185.1[From Fenn, iv. 224.] It appears by Letter 610 following that Margaret Paston was in London in September 1465. This letter must therefore have been written in that year.185.2Elizabeth Paston, now widow of Robert Poynings; afterwards married to Sir George Brown of Betchworth Castle, Surrey.186.1Sir John Paston.—F.186.2Anne Paston, afterwards the wife of William Yelverton.—F.186.3The Cross at the north door of St. Paul’s.186.4The Abbey of Saint Saviour at Bermondsey, in Surrey, was founded in 1081, 15th William the Conqueror, by Alwin Child of London; it was surrendered in 1539, 31 Hen.VIII., when it was pulled down, and a Fair House built on the site by Sir Thomas Pope, Knight.—F.186.5Margery Paston; she afterwards married Richard Calle.—F.608ANONYMOUS TO MARGARET PASTON186.6To my mestresse, Margaret Paston by thys letter delivered.1465SEPT. (?)Pleaseyour good mastreschep to have knowlage that as thys day was Master Stevyn of Norwich at Caster, and ther he told me he was yesterday at Hoxhon with the Byschop of Norwych; and ther he seythe that ther is gret labor mad be Master Phylyp186.7and be the baly of Cossey; inso moche ther is mad a comission on to Master John Salet and Master Robert Ipyswell for an inquerry that the parson187.1that my master187.2mad last at Drayton ys deed, as they sey, and in so moche they purpose to put in the parson of Felthorp, as he hard sey, for the Duk of Suffolk. And thes he thynkyth it were a gret urt to my master tytyll. And also another inquerry howe [who] ys patorne of the seyd chyrche; and thys is leke to come in revelicion but yf [unless] ther be gret labore mad to morowe be tymys and that ye have a man at Hoxhon in all hast for a newe comicion; and in that commysion Master Stevyn wold that ye shuld have Master Jon Salet, Master Symond Thornaham, Master Nicholl Stanton. And that it be mad be the avice of Master Jon Bulman; for he told Master Stevyn he wold do for you that he may, in so moche Master Stevyn hathe promyssyd hym a nobyll; and so the seyd Master Stevyn wold ye shuld send hym a letter and late hym have knolage that Master Stevyn shall reward hym that he shall hold hym pleasyd.Item, a told me that a sent a letter to Sir William Maryys of all this mater yesterday, weder ye have er not he can not sey, but in noo wyse that ye dyskure not Master Stevyn, for he wold not for an Cli.that it ware knowe that ye knewe ther of by hym, for he seythe gold gothe gret plenty at Hoxhon on ther part. And yf it be labord be tymys it may be remevyd to Caunterbury. Also yet it is good to send to Norwich to the seyd Sir William for the letter ar the massanger goth, &c.186.6[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter was probably written about or before the beginning of September 1465, as the proceedings of Salet and Ipyswell on the commission of inquiry here referred to are alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston to her husband on the 27th of that month.186.7Doubtless Philip Lipgate.187.1This must be John Flowerdew, presented by John Paston and Thomas Howes in 1461.187.2John Paston.609JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON188.1To my Cosyn Margret Paston.1465SEPT. [21]Mynowne dere sovereyn lady, I recomaund me to yow, and thank yow of the gret chere that ye mad me here to my gret cost and charge and labour. No more at thys tyme, but that I pray yow ye woll send me hedir ij. clue of worsted188.2for dobletts, to happe me thys cold wynter; and that ye inquere where William Paston bought his tepet of fyne worsted, whech is almost like silk, and if that be mech fyner thanne that he shuld bye me after vij. or viij.s., thanne by me a quarter and the nayle therof for colers, thow it be derer thanne the tother, for I wold make my doblet all worsted for worship of Norffolk, rather thanne like Gonnores doblet.Item, as for the mater of the ix.xx.li.askyd by my Lady of Bedford188.3for the maner of Westthirrok, where as Sir Thomas Howes saith that he hath no wrytyng therof, but that Sir John Fastolf purchased the seid maner, and payd serteyn money in ernest, and aftirward graunted his bargeyn to the Duc ofBedford, and so the money that he toke was for the mony that he had payd. Peraventure Sir Thomas hath writyng therof, and knowyth it not; for if ther be any such mony payd upon any bargeyn he shall fynd it in Kyrtlyngs bocks that was Sir John Fastolfs reseyver, and it was abought such tyme as the Duc of Bedford was last in Inglond, whech, as it is told me, was the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the fift, or the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the sext, and the somme that he payd for the seid bargeyn was CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd, the xxij. yere of Kyng Herry or ther abought, in the acompts of on of Fastolfs Reseyvors at London, that ther was take of Sir Thomas Tyrell, and of the Duchesse of Excestre,189.1that was wif to Sir Lowes John, fermours of the seid maner, serteyn mony for repayment of part of the seid CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd in yeres after that, or in that yere, or ther aboutes, that Sir John Fastolf reseyved mony of my Lord Revers189.2that now is, by the name of Richard Wydevile, for his owne dette dew to Sir John Fastolf; wherfore, if Sir Thomas be trewe to his master, lete hym do his devoir to make that Worseter, whech is uphold be hym with the deds goods, to be trewe to his master, or ellis it is tyme for Sir Thomas to forsake hym, and helpe to punyssh hym, or men mast sey that Sir Thomas is not trewe; and more over leteSir Thomas examine what he can fynd in this mater that I sent hym werd of, whech mater he shall fynd in the seid Reseyvours bocks, if he list to seke it.Item, on the day after your departyng, I reseyved letters by Will. Ros from your sones to me, and to yow, and to Ric. Calle, &c.Item, I shall telle you a tale,Pampyng and I have picked your male190.1And taken out pesis190.2v.,For upon trust of Calles promise, we may soon onthryve;And, if Calle bryng us hedir xxli.,Ye shall have your peses ayen, good and round;Or ellis, if he woll not pay yow the valew of the peses, thereTo the post do nayle his ere;Or ellis do hym some other wrongs,For I will no nore in his defaut borough;And but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better plyedHe shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed;190.3And loke ye be mery and take no thought,For thys ryme is cunnyngly wrought.My Lord Persy190.4and all this houseRecomaund them to yow, dogge, catte, and mowse,And wysshe ye had be here stille,For the sey ye are a good gille.190.5No more to you at this tyme,But God hym save that mad this ryme.Wret the of Sent Mathe,190.6Be yowr trew and trustie husband, J. P.188.1[From Fenn, iv. 90.] From the mention of ‘this cold winter’ at the beginning of this letter we might naturally suppose that the feast ‘of Sent Mathe,’ on or about which it was written, was that of St. Matthias, which occurs on the 24th of February. But we believe the day of St. Matthew to have been intended, so that the expression must have had reference to some unusually cold weather in September. It is clear from the contents of the letter that Margaret Paston had recently been with her husband in London, and had just left him in company with Richard Calle on her return towards Norfolk. Letters for her and Richard Calle had arrived from her two sons since they departed. Now the only time, so far as I can find, that Margaret Paston ever visited her husband in London—at all events when her sons were grown up—was in September 1465; and on that occasion Calle was with her, and everything else agrees. Indeed, no one can doubt that the latter portion of the letter immediately following was written in answer to this letter.188.2Worsted is a small market-town in the most east part of the county of Norfolk, formerly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which, for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his doublet to be made.—F.188.3Jaquetta, daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Earl of Saint Pol, was the second wife of John, Duke of Bedford, the Regent of France during HenryVI.’s minority. She was married to him in 1433, and after his decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile, and died in 1472.189.1Anne, eldest daughter of John Montacute, third Earl of Salisbury, married, 1st, Sir Richard Hankford, Knight; 2ndly, Sir Lewis John, Knight (whose will was proved in 1442); and 3rdly, John Holland, who was created Duke of Exeter 6th January 1443, and died in 1446. Fenn erroneously supposed the lady to have been the widow of Thomas Beaufort, a previous Duke of Exeter, who died in 1426. This Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Nevill, but his wife did not survive him, as Fenn supposed, for at his death he was found to have been tenant of her lands for life by the law of England. Fenn’s note on this passage is, however, so interesting that we must quote a part of it. Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. ‘On digging,’ he says, ‘amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the Duke was found, on the 20th of February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire. The face, hair, and every part were perfect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to the air, the body soon became offensive . . . . . I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.’189.2Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Grafton, in Northamptonshire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became the Queen of EdwardIV., who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers. He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury in 1469.—F.190.1Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed that in the original letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.—F.190.2Pieces of money.190.3I do not understand this line.—F. Surely ‘ours’ must be a misreading of ‘curs’ (curse)?190.4Henry, Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461, by Eleanor, granddaughter and heir of Robert, Lord Poynings.His father having been attainted, he continued to be called Lord Percy; but he was afterwards fully restored both in blood and title.190.5An agreeable companion.—F.190.6St. Matthew’s Day is the 21st September.610MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON191.11465SEPT. 27Ryghtwourchipful husbonde, I recomaunde me to yow, dyssyryng hertely to here of yowr welfare, thankyng yow of yowr grett chere that ye made me, and of the coste that ye dede on me. Ye dede more cost thanne my wylle was that ye choulde do, but that it plesyd yow to do so, God gyf me grase to do that may plese yow. Plesyt yow to wet that on Fryday after myn departyng frome yow I was at Sudbury and spake with the schreve, and Ric. Calle toke hym the ij. writts, and he brake them, and Ric. hathe the copes of them;Vic. Norfolk pro ovibus.and he seyde he wolde send the writts to hys undre-schryf and a leter therwyth, chargyng hym that he schowlde do ther ine as largely as he owt to do.Answer of the writts and of the replevyn.And I and Ric. informyd hym of the demenyng of hys undrchryf, how parciall he hade be with the other partye, bothe in that mater, and also for the accionnys beyng in the scher; and he was nothyng wel plesyd of the demenyng of hys undreschef, and he hat wretyn to hym that he choulde be indeferent for bothe partyes acordyng to the lawe, bothe for that materys and for alle other. What the undreschryf wylle do therin I wot ner, for he is not yet spokyn with.Item, as for Cotton, I entryd in to the plase as on Sunday last was, and ther I abode tyll un Wednysday last pasyd.Margareta Paston intravit manerium Cotton die Dominica proxima ante festum Michaelis.I have left ther John Paston the yonger, Wykes, and other xij. men for to receive the profyttes of the maner; and ayenst the day of kepyng of the corte, I hope ther shall be more to streynkyth them, yf it nede. John Paston hath be with my lorde of Norfolk seyth [since] we entryd, and dyssyryd hisgood lorchyp to streynth hym with hys howsolde men and other yf nede be; and he hath promysyd he would do so.I thank yow of your demenyng at Cotton.And I sent Ric. Calle on Tusday to Knevett, dysyryng hym that he woulde sende to hys baley and tenaunts at Mendlesham, that thei choulde be redy to come to John Paston whan he sent for them; and he sent a man of his forthwith, chargyng them in aney wyse that they choulde do so.Remembir Nakton.And he sent me wourde be Ric. and hys sonne also, yf wee were not stronge inough, that owther he or hys sonne, or bothe yf nede were, would come with suche feleschipp as they coude gett abowt them, and that thei woulde do as feythfully as they kowde for yow, bothe in that mater and in alle other.Item, on Saterday last was, Jenney ded warne a corte at Calcotte to be holde ther in hys name as on Tusday last was, and Debenham de[d] charge another court ther the Sunday next after to be holde ther the same Tusday in hys name. And Daubeney had knowleche ther of, and he dede send on Sunday at nyght to yowr elder sonne, for to have some men fro thens; and so he sent Wykes and Bernay to hym on Monday in the mornyng.Mokenge of Jenney and Debenham at Calcotes the Tuisday next bifore Sen Migchell.And assone as thei were come to Castre thei sent for men ther in the contre, and so they gett them in to a iij.xx.men; and Daubeney and Wekes and Bernay rod to Calcott the same Munday at nyght with ther felechyp, and ther kept them prevye in the pl[a]se, so that non of alle the tenaunts kneue them ther, saf Rysyngs wyff and her howsolde, tylle the Theusday at x. of the cloke.Now your cost is doon, consideryng your frends be corayges and your enemyes discoraged, gadir up the profits in all goodly hast, and that I may see acompt for this trobill tyme.And than Sir Thomas Brews, Debunham the fadre,192.1and the knyt hys sonne,192.2Jenney, Mykelfylde younger, Jermyn, and younge Jernyngham, and the Baley of Motforde, with other to the noumbre of a iij.xx.persones, coum fro the sessionnys at Becklys, the whech thei hade keppt ther on the day byfor, coume to Seynt Olevys, and ther thei teryed and dynyd. And whan thei had dynyd, Sir Gylberde Debenham came to Calcott with xx. hors for to wett what felechipp ther was in the plase. And than Wekes aspyed them commyng; and he and Bernay and ij. with them rode owt to a’ spoke with them. And whan Sir Gilberd aspyd them comyng, he and his felechipp flede and rode ayen to SeyntOlovys. And than they sent young Jernyngham and the Baley of Mottforde to yowr men lettyng hem wete that the Justice of the Pese wer coum doune with Debunham and Jenney, to se that the pese choulde be kepte, and that thei choulde entre and kepe the courte in pesible wyse. And yowr men answeryd and seyd that they knewe no man was possessyd ther in, ner hade no ryght therin but ye, and so in your name, and in your ryght they seyd they woulde kepyt. And so they yede ayen with thys answer, and wer put fromme ther purp[o]se that day. And all the tenaunts bestes wer put fro Calcalcott193.1fee, and challe be tylle other remedy maye be hadde. Yowr men woulde not kepe ther a cort that daye by cause it was warnyd by the tother parte, but we wyl do warne a corte and kepyt, I hope in hast. Ye wyll laugh for to here alle the processe of the demenyng ther, wheche wer to longe to writt at thys tyme.Veneat (sic) Barney.Bernay challe telle yow whane he come; but he challe not come to yow tylle after Seynt Feythesmesse,193.2that he maye bryng yow answeres of other materys.Cessiones Norwici et Dunwici Martis proximo post festum Michelis.It is tolde me the sessionys choulle be her at Norwiche on Tusday next comyng, and in Suffolk the Sessionys challe