Part 3
Syr, plesyth it to undyrstand, that I conceyve, by your lettyr whyche that ye sent me by Jwde, that ye have herd of R. C.[21-2] labor whyche he makyth by our ungracyous sustyrs[21-3] assent; but wher as they wryet that they have my good wyll ther in, savyng your reverence, they falsly lye of it, for they never spake to me of that mater, ner non othyr body in ther name. Lovell axyd me onys a qwestyon whedyr that I undyrstood how it was betwyx R. C. and my suster. I can thynk that it was by Callys menys, for when I axyd hym whedyr C. desyird hym to meve me that qwestyon or not, he wold have gotyn it aweye by humys and by hays, but I wold not so be answeryd; wherfor at the lest he told me that hys oldest sone desyird hym to spere [_inquire_] whedyr that R. C. wes swyr of hyr or nowt, for he seyd that he knew a good maryage for hyr, but I wot he lyeyd, for he is hole with R. Cale in that mater. Wherfor to the entent that he nor they sholl pyck no comfort of me, I answerd hym, that and my fadyr, whom God asoyle, wer a lyve, and had consentyd ther to, and my modyr, and ye bothe, he shold never have my good wyll for to make my sustyr to selle kandyll and mustard in Framlyngham; and thus, wythe mor whyche wer to longe to wryet to you, we departyd.
And wher as it plesythe you in your lettyr to crye me mercy for that ye sent me not syche ger as I sent yow mony for, I crye yow mercy that I was so lewde [_bold_] to encomber yow with eny so sympyll a mater, consyderyng the grette maters and weyghty that ye have to doo; but need compellyd me, for in thys contre is no syche stuffe as I sent to yow for.
Also, wher as it plesyth yow to send to Rychard Calle to delyver me monye, so God help me, I wyll non axe hym for my sylfe, nor non had I of hym, nor of non othyr man but of myne owne, syne ye depertyd; but that lytyll that I myght forbere of myne owne, I have delyveryd to Dawbeney for howsold, and pay it for yow in menys wagys; and ther for who ever sendys yow word that I have spent yow eny mony syne ye went hens, they must geve yow an othyr reknyng, savyng in met and drynk, for I eete lyek an horse, of purpose to eete yow owte at the dorys. But that nedythe not, for ye com not within them; wherfor, so God help me, the felaushep her thynkys that ye have forgetyn us alle. Wherfor and eny thyng be ille rewlyd when ye come home, wyet it [_impute it to_] your selfe for defawt of oversyght.
Also, I undyrstand for verry se[r]teyn, and it is sent me so woord owt of my Lordys howse, that thys Pentcost is my Lordys consell at Framlyngham, and they purpose thys week and the next to hold coortys her at Caster, and at all othyr maners that wer Sir John F.,[22-1] and purchasyd of Yelverton and of Syr T. H.,[22-2] whom God asoyle, and how that my demenyng sholbe, it is to late to send to yow for avyse; wherfor, and I do well I axe no thank, and if I do ille, I pray yow leythe the defawt on over lytyll wyte, but I purpose to use the fyrst poynt of hawkyng, to hold fast and I maye; but so God help me, and they myght pulle downe the howse on our hedys, I wyet [_blame_] hem not, whyche I trust to God to help hem from; for by God that bowght me, the best Erle in Inglond wold not dele so with my Lord and my Lady as ye do, withowt makyng of some menys to them; so God help me, whoso ever avyse yow to do so, he is not your frend. And I may, I trust to God to se yow abowght Mydsomer or befor, for in good feythe I wene ye purpose yow that it shall be Estern er ye come hom, for all your servants her wen [_here ween_] that ye purpose ne more to dele with them, but to leve hem her [_here_] in ostage to my Lord of Norfolk.
Also, syr, I pray yow purvey what Ine that my brodyr Edmund shall be in, for he losythe sore hys tyme her, I promyse yow; I pray yow send me word by the next messenger that comyth, and I shall eythyr send hym or bryng hym up with me to London.
