Part 18

And I am sore that my cosyn Bernay is seke, and I pray you yeff me white wine, or ony of my wateris, or ony other thyng that I have that is in your awarde, may doo hym ony comforth. I lette hym have it; for I wold be right sory yf ony thyng schuld come to hym botte good. And for Godsake advise hym to doo make hys will, yeve it be not doo, and to doo well to my cosyn, his wiff, and els it were pete; and I pray you to recomaunde me to hyr, and to my nawnte, and to all the gentill men and gentil women there. And as for John Daye, and he be dede I wold be sory, for I know not howe to come by my mony that he oweith me; and I porpose that Pacoke schall have les to doo for me another yeres than he haith had, if I may be better porvayed with your helpe, for he is for hym self, bott not for me.

And as for ony marchandes to my corn, I can gytte none here; therfor I pray you, doo ye als wele therein as ye canne; also I send you by the bereer hereof the bill of myne resaytes. And yef ye go forth with Walter, I pray you come to me als sone as ye may after ye be commyn home; and me lyketh myne abydyng and the contre here[175-1] right well, and I trust whan sommer comith and fayre wether, I schall lyke it better, for I am cherysed here botte to wel.

And I constrew your letter in other materis well i nough, whereof I thanke you; and if it nede not to send forth Walter hastyly, I wald ye myght come to me, thowe ye schuld com opon one day and goo agayne on the next day, than schuld I comon with you in all materis; and I hold best if ye have not the letteris that Holler son schuld have brough me, that ye send Sym over for them this nyght that I may have them to morowe, and yif ye may combe your self, I wold be the better playsed.

And I remember that water of mynte or water of millefole were good for my cosyn Bernay to drynke, for to make hym to browke,[175-2] and yeve thei send to Dame Elesebeth Callethorppe ther ye shall not fayill of the tone or of both, sche haith other wateris to make folkis to browke. God kepe you.

Wrytyn on the Monday next after Sent Hiller.

I have no longer leyser atte this tyme.

[Footnote 173-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The allusion by the writer to her cousin Berney’s sickness makes it probable that this letter was written in 1473, when the Monday after St. Hilary would be the 18th of January. John Berney of Reedham died on the 20th January in that year (Inquis. _post mortem_, 13 Edw. IV., No. 17). The letter has neither signature nor address, but was probably written by Margaret Paston to her priest, Sir James Gloys, who died in the course of this year.]

[Footnote 175-1: I think this must have been written at Maltby, where Margaret Paston certainly lived during her later years, and where she was doubtless staying when she desired a license of the Bishop to have the Sacrament in her private chapel. _See_ No. 821.]

[Footnote 175-2: _i.e._ to enable him to retain food in his stomach.]

826

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[175-3]

_To John Paston, Esquyer, or to Mestresse Margret Paston, hys Modre be thys letter delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1473 / FEB. 3]

Weell belovyd Brother.[175-4] . . . . . . . . .

As ffor tydyngs heer, ther bee but fewe, saff that the Duke of Borgoyen[175-5] and my Lady, hys wyffe farethe well. I was with them on thorysdaye last past at Gawnt.[176-1] Peter Metteney ffarethe weell, and Mestresse Gretkyn bothe and Rabekyn recomend hyr to yow; she hathe ben verry seke, but it hathe doon hyr goode, ffor she is ffayrer and slenderer than she was, and she cowde make me no cheer but alwey my sawse was ‘How ffaret Master John, yowr brother?’ wher with I was wrothe, and spake a jalous worde or too, dysdeynyng that she sholde care so moche ffor yow, when that I was present.

Sende me worde to Hoxons in wrygtyng, what goode the Bysshop ded ffor me at Framynham, and howe my Lorde, my Ladye, and all the cort or [_are_] dysposyd to me wards.

I here also seye that my Ladye and yowrs, Dame Margret Veer[176-2] is ded, God have hyr sowle; iff I weer not sorye ffor herr, I trowe ye have been.

No moor to yow at thys tyme, but All myghty Good have yow in kepyng.

Wretyn at Caleys the iij. daye of Februarye Anno R. R. E. iiij. xij^o.

J. P., K.

[Footnote 175-3: [From Fenn, ii. 120.]]

[Footnote 175-4: Here follows an account of letters sent to him from Calais--of farme barly in Fledge, and of olde stuffe at Norwich, etc.--F.]

