Chapter D: A. Ogard.81.1 (8)

The mayir[239.2] and the mayires sent hedyr her dynerys thys day, and Jon Dame came with hem, and they dynyd her. I am beholde to hem, for they have sent to me dyvers tymys sythe ye yed hense. The meyr seyth that ther is no jentylman in Northefolk that he woll do more for than he wole for yow, if it laye in hys poer to do for yow. J. Perse is stylle in prisone, but he wolle not confese more thane he ded when ye wer at home. Edmond Brome was with me, and tolde me that Perse sent for hym for to come spek with hym, and he tolde me that he was with hym and examynyd hym, but he wold not be a knowe to hym that he hade no knowlage wher no goode was of hys masterys more thane he hade knowlageyd to yow. He tolde me that he sent for hym to desyir hym to labor to yow and to me for hym if ye had be at home; and he tolde me that he seyd to hym ayen that he wold never labor for hym but [_unless_] he myth know that he wer trwe to hys mastyr, thow it lay in hys power to do ryth myche for hym. I suppose it schulde do none harme thow the seyd Perse wer remevyd ferther. I pray to Gode yeve grace that the trowthe may be knowe, and that the dede may have part of hys owne goode. And the blissyd Trinyte have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn in hast at Heylysden the Tuesday next aftyr Seynt Lwke.

Be yowyrs,

M. P.

[Footnote 238.1: [From Fenn, iv. 194.] Reference is made in this
letter, as in the preceding, to the holding of the inquisition
on Sir John Fastolf’s lands at Acle, which was on Tuesday the
21st October 1460, the day this letter was written.]

[Footnote 238.2: Acle, in Norfolk.]

[Footnote 239.1: The claim made by Richard, Duke of York, to the
Crown in Parliament on the 17 October 1460.]

[Footnote 239.2: John Gilbert, Mayor of Norwich.]

424

PIERS TO MARGARET PASTON[240.1]

_To myn right reverent and worchipphull Maisterez Paston, be this delivered._

[Sidenote: 1460]

Right reverent and wurchippfull maisteres, I recomaunde me un to yow, beseching yow of your good maisteresshipp to be myn good maisteres to help wit your gracious woord un to myn right reverent and wurchipphull maister and your to take of me, his pore presoner and your, suerte queche I xall fynd to be bounde for me to brynge me un to all answere, in to the tyme that myn maister and ze have dimisse me wit myn suerte. And bescheche your good maistereschipp to prey myn mayster that he will yeve yow lycense wit his wurchippfull counsaill and youre, in case that myn maister may nout tarie, that ze in his absence may take myn seid suerte. And if it please his heyghnesse and youre, that I may have answere ayene be the bryngere of this, and here up I xall send for myn suertes, queche I trust in Good xul be to your plesure. No more att this tyme. I prey God evyr have yow in kepyng.

Be your pore presonere,

PIERS, sum tyme the servaunt of

John of Berneye.

[Footnote 240.1: This and the letter following appear to have
been written by the prisoner spoken of in the end of Margaret
Paston’s letter immediately preceding. We have accordingly
placed them here as belonging to the same period, though from a
subsequent letter (No. 462) we may rather surmise that this
first of the two was written in 1461.]

425

PERSE TO SIR ROBERT ROKESBY[241.1]

_To my right worschipfull Sir, Robert Rokysby._

[Sidenote: 1460]

Ryght wurshipfull Sir, I recomaunde me to you, besechyng you, of your goode mastership, that ye wol wechesafe to speeke to Richard Kowven that he myght brynge me or sende me the money that is betwen hym and me in all the haste that he maye, for in goode feythe I hadde never more neede for to have help of my goode as I have at this tyme, for, Godwot, it stonde right straunge with me; for the false chayler that kepeth me entretethe me worse thanne it weere a dogge, for I am feterid worse thanne ever I whas, and manacled in the hands by the daye and nyght, for he is a feerde of me for brekyng a weye. He makethe false tales of me, throw the means of a false qwene that was tendyng to a Frensheman that is presoner to my Lord Roose,[241.2] and for be cause of that he bronde me every day be John of Berney, that is goone to the tother Lords;[242.1] but I truste to God oonys to qwite hys meede. And, Sir, I thanke you mekel of that ye have doone for me or seide; and, Sir, I shal deserve it a yenst yow, be the grace of God, for i’ feythe I am be holden to you more thane to all men that ever I founde syn I cam in preson.

No more to you at this tyme, but God have you in His kepyng.

