Part 21
Also, sir, I prey yow that Pytt may trusse in a male, whyche I left in your chambyr at London, my tawny gowne furyd with blak, and the doblet of porpyll sateyn, and the doblet of blak sateyn, and my wryghtyng box of syprese, and my book of the Metyng of the Dwke and of the Emperour, and when all thys gere is trussyd in the male, to delyver it to the berer herof, to brynge me to Norwyche.
Item, I send you herwith the pylyon for the male, and x_s._ for the hyer, whyche is usery, I tak God to rekord.
Also, that it lyek yow to spek with your apotycary, whyche was som tyme the Erle of Warwykes apotycary, and to weet of hym what the wedow of the Blak Freiris is woorthe, and what hyr husbondes name was. He can tell all, for he is executore to the wedous husbond. I prey yow forget me not, no more then I do yow. I have spokyn thys day with Jamys Hubberd and Herry Smyth, and to morow I shall have an answer of theym.
Also, my modyr wyll labore thys mater with effect, that the CC. mark may be had for the wood.
Also, brodyr Edmund, I prey yow, and my brodyr Sir John be not in London, that ye wyll labore all thys maters with effect, as my trust is in yow in every poynt as is above wretyn.
Also, I assartayn yow that I was with Ferrour thys day, and he had no leyser to comon with me; but I wyll be with hym ayen to morow by apoyntment betwyx hym and me, and so as I speed I shall send yow woord by the next man that comyth to London.
Also, I sent John Lee is wyff a lettyr by on Crawethorn dwellyng in Wood street, or ellys in Sylver street at the end of Wood street. I prey yow weet whedyr she had it or nought; and she had it not, brodyr Edmund, I prey yow go to the same Crawethorn, and tak the lettyr of hym, and delyver it hyr in all hast.
J. PASTON.[208-1]
[Footnote 206-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed in a contemporaneous hand ‘Anno xiiij^o,’ showing that it was written in 1474, the 14th year of Edward IV. We also find Sir John writing to his brother in November following that his brother Edmund had heard nothing more of Eberton’s daughter.]
[Footnote 208-1: This signature stands in the middle of the postscript.]
[[... Who preserve / yow and yours. _final . missing or invisible_]]
851
ABSTRACT[208-2]
[Sidenote: 1474 / OCT. 24]
‘Bill’ dated 24 Oct., 14 Edw. IV., relative to the pledging of certain parcels of plate by William Paston, Esq., to Elizabeth Clere of Ormesby. The parcels amount in all to 250 oz. 4 dwt., and are pledged for £40. _Sealed._
ii. Fair copy of the preceding.
[Footnote 208-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
852
ABSTRACT[208-3]
THE VICAR OF PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON
[Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 3]
When my master Sir John’s baily was at Paston he scared your tenants, bidding them pay no rents to Mr. William Paston. On which Harry Warns wrote to Mr. William, who bade him warn them not to pay money to any one else; otherwise he would meet them at London ‘as the law would,’ or at some market or fair, and make them pay arrears to Midsummer. Beware of Warns, for he made Master William privy to all the examinations of the tenants by my master your son. He also charged the tenants not to sell as my master desired, else Master William would undo them. ‘_Ideo_, putte no trost in hym, _quia duobus dominis nemo potest servire_.’ Pastun, 3 Nov.
[This and the letter following both appear to have been written at the time of Sir John Paston’s dispute with his uncle William, at the end of the year 1474.]
[Footnote 208-3: _Ibid._]
853
ABSTRACT[209-1]
[THE VICAR OF PASTON] TO MRS. [MARGARET PASTON]
[Sidenote: 1474]
John Qwale, farmer of Paston, is distressed by things that Herry Warns has done and said against him. Warns carried home ‘an esse’ [_ash_] blown down by the wind, and says it is your will, because Master John Paston has given him power over all that he has in Paston. ‘More awre he stondes in grete dowte to ery or to sawe’ [_to harrow or to sow_], for John of Bactun says he shall have no land, unless he find surety, ‘and it were no resun that he suld somerlay and compace hys londes to a noder mans hand.’ Warns says if Qwale put out any cattle at the gates, he will take it for the grain that Master William delivered to him. He says Mrs. Margaret Paston[209-2] has no rule there, and shall have none; also that John Qwale shall not have Gyns close nor the Chyrche close, as he has taken them to farm. ‘Qwere fore, bott ze gyfe hym oderwas power, he wyll gefe up all.’
[Footnote 209-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 209-2: Mrs. Margaret Paston is here spoken of by name and in the third person, but the letter can hardly be addressed to any one else.]