[Footnote 175-5: Charles the Bold, and Margaret, sister to Edward IV.]

[Footnote 176-1: Ghent, in the Netherlands.]

[Footnote 176-2: Daughter and heir of Sir William Stafford, and wife to Sir George Vere. Their son, John Vere, was afterwards Earl of Oxford.--F.]

827

NOTE

[Sidenote: 1473 / FEB. 10]

In Blomefield’s History of Norfolk, vol. xi. p. 208, it is stated that ‘on February 10 in the 13th of Edward IV., an indenture was made between Sir William Yelverton, William Jenney, serjeant-at-law, and William Worcester, executors of Sir John [Fastolf] on one part, and Thomas Cager and Robert Kyrton on the other, whereby the said Robert was appointed surveyor of the lands and tenements in Southwark and other places in Surrey, late Sir John’s, to perform his last will; and also receiver of rents; who was to have 6 marks _per ann._, and to be allowed besides all reasonable costs that he shall do in the defence and keeping out John Paston, Esq., and of all others claiming by him.’

828

ABSTRACT[177-1]

‘J. P.’ [JOHN PASTON] TO SIR JOHN PASTON

[Sidenote: 1473 / MARCH 8]

As I promised in the letter that Playter sent, Playter and I have been with my mother to get her to make chevesance for the £100, but she bade us send you word, you need look for no other comfort from her. Jwde can tell you Barker’s answer. As for John Kook you promised him payment yourself and to Sir John Styll 5 marks in part payment. My mother has sold her barley for 14_d._ I never meet John Smyth but I speak of it to him. He keeps his courts here at Norwich all the week. As for Fastolf, I can only speak to Wymondham his father-in-law, which I do as often as I see him. Would be sorry the great matter which requires hasty answer ‘lest the kok be in perayle’ should be delayed by his negligence. Thinks Edmund Fastolf ‘was a reasonable man to Robert of Lyne. Wherefore, let my brother Edmund sue for the same, for one wife may serve for us both till better peace be. So God help me ye may allege a plain excuse that these dyrk wars have so hindered me that her lyvelode and mine both should be too little to live at our ease till I were further before the hand than I could be this two year, and she found after her honor and my poor appetite.’ Would rather forbear what he would have than bring them in pain. ‘Say better for me, for ye can and ye will. This matter must be honestly handled, for I wot well my young lady of Oxenforthe shall hear of it. We have here no tidings, but a few Frenchmen be whyrlyng on the coasts, so that there dare no fishers go out but under safe conducts. I pray you, and ye have any more oranges than ye occupy, that poor men may have part for a great bellied lady.’ First Monday of Clean Lent, 13 Edw. IV.

_Addressed_--‘A Mys^r John Paston, schevaller, soyt done.’ _Endorsed_--‘Mens’ Marcii Anno xiij^{o}.’

[Footnote 177-1: [From MS. Phillipps 9735, No. 257.]]

829

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[177-2]

_To my Master, Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyverd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1473 / MARCH 26]

As I was wryghtyng this bylle, Mastresse Jane Harsset comandyd me streyghtly that I shold recomand hyr to yow in hyr best wyse, and she sendyth yow word she wold be as fayne to here fro yow as an other poore body.

Syr, it is so that my cosyn John Blenerhasset[178-1] is enformyd that for verry serteyn he is chosyn to be on of the colectours of the taske in Norffolk, wher in verry trowthe he hathe not a foot of lond with in the shyer; wherfor I beseche yow that, as hastyly as ye may aftyr the syght of thys bylle, that it may please yow to take the labore to comon with Sir Rychard Harrecorte, and to let hym have knowlage that thys gentyllman hathe nowght with in the shyer, and that ye tweyne may fynd the meane to get hym owght of that thanklesse offyce, for I promyse yow it encomberthe hym evyll, and my mastresse hys wyffe, and alle us hys frendys here; and if so be that ye and Sir R. Harcorte may not fynd the meane betwyx yow, that then it may please yow to meve my Lord Chamberleyn with thys mater, and so Master Harsset prayithe yow, and Mastresse Jane, hys wyff also, for she lyekyth no thyng by the ofyce.

