moreover I am in weye for it by many dyverse weys, wherof ther schall be one exicutyd by thys day xiiij. nyght at the ferthest, and peraventur within vij. dayes. And iff ye maye kepe it so longe, I wold be gladde, and aftr that iff ye have nott from me other wryghtyng, that than ye do ther in for yowr saffgarde and yowr felaschep only, and to yowr worschypys; and as for the place, no force therfor. Ye knowe thys hande, therfor nedythe no mencion from whem it comythe; and more ovyr, they that be abut yow be in obloquy of all men, and mor ovyr they have ben wretyn to by alse speciall wryghtyng as myght be, after the worlde that now is, and promyse yow that the Dukes concell wolde that they had nevyr be gon it; and more ovyr they be chargyd in payne of ther lyvys, that thow they gate the place, they scholde not hurt on of yow. Ther is nowther ye ner none with yow, but and he knewe what is generally reportyd of hym, he or ye, and God fortewne yow wele, may thynke hym iiij. tymes better in reputacion of all folk than evyr he was. Be war whom ye make a concell to thys mater.
Also I lete yow wete that I am in moche mor comfort of yow than I maye wryght, and they that be about yow have cawse to be mor ferde than ye have; and also bewar of spendyng of yowr stuffe of qwarellys, powdr, and stone, so that if they assaut yow er we come, that ye have stuffe to dyffende yow of over, and than of my lyfe ye get no mor, and that your felaschyp be evyr ocopyed in renewyng of your stuffe.
Wretyn the Mondaye next aftr Holy Roode Daye.
* * *
I trow, thow ye be not prevy ther to, ther is taken a trews new tyl thys day vij. nygh.
[Footnote 53-3: [From Fenn, iv. 394.] _See_ preliminary note to No. 724.]
730
PASSPORT TO THE BESIEGED ON SURRENDER OF CAISTER[55-1]
_The Duc of Norffolk._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 26]
Where John Paston, esquier, and other divers persones have, ageyn the peas, kepte the manoir of Caster with force, ageyne the wille and entent of us the Duc of Norffolk, to oure grete displeaser; whiche notwithstanding, at the contemplacion of the writing of the moost worshipfull and reverent Fader in God the Cardenall of England, and our moost trusty and entierly beloved Unkel the Archbisshop of Canterbury, the right noble Prince my Lord of Clarence, and other Lords of oure blood, and also at the grete labour and enstaunce of our moost dere and singler belovid wiffe, we be agreed that the seid John Paston and his seid fellaship, beyng in the seid maneur, shall depart and goo out of the seid maneur without delay, and make therof deliveraunce to suche persones as we will assigne, the seid fellaship havyng their lyves and goods, horsse, and harneys, and other goods beyng in the kepyng of the seid John Paston; except gonnes, crossebows, and quarells, and alle other hostelments, to the seid maneur annexed and belonginge. And to have xv. dayes respyte aftir their seid departing out, to goo in to what place shall like theim, without any accions or quarell to be taken or made by us, in our name to theim, or any of theim, within our fraunchise or without, duryng the seid tyme.
Yoven under our signet at Yermouth the xxvj. day of Septembr the ix^te yere of King Edward the iiij^th.
NORFF’. [LS]
[Footnote 55-1: [From Fenn, ii. 24.]]
[[_in the printed book, the letters “LS” (Locus Sigilli?) are shown in a circle after the signature_]]
731
JOHN PASTON AND THE SURRENDER OF CAISTER[56-1]
_The Duc of Norff’._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 26]
John, Duke of Norffolk, Erle Marshall of Sussex, Surrey, and of Nottingham, Marshall of Inglonde, Lorde Mowbray of Segreve, Bromfelde, and Yalle, to al our frendes, servauntes, and othir Crystyne people, gretyng. Wher John Paston, esquier, and othre diverse persones forseble hath kepte the manoir of Castre, contrary to our will and pleaser, and aftirwarde by his lowly labour and gret meanese to us maade, the seide John Paston hathe maade deliveraunce of the seide manoir to such persons as we have assignede, and he and his seide felouship by our lycence to departe out of the same. Wherefore we pray, wil, and charge you and everysche of you, that ye ne vexce, trouble, manase, ne greve the forseid persones, nor eny of them, for the kepyng of the seide manere contrary to the Kynge our Sovereynge Lordes lawyes, for we have takyne them in our safe garde. Yevin undir our signet and signmanuell the xxvj^ti day of Septembre, the ix^th yere of Kynge Edward iiij^t.
NORFF’. [LS]
[Footnote 56-1: [From a MS. in the College of Arms.] The original of this document, signed and sealed by the Duke of Norfolk, is inserted in the MS. volume called Brooke’s _Aspilogia_, vol. i. p. 35.]
[[_in the printed book, the letters “LS” (Locus Sigilli?) are shown in a circle after the signature_]]
732
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[56-2]
Caystr yelded.--J. P.
[Sidenote: 1469 / [SEPT.]]
Ryght werchepfull sir, I recomand me on to yow. And as for the serteynte of the delyverance of Caster, John Chapman can tell yow how that we wer enforsyd therto, as wel as mysylf. As for John Chapman and his iij. felaws, I have purveyd that they be payid ache of them xl_s._, with the mony that they had of yow and Dawbeney; and that is inow for the seson that they have don yow servys. I pray yow geve them ther thank, for by my trowthe they have as well deservyd it as eny men that ever bare lyve; but as for mony, ye ned not to geve hem with owt ye wyll, for they be plesyd with ther wagys. Wryttyll promysyd me to send yow the serteynte of the apoyntement. We wer sor[57-1] lak of vetayl, gonepowdyr, menys herts, lak of suerte of rescwe, drevyn therto to take apoyntement.
If ye wyll that I come to yow, send me woord, and I shall pervey me for to tery with yow a ij. or iij. dayis. By my trowthe, the rewardyng of syche folkys as hathe ben with me dwryng the sege hathe putt me in gret danger for the monye. God preserve yow, and I pray yow be of good cher tyll I spek with yow, and I trust to God to ese your hert in some thynggys.
J. PASTON.
[Footnote 56-2: [From Fenn, iv. 410.]]
[Footnote 57-1: _sor._ So the word stands in Fenn, and ‘sore’ in the copy in modern spelling; but I suspect a misreading of ‘for.’]
733
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[57-2]
_To Sir John Paston, in hast. A matre._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 23-30.]
I grete zow wele, and send zow Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that me thynke be the letter that ze sent me be Robeyn, that ze thynke that I xuld wryte to zow fabyls and ymagynacyons; but I do not soo. I have wrytyn as yt have be enformed me, and wulle do. It was told me that bothe Daubeney and Berney wer dedee, but for serten Daubeney is dede, God asoyle hys sowle; wher of I am rythe sery, and yt had plesyd God that yt mythe abe other wysse.
Remembyr zow, ze have had ij. gret lossys withyne thys towylemonth, of hym and of Sir Thomas.[57-3] God wysyth [_visiteth_] zow as yt plesythe Hym in sundery wyses; He woole ze xuld know Hym, and serve Hym better than ze have do be for thys tyme, and than He wull send zow the mor grace to do wele in ale other thynggs. And for Godds love, remembyr yt rythe welle, and take yt pacyentely, and thanke God of Hys vysitacyon; and yf ony thyng have be a mysse ony other wyse than yt howte to have ben befor thys, owther in pryde or in laves expences, or in eny other thyng that have offendyd God, amend yt, and pray Hym of Hys grace and helpe, and entende welle to God, and to zour neybors; and thow zour poor heraftyr be to aquyte hem of her maleys, zet be mersyfulle to hem, and God xale send zow the mor grace to have your entente in other thynggs.
I remembyr thys clawsys, be cause of the last letter that ze sent me. I have sent to Hary Halman of Sporylle to helpe to gete as ze desyerd me, and he canne not gette passyd v. or viij. at the most, and zet yt wule not be but yf [_unless_] he cume that ze trust upon that xuld cume, for they long a parte to hym. And Ryschard Sharman hathe asayed on hys parte, and he cane not gette passyd v.; for thoo that long to us, thei long also to our adversarys, and they have be desyerd be them, and they woold nowte do for hem, and ther for they thynke to have magery of the toder parte.
As for the jantylman that ye desyerd me to speke with, I spake with hys wyfe, and sche told me he was not in thys cuntre, ner nowte woost wan he xuld be her; and as for the toder man, he hath bowthe [_bought_] hym a livery in Bromeholme Pryery, and have geve upe the woord [_world_], &c.
Item, as for mony, I kowde getee but x_li._ upon pledges, and that is spent for zour maters her, for payeng of zour men that wern at Caster, and other thynggs, and I woot not wer to gette non, nowther for suerte ner for pleggs; and as for myn owyn lyvelod, I am so sympely payed ther of that I fer me I xale be fayn to borow for my sylfe, or ell[es] to breke up howsold or bothe.
As for the zeddyng [_yielding_] of the place at Caster, I trowe Wretyll hathe told of the pawntements [_appointments_] how ytts delyvered. I woold that [it] had be so her [_ere_] thys tyme, and zan [_then_] ther xuld not a ben do so mykyle herte as ther is in dyverse weyes; for many of our welewyllers arn putte to loosse for our saks, and I fer me that [it] xale be long her yt be recumpensyd ageyn, and that xale cause other to do the lesse for vus her aftyr.
I woold ze xuld [send] zour brother woord, and sum other that ze truste, to see to zour owyn lyelod to sette yt in a rule, and to gader ther of that may be had in haste, and also of Sir John Fastolf lyoeld that may be gadyrd in pesybyle wyse. For as for Ryschard Calle, he wulle no mor gadyr yt but yf ze comaund hym, and he woold fayn make hys . . acowntte, and have zour good maystyr schepe, as ytts told me, and delyvere the evydens of Bekkeham, and alle other thynggs that longyth to zow, that he trustythe that ze wylle be hys good mayster heraftyr. And he sethe he wylle not take non newe master tyle ze refuse hys servyse.
Remembyr that zowr lyvelod may be set in soche a rule that ye may knowe how ytts, and wat is owyn to zow; for be my feythe I have holpyn as mysche as I may and mor, savyng my sylfe, and therfor take hede er yt be weers.
Thys letter was begune on Fryday was vij. nythe, and enddyd thys day nexte afftyr Mychylmes Day. God kepe zow, and yeve zow grace to do as wele as I woold ze dede; and I scharge zow be war that ze sette no lond to morgage, for if eny avyse zow ther to, they arn not zowr frendds. Be war be tymes myn avyse, &c. I trow yowr brother wyll geve zow tydyngs in haste.
[Footnote 57-2: [From Fenn, iv. 396.] This is written, as will be seen, in reply to No. 725.]
[Footnote 57-3: Sir Thomas Howes.]
734
NOTE[59-1]
Inventory of household goods (including guns) left at Caister by Sir John Paston at the entry of my Lord of Norfolk.
[Footnote 59-1: [MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 201.]]
735
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[60-1]
_To my master, Sir John Paston, in Flett-Stret._
[Sidenote: 1469 / OCT. 5]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand on to you, praying yow that ye wyll in all hast send me word how that ye wyll that Sir John Style, John Pampyng, W. Mylsent, Nycolas Mondonet, T. Tomson shall be rwlyd, and whedyr that they shall sek hem newe servysys or not; and Mathewe Bedford also, for he hathe be with me this seson, and is fro my modyr. And if so be that ye wyll have thes to abyde with yow, or eny of them, send word whyche that they be; for betwyx thys and Halowmas my modyr is agreyd that they shall have met and drynk of hyr for syche a serteyn wekly as my modyr and yu and I can acord when we met. Notwithstandyng, if ye kowd get Barney or eny of thes seyd folkys, whyche that ye wyll not kepe, eny servyse in the mene seson, it wer more worchep for yow then to put them from yow lyek masterles hondys [_hounds_]; for by my trowthe they ar as good menys bodys as eny leve, and specyally Sir John Stylle and John Pampyng. And I wer of power to kepe them and all thes befor rehersyd, by trowthe they shold never depert fro me whyll I leveyd.
If ye send me word that I shall come to yow to London for to comon with yow of eny mater, so God help me, I have neythyr mony to com up with, nor for to tery with yow when I am ther but if [_unless_] ye send me some; for by my trowthe thes werkys have causyd me to ley owt for yow bettyr then x. or xij_li._, besyd that money that I had of my modyr, whyche is abowt on viij_li._ God amend defowts; but this I warant yow, with out that it be Mathew, whyche ye sent woord by John Thressher that ye wold have to awayt on yow, ther is no man that was hyryd for the tyme of thys sege that wyll axe yow a peny.
Also I pray yow send downe acomandment to Stutvylle, or to some awdyter, to take acomptys of Dawbneys byllys; for hys executors ar sore callyd upon for to admynyster by the Byshop, or ellys he seythe that he wyle seqwester. Dawbeney set in hys dett that ye owt hym xij_li._ and x_s._ Whedyr it be so or nowt, hys byllys of hys owne hand wyll not lye, for he mad hys byllys clere or then the sege com abowt us.
As for the evydence of Bekham, my modyr sent to Calle for hem; and he sent hyr woord that he wold make hys acompts, and delyver the evydence and all to gedyr. My modyr hathe sent to hym ayen for hem thys day. If she sped, they shall be sent to yow in all hast, or ellys, and ye send for me, I shall bryng hem with me. Send my modyr and me word who ye wyll that have the rwyll of your lyvelod her in thys contre, and in what forme that it shall be delt with. I wyll not make me mastyrfast with my Lord of Norff., nor with non othyr, tyle I spek with yow; and ye thynk it be to be don, get me a mastyr.
Dell corteysly with the Qwen and that felawshep, and with Mastras Anne Hawte for Wappys,[61-1] tyll I spek with zow. Wretyn on Seynt Feythys Evyn.
J. PASTON.
By Sent George, I and my felawshep stand in fer of my Lord of Norff. men, for we be thret sore, not withstandyng the save gardys[61-2] that my felawshep have. As for me, I have non, nor non of your howsold men, nor non wyll have; it wer shame to take it.
[Footnote 60-1: [From Fenn, iv. 412.] This is a letter desiring instructions about the garrison of Caister after its surrender.]
[Footnote 61-1: This expression ‘for Wappys’ I do not understand.--F. Perhaps Wappys may be a proper name.]
[Footnote 61-2: _Save gardys._ This is printed ‘same gardys’ in Fenn, but is evidently a misreading; in the right-hand copy the word is ‘safeguards.’]
736
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[62-1]
_To Mestresse Margret Paston, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1469 / [OCT.]]
Ryght worchypfull Moodre, I comand me to yow, and beseche yow of yowr blyssyng and Gods. Thanke yow for yowr tendrenesse and helpe bothe to me, my brother, and servants.[62-2]
. . . . . . .
The Kynge is comyn to London, and ther came with hym, and roode ageyn hym, the Duke of Glowcestr, the Duke of Suffolke, the Erle of Aroundell, the Erle of Northumbreland, the Erle of Essex, the Lordes Harry and John of Bokyngham, the Lord Dakres, the Lorde Chambreleyn, the Lorde Montjoye, and many other Knyghtys and Sqwyers, the Meyr of London, xxij. Aldremen, in skarlett, and of the Crafftys men of the town to the nombre of CC., all in blewe. The Kynge come thorow Chepe, thowe it wer owt of hys weye, be cawse he wold not be seyn, and he was accompanyed in all peple with m^l. horsse, som harneysyd and som nat. My Lorde Archebysshop[62-3] com with hym from Yorke, and is at the Moor,[62-4] and my Lorde of Oxenfford roode to have mett the Kyng, and he is with my Lorde Archebysshop at the Moor, and come nat to town with the Kynge; some sey that they wer yesterdaye iij. myle to the Kyng wards from the Moor, and that the Kyng sent them a massangr that they scholde com when that he sent for them. I wot not what to suppose therin; the Kyng hymselffe hathe good langage of the Lords of Clarance, of Warwyk, and of my Lords of York [and] of Oxenford, seyng they be hys best frendys; but hys howselde men have other langage, so that what schall hastely falle I cannot seye.
My Lorde of Norffolke schall be her thys nyght. I schall sende yow mor when I knowe mor.
Item, iff Ebysham come not home with myn oncle W., that than ye sende me the ij. Frenshe bookys that he scholde have wretyn, that he may wryght them her,
JOHN PASTON, Kt.
[Footnote 62-1: [From Fenn, i. 292.] The allusion in an unprinted passage in this letter to the approaching marriage of Richard Calle with Margery Paston proves it to be of the year 1469. In that year it appears by the dates of the privy seals that Edward IV. remained during the whole of September in Yorkshire, having been detained by Warwick at Middleham as a prisoner during the month of August; but he was in London as early as the 13th October.]
[Footnote 62-2: Here, according to Fenn, follow passages touching ‘an account of monies, debts, &c., a dispute with his uncle William, and a desire to defer his sister Margery’s marriage with Richard Calle till Christmas.’]
[Footnote 62-3: George Nevill, Archbishop of York.]
[Footnote 62-4: _See_ p. 20, Note 3.]
[[... that he may wryght them her, _text has “be”: corrected from Fenn_]]
737
ABSTRACT[63-1]
[JOHN PASTON] TO [SIR JOHN PASTON]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Has reckoned with Maryot. Accounts of Bekham. Has not spoken with W. Bakton, but will before returning to Norwich. Means to visit Bekham on his way thither. Sends copy of the condition wherein ye be bound to John Maryot. As for Sir T. Mongomere’s man, etc.
Richard Calle says he has delivered to me all writings he had of you except an endenture for letting Saxthorp, which is but a jape. All but a rental of Snaylwell are but accounts, etc. He has delivered me four or five court rolls of Sir J. Fastolff’s lands, of his own hand. He has done reasonably well about showing me the arrears of your lifelode. ‘As for his abiding, it is in Blakborow nunnery, a little fro Lynn, and our unhappy sister’s also. And as for his service, there shall have no man have it before you, and ye will. I hear not speak of none other service, of no lord’s that he shall be in.’ Has not yet spoken with Daubney’s executors, but will on his way homewards. Sends copy of the inventory[63-2] he [John Paston] made on leaving Caister. Means to be at Sporle to-morrow or Thursday, to see what may be made of the wood, and who will give most for it. . . . . (_MS. mutilated at the bottom._)
[This letter is in the handwriting of John Paston, but the signature is lost. It is quite certain that it was written in 1469 after the surrender of Caister. Allusion is also made to the unpleasant subject of the engagement of Richard Calle and Margery Paston, who seem to have retired to Blackborough nunnery prior to their marriage.]
[Footnote 63-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 63-2: _See_ No. 734.]
738
ABSTRACT[64-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / NOV. 6]
Indenture between Sir John Paston, of the one part, and Roger Townsende, gent., of the other part, containing covenants for the sale of the manor of Est Beckham, and of all Paston’s other lands in Est Bekham, West Bekham, Bodham, Sherryngham, Beeston near the Sea, Runeton, Shipden, Felbrigg, Aylmerton, Sustede, and Gresham, which the said Sir John had of the gift of John Mariet the elder of Est Bekham, for 100 marks, of which he has received already £54, leaving £12, 13_s._ 4_d._ to be paid by the said Roger at the Feast of St. Luke next coming. Dated 6th Nov. 9 Edw. IV.
_Seal, with inscription_, ‘Si Dieu vuet.’
[Footnote 64-1: [Add. Charter, 14,526, B.M.]]
739
ABSTRACT[64-2]
1469, 25 Nov. 9 Edw. IV. ‘In the priory of Saynt Marye Overy in Suthwarke.’ Acknowledgment (in English) by Will. Yelverton, Knt., Just. of K. B., of the receipt from Bishop Waynflete of £87, in full satisfaction of all claims on Sir J. Fastolf by Jaquet, Duchess of Bedford; solemnly promising also that he will not hereafter receive any sums, great or small, on account of Fastolf’s goods, debts, or possessions, without the assent of the Bishop, that he will at all times be ready to seal such grants, &c., as the Bishop may require to be sealed, and that he will not himself make or seal any grant, etc., without the Bishop’s will and agreement.
[Footnote 64-2: The following abstract is taken from Mr. Macray’s Report on the MSS. in Magdalen College, Oxford.]
740
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[65-1]
_To Master Syr John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1469 / DEC.]
Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to you, &c. It is so that thys day ther cam a good felaw to me, whyche may not be dyscoveryd, and let me wet that my Lord of Norff. consayll hathe this Crystmas gotyn the two wydows, whows husbands wer slayn at the sege of Caster, and have hem bowndyn in a gret some that they shall swe a peel ayenst me and syche as wer ther with me within the plase, and they be bownd also that they shall relese no man within the apell namyd tyll syche tyme as my Lord of Norff. wyll lycence them.
Item, the cawse is thys, as it is told me by dyvers, that ye meke no more swte to my Lord for yourself than ye do, and therfor they do the wors to me for your sake.
Item, as for my comyng up to London, so God help me, and I may chese, I com not ther, for _argent me fawlt_, without apell or an inkyr [_inquiry ?_] of som specyall mater of your cawse it. Item, I pray yow remembyr Caleys, for I am put out of wagys in thys contre.
Item, I pray yow send me some tydyngs how the world gothe _ad confortandum stomacum_.
Item, ye must purvey anewe atorny in thys contre. As for me, for our maters and clamore is to gret, and our purse and wytte to slendyr, but I wyle rubbe on as long as I maye bothe with myn owne, and other menys that wyle do for me tyll better pese be.
Wretyn thys Saturdaye, at Norwcyche.
J. P.
[Footnote 65-1: [From Fenn, iv. 416.] It appears by the contents that this letter was written about Christmas after the siege of Caister. An appeal of murder was a process sued by the nearest relative of a person killed. It was quite independent of any prosecution for murder by the Crown, and no royal pardon was of any avail against it; but the appeal had to be brought within a year and a day of the fact.]
[[... at Norwyche. _text has “Norwcyche”: corrected from Fenn_]]
741
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[66-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH 1]
Ryght worchepfull Syr, I recomand me to yow aftyr the old maner, sertyfyng yow that I have comonyd with my modyr for your coming hom, but I can not fynd by hyr that she wyll depert with eny sylvyr for your costis, for she and hyr cwrate[66-2] alegge mor poverte then ever wasse. Item, as for your clok at Harcortis it wyll be nye Estern er it be redy, for ther is stolyn owt of hys chaumbyr some of the ger that belongyd therto, and that must have leyser to be mad ayen. Item, the caryer forgat your byll behynd hym, but it was delyveryd all to gedyr, but it shall be browght yow and the wyndas with the teles by the next caryer, as myn orangys shall com to me I tryst. Dame Elyzabet Calthorp is a fayir lady and longyth for orangis, thow she be not with chyld. Item, I pray yow that ye wyll make aqwetance on to the person of Mawtby[66-3] and to John Seyne as executors to John Dawbeney, for they wyll take non admynystracyon of hys goodis tyll they be aqwetansyd of youre and my modyr. Ye maye do it well j nough, so God help me; for I wot well ye owt hym mony, and he nat yow, if so be that he wer trewe when he dyid, and I wot well we fond hym nevyr on trew in hys lyve; but hys frendys and othyr of the contre putt grett defawt in me that ther is no thyng don for hym, seying that he myght do no more for us but lose hys lyfe in your servyse and myn; and now he is half forgotyn among us. Wherfor I pray yow let thys be sped.
Item, as for Doctor Pykenham, J. Pampyng can tell yow he is not in Norwyche. When he comyth I shall spek with hym and send yow hys answer. Item, as for myn oncyll Wylliam, I have grant to have a byll of hym what every thyng lythe for; but all thyng is not yet in rest ayen that was remevyd for the chyrchyng of my Lady Anne. As sonne as I have the byll I shall send it yow and hys answer, whyche he wyll fyrst have plegyd owght, and also whethyr he purposyth to do as he seyd by my graundamys lond.
Item, Gefrey Spyrlyng hathe ofte spokyn to me to send to yow for to undyrstand how ye will deell with hym for hys place in Norwyche, for he seythe that he had lever have your good mastyrship ther in then eny othyr manys good lordshep; for and ye wyll be hys good mastyr he wyll swe no ferther, or ellys he must.
Item, a for (_sic_) for myn old reknyng, I shall make it up in hast and send it yow for your bettyr remembrance, for as me thynkyth by your wrytyng ye have nye forgetyn it; but I am rype j now in it for myn owne dyscharge. Item, I pray yow, take in to your a ward a short murry jornade[67-1] of myn whyche Jacobyn, Wykis woman, hathe lest that she be flyttyng and that it be exchetyd. Item, I pray yow send me swyr tydyngis of the world in hast.
As for the bysheop of Wynchestyr, W. Wyrceteyr told my modyr that he had takyn charge x. dayis or then Pampyng cam hom; but he wenyth that the bysshop wyll be a yenst yow, in so myche that [he[67-2]] avysyd my modyr to consell yow that ye sholl labor to my Lord Cardynall[67-3] that the seyd byshop shold not be amytted to take admynystracyon. No mor, &c. Wretyn at Norwyche the fyrst daye off Marche.
J. P.
I pray, get us a wyfe somwher, for _Melius est nubere in Domino quam urere_. (ca^o primo.)[67-4]
* * *
Noveritis universi per presentes me J. P. mylitem remisisse, &c. Roberto Cotteler personæ ecclesiæ de Mawtby in comitatu Norfolk et Johanni Seyne de Rollysby in eodem comitatu, executores testamenti et ultimæ voluntatis Johannis Dawbeney armygeri, nuper defuncti, omnimodas acciones, tam reales, &c. quos versus eundem Robertum sive Johannem Seyne habui, habeo, &c., racione alicujus debyti dicti Johannis Dawbeney, jam defuncti, mychi dicto J. Paston debite (_sic_) a principio mundi usque in diem, &c. In cujus, &c. Datum, &c.
As for the yer of the Kyng, let it be set in, but as for the daye and the monyth let it be owt, for the day must be aftyr probate of the wyll and the admynystracyon takyng. I pray you, let thys be sped in all hast possybyll; and as for your obligacyon and syche ger as belongyth to yow, I shalbe swyr of it er they have the aqwetance.
Item, as for owyr afrayis her, J. Pampyng can tell yow; but and they get me, ye loose a brodyr, _quod juratum est_.
It is good to do by the comandment of your mastyr whyll I am so well boryn owte; thys my lord of Norffolk galantis send me woord dayly _ad confortandum stomacum_. Ye must spek with your mastyr and comon some remedye hastyly, or be God I enswyr yow, whyll owyr Dwk is thus cherysheid with the kyng, ye nor I shall not have a man unbetyn or slayn in thys contre, nor our sylfe nowthyr, as well ye as I, _quod juratum est_ onys ayen. The Dwke, the Dwches and ther consell ar wrothe that ye make no meanys to them your sylfe.
Item, I send yow Townysendis endentwre by John Pampyng.
[Footnote 66-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 192.] This letter may be dated 1470, by comparing the postscript with the beginning of No. 742, which seems to have been written in answer to it. John Daubeney was killed at the siege of Caister in 1469. _See_ Nos. 725, 733.]
[Footnote 66-2: James Gloys.]
[Footnote 66-3: Robert Cutler or Cotteler. _See_ next page.]
[Footnote 67-1: Halliwell gives ‘jornet’ as ‘a kind of cloak’; ‘murrey’ was a dark red colour.]
[Footnote 67-2: Omitted in MS.]
[Footnote 67-3: Cardinal Bourchier.]
[Footnote 67-4: The reference is as inaccurate as the quotation. The text referred to is 1 Cor. vii. 9: ‘Melius est enim nubere quam uri.’]
742
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[68-1]
_To John Paston, Esquier, beyng at Norwyche, be thys letter delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH]
I comande me to yow, letyng yow wete, &c.[68-2]
. . . . . . .
Item, as for Mestresse Kateryn Dudle, I have many tymes recomandyd yow to hyr, and she is noo thynge displeasyd with itt. She rekkythe not howe many gentylmen love hyr; she is full of love. I have betyn the mater for yow, your onknowleche, as I told hyr. She answerythe me, that sche woll noon thys ij. yer, and I beleve hyr; for I thynke sche hathe the lyffe that sche can holde hyr content with; I trowe she woll be a sore laboryng woman this ij. yer for mede of hyr sowle.
And Mestresse Gryseacresse is sure to Selenger, with my Lady of Exestre, a fowle losse.
Item, I praye yow speke with Harcort off the Abbeye, for a lytell clokke, whyche I sent hym by James Gressham to amend, and that ye woll get it off hym, and it be redy, and sende it me; and as for mony for hys labor, he hathe another cloke off myne, whyche Sir Thomas Lyndes, God have hys sowle! gave me; he may kepe that tyll I paye hym. Thys klok is my Lordys Archebysshopis, but late not hym wete off it, and that itt [be] easely caryed hyddre by yowr advyse.
Also as for orenges, I schall sende yow a serteyn by the next caryer. And as for tydynge the berer hereoff schall infforme yow; ye most geve credence to hym.
As for my goode spede, I hope well. I am offryd yit to have Mestresse Anne Haulte, and I schall have help i nowe, as some say.[69-1]
. . . . . . . .
Item, it is soo that I am halffe in purpose to com home with in a monythe her afftr, or abowt Med Lente, or beffor Esterne, ondyr yowr coreccon, iff so be that ye deme that [my] modre wolde helpe me to my costys, x. mark or ther abowt; I praye feele hyr dysposicion and sende me worde.
Item, I cannot tell yow what woll falle off the worlde, for the Kyng verrely is dysposyd to goo in to Lyncoln schyr, and men wot not what wyll falle ther off, ner ther afftre; they wene my Lorde off Norffolke shall[69-2] brynke x.^ml. men.
Item, ther is comen a newe litell Torke, whyche is a wele vysagyd felawe, off the age off xl. yere; and he is lower than Manuell by a hanffull, and lower then my lytell Tom by the schorderys, and mor lytell above hys pappe; and he hathe, as he seyde to the Kynge hymselffe, iij. or iiij. sonys, chyldre, iche one off hem as hyghe and asse lykly as the Kynge hymselffe; and he is leggyd ryght i now, and it is reportyd that hys pyntell is as long as hys legge.
Item, I praye yow schewe, or rede to my moodre suche thynges as ye thynke is for her to know, afftre yowr dyscression; and to late hyr undrestond off the article off the trete between Syr Wylliam Yelverton and me.
Item, my Lorde of Warwyk, as it is supposyd, schall goo with the Kynge in to Lyncolne schyre; some men seye that hys goyng shall doo goode, and som seye that it dothe harme.
I praye yow evyr have an eyghe to Caster, to knowe the rewle ther, and sende me worde, and whyther my wyse Lorde and my Lady be yit as sottyt [_? besotted_] uppon it as they were; and whether my seyd Lorde resortythe thyddre as offte as he dyd or nott; and off the dysposycion off the Contre.
J. P., K.
[Footnote 68-1: [From Fenn, ii. 28.] From the reference to the King’s being about to go into Lincolnshire, and what is said of the Earl of Warwick, it may be clearly inferred that this letter was written on the outbreak of the insurrection of Sir Robert Welles in the beginning of March 1470.]
[Footnote 68-2: Here (according to Fenn) follows an account of bills and receipts, etc.]
[Footnote 69-1: Here (according to Fenn) follows an account of some disputes between Sir William Yelverton and Sir John Paston, his uncle William, etc., of no consequence.]