Be your servaunt and bedman,

PERSE.

[Footnote 241.1: [From Fenn, iii. 432.]]

[Footnote 241.2: Thomas, Lord Roos. He fled to Scotland with
Margaret of Anjou after the battle of Towton in 1461, and was
beheaded at Newcastle after the battle of Hexham in 1464.]

[Footnote 242.1: The Lords of the Duke of York’s party.]

426

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON[242.2]

_To the rite worshipful esqwyr, John Paston, be this presentid._

_Jesus, Maria, Johannes Baptista. Franciscus, cum Sanctis omnibus, assistant vobis vestris in laboribus. Amen._

[Sidenote: 1460 / OCT. 24]

Worschipful and most interely bitrustid mayster and specyal frend, after dute of al lowly recomendacyon, ze schal conceyve that I certefye zow for trewthe. I comonyd late with a worschipful and a wele namyd, a good thrifty man of this cuntre, whiche told me in secrete wyse that he herd Doctor Aleyn seyn after the Parlement of Covintre[242.3] that yf the Lords that tyme reynyng and now discessid myte haf standyn in governans, that Fortesku the justise, Doctor Moreton, Jon Heydon, Thorp and he, schuld be made for evir; and yf it turnyd to contrary wyse, it schuld growe to her fynal confusyon and uttyr destruccyon; for why, the parlyows [_perilous_] writing and the myschevous inditing was ymaginid, contrivid, and utterly concludid by her most vengeable labour, &c., and her most malicyows conspiracye ayens the innocent lords, knytis, gentilis, and comonys, and alle her issu perpetuel, &c. And as I wrote last to zour maysterschip the text of Jeremias cº 8º _Vere mendacium operatus est stilus mendax scribarum_; it folwith in the same place, _Confusi sunt sapientes, perterriti et capti sunt; verbum Domini projecerunt, et sapientia nulla est in eis. Propterea dabo mulieres eorum exteris; agros eorum hæredibus alienis, &c._ I wolde myn Lord Chaunceler and my specyal Lord Erl, utinam Duke, of Warwyk, with al her trewe affinyte, schuld remembre this text, which is Holy Scripture, &c., as I wold do by for the Kyng and hise Lords at the Cros;[243.1] for the principil of this text hath be contynued in dayly experiens sithe bifore the Parlement of Bury;[243.2] but the conclusyon of this text came never zet to experiens, and that is gret rewthe. Consideret discretio vestra singulorum annorum curricula, et percipietis tunc perplurima exempla de dominorum fidelium atque communium morte satis injuriosa multiformiter lamentanda discurrendo per singula. Ex paucis scit discretio vestra perpendere plura, &c. Et ubi ego semel in ecclesia Pauli palam prædicavi hunc textum, _Non credas inimico tuo in æternum_ (Ecc. 12º), et quidam hujus regni doctor et episcopus, utinam non indignus, asseruit eundem textum Scripturæ Sacræ non incorporatum, quid doctor Nicholaus de Lira super eundem textum dicit, contra audietis, _Non credas, &c._, id est, Nunquam credas ei quem probasti inimicum, &c. Sequitur in textu:--_Sicut æramentum æruginat malicia illius_, id est, rubiginem odii servat interius, licet contrarium ostendatur exterius. Ideo in textu sequitur:--_Etsi humiliatus vadat corvus_ [_curvus_], tibi magnam reverenciam exhibendo, _affirma, abice_ [_abjice_] _animum tuum ab illo, nullo modo credendo ei, et custodi te ab illo. Non statuas illum penes te_ (id est, ipsum tibi familiarem exhibendo); _ne conversus stet in loco suo_ [should be _tuo_] te supplantando; _et in novissimo agnoscas verba mea esse vera_, sed nimis tarde. Sequitur: _Quis miserebitur incantatori a serpente percusso_, &c.; et qui comitatur cum viro iniquo et obvolutus est in peccatis ejus? _Una hora tecum permanebit; si autem declinaveris non supportabit. In labiis suis indulcat inimicus, et in corde suo insidiatur, ut subvertat te in foveam. In oculis suis lacrimatur inimicus, et si invenerit tempus non saciabitur sanguine. Si incurrerint tibi mala [invenies] eum illic priorem_, &c. In finem rogo, videte textum et postillatores super eodem, ex quibus potestis plane considerare episcopum modernum aliquando Scripturam Sacram ignorare, &c. Utinam dominorum fidelium provida discrecio amicorum dileccionem sapienter sic pensaret quod inimicorum dileccionem nequaquam sic amaret, ut inimicis mortalibus confidenciam exhiberet; quare ut prius sic replico Jesu Sirach sanum et salubre consilium, _Non credas inimico tuo in æternum_. Sapienti, non insipienti scribo. Plura habeo vestræ reverentiæ scribere quæ jam non expedit calamo commendare. Uxor Johannis Berney de Redham jam infra triduum peperit filium, &c. Magistra mea uxor vestra sana est cum filiis vestris et filiabus ac tota familia. Conventus noster inter cæteros habet statum vestrum specialissime recommendatum in missis ac orationibus, consuetisque suffragiis; et cum jam sitis in parliamento præsenti pro milite electo, uti vobis consulo verbis Pauli Apostoli, _Labora sicut bonus miles Jesu Christi_;[244.1] et alibi, Job utendo verbis, _Militia super terram est vita hominis_ (Job 7). _Viriliter igitur agite et confortetur cor vestrum quia speratis in Domino_ (in Psalmo).[244.2] _Quis_, inquit Sapiens, _speravit in Domino et confusus est, et permansit in mandatis Dei et derelictus est?_[244.3] quasi diceret, nullus.