It is thowght her amonge us that Heydons be the causers that he was set in. I prey yow enqwer of Sir R. Harcort who was the cause, and that it may be wyst in the next byll that ye send me; for if they wer the causers, it lythe in my cosyn Harsettes power to qwytte theym.

We have no tydynges to send, but that our Frenshemen[178-2] whyche kepte our costs her ar home into France, for lake of vytayll, we saye.

Hogan[178-3] is put in the Gyld Halle in Norwyche, and shalbe browght up to London for reportyng of hys old talys. He varythe not. No more, but I prey God send yow the Holy Gost amonge yow in the Parlement Howse, and rather the Devyll, we sey, then ye shold grante eny more taskys.

Wretyn the day next aftyr our Lady Day, the Anuncyacyon, Anno xiij. E. iiij^{ti}.

* * *

Yong Heydon laborythe alle that he can to mary on of hys doughtyr to yonge John Barney[179-1] by the mean of W. Calthorpp.

J. P.

[Footnote 177-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed with what appears to have been the date of its receipt--‘xxviij^o die Marcii A^o xiij^o E. iiij^{ti}.’]

[Footnote 178-1: John Blennerhasset, Bleverhasset, and (for shortness) often called Harsset, of Frens, married first Jane, daughter of Thomas Higham, Esq., and secondly Jane, daughter of Sir Thomas Tindal of Hockwold, Knight. He died in 1510, aged 87.--F.]

[Footnote 178-2: The French vessels that infested the coast, as mentioned in the preceding letter.]

[Footnote 178-3: Hogan pretended to foretell commotions and rebellions, etc.--F.]

[Footnote 179-1: This marriage never took effect.--F.]

830

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[179-2]

_A son trescher & bon ame Freer, John de Paston, Esquier._

[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 2]

Weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow wete that at the request of Mestresse Jane Hassett and yow, I have laboryd the knyghtys off the sheer off Norffolk, and the knyghtys off the shyre of Suffolk. I understond ther had ben made labor that suche a thing shulde have ben as ye wrotte to me off, but now it is saff.

Raff Blaundrehasset wer a name to styrte an hare. I warrant ther shall come no suche name in owr bokys, ner in owr house; it myght per case styrt xx^ti harys at onys; ware that j_d._ perse.[179-3] I redde ther in the bille off Norffolk, off one John Tendall, Esquier, but I suppose it be not ment by owr Tendall, and iff it be, he shall not rest theer, iffe I maye helpe it.

As for tydyngs, the werst that I herde was that my moodre wyll not doo so moche ffor me as she put me in comffort off.

Other tydyngs, I herd sey ffor serteyn that the Lady Fitzwater is ded, and that Master Fytzwater shall have CCCC. mrke a yer more than he had. I am not sory therffor.

As ffor the worlde I woot nott what it menyth, men seye heer, as weell as Hogan, that we shall have adoo in hast; I know no lyklyhod but that suche a rumor ther is.

Men sey the Qwyen with the Prynce shall come owt off Walys, and kepe thys Esterne with the Kyng at Leycetr, and some seye nowther off them shall com ther.

Item, off beyond the see, it is seyd that the Frense Kyngs host hathe kyllyd the Erle of Armenak[180-1] and all hys myry mene; some seye undre appoyntment, and some seye they wer besegyd, and gotyn by pleyn assault.

Ferthermoor men seye that the Frenshe Kynge is with hys ost uppon the water off Some a lx. myle froo Caleys; I leve them wheer I ffond them.

I made yowr answer to the ffrends off Mestresse Jane Godnoston accordyng to yowr instrucions. As for me, I am nott serteyn whether I shall to Caleys, to Leysetr, or come home into Norffolk, but I shall hastely send yow worde, &c.

Wretyn the ij. daye of Aprill, Anno E. iiij. xiij^{o}.

[Footnote 179-2: [From Fenn, ii. 122.]]

[Footnote 179-3: ‘Ware that penny purse’--_qu._ that penurious fellow?]

[Footnote 180-1: John, Count of Armagnac, assassinated on the 6th March 1473.]