[Footnote 69-2: _shall._ This word is not in Fenn’s left-hand or literal transcript, but is given as part of the text in the right-hand copy.]
743
ANONYMOUS TO JOHN PASTON[70-1]
_To my Cosyn, J. Paston._
[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH 27]
The King camme to Grantham, and ther taried Thoresday all day; and ther was headed Sir Thomas Dalalaunde, and on John Neille, a greate capteyn; and upon the Monday next after that at Dancastr, and ther was headed Sir Robert Wellys, and a nothr greate capteyn; and than the King hadde warde that the Duk of Clarence and the Erle of Warwick was att Esterfeld [_Chesterfield_], xx. mile from Dancastre.
And upon the Tewesday att ix. of the bell, the King toke the feld, and mustered his people; and itt was seid that wer never seyn in Inglond so many goodly men, and so well arreiyed in a feld. And my Lord was whorsshupfully accompanyed, no lord ther so well; wherfor the King gaffe my Lord a greate thanke.
And than the Duk of Clarence and the Erle of Warwik harde that the King was comyng to them warde, in contynent they departed and wente to Manchestre in Lancasshire, hopyng to have hadde helpe and socour of the Lord Stanley, butt in conclucion ther they hadde litill favor, as itt was enformed the King, and so men sayn they wente westward, and sommen demen to London. And whan the King harde they wer departed and gon, he went to York, and came theder the Thoresday next aftr, and ther camme in to hym all the gentilmen of the shire; and uppon our Lady Day [he] made Percy Erle of Northumberland, and he that was Erle affore Markeys Muntakew. And [so][71-1] the King is purposed to come southwarde, God send hym god spede.
Writen the xxvij. day of March.
FOR TROWYTH.
[Footnote 70-1: [From Fenn, ii. 36.] This letter gives an account of the suppression of the rebellion in Lincolnshire in 1470.]
[Footnote 71-1: This word is not in the text of Fenn’s literal transcript, but it is given without brackets in the transcript in modern spelling.]
744
ABSTRACT[71-2]
WILLIAM WORCESTER TO ----
[Sidenote: 1470]
Letter in English, on paper (signed W. W., but unaddressed), desiring some one to propose to ‘my Lord’ [the Bishop of Winchester?] the obtaining of a letter from Sir John Paston to the tenants of Titchwell that he will not claim any rents from them, and another from ‘my Lord,’ to the same effect, on behalf of Sir William Yelverton; and the sending a warrant to expend 4 or 6 marks upon making up the sea banks before the Titchwell pastures, because at Spring the sea breaks in upon them. Desires to know whether Sir W. Yelverton’s advice shall be taken upon business matters. ‘Frere’ Geffrey Westvale is going to be created Doctor in Theology at Cambridge, at the Feast of St. John, who twenty years past, when at Yarmouth convent, belonged to ‘my Maister Fastolf’; and Sir Thomas Howys, a month before his decease, promised to help him on Mr. Fastolf’s order. He would have come now to ‘my Lord’ to ask his alms had not the writer letted him. Desires to be informed whether ‘my Lord’ will help him. ‘Maister Briston yn lykewyse Maister Spicer, and Maister Stevyns, trustyn appon me and dyvers others to speke to my Lord for a relyeve,’ and Thomas Fastolf and Milcent Fastolf, and many others, ‘that make me noyed and werye.’
[Footnote 71-2: [From MS. Titchwell, 120, in Magdalen College, Oxford.] From internal evidence it would seem that this letter must have been written shortly before that which follows it. The abstracts of these two letters have been kindly supplied to me by Mr. Macray.]
745
ABSTRACT[72-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / MAY 17]
Letter in English from W. Wyrcestre to Bishop Wayneflete.--Has been at Tychewell to endeavour to let the manor and farm, but none of the farmers there will take it without guarantees from Sir John Paston and Sir William Yelverton in writing against any distraint. . . . . the younger, who owes £9, will come to the Bishop about the letting. The writer represents his own poor condition. Has been at charges ten years in London, and in riding on the infinite process of ‘my Maister Fastolf’s testament yn the court of audience.’ Is now obliged to retire from London to Cambridge in order to live cheaply. Had been promised 25 marks on Paston’s behalf, 20 marks for ever of Fastolf’s lands, 5 marks of fee for his life, and £15 worth of land for ever. Has not had clearly 8 marks.
[Footnote 72-1: [From MS. Titchwell, 199, in Magdalen College, Oxford.]]
746
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[72-2]
_To Syr John Paston, Knyght, or to Thomas Stompys, to delyver to the seyd Syr John._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JUNE 22]
Ryght worchepfull syr, and my specyall good brodyr, I recomand me to yow; and for as myche as I can not send yow good tydyngs, ye shall have syche as I knowe.
It is so that on Wednysday last past ye and I, Pampyng, and Edmund Broom were endyttyd of felonye at the Sessyons her in Norwyche for shotyng of a gonne at Caster in August last past, whyche goone slowghe two men, I, Pampyng and Broom as pryncypall, and ye as accessary; notwithstandyng Townysend[73-1] and Lomner held an oppynyon that the verdytt is voyd, for ther wer ij. of th’enqwest that wold not agre to th’endyttment. And in as myche as they ij. wer agreyd in othyr maters, and not in that, and that they two wer not dyschargyd fro the remnant at syche tym as that verdyth of yowyr endytment was govyn, ther oppynyon is that all the vordyght is voyde, as well of all othyr maters as of yowyr. Whedyr ther opynyon be good or not, I can not determyne, nor them sylf neythyr.
I pray yow let not thys mater be slept, for I can thynk that my Lord of Norff. consaylle wyll cawse the wedows to tak an apell, and to remeve it up in to the Kyngs Benche at the begynyng of this term. Townysend hathe promysyd me that he shall be at London on Twysday next comyng, and then ye may comon with hym in that mater, and take hys avyse.
Item, Townysend and Lomner thynk that and ye have good consayll, ye may justyfye the kepyng of the plase for the pesybyll possessyon that ye have had in it mor then iij. yeer; but in conclusyon, all thys is doo for nowght ellys but for to enforse yow to take a dyreccyon with my Lord of Norff.
I undyrstood by R. Sothewell--for he and I comonyd in thys mater ryght largely betwyx hem and me--in so myche he tellyth me that and I be at London in the wek next aftyr Seynt Petyr, at whych tyme he shall be ther hym sylf, he seyth that my Lady hathe promysyd me hyr good ladyshep, and sent me woord by hym, in as myche as he spak for me to hyr, that she wold remembyr myn old servyse, and for get the gret dysplesyr in syche wyse that I shall undyrstand that the swtte that I have mad to my Lord hyr husbond and hyr shall torne to your avantage and myn, more then we weene as yett or shall undyrstand tyll syche tyme as I have spokyn with hyr good grace. And upon thys promesse I have promysyd Sothewell to meet with hym at London that same weeke next aftyr Seynt Petyr; wherfor I wold passyngly fayne that ye wer in London at that season, or nye abowght London, so that I myght undyrstand at your plase wher that I myght spek with yow or then I spek with my Lady.
I propose to go to Canterbery[74-1] on foot thys next week, with Godds grace, and so to com to London fro thense. I pray yow se that I be safe for Parker and Henry Coletts mater.
Sothewell[74-2] told me thys, that if so be that ye wyll your sylf, ye shall have bothe goode lordshep and ladyshep, and mony or lond, or both, and all your maters set cler. What that he menyth, I can not sey. As for all othyr maters in thys contre, I shall do as well as I may for fawt of monye tyll I spek with yow. I have many collars on, as I shall tell yow when I come.
No more, but God preserve yow and yours. Wretyn at Norwyche, Fryday next aftyr Corpus Christi Daye.
J. P.
I ded as myche as I kowd to have lettyd th’endyttment, but it wold not be, as I shall enform you; and Townysend knowyth the same.
[Footnote 72-2: [From Fenn, iv. 428.] As this letter refers to an incident in the siege of Caister as having taken place ‘in August last,’ there can be no doubt about the date.]
[Footnote 73-1: Probably Roger Townsend, afterwards Justice of the Common Pleas.]
[Footnote 74-1: On pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, I suppose.--F.]
[Footnote 74-2: Richard Southwell, Esq. of Wood-Rising. He acquired this estate by marrying Amy, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Wichingham, Knight.--F.]
747
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[74-3]
_To Syr John Paston, Knyght, or to Thomas Stomppys, to delyver to the seyd Syr John._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JUNE 25]
As I sent yow woord by a lettyr that John Wymondham browght to London, J. Pampyng is endyghtyd of felony, and Edmund Broon as princypallys, and ye as axcessary, for schotyng of agonne in Awgust last past, whyche gonne kyllyd ij. men; and I trowe that my Lord of Norff. consayll wyll make on of the wedows, or bothe, to swe an apell up on the same endyghtment thys terme. Wherfor I pray yow se well to thys mater, that when it is sertyfyid in to the Kyngys Benche, Broom and Pampyng may have warnyng that they may purvey for hem self, if ther com eny _capyas_ owght for hem. Townysend can tell yow all the mater.
Also ye must in eny wyse be ware, for my grauntdam[75-1] and myn Lady Anne[75-2] and myn Oncyll Wyllam shall be at London within thes viij. or x. dayis, and I wot well it is for nowght ellys but to make myn Oncyll Wyllam swyr of hyr lond, notwithstandyng she hath reryd affyn of it be for Goodreed,[75-3] the Justyse, in my grauntfadyrs dayis, and my modyr tellyth me that ye have the copye of the same fyne; I wold avyse yow to have it redy, what so evyr betyd. I trow they wyll be the more besy abowght the same mater, because they thynk that ye dar not com in London, nor at Westmenstyr to lett [_stop_] them; but if so be that ye have not the copy of the same fynne, look that ye spare for no cost to do serche for itt, for it wyll stand yow on hand, I feell by the werkyng.
Thys day sevennyght I trust to God to be forward to Caunterbery at the ferthest, and upon Saterday com sevennygh I tryst to God to be in London; wherfor I pray yow leve woord at yowr plase in Fleet Strett wher I shall fynd yow, for I purpose not to be seyn in London tyll I have spook with yow.
I pray yow remembyr thes maters, for all is doon to make yow to drawe to an ende with thes Lordys that have your lond fro yow. No more, but I pray God send yow your herttys desyir in thees maters and in all othyr.
Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday next aftyr Seynt John Baptyst.
J. P.
[Footnote 74-3: [From Fenn, iv. 434.] This letter, it will be seen, refers in the beginning to the same matter as the preceding.]
[Footnote 75-1: Agnes Paston, widow of William Paston, the Judge.]
[Footnote 75-2: Anne, daughter of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, married William Paston, the uncle of Sir John Paston.--F.]
[Footnote 75-3: William Goodrede was created a Serjeant-at-Law in 1425. In 1431 he was appointed King’s Serjeant, and in 1434 became a Justice of the King’s Bench.--F.]
748
ABSTRACT[76-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 3]
Indenture between Sir John Paston and Edmund Shaa, goldsmith, London, concerning 20 dishes and a saucer of silver pledged to the latter, 3rd July 10 Edw. IV.
[Footnote 76-1: [From Paston MSS.]]
749
ABSTRACT[76-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 8]
Indenture, dated London, 8th July 10 Edw. IV., whereby Sir John Paston places in pawn to Stephen Kelke, goldsmith, of London, 16 pottingers, weighing 22 lb. 10½ oz. Troy weight, for £40, till Whitsuntide following.
[Footnote 76-2: [From Add. Charter 17,249, B.M.]]
750
ABSTRACTS[76-3]
FASTOLF’S LANDS
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 14]
‘11. A triparted indenture betweene William Bishop of Winton and John Paston, Knight, and others, touching the intent of two feoffmentes of the Bishop of Wynton, the one of the mannors of Drayton and Tolthorp, in the county of Norfolk and the city of Norwich, which were somtymes Sir John Falstofs; the other of the mannors of Wynterton, cald Bregmiles (?), of Reppys in Bastwyke, the third part of the mannor of Rowneham, londes and tenementes cald Cutts in Haringby, and lands cald Buley in Stokesby, to Guy Fairfax, John Paston, Squier, et aliis. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘17. Relaxatio Johannis Paston, Georgii Arch. Cant. et aliorum Willielmo Waynflet totius juris de et in omnibus maneriis, terris, &c. quæ fuerunt Johannis Falstolf in comit’ Norf., exceptis manerio de Castre et Spensers in Haringby, ac terris vocat’ Vaux, Redham, et Bosoms, et maner’ de Hayleydon, Drayton, et Tolthorp. Julii 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘28. An indenture contayning mutuall releases of the Bishop of Wynton to John Paston, Knight, et c^a. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘29 and 61. An indenture containing the agreement betweene Wylliam Wainflet, Bishop of Wynton, and Sir John Paston, concerning Sir John Fastolfes landes and goods. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
This last document, of which there is another copy or draft, numbered 36 in the Index, is more fully described, as follows, by Mr. Macray, in the Fourth Report of the Historical MSS. Commission:--
1470, 14 July, 10 Edw. IV. Indenture tripartite (very long, in English) between Bishop Wayneflete and Sir John Paston, Knight, containing an agreement for the termination of disputes between the executors of the will of Sir John Fastolf, whereby the property of the latter has been much wasted; dividing the manors between the Bishop and Paston, and providing for the foundation of seven priests and seven poor scholars in Magdalene College; Paston to deliver up all deeds and muniments to the Priory of St. Mary Overy, in Southwark, to be put in a chest, locked with two locks and two keys, of which the Bishop to have one and Paston the other, and the Bishop to bring thither also all his deeds; one part of this indenture to remain with each of the parties, and the third with the Prior of St. Mary Overy.
[Footnote 76-3: The following entries are taken from the old index of deeds and writings relating to Norfolk and Suffolk, preserved in the tower of Magdalen College, Oxford.]
751
PAMPYNG TO SIR JOHN PASTON[77-1]
_To my most reverent and worshipfull master, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 15]
Right worshipfull sir and my good master, I recomaund me unto yow in my moost lowly wise. And please yow to wete I have with the mony ye sent me by Judy rewardid my felaship as ye comaundid, wretyn in a bille closid herin; and as for William Milsent I lete hym wete hough ye undirstood he was disposed to goo hoom to his fadere, wherof ye were pleasid and wold he shuld do so. He said he intendid not to be with his fadir, ner it was not in his power so to do; nevirthelesse he is home to his fadir and ther abidith, but what he purposith to do I wote not. Davy is at home and takyth heed to his lond. Homeworth is content and gooth to his labour. As for Stompis, I have be with the Abbot of Sen Benetts for hym as ye comaundid. And he recomaundith hym to yow, and said to me he was right glad that ye wold send to hym for any servaunt ye had, saying that if he coud do any thyng for yow, and for any servaunt of yours, he wold do it feithfully. And also he said he wold not fayle yow whill he levid in that he coud and myght do, trustyng heraftir to have your help and favour in that he shall have a do. And he told me and Stompis bothe, whanne so evir he come he shuld be welcome, and that he wold do as welle to hym as to fewe servauntes he had for yowr sake, and that he wold kepe hym for yow. As for my self my mastres saith she woll geve me mete and drynk for a season; nevirthelesse I am warnyd to be ware, for it is told me that ther is processe out upon the appele ayens me and other; wherfore I beseche yow that that mater may be take heed to as ye may, that we myght have knowlech of any processe ther be, that we may be ware, for I thynk verely, and I or any other come in ther hands this world, we shuld not escape without shame at the leest.
Item, as for the remnaunt of the mony biside this bille, ye owe to the parson of Sent Edmondes Caster for iiij. combe malt, and ij. combe whete, x_s._ whiche I promysid hym to pay; and Rob. Newton lymebrenner for lyme, xiij_s._ iiij_d._, calling upon me for it; and Robert Bery for shoyng, x_s._; and if it please yow that I make payment herof there shall remayne in my handes xxiij_s._ iiij_d._ And what ye woll I do herin, I beseche yow to send me word. Judy hath be with Thom Fastolff, he can telle yow answer in that mater. As for the rewle at Caster, they selle and make mony of such stuffe as they fond there, and kepe other rewle that the contre is full sory and irk of, and of my lordes men resortyng to hem, and riden about the contry onknowen, and by berynges on hand[78-1] take large bribys. I pray God be your spede and send yow some good meane for your wele and ease to them that owe yow servise. Wretyn at Norwich the Monday next aftir Relik Sonday,
Your pore servaunt,
PAMPYNG.
[Footnote 77-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Reference is made in this letter to the appeal which the two widows were to sue against Sir John Paston. _See_ Nos. 746, 747.]
[Footnote 78-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.]
752
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[79-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 15]
I grete yow well and send yow Goddes blissyng and myne, letyng yow wete that your fermours have brought me a gret bille of reparacion, the which I send yow, with lx_s._ in mony. I wold have had the residue of the mony of them, and they said it was your agrement that this reparacion shuld be do and alowed now at this payment, and so I coud get no more mony of them. And they say that the parson[79-2] was prevy to the reparacion. If ye were thus agreed and woll have the reparacion examined ye may send word; but I wold ye shuld purvey for your self as hastely as ye may, and come home and take heed to your owne and to myn therto, otherwise thanne ye have do bifore this, bothe for my profite and for yours, or ellis I shall purvey for my self otherwise in hast, so that I trust shall be more ease and avayle for me and non ease nor profite to yow in tyme to come. I have litell help nor comfort of non of yow yet, God geve me grase to have heraftir. I wold ye shuld assay whedir it be more profitable for yow to serve me thanne for to serve such masters as ye have servid afore this, and that ye fynde mooste profitable theraftir do in tyme to come. Ye have assayed the werld resonabilly, ye shall knowe your self the bettir heraftir. I pray God we may be in quyete and in rest with oure own from hens forth. My power is nat so good as I wold it were for your sake and other; and if it were, we shuld not longe be in daungere. God brynge us oute of it; who have yow in His kepynge. Wretyn with onhertes ease the Monday next aftir Relike Sonday.
By your Modir.
[Footnote 79-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter, although subscribed ‘By your mother,’ is neither signed nor addressed. It is, however, undoubtedly from Margaret Paston to her son Sir John. It is written in Pampyng’s hand, and seems to be of the same year as his own letter immediately preceding, which is dated on the same day.]
[Footnote 79-2: Sir Thomas Howes.]
753
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[80-1]
_. . . . . Paston, &c._
[Sidenote: 1470 / AUG. 5]
Brother, I comand me to yow, &c. . . .[80-2] Also telle John Pampyng that the mayde at the Bulle at Cludeys at Westminster sent me on a tyme by hym to the Moor a rynge of goolde to a tookne, whyche I hadde not off hym. Wherffor I wolle he scholde sende it hyedre, ffor sche most have itt ageyn, or ellys v_s._, ffor it was not hyrrys. Item, I praye yow be redye; the mater qwykennythe bothe ffor yowe and yowres as well as ffor us and howrys.
As ffor tydynges, my Lorde Erchebysshop[80-3] is at the Moor, but ther is beleffte with hym dyverse off the Kynges servantes, and as I understond he hathe lysence to tarry ther tyll he be sente ffor. Ther be many ffolkes uppe in the northe, soo that Percy[80-4] is not able to recyst them; and soo the Kynge hathe sente ffor hys ffeeodmen to koom to hym, for he woll goo to putt them downe. And soom seye that the Kynge sholde come ageyn to London, and that in haste, and as it is sayde Cortenayes be londyd in Devenschyr, and ther rewle.
Item, that the Lordes Clarance and Warwyk woll assaye to londe in Inglonde evyrye daye, as ffolkes ffeer.
I praye yow late not John Mylsent be longe ffrom me, with as moche as can be gaderyd: and also that ye wryght to me off all thynges that I have wretyn to yow ffor, so that I may have answer off every thynge. Other thynges Bacheler Walter, berer heroff, schall informe yow.
Wretyn at London, the Sondaye nexte beffor Seynt Lawrence Daye.[81-1]
Also my brother Edmonde is not yet remembryd. He hathe not to lyff with, thynk on hym, &c.
JOHN PASTON, KT.
[Footnote 80-1: [From Fenn, ii. 46.] This letter, as it will be seen from the contents, was written at the period just before the restoration of Henry VI.]
[Footnote 80-2: Here follows an order about searching for some writings, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 80-3: This must mean George Neville, Archbishop of York, and brother to the Earl of Warwick, who seems to have been suspected by the King, and left at the Moor as a kind of state prisoner.--F.]
[Footnote 80-4: Henry Percy, who was restored to the Earldom of Northumberland this year on its surrender by John Nevill, Lord Montague. _See_ No. 743.]
[Footnote 81-1: St. Laurence’s day is the 10th of August.]
[[... Bacheler Walter, berer heroff, schall informe yow. _final . missing or invisible_]]
754
ABSTRACT[81-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / AUG. 7]
Indenture, dated London, 7th Aug., 10 Edw. IV., whereby Sir John Paston puts in pawn to Ric. Rawlyn of London, grocer, 2 chargers and 4 potengers, weighing 11 lb. 1¾ oz. silver, for £20, till Whitsunday following.
[Footnote 81-2: [From Add. Charter 17,250, B.M.]]
[[weighing 11 lb. 1¾ oz. silver _period in “oz.” missing_]]
755
ABSTRACT[81-3]
[Sidenote: 1470]
1470, 10 Aug., 10 Edw. IV., at Eshher. Undertaking in English by John Paston, Esq., son of John Paston, Esq., who was one of the feoffees and executors of Sir John Fastolf, that whereas Bishop Waynflete, also one of the feoffees, and now sole executor, has taken upon him to perform the will of the said Sir John, so far forth as it may be performed (it being in most substance not yet performed, and his property wasted and devoured), out of his manors and lands in Essex, Surrey, Norfolk, Suffolk, and the city of Norwich, he (the said John Paston) will do true and faithful service to the said Bishop, and will be aiding and assisting to him and Magdalen College, in order that the lands may be let to their greatest profit, he being rewarded by the Bishop, to show his very good will to the due performing of Fastolf’s will; and that before the Feast of All Saints next he will deliver up to the said Bishop all charters, deeds, evidences, rentals, accounts, etc., pertaining to any of the said manors, excepting such as concern solely the manor of Castre, which by covenant of the said Bishop with Sir John Paston, Knight, brother of the said John Paston, Squire, must remain with the same Sir John.
[Footnote 81-3: The following abstract, like some others preceding, is taken from Mr. Macray’s Report to the Historical MSS. Commission on the Records of Magdalen College, Oxford.]
[[1470, 10 Aug., 10 Edw. IV., at Eshher. _spelling unchanged_]]
756
ABSTRACTS[82-1]
PAINTER’S WORK
[Sidenote: 1470]
1. Account of payments to Robert Spery, servant of Vyol, and others, for working at the Frerys[82-2] in June and July; also for varnish, lead, earthen pans, yellow ochre, oil, bristles to make brushes, etc., for painter’s work.
_Endorsed_: ‘Vialles byll comprisid in the iij. rolles of stuff and werkmanship to A. P.[82-3] place and the Freris, which, as Clargynet understondith, is paid to Viall.’
‘Memorandum: j. copy of this bill remayneth amonges the billes of werkmanship at the White Freres and Baretts place, and a noder among the billes of plate and Vialles plegis.’
2. ‘Bill indented,’ 15th Aug. 10 Edw. IV., between William Paston, Esq., and Thomas Vyall of Norwich, painter, relative to the pledging of certain coral beads and plate to the former, for £5.
3. Account of sums owing to one Vyall for certain persons ‘at the Freris,’ during August, September, and October. Total, 32_s._ 10_d._
_Endorsed_: ‘Viall’s reckoning written in the roll of the Freris werke not paid, and must be allowed of the £5 that was lent to Viall not yet content again.’
‘Memorandum: one copy of this bill remaineth amongs the bills of workmanship at the White Freris and Baretts place, and another bill amongs the bills of plate and pledges.’
[Footnote 82-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 82-2: Apparently the White Friars at Norwich.]
[Footnote 82-3: Agnes Paston’s?]
[[... not yet / content again.’ _close quote missing_]]
757
FASTOLF’S COLLEGE[82-4]
[Sidenote: 1470 / AUG. 27]
‘4. John Paston, Squier, bindes himself to doe true and faithfull service to the Bishop of Winton, and to be ayding to his college and other his officers and tenants, for the landes of Sir John Falstolf, and to deliver to him all deedes, evidences, etc., except such as concerne the manor of Castre. Aug. 27, Edw. IV. 10.’
[Footnote 82-4: This entry is from the same old index of deeds in Magdalen College, Oxford, referred to in previous Nos.]
758
EDWARD IV. TO WILLIAM SWAN[83-1]
_To oure welbelovid William Swan, Gentilman._
R. E.
BY THE KING.
[Sidenote: 1470 / SEPT. 7]
Trusty and welbeloved, we grete you well. And for soo muche as we be credibly acertayned that our auncient ennemyes of Fraunce and our outward rebells and traitors be drawe to gadre in acorde, and entende hastily to lande in our countre of Kent, or in the parties therof ner adjonyng, with grete might and power of Frenshemen, utterly to destroie us and our true subgietts, and to subverte the comon wele of the same our royalme: We straitly charge and commaunde you, upon the feyth and liegeaunce that ye bare unto us, that ye arredie you with alle the felaship ye can make, and as sone as ye may undrestonde that thay lande in our said countie or nerbye, that you draw thider, as we have comaunded othere our subgietts to doo, and put you in uttremost devoir with thaim to resiste the malice of our said ennemyes and traitours; and if thai and ye be not of power soo to doo, that thanne ye drawe you to our citie of London, by which tyme we trust to be there in our owne personne or nerby; and if we be not that, that thanne ye do farther all ye shal bee commaunded by our Counsail there, upon the payne above said.
Yeven undre oure signet at oure citie of York, the vij. day of Septembr.
[Footnote 83-1: [From Fenn, iv. 438.] This letter does not properly belong to the Paston correspondence. It was copied by Fenn from an original in the library of Brigg Price Fountaine, Esq. of Narford, in Norfolk, nephew and heir of the celebrated antiquary, Sir Andrew Fountaine. The MS. was contained in a volume of State Papers, some of them originals, and some copies, of various dates, which had belonged to Sir Edward Coke.
The date of the document is undoubtedly in September 1470, when Edward was at York, anticipating the invasion of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, aided by the King of France.]
THE PASTON LETTERS
_Henry VI. Restored_
759
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[84-1]
_To my ryght worchipfull Modyr, Margaret Paston, be thys delyuered._
[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 12]
Aftyr humbyll and most dew recommendacyon, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng. Plesyt yow to wet that, blyssyd be God, my brodyr and I be in good hele; and I tryst that we shall do ryght well in all owyr maters hastyly; ffor my Lady of Norff.[84-2] hathe promyssyd to be rewlyd by my Lord of Oxynforthe[84-3] in all syche maters as belonge to my brodyr and to me; and as for my Lord of Oxynforthe, he is bettyr Lord to me, by my trowthe, than I can wyshe hym in many maters; for he sente to my Lady of Norff. by John Bernard only for my mater, and for non othyr cause, my onwetyng [_i.e._ without my knowledge], or wythout eny preyer of me, for when he sente to hyr I was at London, and he at Colchestyr, and that is a lyeklyod he remembyrthe me.
The Dwk and the Dwchess swe to hym as humbylly as evyr I dyd to them; in so myche that my Lord of Oxynforth shall have the rwyll of them and thers, by ther owne desyirs and gret meanys.
As for the ofyces that ye wrot to my brodyr for and to me, they be for no poore men; but I tryst we shall sped of othyr ofyseys metly for us, for my Mastyr the Erle of Oxynforthe bydeth me axe and have. I trow my brodyr Syr John shall have the Constabyllshep of Norwyche Castyll, with xx_li._ of ffee; all the Lordys be agreyd to it.
Tydyngs, the Erle of Wyrcestyr[85-1] is lyek to dye this day, or to morow at the ferthest. John Pylkyngton, Mr. W. att Clyff, and Fowler ar takyn, and in the Castyll of Pomfrett, and ar lyek to dye hastyly, with owte they be dead. Sir T. Mongomere and Joudone be takyn; what shall falle of hem I can not sey.
The Qwen[85-2] that was, and the Dwchess of Bedford,[85-3] be in seyntuary at Westmestyr; the Bysheop of Ely[85-4] with othyr Bysheopys ar in Seynt Martyns. When I here more, I shall send yow more. I prey God send yow all your desyrs. Wretyn at London on Seynt Edwards Evyn.
Your sone and humbyll servant,
J. P.
Modyr, I beseche yow that Brome may be spoken to, to gadyr up my syllvyr at Gwton in all hast possybyll, for I have no mony. Also that it lyek yow that John Mylsent may be spoken to, to kep well my grey horse, and he be alyve, and that he spare no met on hym, and that he have konnyng lechys to look to hym. As for my comyng hom, I knowe no serteynte, for I terry tyll my Lady of Norff. com to go thorow with the maters, and she shall not be here tyll Sonday.
[Footnote 84-1: [From Fenn, ii. 50.] The contents of this letter clearly refer to the state of matters on the restoration of Henry VI.]
[Footnote 84-2: Elizabeth, daughter of John Talbot, first Earl of Shrewsbury, was the wife of John Mowbray, fifth Duke of Norfolk.]
[Footnote 84-3: John de Vere, a staunch Lancastrian.]
[Footnote 85-1: John Tiptoft, Lord Treasurer and Chief-Constable of England. He was beheaded on a charge of cruelty, 18th October 1470.]
[Footnote 85-2: Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward IV.]
[Footnote 85-3: Jaquetta of Luxemburg, Duchess-Dowager of Bedford, widow of Sir Richard Woodville, the mother of Edward’s queen.]
[Footnote 85-4: William Gray.]
760
THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK’S MEN[86-1]
_To the Baillies, Constables, and Chamberleyns of our Burgh of Eye, and to everch of them._
THE DUKE OF SUFF.
[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 22]
For asmuche as Edmond Lee and John Barker, which were waged for your town to awaite upon us in the Kings service to Lincolne Feld, and from thens to Excestre and ayen, and for that season, as we be enfourmed, thei ar not yet fully contented and paied of their wages; wherfore upon the sighte herof we woll and charge that ye, with oute any lenger delay, paie them their hooll duties acording the covenants that ye made with them, and ye faille not herof as ye entende our pleaser.
Wreten at Wyngefeld, the xxij^th day of Octobr.
SUFFOLK.
[Footnote 86-1: [From Fenn, iv. 448.] The battle here referred to as ‘Lincoln Field’ is what is commonly called the battle of Stamford, in which the insurrection of Sir Robert Welles in Lincolnshire was completely defeated in March 1470. Just before the date of this document, Edward IV. had left the kingdom, and Henry VI. had been restored; but perhaps Suffolk was not aware of the situation, or did not recognise it.]