Ex Norwico feria sexta post festum Sancti Lucæ Evangelistæ.

[_Not Signed._]

[Footnote 242.2: [From Fenn, iii. 386.] This letter was clearly
written after the battle of Northampton in 1460, by which the
state of parties at the Parliament of Coventry in 1459 was
exactly reversed.

With regard to this and other letters of Dr. Brackley, the
original editor, Sir John Fenn, has expressed a misgiving that
he may in some instances have misread the contractions used in
the Latin words. This was certainly the case in the present
letter, in which misreadings have been corrected, and some
passages supplied from the MS.]

[Footnote 242.3: Held in December 1459.]

[Footnote 243.1: Paul’s Cross.]

[Footnote 243.2: In 1447.]

[Footnote 244.1: 2 Tim. ii. 3.]

[Footnote 244.2: Psalm xxx. (xxxi.) 24.]

[Footnote 244.3: Eccles. ii. 11, 12 (v. 10 of our English
version).]

427

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[245.1]

_To my ryth welbelovyd brodyr, Clement Paston, for to delyver to hys brodyr Jon, in haste._

[Sidenote: 1460 / OCT. 29]

Ryth w[urshepfu]ll husbonde, I recomande me to yow. Plesyth yow to weet that I receyvyd a lettyr on Seynt Symondys evyn and J[w]d, that came frome Jon Paston,[245.2] in the wyche lettyr he wrot that ye desyryd that I scholde do Jon Paston or Thomas P[layter] looke in the gret standyng chyste in on of the gret canvas baggys whyche standyth ageyns the lokk, for the copys of the fals inqwest of ofys that was fownde in Northefolk, and for the kopy of the comyssyon that came to Jon Andrewys and Fylpot and Heydon, and othyr thyngys towchynge the same mater, I have do. Jon Paston sowte all iij. grete baggys in the seyd kofyr at ryth good leyser, and he can non swhyche fynde. Plesyth it yow to remembre ye sent me word in the fyrste lettyr that ye sent me, that ye wolde that Playter scholde asent hem up to yow to London, and I schewyd hym yowyr wryttyng howe that ye wrote to me ther in. I suppose be cawse he purposyd to come up to London hym selve hastely, he sent yow none answer ther of. Rychard Calle tolde me that alle swhyche thyngys were lefte with Hery Barbore at the Tempyle Gate when the last terme was doo, and soo I sent yow worde in a lettyr whyche was wretyn on the Twesday next aftyr Seynt Looke,[245.3] and ther in was an answer of all the fyrst lettyr that ye sent me. I sent itt yow by yonge Thomas Elys. I sent yow anothyr lettyr by Playter, the whyche was wretyn on Saterday[245.4] last past.