be the same Tusday owther at Dounwyche or at Ypswyche. I suppose ther challe be labowr ayenst soume of our folks ther, but we cholle assay to lete ther pourpose yf we maye.De prudencia custodiendi Heylesdon.It is tolde me yf ther hade no folks a’ be left here in thys plase whyll I have be owt, they choulde a’ be neue masters her by thys tyme; therfor it is not good to leve it alone yett.Tenentes comitis Oxoniæ pro custodia Cotton.Item, Arblaster hathe sent a letter to myn Lorde of Oxenefords tenaunts that be nerrest abowt Cotton to help John Paston yf they be sent to, &c.Episcopus Norwici pro ecclesia de Drayton.Item, I was thys daye with myn Lorde of Norwyche at Thorppe, and informyd hym of the demenyng of the mater for Drayton chyrche, and of alle the demenyng and parcialte of Master John Solatt and Ypswell; and also I informyd what disposission that they were of that were upon the quest.Lete yowr counsell comone with hym, but thei may sey they knowe not myn evidens nor titell, ner have no mor to do by my writynge that I sent yow thanne to avyse hough I shall take myn accion, and that in that accion I have as good titell as my Lord of Norwich hath to the chirch of Thorp.And in good feyth me thynkyth by hym that he is ryght ille plesyd that the mater was so gydyt. He seyde to me ryghtpleynly that the Jugis dede not therin as thei owght to do, and he seyd thowe I hadde hade noo councell, the he howght of ryght to have assyngyd me councell suche as I hadde dyssyrid; but he seyde he wyst well he dede in that mater as he have do in other materys byfor. Me thynkyth by suche thynges I harde ther that the seyd Master John ner the tother is not grettly in conseyt at thys tyme; and so tolde me Aschefylde in councell. What the cause was he myght have no leyser to telle me. I mevyd my lorde in the mater acordyng to the intent of yowr wrytyng yf aney axcion wer take; and he seyd feythefully yf it myght prevayle yow, he woulde with ryght good wylle that it choulde be doo; and ellys he woulde not in noo wyse that it choulde be doo. And he dyssyryde me to sende to hym suche as be of yowr councell lernyd, that they myght comune with hym therin, for he seyd he woulde not ye choulde take non axcion therin withowt it myght provayle. He was well payed that I tolde hym that ye woulde not do therin withowt hys knowleche and assent; and he seyd he woulde do therin as he woulde do yf the mater wer hys owne. Be avyse of yowr councell, I purpose to sende Loumnowr and Playter to commone with hym therin. He seyd he woulde feyne that ye wer owt of troble; and he seyd, yf he myght doo owght to helppe yow forwarde in aney of yowr materys, he swore by heys feythe he wode do hys parte feythfully therin.Episcopus apud London.He purp[o]syd to be at London thys terme, and thanne he seyd he woulde speke with yow of maney thyngs; he wycheyd herteley that he myght have spoke with yow on owr. He mevyd to me of a mater of a jentyllman of Cornale.CornwayleHe seyd he woulde speke with yow therof her after; yf it myght be browt to, it myght do meche good in maney thyngis. I harde yow onys speke of the same; ye tolde me ye hade be mevyd to therof by other.Item, I received at letter frome yow yesterday, wherof I thanke yow hertely, and I praye yow that I maye be as ye writt. And as for suche materys as Sir Thomas Howys choulde be spoke to for194.1I sent Ric. Calle this day to speke with hym, but he myght not speke with hym; but as hastelyas I may I challe do myn parte to spede the erands and other.Ecclesia de Mautby.It is tolde me that Sir Thomas wyll ressyng Mautby chyrche, and yf it plesyd yow to geve it to on Sir Thomas Lyndis, I truste verely that ye choulde leke hym ryght well, for he is rit a prystly man and vertusly dysposyd. I have knowe hym this xx. yer and mor; he was brother to the goode parsone of Seynt Michellys that ye lovyd ryght well; and yf he myght havyt he woulde kepe an howsolde therupon and bylde (?) well the plase (?); and therof have it grete nede, for it is now rit evyll reparyd, and I wott well he woll be rulyd and gydyt as ye wyll have hym.Wursted.I praye yow, yf it plese yow that he have it, that it lekyth yow to sende me an answer by the berrer herof.Item, I have do spoke for yowr worstede195.1but ye may not have it tylle Halowmesse; and thane I am promysyd ye challe have as fyne as maye be made. Ric. Calle challe bryng it up with hym.Wretyn the Fryday next before Michelmas day.191.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘IIII.’ at the head, showing that it is of the same sequence as the next, which is numbered ‘V.’ and dated on the very same day. In fact, the latter is clearly nothing but a postscript to this, and bears the address upon the back, which this does not.192.1Gilbert Debenham, senior, Esq.192.2Sir Gilbert Debenham.193.1So inMS.193.26th October.194.1SeeNo. 609.195.1SeeNo. 609,p. 188, Note 2.611MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON195.2To my ryght worschipfull husbond, John Paston, in haste.To get a copy [of] that he hath . . hed; notwithstandyng [I] wote well thei have found non such evidens as ye wene.Item, it was tolde me thys day that Master John Salatt hathe made a serge in the regestre this monethe aftre the wylles and testements or suche as hought the maners of Heylesdon and Drayton this c. yere, and be that hathe they founde suche evidence as schal be gret strenghthyng to the Duks tittle, as it is seide. I undrestonde verely that Mastre John Salet is all on that partye, and no thyng with you.Item, as for the bill that ye sent to Sir Thomas Howys touchyng on Edmond Carvyll and on Fraunces, I wote ner whether he had hem or nought, for he is not spoken with yett in the maters. As wee spede owr materys, we chall sende yow answers of them as hastely as we maye. At the reverense of God, spede ye yowr materys that ye maye come owte of that loggyng that ye ar in as hastely as ye maye, for I have non fansey with some of the felechipp. I tolde yow, as me thowth, I praye yow be ware, &c.I praye yow yf it plese yow that I may be recommaundyd to my Lorde Percy, and to myn mastres, and to my Lorde Abott. And I pray God bryng yow and them owt of troble, and send yow good spede in alle yowr materys. Wretyn in hast, the Fryday next afor Michellmes.Be yowr,M. P.Yf it plese yow to send aney thyng by the berer herof, he is trusty inough.195.2[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘V’ at the head. As it refers to Paston’s dispute with the Duke of Suffolk about the manors of Hellesden and Drayton, it must belong to the year 1465. The reader will also perceive that it contains an allusion to John Paston’s imprisonment in the Fleet, and to my Lord Percy, who is mentioned in Letter 609, and who must have been a fellow-prisoner of Paston’s.612SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON196.1[To]his ryght worschypful[fa]dre John Paston, beyng[in t]he Flete at London, be thys delyvered.RyghtWorschypful Syr, in the most lowly wyse I recomand me to you. Pleasyth it you to wet that I sente you a letter but late agoo, in whych letter I lete you have understondyng that if it pleasyd yow to grante and assente therto, Syr Thomas Howes wolde resyngne the benefyse of Mawteby to a ful prestly man of Norwych callyd Sir Thomas Lyndys, whom I suppose ye have knolech of. Neverthelesse I wote wele he hath not ben grettly aquentyd with you. But I and he have ben moch aquentyd to geder, and Iunderstond and knowe hys vertews levyng and dysposicion ryght wele; whyche heraffter, I wote wele, sholde please you ryght wele. And that letter whyche I sente you as I understode syns Nycholas Calman the berer ther of came not owte of Norwych iiij. or v. dayes after that the bylle was delyveryd hym; wherefor I am in dowte whyther it is come to your handes.Whych causyth me to wryght to you ageyn in thys wyse, besechyng yow, if it plese yow that the seyd Sir Thōs Lyndys schal be of your promotynge in the wyse above wretyn that there it lyke you that I may have answer by the berer herof; whych schal tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.No more to yow at thys tyme, but Alle myghty God have yow in guydynge. Wretyn at Heylesdon the Fryday next byfore Seynt Mychell.By yowr older sone,John Paston.196.1[MS.in Pembroke College, Cambridge.] This letter, as will be seen, was written in 1465 on the same day as Margaret Paston’s two letters,Nos. 610, 611.tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.final . invisible613SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON197.1To my ryth reverrend and worchepfull fadre, John Paston, be thys delyveryd.1465OCT. 3Aftyrall humbyll and most due recomendacion, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of your blyssyng. Plesyt yow to have knowlege that as on Sonday next be for Myhelmas Day, as my modyr came fro London ward, sche cam homward by Cotton, and sche sent for me to Heylysdon to come to hyr thedyr, and so I have ben in the plase ever sethyn. And as sone as Myhelmas Day was past, I begane to dystreyne the tenants, and gadryd some syllvyr, as myche, I trowe, as wyll pay for our costs; and yet I cepe here ryth a good felawschep, and mor wer promysyd me, whychethat came not to me, wherby I was ner deseyvyd. For when Debnam herd sey how that I began to gadyr sylvyr, he reysyd many men with in j. daye and an halfe, to the nombyr of iijc.men, as I was credebly assartaynyed by a yeman of the chambyr of my Lordys198.1that owythe me good wyll, whech yeman, as sone as he had sene ther felauschep, rod streyth to my Lord and informyd hym of it; and also he informyd my Lord how that I had gadryd a nothyr gret felashschep, whyche felawschep he namyd more than we wer by jc.and an halfe and yett more. And he seyd on to my Lord and my Lady, and to their consell, that with owt that my Lord took a dyrectyon in the mater, that ther wer leek to be do gret harme on bothe oure pertyes, wheche wer a gret dysworchep to my Lord, consederyng how that he takyth us bothe for hys men, and so we be knowyn well inow. Upon whyche informacion, and dysworchep to my Lord, that tweyn of hys men schold debat so ner hym, contrary to the Kyngs pese, consedryd of my Lord and my Lady and ther cownsell, my Lord sent for me and Syr Gylberd Debnam to come to hym to Framlyngham bothe, and as it fortunyd well my modyr come to me to Cotton not half an owyr be for that the mesenger came to me fro my Lord, wheche was late upon Twysday last past at nyth; and the next day on the mornyng I rod to my Lord to Framlyngham, and so ded Syr Gylberd also. And as sone as we wer come, we wer sent for to come to my Lord, and when we come to my Lord, he desiyryd of us bothe that we schold neythyrthyr gadyr no felawschep, but syche men as we had gadryd that we schold send hem home a yen, and that the coort schold be contenuyd in to the tyme that my Lord, or suche as he wold asyngne, had spok bothe with yow and Yelverton and Jenney, and that on indeferent man chosyn by us bothe schold be assynyd to kepe the plase in to the tyme that ye and they wer spook with.And then I answed my Lord, and seyd how that at that tyme I had my maistyr within the maner of Cotton, whyche was my modyr, and in to the tyme that I had spook with hyr I cowd geve none answer; and so my Lord sent Rychord Fulmerston, berer hereof, to my modyr thys day for ananswer, whyche answer he schold bryng to my Lord to London, for my Lord rod to Londons word as yesterday, and the soner be cause he trustyd to have a good end of this mater and alle othyr be twyx yow, whyche he takyth for a gret worchep to hym, and a gret avantage bothe, and he cowd bryng this mater abowt, for then he wold trust to have your servyse, alle whyche wer to hym gret tresour and avantage.And this was the answer that my modyr and I gave hym, that at the instans of my Lord and my Ladye we wold do thus myche as for to put the coort in contenuans, and no more to receyve of the profyts of the maner than we had, and had dystresid for tyll in to the tym that sche and I had werd ayen fro my Lord and yow, if so wer that they wold neythyr mak entreys nor dystreyn the tenantys, nor chepe no coort mor then we wold do. And we told Rychord Fulmerston that thys my modyr and I ded at the instans and gret request of my Lord, be cause my Lord intendyd pes, whyche resonably we wold not be ayenst, and yet we seyd we knew well that we schold have no thank of yow when ye knew of it, with owt it wer be cause we ded it at my Lordys instans. But be for thys answer we had receyvyd as myche sylvyr full ner as Rychord Calle sent us bokys of for to gadyryt bye; and as for the possessyon of the plase, we told hym that we wold kepe it, and Syr Gylberd agreyd, so that Yelverton and Jeney would do the same; for it was tyme for hym to sey so, for my Lord told hym that he wold hym fast by the feet ellys, to be suyr of hym, that he schold make non insurreccions in to the tyme that my Lord came ayen fro London.I wene, and so dothe my modyr bothe, that thys appoyntment was mad in good tyme; for I was deseyvyd of bettyr than an C. men and an halfe that I had promyse of to have come to me when I sent for hem. Thys promes had I befor that I sent to yow the last lettyr the daye aftyr Seynt Myhell. Jenney herd seye that I cepyd Cotton, and he rod to Nacton, and ther held a cort and receyvyd the profytys of the maner.I beseche yow that I may have knowlage in hast fro yow ye wyll that I be demenyd in thys mater and in al othyr, andI schal aplye me to fulfyll your intent in them to my power by the grace of God, whom I beseche have yow in guydyng, and sende yow yowyr herts desyir. Wretyn at Hemnalle Halle, in Cotton, the Thursday next befor Seynt Feythe.My modyr recomandyth her to yow, and preyith yow to hold hyr excusyd that sche wrytyth not to yow at thys tyme, for sche may have no leyser. The berer her of schall informe yow whedyr Jeney wyll agre to thys appoyntment or not. I thynk he dar do non othyr wyse.Your sone and lowly servaunt,John Paston.197.1[From Fenn, iv. 80.] The signature of this letter, according to the fac-simile referred to by Fenn, is that of Sir John Paston, the eldest son of the person addressed. The date is undoubtedly 1465, as it will be seen byLetter 610that Margaret Paston entered Cotton on Sunday before Michaelmas in that year.198.1The Duke of Norfolk.614THE DUKE OF NORFOLK TO JOHN PASTON, THE YOUNGEST200.1To owr trusty and enterly beloved servaunt, John Paston, Esquyr.The Deuke of Norff.1465OCT. 12Ryghtwelbeloved servaunt, y grete yow hertly welle, sertefyng that we shulle be at fulle age on Fryday nexst comyng. Wherfor, wele consayled be the Lordes of owr Consayle and oder of owr Consayle, that ye, on of owr servaunts of howsholde, with oder, be with us at London on Fryday or Saterday nexst comyng at the ffurdest, too a companye us thann too owr worshyp, for we shull have thann levery of owr landes and offyces; and that ye ffayle usnot, as ye woll have owr good Lordeshyp in tyme comyng; and also that ye doo warne owr ffeede men201.1and servaunts, suche as be nye too yow, that they be ther thann in owr leverey. Y wreton the xij. day of October.Norff.200.1[From Fenn, iv. 62.] John Mowbray, third Duke of Norfolk, died on the 6th November 1461. It appears by the Inquisitionspost mortem, 1 EdwardIV., No. 46, that John, his son and successor in the title, was seventeen years old on St. Luke’s Day (18th October) in that year. He must therefore have been born on the 18th October 1444, and would have been of full age on Friday, 18th October 1465. The John Paston, Esq., to whom this letter was addressed, must have been the youngest of that name, who, as we have seen already, had been serving in the Duke’s household. His father was at this time a prisoner in the Fleet, so that the letter could not have been intended for him.201.1Those