761
MARGARET PASTON TO [JOHN PASTON][86-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 28]
I grete you wele and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn, and I sende you be the berere herof all the sylver vessell that your graundam[86-3] makyth so mych of, which she seid I had of myn husband, and myn husband shuld have had it of his fader. And wher as she seid that I shuld have had a garneys, I had ner see never more than I send you, that is to say, ij. plateris, vj. dysshes and vj. sawceris. The ij. playteris weyn xliij. unces di., and the vj. dysshes weyn lxxiiij. unces di. and the sawcers weyn xvij. unces j. quarter. And I marvayll that ye sent me not word what an unce of sylver is werth at London; for it had be lesse joparte to have sold it here and have sent you the money than the plate. I myght have sold it her for iij_s._ an unce, sum xx_li._ iiij_s._ iij_d._ Be ware how that ye spend it, but in acquityng you ageyn such as ye be in daunger to, or abought the good speed of your materis; for, but if ye take odere heed to your expensis, ye shall do your self and your frendis gret diswurchep and enpoveryssh so them that non of us shall help other, to owr elmys [_enemies’_] grete comfort. It is understand ryght now in this countre be such as cleyme to be frendly to you in what grete daunger and nede ye stande in, bothe to diverse of your frendis and to your elmyse. And also it is noysed that I have departed so largely with you that I may nowthere help yow, my self nor none of my frendis; which is no wurchep, and causeth me to set the lesse be us; and at this tyme it compellith me to breke up howshold and to sogeorn; which I am right loth to have to do if I myght otherwyse have chosyn; for it caused gret clamour in this town[87-1] that I shall do so; and it shuld not have neded if I had restreyned whan I myght. Therfore for Goddis sake take hede here to, and be ware from hens forth; for I have delivered and sent you bothyn my parte the dedis and yowris, and not restreyned nowthere for my self nor the dede. Where fore I thynk we spede and fare all the wers; for it is a fowle slaunder that he was so wurchepful beried and his qwethword not performed, and so litill do for hym sithen. And now though I wold do for hym, I have right not [_naught_] beside my lyffelode that I may make any chevysans with, with ought grete slaunder; and my lyffelode encreasith evill, for I am fayn to takyn Mautby in myn owyn hand, and to set up husbandry ther; and how it shall profite me God knowyth. The fermour owyth me lxxx_li._ and more. Whan I shall have it I wete never. Therfore be never the bolder in your expenses for any help ye trust to have of me. For I will fro hens forth bryng my self ought of such daunger as I stand in for your sakes, and do for the dede and for them that I have my goodis of; for till I do so, I know for certeyn that I shall fayll grace and displeas God, How [_who_] have you in His kepyng. Wretyn on Sent Symondis day and Judes in hast.--Be your Moder.
Item, I send zow ij. sherte clothys, iche of iii. zardis of the fynest that is in thys towne. I xuld a dohem mad here[88-1] but that xuld a be to long here [_ere_] ze xuld a had hem. Zour Awnte[88-2] or sum other good woman wule do her almes up on zow for the makyng of them. I thank zow for the gowne that ye gave me Halowmesse day I hope [I[88-3]] xole be wurshuped ther with. At reverence of God, be ware and take hed to soche thynggis as is wretyn with ynne thys letter. Telle your brother that the mony is not zet cownyd that I xuld send hym for thersarsenet (_sic_) and damaske that I spake to hym foor. As for the damaske that may be forebore tylle the nexte terme, but as for the sarsenet I woold have yt and yt mythe be, for I goo in my rentis. Late zour brothere[88-4] see thys letter. As fore your syster[88-5] I can send zow no good tydyngges of her, God make her a good wooman.
[Footnote 86-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 206.] This letter was written by Margaret Paston to one of her two sons, Sir John or John, at a time when they were both together. That was the case in October 1470, as appears by a letter of the younger brother, written on the 12th (No. 759), to the postscript of which this seems to be an answer.]
[Footnote 86-3: Agnes Paston, the judge’s widow.]
[Footnote 87-1: Norwich.]
[Footnote 88-1: ‘I xuld a dohem mad here’ = I should have got them made here.]
[Footnote 88-2: Elizabeth, widow of Robert Poynings.]
[Footnote 88-3: Omitted in MS.]
[Footnote 88-4: Sir John Paston, if this letter be to the younger brother.]
[Footnote 88-5: Margery Paston, now probably married to Richard Calle.]
762
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[88-6]
_To John Paston, Esquyere, in haste._
[Sidenote: 1470 / NOV. 15]
Brother, I comand me to yow, praying yow that thys be yow guydyng, if other folkys wy[ll] agree to the same, that Mr. Roos, olde Knevett, ye, and the worshypfullest that wyll do for owr sake, as Arblaster, John Gyneye, Wodhows, and al other gentelmen that at the daye wyll be in Norwyche, that ye all holl as on bodye come to geder, that my Lorde of Oxenforde maye ondrestande that som strenkethethe restyth ther by, whyche if it be well handely[d] and prove in the handely[ng], I trow Heydonnes parte woll be but an easy comparyson. Neverthelesse ye than most ye be war of on [_one_] payn, and that is thys: Heydon wyll of crafte sende amonge yow per case vj. or mor with harneyse for to sclandre yowr felawschep, with seyng that they be ryotous peple, and natt of substance. Requer the gentelmen above wretyn that if any men be in Norwyche of the contre that ber any suche harneyse, to do them leve it or any glysteryng byll.
The Meyr and siteseynes of Nowyche wher wonte to have asertayne[89-1] in harneyse of men of the town to the nombr of ij. or iij. or v.^c., whyche if they now do in lyke case, those wole owe better wyll to Mr. Roos and yow than to other folkys; and if it be so that the thowt nat to have non suche at thys tyme, I thynke the Meyr woll do it at the request of Mr. Roos and yow, if lak of tyme cawse it not.
Item, be well war of Clopton, for he hathe avysed my Lorde to be all to gydre rewled by Heydon, in so moche he hathe reportyd that all thyng and all materys of my Lordes, and in all the contre, scholde guydyd by Heydon. If Clopton or Hygham or Lowes John be besy, prese in to my Lorde byfor them, for the be no Suff.[89-2] materys, and tell the raylyng; prayng them not to cawse my Lorde to owe hys favor for the pleser to som folkys ther present. For if my Lorde favoryd or theye owther, by lykelyed my Lorde and they myght lose vj. tyme as many frendes as he scholde wynn by ther meanes. Also if ye cowde fynde the meanes, Mr. R. and ye, to cawse [the] Meyr in my Lordes ere to telle hym, thow he scholde bynde my Lorde to concell, that the love of the contre and syte restyth on owr syde, and that other folkys be not belovyd, ner nevyr wer, thys wolde do nonn harme, if it be soo that all thynge go olyver currant (?); with mor to remembre that ther is owt of that contre that be nat at Norw. besyde me, that be ryght worshypfull, and as worshypfull as few be lengyng to Norff., that woll and schall do my Lorde servyse the rather for my sake and Master Rossys, and the rather if my Lorde semyth nat moche thynge to Heydon guydyng.
Also, the godely menes wherby ye best can entrete my cosyn Sir W. Calthorpe at the seyde day, wse them to cawe hym, if itt wyll be, to come, ye in hys companye, and he in yow in cheff at yow cheff schew, and Mr. Roos and he in company, latyng my seyde cosyn wete that I tolde hym ones that I scholde meve hym of a thyng I trostyn scholde be encressyng bothe to hys honor and well.
I sende yow a lettyr, com to Norwyche by lyklyed to yow on Monday last past. It come some what the lattre, for I wende have dyed nat longe by foer it. Also I receyved on from yow by Mr. Blomvyle yister evyn. Tell my cosyn W. Yelverton that he may not appyr of a whylle in no wyse. I trow my cosyn hys fadr schall sende hym worde of the same. Do that ye can secretly that my Lorde be nat hevy Lorde on to hym. It is undrestande that itt is doon by the craffte of Heydon. He gate hym in to that offyce to have to be ageyn me, and nowe he sethe that he hathe don all that he can ageyn me, and now may doo no mor; nowe he wolde remeve hym. The daye is comen that he fastyd the evyn for, as an holye yonge monke fastyd mor than all the covent, aftr that for hys holynesse and fastyng hopyd to be abbott, whyche afterwarde was abbott; than lefte he hys abstynens, seyng, ‘The daye was come that he fast the evyn for.’
Brother, I pray yow recomand me to my Lord of Oxford gode Lordshyp. And wher as I told my Lord that I shuld have awayted uppon hys Lordsyp in Norff., I wold that I myght soo have don lever then a hundred _li._; but in godefeth thos maters that I told my Lord trewed shold lette me war not fynyshed tyl yesterday. Wherfor yf that cause, and also syn Halowmasse every other day myst not hold uppe myn heed, nor yet may, in semech that sythen the seyd day, in Westminster Halle and in other place, I have goon with a staffe as a goste, as men sayd, more lyke that I rose owte of the erth then owte of a fayr laydys bedd; and yet am in lyke case, savyng I am in gode hope to amende. Wherfor I beshyche hys Lordshyp to pardon me, and at a nother tyme I shall make dobell amends; for by my trouth a man cowyd not have hyred me for v. mark with so gode will to have ryden in to Norff. as to have at thys season ther to have awaytyd in hys Lordshyp, and also I wold have ben glad for my Lord shold have knowyn what servys that I myght have don hys Lordshyp in that contray.
Item, your geer ys send to you, as Thomas Stampes sayth, savyng Mylsents geer and the shafeson,[91-1] whych I cannot entrete Thomas Stampes to goo therfor thys iij. or iiij. days, wherfor I knokkyd hym on the crowne, &c.
Item, loke that ye take hyde that the letter wer not broken or that it com to your hands, &c. Wryten at London, on Thursday next after Seynt Erkenwolds Day, &c.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 88-6: [From Fenn, iv. 450.] From what is said in this letter about the Earl of Oxford, it is impossible that it could have been written at any other time than during the brief restoration of Henry VI., which only lasted from October 1470 till April following.]
[Footnote 89-1: _A certain_, _i.e._ a number.]
[Footnote 89-2: I retain this word in the abbreviated form in which it is printed in Fenn’s literal transcript; the copy in modern spelling reads _sufficient_.]
[Footnote 91-1: _Chevron_, a covering for a horse’s head, made of iron and leather.]
[[if it be soo that all thynge go olyver / currant (?) _text has “that that”: corrected from Fenn_ _“olyver currant” may be the Old French “(avoir) l’olivier courant” (to have a favorable wind)_]]
763
ABSTRACT[91-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / DEC. 6]
[1470] 6 Dec., on paper. Notice in English from the Duke of Norfolk to Philippe Cosard, William Dux, and other of his servants and tenants in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, to depart out of the manor of Castre, and all other manors and lands which he bought of Sir W. Yelverton and other executors of Sir J. Fastolf, as soon as they can conveniently remove all his stuff and their own which is therein, he having consented, at the desire of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chancellor of England, and the Bishop of Winchester, to give up the said manor, etc. Signed by the Duke, ‘Norff.’ Small seal of arms, three lions passant, in chief, a label of three points, a straw round the seal.
[Footnote 91-2: The following abstract is taken from Mr. Macray’s Report on the Documents in Magdalen College, Oxford, already referred to.]
764
ABSTRACT[92-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / DEC. 11]
1470, 11 Dec., 49 Hen. VI., ‘and of the readepcion of his roiall power 1.’ Release (in English) from John, Duke of Norfolk, to Bishop Wayneflete, of the manors of Castre, Wyntertone, Baytone, Bastwik, and Tolthorpe, in Norfolk, and of Caldecote, Burneviles or Burnegyles, in Suffolk, which had been sold to him by Nicholas, Abbot of Langle, Will. Yelverton, Knight, Justice, Thomas Howes, clerk, and Will. Worcetre, and of which the said Yelverton, Howes, and Will. Jenney, as feoffees, with others, for Sir J. Fastolf, of the said manors, enfeoffed the said Duke and others by deed, dated 1st. Oct., 8 Edw. IV. [1468], the said Duke being informed by the Archbishops of York and Canterbury, and by the said Bishop of Winchester, that the said bargain was made contrary to the will of the said Sir John Fastolf. Covenants also to deliver up all evidences concerning the same, specially the said deed of feoffment and two papers, one with four seals specifying the said bargain, and another with three seals specifying a license to enter on all Fastolf’s manors till the bargain be performed. And for this reconveyance the said Bishop pays to the said Duke 500 marks.
[Footnote 92-1: This abstract is also taken from Mr. Macray’s Report on the Documents in Magdalen College.]
765
ABSTRACT[92-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / DEC. 24]
1470, 24 Dec., 49 Hen. VI., ‘and of the readepcione of his royall power, the first.’ Acknowledgment by ‘the highe and myghti Prynce, John, Duke of Norff.,’ of the receipt of 100 marks from the Bishop of Winchester, being part of 250 marks which the said Bishop has promised to pay upon knowledge of the delivery of the manor of Castre, and other lordships specified in a writing between the said parties, unto the feoffees of the said Bishop.
[Footnote 92-2: This abstract is from the same report as the two last.]
766
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[93-1]
_To John Paston the yonger, be this delivered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1470(?) / DEC. [28]]
I grete you wele, and send you Godds blyssyng and myn, latyng you wete that sith ye departed my Cosyn Calthorp sent me a letter, compleyning in his wrytyng that for asmych as he can not be payd of his tenaunts as he hat be befor this tyme, he purposith to lesse his howshold, and to leve the streytlyer. Wharfor he desireth me to purvey for your suster Anne; he seth she waxeth hygh, and it wer tyme to purvey her a mariage.
I marveyll what causeth hym to write so now; outher she hath displeased hym, or ell[es] he hath takyn her with diffaught. Therfor I pray you comune with my Cosyn Clere at London, and wete how he is dysposyd to her ward, and send me word, for I shall be fayn to send for her, and with me she shall but lese her tyme, and with ought she wull be the better occupied she shall oftyn tymes meve me, and put me in gret inquietenesse. Remembr what labour I had with your suster, therfor do your parte to help her forth, that may be to your wurchiep and myn.
Item, remembr the bill that I spake to you of, to gete of your brother of such money as he hath receyvid of me sith your faders disseas. Se your Unkyll Mautby, if ye may, and send me sume tydyngs as sonee as ye may. God kepe you.
Wretyn the Fryday next befor Sent Thomas of Caunterbury, in hast.
By your Moder.
[Footnote 93-1: [From Fenn, iv. 288.] This letter was probably written in or about the year 1470. Anne Paston, the sister of John Paston, here mentioned, was married to William Yelverton, a grandson of the Judge, in 1474 (Itin. W. Wyrc. 369), and the match had been already determined (as will appear in a future letter) before June 1472. At the date of this letter she was still staying in Calthorpe’s household, into which, after the manner of the times, she had been sent for her education; and Calthorpe desiring to reduce his establishment, suggested, somewhat earlier than her mother anticipated, that it was time to provide a husband for her.]
767
ABSTRACT[94-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / FEB. 12]
Norfolk and Suffolk Deeds, No. 50. ‘John Paston, Knight, binds himself to performe all appoyntments made betweene him and W. Wanflet, Byshop of Winton, concerning certayne landes which were Sir John Fastolfes. Feb. 12, Hen. VI. 49.’
[Footnote 94-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
768
ABSTRACT[94-2]
[Sidenote: 1471 / FEB. 14]
Release by John Beauchamp, Knight, Lord Beauchamp, to John Paston and Roger Townesend, Esqs., of his interest in the manors of Castre called Redhams, Vaus, and Bosoms; and in the manors of Begviles in Wyntirton, Spensers in Heryngby, Reppes in Bastwyk, and a third part of the manor of Runham; and in all lands called Billes in Stokesby, Cattes in Haringby, a messuage called Dengayns in Yarmouth, and all lands and tenements in the hundreds of East Flegge and West Flegge in Norfolk; which premises Lord Beauchamp lately had in conjunction with Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, William Yelverton, Justice, William Jenney, Serjeant-at-law, and William Paston, now surviving, and John Radclyff of Attylburgh, John Paston, Hen. Fylongley, Esqs., Thomas Howes, clerk, and Thomas Grene, now deceased, of the gift and feoffment of Ralph Boteler, Knight, Lord Sudeley, Sir William Oldhall, Ric. Waller, Esq., Thos. West, Esq., William Wangford, and Nich. Girlyngton.
Dated 14th Feb., 49 and 1 Hen. VI.
[Footnote 94-2: [From a MS. in the Bodleian Library.]]
769
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO THOMAS VERE[94-3]
_To my right dere and welbeloved brother, Thomas Veer._
[Sidenote: 1471 / MARCH 14]
Right dere and welbeloved brother, I command me hertly unto you; certyfying you that I have receyved your writing, directed now laste unto me, by my servant William Cooke, by which I understande the faithfull gwydyng and disposicion of the cuntre, to my gret cumfote and pleaser; which I dowbte not shall redunde to the grethest presyng and worship that ever dide till eny cuntre; certyfying you ferdermore that by Nicheson of your other tydyngs laste send unto me; also thes by Robt. Porter. I have disposed me with all the power that I can make in Essex and Suffolk, Cambrygeshire, and other places, to be on Monday next comyng at Bury, which purpose I intende to observe, with Godds grace, towards you in to Norffolk, to the assistence of you and the cuntre, in case Edwarde with his companye had aryved ther, and yete I shall do the same noughtwithstandyng; for if he aryve northwarde, like as ye wete by likelyhode he shulde, I caste to folow and porsew hym. And where ye desire that I shulde send you woorde what disposicion shalbe take in the cuntre wher ye be, I desire you that ye, by theadvyse of the gentilmen which ben there, chese iij. or iiij., and send theym to me at Bury on Monday next; and than I and they, with my Counceyle, shall take a direccion for the suretie of all that cuntre, by Godds grace; by whome I shall send than to you relacion, wheder ye shall remayne still ther your selff, or resorte to me with all thos that be accompanyed with you. And Jhesu preserve you. At Hithingham [_Hedingham_], the xiiij. day of Marche.
By your lovyng brothyr,
OXYNFORD.
[Footnote 94-3: [From Fenn, ii. 54.] It is sufficiently apparent from the contents that this was written during the restoration of Henry VI., and in anticipation of the attempt by King Edward, which was very soon afterwards successful, to recover his throne. Edward in fact landed at Ravenspur the very day this letter was written.]
770
THE EARL OF OXFORD TO HENRY SPILMAN AND OTHERS[95-1]
_To my right trusty and welbelovyd Henry Spilman, Thos. Seyve, John Seyve, James Radclif, John Brampton the older, and to eche of them._
[Sidenote: 1471 / MARCH 19]
Trusty and welbeloved, I comende me to you, lettyng you witte that I have credible tydyngs that the Kyngs gret enemys and rebellis, acompanyed with enemys estraungers, be nowe aryved, and landyd in the north parties of this his land, to the utter destruction of his roiall persone, and subversion of all his realm, if they myght atayne; whom to encountre and resiste the Kings Highnesse hath comaunded and assigned me, under his seall, sufficient power and auctorite to call, reyse, gader, and assemble, fro tyme to tyme, all his liege people of the shire of Norff., and other places, to assiste, ayde, and strenght me in the same entent.
Wherfor, in the Kyngs name, and by auctorite aforesaid, I straitly charge and command you, and in my owne byhalf hertly desire and pray you, that, all excuses leid apart, ye, and eche of you in your owne persones defensibly araied, with asmony men as ye may goodly make, be on Fryday next comyng at Lynne, and so forth to Newark, where, with the leve of God, I shall not faile to be at that tyme; entendyng fro thence to goo foorth with the help of God, you, and my fryndes, to the recountr of the said enemyes; and that ye faill not hereof, as ye tendre the weele of our said sovereygne Lord, and all this his realme. Written at Bury, the xix^th day of Marche.
OXYNFORD.
[Footnote 95-1: [From Fenn, ii. 58.] This letter was evidently written five days after the last.]
771
JAMES GRESHAM TO SIR JOHN PASTON[96-1]
_To the right worshipfull and speciall singler maister, Sir John Paston, Knyght, be this delyvered._
[Sidenote: 1471]
After due recomendacion hadde with all my service, &c. . . . . . .[96-2]
As for tydyngs, here in this cuntre be many tales, and non accorth with other. It is tolde me by the Undirshireve that my Lord of Clarence is goon to his brother, late Kyng; in so moche that his men have the Gorget[96-3] on their breests, and the Rose over it. And it is seid that the Lord Howard hath proclamed Kyng E. Kyng of Inglond in Suff., &c.
Yours, and at your comandement,
JAMES GRESHAM.
[Footnote 96-1: [From Fenn, ii. 60.] The political news in this letter show that it was written after the landing of Edward IV. in Yorkshire.]
[Footnote 96-2: ‘Here,’ according to Fenn, ‘follow copies of indictments and appeals procured against Sir John Paston and his servants; and likewise other law business.’ The indictments and appeals in question are doubtless those referred to in the next No.]
[Footnote 96-3: A collar worn round the neck.--F.]
772
ABSTRACT[97-1]
A Register of Writs, etc., which was probably sent with the preceding letter. It is addressed on the back, ‘To Sir John Paston,’ and endorsed ‘James Gresham.’
* * *
_Distringas_ against Sir John Paston, late of Castre, for his appearance in the King’s Bench, Easter, 8 Edw. IV. ‘Per Contr. de Anno viij^o E. iiij^{ti}. Ro. xxviij.[97-2] Vynter.’
_Distringas_ against Sir John Paston and Ric. Calle, late of Castre, with _capias_ against William Wykes, late of Castre; Edmund Brome, late of Redeham; and John Dawebeney, late of Castre; Thurstan Cokesson, _alias_ Starky, late of Castre; John Pampyng, late of Castre; and Henry Swete, late of Castre, yeoman, for their appearance in the King’s Bench in Easter to answer for offences against the statute _de ingressibus manu forti_. ‘Per Contr’ de Anno viij^o E. iiij^{ti}. Ro. xxviij. Vynter.’
‘Of these ij. writtes ar _supersedeas_ delyvered to the Undirshirreve.’
Writ of exigent against John Pampyng, late of Castre, gent., and Edmund Brome of Castre, gent., ‘Oct’ Joh’is,’ appealed by Cecilia, widow of John Colman, as principals in the death of her husband. Ro. 67. ‘Breve istud deliberatur de recordo, Hill. xlix. Sonde.’
Another writ of exigent against Pampyng and Brome at the King’s suit for divers felonies and murders. ‘Ro. xvj. Per Contr’ de Anno x^o E. iiij^{ti}. Ro. xij^o Vynter.’
_Distringas_ against Sir John Paston and Ric. Calle for their appearance in the King’s Bench in Easter term, on an indictment for forcible entry. ‘Per Contr’ de Anno viij^o E. iiij^{ti}. Ro. xxix.’
_Distringas_ against Sir John Paston and Ric. Calle, with _capias_ against John Wykes, late of Castre, Edmund Brome, John Dawebeney, and Thurstan Cokesson, _alias_ Starky, late of Castre, for their appearance in the King’s Bench in Easter term, on an indictment of forcible entry. ‘Per Contr’ de Anno viij. E. iiij^ti. Ro. xxviij. Vynter.’
_Distringas_ against Sir John Paston and Ric. Calle, with _capias_ against John Wykes, Edmund Brome, John Dawebeney, and Thurstan, etc., for Easter. ‘Per Contr. de Anno viij. Ro. xxviij. Vynter.’
_Capias_ against John Pampyng, late of Castre, Edmund Brome, late of Redeham, William Bedford and Edmund Mason, late of Bychamwelle, laborer, and Alex. Cok of Norwich, yeoman, ‘xv. Pasch.,’ appealed by Christiana, widow of Thos. Mylys, in Easter term, as principals in the death of her husband. Also _capias_ against William Paston of Norwich and Ralph Lovell of Bychamwelle, gent., appealed as accessaries. Ro. lxix. Registrum Sonde.’
⁂ All the above writs are for the county of Norfolk.
[Footnote 97-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 97-2: The Controlment Roll 8 Edw. IV. is now missing.]
773
ABSTRACT[98-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / APRIL 10]
‘30. Relaxatio Johannis Paston facta episc. Winton, et aliis totius juris in maneriis vocat. Akethorp in Leyestoft, Spitlings in Gorleston, Habland in Bradwell, etc., quæ quondam fuerunt Johannis Fastolf.--April 10, Edw. IV. 11.’
[Footnote 98-1: This is another entry from the old index of deeds in Magdalen College, Oxford. There is probably some slight error in the date, as Edward IV. was not acknowledged as King on the 10th April, in what would otherwise have been the eleventh year of his reign. He was so acknowledged a few days later--_i.e._ after the battle of Barnet, which was fought on the 14th April--so that if the date had been, say, April 20, instead of April 10, it would have been quite consistent. It is impossible, however, to say where the error lies, so we place the document under the date actually expressed in it.]
THE PASTON LETTERS
_Edward IV._
774
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[99-1]
_To my Moodre._
[Sidenote: 1471 / APRIL 18]
Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette that, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Never the lesse he is hurt with an arow on hys ryght arme, be nethe the elbow; and I have sent hym a serjon, whyche hathe dressid hym, and he tellythe me that he trustythe that he schall be all holl with in ryght schort tyme. It is so that John Mylsent is ded, God have mercy on hys sowle! and Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe, and hys other servants all be askepyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as ffor me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God; and in no joparte off my lyffe, as me lyst my self; for I am at my lyberte iff nede bee.
Item, my Lorde Archebysshop[99-2] is in the Towr; neverthelesse I trust to God that he schall do well i noghe; he hathe a saffe garde for hym and me bothe. Neverthelesse we have ben troblyd syns, but nowe I undrestande that he hathe a pardon; and so we hope well.
Ther was kyllyd uppon the ffelde, halffe a myle ffrom Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle of Warwyk, the Marqweys Montacu, Sir William Terrell,[100-1] Sir Lewes Johns, and dyverse other Esquiers off owr contre, Godmerston and Bothe.
And on the Kynge Edwardes partye, the Lord Cromwell,[100-2] the Lord Saye,[100-3] Sir Omffrey Bowghsher[100-4] off owr contre, whyche is a sore moonyd man her, and other peple off bothe partyes to the nombre off mor then a m^l.
As for other tythynges, is undrestande her that the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd and hyr sone in the west contre, and I trow that as to morow, or ellys the next daye, the Kynge Edwarde wyll depart ffrom hense to hyr warde, to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow that I may be recomendyd to my cosyn Lomner, and to thanke hym ffor hys goode wyll to me wardes, iff I had hadde nede, as I undrestoode by the berer heroff; and I beseche you on my behalve to advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng or langage as yit, ffor the worlde, I ensur yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall know with in thys monthe; the peple heer feerythe it soor.
God hathe schewyd Hym selffe marvelouslye lyke Hym that made all, and can undoo ageyn whan Hym lyst; and I kan thynke that by all lyklyod schall schewe Hym sylff as mervylous ageyn, and that in schort tyme; and, as I suppose, offter than onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brother is on purveyed off monye. I have holpyn hym to my power and above. Wherffor as it pleasythe yow remembre hym, ffor kan not purveye ffor my selffe in the same case.
Wretyn at London the thorysdaye in Esterne weke. I hope hastely to see yow.
All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye not adoghtyd off the worlde, ffor I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe, I ame not all undon, nor noon off us; and iff otherwyse, then, &c. &c.
[Footnote 99-1: [From Fenn, ii. 62.] This letter, as shown by the contents, was written just four days after the battle of Barnet, by which Edward IV. recovered his throne. It is not signed, but the writer is Sir John Paston.]
[Footnote 99-2: George Neville, Archbishop of York. It was from the custody of this prelate that Edward escaped, after having been surprised and taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick, in 1470: perhaps the kind treatment of his then prisoner now procured his pardon.--F.]
[Footnote 100-1: Sir William Tyrell was cousin to Sir James Tyrell, the afterwards supposed murderer of Edward V. and his brother the Duke of York.--F.]
[Footnote 100-2: Humphrey Bourchier, third son of Henry, Earl of Essex, had summons to Parliament, in 1461, as Lord Cromwell, in right of his wife.--F.]
[Footnote 100-3: William Fienes, Lord Say.]
[Footnote 100-4: Son of John, Lord Berners.]
775
[THE EARL OF OXFORD] TO A LADY[101-1]
_To the ryght reverent and wyrchypfull Lady._[101-2]
[Sidenote: 1471]
Ryght reverent and wyrchypfull Lady, I recomande me to yow, lettyng yow wete that I am in gret hevynes at the makyng of thys letter; but thankyd be God, I am eschapyd my selfe, and sodenly departyd fro my men; for I undyrstand my chapleyn wold have detrayed me; and if he com in to the contre, let hym be mad seuer, &c. Also ye shall gyff credence to the brynger of thys letter, and I beseke yow to reward hym to hys costs; for I was not in power at the makyng of thys letter to gyff hym, but as I wass put in trest by favar of strange pepyll, &c.
Also ye shall send me in all hast all the redi money that ye can make, and asse mone of my men asse can com well horsyd; and that they cum in dyverse parcellys. Also that my horsse be sent, with my stele sadelles; and byd the yoman of the horse cover theym with ledder. Also ye shall send to my moder,[101-3] and let hyr wete of thys letter, and pray hyr of hyr blessyng, and byd hyr send me my kasket, by thys tokyn; that she hathe the key theroff, but it is brokyn.
Also ye shall send to the Pryor of Thetford,[101-4] and byd hym send me the sum of gold that he seyd that I schuld have. Also sey to hym by thys token, that I schewyd hym the fyrst Prive Seale, &c. Also lete Pastun, Fylbryg, Brews, come to me. Also ye shall delyver the brynger of thys letter an horsse, sadell, and brydell. Also ye schallbe of gud cher, and take no thowght, for I schall brynge my purpose abowte now by the grace of God, Qwhome have yow in kepyng.
O . . . D (?).
[Footnote 101-1: [From Fenn, ii. 68.] The signature of this letter is composed of flourishes which were probably devised on purpose to make it unintelligible. Fenn suggests that the first character may be taken for an O, and the last for a D; but to our thinking the resemblance is rather difficult to trace. There is, however, great probability in his conjecture that the writer was the Earl of Oxford, and the date just after the battle of Barnet.]
[Footnote 101-2: Margaret, daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, sister to the late Earl of Warwick, and wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford.--F.]
[Footnote 101-3: Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir John Howard, Knight, who was the grandfather of John Howard, first Duke of Norfolk of that name. She was now the widow of John de Vere, late Earl of Oxford.]
[Footnote 101-4: John Vescey, Prior of Thetford, from 1441 to 1479.--F.]
776
JOHN PASTON OF GELSTON TO MARGARET PASTON[102-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / APRIL 30]
Aftyr humbyll and most dew recomendacyon, in as humbyll wyse as I can, I beseche you of your blyssyng, preying God to reward you with as myche plesyer and hertys ease as I have latward causyd you to have trowbyll and thowght; and, with Godys grace, it shall not be longe to or then my wronges and othyr menys shall be redressyd, for the world was nevyr so lyek to be owyrs as it is now; werfor I prey you let Lomnor no be to besy as yet. Modyr, I beseche you, and ye may spare eny money, that ye wyll do your almesse on me and send me some in as hasty wyse as is possybyll; for by my trowthe my leche crafte and fesyk, and rewardys to them that have kept me and condyt me to London, hathe cost me sythe Estern Day[102-2] more than v_li._, and now I haue neythyr met, drynk, clothys, lechecraft, ner money but up on borowyng; and I have asayid my frendys so ferre, that they be gyn to fayle now in my gretest ned that evyr I was in. Also, modyr, I beseche yow, and my horse that was at lechecraft at the Holt[102-3] be not takyn up for the Kynges hawkys,[102-4] that he may be had hom and kept in your plase, and not to go owght to watyr, nor no whedyr ellys, but that the gat be shet, and he to be chasyd aftyr watyr within your plase, and that he have as myche met as he may ete; I have hey i new of myn owne, and as for otys, Dollys will purvey for hym, or who that dothe it I wyll paye. And I beseche yow that he have every wek iij. boshell of otys, and every day a penyworthe of bred; and if Botoner be not at Norwyche, and Syme kep hym, I shall geve hym well for hys labore. Also that Phelypp Loveday put the othyr horse to gresse ther, as he and I wer acordyd.
