Part 8
Letter in English, on paper (signed W. W., but unaddressed), desiring some one to propose to ‘my Lord’ [the Bishop of Winchester?] the obtaining of a letter from Sir John Paston to the tenants of Titchwell that he will not claim any rents from them, and another from ‘my Lord,’ to the same effect, on behalf of Sir William Yelverton; and the sending a warrant to expend 4 or 6 marks upon making up the sea banks before the Titchwell pastures, because at Spring the sea breaks in upon them. Desires to know whether Sir W. Yelverton’s advice shall be taken upon business matters. ‘Frere’ Geffrey Westvale is going to be created Doctor in Theology at Cambridge, at the Feast of St. John, who twenty years past, when at Yarmouth convent, belonged to ‘my Maister Fastolf’; and Sir Thomas Howys, a month before his decease, promised to help him on Mr. Fastolf’s order. He would have come now to ‘my Lord’ to ask his alms had not the writer letted him. Desires to be informed whether ‘my Lord’ will help him. ‘Maister Briston yn lykewyse Maister Spicer, and Maister Stevyns, trustyn appon me and dyvers others to speke to my Lord for a relyeve,’ and Thomas Fastolf and Milcent Fastolf, and many others, ‘that make me noyed and werye.’
[Footnote 71-2: [From MS. Titchwell, 120, in Magdalen College, Oxford.] From internal evidence it would seem that this letter must have been written shortly before that which follows it. The abstracts of these two letters have been kindly supplied to me by Mr. Macray.]
745
ABSTRACT[72-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / MAY 17]
Letter in English from W. Wyrcestre to Bishop Wayneflete.--Has been at Tychewell to endeavour to let the manor and farm, but none of the farmers there will take it without guarantees from Sir John Paston and Sir William Yelverton in writing against any distraint. . . . . the younger, who owes £9, will come to the Bishop about the letting. The writer represents his own poor condition. Has been at charges ten years in London, and in riding on the infinite process of ‘my Maister Fastolf’s testament yn the court of audience.’ Is now obliged to retire from London to Cambridge in order to live cheaply. Had been promised 25 marks on Paston’s behalf, 20 marks for ever of Fastolf’s lands, 5 marks of fee for his life, and £15 worth of land for ever. Has not had clearly 8 marks.
[Footnote 72-1: [From MS. Titchwell, 199, in Magdalen College, Oxford.]]
746
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[72-2]
_To Syr John Paston, Knyght, or to Thomas Stompys, to delyver to the seyd Syr John._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JUNE 22]
Ryght worchepfull syr, and my specyall good brodyr, I recomand me to yow; and for as myche as I can not send yow good tydyngs, ye shall have syche as I knowe.
It is so that on Wednysday last past ye and I, Pampyng, and Edmund Broom were endyttyd of felonye at the Sessyons her in Norwyche for shotyng of a gonne at Caster in August last past, whyche goone slowghe two men, I, Pampyng and Broom as pryncypall, and ye as accessary; notwithstandyng Townysend[73-1] and Lomner held an oppynyon that the verdytt is voyd, for ther wer ij. of th’enqwest that wold not agre to th’endyttment. And in as myche as they ij. wer agreyd in othyr maters, and not in that, and that they two wer not dyschargyd fro the remnant at syche tym as that verdyth of yowyr endytment was govyn, ther oppynyon is that all the vordyght is voyde, as well of all othyr maters as of yowyr. Whedyr ther opynyon be good or not, I can not determyne, nor them sylf neythyr.
I pray yow let not thys mater be slept, for I can thynk that my Lord of Norff. consaylle wyll cawse the wedows to tak an apell, and to remeve it up in to the Kyngs Benche at the begynyng of this term. Townysend hathe promysyd me that he shall be at London on Twysday next comyng, and then ye may comon with hym in that mater, and take hys avyse.
Item, Townysend and Lomner thynk that and ye have good consayll, ye may justyfye the kepyng of the plase for the pesybyll possessyon that ye have had in it mor then iij. yeer; but in conclusyon, all thys is doo for nowght ellys but for to enforse yow to take a dyreccyon with my Lord of Norff.
