Chapter M: Paston (3)

I pray yow that ye be not strange of wryting of letters to me be twix this and that ye come hom. If I myght I wold have every day on from yow. The blyssed Trinyte have yow in his kepyng. Wrete att Norwyche, on the Tesday next after the Convercion [of] Seynt Poull.

Be yours,

M. P.

[Footnote 281.1: [From Fenn, iii. 324.] The beginning of this
letter refers to building operations, which I presume to be the
same as those to which the next letter relates, and therefore of
the same date. They were probably at Caister Castle.]

[Footnote 281.2: Large beams.]

[Footnote 281.3: Draught chamber. A
withdrawing-room.--Halliwell.]

[Footnote 281.4: Cowntewery must mean his counter, desk, or
board to sit and write, etc., at.--F.]

[Footnote 282.1: Probably a member of the Berney family (_see_
Sir John Fastolf’s letter of the 28th January 1451). Philip
Berney, as will be seen by No. 217, was disseised of the manor
of Rockland Tofts during the year 1452.]

225

JOHN PASTON TO JOHN NORWODE[283.1]

_To John Norwode._

[Sidenote: 1453]

I lete you wete that Hache hath do no werk of myn wherfore he aught to have receyvid any mony, savyng only for the makyng of the litill hous above the halle wyndownes, for the remenaunte was that fell down in his diffaute. And as for the makyng of that litill hous, he toke that in a comenaunte [_covenant_], with makyng of too chymnyes of Sir Thomas Howys for xl_s._, which comenaunte may not hold, be cause that I must have thre chymnyes and in a nother place.

Item, the seid litill hows drawyth not v. thowsand tyle, which after xvj_d._ the thowsand shuld drawe vj_s._ viij_d._ Notwithstandyng, if Sir Thomas thynk that he shuld be alowyd mo, he shall be. And ye must remembre how that he hath receyvid vj_s._ viij_d._ of you, and of Robert Tolle before Halwemesse, as apperith in his accompt, viij_s._ And he hath receyvid of Tolle sith Halwemesse v_s._ iiij_d._ And than be this rekenyng he shuld be xiij_s._ iiij_d._ a fore hand, which I wold ye shuld gader up in this newe werk aswele as ye myght, for I am be hold to do hym but litill favour.

Item, be war ther leve no firsis in the deke that ye reparre, and that the wode be mad of fagot and leyd up forthwoth as it is fellid for taking away. I wold ye wer her on Satirday at evyn thow ye yed ageyn on Moneday.

JON PASTON.

_The following memoranda occur on the back of this letter:--_

Rec’ W. Hach.
Rec’ de Joh’e Paston, anno xxxº, vj_s._ viij_d._
Item, de Roberto Telte, xiij_s._ iiij_d._
De Thoma Howis, xx_d._
Item, de Joh’e Norwod, anno xxxj. pro camino l_s._
Summa, lxxj_s._ viij_d._
Will’ Hach fecit quandam kaminam v. mark, et pro le closet x_s._
Summa, lxxvj_s._ viij_d._

Sic debentur dicto Hach, per Joh’em Paston, v_s._; et dedit ei
xv_s._ in recompensationem cujusdam billæ ibe (?) et omne jus ipsum
et Mo (?) Unde tradidi ei xiiij_s._ iiij_d._ per plegios Thomæ Howis
qui manusepit (_sic_) quod dictus Will’ perimplot [_perimpleret?_]
barganium suum et in fine operis haberet de me vj_s._ viij_d._
residuum.

[Footnote 283.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From the memoranda on
the back of this letter, it would appear to belong to the 31st
year of Henry VI.]

226

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[284.1]

_To my right wurshipfull Mayster, Jon Paston, be this delyveryd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1453 / APRIL 20]

Right wurshipfull hosbond, I recommand me to yow, preying yow to wete, &c.[284.2] . . .

As for tydyngs, the Quene[284.3] come in to this town on Tewysday last past after none, and abode here tyll itt was Thursday, iij. after none; and she sent after my cos. Elysabeth Clere[284.4] by Sharynborn, to come to her; and she durst not dysabey her commandment, and come to her. And when she come in the Quenys presens, the Quene made ryght meche of her, and desyrid here to have an hosbond, the which ye shall know of here after. But as for that, he is never nerrer than he was befor.

The Quene was right well pleasid with her answer, and reportyht of her in the best wyse, and seyth, be her trowth, she sey no jantylwoman syn she come into Norffolk that she lykit better than she doth her.

Blake, the bayle[285.1] of Swaffham, was here with the Kyngs brother,[285.2] and he come to me, wenyng that ye had be at hom, and seyd that the Kyngs brother desyrid hym that he shuld pray yow in his name to come to hym, for he wold right fayn that ye had come to hym, if ye had ben at home; and he told me that he west wele that he shuld send for yow when he come to London, bothe for Cossey and other thyngs.

I pray yow that ye woll do your cost on me ayens Witsontyd, that I may have somme thyng for my nekke. When the Quene was here, I borowd my coseyn Elysabeth Cleris devys, for I durst not for shame go with my beds among so many fresch jantylwomen as here were at that tym. The blissid Trinyte have yow in his kepyng.

Wretyn at Norwych on the Fryday next befor Seynt George.

Be yowrs,