Chapter M: Paston (8)

[Footnote 224.2: Catherine, widow of Sir Simon Felbrigg, was
lady of the manor of Felbrigg, of which Wyndham only had the
lease at this time, though he afterwards became the
proprietor. --_See_ Blomefield, viii. 112.]

[Footnote 225.1: St. Matthias. --_See_ p. 223, Note 2.]

180

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[225.2]

_To my rith wurshepfull hosbond, Jon Paston._

[Sidenote: 1451 / MARCH 3]

Rith worchipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow, praying you to wete that ther is a gret noyse in this town, that my Lord of Oxforth and Yelverton and ye ben endytid in Kent for mayntenyng of the oyer determyner; and Jon Dame is endytyd ther also of treson, be cawse that he dede Heydon endytyn[225.3] of treson for takyng down of the quarter of the man. And the pepyll that ben ayens Ser Thomas Todenham and Heydon ben sore aferd be cawse of this noyse, and of other langage that is had bothe in this town and in the contre, that these seyd Todenham and Heydon shuld ben as well at ese, and have as grett rewill as ever they hadde.

Jamys Gloys tellith me that he hath sent yow word of Heydonys hors and of other thyngs, mor of whiche I was purposid to asent yow word of. The Holy Trinyte have yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Norwiche, the Weddenysday next after Seynt Mathy.[225.1]

Yowris,

M. P.

[Footnote 225.1: St. Matthias. --_See_ p. 223, Note 2.]

[Footnote 225.2: [From Fenn, iii. 288.] It will be seen that
this letter contains a distinct reference to the last which was
written the day before it. Indeed, the information contained in
this letter is nearly all anticipated in that of Gloys.]

[Footnote 225.3: _i.e._ caused Heydon to be indicted.]

181

DENYES TO JOHN PASTON[226.1]

_To my maister Paston._

[Sidenote: 1451 / MARCH 4]

Right wurshipfull sir, and my right good maister, I recomaunde me to yow. It is so that up on an hasty sodeyn warnyng I departid from London and spake not with yow at my departyng, Wherof I was full sory. I pray yow, neverthelesse, that ye wole eftsones speke to William White with my Lord Cardinall, for I desire his maistership and good will and wole do to my power. And as touchyng to that that he semith I haf don agayn hym, in good feith I wole abide your rule or, by Seynt Kateryne, his owen rule. He is a gentilman and I wole don it with good will. I am right sory ye had not set me thorgh with hym erst I went, for I haf prayed yow ther of, as ye know your self dyvers tymes. The Holy Trynite preserve yow. Wretyn at Wevenho the iiii. day of Merche.

Your servaunt,

DENYES.

* * *

Sir, my Lord[226.2] hath kept sessions at Colchestre, and my maister Yelverton with hym, and he desired me to write to yow to be wel ware if ony fals suggestion or lesynges wer made by Tuddenham and Heydon and that to your power thei be answerd in his absence. As for my Lord Scales, her be seven of housold meny indited of felony, which are strong thefes. Item, I pray yow, write in hast to the Meir of Norwich to gif credens to me whan I come to hym, and if ye so do I shal shape their articles in billes in to a nother facion I trust, and make thaym redy and delyver thaym resonably wele. My Lord purposeth to be at London the ende of the first weke of Lent, and not erst. I pray your maistership, se sum meane that White do me not that harme in the Chauncery wherof ye sent me word by Brayn, for, as God sauf my soule at the day of Jugement, I fonde surete for the pees, but the Maister of the Rolles[227.1] ful untruly recordeth that surete takyn as a baile, wher of treuth it was otherwise, and ful synnefully ruleth that mater, and never wold suffir me to execute the acte but lettid me, notwithstandyng it is a law private in the self as I shal clerly declare whan I come. The Holy Trinite preserve yow. I write to yow thus that ye may kyt awey this lower part of this lettre.

[Footnote 226.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 169.] This letter must
have been written in a year when Easter fell after the 20th
April, as Lent does not appear to have begun on the 4th March;
and as it was during the life of Cardinal Kempe, we may pretty
safely fix it to the year 1451. The year 1454, indeed, might be
possible as regards Easter, but there is no indication here of
those troubles of which the writer complains so bitterly in that
year on the 20th March. _See_ No. 239.]

[Footnote 226.2: The Earl of Oxford.]

[Footnote 227.1: Thomas de Kirkeby.]

