Part 7

As for the evydence of Bekham, my modyr sent to Calle for hem; and he sent hyr woord that he wold make hys acompts, and delyver the evydence and all to gedyr. My modyr hathe sent to hym ayen for hem thys day. If she sped, they shall be sent to yow in all hast, or ellys, and ye send for me, I shall bryng hem with me. Send my modyr and me word who ye wyll that have the rwyll of your lyvelod her in thys contre, and in what forme that it shall be delt with. I wyll not make me mastyrfast with my Lord of Norff., nor with non othyr, tyle I spek with yow; and ye thynk it be to be don, get me a mastyr.

Dell corteysly with the Qwen and that felawshep, and with Mastras Anne Hawte for Wappys,[61-1] tyll I spek with zow. Wretyn on Seynt Feythys Evyn.

J. PASTON.

By Sent George, I and my felawshep stand in fer of my Lord of Norff. men, for we be thret sore, not withstandyng the save gardys[61-2] that my felawshep have. As for me, I have non, nor non of your howsold men, nor non wyll have; it wer shame to take it.

[Footnote 60-1: [From Fenn, iv. 412.] This is a letter desiring instructions about the garrison of Caister after its surrender.]

[Footnote 61-1: This expression ‘for Wappys’ I do not understand.--F. Perhaps Wappys may be a proper name.]

[Footnote 61-2: _Save gardys._ This is printed ‘same gardys’ in Fenn, but is evidently a misreading; in the right-hand copy the word is ‘safeguards.’]

736

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[62-1]

_To Mestresse Margret Paston, be thys delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1469 / [OCT.]]

Ryght worchypfull Moodre, I comand me to yow, and beseche yow of yowr blyssyng and Gods. Thanke yow for yowr tendrenesse and helpe bothe to me, my brother, and servants.[62-2]

. . . . . . .

The Kynge is comyn to London, and ther came with hym, and roode ageyn hym, the Duke of Glowcestr, the Duke of Suffolke, the Erle of Aroundell, the Erle of Northumbreland, the Erle of Essex, the Lordes Harry and John of Bokyngham, the Lord Dakres, the Lorde Chambreleyn, the Lorde Montjoye, and many other Knyghtys and Sqwyers, the Meyr of London, xxij. Aldremen, in skarlett, and of the Crafftys men of the town to the nombre of CC., all in blewe. The Kynge come thorow Chepe, thowe it wer owt of hys weye, be cawse he wold not be seyn, and he was accompanyed in all peple with m^l. horsse, som harneysyd and som nat. My Lorde Archebysshop[62-3] com with hym from Yorke, and is at the Moor,[62-4] and my Lorde of Oxenfford roode to have mett the Kyng, and he is with my Lorde Archebysshop at the Moor, and come nat to town with the Kynge; some sey that they wer yesterdaye iij. myle to the Kyng wards from the Moor, and that the Kyng sent them a massangr that they scholde com when that he sent for them. I wot not what to suppose therin; the Kyng hymselffe hathe good langage of the Lords of Clarance, of Warwyk, and of my Lords of York [and] of Oxenford, seyng they be hys best frendys; but hys howselde men have other langage, so that what schall hastely falle I cannot seye.

My Lorde of Norffolke schall be her thys nyght. I schall sende yow mor when I knowe mor.

Item, iff Ebysham come not home with myn oncle W., that than ye sende me the ij. Frenshe bookys that he scholde have wretyn, that he may wryght them her,

JOHN PASTON, Kt.

[Footnote 62-1: [From Fenn, i. 292.] The allusion in an unprinted passage in this letter to the approaching marriage of Richard Calle with Margery Paston proves it to be of the year 1469. In that year it appears by the dates of the privy seals that Edward IV. remained during the whole of September in Yorkshire, having been detained by Warwick at Middleham as a prisoner during the month of August; but he was in London as early as the 13th October.]

[Footnote 62-2: Here, according to Fenn, follow passages touching ‘an account of monies, debts, &c., a dispute with his uncle William, and a desire to defer his sister Margery’s marriage with Richard Calle till Christmas.’]

[Footnote 62-3: George Nevill, Archbishop of York.]

[Footnote 62-4: _See_ p. 20, Note 3.]