831

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[180-2]

_To John Paston, Esquier._

[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 12]

Best belovyd brother, I recomend me on to yow, letyng yow weet that I receyvyd on Wednysday last past yow angery lettre towchyng the troble that Sandre Kok is in, wherein I have largely comonyd with John Russe, and advysed hym to take a curteys weye with Sandre, for yowre sake and myn. He seythe he wold not dysplease yow by hys wyll, and that he purposythe to entrete yow and wolde deserve it to yowe. He undrestod that ye had large langage to the jurye that passyd again Saundre. I lete hym weete that ye weer wrothe, and that he shall nowther please yowe ner me, but iff he dele curteyslye with Saundre. I tolde hym as for the condempnacion uppon the accion off trespasse I thoght it nowther good ner worshypfull. Also I have wretyn to the person of Maultby to dele curteyslye with Saundre, iff he woll please yow or me.

Item, I sende yow herwythe the _supercedyas_ for Saundre; so that iff ye fynde any meane for the condempnacions that than ye maye ease therwith the suerte off pease. John Russe, as I suppose, is att home thys daye.

Item, as for tydynges heer, the Kynge rydeth fresselye thys daye to Northamton warde, there to be thys Esterne, and after Esterne he purposythe to be moche at Leysettre, and in Leysettre shyre. Every man seythe that we shall have a doo or Maye passe. Hogan the prophet is in the Tower; he wolde fayne speke with the Kyng, but the Kynge seythe he shall not avaunt that evyr he spake with hym.

Item, as for me, I most nedys to Caleyse warde to morowe. I shall be heer ageyn, if I maye, thys next terme. John Myryell, Thyrston, and W. Woode be goon from me, I shrewe them.

My modre dothe me moor harme than good; I wende she wolde have doon for me. Playter wroot to me that she wolde have leyde owt for me C_li._, and receyvyd it ageyn in v. yer of the maner of Sporle, wherto I trustyd, whyche if she had performyd, I had nott ben in no juperte of the maner of Sporle. Neverthelesse I shall do whatt I kan yitt. I preye yow calle uppon hyr for the same, remembre hyr of that promyse.

Item, I preye yow remembre hyr for my fadrys tombe at Bromholme. She dothe ryght nott [_naught_]; I am afferde of hyr that she shall nott doo weell. Bedyngfelde shall mary Sir John Skottes doghtre, as I suppose.

Item, Janore Lovedaye shall be weddyd to one Denyse, a ffuattyd (?) gentylman, with Sir G. Brown, nowther to weell ner to ylle.

Item, as for me, iff I had hadd vj. dayes leyser more than I hadd, and other also, I wolde have hopyd to have ben delyveryd of Mestresse Anne Hault. Hyr frendes, the Quyen and Attclif agreyd to comon and conclude with me, if I can fynde the meanes to dyscharge hyr concyence, whyche I trust to God to doo.

i. Item, I praye yow that ye take a leyser thys Estern halydayes to ryde to Sporle and sende for John Osberne, and I wolde ye sholde conclude a bergayn with one Bocher, a woode byer, whyche Mendham that was my fermor ther can fecche hym to yow.

ii. And thys is myn entent. I wolde have the dykes to stonde stylle, acordyng as John Osberne and I comonyd, I trow xij. foothe with in the dyke.

iij. Item, that the standardes off suche mesur as he and I comonyd off maye also be reservyd. I suppose it was xxx. inche, abowt a yerde from the grownde.

iiij. Item, that it be surely fencyd at the cost off the woode byer in any wyse with a sure hedge, bothe hyghe and stronge.

v. Item, that ther be a weye taken with the fermores for the undrewood, so that I lesse not the ferme therffore yerly. Item, John Osbern can telle yow the meanys howe to entrete the fermores, for Herry Halman hath pleyed the false shrowe and fellyd my woode uppon a tenement off myn to the valew off xx. marke, as it is tolde me. I praye yow enquire that matre and sende me worde and dele with hym ther afftre.

vj. Item, iff the seyde wood clere above alle charges excep as is above, be made any better than CC. marke, I wolle seye that ye be a good huswyff. John Osberne seythe that he woll do me a frendes turne ther in and yitt gete hym self an hakeneye.

vij. Memorandum, that he have nott past iij. or iiij. yere off untraunce at the ferthest.

viij. Item, thatt I have payement off the holl as shortly as ye kan, halffe in hande, the remenaunt at halffe yeer, or ellys at ij. tymes with in one yere at the ferthest by mydsomer xij. monyth.

ix. And that ye make no ferther bergayn than Sporle woode and the lawnde, not delyng with noon other woode, nowther in the maner, nor ellys wher in none other tenement.

x. Item, that ye have sufficient sewerte for the monye, with penaltes iff nede be, some other men bonden with hym for the payement.

xj. Item, I wolle well be bownde to waraunt it to hym.

