Chapter I: Front Matter

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by author” refers to the Errata printed at the end of the
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Specifics: The spelling “Jhon” is not an error. Gresham
and Tresham are different people. Conversely, the
inconsistent spelling “Lipyate” or “Lipgate” in footnotes
is unchanged.

Note that the printed book used z to represent original yogh
ȝ. This has not been changed for the e-text.

This edition, published by arrangement with Messrs. ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, LIMITED, is strictly limited to 650 copies for Great Britain and America, of which only 600 sets are for sale, and are numbered 1 to 600.

No. 47

[[The number 47 is handwritten.]]

* * * * *
* * * *

THE PASTON LETTERS

A.D. 1422-1509

* * * *
* * * * *

THE PASTON LETTERS A.D. 1422-1509

New Complete Library Edition

Edited with Notes and an Introduction

by

JAMES GAIRDNER of the Public Record Office

_VOLUME VI_

London Chatto & Windus

[Decoration]

Exeter James G. Commin 1904

Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty

THE PASTON LETTERS

_Edward IV_

936

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[1-1]

_To John Paston, Esquyer, be thys lettre delyveryd, or to my mestresse, hys wyffe, at Norwych, to delyver to hym._

[Sidenote: 1478 / AUG. 25]

Brother John, I recomaund me to yow, and I thanke God, my sustr yowr wyffe, and yow, off my ffayr nevywe Crystofore, whyche I undrestande ye have, wher off I ame ryght gladde, and I praye God sende yow manye, if it be Hys plesyr; nevertheless ye be nott kynde, that ye sende me no wetyng ther off; I hadde knowlege by ffootemen, or ever ye kowde ffynde any messenger on horsbak to brynge me worde theroff.

Sir, it is soo, that the Duke off Bokyngham shall come on pilgrymage to Walsyngham, and so to Bokenham Castell to my lady hys sustr;[1-2] and then it is supposyd that he shalle to my Lady off Norffolk.[1-3] And myn oncle William comythe with hym; and he tellyth me, that ther is like to be troble in the maner off Oxenhed; wherffor I praye yow take hedde lesse that the Duke off Suffolk councell pley therwith now at the vacacion[1-4] off the beneffyse, as they ded with the beneffice off Drayton, whyche by the helpe off Mr. John Salett and Donne hys man, ther was a qweste made by the seyde Donne, that ffownde that the Duke off Suffolk was verrye patrone, whyche was ffalse, yitt they ded it ffor an evydence; but nowe iff any suche pratte scholde be laboryd, it is I hope in bettr case, ffor suche a thynge most needs be ffownde byffor Master John Smyth, whyche is owr olde ffreende; wherffor I praye yow labor hym, that, iff neede bee, he maye doo use a ffreends torne therin.

Item, bothe ye and I most neds take thys mater as owr owne, and it weer ffor noon other cawse butt ffor owr goode grawnt dames sake; neverthelesse ye woote well, thatt ther is an other entresse longyng to usse afftr her dyscease; iffe ther be any suche thynge begune ther by suche a fryer or prest, as it is seyde, I mervayle that ye sente me no worde ther off; butt ye have nowe wyffe and chyld, and so moche to kar ffor, thatt ye fforgete me.

As for tydyngs her, I her telle that my cosyn Sir Robert Chamberleyn hathe entyrd the maner of Scolton uppon yowr bedffelawe[2-1] Conyerse, wheroff ye sende me no worde.

Item, yonge William Brandon is in warde and arestyd ffor thatt he scholde have by fforce ravysshyd and swyvyd an olde jentylwoman, and yitt was nott therwith easyd, butt swyvyd hyr oldest dowtr, and than wolde have swyvyd the other sustr bothe; wherffor men sey ffowle off hym, and that he wolde ete the henne and alle hyr chekynnys; and som seye that the Kynge entendyth to sitte uppon hym, and men seye he is lyke to be hangyd, ffor he hathe weddyd a wedowe.

Item, as ffor the pagent that men sey that the Erle off Oxenforde[2-2] hathe pleyid atte Hammys, I suppose ye have herde theroff; itt is so longe agoo, I was nott in thys contre when the tydyngs come, therfor I sent yow no worde theroff.