Item, I receyvyd a lettyr frome yow on Sonday,[245.5] of the wyche I sent yow an answher of ma lettyr on Seynt Symondes Evyn and Jwde by Edmunde Clere of Stokysby; and as sone as I hade the seyd lettyr on Sonday, I sent to Syr Thomas Howes for the mater that ye desyryd that he scholde inqwer of to Bokyng, and I sent a yene sethe to the seyd Syr Thomas for to have knowlage of the same mater yestyrdaye, and I have non answher of hym yet. He sent me worde he scholde do hys part there in, but othyr answer have I none yet of hym. I sende yow in a canvase bage, inselyd by Nycolas Colman, as many of Crystofyr Hansonys acomptys as Jon Paston can fynde ther as [_where_] ye sent worde that they were. Rychard Harbard recomawndyth hym to yow, and prayth yowe that ye wole wychesave to remembre the lettyr that scholde be sent fro my Lorde of Warwyk to a man of hys beyng at Lowystofete; and if it be not sent to hym, that it plese yow to do purvey that it may be sent to hym in haste, if it maye be, as to morow ther schall be keppyd a day at Bowunggey for Mastyr Fastolfys londys be for the exchetore, and there schall be Wylliam Barker and Rychard Call. Ye schall have knowlage in haste what schall be do ther. And the blyssyd Trinite have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn in haste at Norwyche on the Wednysday next aftyr Seynt Symond and Jwde,

Be yowyr

M. P.

[Footnote 245.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this
letter is ascertained by the statement at the end that, on the
morrow, a ‘day’ was to be kept at Bungay for Fastolf’s lands.
The inquisition on Fastolf’s lands in the county of Suffolk was
held at Bungay on Thursday before All Saints, 39 Henry VI.,
_i.e._ 30th October 1460.--(Inquisitions _post mortem_, 38 and
39 Hen. VI., No. 48.)]

[Footnote 245.2: The elder son of that name.]

[Footnote 245.3: _See_ No. 423.]

[Footnote 245.4: October 25th.]

[Footnote 245.5: October 26th.]

428

SIR GEOFFREY BOLEYN TO JOHN PASTON, ESQ.[246.1]

_To my ryght wurschypfull Ser, John Paston, Esquyer._

[Sidenote: 1460(?) / DEC. 5]

Ryght wurschypfull Ser, after ryzth hertely recomendacion, lyke it yow to wete that my Maister Fastolf, hoose sowle God asoyle, whan I bowth of hym the maner of Blyclyng, consideryng the gret payment that I payed therfor, and the yerly annuyte duryng his lyfe after his entent, was to me gret charge; and the same tyme, in his place at Southwerk, by his othe made on his primer ther, grauntted and promitted to me to have the maner of Guton, with all the apportenaunce for a resonable pris afor ony other man. And, Ser, as I understande ye be that person that my seid maister, consideryng your gret wysdom, most trosted to have rewle and dyreccion of his lyfelode and goodes,--and, Ser, trewly, yf I hed ben nere unto yow, I wold have spoken to yow herof be for this tyme; neverthelasse I wolde desyre and pray yow to schewe me yowr goode wyll and favour in this by halve, wher inne ye schall dyscharge my seid maistres sowle of his othe and promyse, and I schall do yow servyce in that I can or maye to my power. And of yowr goode wyll and favour herynne I pray yow to late me have wetyng, and I schall be redy to wayte on yow at ony tyme and place wher ye wull assyne. And owr blysyd Lord have yow in his kepyng.--Wret the v. day of Decembre.

Be youer owyn,

GEFFREY BOLEYN.[247.1]

[Footnote 246.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was
probably written in the year 1460. It is evident some time had
elapsed since Sir John Fastolf’s death, but as the subject was
one which the writer wished to bring early before Paston’s
notice, it is not likely that he allowed much more than a
twelvemonth to pass by.]

[Footnote 247.1: The subscription and signature only are in
Boleyn’s hand.]

429

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO [JOHN PASTON][247.2]

[Sidenote: 1461(?) / JAN. (?)]

Jhesus help, Marye mercy, et Franciscus cum Sanctis subveniant defuncto et suis in tribulationibus. Amen.