[[... that he may wryght them her, _text has “be”: corrected from Fenn_]]

737

ABSTRACT[63-1]

[JOHN PASTON] TO [SIR JOHN PASTON]

[Sidenote: 1469]

Has reckoned with Maryot. Accounts of Bekham. Has not spoken with W. Bakton, but will before returning to Norwich. Means to visit Bekham on his way thither. Sends copy of the condition wherein ye be bound to John Maryot. As for Sir T. Mongomere’s man, etc.

Richard Calle says he has delivered to me all writings he had of you except an endenture for letting Saxthorp, which is but a jape. All but a rental of Snaylwell are but accounts, etc. He has delivered me four or five court rolls of Sir J. Fastolff’s lands, of his own hand. He has done reasonably well about showing me the arrears of your lifelode. ‘As for his abiding, it is in Blakborow nunnery, a little fro Lynn, and our unhappy sister’s also. And as for his service, there shall have no man have it before you, and ye will. I hear not speak of none other service, of no lord’s that he shall be in.’ Has not yet spoken with Daubney’s executors, but will on his way homewards. Sends copy of the inventory[63-2] he [John Paston] made on leaving Caister. Means to be at Sporle to-morrow or Thursday, to see what may be made of the wood, and who will give most for it. . . . . (_MS. mutilated at the bottom._)

[This letter is in the handwriting of John Paston, but the signature is lost. It is quite certain that it was written in 1469 after the surrender of Caister. Allusion is also made to the unpleasant subject of the engagement of Richard Calle and Margery Paston, who seem to have retired to Blackborough nunnery prior to their marriage.]

[Footnote 63-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[Footnote 63-2: _See_ No. 734.]

738

ABSTRACT[64-1]

[Sidenote: 1469 / NOV. 6]

Indenture between Sir John Paston, of the one part, and Roger Townsende, gent., of the other part, containing covenants for the sale of the manor of Est Beckham, and of all Paston’s other lands in Est Bekham, West Bekham, Bodham, Sherryngham, Beeston near the Sea, Runeton, Shipden, Felbrigg, Aylmerton, Sustede, and Gresham, which the said Sir John had of the gift of John Mariet the elder of Est Bekham, for 100 marks, of which he has received already £54, leaving £12, 13_s._ 4_d._ to be paid by the said Roger at the Feast of St. Luke next coming. Dated 6th Nov. 9 Edw. IV.

_Seal, with inscription_, ‘Si Dieu vuet.’

[Footnote 64-1: [Add. Charter, 14,526, B.M.]]

739

ABSTRACT[64-2]

1469, 25 Nov. 9 Edw. IV. ‘In the priory of Saynt Marye Overy in Suthwarke.’ Acknowledgment (in English) by Will. Yelverton, Knt., Just. of K. B., of the receipt from Bishop Waynflete of £87, in full satisfaction of all claims on Sir J. Fastolf by Jaquet, Duchess of Bedford; solemnly promising also that he will not hereafter receive any sums, great or small, on account of Fastolf’s goods, debts, or possessions, without the assent of the Bishop, that he will at all times be ready to seal such grants, &c., as the Bishop may require to be sealed, and that he will not himself make or seal any grant, etc., without the Bishop’s will and agreement.

[Footnote 64-2: The following abstract is taken from Mr. Macray’s Report on the MSS. in Magdalen College, Oxford.]

740

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[65-1]

_To Master Syr John Paston, Knyght._

[Sidenote: 1469 / DEC.]

Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to you, &c. It is so that thys day ther cam a good felaw to me, whyche may not be dyscoveryd, and let me wet that my Lord of Norff. consayll hathe this Crystmas gotyn the two wydows, whows husbands wer slayn at the sege of Caster, and have hem bowndyn in a gret some that they shall swe a peel ayenst me and syche as wer ther with me within the plase, and they be bownd also that they shall relese no man within the apell namyd tyll syche tyme as my Lord of Norff. wyll lycence them.

Item, the cawse is thys, as it is told me by dyvers, that ye meke no more swte to my Lord for yourself than ye do, and therfor they do the wors to me for your sake.

Item, as for my comyng up to London, so God help me, and I may chese, I com not ther, for _argent me fawlt_, without apell or an inkyr [_inquiry ?_] of som specyall mater of your cawse it. Item, I pray yow remembyr Caleys, for I am put out of wagys in thys contre.