But ffor conclusion, as I her seye, he lyepe the wallys, and wente to the dyke, and in to the dyke to the chynne; to whatt entent I can nott telle; some sey, to stele awey, and some thynke he wolde have drownyd hymselffe, and so it is demyd.

No mor, but I ame nott sertayne whether I shall come home in haste or nott.

Wretyn at London, the daye nexte Seynt Bartelmewe,[3-1] anno E. iiij^ti xviij^o.

JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 1-1: [From Fenn, ii. 270.]]

[Footnote 1-2: Joan, sister to Henry, Duke of Buckingham, was the
second wife of Sir William Knevet, Knight, of Bokenham Castle, in
Norfolk.--F.]

[Footnote 1-3: Elizabeth, widow of John Mowbray, Duke of
Norfolk.--F.]

[Footnote 1-4: Agnes Paston, grandmother to Sir John, presented
Thomas Everard to the Rectory of Oxnead in 1475, and in 1479, she
again presented William Barthulmew, so that the Duke of Suffolk
either did not attempt to disturb her right; or at least did not
succeed, if he endeavoured to do it.--F. It will be seen by No.
935 that before presenting William Barthulmew she presented Dr.
Richard Lyncoln.]

[Footnote 2-1: A word at this time, implying a friend, or intimate
acquaintance, who really slept in the same bed. _See_ Steevens’
Shakspeare, _Henry V._ Act ii. Sc. 2.--F.]

[Footnote 2-2: John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, had been for several
years a prisoner in the Castle of Hammes, in Picardy. He became a
favourite of Henry VII. and died in the reign of Henry VIII.--F.]

[Footnote 3-1: St. Bartholomew’s Day is the 24th August. ‘The day
_next_ St. Bartholomew’ should be the 25th, unless the writer
meant to say ‘next before.’]

937

ABSTRACT[3-2]

WILLIAM PASTON TO NICHOLAS GOLDEWELL

[Sidenote: 1478 / OCT. 9]

Spoke to him on Sunday about a clerk presented by William Paston’s mother to the Church of Oxnead, and not admitted, though the presentation was delivered to Master John Bulman, my lord’s deputy, within the time limited by law. Requests him to get the Bishop to do him justice. The living is of small value, and the delay can be of little benefit to my lord. Desires an answer by the bearer, Sir William Upgate, Vicar of Castre.

Norwich, 9 Oct.

[The MS. is a corrected draft partly in William Paston’s own hand,
endorsed ‘The copy of a lettre to Mr. Nicholas Goldewell, broder to
the Busshopp of Norwich, ix^o Octobris, anno xviij^o E. iiij^ti, by
Sir William Ubgate, Vicar of Castre.’]

[Footnote 3-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

938

ABSTRACT[3-3]

WILLIAM PASTON TO WILLIAM POPE OF BACTON

[Sidenote: 1478 / OCT. 17]

Cannot be at the Court at Paston on Monday next. Bids him warn the tenants to keep the Court on Friday instead, and to bring their rents, for he will be there himself. He is also to warn the tenants of Bakton to-morrow openly in the church of the said Court to be kept on Friday next; also the tenants of Swaffeld, Mundesley,[4-1] Edyngthorpe, and Wytton.

Norwich, Saturday after St. Edward,[4-2] the ---- October.

[The MS. is a draft with corrections in the handwriting of William
Paston, endorsed--‘The copy of a lettre to William Pope of Bacton,
the xvij. day of Octobre, anno xviij^o E. iiij^ti, by William Dam of
Rughton.’]

[Footnote 3-3: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 4-1: This name is very ill written, and looks more like
‘Maxsley’; but Mundesley is the only place in the neighbourhood
that seems at all probable.]

[Footnote 4-2: Translation of St. Edward the Confessor, 13th
October. The Saturday after it in 1478, was the 17th, but the
writer has left only a blank for the day.]