Also, syr, we pore _sanz deners_ of Castr have brook iij. or iiij. stelle bowys; wherfor we beseche yow, and ther be eny maker of steele bowys in London whyche is very kunnyng, that ye wyll send me woord, and I shall send yow the bowys that be broken, whyche be your owne greet bowe, and Roberd Jacksonys bowe, and Johon Pampyngs bowe; thes iij. have kast so many calvys, that they shall never cast qwarellys[23-1] tyll they be new mad.
I praye yow fynd the menys that my Lord have some resonable meane profyrd, so that he and my Lady may undyrstand that ye desyr to have hys good lordshep. I promyse yow it shall do yow ease and your tenaunts bothe, and God preserve.
J. P.
[Footnote 21-1: [From Fenn, iv. 344.] This letter appears by the contents to have been written a little before Whitsuntide after the death of Sir Thomas Howes, and when the Duke of Norfolk was preparing to make good a claim to the manor of Caister, which, as we shall see, he regularly besieged and took in September 1469. The date is therefore certain.]
[Footnote 21-2: Richard Calle’s.]
[Footnote 21-3: Margery Paston.]
[Footnote 22-1: Fastolf’s.]
[Footnote 22-2: Sir Thomas Howes.]
[Footnote 23-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 101, Note 3.]
[[Footnote 21-2 Richard Calle’s. _final . missing or invisible_]]
711
ROBERT BROWNE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[23-2]
_To the right worshipful Sir John Paston knyght be this delivered._
[Sidenote: 1469]
Right worshipfull Sire, I recommaunde me to you, &c., certefying you for certeyn that the kyng sent a lettre unto my Lord of Norffolk for to contenue all maner of materes unto suche tyme as he sholl take a direction therin, as I am enformed by Master Haute, and by a messenger of his owne [it was sent[23-3]], &c. Acordyng to the same entent and the rehersall by estimacion by cause the Secretary of his Clerkes was with the Kyng the Quene hath sent a[24-1] lettre unto my Lady of Norffolk and a nother lettre unto my Lady of Suffolk the elder, desyeryng theym to common with my lordis that all such materis as the Kyng wrote unto them fore mabe kept so that no defaute be founden in them, as ye may understand by youre lettre sent frome the Quene, &c. Also Roger Ree the Shirereve of the Shire wilbe at Caster, as my Lord Tresourer told me, upon Tuesday or Wedynsday, to se that goode rule be kept. Also my Lord of York[24-2] sendis you a lettre, &c. My Lord Scalez is with the Kyng, &c. I take unto the brynger herof xx_s._ that is sufficaunt as he wille telle you, also the secretarye, vj_s._ viij_d._ As for all othere materes for haste I contenue unto that I may have leyser to write to you. I pray you to recommaunde me to my mastres your moder. At London upon Sonday in hast.
ROBERT BROWNE.
The letter is endorsed in another hand:--
‘The Counsell of my Lord of Suffolk, Robert Harlesdon. The Counsell of my Lord of Norffolk, Sir Thomas Walgrave, knyght [sergeant at] lawe and Richard Southwell and to everiche of them.’
[Footnote 23-2: [Add. MS. 33,889, f. 70.] The date of this letter is fixed by Roger Ree being Sheriff of Norfolk, which he was from November 1468 to November 1469. The time would seem to be April or May 1469, when the Duke of Norfolk was proposing to take forcible possession of Caister.]
[Footnote 23-3: These words are interlined before ‘&c.,’ but possibly are intended to be read with the next sentence, which is difficult to construe, there being no punctuation in the MS.]
[Footnote 24-1: Before the word ‘a’ ‘nothere’ is interlined, probably by inadvertence.]
[Footnote 24-2: Archbishop Nevill.]
