788BILL OF COSTS120.4

118.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is not addressed, and theMS.is in fact only a corrected draft, of which a fair copy has since been found. The fair copy is not addressed either. The letter was evidently written to John Paston in answer toNo. 784. The date is ascertained by the fact that John Berney of Witchingham died in the year 1471.119.1In Fenn’s edition this is printed ‘swgar, feg, and dats.’ The word ‘feg’ is not in theMS.It seems to be a misreading of ‘swg’’ (sugar), which the transcriber forgot to cancel.120.1F. adds ‘and comfyts,’ but the words are not in theMS.120.2F. reads ‘the price of ali.,’ but this is not in theMS.120.3The following sentence is added in the fair copy: ‘I warn yw kepe this letter clos and lese yt not; rather brenyt.’788BILL OF COSTS120.4Termino Sancti Michaelis Anno xjoE. iiijtipro Ricardo Calle deff’ versus Willelmum Huggan q. in placito trans’.1471NOV.In primis, for a copy of the bill,iiijd.Item, for makyng of the awnswer to Mr. Pygot, Mr. Fayrefax, and to Mr. Hosy,xs.Item, wyne and perys at tavern ij. tymes,xiiijd.Item, for a copy of record in the Kynges Bench,iijs.iiijd.Item, for pledyng of the record in the Kynges Bench a yenst Wyll. Huggan,xs.Item, gyven to Hosey, the xxvij. day of the same moneth, for to enparle120.5to the bill,iijs.iiijd.Item, the xxx. day of October, for the copy of the tytelyng of Huggans plee,iiijd.Item, for wyne at [the] Cardenall Hatte120.6the same day,vjd.Item, the iiij. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax and Mr. Hosey for puttyng yn of the replicacyon,vjs.viijd.Item, the x. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax, Mr. Pygotte, and Mr. Hosey, for the seyng of the paper, and comenyng of the issewe a yenst Wyll. Huggan,xs.Item, for the wyne at the Cardenall Hatte,121.1viijd.Item, for the entre of the aunswere a yenst Huggan by Ric. Calle, payd to Sandys,vs.Item, to Nedersole for makyng of the paper,ijs.vjd.Item, for the copy of the same,ijs.vjd.Summa totalis, lvjs.iiijd.120.4[From PastonMSS., B.M.]120.5Toimparl, a technical expression, meaning to obtain time to plead.120.6A tavern in Southwark. The name is still preserved in Cardinal Hat Alley.121.1N.B.—Under viijd.is written ‘46s.4d.’ in a different hand.... for makyng of the paper, ijs.vjd.text hass,fors.789EDMUND PASTON TO JOHN PASTON121.2Tho my rytgh wurshepfull brother John Paston, in hast.1471NOV. 18Ryghwurshipful brother, I recumawnd me to zow, prayeng zow hartely that ze wyl remembyr soche maters as I wryth to zow. I send zow now be the brynggar her of mony, wycche mony I pray zow that [ye121.3] be stowe yt as I wryth to zow. I wend a don yt my sylf but consyderyng costis and other dyvers thyngis I may not bryng yt abowthe. Wher for I pray zow hartely to take the labour up on zow, and I trust to deservyt. I pray zow be stow thys mony thus: to Christofyr Hanyngton vs.: to the prynspall of Stapylin121.4vs.in parte of payment. Also I pray zow to bye me iij. zerddis of porpyl schamlet, price the zerd iiijs., a bonet of depe murry, pryce ijs.iiijd., an hose clothe of zelow carsey of an ellyn, I trow yt wyl cost ijs.; a gyrdyl of plunkket ryban, price vjd.; iiij. lacis of sylke ij. of one color and ij. of ane other, price viijd.; iij. doseyn poynttis wythe red and zelow, price vjd.; iij. peyer of pateyns. I pray zow lateWylliam Mylsant purvey for them. I was wonte to pay but ijd.ob. for a payer, but I pray zow late them not be lefte behyng thow I pay mor; they must be lowe pateyns; late them be long inow and brode up on the hele. Among all other I pray zow recumawnd me to Mastres Elyzabet Hygons. I may sey poverte partes feleschepe. Yf that I had ben so well purveyde as I wend I trowst to have ben with zow her thys; also I pray zow recumawnd me to my brother Sir John. I fer lasse he wyl take a dysplesur with me that I send hym no mony. I pray zow excuse me as ze can. I trust to send hym sum a bowth Candylmesse. I had a promyse of Masteres Elyzabeth of a typet of welvet; but and I myth have a hatlase I woold thynk me well. I pray zow sey thus myche on zour owyn hed, and yf ze can not sped of the hatlase I pray zow bye me one of xijd.or xvjd.Also Sir I send Parkar hys mony be the brynggar har of and I have desyered hym to lend me a gown of puke, and I have send hym a typet of welvet to boredyr yt [round122.1] a bowthe; and I pray zow be at schesyng there of; and yf that he wyl not be cryst calkestowe over hys hed that is schoryle in Englysche, yt is a terme newe browthe up with my marschandis of Norwych. Sir John Pampyng recummawnd hym to zow and pray zow that ze wyl remembyr hys harnes, and yf that ze can get the mony he pray