182

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[227.2]

_To my Ryth worshipfull hosband, John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1451 / MARCH 15]

Rith wurchipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow, desiring hertily to her of yowr welfar; preying you to wete that Herry Halmannys wif sent to me word on Saterday last past that Prentys thretyth her hosbond sor, and John Robyns, for suche thynges as Prentys seyth that they haue donn ayens hym; he seyth he shall make hem so besy or he leve hem that he shall make hem not wurth apeny; and they ben aferd that he woll hold hem conuawnt if he have powyr ther to. It is seyd her that the kyng shuld com in to this contre, and sir Thomas Todenham and Heydon arn well cheryeshid with hym. And also it is seyd they shall have as grett rewill in this contre as evyr they hadde, and many more folkes arn sory therfore than mery. Sir Thomas Todenhamys man and Heydonys sowyn this sedde all abowte the contre, that here maysteris shull cum hom in hast in here prosperite and be als well att esse as ever they wer. As for that ye dessyryd that I shuld enquyr wher any stuff is of yowris, I wot not how to don ther with, for if ever wer aspyid that hath of yowr stuff, and we had it from hym, other that have more ther of wold ben ware be hym, and avoyd seche stuff as they have of yowris. I suppose John Osbern shall tell yow whan ye com hom agode meen to wete wher meche ther of is becom. Jamys Gloys is ayen to Gressam and I suppose John Damme shall tell yow what he hath donn ther. Yowr tenawntis wold fayn that summe mene of yowris shuld abyde amongis hem, for they ben in gred diswyr what they may do; the langage is so grett on the tother party that it maketh the tenawntis sor afferd that ye shuld not regoyse itt. I send to yow a letter be Colynys of Frawnceys Costard what dedis he woll don. It was told me also that the Lord Molyns was lyke to have aday ayens yow att Thetford at the next assyse. On [_one_] that loueth yow rythwell told me how it was told hym so, and warnyd me therof in secrete wyse. Itt is gode to ben war of ther falsed. I pray yow that ye woll send me word in hast, if ye woll have red to your levery as ye wer avysid, and if ye woll not, &c. And also I pray yow that ye woll do bey ij. gode hattis for your sonys for I can none getyn in this town. Mor tydynges can I not send yow yett. The Holy Trinyte have yow in his kepyng. Wretyn att Norwiche on the fyrst Monday of Lent.

Yowris,

M. P.

[Footnote 227.2: [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 55.] This letter would
appear to be of the same year as No. 184, written a fortnight
later. Both letters speak of rumours that Tuddenham and Heydon
will regain their ascendency.]

183

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[228.1]

_To my right wurchipfull husbond, John Paston, be this delyverid in hast._

[Sidenote: 1451(?) / [MAR. 22]]

Right wurchipfull hosbond, I recomawnd me to yow, beseching yow that ye be not displeasid with me, thow my symplenesse cawsed yow for to be displeasid with me. Be my trowth, it is not my will nother to do ne sey that shuld cawse yow for to be displeasid; and if I have do, I am sory therof, and will amend itt. Wherefor I beseche yow to forgeve me, and that ye bere none hevynesse in your hert ayens me, for your displeasans shuld be to hevy to me to indure with.

I send yow the roll that ye sent for, in selyd, be the brynger her of; it was fownd in your trussing cofor. As for hering, I have bowt an horslode for iiij^s. vj^d. I can gett none ell [_eels_] yett; as for bever [_i.e. drinkables_], ther is promysid me somme, but I myt not gete it yett. I sent to Jone Petche to have an answer for the wyndowis, for she myt not come to me. And she sent me word that she had spoke therof to Thomas Ingham, and he seyd that he shuld speke with yow hymself, and he shuld accord with yow wel jnow, and seyd to her it was not her part to desyr of hym to stop the lyts; and also he seyd itt was not his parte to do itt, be cawse the place is his but for yeris.

And as for all other eronds that ye have commandid for to be do, thei shal be do als sone as thei may be do. The blissid Trynyte have yow in his keping. Wretyn at Norwyche, on the Monday next after Seynt Edward.

Yowris,

M. P.

[Footnote 228.1: [From Fenn, iii. 238.] The date of this letter
is quite uncertain. Fenn assigns it to the year 1454, when Lent
began very late, as it is evident the herrings and eels referred
to were intended as provision for that season. This conjecture
may be correct; but it must be noted that John Paston was at
home at Norwich, if not in the beginning of Lent, at least on
the fourth Sunday of Lent in 1454. Moreover, if the date of this
letter, ‘Monday next after St. Edward,’ means after the 18th
March, which was the day of St. Edward the King and Martyr, the
year 1451 would suit rather better than 1454; for, in the former
year, the Monday after St. Edward’s day would be the 22nd of
March, and Ash Wednesday the 10th, while in the latter the
Monday after St. Edward would be the 25th, and Ash Wednesday the
6th, so that the provision of herrings would be very late.]