712
ABSTRACT[24-3]
RICHARD CALLE TO SIR JOHN PASTON
[Sidenote: 1469 / MAY 22]
I would have been with you on Sunday before Ascension Day, had I received any command to that effect. Henry Wheler told me my day of the surety of peace was _quindena Trinitatis_, ‘and thereof he made me a bill. He is foully to blame to serve me so.’ I am much bound to you, nevertheless, for the safeguard of my sureties. Gives an account of monies disbursed since parting with Sir John at London. Repaid ‘my mistress’ 66_s._ 8_d._, part of 100_s._ she lent for Mariot’s matter. Paid Dawbeney for household since Midlent, 30_s._ Received from the farmer of the dairy, £11, 11_s._ 4_d._ Delivered ‘to the master of the college onward for his hire,’ 50_s._ Has received of Paston’s ‘lifelode’ since he came from London but £18, 10_s._ Has spent £12, 10_s._ more than he received, and has borrowed of John Wellys and others. Could borrow nothing of Mr. William. ‘And of all this twelvemonth I have not had one penny for my wages. There is none of them that hath purveyed nor chevised have so much as I have done. Here is no man paid of their wages, but all spent in household.’ Cannot get a penny in all Suffolk or Flegge, of Paston’s ‘lifelode,’ nor in Boyton nor Heyneford. Can get money only at Gughton, which I must gather myself, for the bailiff will not come there. Much malt made, which had better be sold to pay the men’s wages, who complain grievously, ‘and the master of the college and Sir John Stille both.’ Will obtain for Dawbeney in ten days 6 or 7 marks more, which should keep the household for the next seven or eight weeks. The price of malt is but 20_d._ a quarter, but it would be better to sell some than that the men should be unpaid. Wonders he has no word from him about letting Spoorle. Cannot give Mariot an estate in Bekham as Paston directs, for Paston has the deed which James Andrewes sealed, but will talk with him and see how he is disposed; for it would be well that Paston were through with him. He is not trusty, but seeks pretexts for delay. Jekson’s crossbow is broken. Shall he send it to London to be mended?
Caster, Monday in Pentecost week.
[The mention of Jekson’s crossbow being broken proves this letter to be of the year 1469. Compare No. 710, p. 23.]
[Footnote 24-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
713
RICHARD CALLE TO MARGERY PASTON[25-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Myn owne lady and mastres, and be for God very trewe wyff, I with herte full sorowefull recomaunde me unto you, as he that can not be mery, nor nought shalbe tyll it be othewise with us then it is yet, for thys lyf that we lede nough is nowther plesur to Godde nor to the worlde, consederyng the gret bonde of matrymonye that is made be twix us, and also the greete love that hath be, and as I truste yet is be twix us, and as on my parte never gretter; wherfor I beseche Almyghty Godde comfort us as sone as it plesyth Hym, for we that ought of very ryght to be moost to gether ar moost asondre; me semyth it is a m^ll. [_thousand_] yere a goo son that I speke with you. I had lever thenne all the goode in the worlde I myght be with you. Alas, alas! goode lady, full litell remembre they what they doo that kepe us thus asunder; iiij. tymes in the yere ar they a cursid that lette matrymonye; it causith many men to deme in hem they have large consyence in other maters as wele as herin. But what lady suffre as ye have do; and make you as mery as ye can, for I wys, lady, at the longe wey Godde woll of Hys ryght wysnes helpe Hys servants that meane truly, and wolde leve accordyng to Hes lawys, &c.
I undrestende, lady, ye have hadde asmoche sorwe for me as any gentelwoman hath hadde in the worlde, aswolde Godd all that sorwe that ye have hadde had rested upon me, so that ye hadde be discharged of it, for I wis, lady, it is to me a deethe to her that ye be entreted other wise thene ye ought to be. This is a peyneful lyfe that we lede. I can not leve thus withoute it be a gret displesure to Godde.
Also like you to wete that I had sent you a letter be my ladde from London, and he tolde me he myght not speeke with you, ther was made so gret awayte upon hym and upon you boothe. He told me John Threscher come to hym in your name, and seide that ye sent hym to my ladde for a letter or a token, weche I shulde have sent you, but he truste hym not; he wold not delyver hym noon. After that he brought hym a rynge, seyng that ye sent it hym, comaundyng hym that he schulde delyver the letter or token to hym, weche I conceyve sethen be my ladde it was not be your sendyng, it was be my mastres and Sir Jamys[26-1] a vys. Alas, what meane they? I suppose they deeme we be not ensuryd to gether, and if they so doo I merveyll, for thene they ar not wele avised, remembryng the pleynes that I breke to my mastres at the begynnyng, and I suppose be you bothe, and ye dede as ye ought to do of very ryght; and if ye have do the contrare, as I have be enformed ye have do, ye dede nouther concyensly nor to the plesure of Godde, withoute ye dede it for feere, and for the tyme to please suche as were at that tyme a boute you; and if ye so dede it for this service it was a resonable cause, consederyng the grete and importable callyng upon that ye hadde, and many an on trewe tale was made to you of me, weche God knowt I was never gylty of.