who held lands of the Duke as their superior.615THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK’S ATTACK ON HELLESDON201.21465OCT. 14Thysbe the parcell underwryten of such godys as were taken and beren away at Haylesdon, of John Pastons, hys sones and hys servaunts by the Duk of Suffolk servaunts and tenaunts the xiiij. day of October the v. yere of Kyng E. the iiijte, the whych day the place of Haylesdon was broken and pullyd dowyn, &c.In primis, ther was lost of John Pastons ther at that tyme in beddyng ij. ffeder bedds with ij. bolsters, iiij. materas, with iiij. bolsters; a grete seler with the testor, and iij. corteyns of whyte lynen cloth, and a coverlyte of whyte werstede longyng therto.Item, a selere with a testore, and iij. corteyns of blewe bokeram with a coveryng of blew werstede longyng therto; v. pylowys of dowyn, vj. coverlyts of werk of dyvers colors, vj. payr blankettys, ij. payr shytes of iij. webbys, ij. hedshytes of ij. webbys, vj. payre shytes of ij. webbys, ij. basons of pewter, and iij. candelstykks of latyn for the chamber.The Botere.Item, in primis, vj. bord clothys, vj. towellys, xij. napkyns, vj. candelstykks of laton, ij. saltsalers of sylver, ij. saltsalers of pewter, ij. basons of pewter with ij. ewers, a barell of vyneger, a barell of vergyous, xij. ale stondys, ij. pantre knyves, a pyce of sylver, a pype for brede, a ale stole, xij. spones of sylver, &c.The Browhern.Item, a grete lede to brew v. comb malte with one plawyng, a mayshsate, ij. kylyng sates, vj. kylers, ij. clensyng sates, a taptrogh, a temps to clense, with a scyppe to bere malte, a syff to syft malte, a bultyng pype, ij. knedyng satys, a moldyng bord.The Kychyn.Item, ij. dosyn pewter vessell, iiij. grete bras pannes, iij. potts of bras, j. greddyron, ij. broches, j. dressyng knyff, j. morter of marbell with a pestell, j. litell panne of bras of di. galon, ij. pothoks, ij. rakks of yron, ij. brendeletts, a almary to kepe in mete, j. axe to clyve wode, ij. saltyng satys to salte in fflesh.Gere taken owt of the Chyrch.Item, in the stepell, ix. sheffe arwys, ix. bawys, ij. handgonnes, iiij. chambers for gonnys, ij. mallys of lede, ij. jakks.Item, in the church, a purs and iij. gold ryngs, a coler of sylver of the Kyngs lyvery and a nobyll of viijs.iiijd.the whych was Wykys.Item, a syde gowne of blewe of Wyks.Item, a stokke gonne with iij. chambers.Gere taken owte of the Chaumber of Ric. Calle.Item, a syde morrey gowne, a dobelet of blak satyn, a payre hosyn, a jakks, the polronds of a payr bryganders of rede sateyn ffugr.Item, a payr of large tabelles of box, pris vjs.viijd.Item, a staffe, pris iijs.iiijd.Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.Gere taken away of Margeret Pastons.Item, an unce of gold of Venyse, di. pype of gold damask, di. unc’ of gold of Gene, an unc’ of sylk, a li. of threde, a close glasse of yvery, a grete combe of yvere, a fyne kerchy of fyne Holond cloth, a quarter of blak velwet.Gere of Johanne Gayns.Item, a ryng of gold with a dyamonics, a typet of sarsenet, a nobyll of xs., a nobyll viijs.iiijd.Gere of John Wyks.Item, a dobelet of blak fusteyn, a hers harnys, vjs.a gray hers, pris xls., ij. shertys, pris iiijs.Will. Bedford.Item, a Normandy byll and a bawe, pris of them both vjs.John Boteler.Item, a payr botys, a payr sporys, a shert, a cappe, a hatte, a dobelet, a payr hosyn, a brydell, ij. crepers, v. ston of wall, xxx. welfellys, a spere staff.Shepe.Item, taken away uppon Draytun grounde at on tyme by the baylly of Cossey and others, CC. shepe callyd hoggys.Item, at a nother tyme, uppon the same ground, iiijxx.hoggys and xl. theyves.Item, at a nother tyme, at Haylesdon, by the baylly of Cossey and Bottesford and other, viijcc.moder shype and CCCC. lambes.Memorandum, a gowne of Richard Calle, pris ixs., j. peyr hosen, iijs., j. swerd, iijs., ij. bonets, ijs.. . . . j. jakk, xxvjs.viijd., j. schert, iijs.iiijd.Memorandum, the pullyng downe of the place at Heylesden, to the hurts and skathes of ——Item, the pullyng downe of the logge of Heylesden.Item, the distroyng of the waryne at Heylesdon.Item,. . . .the maner and the warreyn.Item, memorandum, the rydyngs and costs off suthe.Memorandum, the assaw made uppon Marg. Paston, Sir John Paston, at Heylysdon beeffor the place was. . . . . . .Memorandum, the imprisonment off Sir John Paston in the Flet and in the Kyngs Benche.201.2[From a Bodl.MS.]Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.text has “iiija.” (italic “a” for “d”)616MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON204.11465OCT. 17OnTuesday in the morwyn whas John Botiller, otherwyse callid John Palmer, and Davy Arnald your cook, and William Malthows of Aylsham, takyn at Heylesdon be the balyf of Ey callid Bottisforth, and led for to Cossey, and ther thei kepe hem yet with ought any warant or autoryte of Justice of Peas. And thei saye thei will carie hem forth to Ey preson, and as many as thei may gete more of your men and tenaunts, that thei may know that owe yow good wyll or hath be to you ward, thei be thret to be slayn or presoned. The Duke came to Norwich204.2on Tuesday at x. of clok with the nombre of v. hundred men. And he sent after the Meyr and Alderman with the Sherefs desiryng hem in the Kyngs name that thei shuld take an enqueraunce of the constablys of every ward with in the cyte what men shuld a go on your party to have holpyn or socowryd your men at any tyme of thes gaderyngs, and if any thei cowde fynde, that thei shuld take and arest hym and correct hym, and also certifie hym the names on Wyndenesse day [Wednesday] be viij. of clok. Which the Meyr dede, and wull do anythyng that he may for hym and his. And her up on the Meyr hath arestid on that was with me callid Roberd Lovegold, braser, and threte hym that he shall be hanged be the nek; wherfor I wuld that thermyght come down a writ to remeve hym if ye thynk it be to do. He was not with me not save that Harleston and other mad the assaught up on me and Lammesse; he is right good and feythfull on to you, and therfore I wuld he had help. I have non man at this tyme to avayte upon me that dare be avowyd but Litill John. William Nawton is here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd, for he is sore thret. It is told me the old Lady and the Duke is set fervently ageyn us be the enformacion of Harlesdon, the Bayly of Cossey and Andrewys and Doget the balys sone, and suych other fals shrewys the which wuld have thes mater born ought for ther owyn pleser; the which causith an205.1evyll noyse in this contre and other places. And as for Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir John Wyndefeld and other wurchepfull men ben mad but her doggeboldes;205.2the whiche I suppose wull turne hem to diswurchep here after. I spake with Sir John Hevenyngham and enformed hym with the trough of the mater, and of all owyr demenyng at Drayton, and he seid he wuld that all thyng wer wele, and that he wuld enforme my lord as I seid to hym, but Harleston had all the words and the rewle with the Duke here, and after his avyse and Doctor Aleynes he was avysed here at this tyme.The logge and the remenaunte of your place was betyn down on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Duke rode on Wednysday to Drayton and so for to Cossey whille the logge at Heylesdon was in the betyng down. And this nyght at mydnyght Thomas Sleyforth, Grene Porter, and Joh. Botesforth the Baly of Eye, and other, had a cart and fetched awey fetherbeddes, and all the stuffe that was left at the parsones, and Thom Wateres hows to be kept of owrs. I shall send you billes er after, as ner as I may, what stuffe we have forborn. I pray you send me word how ye will that I be demened, wheder ye wull that [I]205.3abide at Cayster orcome to you to London. I have no leyser to write more. God have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Norwich on Sent Lukes Evyn.M. P.
185.1[From Fenn, iv. 224.] It appears by Letter 610 following that Margaret Paston was in London in September 1465. This letter must therefore have been written in that year.185.2Elizabeth Paston, now widow of Robert Poynings; afterwards married to Sir George Brown of Betchworth Castle, Surrey.186.1Sir John Paston.—F.186.2Anne Paston, afterwards the wife of William Yelverton.—F.186.3The Cross at the north door of St. Paul’s.186.4The Abbey of Saint Saviour at Bermondsey, in Surrey, was founded in 1081, 15th William the Conqueror, by Alwin Child of London; it was surrendered in 1539, 31 Hen.VIII., when it was pulled down, and a Fair House built on the site by Sir Thomas Pope, Knight.—F.186.5Margery Paston; she afterwards married Richard Calle.—F.608ANONYMOUS TO MARGARET PASTON186.6To my mestresse, Margaret Paston by thys letter delivered.1465SEPT. (?)Pleaseyour good mastreschep to have knowlage that as thys day was Master Stevyn of Norwich at Caster, and ther he told me he was yesterday at Hoxhon with the Byschop of Norwych; and ther he seythe that ther is gret labor mad be Master Phylyp186.7and be the baly of Cossey; inso moche ther is mad a comission on to Master John Salet and Master Robert Ipyswell for an inquerry that the parson187.1that my master187.2mad last at Drayton ys deed, as they sey, and in so moche they purpose to put in the parson of Felthorp, as he hard sey, for the Duk of Suffolk. And thes he thynkyth it were a gret urt to my master tytyll. And also another inquerry howe [who] ys patorne of the seyd chyrche; and thys is leke to come in revelicion but yf [unless] ther be gret labore mad to morowe be tymys and that ye have a man at Hoxhon in all hast for a newe comicion; and in that commysion Master Stevyn wold that ye shuld have Master Jon Salet, Master Symond Thornaham, Master Nicholl Stanton. And that it be mad be the avice of Master Jon Bulman; for he told Master Stevyn he wold do for you that he may, in so moche Master Stevyn hathe promyssyd hym a nobyll; and so the seyd Master Stevyn wold ye shuld send hym a letter and late hym have knolage that Master Stevyn shall reward hym that he shall hold hym pleasyd.Item, a told me that a sent a letter to Sir William Maryys of all this mater yesterday, weder ye have er not he can not sey, but in noo wyse that ye dyskure not Master Stevyn, for he wold not for an Cli.that it ware knowe that ye knewe ther of by hym, for he seythe gold gothe gret plenty at Hoxhon on ther part. And yf it be labord be tymys it may be remevyd to Caunterbury. Also yet it is good to send to Norwich to the seyd Sir William for the letter ar the massanger goth, &c.186.6[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter was probably written about or before the beginning of September 1465, as the proceedings of Salet and Ipyswell on the commission of inquiry here referred to are alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston to her husband on the 27th of that month.186.7Doubtless Philip Lipgate.187.1This must be John Flowerdew, presented by John Paston and Thomas Howes in 1461.187.2John Paston.609JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON188.1To my Cosyn Margret Paston.1465SEPT. [21]Mynowne dere sovereyn lady, I recomaund me to yow, and thank yow of the gret chere that ye mad me here to my gret cost and charge and labour. No more at thys tyme, but that I pray yow ye woll send me hedir ij. clue of worsted188.2for dobletts, to happe me thys cold wynter; and that ye inquere where William Paston bought his tepet of fyne worsted, whech is almost like silk, and if that be mech fyner thanne that he shuld bye me after vij. or viij.s., thanne by me a quarter and the nayle therof for colers, thow it be derer thanne the tother, for I wold make my doblet all worsted for worship of Norffolk, rather thanne like Gonnores doblet.Item, as for the mater of the ix.xx.li.askyd by my Lady of Bedford188.3for the maner of Westthirrok, where as Sir Thomas Howes saith that he hath no wrytyng therof, but that Sir John Fastolf purchased the seid maner, and payd serteyn money in ernest, and aftirward graunted his bargeyn to the Duc ofBedford, and so the money that he toke was for the mony that he had payd. Peraventure Sir Thomas hath writyng therof, and knowyth it not; for if ther be any such mony payd upon any bargeyn he shall fynd it in Kyrtlyngs bocks that was Sir John Fastolfs reseyver, and it was abought such tyme as the Duc of Bedford was last in Inglond, whech, as it is told me, was the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the fift, or the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the sext, and the somme that he payd for the seid bargeyn was CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd, the xxij. yere of Kyng Herry or ther abought, in the acompts of on of Fastolfs Reseyvors at London, that ther was take of Sir Thomas Tyrell, and of the Duchesse of Excestre,189.1that was wif to Sir Lowes John, fermours of the seid maner, serteyn mony for repayment of part of the seid CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd in yeres after that, or in that yere, or ther aboutes, that Sir John Fastolf reseyved mony of my Lord Revers189.2that now is, by the name of Richard Wydevile, for his owne dette dew to Sir John Fastolf; wherfore, if Sir Thomas be trewe to his master, lete hym do his devoir to make that Worseter, whech is uphold be hym with the deds goods, to be trewe to his master, or ellis it is tyme for Sir Thomas to forsake hym, and helpe to punyssh hym, or men mast sey that Sir Thomas is not trewe; and more over leteSir Thomas examine what he can fynd in this mater that I sent hym werd of, whech mater he shall fynd in the seid Reseyvours bocks, if he list to seke it.Item, on the day after your departyng, I reseyved letters by Will. Ros from your sones to me, and to yow, and to Ric. Calle, &c.Item, I shall telle you a tale,Pampyng and I have picked your male190.1And taken out pesis190.2v.,For upon trust of Calles promise, we may soon onthryve;And, if Calle bryng us hedir xxli.,Ye shall have your peses ayen, good and round;Or ellis, if he woll not pay yow the valew of the peses, thereTo the post do nayle his ere;Or ellis do hym some other wrongs,For I will no nore in his defaut borough;And but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better plyedHe shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed;190.3And loke ye be mery and take no thought,For thys ryme is cunnyngly wrought.My Lord Persy190.4and all this houseRecomaund them to yow, dogge, catte, and mowse,And wysshe ye had be here stille,For the sey ye are a good gille.190.5No more to you at this tyme,But God hym save that mad this ryme.Wret the of Sent Mathe,190.6Be yowr trew and trustie husband, J. P.188.1[From Fenn, iv. 90.] From the mention of ‘this cold winter’ at the beginning of this letter we might naturally suppose that the feast ‘of Sent Mathe,’ on or about which it was written, was that of St. Matthias, which occurs on the 24th of February. But we believe the day of St. Matthew to have been intended, so that the expression must have had reference to some unusually cold weather in September. It is clear from the contents of the letter that Margaret Paston had recently been with her husband in London, and had just left him in company with Richard Calle on her return towards Norfolk. Letters for her and Richard Calle had arrived from her two sons since they departed. Now the only time, so far as I can find, that Margaret Paston ever visited her husband in London—at all events when her sons were grown up—was in September 1465; and on that occasion Calle was with her, and everything else agrees. Indeed, no one can doubt that the latter portion of the letter immediately following was written in answer to this letter.188.2Worsted is a small market-town in the most east part of the county of Norfolk, formerly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which, for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his doublet to be made.