939

WILLIAM PASTON, JUNIOR, TO JOHN PASTON[4-3]

_To hys worchepful brodyr, John Paston, be thys delyvered in hast._

[Sidenote: 1478 / NOV. 7]

Ryght reverent and worchepful brodyr, I recomaunde me on to yow, desyrynge to here of yowre welfare and prosperite; letynge yow wete that I have resevyd of Alwedyr a lettyr and a nobyll in gowlde therin. Ferthermor my creansyr [_creditor_], Mayster Thomas,[4-4] hertely recomandyd hym to yow, and he praythe yow to sende hym sum mony for my comons; for he seythe ye be xx^{ti}_s._ in hys dette, for a monthe was to pay for when he had mony laste.

Also I beseche yow to sende me a hose clothe, one for the halydays of sum colore, and a nothyr for the workyng days, how corse so ever it be it makyth no matyr; and a stomechere, and ij. schyrtes, and a peyer of sclyppers. And if it lyke yow that I may come with Alwedyr be watyr, and sporte me with yow at London a day or ij. thys terme tyme, than ye may let all thys be tyl the tyme that I come, and than I wol telle you when I schall be redy to come from Eton, by the grace of God, Whom have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn the Saturday next aftyr All Halown Day, with the hand of your brodyr,

WYLLIAM PASTON.

[Footnote 4-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] William Paston, the writer
of this letter, was a younger son of old John Paston, and brother
of the John Paston to whom the letter is addressed. He was born,
as Fenn tells us, in 1459, and it will be seen by what is said of
him in Letter 842 that he could not possibly be older. He was now
at Eton finishing his education, and we have a letter from him
written there on the 23rd of February 1479, which gives good
reason for attributing this to the November immediately before.]

[Footnote 4-4: Thomas Stevenson. _See_ Letter 942 _post_.]

940

ERRANDS TO MARLINGFORD[5-1]

[Sidenote: 1479 / JAN. 18]

Do[5-2] Gerald of Marlingford come to me, and know were he ys become; in qw[at] place he hydyth hym, he dothe but distroyh hym selff.

Do on Steward [of] Colton, a tenaunte of Marlingford, come to me.

Do[5-2] Sir John Chapman,[5-3] parson of Oure Ladies Chyrche, send hider the bill of rekenyng of Richard Hervy, shewyng what stokke was delivered be Richard Hervy to Harry Hervy, and also a bille what costes that Richard H[ervy] . . . . of at that tyme.[5-4]

Do[5-2] John Brigg come to me and bryng me suyrte for hys dette, and know qwat wey the parson off Melton takyth with hym.

. . de the par[sone] off Melton come to me to Norwych, for tell [him that] and he come nat hastely he schall nat fynd me here.

Item, pray the parson off Melton to call up on the parteculer tenauntes off Melton that have had parteculer fermys fro Michaelmas xvij. til Michaelmas xviij. to pay ther fermys.

[Footnote 5-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This is a paper of
memoranda by William Paston, partly in his own handwriting,
endorsed--‘Erandes to Marlyngford, the xvij. day of Januar, anno
xviij^o, wer off a copy was delyvered at Sent Edmundes the same
d[ay].’]

[Footnote 5-2: ‘Do,’ _i.e._ cause.]

[Footnote 5-3: He was rector of St. Mary’s Church, Melton.]

[Footnote 5-4: This paragraph is crossed out in the MS.]

[[Sidenote: 1479 / JAN. 18
_date printed as shown, but see first footnote_

Footnote 5-1
[From Paston MSS., B.M.]
_comma missing or invisible_]]

941

WILLIAM PYKENHAM TO MARGARET PASTON[6-1]

_To my Mastresse M[argaret Paston], att Norwiche._

[Sidenote: 1479 / FEB. 2]