Item, that Botoner send me hyddyr the two shyrtys that wer in my casket, and that he send me hydyr xl_s._ by the next messenger that comyth to London.
Item, that Mastress Broom send me hedyr iij. longe gownys and ij. doblettes, and a jaket of plonket chamlett, and a morey bonet out of my cofyr. Sir Jamys hathe the key, as I sent hyr werd be for thys.
Item, that syche othyr wryghtynges and stuff as was in my kasket be in your kepyng, and that no body look my wryghtynges.
Item, that the horse that Purdy hathe of myne be put to some good gresse in haste; and if it plese yow to have knowlage of our royal person, I thank God I am hole of my syknesse, and trust to be clene hole of all my hurttys within a sevennyght at the ferthest, by wyche tym I trust to have othyr tydynges; and those tydynges onys had, I trust not to be longe owght of Norffolk, with Godys grace, Whom I beseche preserve you and your for my part.
Wretyn the last day of Apryll. The berer herof can tell you tydynges, syche as be trew for very serteyn.
Your humbylest servaunt,
J. OF GELSTON.
[Footnote 102-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was printed by Fenn in his fifth volume, of which the original MSS. are now recovered. It was evidently written in April 1471, when the writer was recovering from the wound he had received at the battle of Barnet (_see_ No. 774). It is not addressed, but is endorsed in a later hand, ‘Litera Johannis Paston armigeri matri suæ.’]
[Footnote 102-2: The battle of Barnet was fought on Easter Day, 14th April 1471.]
[Footnote 102-3: A pasture so called, and means the groves, or lands full of wood.--F.]
[Footnote 102-4: This may signify, in jocular language, if he be not dead.--F.]
[[Footnote 102-1 ... (_see_ No. 774). _closing parenthesis missing_]]
777
THE BATTLE OF TEWKESBURY[104-1]
_Ded in the Feld._
[Sidenote: 1471 / MAY 4]
Edward that was called Prynce. Lord John of Somerset. Erle of Devenshire. Lord Wenlok. Sir William Vaus. Sir Edmond Hamden. Sir John Seymour. Sir William Bermoth. Water Barrow. Mr. William Henmar. Mr. Feldyng.[104-2] Hervy, recorder.[104-3] Mr. Herry, capteyn of Brystowe. Sir Roberte Whetyngham. Knoyll.
_Thes be men that were heveded._[104-4]
The Duke of Somerset. The Lord of Sent Jones.[104-5] Sir Jerveys Clyfton. Humfrey Awdeley. Lowes Miles. Forey of Fraunce. Sir John Delvys.[104-6] Lord Foskew on lyffe. Sir William Carre. Sir Hew Courteney. Sir Thomas Tressham. Sir Herry Tressham. Sir William Newbery. Mr. Gower.[105-1] Mr. Awdeley.[105-2] Robert Clerke. Lechefeld, mason of Westmynster. Sir William Grymesby yet on lyffe.
_Thes be the Knyghtes that the Kyng mad in the Feld._
Lord Cobham. Sir George Nevel. Sir Philip Courtenay. Sir Herry Bemonde. Sir Moreys of Barkley. Sir Richard Hastynges. Sir Roberte Haryngton. Sir Thomas Gray. Sir James Terell. Sir John Feres. Sir Herry Feres. Sir Herry Purpeynt. Sir John Parre. Sir John Downe. Sir Roger Kyngstone. Sir John Crokere. Sir ---- Skerne. Sir James Crowmere. Sir William Sandalle. Sir John Deverys. Sir Herry Grey. Sir Edward Wodehous. Sir Richard Croft. Sir John Pylkyngton. Sir John Byngham. Sir John Harley. Sir John Boteler. Sir Christofer Morysby. Sir John Clay. Sir Robert Wylleby. Sir Robert Grene. Sir Roger Ree. Sir Richard Radclyffe. Sir John Saundes. Sir Thomas Strikelande. Sir George Browne. Sir William Motton. Sir Tery Robsert. Sir Thomas Cromewell. Sir Robert Corbet. Sir Nicholas Langford. Sir John Seyntlowe. Sir William Brandon.
[Footnote 104-1: [From MS. Phillipps 9735, No. 279.] This paper is in a contemporary handwriting, and undoubtedly refers to the battle of Tewkesbury.]
[Footnote 104-2: Sir William Fielding, according to Warkworth’s Chronicle.]
[Footnote 104-3: These words, ‘Hervy, recorder,’ are written over ‘Herry, capteyn,’ as a correction; but the latter are not erased. Warkworth mentions Sir Nicholas Hervy.]
[Footnote 104-4: Beheaded.]
[Footnote 104-5: Sir John Longstruther, Prior of St. John’s.]
[Footnote 104-6: Originally written ‘Mr. Delvys,’ and corrected.]
[Footnote 105-1: James Gower, according to Warkworth.]
[Footnote 105-2: Sir Humphrey Audeley.]
778
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[106-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 5]
Most worchepfull and my ryght specyall good modyr, as humbylly as I can, I recomand me on to yow, besechyng yow of your blyssyng. Please it yow to undyrstand that thys day I spake with Batcheler Water, whiche let me have undyrstandyng of your welfare, wherof I thank God with all my hert. Also he leet me have knowlage that the Lord Scalys had grauntyd yow to be my good lord, wherof I am no thyng prowd, for he may do leest with the gret mastyr; but he wold depert ovyr the see, as hastyly as he may; and because he wenyth that I wold go with hym, as I had promyseyd evyr, and he had kept foorthe hys jornay at that tyme, thys is the cause that he wyll be my good lord and help to get my pardon. The Kyng is not best pleasyd with hym for that he desyerthe to depert, in so myche that the Kyng hathe seyd of hym, that wen evyr he hathe most to do, then the Lord Scalys wyll sonest axe leve to depert, and weenyth that it is most be cause of kowardyese. As for pardon, I can never get, withowght I schold paye to myche money for it, and I am not so purveyd. As for Herry Hallman, my brodyr wyll axe hym no sylver tyll ye be payeyd; therfor ye may send to hym and have it.
Item, I am sory that ye have fadyrd my hors that was at Caster to be my Brodyr Edmundys, for I had leveer that they had hym style then owght ellys; wherfor thow they profyr hym yow from hense foorthe, let not my brodyr Edmund take hym, but let him sey whedyr they wyll let hym have hym or not, that I have promyseyd my brodyr Edmund a bettyr hors for hym, so that he wyll not cleyme the same for hys. As for tydyngs her be non but that the Scottys and Walyshe men be besy; what they meane I can not seye. My cosyn John Loveday can tell yow, and ther be eny odyr flyeyng talys, for he hathe walkyd in London, and so do not I. When I may I wyll come hom with Godys grace, whom I beseche to sende you your hertys desyeyr. Wretyn the v. daye of Julle.
Be yowr humblest sone and servant,
J. P.
[Footnote 106-1: [From Fenn, iv. 116.] From the mention of Lord Scales in this letter it might be supposed that it was written not later than the year 1469, when Anthony Woodville, the last Lord Scales, became Earl Rivers by the death of his father; but I believe the date to be 1471, and that the writer is simply speaking of Earl Rivers by his old title. In the first place there is no appearance of either of the John Pastons requiring a royal pardon before the year 1471; secondly, it is not probable that either of them would have spoken so slightingly of the value of Lord Scales’s intercession at an earlier period; and thirdly, it seems doubtful whether Edmund Paston could have been old enough to own a war-horse many years before. Finally, we find by Letter 780 following that John Paston, the youngest, succeeded in obtaining a pardon signed by the King on the 17th July 1471. If the reference to the autograph plate in Fenn is correct, this letter was in the hand of his elder brother, Sir John Paston, Knight; but as it is not signed, like most of his letters, ‘John Paston, K.,’ we are inclined to suspect that it was really written by the younger brother, like No. 780.]
779
ABSTRACT[107-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 12]
Norff. and Suff. Deeds, No. 5. ‘Relaxatio Johannis Paston militis, Davidi Husband et Will. Gyfford totius juris in maneriis de Saxthorp, Tichwell, Haineford, Essex in Hickling, etc., Calcote, Leystoft, Habland, Broweston, Gorleston alias Spitlings, quæ quondam fuerunt Johannis Fastolf mil., et quæ Will. Waynflet episcopus Winton’ habuit ex dono Rad. Boteler domini de Sudley, et prædicti David et Willielmus ex dono episc. prædicti, necnon de et in 25 _markes redd._ precipiend. de priori de Hickling. Julii 12, Edw. IV. 11. With a scedule annexed touching the same release.’
[Footnote 107-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
780
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[107-2]
_To my most worchepfull Modyr, Margaret Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 17]
Ryght worchepfull modyr, I recomand me to yow, and as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng. Please yow to undyrstand that thys Wednysday Sir Thomas Wyngffeld sent to me, and let me wet that the Kyng had syngnyd my bylle of perdon, whyche the seid Sir Thomas delyveryd me; and so by Fryday, at the forthest, I tryst to have my perdon ensealyd by the Chanceler, and soone aftyr, so as I can fornyshe me, I tryst to se yow, if so be that eny of the Kynges hows com in to Norwyche. I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in mewe for gnattys. Also, modyr, I beseche yow that Dollys and his felawe may be sent to, that I may have my money redy ayenst that I come home, whyche is dew to be payid, for thys mater hathe cost me the settyng over. Also that it may please yow that Purdy at Heylysdon maye be sent to for the horse that he hathe of myne, and that the horse may be kept well, and have as myche mete as he wyll eate be twyx thys and that I come home, and that Jakys nage have mete i now also. Also, and Syr Thomas Wyngfeld come to Norwyche, that he may have as good chere as it please yow to make on to that man that I am most behold to for hys gret kyndnesse and good wyll, for he takyth full my part ayenst my gretest enmyeys, Brandons and hys brodyr William; for at my fyrst comyng to Sir Thomas Wyngfeld, bothe William Wyngfeld and William Brandon the yonger wer with Sir Thomas, and had gret wordys to myn owne mowthe, and in cheff W. Wyngfeld; and wher so evyr he may met me on evyn grownd he wyll do myche; but and we met evynly, no fors, so I have yowr blyssyng. I prey yow, with owght it be to my Lady Calthorp, let ther be but fewe woordys of thys perdon. No more, but I prey God preserve yow and yours.
Wretyn the Wednysday next before Mary Mawdelen,
By your humblest sone,
J. P.
[Footnote 107-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to a pardon granted by the King to John Paston the younger, for having taken part with the Lancastrians at the battle of Barnet. Though the ‘bill’ for this pardon was signed by the King on the 17th July, the pardon itself did not pass the Great Seal till the 7th February following, under which date it is enrolled on the Pardon Roll of 11 Edw. IV., memb. 9.]
781
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[109-1]
_To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esqier, hyr sone, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / SEPT. 15]
Ryght well belovyd brother, I comende me to yow, letyng yow wete that I am in wellffar, I thanke God, and have ben evyr syns that I spake last with yow; and mervayle for that ye sent never wryghtynge to me syns ye departyd; I herde nevyr synes that tyme any worde out off Norffolk; ye myght aft Bertlemai Feyr[109-2] have had messengers i nowe to London, and iff ye had sent to Wykys, he scholde have conveyed it to me. I herde yisterdaye, that a Worsted man of Norffolk, that solde worstedys[109-3] at Wynchester, seyde that my Lord of Norffolk and my Lady wer on pylgrymage at Our Lady[109-4] on ffoot, and so they went to Caster; and that at Norwyche on scholde have had large langage to yow, and callyd yow traytor, and pyked many quarellys to yow. Sende me worde ther off; it wer well doo, that ye wer a lytell sewrer off yowr pardon than ye be: avyse you, I deme ye woll her afftr ellys repent yow.
I undrestonde that Bastarde Fauconbryge[109-5] is owther hedyd or lyke to be, and hys brother bothe; some men seye he wolde have deservyd it, and som sey naye.
I purpose to be att London the ffyrst daye off the terme; send me worde whethyr ye schall be ther or nott.
Item, I wolde wete whether ye have spoken wyth my Lady off Norffolk or not, and off hyr disposicion and the howsoldys to me and to yow wardes, and whether it be a possible to have Caster ageyn and ther goodewylles or not; and also I praye yow undrestande what ffelaschyp and guydyng is in Caster, and have a spye resortyng in and owt, so maye ye know the secretys among them. Ther is moche adoo in the Northe, as men seyn; I pray yow be ware off yowr guydyng, and in cheff off yowr langage, and so that ffro hense fforthe by yowr langage noo man perceyve that ye ffavor any person contrary to the Kynges plesur. I undrestonde that the Lord Ryvers hathe lycence off the Kynge to goo to Portyngale now within thys vij. nyght. I pray yow recomande me to my modre, and beseche hyr off hyr blyssyng on my be halve.[110-1]
Item, I praye yow sende me worde iff any off owr ffrendys or wellwyllers be dede, ffor I feer that ther is grete dethe in Norwyche, and in other Borowgh townese in Norffolk, ffor I ensur you it is the most unyversall dethe that evyr I wyst in Ingelonde; ffor by my trowthe, I kan not her by pylgrymes that passe the contre, nor noon other man that rydethe or gothe any contre, that any Borow town in Ingelonde is ffree ffrom that sykenesse; God sease it whan it pleasyt Hym. Wherffor, ffor Goddysake, let my moodre take heede to my yonge brytheren that they be not in noon place wher that sykenesse is regnyng, nor that they dysport not with noon other yonge peple whyche resortythe wher any sykenesse is, and iff ther be any off that sykenesse ded or enffect in Norwyche, ffor Goddes sake, lete hyr sende them to som ffrende off hyrse in to the contre, and do ye the same by myn advyce; late my moodre rather remeve hyr howsesolde in to the contre.
Even now Thyrston browt me word ffro London that it was Doctor Aleyn that cawsyd yowr troble that ye had at Norwych; and that John Pampyng roode ffor a dyscharge ffor yow, and that he hathe sped well, but howghe, that wot I nott; iff ye be cleer owt off Doctor Aleyn danger, kepe yow ther, and her afftr ye maye schoffe as well at hys carte. I praye yow sende me worde off all the fforme off hys delyng with yow.
I had almost spoke with Mestresse Ann Hault, but I dyd not; nevyrthelesse thys next terme I hope to take on weye with hyr or other; sche is agreyd to speke with me, and sche hopythe to doo me ease as sche saythe.
I praye yow sende me worde hoghe ye doo with my Lady Elysabeth Boghscher; ye have a lytell chaffyd it, but I can not tell howe; sende me worde whether ye be in better hope or werse. I her seye that the Erle off Oxenffordys bretheryn be goon owt off Sceyntewarye. Sir Thomas Fulfforthe[111-1] is goon owt off Sceyntewarye, and a gret ffelaschyp ffettchyd hym, a iij.^xx., and they sey that with in v. myle off London he was CC. men; and no man watethe wher he is become not yit.
The Lordes Hastyngs and Howerd be in Caleys, and have it pesebely; and Sir Walter Wrettesle and Sir Jeffrey Gate be comyn thense, and woll be at London thys daye as it is seyde.
Wretyn at Waltham besyd Winchester the daye nex Holy Roode Daye.[111-2]
J. P., K.
[Footnote 109-1: [From Fenn, ii. 72.] Apart from the reference to John Paston’s pardon, the date of this letter is fixed by what is said of the bastard Falconbridge.]
[Footnote 109-2: Bartholomew Fair, in Smithfield.]
[Footnote 109-3: Worsted, in Norfolk, a town formerly famous for the spinning of the fine thread with which the yarn called Worsted is made.--F.]
[Footnote 109-4: Of Walsingham.]
[Footnote 109-5: Thomas Nevill, a natural son of William, Lord Fauconberg. He was beheaded in 1471, and, as mentioned in Letter 782 following, his head was placed on London Bridge.]
[Footnote 110-1: Here follow, says Fenn, some directions about payments of money.]
[Footnote 111-1: Sir Thomas Fulford was son of Sir Baldwin Fulford, beheaded at Bristol in 1461; he likewise ended his life on the scaffold.]
[Footnote 111-2: Holyrood Day, 14th of September.]
[[I pray yow recomande me to my modre _text has “recomande mo”: corrected from Fenn_]]
782
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[111-3]
_To hys well belovyd John Paston, Esquier, at Norwyche, or to Mestresse Margret, his Modre._
[Sidenote: 1471 / SEPT. 28]
I comande me to yow, letyng yow weet that, &c.[111-4]
I wolde ffayne have the mesur wher my ffadre lythe at Bromholm; bothe the thyknesse and compase off the peler at hys hed, and ffrom that the space to the alter, and the thyknesse off that alter, and imagery off tymbre werk; and what hyght the arche is to the grounde off the ilde, and how hye the grounde off the qwyr is hyer than the grownde off the ilde.
Item, I praye yowe late the mesur by pekthred be taken or elt mesured by yerde, how moche is ffrom the northe gate, ther the brygge was, at Gressham to the sowthewall, and in lyke fforme ffrom the este syde to the west, also the hyght off the estewall, and the hyght of the sowthest towr ffrom the grownde, iff ye maye easely. Also what bredde every towr is within the wall, and whych towr is moor then other within.
Alsso how manye ffote, or what brede eche towr takythe within iche corner off the quadrate[112-1] ovyrthwert the dorys, and how many taylors yards is from the moote syde, wher the brygg was, to the hyghe weye, or to the heddge all a longe the entre, and what brede the entre is be twyen the dykys. I praye yow, iff ye have a leyser in any wyse, se thys doone yowrselffe iff ye maye; or ellys iff Pampyng do it, or who that ye thynke can doo it, I wolle spende xx_d._ or as ye seme to have the sertayn off every thyng her in. And as for my ffaders tombe, I charge yow se it yowr selffe, and when I speke with yow I woll tell yow the cawses why that I desyr thys to be doon.
As ffor tydyngs, the Kyng, and the Qwyen, and moche other pepell, ar ryden and goon to Canterbery, nevyr so moche peple seyn in Pylgrymage hertofor at ones, as men seye.
Alsso it is seyde that the Erle of Penbroke[112-2] is taken on to Brettayn; and men saye that the Kynge schall have delyvere off hym hastely, and som seye that the Kynge off France woll se hym saffe, and schall sett hym at lyberte ageyn.
Item, Thomas Fauconbrydge hys hed was yesterdaye sett uppon London Brydge, lokyng into Kent warde; and men seye that hys brother was sor hurte, and scope to seyntwarye [_sanctuary_] to Beverle.
Sir Thomas Fulfforthe escaped owt of Westminster with an C. sperys, as men seye, and is in to Devenshyr; and ther he hathe strekyn off Sir John Crokkers hed, and kylt an other knyght off the Corteneys, as men seye. I wolde ye hadd yowr verry pardon at onys; wherfor I praye yow ffayle not to be at London within iiij. daye afftr Seynt Feythe;[113-1] ye schall do goode in many thynges, and I praye yow sende me worde heroff by the next massenger; and if it come to Mestresse Elysabeth Hyggens, at the Blak Swan, sche schall conveye it to me, ffor I woll not ffayle to be ther at London ageyn within thys vj. dayes.
Mestresse Elysabeth hathe a son, and was delyveryd within ij. dayes afftr Seynt Bertelmew;[113-2] and hyr dowtr A. H. was the next daye afftr delyveryd off an other sone, as sche seythe, xj. weks er hyr tyme; it was crystened John, and is ded. God save all! No mor tyll I speke with yow.
Wretyn at London on Mychellmesse Evyn.
J. P., K.
Item, I praye yow late some wytty felaw, or ellys yowrselff, goo to the townes ther as thes ij. women dwelle, and inquire whether they be maryed syns and ageyn or not, ffor I holde the hoorys weddyd; and iff they be, than the appelys wer abbatyd ther by. I remembr not ther names; ye knowe them better then I. Alsso in the Schreffvys bookys ther maye ye ffynde off them.
[Footnote 111-3: [From Fenn, ii. 80.] The evidences of date in this letter are the same as in the last.]
[Footnote 111-4: Here follows an account that the Duchess of Suffolk and Duke of Norfolk intend again commencing appeals against Sir John Paston and his brother, etc., concerning Caister, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 112-1: A drawing is here given in the original letter, apparently designed as a plan of the quadrangle of Gresham, of which the subjoined is a facsimile.
[Footnote 112-2: Jasper Tudor.]
[Footnote 113-1: 5th of October.]
[Footnote 113-2: 24th of August.]
783
R. L. TO JOHN PASTON[114-1]
_To hys worshipful master, John Paston, Esquier._
[Sidenote: 1471 / OCT. 21]
Ryght wurchupfull ser, I comaund me to your good maysterchepe, &c. Plese it you to understond that Redford desyryd me on your byhalfe that I chuld goo and comon with the woman that was the fullars wyfe of South Walsham, whech woman is now maryed to on Thom Styward, dwellyng in the parysch of Seynt Gyll in Norwych, whech woman seyd to me that che sewyd never the pele, but that she was by sotyle craft brought to the New In at Norwych, and ther was Maystir Southwell, and he entretyd hyr to be my Lords wewe [_widow_],[114-2] by the space of an hole yer next folwyn, and therto he mad hyr to be bowne in an obligacyon. And whan that yer was past he desyred hyr to be my Lords wedow another yer; and than she seyd that she had lever lose that that she had do, than to lose that and meer; and therfor she seyd pleynly that she wold no mor of that mater. And so she toke hyr an husbond, whech is the seyd Thom Styward; and she seyth that it was full sor ageyn hyr wylle that ever the mater went so forforth, for she had never non avayle therof, butt it was sewyd to hyr gret labor and losse, for she had never of my Lords councell, but berely hyr costs to London. No mor, but God have you in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Norwych, the Monday next after the Fest of Seynt Luke.
By your servant,
R. L.
[Footnote 114-1: [From Fenn, iv. 440.] In the postscript to the preceding letter, Sir John Paston intimates his belief that the two widows who had appealed his brother of the murder of their husbands had married again, and that thereby the appeals were abated. It appears by the present letter that this intelligence was correct as regards one of them.]
[Footnote 114-2: The widow of a tenant in chivalry was called the Lord’s widow.]
784
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[115-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / OCT. 28]
Ryght worchepfull m[other, as lowly as] I can I recomand me to yow, besechyng yow of your dayly blyssyng, praying yow to take thys key, and Sir Jam[ys] . . . . . [m]y broder E., or J. Pampyng, and to ondo the kofyr that standith at my bedys feet, and ther in a ly[tyl sqw]are box ye shall fy[nd two de]dys, wher of the seallys be wownd in whyght paper; my brodyr E. sye [_saw_] when I wond them up. The tone [begy]nyth ‘Sciant, &c., quod ego _Matilda Bigota_’; and the todyr begynyth ‘Sciant, &c., quod ego _Rogerus_ . . . . .’ [I pray y]ow lett [them be] sealyd and sent me by _Radley_ with the deedes there in. Sir Jamys knowyth the . . . . . . . But [if so] be that ye fynd not thys box with thes two deedes in that cofyr, then I prey yow take the k[ey] . . . . . . . . teye of the same cofyr, and opyn the cofyr that standyth in the utter chambyr, and ther ye shall fynd . . . . . . . . . [d]edes. My brodyr, Sir John, recomandyth hym to yow, and besechyth yow of your blyssyng; and as for hys mater [there is yet no conclu]syon of no poynt, but I tryst ther shall be with in thes ij. dayeys. Jenney, W. trowbly[th] . . . . . . . [my] brodyrs servauntes with old accyons and all syche thynges as he can renew to stoppe the oblygacio[ns w]hyche he is bownd in on to my broder; but all shall be easeyd, I tryst. As for Mrs. A. Hawlt, the mater is mevyd [by div]ers of the Qwenys consayll, and of ferre by R. Hault, but he wold it shold be fyrst of our mocyon, and we wold [it] shold com of theym fyrst; our mater shold be the bettyr.
Tydynges, ther is a generall pardon mevyd whyche my brodyr J. trystyth to have the preve[lege] of as soone as it is grantyd, whyche shall bee a bowght All Halow tyed at the ferthest. I have spok with my L[ord Rive]rs and with all myn old aqweyntance, and have good cheer of theym, hold as it maye. When we be conclud[yd in] eny poynte of our maters, ye shall have knowlage ther howhe to put yow in [comfort] er we have eny . . . but in veyn when we have comfort ye shall have parte. Newe tydynges, datys s . . . [s]ugyr of Mr. Kwte (?) x_d._ di.lb., and bettyr I tryst. No more, but I beseche God preserve yow and yours.
Wretyn on [Seint] Symondes Day and Jwde.
Your humblest sone and servaunt,
J. PASTON.
[Footnote 115-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] There was a general pardon in the latter part of the year 1471, and both John Paston and his brother took advantage of it, as appears by the _Pardon Roll_, 11 Edw. IV., membranes 9 and 25. The date of this letter is also shown by the answer to it, written by Margaret Paston on the 5th November. Many of the words in this letter are lost by the mutilation of the original MS., which is full of holes, from having been exposed at one time to damp. The address is almost completely lost, but a portion of the word ‘[Ma]rgaret’ is visible, and a small fragment of an endorsement below in which the word ‘Paston’ is legible.]
[[Footnote 115-1 _footnote number printed 2 for 1_]]
785
SIR JOHN PASTON’S DEEDS[116-1]
_In the square trussyng coffre._
A boxe with evydence off my place in Fletstrett.
A lytell box with obligacions off the Archbisshop off York and W. Jennyes oblygacion.
A box with evydence of Tytlyshall.
A box with the letter of attorney off Fastolffes londes by Sir John Paston.
j. A box de actis inter episcopum Wynt’ et J. P. militem. Item endentur’ de argento mutuato termino Trinitatis anno x^{o,} et testamentum W. Paston, Justic’.
Item, ij. pixides de novis cartis de terris Fastolffes.
Item, a litell box with the obligacion off T. Fastolff and one off James Gresham.
Item, a box with the dede off gyfft off J. P., and the byll assygnyd for the dyamant.
Item, the bagge de placitis in usu.
Item, the bagge with ger taken owt off my caskett.
Item, a bagge with the bondell where on was wreten ‘London.’
Item, a bagge with evydence off Est Bekham.
Item, a bondell de actis parlimenti et de excambia in Paston.
Item, a bondell de actis Cantuariensis.
Item, a bondell de fyrma Caster Berdolffis.
The endenture off Snaylwell by Wylleys.
A bondell of Gresham Moleyns.
A bondell off processe off th’eschekyr letter and byllys sirca (_sic_) festum Johannis anno ix^{o.}
Item, th’endenture off W. Jeney. Item, a bondell off letteris and byllis anno x^{o.}
A bondell with inquisicions not returnyd in to the Chanceri.
Copia voluntatis Fastolff ultima et probata.
Enventorium (_sic_) apud Caster per Episcopum Norwic’ et dominum de Scales et alia ad rediseisinam (?)
Apunctuamentum Regis et litera amici. Endentura de Fennes per patrem Hugonis Fenne.
The verray endenture off my mariage.
Item, a bondell off letteris from my brother John.
Item, iij. billis, the endenter of W. Jenney for Bacton, a byll of Wylleys and one off J. Owdin (?)
Item, a bondell with the names off them that had stoff from Heylesdon.
Item, a byll off Sweynesthorp. Item, a byll off Brok off Dedham off the purchace theroff, a quitance pro Scaccario.
A bonde towchyng the probatt off Fastolffes will, with mi olde testament.
A copie off a generalle releffe de terris Fastolffes.
[Footnote 116-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The following inventory is in the handwriting of Sir John Paston. The date at which it was drawn up must, from internal evidence, be later than the tenth year of Edward IV.; so perhaps it may be a list of the contents of the coffer mentioned by John Paston in Letter 784.]
[[Item, th’endenture ... Apunctuamentum Regis ... Item, a byll ... _each section printed as shown, with two items in a paragraph_]]
786
ABSTRACT[117-1]
WILLIAM PEKOC TO SIR JOHN PASTON
[Sidenote: 1471(?) / NOV. 4]
Has received Wheteley’s letter, but though he has spoken to Sir John’s tenants at Paston, Bakton, etc., has obtained no money to send him. They are better pleased to pay Sir John than Master ‘Will. P.,’ so they be saved harmless. Has put them in good comfort, and Sir John must take care that they be not sued this term. The fishing was never worse. No herring to be got under 13_s._ 4_d._ a barrel, and 8_s._ 4_d._ a cade. The swans were sent the week after your departure. John Osborn and Munde are merry. None dead at Caster and Mawteby since Michaelmas, but much mortality still at Fylby, Ormysby, and Scrowby.
Mawteby, 4 Nov.
[This letter most probably belongs to the year 1471, which it will be seen by the letter immediately following was a year of great mortality.]
[Footnote 117-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
787
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[118-1]
[Sidenote: 1471 / NOV. 5]
I grete you wele, and send you Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that myn Cosyn Clere hathe sent to me for the C. marc that I borwed of her for your brother. It fortuned so that a frend of her of late hath loste better than CCC. marc, and he sent to her for money, and she had non that she myght comyn by, and ther for she sent to me for the seyd C. marc; and I know not how to do therfor, for by my trowth I have it not, nor I can not make shyft therfor, and I shuld go to preson; therfor comune with your brother her of, and send me word how that he wull make shyft ther for in hast. I must elles nedes sell all my woods, and that shall dysse avayll him better than a CC. marc, and I dey; and if I shuld selle them now, ther wull noman gewe so myche for them be ner an C. marc as they be worth, be cause ther be so many wood sales in Norfolke at thys tyme. Therfor lete hym make purvyaunce therfor in hast, as he wull have my good wyll, and wull that I save hym the seyd woods to the better a wayll, and send me word here of in hast if ye wull my welfare, for I shall never be in quiete tille I k[n]owe an ende in thys, for she hath therfor an obligacion of an C_li._ And it is not kepte cloos, ther be many persones now k[n]owyn it, which me semyth a greet rebuke to me that I departyd so largely with yowr brother that I reservyd not to pay that I was endaungered for hym, and so have dyverse seyd to me which of late have k[n]owyn it; and whan I remembre it, it is to myn hart a very spere, consideryng that he never gave comforte therein, ner of all the money that hath be reseyvyd wull never make shyft therfor. And he had yet be for thys tyme have sent me l. marc thereof, yet I wuld have thought that he had had summe consideracion of myn daungers that I have put me in for hym. Remembre hym how that I have excusyd hym of xx_li._ that the Prior of Bromholm had, which shuld elles have be in that daunger that it shuld have be to us a grete rebwke, with hought that he myght a ben holpyn wyth shuch money as he shuld have had of your fadyrs bequest; and I payd to the shereffe for hym also money. All thes shuld have holpe me wele therto, be syde other thynges that I have bor thys yeres that I speke not of; there fore lete hym helpe me now, or elles it shall dysawayll hym better than the trebyll the money, wheder that I leve or dey, with ought he hath better consideracion to the daungers that I stond in. Also I wulde ye shuld meve hym to take John Pampyng to hym, or elles to gete hym a servyce in the Chauncery, or in sume other place where as he myth be preferryd, for it ys pety that he lesyth hys tyme so her, and it is non a wayll to non of ws, and for diverse othyr thyngs whesch ye shall knowe her after, I wolde that I war hens in haste, for all maner of happys, constrw ye, &c. I can yw thanke for ywyr lettyr that ye sente me, and that ye have inquiryd of shwch thynges as ye thynk that shwld plese me. I send yow the boxe and the dedes that ye sente to me for, but as for the key of the cofyr in the wtter chambyr I can not fynd yt; yf the boxe had be ther in, ye cwdnat not have hadd yth but yf [_unless_] I had broke wp the cofyr; ther for remembre yw wer ye have do the key; I kep styll the key that ye sente me tyll that ye cwm home.