Item, I pray yow send me some tydyngs how the world gothe _ad confortandum stomacum_.

Item, ye must purvey anewe atorny in thys contre. As for me, for our maters and clamore is to gret, and our purse and wytte to slendyr, but I wyle rubbe on as long as I maye bothe with myn owne, and other menys that wyle do for me tyll better pese be.

Wretyn thys Saturdaye, at Norwcyche.

J. P.

[Footnote 65-1: [From Fenn, iv. 416.] It appears by the contents that this letter was written about Christmas after the siege of Caister. An appeal of murder was a process sued by the nearest relative of a person killed. It was quite independent of any prosecution for murder by the Crown, and no royal pardon was of any avail against it; but the appeal had to be brought within a year and a day of the fact.]

[[... at Norwyche. _text has “Norwcyche”: corrected from Fenn_]]

741

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[66-1]

[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH 1]

Ryght worchepfull Syr, I recomand me to yow aftyr the old maner, sertyfyng yow that I have comonyd with my modyr for your coming hom, but I can not fynd by hyr that she wyll depert with eny sylvyr for your costis, for she and hyr cwrate[66-2] alegge mor poverte then ever wasse. Item, as for your clok at Harcortis it wyll be nye Estern er it be redy, for ther is stolyn owt of hys chaumbyr some of the ger that belongyd therto, and that must have leyser to be mad ayen. Item, the caryer forgat your byll behynd hym, but it was delyveryd all to gedyr, but it shall be browght yow and the wyndas with the teles by the next caryer, as myn orangys shall com to me I tryst. Dame Elyzabet Calthorp is a fayir lady and longyth for orangis, thow she be not with chyld. Item, I pray yow that ye wyll make aqwetance on to the person of Mawtby[66-3] and to John Seyne as executors to John Dawbeney, for they wyll take non admynystracyon of hys goodis tyll they be aqwetansyd of youre and my modyr. Ye maye do it well j nough, so God help me; for I wot well ye owt hym mony, and he nat yow, if so be that he wer trewe when he dyid, and I wot well we fond hym nevyr on trew in hys lyve; but hys frendys and othyr of the contre putt grett defawt in me that ther is no thyng don for hym, seying that he myght do no more for us but lose hys lyfe in your servyse and myn; and now he is half forgotyn among us. Wherfor I pray yow let thys be sped.

Item, as for Doctor Pykenham, J. Pampyng can tell yow he is not in Norwyche. When he comyth I shall spek with hym and send yow hys answer. Item, as for myn oncyll Wylliam, I have grant to have a byll of hym what every thyng lythe for; but all thyng is not yet in rest ayen that was remevyd for the chyrchyng of my Lady Anne. As sonne as I have the byll I shall send it yow and hys answer, whyche he wyll fyrst have plegyd owght, and also whethyr he purposyth to do as he seyd by my graundamys lond.

Item, Gefrey Spyrlyng hathe ofte spokyn to me to send to yow for to undyrstand how ye will deell with hym for hys place in Norwyche, for he seythe that he had lever have your good mastyrship ther in then eny othyr manys good lordshep; for and ye wyll be hys good mastyr he wyll swe no ferther, or ellys he must.

Item, a for (_sic_) for myn old reknyng, I shall make it up in hast and send it yow for your bettyr remembrance, for as me thynkyth by your wrytyng ye have nye forgetyn it; but I am rype j now in it for myn owne dyscharge. Item, I pray yow, take in to your a ward a short murry jornade[67-1] of myn whyche Jacobyn, Wykis woman, hathe lest that she be flyttyng and that it be exchetyd. Item, I pray yow send me swyr tydyngis of the world in hast.

As for the bysheop of Wynchestyr, W. Wyrceteyr told my modyr that he had takyn charge x. dayis or then Pampyng cam hom; but he wenyth that the bysshop wyll be a yenst yow, in so myche that [he[67-2]] avysyd my modyr to consell yow that ye sholl labor to my Lord Cardynall[67-3] that the seyd byshop shold not be amytted to take admynystracyon. No mor, &c. Wretyn at Norwyche the fyrst daye off Marche.

