Part 27
I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete, that yisterdaye beganne the grete cowncell, to whyche alle the astats off the londe shall com to, butt if it be ffor gret and reasonable excusis; and I suppose the cheffe cawse off thys assemble is, to comon what is best to doo, now uppon the greet change by the dethe off the Duke of Burgoyne, and ffor the kepyng off Caleys and the Marchys, and ffor the preservacion off the amyteys taken late, as weell with Fraunce as now with the Membrys off Flaundres; wher to I dowt nott ther shall be in all hast bothe the Duks off Clarance and Glowcestre, wheroff I wolde that my brother E.[270-2] wyst.
Item, I ffeele butt litell effecte in the labor off W. Alyngton; neverthelesse I deme it is nott for yow. She shall not passe CC. mark, as fferr as I can undrestand aparte.
Item, I will nott fforget yow otherwyse.
Itt is so that thys daye I heer grett liklyhood, that my Lorde Hastyngs shall hastely goo to Caleys with greet company; iff I thynke it be for yow to be on [_one_], I shall nott fforgeet yow.
Item, thys daye the mater by twyen Mestresse Anne Haulte and me hathe been soor broken bothe to the Cardinall,[270-3] to my Lorde Chamberleyn,[270-4] and to my selffe, and I am in goode hope. When I heer and knowe moor, I shall sende yow worde.
It semythe that the worlde is alle qwaveryng; it will reboyle somwher, so that I deme yonge men shall be cherysshyd; take yowr hert to yow. I ffeer that I can nott be excusyd, but that I shall fforthe with my Lorde Hastyngs ovyr the see, but I shall sende yow worde in hast, and iff I goo, I hope nott to tary longe.
Item, to my brother Edmond. I am like to speke to Mestresse Dyxon in hast, and som deme that ther shall be condyssendyd, that iff E. P. come to London that hys costs shall be payed ffor.
I shall hastely sende yow worde off moor thyngs.
Wretyn at London, the xiiij. day off Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti xvj. the Fryday a for Fastyngong.
JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 270-1: [From Fenn, ii. 204.]]
[Footnote 270-2: Edmund Paston, who was in the garrison of Calais.]
[Footnote 270-3: Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury.--F.]
[Footnote 270-4: William, Lord Hastyngs.--F.]
901
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[271-1]
_To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 8]
Ryght worschepfull modyr, aftyr all dwtes of recommendacyon, in as humble wyse as I can, I beseche yow of your dayly blyssyng. Modyr, please yt yow to wett, that the cause that Dame Elizabeth Brews desyreth to mete with yow at Norwyche, and not at Langley, as I apoyntyd with yow at my last being at Mawtby, is by my meanys, for my brodyr Thomas Jermyn, whyche knowyth nought of the mate [_match_], telyth me, that the causey or ye can comme to Bokenham Fery is so over flowyn that ther is no man that may on ethe passe it, though he be ryght well horsyd; whyche is no mete wey for yow to passe over, God defend it. But, all thyngs rekynyd, it shalbe lesse cost to yow to be at Norwyche, as for a day or tweyn, and passe not, then to mete at Langly, wher every thyng is dere; and your horse may be sent home ayen the same Wednysday.
Modyr, I beseche yow for dyvers causys, that my syster Anne may come with yow to Norwyche; modyr, the mater is in a resonable good wey, and I trust with Gods mercy, and with your good help, that it shall take effect bettyr to myn avauntage then I told yow of at Mawtby; for I trow ther is not a kynder woman leveing then I shall have to my modyr in lawe, if the mater take, nor yet a kynder fadyr in lawe then I shall have, though be he hard to me as yett. All the cyrcumstancys of the mater, whyche I trust to tell yow at your comyng to Norwyche, cowd not be wretyn in iij. levys of paper, and ye know my lewd hed well i nough, I may not wryght longe, wherffor I ffery over all thyngs tyll I may awayte on yow my selff. I shall do tonnen[272-1] in to your place a doseyn ale, and bred acordyng, ayenst Wednysday. If Syme myght be forborn it wer well done, that he war at Norwyche on Wednysday in the mornyng at markett.