I undyrstood by R. Sothewell--for he and I comonyd in thys mater ryght largely betwyx hem and me--in so myche he tellyth me that and I be at London in the wek next aftyr Seynt Petyr, at whych tyme he shall be ther hym sylf, he seyth that my Lady hathe promysyd me hyr good ladyshep, and sent me woord by hym, in as myche as he spak for me to hyr, that she wold remembyr myn old servyse, and for get the gret dysplesyr in syche wyse that I shall undyrstand that the swtte that I have mad to my Lord hyr husbond and hyr shall torne to your avantage and myn, more then we weene as yett or shall undyrstand tyll syche tyme as I have spokyn with hyr good grace. And upon thys promesse I have promysyd Sothewell to meet with hym at London that same weeke next aftyr Seynt Petyr; wherfor I wold passyngly fayne that ye wer in London at that season, or nye abowght London, so that I myght undyrstand at your plase wher that I myght spek with yow or then I spek with my Lady.
I propose to go to Canterbery[74-1] on foot thys next week, with Godds grace, and so to com to London fro thense. I pray yow se that I be safe for Parker and Henry Coletts mater.
Sothewell[74-2] told me thys, that if so be that ye wyll your sylf, ye shall have bothe goode lordshep and ladyshep, and mony or lond, or both, and all your maters set cler. What that he menyth, I can not sey. As for all othyr maters in thys contre, I shall do as well as I may for fawt of monye tyll I spek with yow. I have many collars on, as I shall tell yow when I come.
No more, but God preserve yow and yours. Wretyn at Norwyche, Fryday next aftyr Corpus Christi Daye.
J. P.
I ded as myche as I kowd to have lettyd th’endyttment, but it wold not be, as I shall enform you; and Townysend knowyth the same.
[Footnote 72-2: [From Fenn, iv. 428.] As this letter refers to an incident in the siege of Caister as having taken place ‘in August last,’ there can be no doubt about the date.]
[Footnote 73-1: Probably Roger Townsend, afterwards Justice of the Common Pleas.]
[Footnote 74-1: On pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, I suppose.--F.]
[Footnote 74-2: Richard Southwell, Esq. of Wood-Rising. He acquired this estate by marrying Amy, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Wichingham, Knight.--F.]
747
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[74-3]
_To Syr John Paston, Knyght, or to Thomas Stomppys, to delyver to the seyd Syr John._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JUNE 25]
As I sent yow woord by a lettyr that John Wymondham browght to London, J. Pampyng is endyghtyd of felony, and Edmund Broon as princypallys, and ye as axcessary, for schotyng of agonne in Awgust last past, whyche gonne kyllyd ij. men; and I trowe that my Lord of Norff. consayll wyll make on of the wedows, or bothe, to swe an apell up on the same endyghtment thys terme. Wherfor I pray yow se well to thys mater, that when it is sertyfyid in to the Kyngys Benche, Broom and Pampyng may have warnyng that they may purvey for hem self, if ther com eny _capyas_ owght for hem. Townysend can tell yow all the mater.
Also ye must in eny wyse be ware, for my grauntdam[75-1] and myn Lady Anne[75-2] and myn Oncyll Wyllam shall be at London within thes viij. or x. dayis, and I wot well it is for nowght ellys but to make myn Oncyll Wyllam swyr of hyr lond, notwithstandyng she hath reryd affyn of it be for Goodreed,[75-3] the Justyse, in my grauntfadyrs dayis, and my modyr tellyth me that ye have the copye of the same fyne; I wold avyse yow to have it redy, what so evyr betyd. I trow they wyll be the more besy abowght the same mater, because they thynk that ye dar not com in London, nor at Westmenstyr to lett [_stop_] them; but if so be that ye have not the copy of the same fynne, look that ye spare for no cost to do serche for itt, for it wyll stand yow on hand, I feell by the werkyng.
Thys day sevennyght I trust to God to be forward to Caunterbery at the ferthest, and upon Saterday com sevennygh I tryst to God to be in London; wherfor I pray yow leve woord at yowr plase in Fleet Strett wher I shall fynd yow, for I purpose not to be seyn in London tyll I have spook with yow.
I pray yow remembyr thes maters, for all is doon to make yow to drawe to an ende with thes Lordys that have your lond fro yow. No more, but I pray God send yow your herttys desyir in thees maters and in all othyr.
Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday next aftyr Seynt John Baptyst.
J. P.
[Footnote 74-3: [From Fenn, iv. 434.] This letter, it will be seen, refers in the beginning to the same matter as the preceding.]