—F.188.3Jaquetta, daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Earl of Saint Pol, was the second wife of John, Duke of Bedford, the Regent of France during HenryVI.’s minority. She was married to him in 1433, and after his decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile, and died in 1472.189.1Anne, eldest daughter of John Montacute, third Earl of Salisbury, married, 1st, Sir Richard Hankford, Knight; 2ndly, Sir Lewis John, Knight (whose will was proved in 1442); and 3rdly, John Holland, who was created Duke of Exeter 6th January 1443, and died in 1446. Fenn erroneously supposed the lady to have been the widow of Thomas Beaufort, a previous Duke of Exeter, who died in 1426. This Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Nevill, but his wife did not survive him, as Fenn supposed, for at his death he was found to have been tenant of her lands for life by the law of England. Fenn’s note on this passage is, however, so interesting that we must quote a part of it. Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. ‘On digging,’ he says, ‘amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the Duke was found, on the 20th of February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire. The face, hair, and every part were perfect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to the air, the body soon became offensive . . . . . I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.’189.2Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Grafton, in Northamptonshire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became the Queen of EdwardIV., who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers. He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury in 1469.—F.190.1Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed that in the original letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.—F.190.2Pieces of money.190.3I do not understand this line.—F. Surely ‘ours’ must be a misreading of ‘curs’ (curse)?190.4Henry, Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461, by Eleanor, granddaughter and heir of Robert, Lord Poynings.His father having been attainted, he continued to be called Lord Percy; but he was afterwards fully restored both in blood and title.190.5An agreeable companion.—F.190.6St. Matthew’s Day is the 21st September.610MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON191.11465SEPT. 27Ryghtwourchipful husbonde, I recomaunde me to yow, dyssyryng hertely to here of yowr welfare, thankyng yow of yowr grett chere that ye made me, and of the coste that ye dede on me. Ye dede more cost thanne my wylle was that ye choulde do, but that it plesyd yow to do so, God gyf me grase to do that may plese yow. Plesyt yow to wet that on Fryday after myn departyng frome yow I was at Sudbury and spake with the schreve, and Ric. Calle toke hym the ij. writts, and he brake them, and Ric. hathe the copes of them;Vic. Norfolk pro ovibus.and he seyde he wolde send the writts to hys undre-schryf and a leter therwyth, chargyng hym that he schowlde do ther ine as largely as he owt to do.Answer of the writts and of the replevyn.And I and Ric. informyd hym of the demenyng of hys undrchryf, how parciall he hade be with the other partye, bothe in that mater, and also for the accionnys beyng in the scher; and he was nothyng wel plesyd of the demenyng of hys undreschef, and he hat wretyn to hym that he choulde be indeferent for bothe partyes acordyng to the lawe, bothe for that materys and for alle other. What the undreschryf wylle do therin I wot ner, for he is not yet spokyn with.Item, as for Cotton, I entryd in to the plase as on Sunday last was, and ther I abode tyll un Wednysday last pasyd.Margareta Paston intravit manerium Cotton die Dominica proxima ante festum Michaelis.I have left ther John Paston the yonger, Wykes, and other xij. men for to receive the profyttes of the maner; and ayenst the day of kepyng of the corte, I hope ther shall be more to streynkyth them, yf it nede. John Paston hath be with my lorde of Norfolk seyth [since] we entryd, and dyssyryd hisgood lorchyp to streynth hym with hys howsolde men and other yf nede be; and he hath promysyd he would do so.I thank yow of your demenyng at Cotton.And I sent Ric. Calle on Tusday to Knevett, dysyryng hym that he woulde sende to hys baley and tenaunts at Mendlesham, that thei choulde be redy to come to John Paston whan he sent for them; and he sent a man of his forthwith, chargyng them in aney wyse that they choulde do so.Remembir Nakton.And he sent me wourde be Ric. and hys sonne also, yf wee were not stronge inough, that owther he or hys sonne, or bothe yf nede were, would come with suche feleschipp as they coude gett abowt them, and that thei woulde do as feythfully as they kowde for yow, bothe in that mater and in alle other.Item, on Saterday last was, Jenney ded warne a corte at Calcotte to be holde ther in hys name as on Tusday last was, and Debenham de[d] charge another court ther the Sunday next after to be holde ther the same Tusday in hys name. And Daubeney had knowleche ther of, and he dede send on Sunday at nyght to yowr elder sonne, for to have some men fro thens; and so he sent Wykes and Bernay to hym on Monday in the mornyng.Mokenge of Jenney and Debenham at Calcotes the Tuisday next bifore Sen Migchell.And assone as thei were come to Castre thei sent for men ther in the contre, and so they gett them in to a iij.xx.men; and Daubeney and Wekes and Bernay rod to Calcott the same Munday at nyght with ther felechyp, and ther kept them prevye in the pl[a]se, so that non of alle the tenaunts kneue them ther, saf Rysyngs wyff and her howsolde, tylle the Theusday at x. of the cloke.Now your cost is doon, consideryng your frends be corayges and your enemyes discoraged, gadir up the profits in all goodly hast, and that I may see acompt for this trobill tyme.And than Sir Thomas Brews, Debunham the fadre,192.1and the knyt hys sonne,192.2Jenney, Mykelfylde younger, Jermyn, and younge Jernyngham, and the Baley of Motforde, with other to the noumbre of a iij.xx.persones, coum fro the sessionnys at Becklys, the whech thei hade keppt ther on the day byfor, coume to Seynt Olevys, and ther thei teryed and dynyd. And whan thei had dynyd, Sir Gylberde Debenham came to Calcott with xx. hors for to wett what felechipp ther was in the plase. And than Wekes aspyed them commyng; and he and Bernay and ij. with them rode owt to a’ spoke with them. And whan Sir Gilberd aspyd them comyng, he and his felechipp flede and rode ayen to SeyntOlovys. And than they sent young Jernyngham and the Baley of Mottforde to yowr men lettyng hem wete that the Justice of the Pese wer coum doune with Debunham and Jenney, to se that the pese choulde be kepte, and that thei choulde entre and kepe the courte in pesible wyse. And yowr men answeryd and seyd that they knewe no man was possessyd ther in, ner hade no ryght therin but ye, and so in your name, and in your ryght they seyd they woulde kepyt. And so they yede ayen with thys answer, and wer put fromme ther purp[o]se that day. And all the tenaunts bestes wer put fro Calcalcott193.1fee, and challe be tylle other remedy maye be hadde. Yowr men woulde not kepe ther a cort that daye by cause it was warnyd by the tother parte, but we wyl do warne a corte and kepyt, I hope in hast. Ye wyll laugh for to here alle the processe of the demenyng ther, wheche wer to longe to writt at thys tyme.Veneat (sic) Barney.Bernay challe telle yow whane he come; but he challe not come to yow tylle after Seynt Feythesmesse,193.2that he maye bryng yow answeres of other materys.Cessiones Norwici et Dunwici Martis proximo post festum Michelis.It is tolde me the sessionys choulle be her at Norwiche on Tusday next comyng, and in Suffolk the Sessionys challe be the same Tusday owther at Dounwyche or at Ypswyche. I suppose ther challe be labowr ayenst soume of our folks ther, but we cholle assay to lete ther pourpose yf we maye.De prudencia custodiendi Heylesdon.It is tolde me yf ther hade no folks a’ be left here in thys plase whyll I have be owt, they choulde a’ be neue masters her by thys tyme; therfor it is not good to leve it alone yett.Tenentes comitis Oxoniæ pro custodia Cotton.Item, Arblaster hathe sent a letter to myn Lorde of Oxenefords tenaunts that be nerrest abowt Cotton to help John Paston yf they be sent to, &c.Episcopus Norwici pro ecclesia de Drayton.Item, I was thys daye with myn Lorde of Norwyche at Thorppe, and informyd hym of the demenyng of the mater for Drayton chyrche, and of alle the demenyng and parcialte of Master John Solatt and Ypswell; and also I informyd what disposission that they were of that were upon the quest.Lete yowr counsell comone with hym, but thei may sey they knowe not myn evidens nor titell, ner have no mor to do by my writynge that I sent yow thanne to avyse hough I shall take myn accion, and that in that accion I have as good titell as my Lord of Norwich hath to the chirch of Thorp.And in good feyth me thynkyth by hym that he is ryght ille plesyd that the mater was so gydyt. He seyde to me ryghtpleynly that the Jugis dede not therin as thei owght to do, and he seyd thowe I hadde hade noo councell, the he howght of ryght to have assyngyd me councell suche as I hadde dyssyrid; but he seyde he wyst well he dede in that mater as he have do in other materys byfor. Me thynkyth by suche thynges I harde ther that the seyd Master John ner the tother is not grettly in conseyt at thys tyme; and so tolde me Aschefylde in councell. What the cause was he myght have no leyser to telle me. I mevyd my lorde in the mater acordyng to the intent of yowr wrytyng yf aney axcion wer take; and he seyd feythefully yf it myght prevayle yow, he woulde with ryght good wylle that it choulde be doo; and ellys he woulde not in noo wyse that it choulde be doo. And he dyssyryde me to sende to hym suche as be of yowr councell lernyd, that they myght comune with hym therin, for he seyd he woulde not ye choulde take non axcion therin withowt it myght provayle. He was well payed that I tolde hym that ye woulde not do therin withowt hys knowleche and assent; and he seyd he woulde do therin as he woulde do yf the mater wer hys owne. Be avyse of yowr councell, I purpose to sende Loumnowr and Playter to commone with hym therin. He seyd he woulde feyne that ye wer owt of troble; and he seyd, yf he myght doo owght to helppe yow forwarde in aney of yowr materys, he swore by heys feythe he wode do hys parte feythfully therin.Episcopus apud London.He purp[o]syd to be at London thys terme, and thanne he seyd he woulde speke with yow of maney thyngs; he wycheyd herteley that he myght have spoke with yow on owr. He mevyd to me of a mater of a jentyllman of Cornale.CornwayleHe seyd he woulde speke with yow therof her after; yf it myght be browt to, it myght do meche good in maney thyngis. I harde yow onys speke of the same; ye tolde me ye hade be mevyd to therof by other.Item, I received at letter frome yow yesterday, wherof I thanke yow hertely, and I praye yow that I maye be as ye writt. And as for suche materys as Sir Thomas Howys choulde be spoke to for194.1I sent Ric. Calle this day to speke with hym, but he myght not speke with hym; but as hastelyas I may I challe do myn parte to spede the erands and other.Ecclesia de Mautby.It is tolde me that Sir Thomas wyll ressyng Mautby chyrche, and yf it plesyd yow to geve it to on Sir Thomas Lyndis, I truste verely that ye choulde leke hym ryght well, for he is rit a prystly man and vertusly dysposyd. I have knowe hym this xx. yer and mor; he was brother to the goode parsone of Seynt Michellys that ye lovyd ryght well; and yf he myght havyt he woulde kepe an howsolde therupon and bylde (?) well the plase (?); and therof have it grete nede, for it is now rit evyll reparyd, and I wott well he woll be rulyd and gydyt as ye wyll have hym.Wursted.I praye yow, yf it plese yow that he have it, that it lekyth yow to sende me an answer by the berrer herof.Item, I have do spoke for yowr worstede195.1but ye may not have it tylle Halowmesse; and thane I am promysyd ye challe have as fyne as maye be made. Ric. Calle challe bryng it up with hym.Wretyn the Fryday next before Michelmas day.191.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘IIII.’ at the head, showing that it is of the same sequence as the next, which is numbered ‘V.’ and dated on the very same day. In fact, the latter is clearly nothing but a postscript to this, and bears the address upon the back, which this does not.192.1Gilbert Debenham, senior, Esq.192.2Sir Gilbert Debenham.193.1So inMS.193.26th October.194.1SeeNo. 609.195.1SeeNo. 609,p. 188, Note 2.611MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON195.2To my ryght worschipfull husbond, John Paston, in haste.To get a copy [of] that he hath . . hed; notwithstandyng [I] wote well thei have found non such evidens as ye wene.Item, it was tolde me thys day that Master John Salatt hathe made a serge in the regestre this monethe aftre the wylles and testements or suche as hought the maners of Heylesdon and Drayton this c. yere, and be that hathe they founde suche evidence as schal be gret strenghthyng to the Duks tittle, as it is seide. I undrestonde verely that Mastre John Salet is all on that partye, and no thyng with you.Item, as for the bill that ye sent to Sir Thomas Howys touchyng on Edmond Carvyll and on Fraunces, I wote ner whether he had hem or nought, for he is not spoken with yett in the maters. As wee spede owr materys, we chall sende yow answers of them as hastely as we maye. At the reverense of God, spede ye yowr materys that ye maye come owte of that loggyng that ye ar in as hastely as ye maye, for I have non fansey with some of the felechipp. I tolde yow, as me thowth, I praye yow be ware, &c.I praye yow yf it plese yow that I may be recommaundyd to my Lorde Percy, and to myn mastres, and to my Lorde Abott. And I pray God bryng yow and them owt of troble, and send yow good spede in alle yowr materys. Wretyn in hast, the Fryday next afor Michellmes.Be yowr,M. P.Yf it plese yow to send aney thyng by the berer herof, he is trusty inough.195.2[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘V’ at the head. As it refers to Paston’s dispute with the Duke of Suffolk about the manors of Hellesden and Drayton, it must belong to the year 1465. The reader will also perceive that it contains an allusion to John Paston’s imprisonment in the Fleet, and to my Lord Percy, who is mentioned in Letter 609, and who must have been a fellow-prisoner of Paston’s.612SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON196.1[To]his ryght worschypful[fa]dre John Paston, beyng[in t]he Flete at London, be thys delyvered.RyghtWorschypful Syr, in the most lowly wyse I recomand me to you. Pleasyth it you to wet that I sente you a letter but late agoo, in whych letter I lete you have understondyng that if it pleasyd yow to grante and assente therto, Syr Thomas Howes wolde resyngne the benefyse of Mawteby to a ful prestly man of Norwych callyd Sir Thomas Lyndys, whom I suppose ye have knolech of. Neverthelesse I wote wele he hath not ben grettly aquentyd with you. But I and he have ben moch aquentyd to geder, and Iunderstond and knowe hys vertews levyng and dysposicion ryght wele; whyche heraffter, I wote wele, sholde please you ryght wele. And that letter whyche I sente you as I understode syns Nycholas Calman the berer ther of came not owte of Norwych iiij. or v. dayes after that the bylle was delyveryd hym; wherefor I am in dowte whyther it is come to your handes.Whych causyth me to wryght to you ageyn in thys wyse, besechyng yow, if it plese yow that the seyd Sir Thōs Lyndys schal be