My worschypfull mastresse, I recomende me un to yow, and thanke yow of yowr approvyd ensewryd gyudenesse evermore shewde, and so I pray yow to contenew. I have resyvyd yowr letter, and undrestonde yowr desyre, wyche ys ageyns the lawe for three causys. Oon ys, for yowr son Watre ys nott tonsewryd, in modre tunge callyd Benett; a nodre cause, he ys not xxiiij. yeer of aghe, wyche ys requiryd complete; the thyrde, ye owte [_he ought_] of ryzte to be preyst within dwelmothe after that he ys parson, wyth owte so were he hadd a dyspensacion fro Rome be owre Holy Fadre the Pope, wyche I am certen can not be hadde. Therfor I present not yowr desyre un to my lorde,[6-2] lest ye [_he_] wolde have takyn yt to a dysplesur, or else to take a grete sympylnesse in yowr desyre, wyche shulde cause hym, in suche matres as xall fortune yow to spede with hym a nodre tyme, to shew un to yow the rigur of the lawe, wyche I wolde be lothe; therfor present a nodre man abyll. Haske consell of Mr. John Smythe, and sease of yowr desyre in thysse partey, for yt ys not goodely nether Goddely; and lete not yowr desyre be knowyn, aftyr my avyse. Be not wrothe, thowe I sende un to yow thusse playnyly in the matre; for I wolde ye dede as wele as any woman in Norfolke, [that ys, wyth rygth],[6-3] to yowr honor, prosperite, an to the plesur of Godde, with yowre and all yowres, Ho have yow in Hyse blessyd kepyng.

From Hoxne on Candylmasse Day.

WILLIAM PYKYNHAM.[7-1]

I sende yow yowr presente agen in the boxe.

[Footnote 6-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Walter Paston, to whom
this letter refers, died in August 1479. This letter was probably
written in the beginning of the same year. The date certainly
cannot be 1478, if No. 926 has been assigned to the right year,
for it will be seen that the writer was then in London, and so
much occupied that he had little prospect of visiting Norfolk for
some time.]

[Footnote 6-2: James Goldwell was consecrated by Pope Sextus IV.
Bishop of Norwich in 1472. He resided much at his manor of Hoxne,
where he died in 1498.--F.]

[Footnote 6-3: These words are struck through with the pen.]

[Footnote 7-1: William de Pykenham became Chancellor of Norwich
and Archdeacon of Suffolk in 1471, and was also some time Rector
of Hadleigh in Suffolk, where he built the grand gate or tower
before the parsonage. He died in 1497.--F.]

942

WILLIAM PASTON, JUNIOR, TO JOHN PASTON[7-2]

_To his worchepfull broder, John Paston, be thys delivered in hast._

[Sidenote: 1479 / FEB. 23]

Ryght reverent and worchepfull broder, after all dewtes of recomendacion, I recomaunde me to yow, desyryng to here of your prosperite and welfare, whych I pray God long to contynew to Hys plesore, and to your herts desyr; letyng yow wete that I receyved a letter from yow, in the whyche letter was viij_d._ with the whyche I schuld bye a peyer of slyppers.

Ferthermor certyfying yow, as for the xiij_s._ iiij_d._ whyche ye sende by a jentylmannys man, for my borde, cawlyd Thomas Newton, was delyvered to myn hostes, and soo to my creancer [_creditor_], Mr. Thomas Stevenson; and he hertely recomended hym to yow.

Also ye sende me worde in the letter of xij_li._ fyggs and viij_li._ reysons. I have them not delyvered, but I dowte not I shal have, for Alwedyr tolde me of them, and he seyde that they came aftyr in an other barge.

And as for the yong jentylwoman, I wol certyfye yow how I fryste felle in qweyntaince with hyr. Hir ffader is dede; ther be ij. systers of them; the elder is just weddyd; at the whych weddyng I was with myn hostes, and also desyryd by the jentylman hym selfe, cawlyd Wylliam Swanne, whos dwyllynge is in Eton.