[Footnote 75-1: Agnes Paston, widow of William Paston, the Judge.]
[Footnote 75-2: Anne, daughter of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, married William Paston, the uncle of Sir John Paston.--F.]
[Footnote 75-3: William Goodrede was created a Serjeant-at-Law in 1425. In 1431 he was appointed King’s Serjeant, and in 1434 became a Justice of the King’s Bench.--F.]
748
ABSTRACT[76-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 3]
Indenture between Sir John Paston and Edmund Shaa, goldsmith, London, concerning 20 dishes and a saucer of silver pledged to the latter, 3rd July 10 Edw. IV.
[Footnote 76-1: [From Paston MSS.]]
749
ABSTRACT[76-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 8]
Indenture, dated London, 8th July 10 Edw. IV., whereby Sir John Paston places in pawn to Stephen Kelke, goldsmith, of London, 16 pottingers, weighing 22 lb. 10½ oz. Troy weight, for £40, till Whitsuntide following.
[Footnote 76-2: [From Add. Charter 17,249, B.M.]]
750
ABSTRACTS[76-3]
FASTOLF’S LANDS
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 14]
‘11. A triparted indenture betweene William Bishop of Winton and John Paston, Knight, and others, touching the intent of two feoffmentes of the Bishop of Wynton, the one of the mannors of Drayton and Tolthorp, in the county of Norfolk and the city of Norwich, which were somtymes Sir John Falstofs; the other of the mannors of Wynterton, cald Bregmiles (?), of Reppys in Bastwyke, the third part of the mannor of Rowneham, londes and tenementes cald Cutts in Haringby, and lands cald Buley in Stokesby, to Guy Fairfax, John Paston, Squier, et aliis. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘17. Relaxatio Johannis Paston, Georgii Arch. Cant. et aliorum Willielmo Waynflet totius juris de et in omnibus maneriis, terris, &c. quæ fuerunt Johannis Falstolf in comit’ Norf., exceptis manerio de Castre et Spensers in Haringby, ac terris vocat’ Vaux, Redham, et Bosoms, et maner’ de Hayleydon, Drayton, et Tolthorp. Julii 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘28. An indenture contayning mutuall releases of the Bishop of Wynton to John Paston, Knight, et c^a. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
‘29 and 61. An indenture containing the agreement betweene Wylliam Wainflet, Bishop of Wynton, and Sir John Paston, concerning Sir John Fastolfes landes and goods. July 14, Edw. IV. 10.’
This last document, of which there is another copy or draft, numbered 36 in the Index, is more fully described, as follows, by Mr. Macray, in the Fourth Report of the Historical MSS. Commission:--
1470, 14 July, 10 Edw. IV. Indenture tripartite (very long, in English) between Bishop Wayneflete and Sir John Paston, Knight, containing an agreement for the termination of disputes between the executors of the will of Sir John Fastolf, whereby the property of the latter has been much wasted; dividing the manors between the Bishop and Paston, and providing for the foundation of seven priests and seven poor scholars in Magdalene College; Paston to deliver up all deeds and muniments to the Priory of St. Mary Overy, in Southwark, to be put in a chest, locked with two locks and two keys, of which the Bishop to have one and Paston the other, and the Bishop to bring thither also all his deeds; one part of this indenture to remain with each of the parties, and the third with the Prior of St. Mary Overy.
[Footnote 76-3: The following entries are taken from the old index of deeds and writings relating to Norfolk and Suffolk, preserved in the tower of Magdalen College, Oxford.]