zow to delyver Parkar xs.that he howyth hym. Also, sir, my modyr gretis zow wel and send zow Goddis blyssyng and heres, and prays zow that ze wyl bye her a runlet of Malmesey owthe of the galey; and yf ze have no mony sche byd that ze schuld borow of my brother Sir John, or of sum other frend of zowers, and send [he]r122.1woord as hastily as ze have it, and sche schale send zow mony; and yf that ze send it home sche byd that yt schuld be woond in a canivasse for brochyng of the caryars, for sche sethe that sche hath knowyn men served soo befor. Also I pray zow, if ze speke with Master Roger, tell hym that yf he cum in to thys cuntre thys crystemas, he schal have hys xs., and yf that he cum not I schal send yt hym be xij. day [Twelfth Day] at the fardest. I pray zow, hartely remembyrmy gere, and that ze wyl desyere Wylliam Mylsant on my be halve to purvey for the caryage in as hasty wyse as yt can. Also I pray zow that the welvet that levyt of my typet may be send hom a geyn, for I woold strype a dobelet ther with. As for Masteres Blakenye, I trowe sche in zour quarters. I woold I had the same entyrpryce up on hyr that John Bramppton of Atylborowe had up on master Byrston. Alle the Coorte recommawndes hem tow zow. I pray zow, and ze can get me any profytable servyce, a saye. My brother Sir John was meved of my hawnt Ponyngges to have ben with here. I woold have rytgh an hesy servyse tyl I were owthe of detis. God have zow in Hys kepyng. Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday nex be fore Sen Edmond the Kyng.Edmond Paston.On the back of the letter are the following memoranda:—In primis, to the pryncypall of Stapyll Invs.Item, for iiij. lasysviijd.Item, for iij. doseyn poyntesvjd.Item, for a plonket rybanvjd.121.2[Add.MS.34,889, f. 130, and Add.MS.27,445, f. 52.] TheMS.of this letter is in two fragments, from which it is now printed entire. The year in which it was written is shown by Margaret Paston’s letter to the writer’s brother John Paston, on the 29th November 1471 (No. 791), in which she apologises for not sending him money for a runlet of wine she had desired him to purchase for her, on account of the number of thieves stirring. It will be seen that she made the request by means of her son Edmund in this letter.121.3Omitted inMS.121.4Staple Inn.122.1Mutilated.to boredyr yt [round122.1]unclear punctuation or flyspeck between editorial “round” and footnote marker790ABSTRACT123.1[Margaret Paston] to her Son [Sir John Paston]1471(?)NOV. 20Wonders she has no answer to her letter by Ric. Raddeley. Wants him and his brother to get a discharge from my Lord of Canterbury, ‘for occupying of your father’s goods.’ If my Lord died before we got it, his successor might be ‘more hasty upon us than he hath been.’ My Lord knows the great charges we have had since he deceased, which have caused the goods to be spent. If any of us were to die, no one would take charge for us unless we have a discharge. Remember the spices and malmsey I have sent to you for.St. Edmund’s Day the King.Sealed.[At the date of this letter, Sir John Paston and his brother John were together in London, and apparently the Archbishop of Canterbury was seriously ill. Of the latter fact we have no certain knowledge, but it appears by a subsequent letter that there was a report of his death in June 1472, and the two brothers were certainly in London together in November of the year preceding. It is probable therefore that the Archbishop was ill of the epidemic which prevailed in the latter part of 1471 and the spring of 1472. The two brothers were not together in November 1472.]123.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.]791MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON124.1To John Paston, Esquier, be this delyverd in hast.1471NOV. 29I gretezow welle, and send zow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that I have a letter from zour brother, wherby I undyrstand that he cannot, ner may, make no porveyans for the C. mark; the wyche causythe me to be rythgh hevy, and for other thynges that he wrytht to me of that he is in dawnger. For remembering wat we have had befor thys and ho symppylly yt hath be spente and to lytyl profythe to any of us, and now arn in soche casse that non of us may welle helpe other with owte that we schuld do that wer to gret a dysworschip for us to do, owther to selle wood or lond or soche stuffe that were nessessary for us to have in owr howsys; so mot I answer a for God, I wot not how to do for the seyde money, and for other thyngges that I have to do of scharge, and my worshup saved. Yt is a deth to me to thynk up on yt. Me thynkyth be zour brothers wrythtyng, that he thynkyth that I