So it fortuned that myne hostes reportyd on me odyrwyse than I was wordy; so that hyr moder comaundyd hyr to make me good chere, and soo in good feythe sche ded. Sche is not a bydynge ther sche is now; hyr dwellyng is in London; but hyr moder and sche come to a place of hyrs v. myle from Eton, were the weddyng was, for because it was nye to the jentylman whych weddyd hyr dowtyr. And on Monday next comynge, that is to sey, the fyrst Monday of Clene Lente, hyr moder and sche wyl goo to the pardon at Schene, and soo forthe to London, and ther to abyde in a place of hyrs in Bowe Chyrche Yerde; and if it plese yow to inquere of hyr, hyr modyrs name is Mestres Alborow, the name of the dowtyr is Margarete Alborow, the age of hyr is be all lykelyod xviij. or xix. yere at the fertheste. And as for the mony and plate, it is redy when soo ever sche were weddyd; but as for the lyvelod, I trow not tyll after hyr modyrs desese, but I can not telle yow, for very certeyn, but yow may know by inqueryng. And as for hyr bewte, juge yow that when ye see hyr, yf so be that ye take the laubore, and specialy beolde hyr handys, for and if it be as it is tolde me, sche is dysposyd to be thyke.

And as for my comynge from Eton, I lake no thynge but wersyfyynge, whyche I troste to have with a lytyll contynuance.

Quæritur, Quomodo non valet hora, valet mora? Unde dicitur?

Arbore jam videas exemplum. Non die possunt,
Omnia suppleri; sed tamen illa mora.[8-1]

And thes too verse afore seyde be of myn own makyng.

No more to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn at Eton the Even of Seynt Matthy the Apostyll in haste, with the hande of your broder.

WYLL’M PASTON, Jun^{r}.

[Footnote 7-2: [From Fenn, i. 296.] This letter was written on the
23rd of February, and the Monday following the date was the first
Monday of Lent. These particulars prove the letter to have been
written in 1479, when William Paston was between nineteen and
twenty years of age.]

[Footnote 8-1: I am favoured by Lady Beatrice Pretyman with a
facsimile of this Latin theme and distich from the original MS. My
reading of the contracted words differs from that printed
originally by Fenn.]

[[but hyr moder and sche come to a place of hyrs
_text has “sch come”: corrected from Fenn_]]

943

PARSONAGE OF OXNEAD[9-1]

[Sidenote: 1479]

Memorandum.--The day that the lapse went out, which is such day vj. monethes as the seid parson died, was on Tewesday, Our Lady Day, the Nativite, the viij^te day of Septembre last past, anno xviij^o.

The day of vj. monethes affter Our seide Lady Day, the Nativite was on Seint Mathes Day[9-2] the Apostell, last past, whiche was the xxiiij. day of Februare, and so I deme eyther the Bisshoppe of Norwiche hath presented or els it is in the gifft of my Lord Cardinall[9-3] nowe. Inquere this mater, for the Bisshoppe of Norwich lythe in London, and shall doo till Our Ladys Day this Lenton, as it is said here.

My moder delivered Sir William Holle his presentacion the xiij. day of August, anno xviij^o, which was nere a monethe or the day of the vj. monethes went out and past. Wherfore the Bisshoppe ought to present my moders clarke. Neverthelesse the Bisshoppys officeres aunsware this sayng, that if sondry persones deliver ij. sondrye presentacions for to diverse clarkes to the Bisshoppes officers for one benefice, that then the seid partyes shuld sue to the Bisshop at ther cost to have out an inquerre to inquere _de vero patrono_, sayng forther more, that if they sue nat out this inquerre with affect, and that the lapse fall, than it is lefull for the Bisshop to present, and it is told me that the lawe is this, that the Bisshoppe, be his office with out any sute of the parties, shall call an inquerre afore hym to inquere _de vero patrono_, and he shall assign them a day to bryng in a verdett, and he shall warne bothe partyes to be ther at, and he shall amytte his clarke that is founde patron.