Item, I sende yow herwith a warant to yow and John Osberne joyntlye to bergayn. Comone and conclude that bergayn.

xij. Item, I suppose he woll, iff he conclude with yow, desyre to felle thys Maye, and I to have mony soon afftre. I reke not thowe he fellyd not tyll thys wynter; but iff he woll nedes begyn thys Maye, therffor I wryght yow thus hastely entrete hym, iff ye can, that he felle not tyll wynter.

xiij. Item, be ware how ye bergeyn, so that he felle nott butt in sesonable tyme and sesonable wood, for he maye felle no undrewood thys Maye, as I trowe.

Item, as for yowr costes late th . . . . . . . newe fynde yow mete, and I woll allow it there, or ellys make me a bylle what it dra[weth to] . . . . . . . . yow.

Item, I praye yow iff ye g . . . . . for me as ye can. I made my Lady heer but easy cheer, neverthelesse I gaff hyr . . . . . ys.

I promysed hyr to purveye hyr . . . . weselys, but I was deseyvyd; yit I wend to have had one.

My Lord of Norffolk hathe ben mevyd for Caster by my Lord Cardenall and the Bysshop of Wynchester, but it woll take non effecte . . . my Lady come. God gyff grace that she brynge auctoryte when she comythe thys next terme to common ther in and conclude, and so I prey yow advyse hyr. Itt may haply paye for hyr costes.

No mor to yow, but wretyn at London, the xij. daye of Apryll, Anno E. iiij^ti xiij^{o}.

* * *

I sende yow her with ij. letteris from John Osbern to me, wherby and by hys billes ye may undrestond the verry valewe off the wood.

I praye yow sende me wryghtyng ageyn by the Mondaye vij. nyght afftre Ester; iff Hoxon or the goode man off the Goot have it, they shall conveye it welle.

[Footnote 180-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[[... Maye, as I trowe. _final period (full stop) missing_]]

832

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[184-1]

_To John Paston, Esqer, in Norffolk._

[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 16]

Wyrsshypfull and ryght hertyly belowyd brother, I recomande me on to yow, letyng yow wete that on Wednysdaye last past I wrote yow a letter, wheroff John Carbalde had the beryng, promyttyng me that ye shold have it at Norwyche thys daye, or ellys to morowe in the mornyng, wherin I praye yowe to take a labor accordyng afftr the tenur off the same, and that I maye have an answer at London to Hoxon, iff any massenger come, as ene I maye doo ffor yow.

As ffor tydyngs, ther was a truse taken at Brussellys about the xxvj. daye off Marche last past, be twyn the Duke off Borgoyn and the Frense Kyngs imbassators and Master William At Clyff ffor the Kyng heer, whyche is a pese be londe and water tyll the ffyrst daye off Apryll nowe next comyng, betweyn Fraunce and Ingelond, and also the Dukys londes. God holde it ffor ever and grace be.

Item, the Erle of Oxenfford was on Saterdaye at Depe, and is purposyd into Skotlond with a xij. schyppys. I mystrust that werke.

Item, ther be in London many fflyeng talys, seying that ther shold be a werke, and yit they wot not howe.

Item, my Lorde Chamberleyn[184-2] sendyth now at thys tyme to Caleys the yonge Lorde Sowche[184-3] and Sir Thomas Hongreffords dowtre and heyr,[184-4] and some seye the yonge Lady Haryngton, thes be iij. grett jowelles, Caleys is a mery town, they shall dwell ther I wott not whylghe [_how long_].

No mor, but I have ben, and ame troblyd with myn over large and curteys delyng with my servants, and now with ther onkynd nesse; Plattyng, yowr men wolde thys daye byd me ffar well to to morow at Dover, notwithstandyng Thryston yowr other man is ffrom me, and John Myryell, and W. Woode whyche promysed yow and Dawbeney, God have hys sowle, at Castre, that iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn with me, that then he wold never goo ffro me, and ther uppon I have kepyd hym thys iij. yer to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robyn Hod and the Shryff off Notyngham, and now when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I withowt a keeper.