854
[WILLIAM PASTON] TO SIR JOHN PASTON[209-3]
_[To] my right worshipfull neview [Sir J]ohn Paston, Knyghte, be [this] lettre delivered in hast._
[Sidenote: About 1474(?)]
[Right] worshipful neview, I recommaund me to you. And, sir, I pray you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . that ther was none obstacle ner lettinge that ye found in me to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . save me harmeles; at whiche tyme it was thought aswel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johns by obligacioun was not inow to save me harm[eles] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [i]n the meane seasoune; for as your reasoun will give . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ght fell of yow but goode. And if the caas so fill that . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ys will take it on them, than I to bere the losse. Wherupp[on] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [b]ound to me to save me harmeles. And for as muche . . . . . . . . . . . . . m by obligacioun of statute merchaunt for you the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in myne oune kepinge for my discharge, and after a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [r]estorid me ageyn at this Michelmas. And m . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shuld hange still till Candilmas, and me thinke it is by con . . . . . . . . obligacions paiable at . . . . . [Candle]mas I did at the begynny[ng] . . . . . will kepe still the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or sufficient and that . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . as wold pay at th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with me than thus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . indenture wherby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . for be cause that ye w . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . experyens.
Also I wold avyse you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . my Lord of Norfolk.
Also, nevew, there is onne Fr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . but hym silf and his wif and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wherfore I have writin to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in this matier; and I trust l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And I pray yow that may ha . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Footnote 209-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Of this letter only two fragments remain, giving, as will be seen, a very mutilated text. Little more can be said about the contents than that they refer to money matters between William Paston and his nephew Sir John, which are probably those referred to in succeeding letters. The handwriting is that of William Paston. A mutilated endorsement, apparently in the handwriting of John Paston the younger, shows merely the words ‘ . . . . . to Sir J. P. for . . . . .’]
855
ABSTRACT[210-1]
[Sidenote: Date uncertain]
Fragment of a draft deed by which Sir John Paston and John Paston, Esq., mortgage certain premises not named to the use of Master John Morton, William Paston, Thomas Playter, and Thomas Lovell, for £114.
[Nothing is clear about the date of this document, but we place it here, as bearing, like the last, on money matters between Sir John Paston and his uncle William.]
[Footnote 210-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
856
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[211-1]
_To Mestresse Margrett Paston at Norwyche, or to J. Paston in hyr absence._
[Sidenote: 1474]
Ryght wyrshypfull and my moste kynde and tendre moodre, I recomaund me to yow, thankyng yow off the grete cost and off the greet chere that ye dyd to me and myn at my last beyng wyth yowe; whyche cheer also hath made me perfyghtly hooll, I thanke God and yow, in so moche that where as I feeryd me that for weykenesse, and so green recuveryd off my syknesse, that I scholde have apeyryd by the weye; but, God thanke yow, I toke so my crommys whyls I was wyth yow, that I felyd my sylfe by the weye that God and ye had made me stronger than I wenyd that I had ben, in so myche that I feell my selffe every daye holler than other.
It was soo that I mett wyth myn onkle William by the weye, and there in the felde I payed hym the iiij_li._ whyche I had borowyd off hym; and he was passyng inquisytyff howe that I was purveyd for recompensyng off Towneshend. I tolde hym I hopyd weell; he tolde me that he undrestood that I had the C_li._ of the Bysshopys executores, and he had herde seye that I had also borowyd another C_li._ of a marchaunt, and so I lakyd but an C. marke. I deme he herde thys of T. Lovell, for I tolde hym that I was in hope to fynde suche a freende that wolde lende me C_li._ He axed me, who was that? I answeryd hym, an olde marchaunt, a freende of myn, but myn oncle thowte that shold be by weye of chevyshanse [_usury_], and to myn horte; wherffor I was pleyne to hym, and tolde hym that ye wer sewerte therffor, and purveyed it off suche as wolde doo for yowe. And as for the forte [_fourth_] C. mark, he seyde to me that as for that he wolde, rather than joperte sholde be, purvey it by weye off chevyshaunce at London, in so moche that, er he come fro London, he had for my sake leyde v. C. markes worthe of plate with Hewghe Fenne. The place at Warwykes Inne is large, and my grawntdame is agyd; it had ben jopertous to leve moche plate wyth hyr, thoghe halffe were hyr owne. But if I maye do other wyse, I purpose nott to chevyshe any mony by hys meane.