Præcordialissime in Jhesu Christo prædilecte, et omissis pro præsenti singulis vestram amicabilem benevolentiam concernentibus, propter quasdam materias mihi a fidedignis personis nuper relatas, &c., equitetis quam cito potestis secure pro corporis vestri conservatione. Scitote quod commissionarius J. Heydon, vester ac meus capitalis inimicus, Philippus Wentworth et J. Andrw malignantur maxime contra vos et M. T. H.[248.1] et me et alios vestros. Et magister Clemens et ego sequemur vos usque Colcestriam, ibidem expectando donec vos aliquem nuncium de London illuc miseritis, et tunc ad vos veniemus cum duobus vel tribus famulis nostro proposito necessariis, R. Botilere Matthaeo Gowh vel Johanne Lore. Sumus nempe equestres pessimi, nec ascensum equi seu descensum scientes, sed adjutorium ad minus duorum est nobis duobus necessarium, &c. Certe si non esset aura tam contraria, et pluvialis nimis, quare equitare est nobis omnino necessarium; aliter vere melius profecissem pro me in itinere per ambulare quam per equitare. W. Y.[248.2] judex cum omni consilio Johanni Heidon faciet contra vos et me et M. T. H. quicquid potest; quare dicit Gregorius, ‘Minus jacula feriunt quæ prævidentur.’ Si W. P., vester germanus, et T. Playtere, cum associatis antecederent, plura percipere possent quæ jam non cognoscent, &c., utinam velletis hoc instancia cordiali considerare in effectu. Notate q. .[248.3] literam a me primo vobis scriptam de pigricia, &c., quanta mala proveniunt ex illa, &c., W. Rokewode est rogatus a W. Y. judice ut faveat sibi et Tendale contra Wyndham armigerum pro manerio de Felbrigge, cum pertinenciis, &c., et tunc scietur utrum J. H. favebit Wyndham vel Judici, &c., cum ejus flatus olim calidus, olimque frigidus existat, et aliquando nec calidus nec frigidus sed satis tepidus. Sed oretis cum propheta, ‘Confundantur qui me persequuntur et non confundar ego, paveant illi et non paveam ego; induc super eos diem affliccionis et duplici contritione contere eos,’[248.4] domine Deus. Et Psalmista ait ‘Averte mala inimicis meis et in veritate tua disperde illos’[248.5] et sequentia. Et [super] inimicos meos despexit oculus meus. Valete in Christo Jhesu. Scriptum festinantissime, feria vj^{a}. Recommendetis me specialissime magistro T. H. et J. Berneye, &c.

Vester ad vota,

F. J. B.

[Footnote 247.2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 156.] This letter has no
date, except that it was written on a Friday (_feria sexta_). It
might, perhaps, be a little hazardous to date it Friday the 2nd
January 1461, just after news of the defeat and death of the
Duke of York reached Norfolk; but this date agrees well with the
warning to John Paston to ride to London with all haste for his
safety, which can hardly mean anything else than that the
Lancastrian party, with their Norfolk supporters (several of
whom, indeed, are expressly named here), were now sure to bear
rule.]

[Footnote 248.1: Magistrum Thomam Howys.]

[Footnote 248.2: William Yelverton.]

[Footnote 248.3: A contraction perhaps meant for _quandam_ and
blurred. If so, it should have been struck out altogether; for
the words _a me primo_ (which are an insertion in the margin)
make the sense definite.]

[Footnote 248.4: Jer. xvii. 18.]

[Footnote 248.5: Ps. liii. (liv.) 5.]

[[R. Botilere Matthaeo Gowh vel Johanne Lore
_anomalous “ae” for “æ” unchanged_]]

430

CLEMENT PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[249.1]

_To hys rythe worchypfwll broder, John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1461 / JAN. 23]

Rythe reverent and worchypfwl broder, I recomawnde to yow, certyfyyng yow that yowr letter was delyveryd to me the xxiii. day of Januar abowthe none seasson, and Rychard Calle rode in the mornyng, and therfor I brak [_opened_] yowr letter, if ther wer any aftr mater; and I dede Christofer Hauswan goo to my Lord of Cawnterbure[249.2] to tell him, as yowr letter rehersyd, and my Lord seyd he hadde spokyn with yowr man ther of the day be fore, and if the Byshop of Norwyche wod not doo so mwche for him, he hys the les behold to him. Notwithstandyng, he sayd, he wold save yow harmles agens John Yowng; but and ye do well remember thys Lord have many maters to thynge on, and if it be forgeten, the harm is yowrs, and also if the word [_world_] torn, John Yong will not doo at hys prayer.

And my Lord Fitzwater[249.3] is ryden northewards, and it is sayd in my Lord of Cawnterberys howse that he hethe takyn ij^c. [200] of Andrew Troloppys[249.4] men. And as for Colt,[249.5] and Sir Jamys Strangwysse, and Sir Thomas Pykeryng, they be takyn or ellys dede. The comyn voysse is that they be de dede. Hopton[249.6] and Hastyngs[249.7] be with the Erle of Marche, and wer no at the fewlde.[249.8] Wat word that ever he have fro my Lords that be here, it is well doo, and best for yow, to see that the contre be allweys redy to come bothe fote men and hors men, qwen they be sent for; for I have herd seyde the ferthere Lords will be here soner that men wen, I have arde sayde, er iij. weks to an ende; and also that ye xwld come with more men, and clenlier arayed than anoder man of yowr cwntre xwld, for it ly the more up on yowr worchyp, and towcheythe yow more nere than odermen of that cwntre, and also ye be mor had in favor with my Lords here. In this cwntre every man is well wyllyng to goo with my Lords here, and I hope God xall helpe hem, for the pepill in the northe robbe and styll, and ben apoyntyd to pill all thys cwntre, and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre, and that wyll ask a myscheffe. My Lords that ben here have as moche as they may do to kep down all thys cwntre more than iiij. or v. schers, for they wold be up on the men in northe, for it ys for the welle of all the sowthe.

