Part 6
Hit is so that accordyng to such direccion as was mevid to be desird of my Lords beyng heer, as for such as heere bee they marveil gretly therof, thynkyng and remembring in themself that such offre as was made by my credence to my Lorde,[50-6] and to fore you reported, shuld have sownyd more to his pleasure and honour than this his desire. Nevirthelesse my Lords thenke where as they wrote and desirid joyntly that such credence as ye remembre myght be observyd and taken, and by you refusid, nowe yif they shuld assent to the desire of this direccion, hit is thought in them not so to doo; for it is so fortuned that dyvers of my Lords, from whome I brought both wrytyng and credence, be at the Kyngs high commaundement hastely departed unto his Highnesse, trustyng in God to have heeryng in brief tyme of their hasty ayen comyng, atte which tyme my Lords that heere be, and they that shal come ayen, shal comon and speke to gyder of this desire and direccion, and such answere as they geve and make shall be sent unto you than with haste possible. Ovir this, me thenkith for your excuse of burden and charge such as I hier will be leid unto you concernyng the grete werks that dailly be and ar at the maner of Castre, yif ye thenk that God shuld have pleasir, and also the Kyng oure sovereign Lorde, and that my seide Lords shuld thenk in you gode avise or sad, and that ye entendid to avoide the sheddyng of Cristyn blode and the destruccion of the Kyngs liege people, that at your politik labour and wisedome ye myght bryng my Lord to th’abstynence of warre, and a trieux to be had and contynued unto tyme of the retourn of my seid Lords, or els knowlege of their entent; certifieng you for trouth that ther be messengers sent unto my seid Lords with lettrez of such answere as I had of you to your desire to gyder, knowyng certeinly that ther shal be hasty relacion of ther entents in the premisis, which answers ye shall have atte ferthist by Monday cometh sevenyght. Ferthirmore lettyng you wit that I understond for certein that my Lords that be heere eschewe, for such inconveniense that myght fall, to conclude any answere by them self, consideryng that my credence was geven by all the Lords; prayng you, as shal be doon to the continuaunce of this trieux aforesaid, that I may be acerteyned, or yif at this houre ye coude yit thenk my credence resonable and honourable to be accepted and taken, sendith me woorde in wrytyng from you by my servant, brynger of this, al delaies leid aparte. For I acertein you, as he that owe you service, I was and yit am gretly blamed for my long tarying with you, for, dyvers of my Lords taried heere for me, by th’assent of al my Lords, lenger than they wold have don, to know myn answere and guydyng from you.
And ovir this I certyfie you that ye cannot make my Lords heere to thenk that yif ther be inconvenient or myshief, murdre, or manslauter had or done, but and your wills and entents were to the contrarye, my Lord is notid so well disposid that, with oute your grete abettement, he neither will doo nor assent to non such thyng; prayng you therfor, as your frende, to remembre wele your self, and so to rule you, as my Lords may have in tyme to come knowlege of your more sadd disposicion than as yit I feele they thenk in you. And how that my Lords note sum of you, James Hobert, beyng of my Lords counsel, can enforme you; wherefor for Godds sake remembr you, and delyver my servant, and yif ye thenk my first credence or this advertisement shal be taken to effect, than I pray you that my servaunt, brynger hereof, may have sure condyte to speke with John Paston, and to report to hym these direccions, and upon that to delyver hym a bill certifyng the same.
[Footnote 50-1: [From Fenn, iv. 404.] This letter is anonymous, but was evidently written by Writtill during his negotiations for a suspension of hostilities.]
[Footnote 50-2: Sir John Heveningham, Knight and Banneret, was a descendant of an ancient family situated at the town of Heveningham, in Suffolk. His son Thomas became owner of the estate at Ketteringham, in Norfolk, where this family continued for several generations.--F.]
[Footnote 50-3: Sir Thomas Wingfield was a younger son either of Sir Robert or Sir John Wingfield of Letheringham, in Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-4: Sir Gilbert Debenham, Knight, was descended of an ancient and knightly family in the county of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-5: Sir William Brandon married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Wingfield, and was ancestor to Charles Brandon, afterwards Duke of Suffolk.--F.]
