Chapter VI: Part 6

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]