Yet the Bisshopp useth nat to do this, but there as bothe partyes that present are myghty [and wher as he thynketh it were a jopardy to hym][10-1] to sue the Bisshoppe if he did them any wrong, and wher as ther is a doubtable mater; but in this case the prest that troubleth my moder is but a simple felowe, and he is _appostata_, for he was somtyme a White Frere, and of simple repetacyon, and of litill substans, as my moder can tell, wherfore Bisshoppys use nat in suche litill casys to take so streyte an inquerre, and specyally wher as one hath contynued patron with out interupcion so long as my moder hath done, for she hath contynued more than l. wynter; wherfore I pray yow shewe my cousyn Lovell this bill, and fynde some meanes to intrete the Bisshopp by the meane of James Hobard,[10-2] which is grete with the Bisshopp, and is nowe Reder of Lyncoln Inne this Lent. And late my lady speke to James Hobard in the mater. If it please my moder ther is a prest callde Sir ----[10-3] which is thought by the tenauntes of Oxned a metely man to be parson ther; the most thyng that I dowte, bicause Sir William Holle, whom my moder presented, is ronne away, and if the Bisshop will nat present my moders clarke in her title, than I wold that the labour myght be made to the Bisshopp, that he myght present my moders clarke, suche on as shoe will name, in his one title.

Ric. Lee, like as ze may understand be this writing, where as I understod that the Bisshopp myght have kept the benefice but vj. monethes after the patrons vj. monethes war worn out, now I understand the contrary, for I understand he may kepe it a twelmo[nethe] and a day . . . . [_several lines lost_] . . . . . .

Also, if ze knew any yong preste in London that setteth billis upon Powlys dorr per aventure wold be glad to have it, and woll be glad also to serve my lady and my moder for it for a season, I can no more say but purvay a mean to the Bisshopp, that som mon may be put in by my moders title.

. . . . . of the consistore in Norwich, and he hath a broder in the Tower, is master of the Mynt under Brice, called Bartilmew Rede, and a nother broder is a goold smyth dwellyng in the Chepe Side called ------[11-1] Reede. And he is eyther loged with on of these, his breder, or els at the Jorge in Lumbard Strete, or els at the Cok and the Bell at Billinges gate, a brue hous, for the sei[d] gold smyth hath maried a bruewyf, and kepeth the brue hous, (?) and he can good skylle to helpe in this mater of the benefice of Oxned.

Also, Ric. Lee, who so ever shalbe [presented to the] benefice of Oxned, he muste tell hym, I must pay xiiij. marc to the frutes, and ther for shall he have [da]yes of payment to pay a marc azey[n] if he d[o] gete hym frendschip. And also, Richard, at the makyng of this letter I mend (?) to have ben sure (?) . . . . . . and now I in na . . . . . for if it please my moder, me thynke it was well done, Sir William Storor had . . . .

[_The rest unintelligible._]

[Footnote 9-1: [Add. Charter 17,251, B.M.] It is sufficiently
evident that the date of this paper must be later than the
24th February, 1479. It appears to be a set of memoranda or
instructions by William Paston, addressed to his servant Richard
Lee. The MS. is a small roll of paper very mutilated and partly
illegible from the effect of damp.]

[Footnote 9-2: St. Matthias’ Day (not St. Matthew’s) is meant.]

[Footnote 9-3: Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury.]

[Footnote 10-1: Crossed out in MS.]

[Footnote 10-2: Afterwards Attorney-General to Henry VII. He was
Reader of Lincoln’s Inn in Lent, 18 Edward IV.]

[Footnote 10-3: Blank in MS.]

[Footnote 11-1: Blank in original.]

944

EDMUND ALYARD TO MARGARET PASTON[11-2]

_To his worshepful mastres, Mastres Margaret Paston._

[Sidenote: 1479 / MARCH 4]

Right worshepful mastres, I recommande me unto yow as lowly as I kan, thankyng yow for your goodnes at all tymis; God graunt me to deserve it, and do that may plese yow.

As for your son Water, his labor and lernyng hathe be, and is, yn the Faculte of Art, and is well sped there yn, and may be Bacheler at soche tyme as shall lyke yow, and then to go to lawe. I kan thynk it to his preferryng, but it is not good he know it on to the tyme he shal chaunge; and as I conceyve ther shal non have that exibeshyon to the Faculte of Lawe. Therfore meve ze the executores that at soche tyme as he shal leve it, ye may put a nother yn his place, soche as shal lyke you to prefer. If he shal go to law, and be made Bacheler of Art be fore, and ye wolle have hym hom this yere, then may he be Bacheler at Mydsomor, and be with yow yn the vacacion, and go to lawe at Mihelmas. Qwhat it shal lyke yow to commande me yn this or eny odir, ye shal have myn service redy.