of your promotynge in the wyse above wretyn that there it lyke you that I may have answer by the berer herof; whych schal tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.No more to yow at thys tyme, but Alle myghty God have yow in guydynge. Wretyn at Heylesdon the Fryday next byfore Seynt Mychell.By yowr older sone,John Paston.196.1[MS.in Pembroke College, Cambridge.] This letter, as will be seen, was written in 1465 on the same day as Margaret Paston’s two letters,Nos. 610, 611.tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.final . invisible613SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON197.1To my ryth reverrend and worchepfull fadre, John Paston, be thys delyveryd.1465OCT. 3Aftyrall humbyll and most due recomendacion, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of your blyssyng. Plesyt yow to have knowlege that as on Sonday next be for Myhelmas Day, as my modyr came fro London ward, sche cam homward by Cotton, and sche sent for me to Heylysdon to come to hyr thedyr, and so I have ben in the plase ever sethyn. And as sone as Myhelmas Day was past, I begane to dystreyne the tenants, and gadryd some syllvyr, as myche, I trowe, as wyll pay for our costs; and yet I cepe here ryth a good felawschep, and mor wer promysyd me, whychethat came not to me, wherby I was ner deseyvyd. For when Debnam herd sey how that I began to gadyr sylvyr, he reysyd many men with in j. daye and an halfe, to the nombyr of iijc.men, as I was credebly assartaynyed by a yeman of the chambyr of my Lordys198.1that owythe me good wyll, whech yeman, as sone as he had sene ther felauschep, rod streyth to my Lord and informyd hym of it; and also he informyd my Lord how that I had gadryd a nothyr gret felashschep, whyche felawschep he namyd more than we wer by jc.and an halfe and yett more. And he seyd on to my Lord and my Lady, and to their consell, that with owt that my Lord took a dyrectyon in the mater, that ther wer leek to be do gret harme on bothe oure pertyes, wheche wer a gret dysworchep to my Lord, consederyng how that he takyth us bothe for hys men, and so we be knowyn well inow. Upon whyche informacion, and dysworchep to my Lord, that tweyn of hys men schold debat so ner hym, contrary to the Kyngs pese, consedryd of my Lord and my Lady and ther cownsell, my Lord sent for me and Syr Gylberd Debnam to come to hym to Framlyngham bothe, and as it fortunyd well my modyr come to me to Cotton not half an owyr be for that the mesenger came to me fro my Lord, wheche was late upon Twysday last past at nyth; and the next day on the mornyng I rod to my Lord to Framlyngham, and so ded Syr Gylberd also. And as sone as we wer come, we wer sent for to come to my Lord, and when we come to my Lord, he desiyryd of us bothe that we schold neythyrthyr gadyr no felawschep, but syche men as we had gadryd that we schold send hem home a yen, and that the coort schold be contenuyd in to the tyme that my Lord, or suche as he wold asyngne, had spok bothe with yow and Yelverton and Jenney, and that on indeferent man chosyn by us bothe schold be assynyd to kepe the plase in to the tyme that ye and they wer spook with.And then I answed my Lord, and seyd how that at that tyme I had my maistyr within the maner of Cotton, whyche was my modyr, and in to the tyme that I had spook with hyr I cowd geve none answer; and so my Lord sent Rychord Fulmerston, berer hereof, to my modyr thys day for ananswer, whyche answer he schold bryng to my Lord to London, for my Lord rod to Londons word as yesterday, and the soner be cause he trustyd to have a good end of this mater and alle othyr be twyx yow, whyche he takyth for a gret worchep to hym, and a gret avantage bothe, and he cowd bryng this mater abowt, for then he wold trust to have your servyse, alle whyche wer to hym gret tresour and avantage.And this was the answer that my modyr and I gave hym, that at the instans of my Lord and my Ladye we wold do thus myche as for to put the coort in contenuans, and no more to receyve of the profyts of the maner than we had, and had dystresid for tyll in to the tym that sche and I had werd ayen fro my Lord and yow, if so wer that they wold neythyr mak entreys nor dystreyn the tenantys, nor chepe no coort mor then we wold do. And we told Rychord Fulmerston that thys my modyr and I ded at the instans and gret request of my Lord, be cause my Lord intendyd pes, whyche resonably we wold not be ayenst, and yet we seyd we knew well that we schold have no thank of yow when ye knew of it, with owt it wer be cause we ded it at my Lordys instans. But be for thys answer we had receyvyd as myche sylvyr full ner as Rychord Calle sent us bokys of for to gadyryt bye; and as for the possessyon of the plase, we told hym that we wold kepe it, and Syr Gylberd agreyd, so that Yelverton and Jeney would do the same; for it was tyme for hym to sey so, for my Lord told hym that he wold hym fast by the feet ellys, to be suyr of hym, that he schold make non insurreccions in to the tyme that my Lord came ayen fro London.I wene, and so dothe my modyr bothe, that thys appoyntment was mad in good tyme; for I was deseyvyd of bettyr than an C. men and an halfe that I had promyse of to have come to me when I sent for hem. Thys promes had I befor that I sent to yow the last lettyr the daye aftyr Seynt Myhell. Jenney herd seye that I cepyd Cotton, and he rod to Nacton, and ther held a cort and receyvyd the profytys of the maner.I beseche yow that I may have knowlage in hast fro yow ye wyll that I be demenyd in thys mater and in al othyr, andI schal aplye me to fulfyll your intent in them to my power by the grace of God, whom I beseche have yow in guydyng, and sende yow yowyr herts desyir. Wretyn at Hemnalle Halle, in Cotton, the Thursday next befor Seynt Feythe.My modyr recomandyth her to yow, and preyith yow to hold hyr excusyd that sche wrytyth not to yow at thys tyme, for sche may have no leyser. The berer her of schall informe yow whedyr Jeney wyll agre to thys appoyntment or not. I thynk he dar do non othyr wyse.Your sone and lowly servaunt,John Paston.197.1[From Fenn, iv. 80.] The signature of this letter, according to the fac-simile referred to by Fenn, is that of Sir John Paston, the eldest son of the person addressed. The date is undoubtedly 1465, as it will be seen byLetter 610that Margaret Paston entered Cotton on Sunday before Michaelmas in that year.198.1The Duke of Norfolk.614THE DUKE OF NORFOLK TO JOHN PASTON, THE YOUNGEST200.1To owr trusty and enterly beloved servaunt, John Paston, Esquyr.The Deuke of Norff.1465OCT. 12Ryghtwelbeloved servaunt, y grete yow hertly welle, sertefyng that we shulle be at fulle age on Fryday nexst comyng. Wherfor, wele consayled be the Lordes of owr Consayle and oder of owr Consayle, that ye, on of owr servaunts of howsholde, with oder, be with us at London on Fryday or Saterday nexst comyng at the ffurdest, too a companye us thann too owr worshyp, for we shull have thann levery of owr landes and offyces; and that ye ffayle usnot, as ye woll have owr good Lordeshyp in tyme comyng; and also that ye doo warne owr ffeede men201.1and servaunts, suche as be nye too yow, that they be ther thann in owr leverey. Y wreton the xij. day of October.Norff.200.1[From Fenn, iv. 62.] John Mowbray, third Duke of Norfolk, died on the 6th November 1461. It appears by the Inquisitionspost mortem, 1 EdwardIV., No. 46, that John, his son and successor in the title, was seventeen years old on St. Luke’s Day (18th October) in that year. He must therefore have been born on the 18th October 1444, and would have been of full age on Friday, 18th October 1465. The John Paston, Esq., to whom this letter was addressed, must have been the youngest of that name, who, as we have seen already, had been serving in the Duke’s household. His father was at this time a prisoner in the Fleet, so that the letter could not have been intended for him.201.1Those who held lands of the Duke as their superior.615THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK’S ATTACK ON HELLESDON201.21465OCT. 14Thysbe the parcell underwryten of such godys as were taken and beren away at Haylesdon, of John Pastons, hys sones and hys servaunts by the Duk of Suffolk servaunts and tenaunts the xiiij. day of October the v. yere of Kyng E. the iiijte, the whych day the place of Haylesdon was broken and pullyd dowyn, &c.In primis, ther was lost of John Pastons ther at that tyme in beddyng ij. ffeder bedds with ij. bolsters, iiij. materas, with iiij. bolsters; a grete seler with the testor, and iij. corteyns of whyte lynen cloth, and a coverlyte of whyte werstede longyng therto.Item, a selere with a testore, and iij. corteyns of blewe bokeram with a coveryng of blew werstede longyng therto; v. pylowys of dowyn, vj. coverlyts of werk of dyvers colors, vj. payr blankettys, ij. payr shytes of iij. webbys, ij. hedshytes of ij. webbys, vj. payre shytes of ij. webbys, ij. basons of pewter, and iij. candelstykks of latyn for the chamber.The Botere.Item, in primis, vj. bord clothys, vj. towellys, xij. napkyns, vj. candelstykks of laton, ij. saltsalers of sylver, ij. saltsalers of pewter, ij. basons of pewter with ij. ewers, a barell of vyneger, a barell of vergyous, xij. ale stondys, ij. pantre knyves, a pyce of sylver, a pype for brede, a ale stole, xij. spones of sylver, &c.The Browhern.Item, a grete lede to brew v. comb malte with one plawyng, a mayshsate, ij. kylyng sates, vj. kylers, ij. clensyng sates, a taptrogh, a temps to clense, with a scyppe to bere malte, a syff to syft malte, a bultyng pype, ij. knedyng satys, a moldyng bord.The Kychyn.Item, ij. dosyn pewter vessell, iiij. grete bras pannes, iij. potts of bras, j. greddyron, ij. broches, j. dressyng knyff, j. morter of marbell with a pestell, j. litell panne of bras of di. galon, ij. pothoks, ij. rakks of yron, ij. brendeletts, a almary to kepe in mete, j. axe to clyve wode, ij. saltyng satys to salte in fflesh.Gere taken owt of the Chyrch.Item, in the stepell, ix. sheffe arwys, ix. bawys, ij. handgonnes, iiij. chambers for gonnys, ij. mallys of lede, ij. jakks.Item, in the church, a purs and iij. gold ryngs, a coler of sylver of the Kyngs lyvery and a nobyll of viijs.iiijd.the whych was Wykys.Item, a syde gowne of blewe of Wyks.Item, a stokke gonne with iij. chambers.Gere taken owte of the Chaumber of Ric. Calle.Item, a syde morrey gowne, a dobelet of blak satyn, a payre hosyn, a jakks, the polronds of a payr bryganders of rede sateyn ffugr.Item, a payr of large tabelles of box, pris vjs.viijd.Item, a staffe, pris iijs.iiijd.Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.Gere taken away of Margeret Pastons.Item, an unce of gold of Venyse, di. pype of gold damask, di. unc’ of gold of Gene, an unc’ of sylk, a li. of threde, a close glasse of yvery, a grete combe of yvere, a fyne kerchy of fyne Holond cloth, a quarter of blak velwet.Gere of Johanne Gayns.Item, a ryng of gold with a dyamonics, a typet of sarsenet, a nobyll of xs., a nobyll viijs.iiijd.Gere of John Wyks.Item, a dobelet of blak fusteyn, a hers harnys, vjs.a gray hers, pris xls., ij. shertys, pris iiijs.Will. Bedford.Item, a Normandy byll and a bawe, pris of them both vjs.John Boteler.Item, a payr botys, a payr sporys, a shert, a cappe, a hatte, a dobelet, a payr hosyn, a brydell, ij. crepers, v. ston of wall, xxx. welfellys, a spere staff.Shepe.Item, taken away uppon Draytun grounde at on tyme by the baylly of Cossey and others, CC. shepe callyd hoggys.Item, at a nother tyme, uppon the same ground, iiijxx.hoggys and xl. theyves.Item, at a nother tyme, at Haylesdon, by the baylly of Cossey and Bottesford and other, viijcc.moder shype and CCCC. lambes.Memorandum, a gowne of Richard Calle, pris ixs., j. peyr hosen, iijs., j. swerd, iijs., ij. bonets, ijs.. . . . j. jakk, xxvjs.viijd., j. schert, iijs.iiijd.Memorandum, the pullyng downe of the place at Heylesden, to the hurts and skathes of ——Item, the pullyng downe of the logge of Heylesden.Item, the distroyng of the waryne at Heylesdon.Item,. . . .the maner and the warreyn.Item, memorandum, the rydyngs and costs off suthe.Memorandum, the assaw made uppon Marg. Paston, Sir John Paston, at Heylysdon beeffor the place was. . . . . . .Memorandum, the imprisonment off Sir John Paston in the Flet and in the Kyngs Benche.201.2[From a Bodl.MS.]Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.text has “iiija.” (italic “a” for “d”)616MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON204.11465OCT. 17OnTuesday in the morwyn whas John Botiller, otherwyse callid John Palmer, and Davy Arnald your cook, and William Malthows of Aylsham, takyn at Heylesdon be the balyf of Ey callid Bottisforth, and led for to Cossey, and ther thei kepe hem yet with ought any warant or autoryte of Justice of Peas. And thei saye thei will carie hem forth to Ey preson, and as many as thei may gete more of your men and tenaunts, that thei may know that owe yow good wyll or hath be to you ward, thei be thret to be slayn or presoned. The Duke came to Norwich204.2on Tuesday at x. of clok with the nombre of v. hundred men. And he sent after the Meyr and Alderman with the Sherefs desiryng hem in the Kyngs name that thei shuld take an enqueraunce of the constablys of every ward with in the cyte what men shuld a go on your party to have holpyn or socowryd your men at any tyme of thes gaderyngs, and if any thei cowde fynde, that thei shuld take and arest hym and correct hym, and also certifie hym the names on Wyndenesse day [Wednesday] be viij. of clok. Which the Meyr dede, and wull do anythyng that he may for hym and his. And her up on the Meyr hath arestid on that was with me callid Roberd Lovegold, braser, and threte hym that he shall be hanged be the nek; wherfor I wuld that thermyght come down a writ to remeve hym if ye thynk it be to do. He was not with me not save that Harleston and other mad the assaught up on me and Lammesse; he is right good and feythfull on to you, and therfore I wuld he had help. I have non man at this tyme to avayte upon me that dare be avowyd but Litill John. William Nawton is here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd, for he is sore thret. It is told me the old Lady and the Duke is set fervently ageyn us be the enformacion of Harlesdon, the Bayly of Cossey and Andrewys and Doget the balys sone, and suych other fals shrewys the which wuld have thes mater born ought for ther owyn pleser; the which causith an205.1evyll noyse in this contre and other places. And as for Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir John Wyndefeld and other wurchepfull men ben mad but her doggeboldes;205.2the whiche I suppose wull turne hem to diswurchep here after. I spake with Sir John Hevenyngham and enformed hym with the trough of the mater, and of all owyr demenyng at Drayton, and he seid he wuld that all thyng wer wele, and that he wuld enforme my lord as I seid to hym, but Harleston had all the words and the rewle with the Duke here, and after his avyse and Doctor Aleynes he was avysed here at this tyme.The logge and the remenaunte of your place was betyn down on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Duke rode on Wednysday to Drayton and so for to Cossey whille the logge at Heylesdon was in the betyng down. And this nyght at mydnyght Thomas Sleyforth, Grene Porter, and Joh. Botesforth the Baly of Eye, and other, had a cart and fetched awey fetherbeddes, and all the stuffe that was left at the parsones, and Thom Wateres hows to be kept of owrs. I shall send you billes er after, as ner as I may, what stuffe we have forborn. I pray you send me word how ye will that I be demened, wheder ye wull that [I]205.3abide at Cayster orcome to you to London. I have no leyser to write more. God have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Norwich on Sent Lukes Evyn.M. P.