[Footnote 50-6: The Duke of Norfolk.]
727
WRITTILL TO THOMAS WINGFIELD[52-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Mr. Wyngfeld, I recomande me to you. Please you to wit I have sent a lettre joyntly to you and to al my Lordes[52-2] counsel; nevirtheles, for the special favor and service that I bere and owe to you, I write to you aparte, praying you to put your hasty devoir to the delyverans of my servaunt, with th’answere of the same; and ovir that for Goddis sake remember you hou that ye stond my Lordes nygh kynnesman, and by whom my Lordes wulle gretly be steerid, that ye eschewe and avoide to be non of those that my Lordes here thenk shuld set or cause my Lord to do thynges otherwise than accordith to the pleasir of my Lordes; for it is so that there be dyvers of my Lordes counsel stond in hevy report of my Lordes, of which I wold ye were non; certifieng you that I know so ferre that yif ye any thyng doo in this mater to the pleasir of my Lordes, it will neither be unremembrid ne unrecompensid, not doutyng but that hereafter to have a large thonk of you for this my counsel; praying you ferthermor to move Sir John Hevyngham, and such as ye knowe wele disposid, to assist you in this; and that this bille be kept secrete, as my trust is in you. Wreten at London.
[Footnote 52-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This and the letter following are corrected drafts upon the same paper, and both evidently written at the same time, and by the same writer, as the last letter.]
[Footnote 52-2: The Duke of Norfolk’s.]
728
WRITTILL TO JOHN PASTON[53-1]
[Sidenote: 1469]
Mr. Paston, it is so that sith tyme I spake with you I sent you a bill which concludith an abstinence of werre to be had unto Fryday last was, trustyng in that season that by the menes of my Lordes heere a conclusion shal be taken; lettyng you wit that before my comyng hider certein of my Lordes were departid hens towards the Kyng northwards. And for asmich as I cannot in this season have no hasty answere of such lettrez as were sent unto them concernyng this mater, I have wretyn by the meanes of my Lordes heere I have wretyn a lettre to my Lordes counsell a lettre,[53-2] and amonges other thynges movid them in the seid lettre to advertise my Lord for abstynence of werre til Monday come sevenyght; and yif my Lordes and his counsell so agree, I have comaundid my servaunt, brynger hereof, to geve you knowlege of the same, avisyng you that contenuyng the seid seson to absteyne you from werre gevyng outward in like wise; and by that season I hope to have knowlege of my Lordes ententes.
[Footnote 53-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] _See_ preliminary note to last letter.]
[Footnote 53-2: So in the MS., the redundant words being left uncancelled.]
729
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[53-3]
_To John Paston, and to non othyr._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 18]
I recomand me to yow, and promyse yow that I have and schall labore and fynde the meane that ye schall have honor of yowr delyng as ye have hyddr towards, as all Ingelond and every man reportythe; and moreover I am in weye for it by many dyverse weys, wherof ther schall be one exicutyd by thys day xiiij. nyght at the ferthest, and peraventur within vij. dayes. And iff ye maye kepe it so longe, I wold be gladde, and aftr that iff ye have nott from me other wryghtyng, that than ye do ther in for yowr saffgarde and yowr felaschep only, and to yowr worschypys; and as for the place, no force therfor. Ye knowe thys hande, therfor nedythe no mencion from whem it comythe; and more ovyr, they that be abut yow be in obloquy of all men, and mor ovyr they have ben wretyn to by alse speciall wryghtyng as myght be, after the worlde that now is, and promyse yow that the Dukes concell wolde that they had nevyr be gon it; and more ovyr they be chargyd in payne of ther lyvys, that thow they gate the place, they scholde not hurt on of yow. Ther is nowther ye ner none with yow, but and he knewe what is generally reportyd of hym, he or ye, and God fortewne yow wele, may thynke hym iiij. tymes better in reputacion of all folk than evyr he was. Be war whom ye make a concell to thys mater.