Dame Elizabeth Brewse shall lye at Jon Cookys; if it myght please yow, I wold be glad that she myght dyne in your howse on Thursday, for ther shold ye have most secret talkyng. And modyr, at the reverence of God, beware that ye be so purveyd for, that ye take no cold by the wey towards Norwyche, for it is the most peraylous marche that ever was seyn by eny manys dayes that now lyveth; and I prey to Jesu preserve yow and yours.
Wretyn at Topcroft, the viij. day of Marche.
Your sone and humbyll servaunt,
J. P.
[Footnote 271-1: [From Fenn, ii. 220.] This letter evidently refers to a meeting arranged between Margaret Paston and Dame Elizabeth Brews on the subject of John Paston’s approaching marriage, which took place in the latter part of the year 1477.]
[Footnote 272-1: _i.e._ cause to be tunned.]
902
SIR THOMAS BREWS TO SIR JOHN PASTON[272-2]
_To my ryght wurschypfull cosyn, Syr Jhon Paston, Knyght, be this letter delivered, &c._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 8]
Ryght wurschypfull, and my hertely welebelovyd cosyn, I recommande me unto yowe, desyring to here of yowr welefar, whech I pray God may be as contynuall good as I wolde hafe myn own. And, cosyn, the cause of my wryting un to yow, at thys tyme, is, I fele wele be my cosyn John yowr broder, that ye hafe undyrstondyng of a mater, whech is in comynicacyon tochyng a maryage, with Godds grace, to be concluded betwyx my saide cosyn yowr broder, and my doghter Margery, wheche is far commonyd, and not yyt concluded, ner noght schall ner may be tyll I hafe answer from yowe agayn of yowr good will and asent to the seid mater; and also of the obligacyon weche that I sende yowe herewith; for, cosyn, I wold be sory to se owther my cosyn yowr broder, or my doghtr, dryvyn to leve so meane a lyff as thei schuld do yf the vj^xx._li._ [£120], schuld be payde of ther maryage money.
And cosyn, I hafe takyn my selfe so nere in levyng of this vj^xx._li._, that wher as I hade layde upp an C_li._ for the maryage of a yonger doghter of myn, I hafe nowe lent the saide C_li._ and xx_li._ over that, to my cosyn yowr broder, to be paide ageyn be suche esy days as the obligacyon, weche I sende yowe herwyth, specyfyes. And, cosyn, I were ryght lothe to be stowe so mech uppon one doghter, that the other her susters schuld far the wars; wherfor, cosyn, yf ye wyll that thys mater schall take effect undyr suche forme as my cosyn yowr broder hath wretyn unto yowe, I pray yowe put therto yowr good wylle, and sum of yowr coste, as I hafe done of myn more largely then ever I purpose to do to any tweyn of hyr susters, as God knowyth myn entent, Whom I besech to send yowe yowr levest herts desyr.
Wretyn at Topcroft, the viij. day of March, &c.
Be your cosyn,
THOMAS BREWS, Knight.
[Footnote 272-2: [From Fenn, ii. 224.] The date of this letter, as of the last, is fixed by the subject.]
903
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[273-1]
_To John Paston, Esquyer, in haste._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 9]
I have received yowr letter, and yow[r] man, J. Bykerton, by whom I knowe all the mater off Mestresse Brews, whyche iff it be as he seythe, I praye Godde brynge it to a goode ende.
Item, as for thys mater of Mestresse Barly,[274-1] I holde it but a bare thynge. I feele weell that itt passyth nott . . . marke. I syghe hyr for yowr sake. She is a lytell onys; she maye be a woman heer aftre, iff she be nott olde nowe; hir person semyth xiij. yere off age; hyr yerys, men sey, ben full xviij. She kowyth nott of the mater, I suppose; neverthelesse she desyryd to see me as gladde as I was to se hyr.
I praye yow sende me some wryghtyng to Caleys off yowr spede with Mestresse Brewys. Bykerton tellyth me that she lovyth yow weell. Iff I dyed, I hadde lever ye hadde hyr than the Lady Wargrave; neverthelesse she syngeth weell with an harpe.
Clopton is aferde off Sir T. Greye, for he is a wydower now late, and men sey that he is aqueyntyd with hyr of olde.
No more. Wretyn on Sondaye, the ix. daye off Marche, anno E. iiij^ti xvij^o to Caleys warde.