Item, I have delyveryd yowre botell to Courbye the caryer thys same daye, and he promysed me to be with yow on Mondaye nyghte, or ellys on Touesday tymely. He hathe also xl_d._ to paye for the thryd hyryd horse, and he bryngythe the iij. horse wyth hym, and is contente for hys labor and for the mete largely. They be delyveryd hym in as good, and rather better plyght, than whan I had them forthe, and not gallyd nor hurte. He hate also ij. sadelys, one of my brotheres, and one other hyred, as ye woot off.
Item, he hathe a peyre botys off Edmond Reedes, the shomaker, whyche Saundre borowyd off hym. I beseche yowe that William Mylsent or Symme maye se that every man have hys owne.
Item, as for my brother Edmond, blyssyd be God, he is weell amendyd.
Item, as for Hankyn owr dogge, I am a fferde never to see hym, but if [_unless_] yowr good helpe bee.
Item, as for the bookes that weer Sir James, iff it lyke yow that I maye have them, I ame not able to by them; but somwhat wolde I gyffe, and the remenaunt with a goode devowte herte, by my trowthe, I wyll prey for hys sowle. Wherffor iff it lyke yow by the next messenger or karyer to sende hem in a daye, I shall have them dressyd heer; and iff any off them be claymyd here aftre, in feythe I wyll restoor it.
Wretyn on Saterdaye.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 211-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident from the contents that this letter must have been written shortly before that which follows.]
857
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[213-1]
_To Mestresse Margrete Paston, or to Roose, dwellyng byffore hyr gate at Norwyche._
[Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 20]
Aftre dew recomendacion, my most tendre and kynde moodre, I beseche yow off yowr dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weete that I reseyvyd a lettre thhat come from yowe, wretyn the xxvj. daye of Octobre, none erst but[213-2] on Wednysday last past, wherby I conceyvyd that, at the wryghtyng off that letter, ye weer nott serteyn of the delyng betwyn Towneshende and me. It was so that, God thanke yow, I receyvyd the xx_li._ broght by Syme, and also the mony browght by my brother, with whyche mony, and with moor that I had my selff, I redemyd the maner of Sporle, and payed Towneshend bothe the CCCC. marke ther ffor, and also x_li._ that I owte hym besyde, and have off hym aqwytaunce off all bargaynes and off all other dettes. Neverthelesse, I assayed hym iff he wolde, iff nede hadde ben, gyvyn me a xij. monyth lenger respyght, whyche he grauntyd to do; but in conclusyon I can nott entrete hym, but that he woll have the uttremest of hys bargayn, and thys xx_li._ payeable at Candelmesse and Esterne. I kan entrete hym noon other wyse as yit; wherffor I thynke, iff I had passyd my daye, it had ben harde to have trustyd to hys cortesye, in so moche I ffynde hym also ryght loose in the tonge. For Bekham, he spekyth no thyng comfortably ther in; what he wyll doo, can I nott seye.
Item, as for Castre, it nedyth nott to spore nor prykke me to doo owghte ther in. I doo that I can with goode wyll, and somwhat I hope to doo hastely ther in that shall doo goode.
Item, as for the bokes that weer Syr James, God have hys sowle, whyche it lykethe yow that I shall have them, I beseche yow that I maye have them hyder by the next massenger, and iff I be goon, yit that they be delyveryd to myn ostesse at the George, at Powlys Wharffe, whyche wolle kepe them saffe, and that it lyke yow to wryght to me whatt my peyne or payment shall be for them.
Item, it lyked yow to weet of myn heelle. I thanke God nowe that I am nott greetly syke ner soore, but in myn heele, wherin alle men know nott whatt peyne I feele. And wher ye advysed me to hast me owt of thys towne, I wolde full fayne be hense. I spende dayly mor than I sholde doo, if I wer hense, and I am nott well purveyed.
Item, blessyd be Good, my grauntdam is amendyd by suche tyme as myn oncle W. come hyddre. But my yongest cosyn Margret, hys doghtre, is ded and beryed er he come home.
I am as moche afferde off thys londe that is in hys hande as I was off that that was in Towneshendes hande. I hope to wryght yow moor serteynte within iiij. or v. dayes. No more, &c.
Wretyn the xx. daye of Novembre, anno E. iiij. xiiij^{o}.
Yowr Sone,
J. PASTON, K.
[Footnote 213-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 213-2: No earlier than.]