My ladde tolde me that my mastres your modre axyd hym if he hadde brought any letter to you, and many other thyngs she bare hym on hande,[27-1] and a monge all other at the last she seide to hym that I wolde not make her prevy to the begynnyng, but she supposyd I wolde at the endyng; and as to that, God knowt sche knewe furst of me and non other. I wott not what her mastreschip meneth, for be my trowthe ther is no gentylwoman on lyve that my herte tendreth more then it dothe her, nor is lother to displese, savyng only your person, weche of very ryght I ought to tendre and love beste, for I am bounde therto be the lawe of Godde, and so wol do whyle that I leve, what so ever falle of it. I supose, and ye telle hem sadly the trouthe, they wold not dampne ther soules for us; though I telle hem the trouthe they woll not be leve me as weele as they woll do you; and ther for, goode lady, at the reverence of Godde be pleyne to hem and telle the trouthe, and if they woll in no wise agree therto, betwix God, the Deelf, and them be it, and that perell that we schuld be in, I beseche Godde it may lye upon them and not upon us. I am hevy and sory to remembre ther disposicion, God sende them grace to gyde all thyngs weele, as wele I wolde they dede; Godde be ther gide, and sende them peas and reste, &c.
I mervell moche that they schulde take this mater so heedely as I undrestonde they doo, remembryng it is in suche case as it can not be remedyed, and my desert upon every be halfe it is for to be thought ther shulde be non obstacle a yenst it; and also the worchipfull that is in them, is not in your mariage, it is in ther owne mariage, weche I beseche Godde sende hem suche as may be to ther worschip and plesur to Godde, and to ther herts ease, for ell[es] were it gret pety. Mastres, I am aferde to write to you, for I undrestonde ye have schewyd my letters that I have sent you be for this tyme; but I prey you lete no creatur se this letter. As sone as ye have redde it lete it be brent, for I wolde no man schulde se it in no wise; ye had no wrytyng from me this ij. yere, nor I wolle not sende you no mor, therfor I remytte all this matre to your wysdom. Almyghty Jesu preserve, kepe, and [give] you your hertys desire, weche I wotte weele schulde be to Goods plesur, &c.
Thys letter was wreten with as greete peyne as ever wrote I thynge in my lyfe, for in goode feyth I have be ryght seke, and yet am not veryly weele at ease, God amend it, &c.
[Footnote 25-1: [From Fenn, iv. 350.] This letter was evidently written about the same period as No. 710. The original appears to have had no address, although Fenn prints one in the right-hand copy; but on the back was the following memorandum, evidently not quite contemporary: ‘Litera Ric’i Calle Margeriæ Paston filiæ Joh’is Paston ar’i quam postea duxit in uxorem.’]
[Footnote 26-1: Sir James Gloys, a priest.]
[Footnote 27-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.]
[[me semyth it is a m^ll. [_thousand_] _final italic “d” misprinted as “a”_]]
714
JAMES HAWTE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[28-1]
_To my worchypfull brother, Sir John Paston, be thys byll delyvered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1469 / MAY 22]
Ryght worchipfull brother, I recomaund me onto you, lettyng you to wytte, that my Lorde Stafford[28-2] was made Erle of Deveneschere apon Sonday; and as for the Kyng, as I understond, he departyt [_departeth_] to Walsynggame apon Fryday com vij. nygth, and the Quene also, yf God send hyr good hele.