Also I lete yow wete that I am in moche mor comfort of yow than I maye wryght, and they that be about yow have cawse to be mor ferde than ye have; and also bewar of spendyng of yowr stuffe of qwarellys, powdr, and stone, so that if they assaut yow er we come, that ye have stuffe to dyffende yow of over, and than of my lyfe ye get no mor, and that your felaschyp be evyr ocopyed in renewyng of your stuffe.
Wretyn the Mondaye next aftr Holy Roode Daye.
* * *
I trow, thow ye be not prevy ther to, ther is taken a trews new tyl thys day vij. nygh.
[Footnote 53-3: [From Fenn, iv. 394.] _See_ preliminary note to No. 724.]
730
PASSPORT TO THE BESIEGED ON SURRENDER OF CAISTER[55-1]
_The Duc of Norffolk._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 26]
Where John Paston, esquier, and other divers persones have, ageyn the peas, kepte the manoir of Caster with force, ageyne the wille and entent of us the Duc of Norffolk, to oure grete displeaser; whiche notwithstanding, at the contemplacion of the writing of the moost worshipfull and reverent Fader in God the Cardenall of England, and our moost trusty and entierly beloved Unkel the Archbisshop of Canterbury, the right noble Prince my Lord of Clarence, and other Lords of oure blood, and also at the grete labour and enstaunce of our moost dere and singler belovid wiffe, we be agreed that the seid John Paston and his seid fellaship, beyng in the seid maneur, shall depart and goo out of the seid maneur without delay, and make therof deliveraunce to suche persones as we will assigne, the seid fellaship havyng their lyves and goods, horsse, and harneys, and other goods beyng in the kepyng of the seid John Paston; except gonnes, crossebows, and quarells, and alle other hostelments, to the seid maneur annexed and belonginge. And to have xv. dayes respyte aftir their seid departing out, to goo in to what place shall like theim, without any accions or quarell to be taken or made by us, in our name to theim, or any of theim, within our fraunchise or without, duryng the seid tyme.
Yoven under our signet at Yermouth the xxvj. day of Septembr the ix^te yere of King Edward the iiij^th.
NORFF’. [LS]
[Footnote 55-1: [From Fenn, ii. 24.]]
[[_in the printed book, the letters “LS” (Locus Sigilli?) are shown in a circle after the signature_]]
731
JOHN PASTON AND THE SURRENDER OF CAISTER[56-1]
_The Duc of Norff’._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 26]
John, Duke of Norffolk, Erle Marshall of Sussex, Surrey, and of Nottingham, Marshall of Inglonde, Lorde Mowbray of Segreve, Bromfelde, and Yalle, to al our frendes, servauntes, and othir Crystyne people, gretyng. Wher John Paston, esquier, and othre diverse persones forseble hath kepte the manoir of Castre, contrary to our will and pleaser, and aftirwarde by his lowly labour and gret meanese to us maade, the seide John Paston hathe maade deliveraunce of the seide manoir to such persons as we have assignede, and he and his seide felouship by our lycence to departe out of the same. Wherefore we pray, wil, and charge you and everysche of you, that ye ne vexce, trouble, manase, ne greve the forseid persones, nor eny of them, for the kepyng of the seide manere contrary to the Kynge our Sovereynge Lordes lawyes, for we have takyne them in our safe garde. Yevin undir our signet and signmanuell the xxvj^ti day of Septembre, the ix^th yere of Kynge Edward iiij^t.
NORFF’. [LS]
[Footnote 56-1: [From a MS. in the College of Arms.] The original of this document, signed and sealed by the Duke of Norfolk, is inserted in the MS. volume called Brooke’s _Aspilogia_, vol. i. p. 35.]
[[_in the printed book, the letters “LS” (Locus Sigilli?) are shown in a circle after the signature_]]
732
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[56-2]
Caystr yelded.--J. P.
[Sidenote: 1469 / [SEPT.]]