[[I reseyvyd a lettre thhat come from yowe _spelling unchanged_]]
858
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[214-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, at Norwyche, or to Roose, dwellyng affor Mestresse Pastonys gate, in Norwych._
[Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 20]
Ryght wyrshypful and weell belovyd brother, I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weet that I have comonyd with yowr ffreende Dawnson, and have receyvyd yowr rynge off hym, and he hathe by myn advyce spoken with hyr[214-2] ij. tymes; he tellythe me off hyr delyng and answers, whyche iff they wer acordyng to hys seyng, a ffeynter lover than ye wolde, and weell aghte to, take therin greet comffort, so that he myght haply slepe the werse iij. nyghtys afftr. And suche delyng in parte as was bytwyen my Lady W. and yowr ffreende Danson he wrote me a bylle theroff, whyche I sende yow herwith; and that that longythe to me to doo therin, it [_I ?_] shall nott ffayle to leeve all other bysynesse a parte. Neverthelesse within iij. dayes, I hope so to deele herin, that I suppose to sette yow in serteynte hoghe that ye shall fynde hyr ffor evyr her afftr. It is so, as I undrestande, that ye be as besy on yowr syde ffor yowr ffreende Dawnson, wheer as ye be, I praye God sende yow bothe goode spede in thees werkys, whyche iff they be browte abowte iche off yowe is moche beholden to other; yit were it pyte that suche crafty wowers, as ye be bothe, scholde speede weell, but iff ye love trewly.
Item, as ffor Stoctons doghtr, she shall be weddyd in haste to Skeerne, as she tolde hyrselffe to my sylke-mayde,[215-1] whyche makyth perte off suche as she shall weer, to whom she brake hyr harte, and tolde hyr that she sholde have hadde Master Paston, and my mayde wende it had been I that she speke off; and with moor that the same Mester Paston kome wher she was with xx. men, and wolde have taken hyr aweye. I tolde my mayde that she lyed off me, and that I never spake with hyr in my lyff, ner that I wolde not wedde hyr to have with hyr iij^ml. marke.
Item, as for Ebortons dowghtr, my brother Edmonde seythe, that he herde never moor speche theroff syns yowr departyng, and that ye wolde that he sholde nott breke, nor doo no thynge therin, but iff it come off theer begynnyng.
Item, I had answer ffrom my Lorde[215-2] that he is my speciall goode lorde, and that by wryghtyng; and as ffor Bernaye he sette hym in hys owne wages ffor my sake, and that whan so ever I come to Caleys, I shall ffynde all thyng ther as woll have it, and rather better than it was heretoffor.
Item, the Kyng come to this towne on Wednysdaye; as ffor the Frenshe Embassate that is heer, they come nott in the Kynges presence, by lykehod, ffor men seye that the chyeff off them is he that poysonyd bothe the Duke off Berry[216-1] and the Duke off Calabr.[216-2]
Item, ther was never mor lyklyhod that the Kyng shall goo ovyr thys next yer than was nowe.
I praye yow remembre that I maye have the pewter vessell heddr by the next karyer by the lattr ende off thys weke.
Item, I praye yow remembr so that I may have the bokys by the same tyme, whyche my moodr seyde she wolde sende me by the next carier.
Wretyn at London, the Sondaye the xx. daye off Novembr, anno E. iiij^ti xiiij^{o}.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 214-1: [From Fenn, ii. 164.]]
[Footnote 214-2: Apparently Lady Walgrave, hereafter referred to. She was the widow of Sir Richard Walgrave, Knight.]
[Footnote 215-1: A person who made gowns of silk, etc., for both men and women, as appears from the manner in which she is here mentioned.--F.]
[Footnote 215-2: I am not certain whether the Duke of Norfolk is here meant, or Lord Hastyngs, the then Governor of Calais.--F.]
[Footnote 216-1: Charles, Duke of Berry and of Guienne, who was supposed to have been poisoned by order of his brother Lewis XI. in May 1472.]
[Footnote 216-2: Nicholas of Anjou, Duke of Calabria and Lorraine, who died about the same time as the Duke of Guienne.]
[[dwellyng affor Mestresse Pastonys gate _italic “d” misprinted as “a”_
Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 20 _date supplied from body of letter_]]
859
ABSTRACT[216-3]
[Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 29]
Norfolk and Suffolk Deeds, No. 33. ‘The agreement and accord between the Bishop of Winton and John Paston, Knight, touching the building of the College at Castre of seven priests and seven poor men, translated by dispensation of the Pope to seven priests and seven poor scholars in Magdalene College, and touching the lands of Sir John Fastolf. November 29, Edw. IV. 14.’
[Footnote 216-3: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]
860
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[216-4]
_To John Paston, Esquier._
[Sidenote: 1474 / DEC. 11]