As for the tydynges here, ywr cosyn Barney of Wychshynggham ys passyd to Gode, hwm Gode asoyle. Veylys wife, and Lodonys wife, and Pycard the bacar of Twmlond, ben gone also; all thys hwlsold and thys parych ys as ye leftyd, blyssyd be Gode; we lewyn in fer, but we wut not qweder to fle, for to be better than we ben here. I send yw demi a riale for to by wyth swger[119-1] and dates for me. I pray yw do as wel as ye can, and sende it me as hastely as ye may, and sende me word qwat price a _li._ of peppyr, clowys, masis, gingyr, and sinamun, almannys, ryse, ganyngal, safrwn, reysonys of Corons, grenys,[120-1] of ych of these sende me the pryce of ych of these,[120-2] and yf that it be bettir shepe at London than it is here, I shal sende yw mony to bye wyth soch stwfe as I wull have. Remember that I spake to yw to spek to ywyr brother for the seyd C. marc wan ye departed hens. I trow ye had forgettyt, that ye sent me non answer ther of in ony wys. Lete me have an answer ther of in hast, and sende me woord how ywyr brother and ye spede in ywyr maters; and Goddes blissyng and myn mut ye have both, and send yw good sped in all ywyr maters.
Wretyn in hast on Sent Levnards Eve.[120-3]
By ywyr Moder.
[Footnote 118-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is not addressed, and the MS. is in fact only a corrected draft, of which a fair copy has since been found. The fair copy is not addressed either. The letter was evidently written to John Paston in answer to No. 784. The date is ascertained by the fact that John Berney of Witchingham died in the year 1471.]
[Footnote 119-1: In Fenn’s edition this is printed ‘swgar, feg, and dats.’ The word ‘feg’ is not in the MS. It seems to be a misreading of ‘swg’’ (sugar), which the transcriber forgot to cancel.]
[Footnote 120-1: F. adds ‘and comfyts,’ but the words are not in the MS.]
[Footnote 120-2: F. reads ‘the price of a _li._,’ but this is not in the MS.]
[Footnote 120-3: The following sentence is added in the fair copy: ‘I warn yw kepe this letter clos and lese yt not; rather brenyt.’]
788
BILL OF COSTS[120-4]
_Termino Sancti Michaelis Anno xj^o E. iiij^ti pro Ricardo Calle deff’ versus Willelmum Huggan q. in placito trans’._
[Sidenote: 1471 / NOV.]
In primis, for a copy of the bill, iiij_d._
Item, for makyng of the awnswer to Mr. Pygot, Mr. Fayrefax, and to Mr. Hosy, x_s._
Item, wyne and perys at tavern ij. tymes, xiiij_d._
Item, for a copy of record in the Kynges Bench, iij_s._ iiij_d._
Item, for pledyng of the record in the Kynges Bench a yenst Wyll. Huggan, x_s._
Item, gyven to Hosey, the xxvij. day of the same moneth, for to enparle[120-5] to the bill, iij_s._ iiij_d._
Item, the xxx. day of October, for the copy of the tytelyng of Huggans plee, iiij_d._
Item, for wyne at [the] Cardenall Hatte[120-6] the same day, vj_d._
Item, the iiij. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax and Mr. Hosey for puttyng yn of the replicacyon, vj_s._ viij_d._
Item, the x. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax, Mr. Pygotte, and Mr. Hosey, for the seyng of the paper, and comenyng of the issewe a yenst Wyll. Huggan, x_s._
Item, for the wyne at the Cardenall Hatte, [121-1]viij_d._
Item, for the entre of the aunswere a yenst Huggan by Ric. Calle, payd to Sandys, v_s._
Item, to Nedersole for makyng of the paper, ij_s._ vj_d._
Item, for the copy of the same, ij_s._ vj_d._
Summa totalis, lvj_s._ iiij_d._
[Footnote 120-4: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 120-5: To _imparl_, a technical expression, meaning to obtain time to plead.]
[Footnote 120-6: A tavern in Southwark. The name is still preserved in Cardinal Hat Alley.]
[Footnote 121-1: _N.B._--Under viij_d._ is written ‘46_s._ 4_d._’ in a different hand.]
[[... for makyng of the paper, ij_s._ vj_d._ _text has s, for s._]]
789
EDMUND PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[121-2]
_Tho my rytgh wurshepfull brother John Paston, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / NOV. 18]
Rygh wurshipful brother, I recumawnd me to zow, prayeng zow hartely that ze wyl remembyr soche maters as I wryth to zow. I send zow now be the brynggar her of mony, wycche mony I pray zow that [ye[121-3]] be stowe yt as I wryth to zow. I wend a don yt my sylf but consyderyng costis and other dyvers thyngis I may not bryng yt abowthe. Wher for I pray zow hartely to take the labour up on zow, and I trust to deservyt. I pray zow be stow thys mony thus: to Christofyr Hanyngton v_s._: to the prynspall of Stapylin[121-4] v_s._ in parte of payment. Also I pray zow to bye me iij. zerddis of porpyl schamlet, price the zerd iiij_s._, a bonet of depe murry, pryce ij_s._ iiij_d._, an hose clothe of zelow carsey of an ellyn, I trow yt wyl cost ij_s._; a gyrdyl of plunkket ryban, price vj_d._; iiij. lacis of sylke ij. of one color and ij. of ane other, price viij_d._; iij. doseyn poynttis wythe red and zelow, price vj_d._; iij. peyer of pateyns. I pray zow late Wylliam Mylsant purvey for them. I was wonte to pay but ij_d._ ob. for a payer, but I pray zow late them not be lefte behyng thow I pay mor; they must be lowe pateyns; late them be long inow and brode up on the hele. Among all other I pray zow recumawnd me to Mastres Elyzabet Hygons. I may sey poverte partes feleschepe. Yf that I had ben so well purveyde as I wend I trowst to have ben with zow her thys; also I pray zow recumawnd me to my brother Sir John. I fer lasse he wyl take a dysplesur with me that I send hym no mony. I pray zow excuse me as ze can. I trust to send hym sum a bowth Candylmesse. I had a promyse of Masteres Elyzabeth of a typet of welvet; but and I myth have a hatlase I woold thynk me well. I pray zow sey thus myche on zour owyn hed, and yf ze can not sped of the hatlase I pray zow bye me one of xij_d._ or xvj_d._ Also Sir I send Parkar hys mony be the brynggar har of and I have desyered hym to lend me a gown of puke, and I have send hym a typet of welvet to boredyr yt [round [122-1]] a bowthe; and I pray zow be at schesyng there of; and yf that he wyl not be cryst calkestowe over hys hed that is schoryle in Englysche, yt is a terme newe browthe up with my marschandis of Norwych. Sir John Pampyng recummawnd hym to zow and pray zow that ze wyl remembyr hys harnes, and yf that ze can get the mony he pray zow to delyver Parkar x_s._ that he howyth hym. Also, sir, my modyr gretis zow wel and send zow Goddis blyssyng and heres, and prays zow that ze wyl bye her a runlet of Malmesey owthe of the galey; and yf ze have no mony sche byd that ze schuld borow of my brother Sir John, or of sum other frend of zowers, and send [he]r[122-1] woord as hastily as ze have it, and sche schale send zow mony; and yf that ze send it home sche byd that yt schuld be woond in a canivasse for brochyng of the caryars, for sche sethe that sche hath knowyn men served soo befor. Also I pray zow, if ze speke with Master Roger, tell hym that yf he cum in to thys cuntre thys crystemas, he schal have hys x_s._, and yf that he cum not I schal send yt hym be xij. day [_Twelfth Day_] at the fardest. I pray zow, hartely remembyr my gere, and that ze wyl desyere Wylliam Mylsant on my be halve to purvey for the caryage in as hasty wyse as yt can. Also I pray zow that the welvet that levyt of my typet may be send hom a geyn, for I woold strype a dobelet ther with. As for Masteres Blakenye, I trowe sche in zour quarters. I woold I had the same entyrpryce up on hyr that John Bramppton of Atylborowe had up on master Byrston. Alle the Coorte recommawndes hem tow zow. I pray zow, and ze can get me any profytable servyce, a saye. My brother Sir John was meved of my hawnt Ponyngges to have ben with here. I woold have rytgh an hesy servyse tyl I were owthe of detis. God have zow in Hys kepyng. Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday nex be fore Sen Edmond the Kyng.
EDMOND PASTON.
On the back of the letter are the following memoranda:--
In primis, to the pryncypall of Stapyll In v_s._
Item, for iiij. lasys viij_d._
Item, for iij. doseyn poyntes vj_d._
Item, for a plonket ryban vj_d._
[Footnote 121-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 130, and Add. MS. 27,445, f. 52.] The MS. of this letter is in two fragments, from which it is now printed entire. The year in which it was written is shown by Margaret Paston’s letter to the writer’s brother John Paston, on the 29th November 1471 (No. 791), in which she apologises for not sending him money for a runlet of wine she had desired him to purchase for her, on account of the number of thieves stirring. It will be seen that she made the request by means of her son Edmund in this letter.]
[Footnote 121-3: Omitted in MS.]
[Footnote 121-4: Staple Inn.]
[Footnote 122-1: Mutilated.]
[[to boredyr yt [round [122-1]] _unclear punctuation or flyspeck between editorial “round” and footnote marker_]]
790
ABSTRACT[123-1]
[MARGARET PASTON] TO HER SON [SIR JOHN PASTON]
[Sidenote: 1471(?) / NOV. 20]
Wonders she has no answer to her letter by Ric. Raddeley. Wants him and his brother to get a discharge from my Lord of Canterbury, ‘for occupying of your father’s goods.’ If my Lord died before we got it, his successor might be ‘more hasty upon us than he hath been.’ My Lord knows the great charges we have had since he deceased, which have caused the goods to be spent. If any of us were to die, no one would take charge for us unless we have a discharge. Remember the spices and malmsey I have sent to you for.
St. Edmund’s Day the King.
_Sealed._
[At the date of this letter, Sir John Paston and his brother John were together in London, and apparently the Archbishop of Canterbury was seriously ill. Of the latter fact we have no certain knowledge, but it appears by a subsequent letter that there was a report of his death in June 1472, and the two brothers were certainly in London together in November of the year preceding. It is probable therefore that the Archbishop was ill of the epidemic which prevailed in the latter part of 1471 and the spring of 1472. The two brothers were not together in November 1472.]
[Footnote 123-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
791
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[124-1]
_To John Paston, Esquier, be this delyverd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1471 / NOV. 29]
I grete zow welle, and send zow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that I have a letter from zour brother, wherby I undyrstand that he cannot, ner may, make no porveyans for the C. mark; the wyche causythe me to be rythgh hevy, and for other thynges that he wrytht to me of that he is in dawnger. For remembering wat we have had befor thys and ho symppylly yt hath be spente and to lytyl profythe to any of us, and now arn in soche casse that non of us may welle helpe other with owte that we schuld do that wer to gret a dysworschip for us to do, owther to selle wood or lond or soche stuffe that were nessessary for us to have in owr howsys; so mot I answer a for God, I wot not how to do for the seyde money, and for other thyngges that I have to do of scharge, and my worshup saved. Yt is a deth to me to thynk up on yt. Me thynkyth be zour brothers wrythtyng, that he thynkyth that I am informed be sume that be a bowthe me to do and to sey as I have be for thys, but be my trowthe he demyth a mysse; yt nedyth me not to be informed of no soche thengges. I construe in my owyn mend, and conseyve i now and to myche, and whan I have brokyn my conseyte to sume that in happe he deniythe yt too, they have put me in cownforth more than I kowde have be any imajynasyon in my owyn conseythe. He wrythetyth to me also, that he hath spend thys terme xl_li._ Yt is a gret thyng; me thynkyth be good dyscresyon ther mythe myche ther of aben sparyd. Zour fadyr, God blysse hys sowle, hathe had as gret maters to do as I trowe he hathe had thys terme, and hath not spend halfe the mony up on them in so lytyl tyme, and hath do ryth well. At the reverens of God, avyse hym zet to be war of hys expences and gydyng that yt be no schame to us alle. Yt is a schame and a thyng that is myche spokyn of in thys contre that zour faders graveston is not mad. For Goddes love, late yt be remembyrd and porveyde for in hast. Ther hathe be mych mor spend in waste than schuld have mad that, me thynkyth be zour brother that he is wery to wrythe to me and there fore I wyl not a kumbyr hym with wrythtyng to hym. Ze may telle hym as I wryth to zow. Item, I woold ze schuld remembyr zour brother of Pekerngges mater, if he cum not hom hastely, that ze and Townesend and Lumnor may examyn and sette yt thorow. The pore man is almost on don ther by, and hys brother suethe hym and trobylyth hym sor zet; and also for the plesur of my koseyn Clere and the Lady Bolen, I woold yt were sette thorow.
As for my rowndlet of wyne, I schuld send zow mony there fore, but I dar not put yt in joperte, ther be so many theves stereng. John Lovedayes man was robbyd in to hys schyrte as he cam home ward. I trow, and ze assaye Towneshend or Playter, or sum other good kuntery man of owrys to lend yt zow for me tyl they cum hom, they wyl do so myche for me and I schal contente them a geyn. Item, Jamys Gressham hath ben passyng sekke and ys zet. Judy tellythe me that zour brother is avysed for to sue hym. For Goddes sake, late non onkyndnesse be schewed to hym, for that woold sone make an hend of hym. Remembyr ho keynd and true hartyd he hath ben to us to hys powre; and he had nevere take that offyce upon hym that he is in dawnger for, ne had be for owr sakkes. He hathe sold a gret parte of hys lond there for, as I suppose ze have knowlache of. Late yt be remembyrd, and ellys owr enmyes wyl rejoysyt, and ther wyl no wurshup be ther in at long way.
I schuld wryth mor but I have no leyser at thys tyme. I trow ze wyl sone kum hom, and there fore I wryth the lesse. God kepe zow and send zow good speede, &c. Wretyn the Fryday, Sen Andrue Ev.
Be zour modyr.
_The following note is written on the back of the Letter in Sir John Fenn’s hand_:--‘This letter was fastened by threads brought through with a needle and made fast by the seal. The threads being cut on the directed side, the letter is opened without breaking the seal.’
[Footnote 124-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] St. Andrew’s Eve, the 29th November, fell on a Friday in 1471. It will also be seen that the beginning of this letter refers to the same subject as the beginning of Letter 787.]
792
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON, ESQUIRE[126-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, be this deliuered._
[Sidenote: 1471(?) / DEC. [1]]
I grete you wele, and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn. Desyryng you to send me word how that your brother doth. It was told her that he shuld have be ded, which caused many folkis and me bothyn to be right hevy. Also it was told me this day that ye wer hurt be affray that was mad up on you be feles disgysed. Ther fore, in any wyse send me word in hast how your brother doth and ye bothyn; for I shall not ben wele at eas till I know how that ye do. And for Goddis love lete your brother and ye be ware how that ye walken, and with what felesshep ye etyn or drynkyn, and in what place, for it was seid here pleynly that your brothere was poysoned. And this weke was on of Drayton with me and told me that there were diverse of the tenauntis seid that thei wost not what to do if that your brothere came home; and ther was on of the Duk of Suffolkis men by, and bad them not feryn, for his wey shuld be shorted and [_i.e._ if] he shuld come there. Wherfore, in any wyse be ware of your self, for I can thynk thei geve no fors what to do to be wenged and to put you from your entent, that thei myght have her wyll in Ser John Fastolffis land. Thy[nke][126-2] what gret sor[ow][126-2] it [shu]ld[126-2] be to me and any . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I had lever ye had never know the lond; remembre it was the distruccion of your fadre; trost not mych up on promyses of lordis now a days that ye shuld be the suerer of the favor of there men. For there was a man, and a lordis sone, seid but late, and toke it for an exampill that Sir Robert Harecourt had the good will of the lordis after ther comyng in, and yet within shorte tyme after here men kylled hym in hys owyn place. A mannes deth is litill set by now a days. Therefore be ware of symulacion, for thei wull speke ryht fayr to you that wuld ye ferd [_fared_] right evyll. The blissid Trynyte have you in his kepyng. Wretyn in gret hast the Saterday next after Sent Andrewe.
Lete this letter be brent whan ye have understond it. Item, I pray you send me iiij. suger lofis, ich of them of iij_li._, and iiij_li._ of datis if thei be newe. I send you x_s._ be the berer hereof; if ye pay more I shall pay it you ageyn whan ye come home. And forgete not to send me word be the berere hereof how ye don; and remembre the bylles and remembrauns for the maner of Gresham that I wrote to your brother for.
Be your moder.
[Footnote 126-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 211.] This letter may be of the year 1471, when it would seem by No. 791 that the two brothers, Sir John and John, were both together (in London, no doubt) about St. Andrew’s Day. If so, it was written just two days after that letter, on the receipt of unpleasant news, which was evidently false.]
[Footnote 126-2: Mutilated.]
793
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[127-1]
[Sidenote: 1471]
. . . . the very valew of Sporlewood passyth not C. mark of no manys mony that I can spek with, and to be payid by dayis as the byll that Jwde shall delyv[er] . . . rehers; and ther ayenst ye shold loose iij_li._ of the ferme of the maner yerly, whych standyth by undyr wood; and yet the fense must stand yow over on xij. mark by the lest wey; but, by God, and I wer as ye, I wold not sell it for C. mark more then it is woorthe. Syr John Styll recomandyth hym to your good mastyrsheppe, and seyth pleynly if ye wyll he wyll com up to yow and awayte on yow whersoever ye be, coort or othyr. By Seynt Mary, he is owyng more mony than I wend; for he is owyng for a twelmonthe and a quarter at thys Crystmas, savyng for hys boord, xij_d._ a wek for iij. quarters; and he seythe pleynly that ye and R. Calle both bad hym syng styll for Syr John Fastolf as he dyd before; but I have bodyn hym that he shall get hym a servyse now at thys Crystmas; and so he shall, withowt that ye send hym othyr wyse woord, or ellys that ye or I may get hym som benefyse or fre chapell, or som othyr good servyse whych I praye yow enqwer for.
Item, and ye werk wysly your mater myght com in with othyr maters of the lordes in ther apoyntmentes with the Kyng, but it wold be labord to a porpose this Crystmas whyll ye have leyser to spek with your mastyr. Item, myn aqweyntans with the Lord Revers is none othyrwyse but as it hathe ben alweys; savyng and he go no to Portygall to be at a day upon the Serasyns, I porpose and have promysyd to be ther with hym; and that jorney don, as Wykys seythe, farwell he. He porposyth to go forward a bowt Lent, but Fortune with hyr smylyng contenans strange of all our porpose may mak a sodeyn change. I ensuer yow he thynkyth all the world gothe on ther syd ayen; and as for my comyng up at the begynnyng of thys next term, with owt ye send me othyrwyse woord that I myght do yow som good when I wer com, by my feyth I com not ther, for it shold put yow to a cost, and me to a labor and cost bothe; but [if] ye send for me I com streyght, thow I tery the lesse whyll ther, and so I shall withowt I may do yow som good. By my feythe I porpose to make up my byllys clere, and send yow the copyse as hastyly as I can. Yonge Wyseman othyrwye callyd Foole, told me that Sir W. Yelverton is abowt to make a bargayne with the Dwches of Suffolk or with my Lord of Norfolk, whyche he may get fyrst, for the maner of Gwton. I reseyve all yet, God hold it.
I praye yow recomand me to my brodyr Molyenewx, and all othyr good felaws.
J. P.
[Footnote 127-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This seems to be only a portion of a letter, beginning in the middle of a sentence. Probably it was a second leaf added to a more lengthy epistle. It is written on one side of a slip of paper and is in the hand of John Paston the younger. It is endorsed ‘John Paston’ in that of his brother Sir John, to whom it was doubtless addressed. The date must be towards the end of the year 1471, as it appears by the letter immediately following that Lord Rivers embarked for Portugal that year on Christmas Eve.]
[[Yonge Wyseman othyrwye callyd / Foole _text unchanged: error for “othyrwyse”?_]]
794
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[129-1]
[Sidenote: 1471]
I grete you wele; letyng you wete that ther was told me a thyng in your absens that goth right nere myn hert, be a wurchepfull man and such an as ye wuld beleve and geffe credence to, and that owyth you right good wille; which if it had comyn to myn remembraunce at your departer I wuld have spoke to you of it most specially befor all other materis; but I am so trobilled in my mende with your materis that thei be so delayd and take no better conclusion, and with the ontrowth that is in servantis now a days but if the maysteris take better heed to ther handis, that such thyngis as I wuld rathest remembre I sonest for gete. It was told me that ye have sold Sporle wood of a right credebill and wurchepful man, and that was right hevy that ye shuld be know of such disposicion, consederyng how your fader, whos sowle God assoyl, cherysshed in every manor his woodis. And for the more preffe that this shuld be trought, the forseid person told me that it was told hym of on [_one_] that was toward Sir William Yelverton, to whom Richard Calle shuld have seid in thes termes, that Sporle Wood shuld be sold, and that it shuld comyn now in to Cristen mennes handis. Which if it were knowyn shuld cause bothyn your elmyse [_enemies_] and your frendis to thynk that ye dede it for right gret nede, or ellis that ye shuld be a wastour and wuld wast your lyvelod. If ye had do so in Sir John Fastolfes lyffelode, men shuld have supposid that ye had do it of good pollice, be cause of the onsuerte that it stoonit (?) in, to have takyn that ye had myght of it duryng your possession, to have boryn ought the daungere of it with the same; but for to do this of your owyn lyffelode, men shall thyng that ye do it for pure nede. And in asmych as it is so nere your most elmyse ere, it shall be to you the gretter vylney and shame to all your frendis, and the grettest coragyng and plesere that can be to your elmyse. For if ye be thus disposid ye shall make them and all othere certeyn of that that befor this tyme thei haue ben in dought, and cause them to purpose the more cruelly agayn you. Where fore, in eschewyng of the greet slaundre and inconveniens that may grow ther of, I require you, and more over charge you upon my blissyng and as ye wull have my good will, that if any such sale or bargany be mad, be your assent or with ought, be Calle, or any othere in your name, that ye restreyn it; for I wuld not for a M^l marcs that it wer understond that ye were of that disposicion, ner that ye were comyn to so gret nede which shuld cause [y]ou to do so; for every [man[130-1]] shuld thynk that it were thurgh your owyn mysgovernaunce. Therefore I charge you, if any such bargayn be mad, that ye send a bill as hastly as ye can to Herry Halman, that he do all such as have mad or takyn that bargayn seasse and felle non of the wood, upon peyn that may falle ther of. And how [_who_] so ever wull councell you the contrary, do as I advyse you in this behalffe, or ellis trost never to have comfort of me; and if I may knowe ye be of such disposicion, and I leve ij. yer it shall disavayll you in my liffelode ccc. marcs. There fore, send me word be the berere here of wheder ye have assent to any such thyng or nought, and how that ye be disposid to do ther in, for I shall not be quiete in myn hert till I understand yow of the contrary disposicion.
Be your more moder.
[Footnote 129-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 116.] This letter would seem to have been written about the end of the year 1471 or the beginning of 1472, when we first hear of Sir John Paston’s design to sell Sporle Wood. _See_ Nos. 793, 798.]
[Footnote 130-1: Omitted in MS.]
795
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[130-2]
_To my most honorabl and tendre modre, Margrete Paston, be thys letter delivered._
[Sidenote: 1472 / JAN. 8]
Most worschypfull and kynde moodre, I comande me to yow, and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my pardon,[130-3] as the berer heroff can informe yow, for comffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Crystmesse, and have been parte theroff with Sir George Browen,[131-1] and with my Lady myn aunte, hys wyffe,[131-2] and be ffor Twelthe[131-3] I come to my Lorde Archebysshope,[131-4] wher I have hadde as greete cheer, and ben as welkom as I cowde devyse; and iff I hadde ben in sewerte that Castr weer hadde ageyn, I wolde have comen homewards thys daye.[131-5]
. . . . . . . .
And I beseche yow to remembr my brother to doo hys deveyr thatt I maye have agayn my stuffe, my bookes and vestments, and my beddyng, how so evyr he doo, thoghe I scholde gyffe xx^ti scutes by hys advyse to my Lady Brandon, or some other goode felawe.
As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, saffe that the Kyng hath kept a ryall Crystmesse; and now they seye that hastelye he woll northe, and some seye that he woll into Walys, and some seye that he woll into the West Contre. As ffor Qween Margrett, I understond that sche is remevyd from Wyndesor to Walyngfforthe, nyghe to Ewhelme, my Lady of Suffolk Place in Oxenforthe schyre.
And men seye that the Lorde Ryverse schyppyd on Crystmesse evyn in to Portyngale warde; I am not serteyn.
Also the schalle be a convocacion off the Clergye in all haste, whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a dyme and an halffe, some seye. I beseche God sende yow goode heele and greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij.
Wretyn att the Moor the viij. daye off Janever, A^o E. iiij. xj.
By yowr soone,
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 130-2: [From Fenn, ii. 86.]]
[Footnote 130-3: His pardon passed the Great Seal on the 21st December 1471. _Pardon Roll_ 11 Edward IV., m. 25.]
[Footnote 131-1: Sir George Browne, Knight, of Betchworth Castle, in Surrey.--F.]
[Footnote 131-2: Elizabeth Paston, formerly married to Robert Poynings.]
[Footnote 131-3: Twelfth day, 6th of January.--F.]
[Footnote 131-4: George Neville, Archbishop of York.--F.]
[Footnote 131-5: Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.--F.]
796
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[132-1]
_To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Syr John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1472 / JAN. 23]
Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow in my best wyse, lykeyth yow to wet[132-2] that I have thys day delyveryd yowr mantyll, yowr ray gowne,[132-3] and yowr crosbowys, wyth telers and wyndas, and yowr Normandy byll to Kerby to bryng wyth hym to London.
Item, in eny wyse, and [_if_] ye can axe the probate of my fadyrs wyll to be gevyn yow wyth the bargayn that ye make wyth my Lord of Canterbery, and I can thynk that ye may have it, and as soone as it is prevyd ye or I may have a lettyr of mynystracyon upon the same, and a qwetance of my Lord Cardinalle evyn foorthe wyth; and thys wer one of the best bargaynys that ye mad thys ij. yer I enswyr yow, and he may make yow aqwetance or get yow one of the Bysheop of Wynchestyr for Syr John Fastolfys goodes also, and in my reson thys wer lyght to be browght a bowght with the same bargayn. And ye purpose to bargayn with hym ye had need to hye yow, for it is tolde me that my Lord of Norffolk wyl entyr in to it hastyly, and if he so doo, it is the wers for yow, and it wyll cawse them to profyr the lesse sylvyr.
Item, I pray yow send me some secret tydyngs of the lyklyed of the world by the next messenger that comyth between, that I may be eyther myryer or ellys mor sory then I am, and also that I may gwyd me ther aftyr.
Item, as for Sir R. Wyngfeld, I can get no x. _li._ of hym, but he seyth that I shall have the fayirest harneys that I can bye in London for sylvyr, but money can I non get. I can not yet make my pesse wyth my Lord of Norffolk nor my Lady by no meane, yet every man tellyth me that my Lady seyth passyngly well of me allweys notwithstandyng. I trowe that they wyll swe the apell[133-1] thys term, yet ther is no man of us indytyd but if it wer doon a for the crowners er then we cam owt of the plase; ther is now but iij. men in it, and the brygges alwey drawyn. No mor, but God lant yow myn her.[133-2]
Wretyn the Twysday next aftyr Seynt Agnet the fyrst.[133-3]
J. P.
Item, yestyrday W. Gornay entryd in to Saxthorp and ther was he kepyng of a coort, and had the tenaunts attou[r]nyd to him, but er the coort was all doon, I cam thedyr with a man with me and no more, and ther, befor hym and all hys feluwschep, Gayne, Bomsted, &c., I chargyd the tenaunts that they shold proced no ferther in ther coort upon peyn that myght folle of it, and they lettyd for a seasen. But they sye that I was not abyll to make my partye good, and so they procedyd ferther; and I sye that, and set me downe by the stward and blottyd hys book wyth my fyngyr as he wrot, so that all tenaunts afermyd that the coort was enterupte by me as in yowr ryght, and I reqwered them to record that ther was no pesybyll coort kept, and so they seyd they wold.
[Footnote 132-1: [From Fenn, iv. 420.] It appears by a letter of the 17th February following (No. 798), that at the beginning of the year 1472 the Pastons were endeavouring to come to an understanding with the Duke of Norfolk by the intercession of the Duchess. For further evidence of date, see the next letter.]
[Footnote 132-2: A blank occurs here in Fenn’s left-hand, or literal copy, which is not explained.]
[Footnote 132-3: This means a gown made of cloth that was never either coloured or dyed.--F. But according to Halliwell ‘ray’ means striped cloth.]
[Footnote 133-1: This must be the appeal of the two widows, though one of them is said to have married again. _See_ No. 783.]
[Footnote 133-2: This sentence I wish to have explained.--F.]
[Footnote 133-3: The festival of St. Agnes, the first (and the most noted of the two), was kept on the 21st of January; her second festival was on the 28th of the same month, which it is to be observed was not the octave of the former, but a distinct feast upon a different occasion, and it is sometimes written ‘Agnetis Nativitas’; but it was on account of a miracle wrought at her tomb that this second feast was instituted.--F.]
[[I can get no x. _li._ _anomalous spacing unchanged_
Footnote 132-2 and body text: _In the printed book, the blank takes up the final one-third of its line._]]
797
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[134-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, be thys delivered._
[Sidenote: 1472 / FEB. 5]
I grete you wele, and send you Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that the woman that sewyth the appell ageyn your brother and his men is comyn to London to call ther up on. And whan that she shuld come to London ther was delivered her C. _s._ for to sewe with, so that be that I here in this countre she wull not leve it, but that she shall calle ther up on such tyme as shall be to your most rebuke, but if [_unless_] ye ley the better wetch. She hath evill councell, and that wull see you gretely uttered, and that ye may understand be the money that was take her whan she came up, and ye shuld fynd it, I knowe it wele, if ther myght have you at avauntage; ther for, for Godds sake make diligent serge be the advyce of your councell, that ther be no necglicens in you in this mater ner other for diffaught of labour, and call upon your brother, and telle hym that I send hym Godds blyssyng and myn, and desire hym that he wull now a while, whill he hath the Lords at his entent, that he seke the meanes to make an ende of his maters, for his elmyses arn gretly coraged now of late; what is the cause I knowe not. Also, I pray you speke to Playter that ther may be fownd a meane that the shereffe or the gaderer of grene wax[134-2] may be discharged of certeyn issues that renne up on Fastolf for Mariotts mater, for the balyfe was at hym this weke, and shuld have streyned hym, but that he promysed hym that he shuld with in this viij. days labore the meanes that he shuld be discharged or ell[es] he must content hym, &c. Also, I send you be the berer her of, closed in this letter, v. _s._ of gold, and pray you to bey me a suger loyfe, and dates, and almaunds, and send it me hame, and if ye bewar [_lay out_] any mor money, whan ye came hame I shall pait you ageyn. The Holy Gost kepe you bothyn, and deliver you of your elmyse [_enemies_]. Wretyn on Sent Agas Day, in hast.