185.1[From Fenn, iv. 224.] It appears by Letter 610 following that Margaret Paston was in London in September 1465. This letter must therefore have been written in that year.185.2Elizabeth Paston, now widow of Robert Poynings; afterwards married to Sir George Brown of Betchworth Castle, Surrey.186.1Sir John Paston.—F.186.2Anne Paston, afterwards the wife of William Yelverton.—F.186.3The Cross at the north door of St. Paul’s.186.4The Abbey of Saint Saviour at Bermondsey, in Surrey, was founded in 1081, 15th William the Conqueror, by Alwin Child of London; it was surrendered in 1539, 31 Hen.VIII., when it was pulled down, and a Fair House built on the site by Sir Thomas Pope, Knight.—F.186.5Margery Paston; she afterwards married Richard Calle.—F.
185.1[From Fenn, iv. 224.] It appears by Letter 610 following that Margaret Paston was in London in September 1465. This letter must therefore have been written in that year.
185.2Elizabeth Paston, now widow of Robert Poynings; afterwards married to Sir George Brown of Betchworth Castle, Surrey.
186.1Sir John Paston.—F.
186.2Anne Paston, afterwards the wife of William Yelverton.—F.
186.3The Cross at the north door of St. Paul’s.
186.4The Abbey of Saint Saviour at Bermondsey, in Surrey, was founded in 1081, 15th William the Conqueror, by Alwin Child of London; it was surrendered in 1539, 31 Hen.VIII., when it was pulled down, and a Fair House built on the site by Sir Thomas Pope, Knight.—F.
186.5Margery Paston; she afterwards married Richard Calle.—F.
To my mestresse, Margaret Paston by thys letter delivered.
1465SEPT. (?)
Pleaseyour good mastreschep to have knowlage that as thys day was Master Stevyn of Norwich at Caster, and ther he told me he was yesterday at Hoxhon with the Byschop of Norwych; and ther he seythe that ther is gret labor mad be Master Phylyp186.7and be the baly of Cossey; inso moche ther is mad a comission on to Master John Salet and Master Robert Ipyswell for an inquerry that the parson187.1that my master187.2mad last at Drayton ys deed, as they sey, and in so moche they purpose to put in the parson of Felthorp, as he hard sey, for the Duk of Suffolk. And thes he thynkyth it were a gret urt to my master tytyll. And also another inquerry howe [who] ys patorne of the seyd chyrche; and thys is leke to come in revelicion but yf [unless] ther be gret labore mad to morowe be tymys and that ye have a man at Hoxhon in all hast for a newe comicion; and in that commysion Master Stevyn wold that ye shuld have Master Jon Salet, Master Symond Thornaham, Master Nicholl Stanton. And that it be mad be the avice of Master Jon Bulman; for he told Master Stevyn he wold do for you that he may, in so moche Master Stevyn hathe promyssyd hym a nobyll; and so the seyd Master Stevyn wold ye shuld send hym a letter and late hym have knolage that Master Stevyn shall reward hym that he shall hold hym pleasyd.
Item, a told me that a sent a letter to Sir William Maryys of all this mater yesterday, weder ye have er not he can not sey, but in noo wyse that ye dyskure not Master Stevyn, for he wold not for an Cli.that it ware knowe that ye knewe ther of by hym, for he seythe gold gothe gret plenty at Hoxhon on ther part. And yf it be labord be tymys it may be remevyd to Caunterbury. Also yet it is good to send to Norwich to the seyd Sir William for the letter ar the massanger goth, &c.
186.6[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter was probably written about or before the beginning of September 1465, as the proceedings of Salet and Ipyswell on the commission of inquiry here referred to are alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston to her husband on the 27th of that month.186.7Doubtless Philip Lipgate.187.1This must be John Flowerdew, presented by John Paston and Thomas Howes in 1461.187.2John Paston.
186.6[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter was probably written about or before the beginning of September 1465, as the proceedings of Salet and Ipyswell on the commission of inquiry here referred to are alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston to her husband on the 27th of that month.
186.7Doubtless Philip Lipgate.
187.1This must be John Flowerdew, presented by John Paston and Thomas Howes in 1461.
187.2John Paston.
To my Cosyn Margret Paston.
1465SEPT. [21]
Mynowne dere sovereyn lady, I recomaund me to yow, and thank yow of the gret chere that ye mad me here to my gret cost and charge and labour. No more at thys tyme, but that I pray yow ye woll send me hedir ij. clue of worsted188.2for dobletts, to happe me thys cold wynter; and that ye inquere where William Paston bought his tepet of fyne worsted, whech is almost like silk, and if that be mech fyner thanne that he shuld bye me after vij. or viij.s., thanne by me a quarter and the nayle therof for colers, thow it be derer thanne the tother, for I wold make my doblet all worsted for worship of Norffolk, rather thanne like Gonnores doblet.
Item, as for the mater of the ix.xx.li.askyd by my Lady of Bedford188.3for the maner of Westthirrok, where as Sir Thomas Howes saith that he hath no wrytyng therof, but that Sir John Fastolf purchased the seid maner, and payd serteyn money in ernest, and aftirward graunted his bargeyn to the Duc ofBedford, and so the money that he toke was for the mony that he had payd. Peraventure Sir Thomas hath writyng therof, and knowyth it not; for if ther be any such mony payd upon any bargeyn he shall fynd it in Kyrtlyngs bocks that was Sir John Fastolfs reseyver, and it was abought such tyme as the Duc of Bedford was last in Inglond, whech, as it is told me, was the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the fift, or the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the sext, and the somme that he payd for the seid bargeyn was CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd, the xxij. yere of Kyng Herry or ther abought, in the acompts of on of Fastolfs Reseyvors at London, that ther was take of Sir Thomas Tyrell, and of the Duchesse of Excestre,189.1that was wif to Sir Lowes John, fermours of the seid maner, serteyn mony for repayment of part of the seid CCC. marks. Also he shall fynd in yeres after that, or in that yere, or ther aboutes, that Sir John Fastolf reseyved mony of my Lord Revers189.2that now is, by the name of Richard Wydevile, for his owne dette dew to Sir John Fastolf; wherfore, if Sir Thomas be trewe to his master, lete hym do his devoir to make that Worseter, whech is uphold be hym with the deds goods, to be trewe to his master, or ellis it is tyme for Sir Thomas to forsake hym, and helpe to punyssh hym, or men mast sey that Sir Thomas is not trewe; and more over leteSir Thomas examine what he can fynd in this mater that I sent hym werd of, whech mater he shall fynd in the seid Reseyvours bocks, if he list to seke it.
Item, on the day after your departyng, I reseyved letters by Will. Ros from your sones to me, and to yow, and to Ric. Calle, &c.
Item, I shall telle you a tale,Pampyng and I have picked your male190.1And taken out pesis190.2v.,For upon trust of Calles promise, we may soon onthryve;And, if Calle bryng us hedir xxli.,Ye shall have your peses ayen, good and round;Or ellis, if he woll not pay yow the valew of the peses, thereTo the post do nayle his ere;Or ellis do hym some other wrongs,For I will no nore in his defaut borough;And but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better plyedHe shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed;190.3And loke ye be mery and take no thought,For thys ryme is cunnyngly wrought.My Lord Persy190.4and all this houseRecomaund them to yow, dogge, catte, and mowse,And wysshe ye had be here stille,For the sey ye are a good gille.190.5No more to you at this tyme,But God hym save that mad this ryme.Wret the of Sent Mathe,190.6Be yowr trew and trustie husband, J. P.
Item, I shall telle you a tale,
Pampyng and I have picked your male190.1
And taken out pesis190.2v.,
For upon trust of Calles promise, we may soon onthryve;
And, if Calle bryng us hedir xxli.,
Ye shall have your peses ayen, good and round;
Or ellis, if he woll not pay yow the valew of the peses, there
To the post do nayle his ere;
Or ellis do hym some other wrongs,
For I will no nore in his defaut borough;
And but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better plyed
He shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed;190.3
And loke ye be mery and take no thought,
For thys ryme is cunnyngly wrought.
My Lord Persy190.4and all this house
Recomaund them to yow, dogge, catte, and mowse,
And wysshe ye had be here stille,
For the sey ye are a good gille.190.5
No more to you at this tyme,
But God hym save that mad this ryme.
Wret the of Sent Mathe,190.6
Be yowr trew and trustie husband, J. P.
188.1[From Fenn, iv. 90.] From the mention of ‘this cold winter’ at the beginning of this letter we might naturally suppose that the feast ‘of Sent Mathe,’ on or about which it was written, was that of St. Matthias, which occurs on the 24th of February. But we believe the day of St. Matthew to have been intended, so that the expression must have had reference to some unusually cold weather in September. It is clear from the contents of the letter that Margaret Paston had recently been with her husband in London, and had just left him in company with Richard Calle on her return towards Norfolk. Letters for her and Richard Calle had arrived from her two sons since they departed. Now the only time, so far as I can find, that Margaret Paston ever visited her husband in London—at all events when her sons were grown up—was in September 1465; and on that occasion Calle was with her, and everything else agrees. Indeed, no one can doubt that the latter portion of the letter immediately following was written in answer to this letter.188.2Worsted is a small market-town in the most east part of the county of Norfolk, formerly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which, for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his doublet to be made.—F.188.3Jaquetta, daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Earl of Saint Pol, was the second wife of John, Duke of Bedford, the Regent of France during HenryVI.’s minority. She was married to him in 1433, and after his decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile, and died in 1472.189.1Anne, eldest daughter of John Montacute, third Earl of Salisbury, married, 1st, Sir Richard Hankford, Knight; 2ndly, Sir Lewis John, Knight (whose will was proved in 1442); and 3rdly, John Holland, who was created Duke of Exeter 6th January 1443, and died in 1446. Fenn erroneously supposed the lady to have been the widow of Thomas Beaufort, a previous Duke of Exeter, who died in 1426. This Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Nevill, but his wife did not survive him, as Fenn supposed, for at his death he was found to have been tenant of her lands for life by the law of England. Fenn’s note on this passage is, however, so interesting that we must quote a part of it. Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. ‘On digging,’ he says, ‘amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the Duke was found, on the 20th of February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire. The face, hair, and every part were perfect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to the air, the body soon became offensive . . . . . I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.’189.2Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Grafton, in Northamptonshire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became the Queen of EdwardIV., who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers. He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury in 1469.—F.190.1Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed that in the original letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.—F.190.2Pieces of money.190.3I do not understand this line.—F. Surely ‘ours’ must be a misreading of ‘curs’ (curse)?190.4Henry, Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461, by Eleanor, granddaughter and heir of Robert, Lord Poynings.His father having been attainted, he continued to be called Lord Percy; but he was afterwards fully restored both in blood and title.190.5An agreeable companion.—F.190.6St. Matthew’s Day is the 21st September.
188.1[From Fenn, iv. 90.] From the mention of ‘this cold winter’ at the beginning of this letter we might naturally suppose that the feast ‘of Sent Mathe,’ on or about which it was written, was that of St. Matthias, which occurs on the 24th of February. But we believe the day of St. Matthew to have been intended, so that the expression must have had reference to some unusually cold weather in September. It is clear from the contents of the letter that Margaret Paston had recently been with her husband in London, and had just left him in company with Richard Calle on her return towards Norfolk. Letters for her and Richard Calle had arrived from her two sons since they departed. Now the only time, so far as I can find, that Margaret Paston ever visited her husband in London—at all events when her sons were grown up—was in September 1465; and on that occasion Calle was with her, and everything else agrees. Indeed, no one can doubt that the latter portion of the letter immediately following was written in answer to this letter.
188.2Worsted is a small market-town in the most east part of the county of Norfolk, formerly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which, for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his doublet to be made.—F.
188.3Jaquetta, daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Earl of Saint Pol, was the second wife of John, Duke of Bedford, the Regent of France during HenryVI.’s minority. She was married to him in 1433, and after his decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile, and died in 1472.
189.1Anne, eldest daughter of John Montacute, third Earl of Salisbury, married, 1st, Sir Richard Hankford, Knight; 2ndly, Sir Lewis John, Knight (whose will was proved in 1442); and 3rdly, John Holland, who was created Duke of Exeter 6th January 1443, and died in 1446. Fenn erroneously supposed the lady to have been the widow of Thomas Beaufort, a previous Duke of Exeter, who died in 1426. This Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Nevill, but his wife did not survive him, as Fenn supposed, for at his death he was found to have been tenant of her lands for life by the law of England. Fenn’s note on this passage is, however, so interesting that we must quote a part of it. Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. ‘On digging,’ he says, ‘amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the Duke was found, on the 20th of February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire. The face, hair, and every part were perfect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to the air, the body soon became offensive . . . . . I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.’
189.2Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Grafton, in Northamptonshire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became the Queen of EdwardIV., who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers. He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury in 1469.—F.
190.1Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed that in the original letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.—F.
190.2Pieces of money.
190.3I do not understand this line.—F. Surely ‘ours’ must be a misreading of ‘curs’ (curse)?
190.4Henry, Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461, by Eleanor, granddaughter and heir of Robert, Lord Poynings.
His father having been attainted, he continued to be called Lord Percy; but he was afterwards fully restored both in blood and title.
190.5An agreeable companion.—F.
190.6St. Matthew’s Day is the 21st September.