184

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[230.1]

_To my right wurchepfull husbond, John Paston, [be]yng in the Inner Tempill, be this delivered in hast._

[Sidenote: 1451 / MARCH 30]

Right wurchepfull husbond, I recomaund me to you, prayng you to wete that myn unkyll Phylyp Berney[230.2] was at Lynne this last weke, and he was at inne at the baylyffes hows of Lynne, and Partrych[230.3] came in to the same place whill myn unkyll was ther. And the seid Partrych was wele aqueyntyd with the balyffe, and the balyffe told hym that he sent a letter to the Lord Molyns, and that the Lord Molyns had sent hym a nother letter, letyng hym wete that he purposyd hym to be at Lynne thes weke. Than Partrych seid that he had word that the seid lord purposyd hym to be ther at that tyme; but he seid summe men supposyd that he wuld not come here; and the balyffe seid that he was right glad that he shuld come in to this countre. On of myn unkyll men herd all this langage, and told it myn unkill. The baly ner Patrych knewe not at that tyme what myn unkyll was to us ward. Also I purposyd me to have sent to Stapylton, as ye sent me word be James Gresham, and it is told me that he is to London. Item, it is noysed abowte Gresham and all that contre that the Lord Molyns shuld be there in hast. Item, Gonnore had right gret langage, and he trostyd that the word [_world_] shall turne sumwhat after ther entent. Othre tydynges have we non, but that Tudenham and Heydon shuld have ageyn the rewle in this contre, assmych as ever thei had or more. The Holy Trynyte have you in kepyng. Wretyn at Norwhich un the Tuesday next before Mydlentesonday.[230.4]

Yowre,

M. P.

[Footnote 230.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter, like
several of those preceding, speaks of a juncture in which it was
expected that Tuddenham and Heydon would regain their influence.
The adherents of Lord Molyns were also in hopes that he would
shortly be in Norfolk and re-enter Gresham. The date must
therefore be 1451.]

[Footnote 230.2: Philip Berney, Esq. of Caston. He was a brother
of Margaret Mauteby, who was Margaret Paston’s mother.]

[Footnote 230.3: _See_ p. 101, Note 4.]

[Footnote 230.4: Mid-Lent Sunday fell on the 4th April in 1451.]

185

PETITION FROM THE TOWN OF SWAFFHAM[231.1]

_To the ryght wise, noble, and discrete Comons of this present Parlement._

[Sidenote: 1451]

Mekely besechyn, bewailyn, and shewyn the pouer and simple inhabitaunts in the toun of Swafham, in the counte of Norfolk, that where Sir Thomas Tudenham of Oxburgh, knyght, this xvj. yeeris last passid before the day of the Acte of Resumpcion in the last Parlement before this,[231.2] hath ocupied and governed the lordship and maner of Swafham forsaid, with the appertenauncez, as styward and fermer of the same; in which ocupacion and governaunce the said Sir Thomas, and othre his servauntz and adherentz in a rolle to this peticion annexed named, han petously and synnefully don and comitted the trespasez, offencez, wronges, extorcyons, mayntenauncez,[231.3] imbraceryes,[231.4] oppressions, and perjuryes in the seid rolle conteyned; and of dyverse and many articles ther of, and of many othre wrongs, and of that that the said Sir Thomas is a comon extorcioner, the same Sir Thomas be fore the ryght noble, true, and pleyn lord, our good and gracious lord the Erle of Oxenford, and othre the Kyngs commissioners of _oire determyner_ withynne the same shire, the said Sir Thomas Tudenham, and othre his servauntz and adherentz arn indited.

Please it your noble wisdamis to conceyve that it hath be the comon law of the land of long tyme that if a comon theef were, in ony cuntre, so often indited or detect of so many offencez he shuld not, by the law of the lande, be late to baile ne meynprise, but be kept in prison til he were put to answere of swich crymes as he were so detect of. And also please your greet wisdams to conceyve that all the Juges of the Kynges Benche, of long and late tyme sittyng in their place, laudablely han usid to comitte to prison, with oute baile or meynprise, for a tyme, al persones that han be detecte before theym of any ryot or greet cruel offence agayn the peas, which offence myght a be subvercyon of the law by ony liklynesse; and advertisyng the greet mischeves that this noble roialme hath oftyn standyn in for the greet extorcyons and oppressions that hath be don in the same,[232.1] and how greet a subvercyon of the lawe and of the polityk governaunce of the land suych extorcyon is; and of your prudent and sage wisdams lyke yow to make requisicion to the Kyng our soverain Lord, and to the Lords espirituallx and temporelx in this present Parlement assembled, that by the consideracion that the said Sir Thomas wold never apere, in his persone, ne by his atturney, at no sesions of _oir determyner_ holden in the said counte; plese the Kyng and Lords forsaid, to comitte the said Sir Thomas Tudenham to preson, ther to abide til in to the tyme that he to the said inditements hath answerid, and to the billes and compleynts of the said inhabitauntz in fourme of law.