Item, I pray you speke to Mayster Roger[135-1] for my sorepe, for I had never mor nede therof, and send it me as hastly as ye can.
Be
M. P.
[Footnote 134-1: [From Fenn, iv. 424.] As anticipated in the preceding letter we here find that steps are being taken by one of the two women whose husbands were killed at the siege of Caister, to prosecute the appeal against Sir John for her husband’s death. The other woman, as will be seen by Letter 783, had married again during the year 1471, and was thus disqualified from pursuing the same course.]
[Footnote 134-2: Estreats delivered to the Sheriff out of the Exchequer, to be levied in his county under the Seal of that Court, made in green wax, were from thence called green wax.--F.]
[Footnote 135-1: Master Roger was, I suppose, some leech famous for his syrups, etc.--F.]
[[C. _s._ .... v. _s._ _anomalous spacing unchanged_]]
798
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[135-2]
_A Johan Paston, Esquier, soit doné._
[Sidenote: 1472 / FEB. 17]
Brother, I comande me to yow, and praye yow to loke uppe my _Temple of Glasse_,[135-3] and send it me by the berer herof.
Item, as for tydyngs, I have spoken with Mestresse Anne Hault, at a praty leyser, and, blyssyd be God, we be as ffer fforthe as we weer toffoor, and so I hoope we schall contenew; and I promysed hyr, that at the next leyser that I kowd ffynde therto that I wolde come ageyn and see hyr; whyche wyll take a leyser as [I] deeme now; syn thys observance is over doon, I purpose nott to tempte God noo moor soo.
Yisterday the Kynge, the Qween, my Lordes of Claraunce and Glowcester, wente to Scheen to pardon; men sey, nott alle in cheryte; what wyll falle, men can nott seye.
The Kynge entretyth my Lorde off Clarance ffor my Lorde of Glowcester; and, as itt is seyde, he answerythe, that he may weell have my Ladye hys suster in lawe, butt they schall parte no lyvelod, as he seythe; so what wyll falle can I nott seye.
Thys daye I purpose to see my Lady off Norffolk ageyn, in goode howr be it!
Ther is proferyd me marchaunts ffor Sporle woode. God sende me goode sale whan I be gynne; that poor woode is soor manashed and thrett.
Yitt woote I nott whether I come home beffoor Esterne or nott, I schall sende yow worde. No moor, &c.
Wretyn the ffyrst Tewesdaye off Lenton.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 135-2: [From Fenn, ii. 90.] After the death of Prince Edward, the son of Henry VI., who is said to have been murdered just after the Battle of Tewkesbury in May 1471, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, married his widow Anne, who was the daughter of Warwick the Kingmaker. The reference to the proposed sale of Sporle wood goes further to fix the date. _See_ Letter 793, and Nos. 819 and 820 following.]
[Footnote 135-3: A poem of Lydgate’s.]
799
ABSTRACT[136-1]
[Sidenote: 1472 / APRIL 10]
Norfolk and Suffolk Deeds, No. 38.--‘Relaxatio Johannis Paston facta Willielmo Wainflet et aliis totius juris in manerio vocat’ Pedham Hall in Beyton, etc., in omnibus terris, tenementis, redditibus, etc., in villis de Beyton, Akle, Birlingham, et Hykling, quæ quondam fuerunt Johannis Fastolf.--April 10, Edw. IV., 12.’--There is a similar deed of the same date including the manor of Titchwell, numbered ‘Titchwell, 5,’ in the collection.
[Footnote 136-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
800
SIR JOHN PASTON TO HIS BROTHER, JOHN PASTON[136-2]
_To Master John Paston, or to my mestresse, hys Modre, be this letter delyveryd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1472 / APRIL 30]
Brother, I comand me to yow[136-3] . . . . . . . . . . .
By Juddy I sende yow a letter by Corby with in iiij. dayes byffor thys; and ther with ij. potts off oyle for saladys, whyche oyle was goode as myght be when I delyveryd itt, and schall be goode at the reseyvynge, iff it be nott mysse handelyd, nor mysse karryd.
Item, as ffor tydyngs, the Erle of Northomberlonde is hoome in to the Northe, and my Lord off Glowcester schall afftr as to morow, men seye. Also thys daye Robert of Racclyff weddyd the Lady Dymmok at my place in Fleet-street, and my Ladye and yowrs, Dame Elizbeth Bowghcher,[137-1] is weddyd to the Lorde Howards soon and heyr.[137-2] Also Sir Thomas Walgrave is ded off the syknesse that reygnyth, on Tewesday, now [_no_] cheer ffor yowe. Also my Lorde Archebysshope[137-3] was browt to the Towr on Saterday at nyght, and on Mondaye, at mydnyght, he was conveyd to a schyppe, and so in to the see, and as yitt I can nott undrestande whedyr he is sent, ner whatt is fallyn off hym; men seye, that he hathe offendyd, but as John Forter seythe, some men sey naye; but all hys meny ar dysparblyd [_dispersed_], every man hys weye; and som that ar greete klerkys, and famous doctors of hys, goo now ageyn to Cambrygge to scoolle. As ffor any other tydyngs I heer noon. The Cowntesse off Oxenfford[137-4] is stylle in Seynt Martyns; I heer no word off hyr. The Qween hadde chylde, a dowghter, but late at Wyndesor; ther off I trow ye hadde worde. And as ffor me, I am in lyke case as I was. And as ffor my Lorde Chamberleyn,[137-5] he is nott yitt comen to town; when he comythe than schall I weete what to doo. Sir John of Parr is yowr ffrende and myn, and I gaffe hym a ffayr armyng sworde within this iij. dayes. I harde somwhat by hym off a bakke ffreende off yowr; ye schall knowe moor her afftr.
Wretyn the last daye of Apryll.
[Footnote 136-2: [From Fenn, i. 288.] The date of this letter is ascertained by the fact that Sir Thomas Waldegrave died on the 28th April 1472.--_See_ Inquisition post mortem, 12 Edw. IV., No. 4.]
[Footnote 136-3: Here (according to Fenn) follows an order for making out an account and receiving some rents, etc.]
[Footnote 137-1: Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Frederic Tilney, Knight, and widow of Sir Humphrey Bourchier, son of John, first Lord Berners. Her husband was slain at the battle of Barnet.]
[Footnote 137-2: Thomas Howard, afterwards created Duke of Norfolk, by Henry VIII., for his victory over the Scots at Flodden. He was son and heir of John, Lord Howard.]
[Footnote 137-3: George Nevill, Archbishop of York.]
[Footnote 137-4: Margaret, wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, daughter of Richard Nevill, Earl of Salisbury, and sister of Warwick the Kingmaker.]
[Footnote 137-5: William, Lord Hastings.]
801
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[138-1]
_To Mastyr Syr John Paston, Knyght, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1472 / MAY 14]
Syr, I recomande me to yow, &c. W. Gorney and I ar apoyntyd that ther shall no mony be takyn at Saxthorp tyll thys terme be past, for he hathe promysyd me to spek with yow and your consell, and that ye shall tak a wey betwyx yow so that ye shall be bothe plesyd. He had warnyd a coort at Saxthorp and to have be kep upon Holy Rood Day last past, and ther he wold have gadyrd the half yere ferm, but it fortunyd me to be there ere the coort was half done, and I took syche a wey with hym that the qwest gave no verdyt, ner they procedyd no ferther in ther cort, nor gadyrd no mony ther, nor not shall do, tyll syche tym as ye spek to gedyr, and [_if_] ye be at London thys term; but and ye be not at London, I wold avyse yow to let Townysend tak a wey with hym, for it lyeth not in my power to keep werre with hym; for and I had not delt ryght corteysly up on Holy Rood Day I had drownk to myn oystyrs, for yowng Heydon had reysyd as many men as he kowd mak in harneys to have holp Gornay; but when Heydon sye [_saw_] that we delt so corteysly as we ded he withdrew hys men and mad hem to go hom a yen, notwithstandyng they wer redy, and ned had be. And also my Lord of Norffolks men wyll be with hym ayenst me I wet well as yet, tyl bettyr pesse be.
Item, as for myn ownkyll William, I have spook with hym, and he seyth that he wyll make a byll in all hast of iche percelle be twyxt yow and send yow word in wryghtyng how that he wooll dyell with yow; but I can not se that he besyth hym abowght it, notwithstandyng I calle upon hym dayly for it. As for mony, I can none get, neyther at Snaylewell nor at Sporle tyll mydsomer, thow I wold dryve all the catell they have. I was bond to the shrevys for gren wax[139-1] and for a _fyeri facias_ that is awardyd owt of yowr lond, wyche drawyth in alle bettyr than v. mark, and I am fayn to borow the mony to pay it by that Lord I beleve on, for I cowd not gadyr a nobyll of areragys syn I was with yow at London of alle the lyvelod ye have. As for John Maryot, he is payid of hys anuyte in to a nobyll or x_s._ at the most, but as for all hys dettors I can not pay hem tyll I can gadyr more mony, so God help me. I pray yow send a byll to John Pampyng that he may ryed with me ovyr all your lyvelood, and tak a clere reknyng what is owyng and what that I have receyvyd, that ye may have a cler reknyng of all that ye owe in thys contre, and what your tenauntes owe yow. Item, I pray yow send me word as hastyly as ye can, how the world goethe. No more, but God lant yow lansmann,[139-2] and rather then to stand in dowght, remembyr what peyn it is a man to loese lyberte. The Flet is a fayir preson, but ye had but smale lyberte ther in,[139-3] for ye must nedys aper when ye wer callyd. Item, I have fownd Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon. Item, he comyth to Londonward thys day.
Wretyn the xiiij. day of Maye.
J. P.
[Footnote 138-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] What is here said of the attempt of Gurney to collect the rents at Saxthorpe, seems to show that this letter is of the same year as No. 796. Also the mention of Maryot’s annuity and the green wax agrees very well with the previous allusion to these matters in No. 797.]
[Footnote 139-1: _See_ p. 134, Note 2.]
[Footnote 139-2: So in MS. What does this mean? Compare similar expression at p. 133.]
[[_“similar expression” = “God lant yow myn her” and footnote_]]
[Footnote 139-3: I have found no other mention of Sir John Paston having been imprisoned in the Fleet.]
802
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[139-4]
[Sidenote: 1472 / MAY 25]
Ryght worchefull syr, I recomande me to yow, sertyfying yow that I was purposyd to have com to London to have made my pese with my Lady of Norffolk, but I undyrstand she is not in London; notwithstandyng that is no cause of myn abydyng at hom, but thys is the cause, so God help me,--I can get no mony, neythyr of your lyvelod ner of myn, to pay for my costes, nor for to ease yow with at my comyng. Notwithstandyng I am promysyd som at Snaylewell, and if so be that John can take eny ther, he shall bryng it yow with this bylle. I send yow here ij. of my reknynges that I have receyved and payd syn I delt with yowr lyvelod, and by thes ij. and by that reknyng that I sent yow to London ye may know what is receyved by me, and what I have payid; and howgh and when so evyr ye wyll let your tenauntes and fermours at alle plasys be examynd, ye shalle fynd it non othyr wyse. So God help me, as your lyvelod is payid, it cannot paye your dettes in thys contre; for it drawyth up on a x_li._ that ye owe yet in thys contre, besyd the xii_li._ to Dawbney; and with in thes vij. dayis I shall send yow a clere byll what ye owe, for ther are axyid many thynges that I knewe not of when I was with yow.
Also I enswyr yow by my trowthe I saw my modyr nevyr sorer mevyd with no mater in hyr lyve then she was when she red the byll that ye gave me warnyng in that Perker had atainyd an axyon ayenst yow and me, for she supposyth veryly that it is doon by myn oncyll William meanys, to mak yow to sell your lond. But thys she comandyd me for to send yow word, that and ye sell eny lond, but paye your dettes with syche good as my Lord Archebyshopp owyth yow, and eny law in Inglond can put fro yow eny of hyr lond, she sweryth by that feyth that she owyth to God she wyll put fro yow dobyll as myche lond as ye selle. And therfor I wold avyse yow, calle sharply upon my Lord, the Archebyshop, for ye ar not bond to undo your sylf for hym.
Item, I pray yow se that I tak no hurt by Parker. As for myn oncyll W., I can not mak hym to send you the byll of syche stuff as he hathe of yowrs. He seyth he woll, but he comyth no of with it.[140-1] He and I ar fowly fallyn owght thys same day for a mater betwyx Lovell and Johne Wallsam and hyr sustyr. Lovell hathe bowt Jone Walshamys part of hyr lyvelod, and maryd hyr to a knave, and myn oncyll W. hathe oft spok with my modyr and me for to delyver Jone Walshamys evydence to Lovell, whyche I have in kepyng; and be cause I wyll not delyver Lovell the evydence therfor we fyll owt, in so myche that he seyth he wyll stryppe me fro the maner of Sweynsthorpe. Wherfor I pray yow in eny wyse send me by John Mylsend a copye of the deed that I sent yow to London. Ther is in the same deed Gresham and Snaylewell, and Sporle and Sweynsthorpe, alle to gedyr I trow. And I prey yow let the date and the feoffeys namys, and alle be set in. And I trust to God to mak yt so sewyr that he shall do me lytyll harm. Gefrey Spyrlyng callyth oft up on me to undyrstand how ye wyll delle with hym for hys plase in Norwyche. I pray you send me woord by John what answer I may geve hym; he delyth alwey ryght frendly with yow.
Item, I send yow here wyth Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon.
Item, I pray yow send serteyn woorde how the world gothe.
Wretyn the xxv. day of May.
J. P.
_Endorsed_--John Paston.
[Footnote 139-4: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have been written in 1472, when, as before observed, the Pastons were endeavouring to make peace with the Duke of Norfolk by means of the Duchess. The date is confirmed by the reference to James Gresham’s obligation at the end. Compare last No. There is no address on the back.]
[Footnote 140-1: So in MS.]
803
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[141-1]
_To Sir John Paston, Knythe, be thys delyverid._
[Sidenote: 1472 / JUNE 5]
I gret zow welle, and send zow Godds blyssyng and myn, latyng zow wet that I spakke with frends of myn with yne thys fewe days that told me that I am leke to be trobyld for Sir John Fastolles goodes, the whyche were in zour fadyrs possessyon, and as for me I had never none of them. Where fore I pray zow send me a kopy of the dyssecharge whyche ze have of my Lord of Wynchester that ze told me that ze had, bothe for my dyscharge and zowyrs wat sum ever that be callyd upon of eyther of us here after. Item, yt ys told me that Harry Heydon hat bowthe [_bought_] of the seyd Lord bothe Saxthorpe and Tychewelle, and hathe takke possessyon there in. We bette the busschysse and have the losse and the disworschuppe and ether men have the byrds. My Lord hathe falsse kownselle and sympylle, that avyseythe hym thereto; and as yt ys told me, Guton ys leke to goo the same wey in hast. And as for Heylysdon and Drayton, I trow yt is ther yt schalle be. Wat schalle falle of the remnaunt, God kowythe,--I trow as evelle or whersse. We have the losse among us. Yt owythe to be remembyrd, and they that be defawty to have konsyens there in. And so mot I thryve, yt was told me but latte that yt is seyd in kownselle of them that ben at Caster, that I am leke to have but lytylle good of Mauteby yf the Duke of Norfolke have possessyon stylle in Caster; and yf we lesse that, we lesse the fayereste flower of owr garlond. And ther for helpe that he may be owte of possessyon there of in haste be myn a vyse, wat so ever fortune here after. Item, yt is seyde here that my Lord Archebysschoppe is ded; and yf yt be so, calle up on hys sueretes for the mony that is owyng to us, in hast be myn avyse; and at reverens of God helpe that I mythe be dyschargyd of the C. mark that ze wet of, owder be that mene or sum other, for yt is to myche for me to bere, with other charges that I have besyd, that I am to hevy wan I thynk up on yt. As for your syster Anne, Master Godfrey and his wyffe and W. Grey of Martyn, arn up on a powntment with me and your brother John, so that ze wylle a gre there to and be her good brother; sche schalle have to joyntor hys modyrs lyvelod after the dyssese of her and her husbond, and I to pay x_li._ be zere to the fynddyng of her and her husbond tylle c_li._, be payed. And yf hys grawntsyers lyvelod falle to hym here after, he hathe promysed to amend her joyntyr. Master Godfrey hathe promysyd hym for hys parte xl_s._ be zere, and than lakkythe but iiij. nobyls of xx. mark be zere, the wyche they hope ze wylle make upe for zour parte. Wylliam Grey told me he schuld speke with zow here in wan he kam to London thys terme. God kepe zow.
Wretyn in hast on Fryday next after Sen Pernelle.[143-1]
Be your modyr.
[Footnote 141-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident that Henry Heydon’s purchase of Saxthorpe, mentioned in this letter, must have been subsequent to his support of Gurney in the possession of that manor, as mentioned in Letter 801. No doubt the year is the same. The letter is endorsed by Sir John ‘Per matrem.’]
[Footnote 143-1: St. Petronilla the Virgin or St. Pernell. Her day was the 31st May.]
[[God kowythe _text unchanged: error for “knowythe”?_
tylle c_li._, be payed _punctuation unchanged_]]
804
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[143-2]
_To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / JUNE 5]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow.[143-3]
. . . . . . . . .
Item, Mastyr John Smythe tellyth me that Sir T. Lyneys goodys ar not abyll to paye a quarter of hys detts that be axyd hym; wherfor syche money as is be left it most be devydyd to every man a parte aftyr the quantyte, whyche dyvysyon is not yet mad, but when it is mad he hathe promyseyd me that your part shalbe worthe iij. the best, &c.
Item, as for J. of Barneys hors, whoso have leest need to hym he shall cost hym xx. marks, not a peny lesse.
Ye send me woord of the maryage of my Lady Jane; one maryage for an other on, Norse and Bedford were axed in the chyrche on Sonday last past. As for my syster Anne, my modyr wyll not remeve fro W. Yellverton for Bedyngfeld, for she hathe comend ferther in that mater, syn ye wer in this contre, as it aperyth in hyr lettyr that she sendyth yow by Thyrston.
Tydyngs her, my Lady of Norffolk is with chyld, she wenyth hyrsylf, and so do all the women abowght hyr, insomyche she waytys the qwyknyng with in thes vj. wekys at the ferthest. Also W. Gernay wenyth that Heydon is swyr of Saxthorp, and that Lady Boleyn of Gwton. John Osberne avysythe yow to take brethe for your wodsale at Sporle, for he hathe cast it, that it is woorthe as good as ix.^xx._li._ Bewar of Montayn, for he may not pay yow so moche mony with hys ease.
I prey yow recomand me to Sir John Parre with all my servys, and tell hym by my trouthe I longyd never sorer to see my Lady than I do to se hys Mastershepe; and I prey God that he aryse never a mornyng fro my Lady hys wyff, with owght it be ageyn hyr wyll, tyll syche tyme as he bryng hyr to Our Lady of Walsyngham.
Also I prey yow to recomand me in my most humbyll wyse unto the good Lordshepe of the most corteys, gentylest, wysest, kyndest, most compenabyll, freest, largeest, most bowntesous knyght, my Lord the Erle of Arran,[144-1] whych hathe maryed the Kyngs sustyr of Scotland. Herto he is one the lyghtest, delyverst, best spokyn, fayrest archer; devowghtest, most perfyghte, and trewest to hys lady of all the knyghtys that ever I was aqweyntyd with; so wold God, my Lady lyekyd me as well as I do hys person and most knyghtly condycyons, with whom I prey yow to be aqweyntyd, as yow semyth best; he is lodgyd at the George in Lombard Street. He hath a book of my syster Annys of the _Sege of Thebes_; when he hathe doon with it, he promysyd to delyver it yow. I prey lete Portland bryng the book hom with hym. Portland is loggyd at the George in Lombard Street also.
And thys I promyse yow, ye schall not be so longe ayen with ought a byll fro me, as ye have ben, thow I shold wryght how ofte the wynd changyth, for I se be your wryghtyng ye can be wrothe and ye wyll
crosse it. · + · + · + for lytyll.[144-2] Wretyn the v. day of June. · + · + · +
J. PASTON.
[Footnote 143-2: [From Fenn, ii. 92.] This letter, like the last, is dated by the reference to Gurney and Heydon. The date is confirmed by the allusion to the proposal to sell Sporle wood.]
[Footnote 143-3: Here follows an account of some money transactions, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 144-1: Thomas Boyd, Earl of Arran, in 1466, married Mary, daughter of James II. and sister of James III., Kings of Scotland. He was appointed Regent, but becoming unpopular, was banished, and died in exile before 1474.--F.]
[Footnote 144-2: These two words are crossed as here represented, and over them is written, ‘crosse it.’]
[[Sidenote: 1472 / JUNE 5 _date supplied from body of letter_]]
805
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[145-1]
_To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / JULY 8]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand me to you, sertyfying yow that I have spokyn wyth Mastyr John Smyth[145-2] for Sir T. Lyndys, and he hathe shewyd me your byll whyche ye axe to be content of. Your byll a lone drawyth iiij. mark and ode monye, for ye have set in your byll for wax a lone xx_s._, whyche to Mastyr John S. imagynacyon, and to all other ofycers of the coort, shold not drawe past xx_d._ at hys berying. The bylls that be put into the coorte of Syr Thomas Lynys dettes drawe xxx_li._ xviij_s._ vj_d._, and all the money that can be mad of hys house and goodes in this contrey drawyth but v_li._ Mastyr J. Smyth wold ye shold send hym into the coort an inventory of syche goodys as Syr T. had at London when he dyeid, and that inventory onys had, ye shall have as comyth to your part and more also. Ye must send the serteynte whedyr the wax be xx_s._ or xx_d._; and as for the Freers, Master John wyll not alowe theym a peny, for he seyth wher the dettes may not be payeid, set the beqwestes at nowght. He is agreid to pay the potycarye aftyr that he have the inventory fro yow. Rysyng I trowe hathe be with yow.
Item, as for John Maryot, I have sent to hym for the xl_s._ but I have non answer.
Item, I have spok with Barker, and he hathe no money, nor non can get tyll harvest, when he may dystreyn the cropp upon the grownd; he seyth there is not owyng past v. mark, and on Saturday next comyng he shall send me a vewe of hys acompte whyche I shall send you as sone as I have it. As for Fastolffes v. mark, J. Wyndham hathe be spokyn to by me half a doseyn tymys to send to hym for it, and he seyth he hathe doon so.
Item, Sir John Styll hathe told Jwde when ye shall have the chalys; ax Jwde of your crwets allso.
Item, the prowd, pevyshe, and evyll disposyd prest to us all, Sir James, seyth that ye comandyd hym to delyver the book of vij. Sagys to my brodyr Water, and he hathe it.
Item, I send you the serteynte her with of as myche as can be enqweryd for myn oncyll W. cleym in Caster; thase artyclys that fayle, the tenaunts of Caster shall enqwer theym, and send theym to me hastyly; they have promysyd, and they com, ye shall have theym sent yow by the next messenger that comyth to London.
Item, my modyr sendyth you woord that she hathe neyther Master Robard Popyes oblygacyon nor the Byshopys.[146-1]
Item, my modyr wold ye shold in all haste gete hyr aqwetance of the Byshop[146-2] of Wynchester for Sir John Fastolffes goodes; she preyid you to make it swyr by the avyse of your consayll, and she wyll pay for the costes.
Item, she preyith you to spek to the seyd Byshop for to get Master Clement Felmyngham the viij. mark be yer dwryng hys lyffe that Sir J. Fastolff be set hym; she preyid you to get hym an asygnement for it to som maner in Norfolk or in Lothynglond.
Item, she wold ye shold get yow an other house to ley in your stuff syche as cam fro Caster. She thynkyth on of the Freerys is a fayir house; she purposeyth to go in to the contre, and ther to sojorn onys ayen.[146-3] Many qwarellys ar pyekyd to get my brodyr E. and me ought of hyr howse; we go not to bed unchedyn lyghtly, all that we do is ille doon, and all that Sir Jamys and Pekok dothe is well doon; Sir Jamys and I be tweyn. We fyll owght be for my modyr, with ‘Thow prowd prest’ and ‘Thow prowd sqwyer,’ my modyr takyng hys part, so I have almost beshet the bote, as for my modyrs house; yet somer shal be don or I get me ony mastyr. My modyr proposeith hastyly to take estate in all hyr londys, and upon that estate to make hyr wyll of the seyd londys, parte to geve to my yonger brethyrn for term of ther lyvys, and aftyr to remayn to yow, pert to my syster Annys maryage,[147-1] tyll on C_li._ be payid, part for to make hyr ile at Mawtby, parte for a prest to syng for hyr and my fadyr, and ther ancestrys. And in thys aungyr betwen Sir Jamys and me, she hathe promyseid me that my parte shall be nowght; what your shal be, I can not sey. God sped the plowghe; i feythe ye must purvey for my brodyr E. to go over with you, or he is on don; he wyll bryng xx. noblys in hys purse. My modyr wyll nowthyr geve nor lend non of you bothe a peny forward. Purvey a meane to have Caster ayen or ye goo ovyr; my Lord and Lady (whyche for serteyn is gret with chyld), be wery ther of, and all the housold also. If ye wyll eny othyr thyn to be don in thys contre, send me woord, and I shall do as well as I can with Godes grace, Who preserve yow.
Wretyn the viij. day of Julle. I pray yow recomand me to my Lord of Aran,[147-2] Sir John Par, Sir George Browne, Osbern Berney, R. Hyd, Jhoxson my cosyn, hys wyfe Kate, W. Wood, and all. I pray brenne thys by[ll] for losyng.
Your,
J. P.
[Footnote 145-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The references to the affairs of the deceased Sir Thomas Lynde, the Duchess of Norfolk’s pregnancy, and other subjects mentioned in the letter immediately preceding, prove clearly that this letter belongs to the same year.]
[Footnote 145-2: Master John Smyth was, at this time, an officer in the Bishop’s Court; he became afterwards Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich, and died about 1491.]
[Footnote 146-1: Walter Lyhert, Bishop of Norwich, from 1445 to 1472.]
[Footnote 146-2: William de Wainfleet, Bishop of Winchester from 1447 to 1486.]
[Footnote 146-3: Fenn reads ‘onys a yer,’ which may have been intended; but I think the true reading is ‘ayen.’]
[Footnote 147-1: She afterwards married William Yelverton, Esq.]
[Footnote 147-2: _See_ p. 144, Note 1.]
[[my syster Annys maryage,[147-1] _text reads_ my syster Annys,[147-1] maryage,]]
806
ABSTRACT[147-3]
[Sidenote: 1472(?)]
A paper endorsed ‘The copy of the request to the Bishop of Winchester by Sir John Paston, Knight.’
Complains of my Lord not making him an acquittance of 4000 marks which he has often claimed, etc.
[Sir John Paston is desired in Letters 796 and 805 to procure from the Bishop of Winchester an acquittance for Sir John Fastolf’s goods, and this paper may be presumed to be of the same year.]
[Footnote 147-3: [From MS. Phillipps 9735, No. 271.]]
807
ABSTRACT[148-1]
[Sidenote: 1472 / AUG. 12]
Norf. and Suff. Deeds, No. 63.--‘Relaxatio Willielmi Paston Will. Wainflete et aliis totius juris in manerio de Caldecots in Freton, in Akethorp, in Lowestoft, Spitlings in Gorleston, tenementi vocat’ Habland in Bradwell, et tenementi vocat’ Broweston in eadem villa, et aliis terris infra hundred de Loddinglond Aug. 12, Edw. IV. 12.’
[Footnote 148-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
808
JAMES ARBLASTER TO THE BAILIFF OF MALDEN[148-2]
_To my ryght trusty ffrend John Carenton, Baylye of Maldon._
[Sidenote: 1472 / SEPT. 20]
Ryght trusty frend, I comand me to yow, preying yow to call to your mynd that, lyek as ye and I comonyd of, it were necessary for my Lady and you all, hyr servaunts and tenaunts, to have thys Parlement as for one of the burgeys of the towne of Maldon, syche a man of worchep and of wytt as wer towardys my seyd Lady; and also syche on as is in favor of the Kyng and of the Lords of hys consayll nyghe abought hys persone. Sertyfying yow, that my seid Lady for hyr parte, and syche as be of hyr consayll be most agreeabyll, that bothe ye, and all syche as be hyr fermors and tenauntys, and wellwyllers, shold geve your voyse to a worchepfull knyght, and one of my Ladys consayll, Sir John Paston, whyche standys gretly in favore with my Lord Chamberleyn; and what my seyd Lord Chamberleyn may do with the Kyng and with all the Lordys of Inglond, I trowe it be not unknowyn to you most of eny on man alyve. Wherefor, by the meenys of the seyd Sir John Paston to my seyd Lord Chamberleyn, bothe my Lady and ye of the towne kowd not have a meeter man to be for yow in the Perlement, to have your needys sped at all seasons. Wherfor, I prey yow labor all syche as be my Ladys servauntts, tenaunts, and wellwyllers, to geve ther voyseys to the seyd Sir John Paston, and that ye fayle not to sped my Ladys intent in thys mater, as ye entend to do hyr as gret a plesur, as if ye gave hyr an C_li._ And God have yow in Hys keping.
Wretyn at Fysheley, the xx. day of Septembyr.
J. ARBLASTER.
I prey yow be redy with all the acomptanttys belongyng to my Lady, at the ferthest within viij. dayes next aftyr Perdon Sonday, for then I shall be with yow with Gods Grace, Who have yow in keepyng.
[Footnote 148-2: [From Fenn, ii. 98.] The date of this letter is ascertained by the reference made to it in that which immediately follows it.]
809
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[149-1]
_To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / SEPT. 21]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow wet that your desyer as for the Knyghts of the Shyer was an impossoybyl to be browght abowght; ffor my Lord of Norffolk and my Lord of Suffolk wer agreid i mor then a fortnyght go to have Sir Robert Wyngfeld, and Sir Rychard Harcort, and that knew I not tyll it was Fryday last past. I had sent or I rod to Framlynham, to warne as many of your frends to be at Norwyche as thys Monday, to serve your entent as I koud; but when I cam to Framlynham, and knew the apoyntment that was taken for the ij. knyghts, I sent warnyng ayen to as many I myght to tery at hom; and yet ther cam to Norwyche thys day as many as ther costs dreave to ix_s._ i_d._ ob., payid and reknyd by Pekok and R. Capron, and yet they dyd but brak ther fest and depertyd. And I thankyd hem in your name, and told them that ye wold have noo voyse as thys day, for ye supposyd not to be in Inglond when the Perlement shold be, and so they cam not at the sherhous [_shire-house_]; for if they had, it was thought by syche as be your frends here, that your adversarys wold have reportyd that ye had mad labor to have ben one, and that ye koud not bryng your purpose abowght.