1465SEPT. 27
Ryghtwourchipful husbonde, I recomaunde me to yow, dyssyryng hertely to here of yowr welfare, thankyng yow of yowr grett chere that ye made me, and of the coste that ye dede on me. Ye dede more cost thanne my wylle was that ye choulde do, but that it plesyd yow to do so, God gyf me grase to do that may plese yow. Plesyt yow to wet that on Fryday after myn departyng frome yow I was at Sudbury and spake with the schreve, and Ric. Calle toke hym the ij. writts, and he brake them, and Ric. hathe the copes of them;Vic. Norfolk pro ovibus.and he seyde he wolde send the writts to hys undre-schryf and a leter therwyth, chargyng hym that he schowlde do ther ine as largely as he owt to do.Answer of the writts and of the replevyn.And I and Ric. informyd hym of the demenyng of hys undrchryf, how parciall he hade be with the other partye, bothe in that mater, and also for the accionnys beyng in the scher; and he was nothyng wel plesyd of the demenyng of hys undreschef, and he hat wretyn to hym that he choulde be indeferent for bothe partyes acordyng to the lawe, bothe for that materys and for alle other. What the undreschryf wylle do therin I wot ner, for he is not yet spokyn with.
Item, as for Cotton, I entryd in to the plase as on Sunday last was, and ther I abode tyll un Wednysday last pasyd.Margareta Paston intravit manerium Cotton die Dominica proxima ante festum Michaelis.I have left ther John Paston the yonger, Wykes, and other xij. men for to receive the profyttes of the maner; and ayenst the day of kepyng of the corte, I hope ther shall be more to streynkyth them, yf it nede. John Paston hath be with my lorde of Norfolk seyth [since] we entryd, and dyssyryd hisgood lorchyp to streynth hym with hys howsolde men and other yf nede be; and he hath promysyd he would do so.I thank yow of your demenyng at Cotton.And I sent Ric. Calle on Tusday to Knevett, dysyryng hym that he woulde sende to hys baley and tenaunts at Mendlesham, that thei choulde be redy to come to John Paston whan he sent for them; and he sent a man of his forthwith, chargyng them in aney wyse that they choulde do so.Remembir Nakton.And he sent me wourde be Ric. and hys sonne also, yf wee were not stronge inough, that owther he or hys sonne, or bothe yf nede were, would come with suche feleschipp as they coude gett abowt them, and that thei woulde do as feythfully as they kowde for yow, bothe in that mater and in alle other.
Item, on Saterday last was, Jenney ded warne a corte at Calcotte to be holde ther in hys name as on Tusday last was, and Debenham de[d] charge another court ther the Sunday next after to be holde ther the same Tusday in hys name. And Daubeney had knowleche ther of, and he dede send on Sunday at nyght to yowr elder sonne, for to have some men fro thens; and so he sent Wykes and Bernay to hym on Monday in the mornyng.Mokenge of Jenney and Debenham at Calcotes the Tuisday next bifore Sen Migchell.And assone as thei were come to Castre thei sent for men ther in the contre, and so they gett them in to a iij.xx.men; and Daubeney and Wekes and Bernay rod to Calcott the same Munday at nyght with ther felechyp, and ther kept them prevye in the pl[a]se, so that non of alle the tenaunts kneue them ther, saf Rysyngs wyff and her howsolde, tylle the Theusday at x. of the cloke.Now your cost is doon, consideryng your frends be corayges and your enemyes discoraged, gadir up the profits in all goodly hast, and that I may see acompt for this trobill tyme.And than Sir Thomas Brews, Debunham the fadre,192.1and the knyt hys sonne,192.2Jenney, Mykelfylde younger, Jermyn, and younge Jernyngham, and the Baley of Motforde, with other to the noumbre of a iij.xx.persones, coum fro the sessionnys at Becklys, the whech thei hade keppt ther on the day byfor, coume to Seynt Olevys, and ther thei teryed and dynyd. And whan thei had dynyd, Sir Gylberde Debenham came to Calcott with xx. hors for to wett what felechipp ther was in the plase. And than Wekes aspyed them commyng; and he and Bernay and ij. with them rode owt to a’ spoke with them. And whan Sir Gilberd aspyd them comyng, he and his felechipp flede and rode ayen to SeyntOlovys. And than they sent young Jernyngham and the Baley of Mottforde to yowr men lettyng hem wete that the Justice of the Pese wer coum doune with Debunham and Jenney, to se that the pese choulde be kepte, and that thei choulde entre and kepe the courte in pesible wyse. And yowr men answeryd and seyd that they knewe no man was possessyd ther in, ner hade no ryght therin but ye, and so in your name, and in your ryght they seyd they woulde kepyt. And so they yede ayen with thys answer, and wer put fromme ther purp[o]se that day. And all the tenaunts bestes wer put fro Calcalcott193.1fee, and challe be tylle other remedy maye be hadde. Yowr men woulde not kepe ther a cort that daye by cause it was warnyd by the tother parte, but we wyl do warne a corte and kepyt, I hope in hast. Ye wyll laugh for to here alle the processe of the demenyng ther, wheche wer to longe to writt at thys tyme.Veneat (sic) Barney.Bernay challe telle yow whane he come; but he challe not come to yow tylle after Seynt Feythesmesse,193.2that he maye bryng yow answeres of other materys.Cessiones Norwici et Dunwici Martis proximo post festum Michelis.It is tolde me the sessionys choulle be her at Norwiche on Tusday next comyng, and in Suffolk the Sessionys challe be the same Tusday owther at Dounwyche or at Ypswyche. I suppose ther challe be labowr ayenst soume of our folks ther, but we cholle assay to lete ther pourpose yf we maye.De prudencia custodiendi Heylesdon.It is tolde me yf ther hade no folks a’ be left here in thys plase whyll I have be owt, they choulde a’ be neue masters her by thys tyme; therfor it is not good to leve it alone yett.
Tenentes comitis Oxoniæ pro custodia Cotton.Item, Arblaster hathe sent a letter to myn Lorde of Oxenefords tenaunts that be nerrest abowt Cotton to help John Paston yf they be sent to, &c.
Tenentes comitis Oxoniæ pro custodia Cotton.
Item, Arblaster hathe sent a letter to myn Lorde of Oxenefords tenaunts that be nerrest abowt Cotton to help John Paston yf they be sent to, &c.
Episcopus Norwici pro ecclesia de Drayton.
Item, I was thys daye with myn Lorde of Norwyche at Thorppe, and informyd hym of the demenyng of the mater for Drayton chyrche, and of alle the demenyng and parcialte of Master John Solatt and Ypswell; and also I informyd what disposission that they were of that were upon the quest.Lete yowr counsell comone with hym, but thei may sey they knowe not myn evidens nor titell, ner have no mor to do by my writynge that I sent yow thanne to avyse hough I shall take myn accion, and that in that accion I have as good titell as my Lord of Norwich hath to the chirch of Thorp.And in good feyth me thynkyth by hym that he is ryght ille plesyd that the mater was so gydyt. He seyde to me ryghtpleynly that the Jugis dede not therin as thei owght to do, and he seyd thowe I hadde hade noo councell, the he howght of ryght to have assyngyd me councell suche as I hadde dyssyrid; but he seyde he wyst well he dede in that mater as he have do in other materys byfor. Me thynkyth by suche thynges I harde ther that the seyd Master John ner the tother is not grettly in conseyt at thys tyme; and so tolde me Aschefylde in councell. What the cause was he myght have no leyser to telle me. I mevyd my lorde in the mater acordyng to the intent of yowr wrytyng yf aney axcion wer take; and he seyd feythefully yf it myght prevayle yow, he woulde with ryght good wylle that it choulde be doo; and ellys he woulde not in noo wyse that it choulde be doo. And he dyssyryde me to sende to hym suche as be of yowr councell lernyd, that they myght comune with hym therin, for he seyd he woulde not ye choulde take non axcion therin withowt it myght provayle. He was well payed that I tolde hym that ye woulde not do therin withowt hys knowleche and assent; and he seyd he woulde do therin as he woulde do yf the mater wer hys owne. Be avyse of yowr councell, I purpose to sende Loumnowr and Playter to commone with hym therin. He seyd he woulde feyne that ye wer owt of troble; and he seyd, yf he myght doo owght to helppe yow forwarde in aney of yowr materys, he swore by heys feythe he wode do hys parte feythfully therin.Episcopus apud London.He purp[o]syd to be at London thys terme, and thanne he seyd he woulde speke with yow of maney thyngs; he wycheyd herteley that he myght have spoke with yow on owr. He mevyd to me of a mater of a jentyllman of Cornale.CornwayleHe seyd he woulde speke with yow therof her after; yf it myght be browt to, it myght do meche good in maney thyngis. I harde yow onys speke of the same; ye tolde me ye hade be mevyd to therof by other.
Item, I received at letter frome yow yesterday, wherof I thanke yow hertely, and I praye yow that I maye be as ye writt. And as for suche materys as Sir Thomas Howys choulde be spoke to for194.1I sent Ric. Calle this day to speke with hym, but he myght not speke with hym; but as hastelyas I may I challe do myn parte to spede the erands and other.Ecclesia de Mautby.It is tolde me that Sir Thomas wyll ressyng Mautby chyrche, and yf it plesyd yow to geve it to on Sir Thomas Lyndis, I truste verely that ye choulde leke hym ryght well, for he is rit a prystly man and vertusly dysposyd. I have knowe hym this xx. yer and mor; he was brother to the goode parsone of Seynt Michellys that ye lovyd ryght well; and yf he myght havyt he woulde kepe an howsolde therupon and bylde (?) well the plase (?); and therof have it grete nede, for it is now rit evyll reparyd, and I wott well he woll be rulyd and gydyt as ye wyll have hym.Wursted.I praye yow, yf it plese yow that he have it, that it lekyth yow to sende me an answer by the berrer herof.
Item, I have do spoke for yowr worstede195.1but ye may not have it tylle Halowmesse; and thane I am promysyd ye challe have as fyne as maye be made. Ric. Calle challe bryng it up with hym.
Wretyn the Fryday next before Michelmas day.
191.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘IIII.’ at the head, showing that it is of the same sequence as the next, which is numbered ‘V.’ and dated on the very same day. In fact, the latter is clearly nothing but a postscript to this, and bears the address upon the back, which this does not.192.1Gilbert Debenham, senior, Esq.192.2Sir Gilbert Debenham.193.1So inMS.193.26th October.194.1SeeNo. 609.195.1SeeNo. 609,p. 188, Note 2.
191.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘IIII.’ at the head, showing that it is of the same sequence as the next, which is numbered ‘V.’ and dated on the very same day. In fact, the latter is clearly nothing but a postscript to this, and bears the address upon the back, which this does not.
192.1Gilbert Debenham, senior, Esq.
192.2Sir Gilbert Debenham.
193.1So inMS.
193.26th October.
194.1SeeNo. 609.
195.1SeeNo. 609,p. 188, Note 2.
To my ryght worschipfull husbond, John Paston, in haste.
To get a copy [of] that he hath . . hed; notwithstandyng [I] wote well thei have found non such evidens as ye wene.
Item, it was tolde me thys day that Master John Salatt hathe made a serge in the regestre this monethe aftre the wylles and testements or suche as hought the maners of Heylesdon and Drayton this c. yere, and be that hathe they founde suche evidence as schal be gret strenghthyng to the Duks tittle, as it is seide. I undrestonde verely that Mastre John Salet is all on that partye, and no thyng with you.
Item, as for the bill that ye sent to Sir Thomas Howys touchyng on Edmond Carvyll and on Fraunces, I wote ner whether he had hem or nought, for he is not spoken with yett in the maters. As wee spede owr materys, we chall sende yow answers of them as hastely as we maye. At the reverense of God, spede ye yowr materys that ye maye come owte of that loggyng that ye ar in as hastely as ye maye, for I have non fansey with some of the felechipp. I tolde yow, as me thowth, I praye yow be ware, &c.
I praye yow yf it plese yow that I may be recommaundyd to my Lorde Percy, and to myn mastres, and to my Lorde Abott. And I pray God bryng yow and them owt of troble, and send yow good spede in alle yowr materys. Wretyn in hast, the Fryday next afor Michellmes.Be yowr,M. P.
Yf it plese yow to send aney thyng by the berer herof, he is trusty inough.
195.2[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is apostyled in the handwriting of John Paston, and numbered ‘V’ at the head. As it refers to Paston’s dispute with the Duke of Suffolk about the manors of Hellesden and Drayton, it must belong to the year 1465. The reader will also perceive that it contains an allusion to John Paston’s imprisonment in the Fleet, and to my Lord Percy, who is mentioned in Letter 609, and who must have been a fellow-prisoner of Paston’s.
[To]his ryght worschypful[fa]dre John Paston, beyng[in t]he Flete at London, be thys delyvered.
RyghtWorschypful Syr, in the most lowly wyse I recomand me to you. Pleasyth it you to wet that I sente you a letter but late agoo, in whych letter I lete you have understondyng that if it pleasyd yow to grante and assente therto, Syr Thomas Howes wolde resyngne the benefyse of Mawteby to a ful prestly man of Norwych callyd Sir Thomas Lyndys, whom I suppose ye have knolech of. Neverthelesse I wote wele he hath not ben grettly aquentyd with you. But I and he have ben moch aquentyd to geder, and Iunderstond and knowe hys vertews levyng and dysposicion ryght wele; whyche heraffter, I wote wele, sholde please you ryght wele. And that letter whyche I sente you as I understode syns Nycholas Calman the berer ther of came not owte of Norwych iiij. or v. dayes after that the bylle was delyveryd hym; wherefor I am in dowte whyther it is come to your handes.
Whych causyth me to wryght to you ageyn in thys wyse, besechyng yow, if it plese yow that the seyd Sir Thōs Lyndys schal be of your promotynge in the wyse above wretyn that there it lyke you that I may have answer by the berer herof; whych schal tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.No more to yow at thys tyme, but Alle myghty God have yow in guydynge. Wretyn at Heylesdon the Fryday next byfore Seynt Mychell.By yowr older sone,John Paston.
196.1[MS.in Pembroke College, Cambridge.] This letter, as will be seen, was written in 1465 on the same day as Margaret Paston’s two letters,Nos. 610, 611.
tary at London a day or ij., and not passynge.final . invisible
To my ryth reverrend and worchepfull fadre, John Paston, be thys delyveryd.