And more over, where that the said Sir Thomas Tudenham hath, among many othre greet wrongs, ful synnefully causid a writte of assise of novell dissessyn[232.2] to be brought ageyn John Aleyn and xxiij othre of the said toune, in the name of the Abbot of Sawtre,[232.3] and causid that assise to passe by perjury, as in the first article in the rolle to this peticion annext it is more opinly conteyned, please your greet wisdams, for the reverens of God by that concideracion, that the jurry of the said assise durst not, for drede of the horrible menaces of the said Sir Thomas, othrewise do but be for sworn in gevyng their verdite in the same assise, in which case the said inhabitauntz, for pyte and remorce of their concyencez, wer lothe to sew a writ of atteynte,[233.1] to pray the Kynge and Lords forsaid to ordeyn, by auctorite of this present Parlement, that the said writ of assisse, verdit, recoverer, and the jugement ther of, with every othre circumstaunce therof, be voide, revokd, and adnulled, for the love of God.

* * *

[233.2]Item, compleyneth John Bladsmyth of Swafham of that that where John, late Pryour of Penteney,[233.3] predecessor of the prior that now is, and the covent of the same place, the Munday next aftir the fest of Seynt Mathew the Evangelist, the xiij. yeer of the kyng, our soverain lord that now is, at Swafham forsaid, lete to ferme to the forsaid John Bladsmyth certeyn londs, rents, tenements, and pasture,[233.4]----

[Footnote 231.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This is a rough draft
of a Petition which seems to have been intended for presentation
to Parliament in the beginning of the year 1451. Parliament was
prorogued on the 18th December 1450 till the 20th January
following, but it did not actually meet again for despatch of
business till the 29th April. It would appear from this Petition
that Sir Thomas Tuddenham and his adherents were indicted before
the Earl of Oxford at the sessions of _oyer and terminer_ which
sat on the 2nd March 1451.]

[Footnote 231.2: This must be the Act of Resumption of 28
Henry VI.--See _Rolls of Parliament_, v. 183.]

[Footnote 231.3: _See_ p. 167, Note 3.]

[Footnote 231.4: _See_ p. 167, Note 5.]

[Footnote 232.1: [Original note here in margin.] Answer neyther
to the billes ne inditeing forseid, ne to non of theym.]

[Footnote 232.2: _See_ p. 47, Note 4.]

[Footnote 232.3: A Cistercian monastery in Huntingdonshire.]

[Footnote 233.1: A writ to inquire whether a jury gave a false
verdict.]

[Footnote 233.2: This is written on the back.]

[Footnote 233.3: John de Tyrington. He was succeeded in 1449 by
Richard Pentney.]

[Footnote 233.4: The sentence breaks off thus abruptly in the
MS.]

186

ABSTRACT[233.5]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOS. HOWYS, Parson of Castlecombe, at Castre.

[Sidenote: 1451 / APRIL 13]

Received a letter from them, 3rd April, with the last account of Sir Jo. Kyrtelyng and Intewod. Understands Rob. Norwych will not occupy as undersheriff, because Jenneys had given him language not to his pleasure, and so Aleyn is to occupy, who is not F.’s wellwiller; but Howys has provided a remedy with the sheriff. When the _venire facias_ is made out, I will try and get it sent you, and I shall have Paston’s advice. Knows well the obstinate will of false Dallyng, but Bokkyng must speak with him, and entreat him in his best manner.--Margaret Bryg’s matter.

As to the oyer and terminer, it is certain Heydon and Tuddenham will be at Norwich with all the maintenance and fellowship they can. It is said Justice Prysot will be there. You must do your best to keep your friends steadfast; and I in the meantime will labour here, and send you word how the world is set. Men of the city of Norwich have good audience and favour among the Lords, and are waiting an answer of their matters. Has delivered up the shipmen, and left the ship here for causes which he will write; ‘for the rayse hath been full costuys, except they came in saufftee.’

London, 13 April, 29 Hen. VI.

[Footnote 233.5: [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 231.]]

187

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[234.1]

_To my right wurchepfull howsbond, John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1451 / APRIL 16]

Right wurchepfull howsbond, I recomand me to yow, prayng yow to wete that the Parson of Oxened[234.2] told me that Wyndham told hym that Sweynnysthorp[234.3] is hold of the Kyng be the therd part or the fourt part of a knyt fye, and ho so ever had the maner of Sweynsthorp, he shuld fynde an armyd man, in tyme of werre in the castell of Norwhic, xl. days to his owyn cost, and that ye shuld pay xxx^s. to the Kyng yerly owth of the seyd maner; and it is fond also that your fader shuld a died seysyd, and that ye shuld a entyryd ther in as heyr after your fader dysseys, and that ye shuld be now up on the age of xxx. wynter.

The Trinite have yow in hys kepyng. Wreten at Norwhic, the Friday next a fore Seynt George.

Yowrs,