I sent to Yermowthe, and they have promysyd also to Doctor Aleyn and John Russe to be mor then iij. wekys goo.
Jamys Arblaster hathe wretyn a lettyr to the Bayle of Maldon, in Essex, to have yow a bergeys ther; howe Jwde shall sped, let hym tell yow, when ye spek to gedyr.
Syr, I have ben twyis at Framlyngham sythe your departyng, but now, the last time the consayll was ther, I sye [_saw_] yow lettyr whyche was bettyr then well endyghtyd. R. C.[150-1] was not at Framlyngham when the consayll was ther, but I took myn owne avyse, and delyvered it to the consayll with a propocysion ther with, as well as I kowd spek it, and my wordys wer well takyn, but your lett[yr] a thousand fold bettyr. When they had red it, they shewd it to my Lady.[150-2] Aftyr that my Lady had sen it, I spok with my Lady offryng to my Lord and her your servyse, and besyd that, ye to do my Lord a plesur[150-3] and hyr a bettyr, so as ye myght depert wyth ought eny some specyfyid. She wold not tell in that mater, but remyttyd me ayen to the consayll, for she seyd, and she speke in it, tyll my Lord and the consayll wer agreed, they wold ley the wyght [_blame_] of all the mater on hyr, whyche shold be reportyd to hyr shame; but thys she promyseid to be helpyng, so it wer fyrst mevyd by the consayll. Then I went to the consayll, and offyrd befor them your servyse to my Lord, and to do hym a plesure, for the haveing ayen of your place and londys in Caster, xl_li._ not spekyng of your stuff nor thyng ellys. So they answerd me your offyr was more then resonabyll; and if the mater wer thers, they seyd, they wyst what conscyence wold dryve hem to. They seyd they wold meve my Lord with it, and so they dyd, but then the tempest aros, and he gave hem syche an answer that non of hem all wold tell it me; but when I axid an answer of them, they seyd, and [_if_] som Lordys or gretter men mevyd my Lord with it, the mater wer your (kepe consaile), and with thys answer I depertyd. But Syr W. Brandon, Sothewell, Tymperley, Herry Wentworthe, W. Gornay, and all other of consayll, undyrstand that ye have wronge, insomyche that they mevyd me that ye shold take a recompence of other lond to the valew; but they wold not avowe the offyr, for I anserd hem that if they had ryght they wold have ofred no recompence. Dyscovyr not thys, but in my reason, and [_i.e._ if] my Lord Chamberleyn[151-1] wold send my Lady a letter with some privy tokyn betwyx theym, and allso to meve my Lord of Norffolk when he comyth to the Parlement, serteynly Caster is yours.
If ye mysse to be burgeys of Maldon, and my Lord Chamberleyn wyll, ye may be in a nother plase; ther be a doseyn townys in Inglond that chesse no bergeys, whyche ought to do, and ye may be set in for one of those townys, and ye be frendyd. Also in no wyse forget not in all hast to get some goodly ryng, pryse of xx_s._, or som praty flowyr of the same pryse, and not undyr, to geve to Jane Rodon, for she hathe ben the most specyall laborer in your mater, and hathe promysyd hyr good wyll foorthe, and she doeth all with hyr mastresse. And my Lord Chamberleyn wyll, he may cause my Lord of Norffolk to com up soner to the Parlement then he shold do, and then he may apoynt with hym for yow, or the ferm corn[151-2] be gadryd. I profyrd but xl_li._, and if my Lord Chamberleyn profyr my Lady the remenaunt, I can thynk it shall be taken. My Lady must have somwhat to bye hyr kovercheff[151-3] besyd my Lord. A soper that I payd for, wher all the consayll was at Framlyngham, ij_s._ iij_d._, and my costs at Framlyngham twyis lying ther by viii. dayis, with ix_s._ i_d._ ob., for costs of the contre at Norwyche drawyth abowght xx_s._, I trowe more: by our Lady, if it be lesse, stand to your harmys, and _sic remanet_ v_li._ xiij_s._ iii_d._
I axe no more gods of you for all the servyse that I shall do yow whyll the world standyth, but a gosshawke,[152-1] if eny of my Lord Chamberleyns men or yours goo to Kaleys, or if eny be to get in London; that is, a mewyd hawk, for she may make yow sporte when ye com into Inglond a doseyn yer hens, and to call upon yow owyrly, nyghtly, dayly, dyner, soper, for thys hawk. I pray noo more but my brother E., J. Pampyng, Thyrston, J. Myryel, W. Pytte, T. Plattyng Jwde, lityll Jak, Mastyr Botoner, and W. Wood to boote, to whyche persons I prey yow to comand me; and if all thes lyst to spek to yow of thys mater when Sir George Browne, W. Knyvett, R. Hyd, or eny folk of worchepp and of my aqweyntanse be in your compeny, so that they may helpe forthe, for all is lytyll i nowe, and ye be not very well wyllyng, I shall so pervey for hem, and ever ye com to Norwyche, and they with yow, that they shall have as deynte vytayll and as gret plente therof for i_d._ as they shall have of the tresorer of Caleys for xv_d._, and ye, peraventure, a pye of Wymondham to boote. Now thynk on me, good Lord, for if I have not an hawke, I shall wax fatt for default of labor, and ded for default of company by my trowthe. No more, but I pray God send you all your desyrs, and me my mwyd gosshawk in hast, or rather then fayle, a sowyr hawke. Ther is a grosser dwellyng ryght over ayenst the well with ij. boketts a lytyll fro Seynt Elens, hathe evyr hawkys to sell.
Wretyn at Norwyche the xxj. day of September, Anno E. iiij^ti xij^o.
J. P.
Rather then faylle, a tarsell provyd wyll occupy the tyme tyll I com to Caleys.
[Footnote 149-1: [From Fenn, ii. 102.]]
[Footnote 150-1: Richard Calle.]
[Footnote 150-2: Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.]
[Footnote 150-3: Make him a present.--F.]
[Footnote 151-1: William, Lord Hastings.]
[Footnote 151-2: Corn paid in part of rent.--F.]
[Footnote 151-3: A head-dress, or handkerchief.--F.]
[Footnote 152-1: From the anxiety here expressed for a hawk, we may judge of the attention which was paid to the diversion of hawking. Latham, in his book of Falconry, says that a goshawk is the first and most esteemed kind of hawk; that a sore hawk is from the first taking of her from the eyry till she hath mewed her feathers. The tassel, or tiercel, is the male of the goshawk, so called because it is a tierce or third less than the female; it appears here, that a ‘grosser,’ or dealer in foreign fruits, etc., sold hawks.--F.]
[[by our Lady, if it be lesse _text reads “i it”: corrected from Fenn_
T. Plattyng, Jwde _comma missing or invisible_ _there is no comma in Fenn, but the name “Plattyng” occurs several times_]]
810
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[153-1]
_A Monsieur J. Paston, Chevaller._
[Sidenote: 1472 / OCT. 16]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I comand me to yow, sertyfying yow that Pekok hath receyvyd of Sir John Stylle by a bylle all suche stuff as he had of your. And as for Kendallys mater, he hathe doon as myche in it as can be doon: but as for Richard Calle, he hathe gevyn hym a pleyn answer that he wyll not seale to the lease that ye have mad to Kendalle, for he seyth he wottyth not whether it be your wylle or not, notwithstandyng he sye yore sealle up on it. I wold be sory to delyver hym a subpena and ye sent it me.
I send you herwith the endenture betwyx yow and Townesend. My modyr hathe herd of that mater by the reporte of old Wayte, whyche rennyth on it with opyn mowthe in hys werst wyse. My modyr wepyth and takyth on mervaylously, for she seythe she wotyth well it shall never be pledgyd ought; wherfor she seythe that she wyll purvey for hyr lond that ye shall none selle of it, for she thynkys ye wold and it cam to yowr hand. As for hyr wyll and all syche maters as wer in hand at your last being here, they thynk that it shall not lye in all oure porys to let it in on poynt.
Sir Jamys is evyr choppyng at me, when my modyr is present, with syche wordys as he thynkys wrathe me, and also cause my modyr to be dyspleased with me, evyn as who seyth he wold I wyst that he settyth not by the best of us; and when he hathe most unfyttyng woordys to me, I smylle a lytyll and tell hym it is good heryng of thes old talys. Sir Jamys is parson of Stokysby by J. Bernays gyft. I trowe he beryth hym the hyeer.
Item, ye must sende in haste to W. Barker a warrant to pay John Kook xxx_s._, and to the woman of Yermothe for otys xx., and Syr John Styll hys money, for they call dayly up on it.
Item, I prey yow send me some tydynges howgh the world gothe, and whether ye have sent eny of your folk to Caleys. Me thynkes it costyth yow to myche money for to kepe hem all in London at your charge.
Item, whethyr ye have eny thyng spokyn of my going to Caleys.
Item, as for a goshawk or a terssell, I wend to have had on of yours in kepyng or thys tyme, but fere [_far_] fro iee fer fro hert; by my trowthe I dye for defawlt of labore. And it may be by eny meane possybyll, for Godes sake let on be sent me in all hast; for if it be not had by Halowmess, the seson shall passe a non, _Memento mei_, and in feythe ye shall not loose on it. Nor yet myche wyne on it by God, Who preserve yow.
Wretyn on Seynt Mychell Day, in Monte Tomba.[154-1]
J. P.
[Footnote 153-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is shown by a contemporaneous endorsement ‘Anno E. iiij^ti xij^o,’ as well as by the repetition of the writer’s request for a goshawk.]
[Footnote 154-1: The feast of St. Michael in Monte Tumba was the 16th October.]
811
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[154-2]
_To John Paston, esquyer._
[Sidenote: 1472(?) / OCT. [23]]
I grete you wele; letyng you wete that on Saterday last past within nyght the felesshep at Cayster tokyn ought of Mawtby Cloos xvj. shep of diverse mennes that were put therein to pasture, and thei ledde them a wey, so that every man ferith to put any bestis or catell therin, to my grete hurt and discoragyng of my fermour that is now of late come theder. And the seid evill disposed persones affraid my seid fermour as he came from Yarmoth this weke and shotte at hym that if he had not had a good hors he had belike to have ben in joparte of his lyfe; so that be thes rewle I am like to lese the profite of the lyfelode this yere but if there be purveyed the hastyere remedy. Thei threte so my men I dar send non theder to gader it. Thei stuffe and vetayll sore the place, and it is reported here that my Lady of Norffolk seth she wull not leas it in no wyse. And the Duchesse of Suffolkis men sey that she wull not departe from Heylesdon ner Drayton,--she wuld rather departe from money; but that shuld not be wurchepfull for you; for men shull not than set be you. There for I will avyse you to have rather the lyvelod than the money; ye shall mown excuse you be the College which must contynue perpetuall, and money is sone lost and spent whan that lyfelode abideth. Item, I lete you wete that Hastyngis hath entred ageyn in to his fee of the Constabyllshep of the Castell of Norwich be the vertu of his patent that he had of Kyng Harry; and I here sey he hath it graunted to hym and his heyeris. There was at his entres your unkill William and other jentilmen dwellyng in Norwich. This was do be fore that ye sent me the letter be Pers I had forgetyn to have sent you word ther of. God kepe you. Wretyn the Friday next after Sent Luke.
Be your moder.
[Footnote 154-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 108.] This letter was clearly written between the surrender of Caister in 1469 and its recovery by Sir John Paston after the death of the Duke of Norfolk in 1476. The year 1472 may be considered very probable from what Margaret Paston writes in June of that year (No. 803).]
812
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[155-1]
_A Johan Paston, Esquyer, soit done._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 4]
Worshypfull and weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weet that I sente yow a letter and a rynge with a dyamond, in whyche letter ye myght well conceyve what I wold ye scholde do with the same rynge, with menye other tydyngs and thyngs whyche I prayed yowe to have doon for me, whyche letter Botoner[156-1] had the beryng off. It is so nowe that I undrestond that he is owther deed or ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am ryght hevye, and am not serteyn whethyr the seyd lettyr and rynge come to yowr handys or nott. I wolde nott that letter wer seyn with some folkys; wherffor I praye yow take good heede hoghe that letter comythe to yowr handys, hooll or brokyn, and in especiall I praye yow gete it, iff ye have it nott.
Also I praye yow feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards, and whethyr she toke any dysplesur at my langage, or mokkyd, or dysdeyned my words whyche I hadd to hyr at Yarmothe, be twyen the place wher I ffyrst mett with hyr and hyr lodgyng, ffor my Lady Brandon and Syr William[156-2] also axhyd me what words I had had to hyr at that tyme. They seyd that my Lady seyde I gaff hyr ther off,[156-3] and that I sholde have seyde that my Lady was worthye to have a Lords soon in hyr belye, ffor she cowde cheryshe itt, and dele warlye with it; in trowthe owther the same or words moche lyke I had to hyr, whyche wordys I ment as I seyde. They seye to that I seyde she toke hyr ease. Also I scholde have seyde that my Ladye was off satur [_stature_] goode, and had sydes longe and large, so that I was in goode hope she sholde ber a fayr chylde; he was nott lacyd nor bracyd ine to hys peyn, but that she left hym rome to pleye hym in. And they seye that I seyde my Lady was large and grete, and that itt sholde have rome inow to goo owt att; and thus whyther my Lady mokk me, or theye, I woote nott. I mente weell by my trowthe to hyr, and to that she is with, as any he that owythe heer best wyll in Ingelond.
Iff ye can by any meed weete whethyr my Ladye take it to dysplesur or nowt, or whether she thynke I mokkyd hyr, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my selffe, I pray yow sende me worde; ffor I weet nott whethyr I maye trust thys Lady Brandon or nott.
Item, as ffor tydyngs nowe, heer be but ffewe, saff that, as I undrestande, imbassators off Bretayne shall come to London to morawe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryverse[157-1] and Scayls, shall hastelye come home; and men seye that ther is many off the sowders that went to hym into Bretayne been dede off the fflyxe, and other ipedemye [_epidemics_], and that the remenant sholde come hom with the Lorde Skalys. And som seye that thees imbassators come ffor moor men. And thys daye rennyth a tale that the Duke of Bretayne[157-2] sholde be ded. I beleeff it not.
I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns; I do and shall doo that is possible in suche a neede.
Also I canne nott undrestand that my Lord off Norffolk shall come heer thys tyme; wherffor I am in a greet agonye howe is best ffor me to sue to hym ffor rehavyng off my place; that goode Lorde weet full lytell how moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode or worshyp it dothe hym. I praye yow sende me yowr advyce. No moor to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at London the iiij. daye off Novembre, anno E. iiij^ti xij^{o}. I feer me that idelnesse ledyth yowr reyne; I praye yow rather remembre Sir Hughe Levernoys tyll yowr hauke come.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 155-1: [From Fenn, ii. 112.]]
[Footnote 156-1: William Botoner, otherwise Worcester. He certainly was alive some years later than this.]
[Footnote 156-2: Sir William Brandon, Knight, was standard-bearer to the Earl of Richmond, and was slain in Bosworth Field by Richard III. He was father to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 156-3: Meaning apparently, as Fenn suggests, ‘I paid her off, or treated her with unceremonious language.’]
[Footnote 157-1: Anthony Woodville, Earl Rivers, etc., went to endeavour to obtain the possession of the Earls of Pembroke and Richmond, who were detained as prisoners by the Duke of Brittany.--F.]
[Footnote 157-2: Francis II., the last Duke of Brittany, was born in 1435, and died in 1488.--F.]
813
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[158-1]
_A John Paston, Esquyer, soyt done._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 8]
Brother, I comend me to yow, letyng yow weet, &c.[158-2]
As for the delyverance off the rynge to Mestresse Jane Rothone, I dowt nott but it shall be doon in the best wyse, so that ye shall geet me a thank moor than the rynge and I ar worthe or deserve.
And wheer ye goo to my Laydy off Norffolk, and wyll be theer att the takyng off hyr chambre, I praye God spede yow, and our Ladye hyr, to hyr plesur, with as easye labor to overkome that she is abowt, as evyr had any lady or gentyllwoman, saff our Lady heer selffe, and soo I hope she shall to hyr greet joye, and all owres; and I prey God it maye be lyke hyr in worship, wytt, gentylnesse, and every thynge excepte the verry verry thynge.[158-3]
No moor to yow at [this] thyme, but I woll sleepe an howr the lenger to-morrow by cawse I wrote so longe and late to nyght.
Wretyn betwen the viij. and the jx. daye off Novembre anno xij^o E. iiij^{ti}.
J. P., K.
[Footnote 158-1: [From Fenn, ii. 118.]]
[Footnote 158-2: The first part of this letter treats of some money transactions of no consequence, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 158-3: Fenn, in his modernised text, makes this ‘except the sex.’]
[[every thynge excepte the verry verry thynge. _text unchanged: duplication at line break, but Fenn has the same text at mid-line_]]
814
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[159-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 19]
I grete you wele and send you Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that I have sent to Doctor Aleyn wyffe to have spoke with her as ye desired me, and she was so syke that she myght not comyn; but she sent her broder elaw to me, and I lete hym wete the cause why that I wuld have spoke with her as ye desired me. And he told me that he shuld have brought me wrytyng this day from her be vij. of the belle, how that she wull that ye shuld have labored or do for her; but he came no mor at me. Nevertherlesse she sent me an nother massenger, and lete me wete[159-2] that her husband had sent her the same nyght from London that she shuld come up as fast as she cowde to labor to the Lordes there in her propre person; wherfor she myght geve me non answer, ner send you word how that ye shuld do till [that] she had spokyn with her husband, or had other writyng from hym.
Therfore I thynk t[hat s]he hath other councell that avyseth her to labour to other than to you. I wuld not that [you be] to besy in no such maters [ty]ll the werd [_world_] were mor suer, and in any wyse that w[hile my] Lord the Chaunceller is in [occu]pation, labore to have an ende of your grete materes and . . . macion, and abide not up [on] trost of an nother seson, for so shall ye be disseyved a[s ye hav]e ben befor this tyme. I have understand sith that ye departed that ther . . . . . mad to subplant you; therfore, for Goddes sake, in this onstabill werd [_world_] labore er[nestly your] maters that thei may have summe good conclusion, and that shall make y[our enemies] fere you, and elles thei shall . . kepe you low and in trobill. And if any mater . . . . . be Act of Parlement and pro . . . . . lete your bill be mad redy, and lese not your [ma]teres for other mennes; for if your elmyse [_enemies_] may profight now at this tyme, ye shall be [in] wers case than ever ye were befor. All the cou[ntry] wenyth that ye shuld now overcomyn all your trobill, which if ye do not ye shall fall o[ug]ht of conceyte. I write as well this to your brother as to you; therfore lete no diffaught be in you nowther.
Item, it was lete me to wete syth ye departed of such as were your frendes and were conversaunte with the toder parte that ther was mad labor and like to be concluded, that the eleccion of the knyghtes of the shire shuld be chaunged, and new certificat mad and John Jenney set there in; ther for do your devoir to understond the trought as sone as ye can, for the seid Jenney this day rideth up to London ward, and I suppo[se be]cause of the same. I pray you remembre your brother to send me the evydence and remembrance towchyng the maner of Gresham, which that I wrote to hym be Juddy, and send them be sum suer man.
Item, take hede to the labour of your unkyll, for he hath had right straunge langage of your brother of late to right wurchepfull persones; therfor werk wysely and bewar wham that ye lete know your councell.
Item, remembre Lomnors mater as ye may do therin, and send me werd in hast. Mayster Roos shall be at London the next weke; therfore ye shall not nede to make my Lord to write, but whan that he comyth, if my Lord can make hym to put it in indifferent and wurchepfull men, than that it pleasith my Lord to write to them that thei shuld take it upon them to set a rewle therin, with ought better advyse, me semyth it wer wele do. The Holy Gost be your gyde and send yow good spede and councell, and delivere you ought of all trobill and disseas to his pleser.
Wretyn the Thursday next be for Sent Kateryn,[160-1] in hast.
Recomaund me to my Mastres Kateryn, and send me werd how ye don, &c.
Be your Moder.
Do my Lord[161-1] on Sonday send for the shereffes debute [_deputy_] to wete how thei be disposid for certificate of the knyghtes, and I shall understand if thei be eschaunged; for on Sonday at nyght, or on Monday, it shall be put in, and [if i]t is put in, ther is no remedy. Geney seth he wull attempt the law therin.
[Footnote 159-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From the time of year and other circumstances, it seems probable that the election here referred to was that of the year 1472. A circumstance which confirms this date will be found noticed in a footnote. The original letter is mutilated in the middle by the decay of the paper, in more than one place.]
[Footnote 159-2: The words after ‘Neverthelesse’ originally stood ‘her seid brother-in-law told me that tyme that he was with me,’ but are crossed out.]
[Footnote 160-1: St. Catherine’s Day is the 25th of November.]
[Footnote 161-1: The Duke of Norfolk. It will be seen by the preceding letter that John Paston was going to Framlingham in the beginning of November 1472.]
[[Footnote 159-2 and body text: Nevertherlesse she sent me an nother massenger ... The words after ‘Neverthelesse’ ... _mismatched spelling unchanged_
... in this onstabill werd [_world_] labore _italic “d” misprinted as “a”_]]
815
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[161-2]
_To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esquier, or to Roose dwyllyng affor ther gate, to delyver to them._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 22]
Please it yow to weete that I have opteyned letterys from the Kynge to my Lorde off Norffolke, to my Lady of Norffolk, and to ther concell, whyche letter to ther concell is nott superscrybyd, for cawse we wyst nott serteyn whyche of the councell sholde be present when the massenger cowme. I therffor thynke that thoos namys most be somwhatt by yowr advyce; and for get nott Gornaye, nor yitt Brome, iff ye thynke so best, nor Sowthewelle. I trust to my cosyn Gornaye, and on to Brome and Barnard in cheffe; and as to Bernarde, brother, I praye yow to take hys advyce, for I hope he is my welwyller, as ye know, and iffe he do me perffyght ease in thys mater, I thynke verrely in tyme to come to gyff him xx. scutys, and yit a goode turne whan so ever it lythe in my power.
The Kynge hathe specially doon for me in thys case, and hathe pitte me, and so have the Lordys, in ryght greete comfort, that iff thys fayle, that I shalle have ondelayed justyce; and he hathe sente a man of worship and in greet favor with hym on thys massage, whyche hathe nott ofte ben seyne, whyche gentylman kan well do hys mastrys massage and brynge trywe reporte. I have gevyn hym v_li._ for hys costes: God sende hym and yow goode spede in thees werkes. I feer thatt he shall nott speke with my Lady, for that she hathe takyn hyr chambre. Iff she be my verry goode Ladye, as she hathe seyde hertoffor that she wolde be, I hope that she wolle speke with hym. Neverthelesse I praye yow by the meanes of Mestresse Jahne Rothen that [you][162-1] will have my Ladye mevyd for me, and wher that herr to fore I wolde have departyd with C. marke to have hadde hyr goode helpe and to be restoryd to my place; whyche nott acceptyd, I tolde my seyde Lady that I feeryd that my power sholde natt be ther aftre to gyff so large a plesyr, for at that tyme I was in hope that the Bysshop of Wynchester sholde have payd it, thoghe it hadde drawen a C_li._ Yet for as moche as men may nott lure none hawkes with empty handys, I wolde yitt agre to gyffe my Lady xx_li._ for an horse and a sadell, so that I be restoryd to my place, and that doone, to have a relesse of my Lorde, and my gounes and bokes to be restoryd, iff it maye bee. Neverthelesse thys mony is nott yit redy with me. I remytte thys to yowr dyscressyons.
Item, iff it be soo that itt be thowte behovefull, I thynke that thoghe nowther Slyfelde, nor ye, brother John, maye come in to my Ladyes chambre, that my moodre, iff she weer at Norwyche, she myght speke with hyr, for that she is a woman and off worshyppe. I thynke that my moodre sholde meve my Lady moche. I thynke that ther most be some body for me, havyng auctoryte to conclude for me, or ellys knowyng myn entente, they myght make delaye, and seye they wolle at the Kynges enstance comon with me; never the lesse I was nott ther present. Wherffor, rather than fayle, yff neede be, I wolle with owte any abode, iff I heer from yow, come home; and Slyfelde is agreyd to tary the a vij. nyghte for my sake, so that the mater take effecte. I praye yow make hym goode cheer, and iff it be so that he tarye, I most remembre hys costes; therffor iff I shall be sent for, and he tery at Norwyche ther whylys, it wer best to sette hys horse at the Maydes Hedde, and I shalle content for ther expences.
Item, ye maye largely sey on my behalve for suche servyse that I sholde do to my Lorde and Lady hereaffter, whyche by my trowthe I thynke to doo; neverthelesse to sey that I woll be hys sworyn man, I was never yitt Lordys sworyn man, yit have I doone goode servyce, and nott leffte any at hys most neede ner for feer. But as Gode helpe me, I thynke my Lady shalle have my servyce above any lady erthely, wheche she scholde weell have knowyn, had I been in suche case as I hadde nott been alweye the werse welkome; for that on of my herandes alweye was undrestande that it was for Caster, wnyche was nott acceptable, and I evyr the werse welkome.
Item, brother, I ame concludyd with my Lorde for yow, that ye shalle be at Caleys if ye list, and have iij. men in wages undre yow, wheroff my Lorde seythe that William Lovedaye most be on, tyll tyme that he have purveyed other rome for hym. Iff ye be dysposyd to goo, as I tolde hym that ye weer, yett wer it nott best that ye lete it be knowe tyll thys mater be doone, and then ye maye acordyng to yowr promyse lete my Ladye have knowleche ther off. Never the lesse my Lorde shalle be here with in xx. dayes or ther abowt; iff ye come thys weye ye maye speke with hym; neverthelesse ye shall nott lose no tyme, iff ye weer at Caleys at thys owr, for my Lorde promysed me that he wolde wryght to Elkenhed the tresorer at Caleys for yow by the next massenger thatt went.
Item, ther hathe Perauntes wyffe wryte to me that Bernaye servyth hyr onkyndely. He owythe hyr xxxij_s._ and she is in noon hope that evyr he will come ther ageyn; sende me worde iff he wyll. He shall nott lyf so weell and trywly to geedre, I trowe, but iffe he goo thyddre.
I hadde comen home, butt that I ame nott yitt verrely purveyd for payment for my oncle William the xxvj. daye of thys monythe, and he dothe me harme. He delythe so oncurteysly with Towneshende, for he wille nott yitt paye hym the C. marke, payable at Halowmesse, whyche he hadde a monythe affore; wherffor I feer that Towneshende wille nott do for me ageyn. I shall doo as I kan.
Wretyn on Sondaye next Seynt Clement.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 161-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] In this letter, as in the last, allusion is made to the visit paid by John Paston to the Duchess of Norfolk in November 1472.]
[Footnote 162-1: Omitted in MS.]
[[Slyfelde is agreyd to tary the a vij. nyghte _text unchanged: error for “ther(e)”?_
Footnote 162-1: Omitted in MS. _final . missing or invisible_]]
816
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[164-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, be this delivered._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 23]
I grete you wele, letyng you wete that Doctor Aleyns wyffe hath be with me and desired me to write to you to desire you to be good mayster to her husband and to her in her materes, for she tellith me that her trost is full in you, and if she myght have walked she shuld have come to have spoke with you or than ye departed; therfor, I pray you do your devoir for her, for I conceyve that she feyneth not, notwithstandyng that I had her in suspecion as I have wretyn to you before, be cause that she came not, but I conceyve now the trought and that sikenesse caused thatt she absent her. Therfore I pray you help her, for, so God help me, I have right gret pete on her, and it is right grete almes to help her, and I trow she wull put her most trost and sewe specialle to you. Also I wuld ye shold desire your brother to be good mayster on to her, for I suppose be that tyme ye have herd her excuse in such materes as he shuld be displeased with her husband, ye shall hold you pleased. God kepe you and send you Hes blyssyng, with myn. Wretyn on Sent Clementes Day at nyght, in hast,
Be your Moder.
[Footnote 164-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident that this letter was written in the same year as No. 814.]
817
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[165-1]
_To Master Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 24]
Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow, thankyng yow most hertly of your dylygence and cost whyche ye had in gettyng of the hawk, whyche ye sent me, for well I wot your labore and trowbyll in that mater was as myche as thow she had ben the best of the world; but, so God help me, as ferforthe as the most conyng estragers [_falconers_] that ever I spak with can imagyn, she shall never serve but to ley eggys, for she is bothe a mwer de haye, and also she hathe ben so brooseid with cariage of fewle that she is as good as lame in boothe hyr leggys, as every man may se at iee. Wherfor all syche folk as have seen hyr avyse me to cast hyr in to some wood, wher as I wyll have hyr to eyer [_lay eggs_]; but I wyll do ther in as ye wyll, whedyr ye wyll I send hyr yow ayen, or cast hyr in Thorpe wood and a tarsell with hyr, for I weit wher on is. But now I dar no more put yow to the cost of an hawke, but, for Godes sake, and ther be eny tersell or good chep goshawk that myght be gotyn, that the berer herof may have hyr to bryng me, and I ensuer yow be my trowthe ye shall have Dollys and Browne bonde to paye yow at Kandyllmas the pryse of the hawke. Now, and ye have as many ladyse as ye wer wont to have, I reqwere yow for hyr sake that ye best love of theym all, onys trowbyll yowr syllf for me in thys mater, and be owght of my clamor.
Item, as for the ryng, it is delyverd, but I had as gret peyn to make hyr take it as ever I had in syche a mater; but I have promyseid yow to be hyr knyght, and she hathe promyseid me to be more at your comandment then at eny knyghtes in Inglond, my Lord reservyd; and that ye shall well undyrstand, if ye have owght to do, wherin she may be an helper; for ther was never knyght dyd so myche cost on hyr as ye have doon.
I mervyall that I her no woord of the lettyrs that my Lord Chamberleyn shold send to my Lord and my Lady for Caster. It is best that my Lord Chamberleyn wryght to my Lady by som prevy tokyn betwyx theym, and let a man of hys com with the lettrys. My Lord Chamberleyn may speed with my Lady what maters he wyll, savyng the gret mater; and if ye inbyll me for a solysitor, I shal be _a vouster comandment a touz jours_.
Item, me thynkyth that ye do evyll that ye go not thorewgh with my Lady of Suffolk for Heylysdon and Drayton; for ther shold growe mony to you, whyche wold qwyte yow ayenst R. T. and all other, and set yow befor for ever.
I prey yow for your ease, and all others to you ward, plye thes maters. As for alle other thynges, I shall send yow an answer, when I com to Norwyche, whyche shall be on Thorsday, with Godes grace. I have teryd her at Framlyngham thys sevennyght, for [my] Lady took not hyr chambyr tyll yersterday. Adewe.
Wretyn on Seynt Kateryns Evyn.
J. P.
[166-1]I sye the pye, and herd it spek; and, be God, it is not worthe a crowe; it is fer wers then ye wend; be God, it wer shame to kep it in a cage.