J. P.

I pray, get us a wyfe somwher, for _Melius est nubere in Domino quam urere_. (ca^o primo.)[67-4]

* * *

Noveritis universi per presentes me J. P. mylitem remisisse, &c. Roberto Cotteler personæ ecclesiæ de Mawtby in comitatu Norfolk et Johanni Seyne de Rollysby in eodem comitatu, executores testamenti et ultimæ voluntatis Johannis Dawbeney armygeri, nuper defuncti, omnimodas acciones, tam reales, &c. quos versus eundem Robertum sive Johannem Seyne habui, habeo, &c., racione alicujus debyti dicti Johannis Dawbeney, jam defuncti, mychi dicto J. Paston debite (_sic_) a principio mundi usque in diem, &c. In cujus, &c. Datum, &c.

As for the yer of the Kyng, let it be set in, but as for the daye and the monyth let it be owt, for the day must be aftyr probate of the wyll and the admynystracyon takyng. I pray you, let thys be sped in all hast possybyll; and as for your obligacyon and syche ger as belongyth to yow, I shalbe swyr of it er they have the aqwetance.

Item, as for owyr afrayis her, J. Pampyng can tell yow; but and they get me, ye loose a brodyr, _quod juratum est_.

It is good to do by the comandment of your mastyr whyll I am so well boryn owte; thys my lord of Norffolk galantis send me woord dayly _ad confortandum stomacum_. Ye must spek with your mastyr and comon some remedye hastyly, or be God I enswyr yow, whyll owyr Dwk is thus cherysheid with the kyng, ye nor I shall not have a man unbetyn or slayn in thys contre, nor our sylfe nowthyr, as well ye as I, _quod juratum est_ onys ayen. The Dwke, the Dwches and ther consell ar wrothe that ye make no meanys to them your sylfe.

Item, I send yow Townysendis endentwre by John Pampyng.

[Footnote 66-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 192.] This letter may be dated 1470, by comparing the postscript with the beginning of No. 742, which seems to have been written in answer to it. John Daubeney was killed at the siege of Caister in 1469. _See_ Nos. 725, 733.]

[Footnote 66-2: James Gloys.]

[Footnote 66-3: Robert Cutler or Cotteler. _See_ next page.]

[Footnote 67-1: Halliwell gives ‘jornet’ as ‘a kind of cloak’; ‘murrey’ was a dark red colour.]

[Footnote 67-2: Omitted in MS.]

[Footnote 67-3: Cardinal Bourchier.]

[Footnote 67-4: The reference is as inaccurate as the quotation. The text referred to is 1 Cor. vii. 9: ‘Melius est enim nubere quam uri.’]

742

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[68-1]

_To John Paston, Esquier, beyng at Norwyche, be thys letter delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH]

I comande me to yow, letyng yow wete, &c.[68-2]

. . . . . . .

Item, as for Mestresse Kateryn Dudle, I have many tymes recomandyd yow to hyr, and she is noo thynge displeasyd with itt. She rekkythe not howe many gentylmen love hyr; she is full of love. I have betyn the mater for yow, your onknowleche, as I told hyr. She answerythe me, that sche woll noon thys ij. yer, and I beleve hyr; for I thynke sche hathe the lyffe that sche can holde hyr content with; I trowe she woll be a sore laboryng woman this ij. yer for mede of hyr sowle.

And Mestresse Gryseacresse is sure to Selenger, with my Lady of Exestre, a fowle losse.

Item, I praye yow speke with Harcort off the Abbeye, for a lytell clokke, whyche I sent hym by James Gressham to amend, and that ye woll get it off hym, and it be redy, and sende it me; and as for mony for hys labor, he hathe another cloke off myne, whyche Sir Thomas Lyndes, God have hys sowle! gave me; he may kepe that tyll I paye hym. Thys klok is my Lordys Archebysshopis, but late not hym wete off it, and that itt [be] easely caryed hyddre by yowr advyse.

Also as for orenges, I schall sende yow a serteyn by the next caryer. And as for tydynge the berer hereoff schall infforme yow; ye most geve credence to hym.

As for my goode spede, I hope well. I am offryd yit to have Mestresse Anne Haulte, and I schall have help i nowe, as some say.[69-1]

. . . . . . . .

Item, it is soo that I am halffe in purpose to com home with in a monythe her afftr, or abowt Med Lente, or beffor Esterne, ondyr yowr coreccon, iff so be that ye deme that [my] modre wolde helpe me to my costys, x. mark or ther abowt; I praye feele hyr dysposicion and sende me worde.