Ryght werchepfull sir, I recomand me on to yow. And as for the serteynte of the delyverance of Caster, John Chapman can tell yow how that we wer enforsyd therto, as wel as mysylf. As for John Chapman and his iij. felaws, I have purveyd that they be payid ache of them xl_s._, with the mony that they had of yow and Dawbeney; and that is inow for the seson that they have don yow servys. I pray yow geve them ther thank, for by my trowthe they have as well deservyd it as eny men that ever bare lyve; but as for mony, ye ned not to geve hem with owt ye wyll, for they be plesyd with ther wagys. Wryttyll promysyd me to send yow the serteynte of the apoyntement. We wer sor[57-1] lak of vetayl, gonepowdyr, menys herts, lak of suerte of rescwe, drevyn therto to take apoyntement.
If ye wyll that I come to yow, send me woord, and I shall pervey me for to tery with yow a ij. or iij. dayis. By my trowthe, the rewardyng of syche folkys as hathe ben with me dwryng the sege hathe putt me in gret danger for the monye. God preserve yow, and I pray yow be of good cher tyll I spek with yow, and I trust to God to ese your hert in some thynggys.
J. PASTON.
[Footnote 56-2: [From Fenn, iv. 410.]]
[Footnote 57-1: _sor._ So the word stands in Fenn, and ‘sore’ in the copy in modern spelling; but I suspect a misreading of ‘for.’]
733
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[57-2]
_To Sir John Paston, in hast. A matre._
[Sidenote: 1469 / SEPT. 23-30.]
I grete zow wele, and send zow Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that me thynke be the letter that ze sent me be Robeyn, that ze thynke that I xuld wryte to zow fabyls and ymagynacyons; but I do not soo. I have wrytyn as yt have be enformed me, and wulle do. It was told me that bothe Daubeney and Berney wer dedee, but for serten Daubeney is dede, God asoyle hys sowle; wher of I am rythe sery, and yt had plesyd God that yt mythe abe other wysse.
Remembyr zow, ze have had ij. gret lossys withyne thys towylemonth, of hym and of Sir Thomas.[57-3] God wysyth [_visiteth_] zow as yt plesythe Hym in sundery wyses; He woole ze xuld know Hym, and serve Hym better than ze have do be for thys tyme, and than He wull send zow the mor grace to do wele in ale other thynggs. And for Godds love, remembyr yt rythe welle, and take yt pacyentely, and thanke God of Hys vysitacyon; and yf ony thyng have be a mysse ony other wyse than yt howte to have ben befor thys, owther in pryde or in laves expences, or in eny other thyng that have offendyd God, amend yt, and pray Hym of Hys grace and helpe, and entende welle to God, and to zour neybors; and thow zour poor heraftyr be to aquyte hem of her maleys, zet be mersyfulle to hem, and God xale send zow the mor grace to have your entente in other thynggs.
I remembyr thys clawsys, be cause of the last letter that ze sent me. I have sent to Hary Halman of Sporylle to helpe to gete as ze desyerd me, and he canne not gette passyd v. or viij. at the most, and zet yt wule not be but yf [_unless_] he cume that ze trust upon that xuld cume, for they long a parte to hym. And Ryschard Sharman hathe asayed on hys parte, and he cane not gette passyd v.; for thoo that long to us, thei long also to our adversarys, and they have be desyerd be them, and they woold nowte do for hem, and ther for they thynke to have magery of the toder parte.
As for the jantylman that ye desyerd me to speke with, I spake with hys wyfe, and sche told me he was not in thys cuntre, ner nowte woost wan he xuld be her; and as for the toder man, he hath bowthe [_bought_] hym a livery in Bromeholme Pryery, and have geve upe the woord [_world_], &c.
Item, as for mony, I kowde getee but x_li._ upon pledges, and that is spent for zour maters her, for payeng of zour men that wern at Caster, and other thynggs, and I woot not wer to gette non, nowther for suerte ner for pleggs; and as for myn owyn lyvelod, I am so sympely payed ther of that I fer me I xale be fayn to borow for my sylfe, or ell[es] to breke up howsold or bothe.
As for the zeddyng [_yielding_] of the place at Caster, I trowe Wretyll hathe told of the pawntements [_appointments_] how ytts delyvered. I woold that [it] had be so her [_ere_] thys tyme, and zan [_then_] ther xuld not a ben do so mykyle herte as ther is in dyverse weyes; for many of our welewyllers arn putte to loosse for our saks, and I fer me that [it] xale be long her yt be recumpensyd ageyn, and that xale cause other to do the lesse for vus her aftyr.