I pray yow recomawnde me to my moder, and that I prayed her of her blyssyng. I pray yow exscwse me to her that I wryte her no letter, for thys was y now a doo. I dare not pray yow to recomawnde me to my swster yowr wyff, and the masenger I trow be so wysse he can not doyt. Ye mwst pay him for hys labor, for he taryd all nyt in thys town for thys letter.

Wrytyn the xxiij. day of Janware in haste, wan I was not well at hesse. God have [you] in Hys keping.

By CLEMENT PASTON,

Yowr broder.

[Footnote 249.1: [From Fenn, i. 202.] This letter appears to
have been written after the battle of Wakefield, when the
victorious army, led on by Margaret of Anjou, was marching
southwards.]

[Footnote 249.2: Archbishop Bourchier.]

[Footnote 249.3: Sir John Radcliff of Attleborough, styled Lord
Fitzwalter in right of his wife, only daughter and heiress of
Walter Fitzwalter, seventh lord. This John was at the battle of
Ferrybridge on the 29th March 1461, and died, probably of his
wounds, on the 6th April following. --_See_ G. E. C.’s _Complete
Peerage_.]

[Footnote 249.4: Andrew Trollope, whose desertion of the Duke of
York at Ludlow in 1459 caused the dispersion of the Yorkist
leaders. He was killed at the battle of Towton in March 1461,
fighting on the Lancastrian side.]

[Footnote 249.5: Thomas Colt.--See _Rolls of Parliament_,
v. 348.]

[Footnote 249.6: Walter Hopton.--See _Rolls of Parliament_,
v. 368.]

[Footnote 249.7: William, son of Sir Leonard Hastings.--See
_Rolls of Parliament_, _ib._]

[Footnote 249.8: The battle of Wakefield.]

431

THE PRIOR OF BROMHOLM TO JOHN PASTON[250.1]

_Amicabili magistro nostro, Johanni Paston, armigero._

[Sidenote: 1461 / JAN. 31]

Ful reverend and worshipful, after all dewe reverence and recommendacion, your pore Preste besecheth humble it plese your good maystirship to understande be this simple bylle that on the Friday next after the Feste of the Conversion of Seynt Poule laste paste I was at your place at Castre to a tolde yow what answer I hadde of Sir Thomas Howis, parson of Blofeld; and in as moche as ye wer not at hoom, I tolde it to my mastras your wyfe; and God thanke her of her jentilnes, she made me grete cher, and mor over a vysed me to sende yow a bille ther of to Lundon. This was his answer, whan I had talked to hym as I cowde in lyke wyse as ye averted me to do. He answered a geyn in these wordes, ‘Nere is my kyrtyl, but nerre [_nearer_] is my smok.’ And this was his menyng that ye schulde be mor ner us and tender to us than he, and that ye schulde rather owe us good wyl than he, and that we schulde labour rather to yowr maystirship than to hym; and also that good that he had to dispose he had be sette it, and of passel he tolde me he had delyvered the Abbot of Langele fourescor li., wher of, as he seyd to me, ye grutched and wer in maner displesed, not withstandyng ye seyd a geyn to hym ye shulde geve as moche. And he seyd to me ye named the places wher; and therfor he avysed me to labour effectualy to your good maystirship, for ye mych [_might_] helpe us[251.1] wele. For he seyd ye had moche good of the dede to dispose, what of your fader, God blisse that sowle, what of Berney, and what now of his good Mayster Fastolfe. And as for Sir John Fastolfe, on hoose soule Jesu have mercy! he seyd to me ye had of his good four, four, and four mor than he in these same termes with owte ony summe.

And after all oder talkyngs he tolde me he shulde be with yow at Lundon hastyly, and that he wolde sey good worde to yow to releve our poor place. Sir, I beseche bethe not displesed, for truly and I woste to have your hevy maystership therfor, I had lever it had bene on thoght. And is this that whan Sir Thomas Howes and ye be saunne at Lundon, we myght be so in your good grace, that our place myght be broder to Langele, for that shulde glade us mor than the commission that the Bysshop of Norwich sente us on Thrusday laste paste to gader the dymes, for that is a shrewde labour for us, a grete coste and a shrewe juparde.