* * *
Iff ye have Mestresse Brews, and E. Paston Mestresse Bylyngford, ye be lyke to be bretheryn.
J. PASTON, K.
[Footnote 273-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 274-1: Fenn reads this name Burly, but I think erroneously.]
904
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[274-2]
_Thys bylle be delyverd to Thomas Grene, good man of the George, by Powlys Wharffe, or to hys wyff, to send to Sir John Paston, wherso evere he be, at Caleys, London, or other placys._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 9]
Ryght worchepfull sir, and my most good and kynde brodyr, in as humbyll wyse as I can, I recomand me to yow. Sir, it is so that I have, sythe John Bekurton departyd fro hens, ben at Toppcrofft at Syr Tohmas Brewse; and as for the mater that I sent yow word of by Jon Bekurton, towchyng my sylff and Mastress Margery Brews, I am yet at no serteynte, hyr fadyr is so hard; but I trow I have the good wyll of my lady hyr modyr and hyr; but as the mater provyth, I shall send yow woord, with Godes grace, in short tyme.
But as for John Bekurton, I prey yow dele with hym for suerte as a soudyor shold be delt with; trust hym never the more for the bylle that I sent yow by hym, but as a man at wylde, for every thyng that he told me is not trewe; for he departyd with ought lycence of hys mastyr, Syr Thomas Brewse, and is fere endangeryd [_indebted_] to dyvers in thys contrey. I prey God that I wryght not to yow of hym to late; but for all thys I knowe none untrowthe in hym; but yet I prey yow, trust hym not over myche upon my woord.
Syr, Perse Mody[275-1] recomandyth hym to your mastyrshep, and besecheth yow to send hym word in hast, hough he shall be demeanyd at your place at Caster; for he is asygnyd to no body as yet, to take of mete and drynk, nor yet wher that he shall have money to paye for hys mete and drynk; and now is the cheff replenysheing of your warenn there, the avauntage of the dove howse wer well for hym, tyll ye come hom your sylff.
Sir, I prey yow pardon me of my wryghtyng, hough so ever it be, for carpenters of my crafte that I use now, have not alderbest ther wyttys ther owne. And Jesu preserve yow.
Wretyn at Norwyche, the ix. day of Marche, anno E iiij^ti septimo decymo.
J. P.
[Footnote 274-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 275-1: Perse Moody was a servant of Sir John Paston’s, now at Caister.--F.]
905
SIR THOMAS BREWS[275-2]
[Sidenote: 1477]
Memorandum.--To let my cosyn, Margaret Paston, ondyrstand that for a jontor to be mad in Sweynsthorp in hand, and for a jontore of no more but x. mark ought of Sparham, I wylle depart with CC. mark in hand, and to give theym ther boord free as for ij. or iij. yer in serteyn, or ellys CCC. mark with ought ther boord, payable by l. mark yerly tyll the some of CCC. mark be full payed.
Item, I wyll geve CCCC. mark, payable l_li._, in hand at the day of maryage, and l_li._ yerly tyll the some of CCCC. mark be full payed upon thes condycyons folowing.
Wher of on condycyon is thys, that I wyll lend my cosyn John Paston vj^xx._li._, besyd hys maryage money, to pledge ought the maner of Sweynsthorpe, so that he may fynd syche a frend as wyll pay me a yen the seyd vj^xx._li._ by xx. mark a yer, so that it be not payed of the maryage money, nor of the propre goodes of my seyd cosyn John.
Or ellys, an other condycyon is thys, if it be so that my seyd cosyn John may be suffred, fro the day of hys maryage to my doughter, to take the hole profites of the maner of Sparham, besyde the maner of Sweynsthorpe, for terme of ther two lyves, and the longest of theym leveing, yet wyll I be agreable to depart with the seyd CCC. mark, payable ayen in forme above seyd [_and to geve theym ther boord for a yer or two_].[276-1]
And if thes or eny of the conclusyons may be takyn, I am agreable to make the bargayn swer, or ellys no more to be spokyn of.
[Footnote 275-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This paper was evidently drawn up about the same time as the last letter. It is a draft in John Paston’s handwriting, but is evidently written as in the name of Sir Thomas Brews. It is endorsed in a more modern hand: ‘A determinacion of Sir Tho. Brews how much he would gyve with his daughter Margery in mariage.’]