751
PAMPYNG TO SIR JOHN PASTON[77-1]
_To my most reverent and worshipfull master, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 15]
Right worshipfull sir and my good master, I recomaund me unto yow in my moost lowly wise. And please yow to wete I have with the mony ye sent me by Judy rewardid my felaship as ye comaundid, wretyn in a bille closid herin; and as for William Milsent I lete hym wete hough ye undirstood he was disposed to goo hoom to his fadere, wherof ye were pleasid and wold he shuld do so. He said he intendid not to be with his fadir, ner it was not in his power so to do; nevirthelesse he is home to his fadir and ther abidith, but what he purposith to do I wote not. Davy is at home and takyth heed to his lond. Homeworth is content and gooth to his labour. As for Stompis, I have be with the Abbot of Sen Benetts for hym as ye comaundid. And he recomaundith hym to yow, and said to me he was right glad that ye wold send to hym for any servaunt ye had, saying that if he coud do any thyng for yow, and for any servaunt of yours, he wold do it feithfully. And also he said he wold not fayle yow whill he levid in that he coud and myght do, trustyng heraftir to have your help and favour in that he shall have a do. And he told me and Stompis bothe, whanne so evir he come he shuld be welcome, and that he wold do as welle to hym as to fewe servauntes he had for yowr sake, and that he wold kepe hym for yow. As for my self my mastres saith she woll geve me mete and drynk for a season; nevirthelesse I am warnyd to be ware, for it is told me that ther is processe out upon the appele ayens me and other; wherfore I beseche yow that that mater may be take heed to as ye may, that we myght have knowlech of any processe ther be, that we may be ware, for I thynk verely, and I or any other come in ther hands this world, we shuld not escape without shame at the leest.
Item, as for the remnaunt of the mony biside this bille, ye owe to the parson of Sent Edmondes Caster for iiij. combe malt, and ij. combe whete, x_s._ whiche I promysid hym to pay; and Rob. Newton lymebrenner for lyme, xiij_s._ iiij_d._, calling upon me for it; and Robert Bery for shoyng, x_s._; and if it please yow that I make payment herof there shall remayne in my handes xxiij_s._ iiij_d._ And what ye woll I do herin, I beseche yow to send me word. Judy hath be with Thom Fastolff, he can telle yow answer in that mater. As for the rewle at Caster, they selle and make mony of such stuffe as they fond there, and kepe other rewle that the contre is full sory and irk of, and of my lordes men resortyng to hem, and riden about the contry onknowen, and by berynges on hand[78-1] take large bribys. I pray God be your spede and send yow some good meane for your wele and ease to them that owe yow servise. Wretyn at Norwich the Monday next aftir Relik Sonday,
Your pore servaunt,
PAMPYNG.
[Footnote 77-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Reference is made in this letter to the appeal which the two widows were to sue against Sir John Paston. _See_ Nos. 746, 747.]
[Footnote 78-1: _See_ vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.]
752
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[79-1]
[Sidenote: 1470 / JULY 15]
I grete yow well and send yow Goddes blissyng and myne, letyng yow wete that your fermours have brought me a gret bille of reparacion, the which I send yow, with lx_s._ in mony. I wold have had the residue of the mony of them, and they said it was your agrement that this reparacion shuld be do and alowed now at this payment, and so I coud get no more mony of them. And they say that the parson[79-2] was prevy to the reparacion. If ye were thus agreed and woll have the reparacion examined ye may send word; but I wold ye shuld purvey for your self as hastely as ye may, and come home and take heed to your owne and to myn therto, otherwise thanne ye have do bifore this, bothe for my profite and for yours, or ellis I shall purvey for my self otherwise in hast, so that I trust shall be more ease and avayle for me and non ease nor profite to yow in tyme to come. I have litell help nor comfort of non of yow yet, God geve me grase to have heraftir. I wold ye shuld assay whedir it be more profitable for yow to serve me thanne for to serve such masters as ye have servid afore this, and that ye fynde mooste profitable theraftir do in tyme to come. Ye have assayed the werld resonabilly, ye shall knowe your self the bettir heraftir. I pray God we may be in quyete and in rest with oure own from hens forth. My power is nat so good as I wold it were for your sake and other; and if it were, we shuld not longe be in daungere. God brynge us oute of it; who have yow in His kepynge. Wretyn with onhertes ease the Monday next aftir Relike Sonday.
By your Modir.
[Footnote 79-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter, although subscribed ‘By your mother,’ is neither signed nor addressed. It is, however, undoubtedly from Margaret Paston to her son Sir John. It is written in Pampyng’s hand, and seems to be of the same year as his own letter immediately preceding, which is dated on the same day.]
[Footnote 79-2: Sir Thomas Howes.]
753
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[80-1]
_. . . . . Paston, &c._
[Sidenote: 1470 / AUG. 5]
Brother, I comand me to yow, &c. . . .[80-2] Also telle John Pampyng that the mayde at the Bulle at Cludeys at Westminster sent me on a tyme by hym to the Moor a rynge of goolde to a tookne, whyche I hadde not off hym. Wherffor I wolle he scholde sende it hyedre, ffor sche most have itt ageyn, or ellys v_s._, ffor it was not hyrrys. Item, I praye yow be redye; the mater qwykennythe bothe ffor yowe and yowres as well as ffor us and howrys.