Over mor that hy and myghty celestial Prince preserve yow body and sowle, and sende yow coumforte of the Holy Goost wele to performe all your hertis desir in all your materes to his plesaunce, and your wurship, and solace to alle your welle wyllers.

Wretyn at Bromholm, on the Saturday next after the Feste of the Conversion of Seynt Poule laste paste.

From your Preste and Bedeman,

JOHN, PRIOUR OF BROMHOLM.

[Footnote 250.1: [From Fenn, iii. 404.] As executor to Sir John
Fastolf, Paston must have taken possession of Caister soon after
his death. The Duke of Norfolk, however, pretended a title to
it, and, as we shall find hereafter, had dispossessed Paston by
June 1461. This letter, dated on Saturday after the Feast of the
Conversion of St. Paul, must therefore have been written in
January 1461, as in 1460--the only other probable year--that
feast (25th January) fell on Friday, and a letter written on
Saturday after the feast would not have referred to the Friday
after the same feast as a past date.]

[Footnote 251.1: _us._ The word is _no_ in Fenn’s literal copy,
which must be a misprint.]

432

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[252.1]

_A Lettre to J. Paston, ar., from his wife._[252.2]

[Sidenote: 1461 / MARCH 1]

Please it you to wytte that it is lete me witte by on that owith you good wyll that there is leid awayte up on you in this cuntre, yf ye come here at large, to bryng you to the presence of syyche a Lord in the north as shall not be for your ease, but to jopardie of your lyf, or gret and importable losse of your goods. And he that hath take up on hym this enterprise now was undr-shireff to G. Sayntlowe. He hath gret favour herto by the meanes of the sone of William Baxter that lyth beryed in the Grey Freres; and, as it is reported, the seid sone hath geve gret sylver to the Lords in the north to bryng the matier a bowte, and now he and alle his olde felaweship put owt their fynnes, and arn ryght flygge and mery, hopyng alle thyng is and shalbe as they wole have it. Also it is tolde me that the fadr of the bastard in this cuntre seid that now shuld this shire be made sewir for hym and his heires hens forward, and for the Baxsteris heyres also, wherby I conceyve they thynke that they have none enemy but you, &c.

Wherfor like it you to be the more war of your gydyng for your persones saufgard, and also that ye be not to hasty to come in to this cuntre til ye here the world more sewer. I trowe the berar of this shall telle more by mowthe, as he shall be enfourmed of the rewell in this cuntre. God have yow in His kepyng.

Wretyn in hast, the secund Sunday of Lent by candel light at evyn.

By yours, &c.

M.

[Footnote 252.1: [From Fenn, iii. 412.] ‘This letter,’ says
Fenn, ‘has no direction, and lest it should be opened, the paper
which fastens the seal is, along the edge, marked with lines by
a pen, which communicate with the latter (_qu._ with the
_letter_?), by which means the receiver might easily have
discovered any attempts to have opened it, as the lines would
not then have exactly coincided again. On the back of it, but in
a later hand, is written, “A lettre to J. Paston, ar., from his
wife.”’

Fenn considers, I think with great probability, that this letter
was written ‘just before the important crisis that finished
Henry’s reign, and placed Edward on the throne,’ when Margaret
of Anjou was expected in London after winning the second battle
of St. Albans. Giles Saint Loe was sheriff of Norfolk and
Suffolk in 1458.]

[Footnote 252.2: This title is taken from an endorsement in a
later hand.]

433

JOHN DAVY TO JOHN PASTON[253.1]

_On to my Maystyr Pastone, be this lettre deliveryd._

Ryth wurchopful Sere, I recomaund me on to you. And iff it lyke you I have spokyn with Bussard, and demaundyd hym iff he had ony evydens, dedys, or copyis, or ony other evydens of ony place or off ony lyflod that longget on to my mayster,[253.2] and seyth, Nay, be is feyth, and be is trowthe, for, if he hadde, he wold send hem on to you with a good wyl; for he seyth it xud don hym non ese. And, Ser, iff it plese you I askyd hym if he knew ony evydens that he had delyveryd on to William Wossetyr, bill, or deds, or ony other evydens that xuld longgyn on to ony purchas or off ony lyfflod on to my maystrys, and he seyth, Nay trewly; for he seyth the last tyme that he wrot on to William Wusseter, it was be ffor myssomyr, and thanne he wrot a cronekyl of Jerewsalem, and the jornes that my mayster dede whyl he was in Fraunce (that God on his sowle have mercy!); and he seyth that this drow more than xx. whazerys [20 _quires ?_] off paper, and the wrytyng delyveryd on to William Wursseter, and non other, ne knowyth not off non other be is feyth.