I woold ze xuld [send] zour brother woord, and sum other that ze truste, to see to zour owyn lyelod to sette yt in a rule, and to gader ther of that may be had in haste, and also of Sir John Fastolf lyoeld that may be gadyrd in pesybyle wyse. For as for Ryschard Calle, he wulle no mor gadyr yt but yf ze comaund hym, and he woold fayn make hys . . acowntte, and have zour good maystyr schepe, as ytts told me, and delyvere the evydens of Bekkeham, and alle other thynggs that longyth to zow, that he trustythe that ze wylle be hys good mayster heraftyr. And he sethe he wylle not take non newe master tyle ze refuse hys servyse.
Remembyr that zowr lyvelod may be set in soche a rule that ye may knowe how ytts, and wat is owyn to zow; for be my feythe I have holpyn as mysche as I may and mor, savyng my sylfe, and therfor take hede er yt be weers.
Thys letter was begune on Fryday was vij. nythe, and enddyd thys day nexte afftyr Mychylmes Day. God kepe zow, and yeve zow grace to do as wele as I woold ze dede; and I scharge zow be war that ze sette no lond to morgage, for if eny avyse zow ther to, they arn not zowr frendds. Be war be tymes myn avyse, &c. I trow yowr brother wyll geve zow tydyngs in haste.
[Footnote 57-2: [From Fenn, iv. 396.] This is written, as will be seen, in reply to No. 725.]
[Footnote 57-3: Sir Thomas Howes.]
734
NOTE[59-1]
Inventory of household goods (including guns) left at Caister by Sir John Paston at the entry of my Lord of Norfolk.
[Footnote 59-1: [MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 201.]]
735
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[60-1]
_To my master, Sir John Paston, in Flett-Stret._
[Sidenote: 1469 / OCT. 5]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand on to you, praying yow that ye wyll in all hast send me word how that ye wyll that Sir John Style, John Pampyng, W. Mylsent, Nycolas Mondonet, T. Tomson shall be rwlyd, and whedyr that they shall sek hem newe servysys or not; and Mathewe Bedford also, for he hathe be with me this seson, and is fro my modyr. And if so be that ye wyll have thes to abyde with yow, or eny of them, send word whyche that they be; for betwyx thys and Halowmas my modyr is agreyd that they shall have met and drynk of hyr for syche a serteyn wekly as my modyr and yu and I can acord when we met. Notwithstandyng, if ye kowd get Barney or eny of thes seyd folkys, whyche that ye wyll not kepe, eny servyse in the mene seson, it wer more worchep for yow then to put them from yow lyek masterles hondys [_hounds_]; for by my trowthe they ar as good menys bodys as eny leve, and specyally Sir John Stylle and John Pampyng. And I wer of power to kepe them and all thes befor rehersyd, by trowthe they shold never depert fro me whyll I leveyd.
If ye send me word that I shall come to yow to London for to comon with yow of eny mater, so God help me, I have neythyr mony to com up with, nor for to tery with yow when I am ther but if [_unless_] ye send me some; for by my trowthe thes werkys have causyd me to ley owt for yow bettyr then x. or xij_li._, besyd that money that I had of my modyr, whyche is abowt on viij_li._ God amend defowts; but this I warant yow, with out that it be Mathew, whyche ye sent woord by John Thressher that ye wold have to awayt on yow, ther is no man that was hyryd for the tyme of thys sege that wyll axe yow a peny.
Also I pray yow send downe acomandment to Stutvylle, or to some awdyter, to take acomptys of Dawbneys byllys; for hys executors ar sore callyd upon for to admynyster by the Byshop, or ellys he seythe that he wyle seqwester. Dawbeney set in hys dett that ye owt hym xij_li._ and x_s._ Whedyr it be so or nowt, hys byllys of hys owne hand wyll not lye, for he mad hys byllys clere or then the sege com abowt us.