Item, I cannot tell yow what woll falle off the worlde, for the Kyng verrely is dysposyd to goo in to Lyncoln schyr, and men wot not what wyll falle ther off, ner ther afftre; they wene my Lorde off Norffolke shall[69-2] brynke x.^ml. men.

Item, ther is comen a newe litell Torke, whyche is a wele vysagyd felawe, off the age off xl. yere; and he is lower than Manuell by a hanffull, and lower then my lytell Tom by the schorderys, and mor lytell above hys pappe; and he hathe, as he seyde to the Kynge hymselffe, iij. or iiij. sonys, chyldre, iche one off hem as hyghe and asse lykly as the Kynge hymselffe; and he is leggyd ryght i now, and it is reportyd that hys pyntell is as long as hys legge.

Item, I praye yow schewe, or rede to my moodre suche thynges as ye thynke is for her to know, afftre yowr dyscression; and to late hyr undrestond off the article off the trete between Syr Wylliam Yelverton and me.

Item, my Lorde of Warwyk, as it is supposyd, schall goo with the Kynge in to Lyncolne schyre; some men seye that hys goyng shall doo goode, and som seye that it dothe harme.

I praye yow evyr have an eyghe to Caster, to knowe the rewle ther, and sende me worde, and whyther my wyse Lorde and my Lady be yit as sottyt [_? besotted_] uppon it as they were; and whether my seyd Lorde resortythe thyddre as offte as he dyd or nott; and off the dysposycion off the Contre.

J. P., K.

[Footnote 68-1: [From Fenn, ii. 28.] From the reference to the King’s being about to go into Lincolnshire, and what is said of the Earl of Warwick, it may be clearly inferred that this letter was written on the outbreak of the insurrection of Sir Robert Welles in the beginning of March 1470.]

[Footnote 68-2: Here (according to Fenn) follows an account of bills and receipts, etc.]

[Footnote 69-1: Here (according to Fenn) follows an account of some disputes between Sir William Yelverton and Sir John Paston, his uncle William, etc., of no consequence.]

[Footnote 69-2: _shall._ This word is not in Fenn’s left-hand or literal transcript, but is given as part of the text in the right-hand copy.]

743

ANONYMOUS TO JOHN PASTON[70-1]

_To my Cosyn, J. Paston._

[Sidenote: 1470 / MARCH 27]

The King camme to Grantham, and ther taried Thoresday all day; and ther was headed Sir Thomas Dalalaunde, and on John Neille, a greate capteyn; and upon the Monday next after that at Dancastr, and ther was headed Sir Robert Wellys, and a nothr greate capteyn; and than the King hadde warde that the Duk of Clarence and the Erle of Warwick was att Esterfeld [_Chesterfield_], xx. mile from Dancastre.

And upon the Tewesday att ix. of the bell, the King toke the feld, and mustered his people; and itt was seid that wer never seyn in Inglond so many goodly men, and so well arreiyed in a feld. And my Lord was whorsshupfully accompanyed, no lord ther so well; wherfor the King gaffe my Lord a greate thanke.

And than the Duk of Clarence and the Erle of Warwik harde that the King was comyng to them warde, in contynent they departed and wente to Manchestre in Lancasshire, hopyng to have hadde helpe and socour of the Lord Stanley, butt in conclucion ther they hadde litill favor, as itt was enformed the King, and so men sayn they wente westward, and sommen demen to London. And whan the King harde they wer departed and gon, he went to York, and came theder the Thoresday next aftr, and ther camme in to hym all the gentilmen of the shire; and uppon our Lady Day [he] made Percy Erle of Northumberland, and he that was Erle affore Markeys Muntakew. And [so][71-1] the King is purposed to come southwarde, God send hym god spede.

Writen the xxvij. day of March.

FOR TROWYTH.

[Footnote 70-1: [From Fenn, ii. 36.] This letter gives an account of the suppression of the rebellion in Lincolnshire in 1470.]

[Footnote 71-1: This word is not in the text of Fenn’s literal transcript, but it is given without brackets in the transcript in modern spelling.]

744

ABSTRACT[71-2]

WILLIAM WORCESTER TO ----

[Sidenote: 1470]