[Footnote 165-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] At the foot of this letter is written, in a different but contemporary hand, ‘A^o E. iiij^ti xij^{o}.’ The date is besides abundantly evident from other circumstances.]
[Footnote 166-1: This _P.S._ is written on the back of the letter.]
818
ABSTRACT[166-2]
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 26]
‘Soutwerk cum membris,’ No. 17a.--‘Literæ patentes concessæ a Rege ad petitionem Domini Fundatoris pro ponte fiendo in vico vocato le Bermoseystret. Dat. 26 Novembris anno regni Regis Ed. IV. 12^{o}.’
[Footnote 166-2: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
819
JOHN OSBERN TO SIR JOHN PASTON[167-1]
_To the right worshepfull my master, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
A^o xij. E. R. quarti.
[Sidenote: 1472]
Please it your masterschep to knowe that Johon Shawe and I have goten a carpenter fro Walsyngham to Sporle to valewe your wod the[167-2] the wheche carpenter hese costis there Sondaye at nyght next before the Assencion off owre Lord Jesu Cryst, Mondaye, Tewesdaye, Wednesdaye, Assencion Daye, Frydaye and Saterdaye, and for hese labor iij_s._ iiij_d._ And upon the syte of your seid wode he hath valewid the launde wythin the dykes xij. fote inward fro the cop of the dyke and wythowte at liiij_li._ vij_s._ x_d._ And wythin the wode xij. fote wythin alle the dykes vj^xx._li._ vij_s._ viij_d._ the valewe of the dykes abowte the woode fro xij. fote fro wythin owtewardis arn prysid at x_li._ grete chepis the valew of the trees in the maner and in the closes azens the seid manor toward Swaffham xx. marc gret chepe; there off be ware and be not to hasty, &c., the cloos at the tow . . . toward Pykenham not valewid nor not spoken of, &c. The summa totall ix^xx._li._ & xviij_li._ ij_s._ viij_d._
And if ze shuld selle all this wode togedyr for redy sylver never lesse in the summa paste v. marc, if ze woll sell the wode . . . . . the lawnde wythin the dykes and the standardis thoo I shall wryte aftyr in this bille for to stande in any wyse less . . . . . . all the hole sum at the most paste x_li._ for who so ever shall by it he maye so leve and gete goode, &c.
The summa of your standardis for certeyn reconyd the Mondaye and the Tewsdaye whill I was at Sporle wyth in . . . . . and xij. fote wythin the dykes in forme above rehersid xj^xx. And iche standarde a zard [_yard_] above the grownde . . . . . abowte an . . lesser till we come xij. inche and viij. inche besyde all odyr smale that arn of lesse mesure . . . . . . growe the wheche arn many and resonabely sufficient, &c., the nowmber off the standardis wythin your . . . . . cowntid and summe be estimacion of the mesures and formes above rehersid CCCC^ma xxxvj^ti.
As for your undyrwode I can not fynde the meane to valewid to your avayle, be cause it were necessary to knowe the purpose off your fellyng, where off beware, &c.
As for the fensyng of your dykes, and ze shuld felle your bordorys off your wode the Suthsyde, viz., toward Pykenham fro the Wonges to Walsyngham Weye is lxxx. rodde at leste, the price of the rodde iiij_d._, dyggyng, plashyng, and heggyng. Summa, xxvj_s._ viij_d._
The Est syde toward Neyghton and Sparham vij^xx. rodde at the leste, Summa, xl_s._
The Northende toward Dunham lxxx. rodde, Summa, xxvj_s._ viij_d._
The West syde toward Sporle be the Loyes vj^xx. rodde, Summa, xl_s._
Summa, vj_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._
Where off sum is repayrid, sum maye be sperid, but at the lest it woll coste yow a vj. marc, &c.
If it please yow to take myn symple avyse in your wode sale, selle non in gret, but make fagottes and astell and lete alle your grete and goode tymber and trees stande, and ze shall make resonably mony to your worchep, and to your best avayle as John Shawe your servaunt shall telle yow, if I maye do zow any service in this c . . . . ze shall ffynde me redy, so that ze sende sufficient warant be the grace off Jesu, Who haue y[ow in His] kepyng. Wrete in hast, at Walsyngham, the Sundaye next aftyr the feest off the Assencion off owr [Lord] Jesu Cryste.
Be your
JOHN OSBERN.
I praye yow geff credens in alle these materes to Shawe, for he can telle yow more shortlyer then I shuld wryte, and I hold hym trewe to yow in hese menyng.
_Endorsed_--Per John Osbern, pro Sporl Wood.
[Footnote 167-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 167-2: _Sic_, _qu._ ‘there’?]
820
RICHARD CALLE TO MARGARET PASTON[168-1]
_To the ryght reverent and worshipffull my mastres, Margaret Paston, in haste._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 27]
Plesith it you to wete that I have receyved your letter, wherin I conceyve ye wolde undrestonde how I do with the sale of Sporle Wode. It is so that I have begonne to felle asshe at the townes ende for to sette the contre on werke, and be that I shall undrestonde how the remnaunt wol doo. I have sette suche a classe [_glass_] before here ien [_their eyes_] ther, that they are madde upon it, so that I truste be Ester to make of money, what with the barke and with the asshe, at the leest l. marke for to retayle the wode our selfe, and be Cristemas next after that, other l. marke, and so yerely l. marke at Cristemesse as longe as the wode lasteth, to the some that I tolde you, and I truste more; and to this I durste be bound. Nevertheles, I am a bowte to selle it all a grete and to brynge it to all moste to as goode proffe as thowe we retayled it oure silffe, for it is so that ther is a man of Carbroke, they calle hym Saunders, I may have of hym for all the wode and barke that is in Sporle xj^xx. marke, to paye at suche dayes a fore reherseyd, we to bere the costes of the fense and of the tithe; but we are not throw yet, nor nought shal be tille I have worde from you a yene, weche I must have be Sonday come sevenyte at the fertheste, for on the Wednesdaye nexte after that we shal mete a yene at Sporle. Wherfore I beseche you sende me your avice how ye thynke herein, and I shal doo that in me is be Godes grace; if I can do better with hym I shall. It shal be harde werke, but if I haunse hym som what, for ther is moche money be twix us, and therfore spare not to sende my master, Sir John, worde to take suche dayes of payment as is a bove wreten, for it shalbe performed what wey som ever we take be Godes grace.
Item, mastres, as for your write [_wright_] ye may not have hym tille after Cristemas, for he had taken an howse to make while I was with you, it wolbe this iij. wekes yet or then he make an ende, &c.
Item, I mette with Robert at Heythe of Matelaske at Norwiche, when I come from you. I felle on hande with hym for Matelaske Kerre, I myght have had of hym for that vij. marke and xx_d._ Dele nogh as ye thynke.
Item, as for money of the fermour of Sporle, he telles me he is bounde to Tounesende to pay hym at this Candelmesse. And he seythe if he may be discharged a yenst hym your money shalbe redy at hys daye, be Godes grace, Who have you in His blissed kepyng.
Wreten at Sporle, the Friday next after Seint Edmund the Kynge.
Your servaunt,
R. CALLE.
[Footnote 168-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident that this letter must have been written some time after the preceding, but very probably in the same year.]
821
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[169-1]
_To Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. or DEC.]
Syme recomandyth hym to your good mastyrshep, and preyeth yow that ye wyll not forget, though he be a boye, to let hym were the same lyvere that your men do; and if it pleased yow to lete hys gowne clothe be sent hym home, that it myght be mad ayenst your comeing in to thys contre, he wold be as prowd as eny man ye have. Sir, as hertly as I can, I thank yow for the hatt, whyche is comyng, as I undyrstand by your wrytyng, sent by John, the Abottys man of Seynt Benet.
My modyr sendys you Godes blyssyng and hyrs, and preyes yow to get a new lycence of my Lord of Norwyche that she may have the sacrement in hyr chapell. I gat a lycence of hym for a yere, and it is nyghe woryn ought. Ye may get it for the Byshoppys lyve, and ye wylle.
As for the lettyrs that Slyfeld shold get newe of the Kyng, whyche ye shold bryng to my Lord of Norffolk, it is myn avyse that ye shall come home your sylff as hasty ly as ye maye, so that ye may be at the crystenyng of the chyld that my Lady is with; it shall cause yow gret thank, and a gret fordell [_advantage_] in your mater. And as for the lettres, leve a man of yowr to awayte on Slyfeld to bryng theym after yow; of whyche lettres I avyse yow to have one dyrect fro the Kyng to yow, comandyng yow to be the messenger and brynger of the other lettres to my Lord, my Lady, and ther consayll, for your owne mater; and thys me thynkyth shall do well, for then shall the man shewe to my Lordes consayll the lettre dyrect to yow that ye have awtoryte to be your owne solycytour, and also it shall be thought that the Kyng tendryth yow and your mater, when he wryghtyth to your sylf for it.
My Lady wayteth hyr tyme with in viij. dayes at the ferthest.
[Footnote 169-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is shown by the reference to the situation of the Duchess of Norfolk. Compare Letter 817. There is an old, and nearly contemporary, endorsement, ‘Anno xv^o, mens. Novemb.,’ but this is clearly erroneous.]
822
ABSTRACT[170-1]
[Sidenote: 1472 / DEC. 7]
1472, 7 Dec.--‘Vigill of Concepcion of oure Lady,’ 12 Edw. IV. Indenture of agreement (in English) between Bp. Waynflete and William Worceter, by which the latter undertakes to deliver to the Bishop all deeds, charters, rolls of courts, and accounts, and all other muniments which are in his hands relating to the manors and lands of the late Sir John Fastolf, excepting lands, etc. in Norfolk, called Fairchilds, and two tenements and two gardens called Walles, in Suthwerk, of which he himself is seised; and also, as executor of the will of Sir Thomas Howes, to deliver up all money and goods of Fastolf, and obligations for property, etc., sold by the said Thomas, which he can recover, over the sum of £40 due to him, the said William Worceter, for his marriage, and also to assist the said Bishop and his College at Oxford in all matters relating to Fastolf’s lands; in return for which the Bishop covenants to pay him £100, and also an allowance upon all sums of money recovered by him.
[Footnote 170-1: This abstract is taken from Mr. Macray’s account of the MSS. in Magdalen College, Oxford, printed in the Fourth Report of the Historical MSS. Commission.]
823
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[171-1]
_To my Mastyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1472 / DEC. 18]
Ryght worchepfull Syr, I recomand me to yow, thankyng yow most hertly of your gret cost, whyche ye dyd on me at my last being with yow at London; whyche to my power I wyll recompence yow with the best servyse that lythe in me to do for your plesure, whyll my wytts be my owne.
Syr, as for the mater of Caster, it hathe be mevyd to my Ladys good grace by the Byshope of Wynchester, as well as he kowd imagyn to sey it, consederyng the lytyll leyser that he had with hyr; and he told me that he had ryght an agreabyll answer of hyr, but what hys answer was, he wold not tell me. Then I axyd hym what answer I should send yow, in as myche as ye mad me a solysyter to hys Lordship for that mater; then he bad me that undyr consayll I shold send you woord that hyr answer was more to your plesure than to the contrary, whych ye shall have more pleyn knowlage of thys next terme, att whyche tyme bothe my Lord and she shall be at London.
The Byshop cam to Framlyngham on Wednysday at nyght, and on Thursday by x. of the clok befor noon, my yong Lady was krystend, and namyd Anne. The Byshop crystend it and was godfader bothe, and with in ij. owyrs and lesse aftyr the crystenyng was do, my Lord of Wynchester departyd towards Waltham.[171-2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And I let you pleynly weet, I am not the man I was, ffor I was never so roughe in my mastyrs conseyt as I am now, and that he told me hymselff before Rychard Sothewell, Tymperley, Sir W. Brandon, and twenty more, so that they that lowryd, nowgh[172-1] laughe upon me; no moor, but god look.
Wretyn at Framlyngham, the Fryday next aftyr that I depertyd fro yow. Thys day my Lord is towardys Walsyngham, and comandyd me to overtake hym to morow at the ferthest.
J. P.
[Footnote 171-1: [From Fenn, ii. 42.] Fenn informs us that this letter is dated on the back in a contemporaneous handwriting, ‘Anno x^o.,’ which seems to mean 10 Edw. IV. This date however, is certainly erroneous; for in the inquisitions taken on the death of the Duke of Norfolk, Anne, Lady Mowbray, his daughter and heir, was found to have been four years old on the 10th December 1476. She was born, therefore, on the 10th December 1472.]
[Footnote 171-2: Then follows the substance of a conversation between the Lady of Norfolk and Thomas Davers, wherein she promises to be a friend to Sir John Paston concerning Caister; but J. Davers swore J. Paston not to mention her goodwill to any person, except to Sir John.--F.]
[Footnote 172-1: In the modern version Fenn reads, ‘so that they that _loved not_, laugh upon me.’]
824
JOHN PASTON TO THE DUKE OF NORFOLK[172-2]
_To the right hyghe and myghty Prince, and my right good and gracious Lord, my Lord the Dwke of Norffolk._
[Sidenote: 1472]
Mekly besechyth your hyghness, your poore and trew contynuall servaunt and oratour, John Paston, the yonger, that it myght please your good grace to call on to your most discret and notabyll remembrance that lateward, at the cost and charge of my brodyr, John Paston, Knyght, whyche most entendith to do that myght please your hyghness, the ryght nobyll Lord, the Bysshop of Wynchester entretyd so, and compouned with your Lordshepp, that it liekyd the same to be so good and gracious Lord to my seyd brodyr, that by forsse of serteyn dedys, relessis, and lettrys of attorney selyd with the sealys of your good grace, and of other serteyn personys infeoffyd to your use in the maner of Caster, late John Fastolffes, Knyght, in the conte of Norffolk, my seyd brodyr and I, with other enfeoffyd to my seyd brodyrs use in the seyd maner, wer peasably possessyd of and in the same tyll syche tyme as serteyn personys, servaunts on to your good grace, entred in to the seyd maner, and therof have takyn the issuses and profitys in the name of your seyd hyghnesse by the space of thre yer and more, to the gret hurt of my seyd brodyr and me your seyd servuantes and oratour: wherfor, as I have oft tymys befor thys, I beseche your good grace, at the reverence of God, and in the wey of charyte, that my seyd brodyr may by your hyghness be ayen restoryd in to the possessyon of the sey[d] maner, acordyng to the lawe and good conscyence; and wee shall prey to God for the preservacyon of your most nobyll estate.
[Footnote 172-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This petition is shown by internal evidence to have been drawn up towards the end of the year 1472, as it sets forth that the Duke had been more than three years in possession of Caister, which was surrendered to him in September 1469. There can be no doubt therefore that it was presented or prepared for presentation at the time of John Paston’s visit to Framlingham.]
825
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JAMES GLOYS(?)[173-1]
[Sidenote: 1473 / JAN. 18]
I recomaund me to you, and thanke you hertyly of your letteris, and delygente labour that ye have had in thoes materis that ye have wretyn to me of, and in all other, to my profette and worschep, and in esspeciall atte this sesons towchyng the mater that I sent you the indenture of. Ye have lyghtyd myne hert therin by a pound, for I was in fere that it wold not have bene doo so hastyly with oute danger. And as for the letters that Thom Holler son schuld have brought me, I see nother hym ne the letters that he schuld have brought; wherefor, I pray you hertely, yeve it be no dysese to you, that ye will take the labour to bryng Walter theyr he schuld be, and to purvaye for hym that he may be sette in good and sad rewle. For I were loth to lese hym, for I trust to have more joye of hym than I have of them that bene owlder; though it be more coste to me to send you forth with hym, I hold me plesed, for I wote wele ye schall best purvaye for hym, and for suche thynges as is necessar to hym, than another shuld doo, after myne intent. And as for ane hors to lede hys gere, me thynke it were best porvaye one atte Camberage, lesse than [_unless_] ye canne gytte onye carreours from thens to Oxynforth more hastyly; and I mervell that the letters come not to me, and whether I may laye the defaute to the fauder or to the son therof. And I wold Water schuld be copilet with a better than Holler son is, there as he schalbe; howe be it I wold not that he schuld make never the lesse of hym, by cause he is his contre man and neghbour. And also I pray you wryte a letter in my name to Watere, after that ye have knowne myne entent by fore this to hym ward; so that he doo welle, lerne well, and be of good rewle and disposycion, ther shall nothyng faylle hym that I may helpe with, so that it be nessessare to hym; and bydde hym that he be not to hasty of takyng of orderes that schuld bynd hym, till that he be of xxiiij. yeere of agee or more, thoff he be consaled the contrare, for oftyn rape [_haste_] rewith. I will love hym better to be a good secular man than to be a lewit prest.
And I am sore that my cosyn Bernay is seke, and I pray you yeff me white wine, or ony of my wateris, or ony other thyng that I have that is in your awarde, may doo hym ony comforth. I lette hym have it; for I wold be right sory yf ony thyng schuld come to hym botte good. And for Godsake advise hym to doo make hys will, yeve it be not doo, and to doo well to my cosyn, his wiff, and els it were pete; and I pray you to recomaunde me to hyr, and to my nawnte, and to all the gentill men and gentil women there. And as for John Daye, and he be dede I wold be sory, for I know not howe to come by my mony that he oweith me; and I porpose that Pacoke schall have les to doo for me another yeres than he haith had, if I may be better porvayed with your helpe, for he is for hym self, bott not for me.
And as for ony marchandes to my corn, I can gytte none here; therfor I pray you, doo ye als wele therein as ye canne; also I send you by the bereer hereof the bill of myne resaytes. And yef ye go forth with Walter, I pray you come to me als sone as ye may after ye be commyn home; and me lyketh myne abydyng and the contre here[175-1] right well, and I trust whan sommer comith and fayre wether, I schall lyke it better, for I am cherysed here botte to wel.
And I constrew your letter in other materis well i nough, whereof I thanke you; and if it nede not to send forth Walter hastyly, I wald ye myght come to me, thowe ye schuld com opon one day and goo agayne on the next day, than schuld I comon with you in all materis; and I hold best if ye have not the letteris that Holler son schuld have brough me, that ye send Sym over for them this nyght that I may have them to morowe, and yif ye may combe your self, I wold be the better playsed.
And I remember that water of mynte or water of millefole were good for my cosyn Bernay to drynke, for to make hym to browke,[175-2] and yeve thei send to Dame Elesebeth Callethorppe ther ye shall not fayill of the tone or of both, sche haith other wateris to make folkis to browke. God kepe you.
Wrytyn on the Monday next after Sent Hiller.
I have no longer leyser atte this tyme.
[Footnote 173-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The allusion by the writer to her cousin Berney’s sickness makes it probable that this letter was written in 1473, when the Monday after St. Hilary would be the 18th of January. John Berney of Reedham died on the 20th January in that year (Inquis. _post mortem_, 13 Edw. IV., No. 17). The letter has neither signature nor address, but was probably written by Margaret Paston to her priest, Sir James Gloys, who died in the course of this year.]
[Footnote 175-1: I think this must have been written at Maltby, where Margaret Paston certainly lived during her later years, and where she was doubtless staying when she desired a license of the Bishop to have the Sacrament in her private chapel. _See_ No. 821.]
[Footnote 175-2: _i.e._ to enable him to retain food in his stomach.]
826
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[175-3]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, or to Mestresse Margret Paston, hys Modre be thys letter delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1473 / FEB. 3]
Weell belovyd Brother.[175-4] . . . . . . . . .
As ffor tydyngs heer, ther bee but fewe, saff that the Duke of Borgoyen[175-5] and my Lady, hys wyffe farethe well. I was with them on thorysdaye last past at Gawnt.[176-1] Peter Metteney ffarethe weell, and Mestresse Gretkyn bothe and Rabekyn recomend hyr to yow; she hathe ben verry seke, but it hathe doon hyr goode, ffor she is ffayrer and slenderer than she was, and she cowde make me no cheer but alwey my sawse was ‘How ffaret Master John, yowr brother?’ wher with I was wrothe, and spake a jalous worde or too, dysdeynyng that she sholde care so moche ffor yow, when that I was present.
Sende me worde to Hoxons in wrygtyng, what goode the Bysshop ded ffor me at Framynham, and howe my Lorde, my Ladye, and all the cort or [_are_] dysposyd to me wards.
I here also seye that my Ladye and yowrs, Dame Margret Veer[176-2] is ded, God have hyr sowle; iff I weer not sorye ffor herr, I trowe ye have been.
No moor to yow at thys tyme, but All myghty Good have yow in kepyng.
Wretyn at Caleys the iij. daye of Februarye Anno R. R. E. iiij. xij^o.
J. P., K.
[Footnote 175-3: [From Fenn, ii. 120.]]
[Footnote 175-4: Here follows an account of letters sent to him from Calais--of farme barly in Fledge, and of olde stuffe at Norwich, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 175-5: Charles the Bold, and Margaret, sister to Edward IV.]
[Footnote 176-1: Ghent, in the Netherlands.]
[Footnote 176-2: Daughter and heir of Sir William Stafford, and wife to Sir George Vere. Their son, John Vere, was afterwards Earl of Oxford.--F.]
827
NOTE
[Sidenote: 1473 / FEB. 10]
In Blomefield’s History of Norfolk, vol. xi. p. 208, it is stated that ‘on February 10 in the 13th of Edward IV., an indenture was made between Sir William Yelverton, William Jenney, serjeant-at-law, and William Worcester, executors of Sir John [Fastolf] on one part, and Thomas Cager and Robert Kyrton on the other, whereby the said Robert was appointed surveyor of the lands and tenements in Southwark and other places in Surrey, late Sir John’s, to perform his last will; and also receiver of rents; who was to have 6 marks _per ann._, and to be allowed besides all reasonable costs that he shall do in the defence and keeping out John Paston, Esq., and of all others claiming by him.’
828
ABSTRACT[177-1]
‘J. P.’ [JOHN PASTON] TO SIR JOHN PASTON
[Sidenote: 1473 / MARCH 8]
As I promised in the letter that Playter sent, Playter and I have been with my mother to get her to make chevesance for the £100, but she bade us send you word, you need look for no other comfort from her. Jwde can tell you Barker’s answer. As for John Kook you promised him payment yourself and to Sir John Styll 5 marks in part payment. My mother has sold her barley for 14_d._ I never meet John Smyth but I speak of it to him. He keeps his courts here at Norwich all the week. As for Fastolf, I can only speak to Wymondham his father-in-law, which I do as often as I see him. Would be sorry the great matter which requires hasty answer ‘lest the kok be in perayle’ should be delayed by his negligence. Thinks Edmund Fastolf ‘was a reasonable man to Robert of Lyne. Wherefore, let my brother Edmund sue for the same, for one wife may serve for us both till better peace be. So God help me ye may allege a plain excuse that these dyrk wars have so hindered me that her lyvelode and mine both should be too little to live at our ease till I were further before the hand than I could be this two year, and she found after her honor and my poor appetite.’ Would rather forbear what he would have than bring them in pain. ‘Say better for me, for ye can and ye will. This matter must be honestly handled, for I wot well my young lady of Oxenforthe shall hear of it. We have here no tidings, but a few Frenchmen be whyrlyng on the coasts, so that there dare no fishers go out but under safe conducts. I pray you, and ye have any more oranges than ye occupy, that poor men may have part for a great bellied lady.’ First Monday of Clean Lent, 13 Edw. IV.
_Addressed_--‘A Mys^r John Paston, schevaller, soyt done.’ _Endorsed_--‘Mens’ Marcii Anno xiij^{o}.’
[Footnote 177-1: [From MS. Phillipps 9735, No. 257.]]
829
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[177-2]
_To my Master, Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyverd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1473 / MARCH 26]
As I was wryghtyng this bylle, Mastresse Jane Harsset comandyd me streyghtly that I shold recomand hyr to yow in hyr best wyse, and she sendyth yow word she wold be as fayne to here fro yow as an other poore body.
Syr, it is so that my cosyn John Blenerhasset[178-1] is enformyd that for verry serteyn he is chosyn to be on of the colectours of the taske in Norffolk, wher in verry trowthe he hathe not a foot of lond with in the shyer; wherfor I beseche yow that, as hastyly as ye may aftyr the syght of thys bylle, that it may please yow to take the labore to comon with Sir Rychard Harrecorte, and to let hym have knowlage that thys gentyllman hathe nowght with in the shyer, and that ye tweyne may fynd the meane to get hym owght of that thanklesse offyce, for I promyse yow it encomberthe hym evyll, and my mastresse hys wyffe, and alle us hys frendys here; and if so be that ye and Sir R. Harcorte may not fynd the meane betwyx yow, that then it may please yow to meve my Lord Chamberleyn with thys mater, and so Master Harsset prayithe yow, and Mastresse Jane, hys wyff also, for she lyekyth no thyng by the ofyce.
It is thowght her amonge us that Heydons be the causers that he was set in. I prey yow enqwer of Sir R. Harcort who was the cause, and that it may be wyst in the next byll that ye send me; for if they wer the causers, it lythe in my cosyn Harsettes power to qwytte theym.
We have no tydynges to send, but that our Frenshemen[178-2] whyche kepte our costs her ar home into France, for lake of vytayll, we saye.
Hogan[178-3] is put in the Gyld Halle in Norwyche, and shalbe browght up to London for reportyng of hys old talys. He varythe not. No more, but I prey God send yow the Holy Gost amonge yow in the Parlement Howse, and rather the Devyll, we sey, then ye shold grante eny more taskys.
Wretyn the day next aftyr our Lady Day, the Anuncyacyon, Anno xiij. E. iiij^{ti}.
* * *
Yong Heydon laborythe alle that he can to mary on of hys doughtyr to yonge John Barney[179-1] by the mean of W. Calthorpp.
J. P.
[Footnote 177-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed with what appears to have been the date of its receipt--‘xxviij^o die Marcii A^o xiij^o E. iiij^{ti}.’]
[Footnote 178-1: John Blennerhasset, Bleverhasset, and (for shortness) often called Harsset, of Frens, married first Jane, daughter of Thomas Higham, Esq., and secondly Jane, daughter of Sir Thomas Tindal of Hockwold, Knight. He died in 1510, aged 87.--F.]
[Footnote 178-2: The French vessels that infested the coast, as mentioned in the preceding letter.]
[Footnote 178-3: Hogan pretended to foretell commotions and rebellions, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 179-1: This marriage never took effect.--F.]
830
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[179-2]
_A son trescher & bon ame Freer, John de Paston, Esquier._
[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 2]
Weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow wete that at the request of Mestresse Jane Hassett and yow, I have laboryd the knyghtys off the sheer off Norffolk, and the knyghtys off the shyre of Suffolk. I understond ther had ben made labor that suche a thing shulde have ben as ye wrotte to me off, but now it is saff.
Raff Blaundrehasset wer a name to styrte an hare. I warrant ther shall come no suche name in owr bokys, ner in owr house; it myght per case styrt xx^ti harys at onys; ware that j_d._ perse.[179-3] I redde ther in the bille off Norffolk, off one John Tendall, Esquier, but I suppose it be not ment by owr Tendall, and iff it be, he shall not rest theer, iffe I maye helpe it.
As for tydyngs, the werst that I herde was that my moodre wyll not doo so moche ffor me as she put me in comffort off.
Other tydyngs, I herd sey ffor serteyn that the Lady Fitzwater is ded, and that Master Fytzwater shall have CCCC. mrke a yer more than he had. I am not sory therffor.
As ffor the worlde I woot nott what it menyth, men seye heer, as weell as Hogan, that we shall have adoo in hast; I know no lyklyhod but that suche a rumor ther is.
Men sey the Qwyen with the Prynce shall come owt off Walys, and kepe thys Esterne with the Kyng at Leycetr, and some seye nowther off them shall com ther.
Item, off beyond the see, it is seyd that the Frense Kyngs host hathe kyllyd the Erle of Armenak[180-1] and all hys myry mene; some seye undre appoyntment, and some seye they wer besegyd, and gotyn by pleyn assault.
Ferthermoor men seye that the Frenshe Kynge is with hys ost uppon the water off Some a lx. myle froo Caleys; I leve them wheer I ffond them.
I made yowr answer to the ffrends off Mestresse Jane Godnoston accordyng to yowr instrucions. As for me, I am nott serteyn whether I shall to Caleys, to Leysetr, or come home into Norffolk, but I shall hastely send yow worde, &c.
Wretyn the ij. daye of Aprill, Anno E. iiij. xiij^{o}.
[Footnote 179-2: [From Fenn, ii. 122.]]
[Footnote 179-3: ‘Ware that penny purse’--_qu._ that penurious fellow?]
[Footnote 180-1: John, Count of Armagnac, assassinated on the 6th March 1473.]
831
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[180-2]
_To John Paston, Esquier._
[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 12]
Best belovyd brother, I recomend me on to yow, letyng yow weet that I receyvyd on Wednysday last past yow angery lettre towchyng the troble that Sandre Kok is in, wherein I have largely comonyd with John Russe, and advysed hym to take a curteys weye with Sandre, for yowre sake and myn. He seythe he wold not dysplease yow by hys wyll, and that he purposythe to entrete yow and wolde deserve it to yowe. He undrestod that ye had large langage to the jurye that passyd again Saundre. I lete hym weete that ye weer wrothe, and that he shall nowther please yowe ner me, but iff he dele curteyslye with Saundre. I tolde hym as for the condempnacion uppon the accion off trespasse I thoght it nowther good ner worshypfull. Also I have wretyn to the person of Maultby to dele curteyslye with Saundre, iff he woll please yow or me.
Item, I sende yow herwythe the _supercedyas_ for Saundre; so that iff ye fynde any meane for the condempnacions that than ye maye ease therwith the suerte off pease. John Russe, as I suppose, is att home thys daye.
Item, as for tydynges heer, the Kynge rydeth fresselye thys daye to Northamton warde, there to be thys Esterne, and after Esterne he purposythe to be moche at Leysettre, and in Leysettre shyre. Every man seythe that we shall have a doo or Maye passe. Hogan the prophet is in the Tower; he wolde fayne speke with the Kyng, but the Kynge seythe he shall not avaunt that evyr he spake with hym.
Item, as for me, I most nedys to Caleyse warde to morowe. I shall be heer ageyn, if I maye, thys next terme. John Myryell, Thyrston, and W. Woode be goon from me, I shrewe them.
My modre dothe me moor harme than good; I wende she wolde have doon for me. Playter wroot to me that she wolde have leyde owt for me C_li._, and receyvyd it ageyn in v. yer of the maner of Sporle, wherto I trustyd, whyche if she had performyd, I had nott ben in no juperte of the maner of Sporle. Neverthelesse I shall do whatt I kan yitt. I preye yow calle uppon hyr for the same, remembre hyr of that promyse.
Item, I preye yow remembre hyr for my fadrys tombe at Bromholme. She dothe ryght nott [_naught_]; I am afferde of hyr that she shall nott doo weell. Bedyngfelde shall mary Sir John Skottes doghtre, as I suppose.
Item, Janore Lovedaye shall be weddyd to one Denyse, a ffuattyd (?) gentylman, with Sir G. Brown, nowther to weell ner to ylle.
Item, as for me, iff I had hadd vj. dayes leyser more than I hadd, and other also, I wolde have hopyd to have ben delyveryd of Mestresse Anne Hault. Hyr frendes, the Quyen and Attclif agreyd to comon and conclude with me, if I can fynde the meanes to dyscharge hyr concyence, whyche I trust to God to doo.