As ffor tydynges, my Lorde Erchebysshop[80-3] is at the Moor, but ther is beleffte with hym dyverse off the Kynges servantes, and as I understond he hathe lysence to tarry ther tyll he be sente ffor. Ther be many ffolkes uppe in the northe, soo that Percy[80-4] is not able to recyst them; and soo the Kynge hathe sente ffor hys ffeeodmen to koom to hym, for he woll goo to putt them downe. And soom seye that the Kynge sholde come ageyn to London, and that in haste, and as it is sayde Cortenayes be londyd in Devenschyr, and ther rewle.
Item, that the Lordes Clarance and Warwyk woll assaye to londe in Inglonde evyrye daye, as ffolkes ffeer.
I praye yow late not John Mylsent be longe ffrom me, with as moche as can be gaderyd: and also that ye wryght to me off all thynges that I have wretyn to yow ffor, so that I may have answer off every thynge. Other thynges Bacheler Walter, berer heroff, schall informe yow.
Wretyn at London, the Sondaye nexte beffor Seynt Lawrence Daye.[81-1]
Also my brother Edmonde is not yet remembryd. He hathe not to lyff with, thynk on hym, &c.
JOHN PASTON, KT.
[Footnote 80-1: [From Fenn, ii. 46.] This letter, as it will be seen from the contents, was written at the period just before the restoration of Henry VI.]
[Footnote 80-2: Here follows an order about searching for some writings, etc.--F.]
[Footnote 80-3: This must mean George Neville, Archbishop of York, and brother to the Earl of Warwick, who seems to have been suspected by the King, and left at the Moor as a kind of state prisoner.--F.]
[Footnote 80-4: Henry Percy, who was restored to the Earldom of Northumberland this year on its surrender by John Nevill, Lord Montague. _See_ No. 743.]
[Footnote 81-1: St. Laurence’s day is the 10th of August.]
[[... Bacheler Walter, berer heroff, schall informe yow. _final . missing or invisible_]]
754
ABSTRACT[81-2]
[Sidenote: 1470 / AUG. 7]
Indenture, dated London, 7th Aug., 10 Edw. IV., whereby Sir John Paston puts in pawn to Ric. Rawlyn of London, grocer, 2 chargers and 4 potengers, weighing 11 lb. 1¾ oz. silver, for £20, till Whitsunday following.
[Footnote 81-2: [From Add. Charter 17,250, B.M.]]
[[weighing 11 lb. 1¾ oz. silver _period in “oz.” missing_]]
755
ABSTRACT[81-3]
[Sidenote: 1470]
1470, 10 Aug., 10 Edw. IV., at Eshher. Undertaking in English by John Paston, Esq., son of John Paston, Esq., who was one of the feoffees and executors of Sir John Fastolf, that whereas Bishop Waynflete, also one of the feoffees, and now sole executor, has taken upon him to perform the will of the said Sir John, so far forth as it may be performed (it being in most substance not yet performed, and his property wasted and devoured), out of his manors and lands in Essex, Surrey, Norfolk, Suffolk, and the city of Norwich, he (the said John Paston) will do true and faithful service to the said Bishop, and will be aiding and assisting to him and Magdalen College, in order that the lands may be let to their greatest profit, he being rewarded by the Bishop, to show his very good will to the due performing of Fastolf’s will; and that before the Feast of All Saints next he will deliver up to the said Bishop all charters, deeds, evidences, rentals, accounts, etc., pertaining to any of the said manors, excepting such as concern solely the manor of Castre, which by covenant of the said Bishop with Sir John Paston, Knight, brother of the said John Paston, Squire, must remain with the same Sir John.
[Footnote 81-3: The following abstract, like some others preceding, is taken from Mr. Macray’s Report to the Historical MSS. Commission on the Records of Magdalen College, Oxford.]
[[1470, 10 Aug., 10 Edw. IV., at Eshher. _spelling unchanged_]]
756
ABSTRACTS[82-1]
PAINTER’S WORK
[Sidenote: 1470]