Be your man,

J. DAVY.

[Footnote 253.1: [From Fenn, iv. 78.] This letter was written
some time after the death of Sir John Fastolf--not unlikely, as
Fenn imagines, in the reign of Edward IV.; but the exact date is
immaterial.]

[Footnote 253.2: Sir John Fastolf.]

434

THOMAS SHOTBOLT TO JOHN PASTON[254.1]

_To my worshipfull maister, Maister Paston of the Temple._

Worshipfull Sir, soo ye will send a polletik person to Ludgate in secrete wise to comune with me, and lete hym not in no wise speke of you to hove (?) youre good maistership, and a resonable remedy shall ease you of a gret part that the criour cleymeth of you for Maister Fastolffs detts of xiij. or xiiij. yere at the lest, and be that perave[ntu]re of the hole _qui in uno est reus morbus [in omnibus] reus_ . . . . . . . Sir, remembreth your worship if y doo to ease you, lete me not be discoveryd, for ye knewe not your worship y wold not doo thus. What ever ye have of me, ye may sey it is found in the stywardes boks, and y know that ye have desired favour to have hym seese for your worship that procur hym ageyns you; whoo so shall kom to me, he may kom in Maistre Nevills name, for with hym have y a doo. As for your own servaunts, y ferd me lest they be knowyn whethir it be servaunt or othir, send knowleche of my reword and a bille under your seall or your own hands, or bothe on your worship to have it close that y be not blamyd for that; y shall telle you her after. Wretyn in Ludgate.

Your servaunt and there prisoner,

THOMAS SHOTBOLT.

[Footnote 254.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Beyond the evident
fact that this letter was written between the death of Sir John
Fastolf in 1459 and that of John Paston in 1466, there is not
much clue to the date.]

435

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[255.1]

_To my ryth worcepful husbonde, John Paston._

[Sidenote: Year uncertain]

Ryth reverent and worcepfful husbonde, I recomande me to yow, desyryng hertely to here of yowre welle fare, thankyn yow for yowr letter and for the thyngys that ye sent me ther with. And towchyn John Estegate, he com nowdyr non sent hedyr nowt zyt; wer for I sopose I must borrowyn money in schorte time but zyf [_unless_] ye come sone home; for I sopose I xal non have of hym, so Godd helpe me. I have but iiij_s._ and I howhe nerr as meche mony as com to the for seyd some. I have do yowr herrendys to my modyr and my hunckyl and as for the feffeys of Stokysby, my hunckyll syth that ther be no mo than he wrot to yow of that he knowit. And also I hauwe delyvyrit the todyr thyng that ye sent me inselyd in the boxe as ye comaundit me, and the man seyt, that I delyverid it to, that he wylle nowt of the bargeyne that ye sent hym, but sweche thynggys be do or he come ther that ye sent hym worde of, he seyth that he wold nowt be noysyd with no sweche thyngis of that is, that it wer do in hesse tyme for xx. marke. I sopose he xal send yow word in shorte time ho he wylle do. I pray yow that ye wylle weche save to beyn for me swech lacys os I send yow exsaumpyll of in this letter and j. pesse of blac lacys; as for cappys that ye sent me for the chylderyn they be to lytyl for hem. I pray yow bey hem feyner cappys and larger than tho wer. Also I pray yow that ye wylle weche save to recomaunde me to my fadyr and my modyr and tellyth heer that alle herr chyldyrryn ben in gode hele, blyssyd be Godd. Heydonis wyffe had chyld on Sent Petyr day. I horde seyne that herr husband wille nowt of her, nerr of her chyld that sche had last nowdyr. I herd seyn that he seyd, zyf sche come in hesse precence to make her exkewce that he xuld kyt of her nose to makyn her be know wat sche is; and yf her chyld come in hesse presence, he seyd he wyld kyllyn he wolle nowt be intretit to have her ayun in no wysse, os I herde seyn. The Holy Trinite have yow in Hesse kepyn and send yow helth. Wretyn at Geldiston on the Wedynisday nexte after Sent Thomas.

Be yowris,