1465OCT. 3
Aftyrall humbyll and most due recomendacion, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of your blyssyng. Plesyt yow to have knowlege that as on Sonday next be for Myhelmas Day, as my modyr came fro London ward, sche cam homward by Cotton, and sche sent for me to Heylysdon to come to hyr thedyr, and so I have ben in the plase ever sethyn. And as sone as Myhelmas Day was past, I begane to dystreyne the tenants, and gadryd some syllvyr, as myche, I trowe, as wyll pay for our costs; and yet I cepe here ryth a good felawschep, and mor wer promysyd me, whychethat came not to me, wherby I was ner deseyvyd. For when Debnam herd sey how that I began to gadyr sylvyr, he reysyd many men with in j. daye and an halfe, to the nombyr of iijc.men, as I was credebly assartaynyed by a yeman of the chambyr of my Lordys198.1that owythe me good wyll, whech yeman, as sone as he had sene ther felauschep, rod streyth to my Lord and informyd hym of it; and also he informyd my Lord how that I had gadryd a nothyr gret felashschep, whyche felawschep he namyd more than we wer by jc.and an halfe and yett more. And he seyd on to my Lord and my Lady, and to their consell, that with owt that my Lord took a dyrectyon in the mater, that ther wer leek to be do gret harme on bothe oure pertyes, wheche wer a gret dysworchep to my Lord, consederyng how that he takyth us bothe for hys men, and so we be knowyn well inow. Upon whyche informacion, and dysworchep to my Lord, that tweyn of hys men schold debat so ner hym, contrary to the Kyngs pese, consedryd of my Lord and my Lady and ther cownsell, my Lord sent for me and Syr Gylberd Debnam to come to hym to Framlyngham bothe, and as it fortunyd well my modyr come to me to Cotton not half an owyr be for that the mesenger came to me fro my Lord, wheche was late upon Twysday last past at nyth; and the next day on the mornyng I rod to my Lord to Framlyngham, and so ded Syr Gylberd also. And as sone as we wer come, we wer sent for to come to my Lord, and when we come to my Lord, he desiyryd of us bothe that we schold neythyrthyr gadyr no felawschep, but syche men as we had gadryd that we schold send hem home a yen, and that the coort schold be contenuyd in to the tyme that my Lord, or suche as he wold asyngne, had spok bothe with yow and Yelverton and Jenney, and that on indeferent man chosyn by us bothe schold be assynyd to kepe the plase in to the tyme that ye and they wer spook with.
And then I answed my Lord, and seyd how that at that tyme I had my maistyr within the maner of Cotton, whyche was my modyr, and in to the tyme that I had spook with hyr I cowd geve none answer; and so my Lord sent Rychord Fulmerston, berer hereof, to my modyr thys day for ananswer, whyche answer he schold bryng to my Lord to London, for my Lord rod to Londons word as yesterday, and the soner be cause he trustyd to have a good end of this mater and alle othyr be twyx yow, whyche he takyth for a gret worchep to hym, and a gret avantage bothe, and he cowd bryng this mater abowt, for then he wold trust to have your servyse, alle whyche wer to hym gret tresour and avantage.
And this was the answer that my modyr and I gave hym, that at the instans of my Lord and my Ladye we wold do thus myche as for to put the coort in contenuans, and no more to receyve of the profyts of the maner than we had, and had dystresid for tyll in to the tym that sche and I had werd ayen fro my Lord and yow, if so wer that they wold neythyr mak entreys nor dystreyn the tenantys, nor chepe no coort mor then we wold do. And we told Rychord Fulmerston that thys my modyr and I ded at the instans and gret request of my Lord, be cause my Lord intendyd pes, whyche resonably we wold not be ayenst, and yet we seyd we knew well that we schold have no thank of yow when ye knew of it, with owt it wer be cause we ded it at my Lordys instans. But be for thys answer we had receyvyd as myche sylvyr full ner as Rychord Calle sent us bokys of for to gadyryt bye; and as for the possessyon of the plase, we told hym that we wold kepe it, and Syr Gylberd agreyd, so that Yelverton and Jeney would do the same; for it was tyme for hym to sey so, for my Lord told hym that he wold hym fast by the feet ellys, to be suyr of hym, that he schold make non insurreccions in to the tyme that my Lord came ayen fro London.
I wene, and so dothe my modyr bothe, that thys appoyntment was mad in good tyme; for I was deseyvyd of bettyr than an C. men and an halfe that I had promyse of to have come to me when I sent for hem. Thys promes had I befor that I sent to yow the last lettyr the daye aftyr Seynt Myhell. Jenney herd seye that I cepyd Cotton, and he rod to Nacton, and ther held a cort and receyvyd the profytys of the maner.
I beseche yow that I may have knowlage in hast fro yow ye wyll that I be demenyd in thys mater and in al othyr, andI schal aplye me to fulfyll your intent in them to my power by the grace of God, whom I beseche have yow in guydyng, and sende yow yowyr herts desyir. Wretyn at Hemnalle Halle, in Cotton, the Thursday next befor Seynt Feythe.
My modyr recomandyth her to yow, and preyith yow to hold hyr excusyd that sche wrytyth not to yow at thys tyme, for sche may have no leyser. The berer her of schall informe yow whedyr Jeney wyll agre to thys appoyntment or not. I thynk he dar do non othyr wyse.Your sone and lowly servaunt,John Paston.
197.1[From Fenn, iv. 80.] The signature of this letter, according to the fac-simile referred to by Fenn, is that of Sir John Paston, the eldest son of the person addressed. The date is undoubtedly 1465, as it will be seen byLetter 610that Margaret Paston entered Cotton on Sunday before Michaelmas in that year.198.1The Duke of Norfolk.
197.1[From Fenn, iv. 80.] The signature of this letter, according to the fac-simile referred to by Fenn, is that of Sir John Paston, the eldest son of the person addressed. The date is undoubtedly 1465, as it will be seen byLetter 610that Margaret Paston entered Cotton on Sunday before Michaelmas in that year.
198.1The Duke of Norfolk.
To owr trusty and enterly beloved servaunt, John Paston, Esquyr.
The Deuke of Norff.
1465OCT. 12
Ryghtwelbeloved servaunt, y grete yow hertly welle, sertefyng that we shulle be at fulle age on Fryday nexst comyng. Wherfor, wele consayled be the Lordes of owr Consayle and oder of owr Consayle, that ye, on of owr servaunts of howsholde, with oder, be with us at London on Fryday or Saterday nexst comyng at the ffurdest, too a companye us thann too owr worshyp, for we shull have thann levery of owr landes and offyces; and that ye ffayle usnot, as ye woll have owr good Lordeshyp in tyme comyng; and also that ye doo warne owr ffeede men201.1and servaunts, suche as be nye too yow, that they be ther thann in owr leverey. Y wreton the xij. day of October.Norff.
200.1[From Fenn, iv. 62.] John Mowbray, third Duke of Norfolk, died on the 6th November 1461. It appears by the Inquisitionspost mortem, 1 EdwardIV., No. 46, that John, his son and successor in the title, was seventeen years old on St. Luke’s Day (18th October) in that year. He must therefore have been born on the 18th October 1444, and would have been of full age on Friday, 18th October 1465. The John Paston, Esq., to whom this letter was addressed, must have been the youngest of that name, who, as we have seen already, had been serving in the Duke’s household. His father was at this time a prisoner in the Fleet, so that the letter could not have been intended for him.201.1Those who held lands of the Duke as their superior.
200.1[From Fenn, iv. 62.] John Mowbray, third Duke of Norfolk, died on the 6th November 1461. It appears by the Inquisitionspost mortem, 1 EdwardIV., No. 46, that John, his son and successor in the title, was seventeen years old on St. Luke’s Day (18th October) in that year. He must therefore have been born on the 18th October 1444, and would have been of full age on Friday, 18th October 1465. The John Paston, Esq., to whom this letter was addressed, must have been the youngest of that name, who, as we have seen already, had been serving in the Duke’s household. His father was at this time a prisoner in the Fleet, so that the letter could not have been intended for him.
201.1Those who held lands of the Duke as their superior.
1465OCT. 14
Thysbe the parcell underwryten of such godys as were taken and beren away at Haylesdon, of John Pastons, hys sones and hys servaunts by the Duk of Suffolk servaunts and tenaunts the xiiij. day of October the v. yere of Kyng E. the iiijte, the whych day the place of Haylesdon was broken and pullyd dowyn, &c.
In primis, ther was lost of John Pastons ther at that tyme in beddyng ij. ffeder bedds with ij. bolsters, iiij. materas, with iiij. bolsters; a grete seler with the testor, and iij. corteyns of whyte lynen cloth, and a coverlyte of whyte werstede longyng therto.
Item, a selere with a testore, and iij. corteyns of blewe bokeram with a coveryng of blew werstede longyng therto; v. pylowys of dowyn, vj. coverlyts of werk of dyvers colors, vj. payr blankettys, ij. payr shytes of iij. webbys, ij. hedshytes of ij. webbys, vj. payre shytes of ij. webbys, ij. basons of pewter, and iij. candelstykks of latyn for the chamber.
Item, in primis, vj. bord clothys, vj. towellys, xij. napkyns, vj. candelstykks of laton, ij. saltsalers of sylver, ij. saltsalers of pewter, ij. basons of pewter with ij. ewers, a barell of vyneger, a barell of vergyous, xij. ale stondys, ij. pantre knyves, a pyce of sylver, a pype for brede, a ale stole, xij. spones of sylver, &c.
Item, a grete lede to brew v. comb malte with one plawyng, a mayshsate, ij. kylyng sates, vj. kylers, ij. clensyng sates, a taptrogh, a temps to clense, with a scyppe to bere malte, a syff to syft malte, a bultyng pype, ij. knedyng satys, a moldyng bord.
Item, ij. dosyn pewter vessell, iiij. grete bras pannes, iij. potts of bras, j. greddyron, ij. broches, j. dressyng knyff, j. morter of marbell with a pestell, j. litell panne of bras of di. galon, ij. pothoks, ij. rakks of yron, ij. brendeletts, a almary to kepe in mete, j. axe to clyve wode, ij. saltyng satys to salte in fflesh.
Item, in the stepell, ix. sheffe arwys, ix. bawys, ij. handgonnes, iiij. chambers for gonnys, ij. mallys of lede, ij. jakks.
Item, in the church, a purs and iij. gold ryngs, a coler of sylver of the Kyngs lyvery and a nobyll of viijs.iiijd.the whych was Wykys.
Item, a syde gowne of blewe of Wyks.
Item, a stokke gonne with iij. chambers.
Item, a syde morrey gowne, a dobelet of blak satyn, a payre hosyn, a jakks, the polronds of a payr bryganders of rede sateyn ffugr.
Item, a payr of large tabelles of box, pris vjs.viijd.
Item, a staffe, pris iijs.iiijd.
Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.
Item, an unce of gold of Venyse, di. pype of gold damask, di. unc’ of gold of Gene, an unc’ of sylk, a li. of threde, a close glasse of yvery, a grete combe of yvere, a fyne kerchy of fyne Holond cloth, a quarter of blak velwet.
Item, a ryng of gold with a dyamonics, a typet of sarsenet, a nobyll of xs., a nobyll viijs.iiijd.
Item, a dobelet of blak fusteyn, a hers harnys, vjs.a gray hers, pris xls., ij. shertys, pris iiijs.
Item, a Normandy byll and a bawe, pris of them both vjs.
Item, a payr botys, a payr sporys, a shert, a cappe, a hatte, a dobelet, a payr hosyn, a brydell, ij. crepers, v. ston of wall, xxx. welfellys, a spere staff.
Item, taken away uppon Draytun grounde at on tyme by the baylly of Cossey and others, CC. shepe callyd hoggys.
Item, at a nother tyme, uppon the same ground, iiijxx.hoggys and xl. theyves.
Item, at a nother tyme, at Haylesdon, by the baylly of Cossey and Bottesford and other, viijcc.moder shype and CCCC. lambes.
Memorandum, a gowne of Richard Calle, pris ixs., j. peyr hosen, iijs., j. swerd, iijs., ij. bonets, ijs.. . . . j. jakk, xxvjs.viijd., j. schert, iijs.iiijd.
Memorandum, the pullyng downe of the place at Heylesden, to the hurts and skathes of ——
Item, the pullyng downe of the logge of Heylesden.
Item, the distroyng of the waryne at Heylesdon.
Item,. . . .the maner and the warreyn.
Item, memorandum, the rydyngs and costs off suthe.
Memorandum, the assaw made uppon Marg. Paston, Sir John Paston, at Heylysdon beeffor the place was. . . . . . .
Memorandum, the imprisonment off Sir John Paston in the Flet and in the Kyngs Benche.
201.2[From a Bodl.MS.]
Item, boke of Frensh, pris iijs.iiijd.text has “iiija.” (italic “a” for “d”)
1465OCT. 17
OnTuesday in the morwyn whas John Botiller, otherwyse callid John Palmer, and Davy Arnald your cook, and William Malthows of Aylsham, takyn at Heylesdon be the balyf of Ey callid Bottisforth, and led for to Cossey, and ther thei kepe hem yet with ought any warant or autoryte of Justice of Peas. And thei saye thei will carie hem forth to Ey preson, and as many as thei may gete more of your men and tenaunts, that thei may know that owe yow good wyll or hath be to you ward, thei be thret to be slayn or presoned. The Duke came to Norwich204.2on Tuesday at x. of clok with the nombre of v. hundred men. And he sent after the Meyr and Alderman with the Sherefs desiryng hem in the Kyngs name that thei shuld take an enqueraunce of the constablys of every ward with in the cyte what men shuld a go on your party to have holpyn or socowryd your men at any tyme of thes gaderyngs, and if any thei cowde fynde, that thei shuld take and arest hym and correct hym, and also certifie hym the names on Wyndenesse day [Wednesday] be viij. of clok. Which the Meyr dede, and wull do anythyng that he may for hym and his. And her up on the Meyr hath arestid on that was with me callid Roberd Lovegold, braser, and threte hym that he shall be hanged be the nek; wherfor I wuld that thermyght come down a writ to remeve hym if ye thynk it be to do. He was not with me not save that Harleston and other mad the assaught up on me and Lammesse; he is right good and feythfull on to you, and therfore I wuld he had help. I have non man at this tyme to avayte upon me that dare be avowyd but Litill John. William Nawton is here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd, for he is sore thret. It is told me the old Lady and the Duke is set fervently ageyn us be the enformacion of Harlesdon, the Bayly of Cossey and Andrewys and Doget the balys sone, and suych other fals shrewys the which wuld have thes mater born ought for ther owyn pleser; the which causith an205.1evyll noyse in this contre and other places. And as for Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir John Wyndefeld and other wurchepfull men ben mad but her doggeboldes;205.2the whiche I suppose wull turne hem to diswurchep here after. I spake with Sir John Hevenyngham and enformed hym with the trough of the mater, and of all owyr demenyng at Drayton, and he seid he wuld that all thyng wer wele, and that he wuld enforme my lord as I seid to hym, but Harleston had all the words and the rewle with the Duke here, and after his avyse and Doctor Aleynes he was avysed here at this tyme.
The logge and the remenaunte of your place was betyn down on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Duke rode on Wednysday to Drayton and so for to Cossey whille the logge at Heylesdon was in the betyng down. And this nyght at mydnyght Thomas Sleyforth, Grene Porter, and Joh. Botesforth the Baly of Eye, and other, had a cart and fetched awey fetherbeddes, and all the stuffe that was left at the parsones, and Thom Wateres hows to be kept of owrs. I shall send you billes er after, as ner as I may, what stuffe we have forborn. I pray you send me word how ye will that I be demened, wheder ye wull that [I]205.3abide at Cayster orcome to you to London. I have no leyser to write more. God have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Norwich on Sent Lukes Evyn.M. P.