[Footnote 276-1: These words are crossed out with the pen.]
906
JOHN PYMPE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[276-2]
_To Master Sir John Paston, be this letter delyverid in Calis._
[Sidenote: 1477 / [MARCH]]
Honwre and joye be to yow, my ryght gode master, and most assured brother; letyng yow know that al yowre welwillers and servaunts, in these partyes, that I know, fare well, and better wold, if they mowht here of yowre wellbeyng, and forthwith sum of yowre Frenche and Borgoyne tidyngs; ffor we in these partyes be in grete drede lest the French Kyng with sum assaults shuld in eny wise distourbe yow of yowr soft, sote [_sweet_], and sewre slepys, but as yet we no thyng can here that he so disposeth hym.
Mary, we have herd sey, that the frowys[277-1] of Broggys, with there hye cappes, have gyven sum of yow grete clappys, and that the fete of her armys doyng is such, that they smyte al at the mowthe, and at the grete ende of the thyeh; but in faith we care not for yow, for we know well that ye be gode ynowh at defence. But we here sey, that they be of such corage, that they gyve yow moo strokys than ye do to them, and that they strike sorer than ye also. But I thynk that the English ladyes and jentylwomen, and the pore also, can do as well as they, and lyst not to lerne of them no thyng; and therefor we drede lest ther hye corages shuld meve them to make yow warre also. But God defend, for by my trowth than have ye much to do; for hit were better and more ese for to labor iij. or fowre dayes with mattokks and pykeisys to over turne yowr sande hills, as we here saye ye do ryht wurshipfully, than only one day to endure theyre fers encountrys; so as ye myht owther gete or save yowr wurshippys by; and loke that ye trust to have no rescow of us, for, so God me helpe, we have y nowh to do in these partyes with the same werrs. But in one thyng we preyse yowre sadnessys and discrecionys ryht much, that is, in kepyng of yowr trewse and pese with the Kyng of Fraunce, as the Kyng hath commaundid; and a grete reson why, for hit were to much for yow to have werre with all the world at onys, ffor the werre a fore seid kepith yow blameles; ffor every resonable man wetyth well, that hit is to much for eny pepyll levyng to do bothe at onys.
Syr, as for the more parts off my thowht, I praye yow recomaunde me un to yowr self, prayyng yow that y may contynew in such case as yowr godenes hath taken me of old, and if ye lyst to send eny tydyngs, or other thyng to the partyes that were wont to warme theym by yowr fyre, in feith I shall do yowr erand.
And as for barley, hit is of the same pryce that hit was wont to be of, and is the most sure corne, and best enduryng that may be. And, syr, where that sumtyme was a lytyll hole in a wall, is now a dore large ynowh and esy passage, whereof ye were the deviser, and have thank for yowr labor of sum partyes, but no thyng lastyth evyr. Y mene that y trow, my passage shall hastyly faile me, and the dore shalbe shet up agayne, lesse than Fortun be agreable to have my counseile kept; for not long ago, makyng my entre at that passage, I saw a sparow that useth those ewrys [_eireys_], and I saw her sytt so stille that y cowde not endure, but y must neds shote her, and so, God me help, I smote her, I trow evyn to the hert; and so I drede me lest owther the barley wyll ete the sparow, or ells the sparow wyll ete the barley, but as yet all is well, but reson shewt me that hit must neds fayle by contynewauns, lesse than I forsake bothe the sparow and the barley also.[278-1]
Syr, I have thank for the shew that I onys made of yow and daily gramercy, and ye theire prayer.
Syr, forthemore I beseche yow, as ye wyll do eny thyng for me, that ye se o day for my sake, and for yowr own plesure, all the gode hors in Caleys, and if ther be among theym eny pric[278-2] horse of deds, that is to sell, in especiall that he be well trottyng of his owne corage, with owte fors[278-3] of sporis, and also a steryng [_stirring_] hors if he be, he is the better; I pray yow send me word of his color, deds, and corage, and also of his price, feynyng as ye wold by hym yowrself, and also I wold have hym sumwhat large, not with the largest; but no smalle hors, as more than a dowble hors; prayyng yow above all thyngs to have this in remembrauns, and that hastily as may be, for ther is late promysed me help to such an entent, and I wote not how long hit shall endure; and therfor I beseche yow send me word by tyme.