I pray yow be the next masenger to send me your entent, that swech as shal be necessary may be purveyid yn seson. And Jesu preserve yow.

At Oxinforth, the iiij. day of March.

Your scoler,

EDMUND ALYARD.

[Footnote 11-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It appears by subsequent
letters that Walter Paston actually took a degree at Oxford at
Midsummer, and it will be seen by next letter, which is dated by
its endorsement, that he must have done so in 1479--the year of
his death.]

945

WALTER PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[12-1]

_To hys ryth reverend broder, Sir John Paston, at Caster Hall, in Norfolk._

[Sidenote: 1479 / MAY 22]

After all dw reverens and recomendacions, likyth yt yow to understond that I reseyvyd a letter fro my broder John, where by I understod that my moder and yow wold know what the costes of my procedyng schold be. I sent a letter to my broder John, certyfyyng my costes, and the causys why that I wold procede; but as I have sent word to my moder, I purpose to tary now tyll yt be Mychylmas, for yf I tary tyll than, sum of my costys schall be payyd; for I supposed, whan that I sent the letter to my broder John, that the Qwenys broder[12-2] schold have procedyd at Mydsomer, but he woll tary now tyll Michylmas; but as I send word to my moder, I wold be Inceptor be fore Mydsomer, and there fore I besechyd her to send me sum mony, for yt woll be sum cost to me, but not mych.

And, syr, I besech yow to send me word what answer ye have of the Buschopp of Wynchester for that mater whych ye spak to hym of for me whan I was with yow at London. I thowth for to have had word there of or thys tyme. I wold yt wold come, for owr fyndyng of the Buschopp of Norwych begynnyth to be slake in payment. And yf ye know not whath thys term menyth, ‘Inceptor,’ Master Edmund, that was my rewler at Oxforth, berar here of, kan tell yow, or ellys any oder gradwat.

Also I pray yow send me word what ys do with the hors I left at Totnam, and whyder the man be content that I had yt of, or nat. Jesu preserve yow to Hys pleswre and to yowr most hartys desyyr.

Wretyn at Oxforth, the Saturday next after Ascensyon of Yowr Lord.

WALTER PASTON.

[Footnote 12-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed
in a contemporary hand, apparently Sir John Paston’s own, ‘anno
xix^o,’ showing that it was written in the nineteenth year of
Edward IV.]

[Footnote 12-2: Lionel Woodville, afterwards Bishop of Salisbury.]

946

WALTER PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[13-1]

_To hys ryth trusty and hartyly belovyd broder, John Paston, abydyng at the Georg, at Powlys Qwharfe, in London, be this letter delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1479 / JUNE 30]

Rygth worchypfull and hartyly belovyd broder, I recomaund me on to yow, desyeryng feythfoly to here of yowr prosperyte, qwhych God preserve, thankyng yow of dyverse letterys that yow sent me. In the last letter that yow sent to me, ye wryt that yow schold have wryt in the letter that yow sent by Master Brown, how that I schold send yow word what tyme that I schold procede, but ther was non such wrytyng in that letter. The letter is yet to schew, and yf yow come to Oxon, ye schal see the letter, and all the leterys that yow sent me sythynnys I came to Oxon.

And also Master Brown had that same tyme mysch mony in a bage, so that he durst nat bryng yt with hym, and that same letter was in that same bage, and he had for gete to take owt the letter, and he sent all to geder by London, so that yt was the next day after that I was maad Bachyler or than the letter cam, and so the fawt was not in me.

And yf ye wyl know what day I was maad Baschyler, I was maad on Fryday was sevynyth, and I mad my fest on the Munday after. I was promysyd venyson a geyn my fest of my Lady Harcort, and of a noder man to, but I was deseyvyd of both; but my gestes hewld them plesyd with such mete as they had, blyssyd be God, Hoo have yow in Hys kepyng. Amen.

Wretyn at Oxon, on the Wedenys day next after Seynt Peter.

W. PASTON.

[Footnote 13-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] _See_ preliminary note to