And as for the Kyng [he] was apoyntyd to goo to Calys, and now hyt ys pute of. And also as for the goyng to the see, my Lord of Warwyke schyppys gothe to the see, as I understond. None other tydynggys I can none wryte unto you, but Jesu have you in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Wyndysore on Monday after Whytsonday, in hast, &c.
By your brother,
JAMES HAWTE.
[Footnote 28-1: [From Fenn, ii. 16.] The King’s visit to Norfolk and the creation of Lord Stafford as Earl of Devonshire both fix the date of this letter as 1469. The writer seems to be the brother of Anne Hawte, to whom Sir John Paston was engaged, and he accordingly calls him his brother.]
[Footnote 28-2: Humphrey Stafford, Lord Stafford of Southwick, was created Earl of Devonshire on Sunday, 7th May 1469; so that the writer ought to have said, not ‘upon Sunday,’ but ‘upon Sunday fortnight.’]
715
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[29-1]
_To my Modr, and to my brother, John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1469 / JUNE]
Brother, it is so that the Kyng schall come in to Norffolk in hast, and I wot nat whethyr that I may come with hym or nowt; if I come I most do make a livere of xx^ti gownes, whyche I most pyke owt by your advyse; and as for clothe for suche persones as be in that contre, if it myght be had ther at Norwyche, or not, I wot not; and what persones I am not remembryd.
If my modre be at Caster, as ther schall be no dowt for the kepyng of the place whyl the Kynge is in that contre, that I may have the most parte at Caster; and whether ye woll offre your selfe to wayte uppon the Lorde of Norfolk or not, I wolde ye dyde that best wer to do; I wolde do my Lorde plesur and servyse, and so I wolde ye dyde, if I wyst to be sur of hys gode lordeschyp in tyme to kome. He schall have CC. in a lyverye blewe and tawny, and blew on the leffte syde, and bothe darke colors.
I pray yow sende me worde, and your advyse by Judd of what men and what horse I cowde be purveyd off, if so be that I most nedys kome, and of your advyse in all thyngs be wryghtyng, and I schall send yow hastely other tydyngs. Late Sorell be well kept.
JOHN PASTON, Kt.
[Footnote 29-1: [From Fenn, ii. 22.] This letter must have been written in the beginning of June 1469. Edward IV., as appears by the dates of his privy seals, was at Windsor on the 29th May and at Norwich on the 19th June in that year. Fenn says he was also in Norfolk in the year 1474, but I can find no evidence of the fact.]
716
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[30-1]
[Sidenote: 1469 / JUNE]
To begyn, God yeld yow for my hatys. The Kyng hathe ben in this contre, and worchepfully receyvyd in to Norwyche, and had ryght good cher and gret gyftys in thys contre, wherwythe he holdyth hym so well content that he wyll hastyly be her agayn, and the Qwen allso, with whom, by my power avyse, ye shall com, if so be that the terme be do by that tym that she com in to this contre. And as for yowr maters her, so God help me, I have don as myche as in me was, in laboryng of theym, as well to my Lord Revers[30-2] as to my Lord Scalys,[30-3] Syr John Wydwyll,[30-4] Thomas Wyngfeld, and othyr abowt the Kyng. And as for the Lord Revers, he seyd to myn oncyll William, Fayrfax, and me, that he shold meve the Kyng to spek to the two Dukys of Norffolk and Suffolk, that they shold leve of ther tytyls of syche lond as wer Syr John Fastolfs. And if so be that they wold do nowt at the Kyngs reqwest, and then the Kyng shold comand theym to do no wasts, nor mak non assawtys nor frayis upon your tenants nor plasys, tyll syche tym as the lawe hathe determynd with yow or ayenst yow; this was seyd by hym the sam day in the mornyng that he depertyd at noon. Whedyr he meved the Kyng with it or nowt I can not sey, myn oncyll Wyllyam thynkys naye. And the same aftyr none folowyng I told my Lord Scalys that I had spokyn with my Lord hys fadyr, in lyek forme as I have rehersyd, and axyd hym whedyr that my Lord hys fadyr had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, and he gave me thys answer, that whedyr he had spokyn to the Kyng or nowt, that the mater shold do well inow.