I trow the Frenshe men have taken up al the gode hors in Pycardye, and also they be wont to be hevy hors in labor, and that I love not, but a hevy hors of flesh, and lyht of corage y love well, for y love no hors that wyll al way be lene and slender like grehounds. God kepe yow.
Yowr,
J. PYMPE.
Y pray yow to recomaund me to my cosyn Sir John Scot and all his, in especiall Mastres Benyngfeld.[279-1]
[Footnote 276-2: [From Fenn, ii. 226.] This letter, Fenn tells us, was endorsed under the address in a handwriting of the time which he believed to be Sir John Paston’s--‘Jon Pympe, xvj. die Mar’., anno E. 4, 17,’ showing the date at which it was received.]
[Footnote 277-1: _Frau’s_, _i.e._ women. The writer’s pleasantry in this passage is certainly rather coarse.]
[Footnote 278-1: Perhaps this enigmatical passage may have reference to the Mrs. Barly mentioned in No. 903.]
[Footnote 278-2: In the modern version, Fenn reads here, ‘any prized horse of deeds,’ a reading which seems to me questionable.]
[Footnote 278-3: ‘Fort’ in Fenn, which is probably a misprint, as the word is spelled ‘force’ on the opposite page.]
[Footnote 279-1: Margaret, daughter of Sir John Scot, and wife to Edmund Bedingfeld.--F.]
907
JOHN PYMPE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[279-2]
_To Syr John Paston, Knyht, be this delyverid in Calice._
[Sidenote: 1477 / [MARCH?]]
Master Paston, I recommaund me to yow; and by cause that I have wrytyn to yow iij. long letteres; which as yet be answereles, I wote not whether that the length of mater acumbred yow, or elles the simpylnes of the effect displesid yow, or elles that ye have utterly refusid the proferes of my pore servyce and frendeship; but which of these soo ever hit be, hit hevyeth me.
Syr, hit nedith not, I trow, to send yow the tidynges of these partyes, how be hit I have thryes send yow such as here were, in entent that ye shuld send us of yowres; but as long as my lord and yowres is there, ye can not faile to have the certeynte of all owre English aventures, which is grete ese to yowr frendes and servauntes in this contre, for so much as they may make her letteres shorter by so much.
Syr, at the wrytyng of this letter, I was in Kent, where all thyng that I rejoisid, I wishid yow part of, or all; and as for myself, I am styll yowr servaunt and bedeman, and so am bownd to be so sore and sewrely, that I can not unbynde me.
Syr, this is the v. letter that I have sent yow, whereyn thys entent that folowyth was all wayes on, that is to say, that hit plesid yow sum on day to take so much labour for me for to se the jentyllest hors in Calice that is to be sold, and to lett me know of his colowre, dedes, and price, remembryng that he be also large as mesure wyll, for I love no small hors, nor hors that wyll evyr be lene and slendyr; but I wold have hym hye truttyng, if hit wylbe, and if he be styryng with all, he shall plese me the better, for I wuld have hym all for the plesur, and for the werre, but if he myht be for bothe. Veryly ther is no tidynges on that side the se, safe only the welfare of yow and all other there, that I wuld so fayne here of as of a jentyll trottyng hors that were lyght and pleasaunt in dedes, if eny such be there. Flemysh hors I thenk ye have y nowh that wyll play for a myle or ij., but such we have here also; how be hit I pray yow send me word of yowre store, and be sewre of the price, if ye like eny, or elles let sum man for yow.
No more, but God kepe yow, prayyng yow to recommaund me to my cosyn Syr John Scot, and to Syr Tyry Robsert. Let the letter be sent to the godewif of yowr loggyng.
By yowr JOHN PYMPE.
[Footnote 279-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was probably written about the end of March 1477, as the first of the three which preceded (No. 906) was received by Sir John in Calais on the 16th of the month.]
908
JOHN PYMPE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[280-1]
_To Master Sir John Paston, Knight, be this letter delyvered in Calis._
[Sidenote: 1477]