am informed be sume that be a bowthe me to do and to sey as I have be for thys, but be my trowthe he demyth a mysse; yt nedyth me not to be informed of no soche thengges. I construe in my owyn mend, and conseyve i now and to myche, and whan I have brokyn my conseyte to sume that in happe he deniythe yt too, they have put me in cownforth more than I kowde have be any imajynasyon in my owyn conseythe. He wrythetyth to me also, that he hath spend thys terme xlli.Yt is a gret thyng; me thynkyth be good dyscresyon ther mythe myche ther of aben sparyd. Zour fadyr, God blysse hys sowle, hathe had as gret maters to do as I trowe he hathe had thys terme, and hath not spend halfe the mony up on them in so lytyl tyme, and hath do ryth well. At the reverens of God, avyse hym zet to be war of hys expences and gydyng that yt be no schame to us alle. Yt is a schameand a thyng that is myche spokyn of in thys contre that zour faders graveston is not mad. For Goddes love, late yt be remembyrd and porveyde for in hast. Ther hathe be mych mor spend in waste than schuld have mad that, me thynkyth be zour brother that he is wery to wrythe to me and there fore I wyl not a kumbyr hym with wrythtyng to hym. Ze may telle hym as I wryth to zow. Item, I woold ze schuld remembyr zour brother of Pekerngges mater, if he cum not hom hastely, that ze and Townesend and Lumnor may examyn and sette yt thorow. The pore man is almost on don ther by, and hys brother suethe hym and trobylyth hym sor zet; and also for the plesur of my koseyn Clere and the Lady Bolen, I woold yt were sette thorow.As for my rowndlet of wyne, I schuld send zow mony there fore, but I dar not put yt in joperte, ther be so many theves stereng. John Lovedayes man was robbyd in to hys schyrte as he cam home ward. I trow, and ze assaye Towneshend or Playter, or sum other good kuntery man of owrys to lend yt zow for me tyl they cum hom, they wyl do so myche for me and I schal contente them a geyn. Item, Jamys Gressham hath ben passyng sekke and ys zet. Judy tellythe me that zour brother is avysed for to sue hym. For Goddes sake, late non onkyndnesse be schewed to hym, for that woold sone make an hend of hym. Remembyr ho keynd and true hartyd he hath ben to us to hys powre; and he had nevere take that offyce upon hym that he is in dawnger for, ne had be for owr sakkes. He hathe sold a gret parte of hys lond there for, as I suppose ze have knowlache of. Late yt be remembyrd, and ellys owr enmyes wyl rejoysyt, and ther wyl no wurshup be ther in at long way.I schuld wryth mor but I have no leyser at thys tyme. I trow ze wyl sone kum hom, and there fore I wryth the lesse. God kepe zow and send zow good speede, &c. Wretyn the Fryday, Sen Andrue Ev.Be zour modyr.The following note is written on the back of the Letter in Sir John Fenn’s hand:—‘This letter was fastened by threads brought through with a needle and made fast by the seal. The threads being cut on the directed side, the letter is opened without breaking the seal.’124.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] St. Andrew’s Eve, the 29th November, fell on a Friday in 1471. It will also be seen that the beginning of this letter refers to the same subject as the beginning ofLetter 787.792MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON, ESQUIRE126.1To John Paston, Esquyer, be this deliuered.1471(?)DEC. [1]I greteyou wele, and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn. Desyryng you to send me word how that your brother doth. It was told her that he shuld have be ded, which caused many folkis and me bothyn to be right hevy. Also it was told me this day that ye wer hurt be affray that was mad up on you be feles disgysed. Ther fore, in any wyse send me word in hast how your brother doth and ye bothyn; for I shall not ben wele at eas till I know how that ye do. And for Goddis love lete your brother and ye be ware how that ye walken, and with what felesshep ye etyn or drynkyn, and in what place, for it was seid here pleynly that your brothere was poysoned. And this weke was on of Drayton with me and told me that there were diverse of the tenauntis seid that thei wost not what to do if that your brothere came home; and ther was on of the Duk of Suffolkis men by, and bad them not feryn, for his wey shuld be shorted and [i.e.if] he shuld come there. Wherfore, in any wyse be ware of your self, for I can thynk thei geve no fors what to do to be wenged and to put you from your entent, that thei myght have her wyll in Ser John Fastolffis land. Thy[nke]126.2what gret sor[ow]126.2it [shu]ld126.2be to me and any. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I had lever ye had never know the lond; remembre it was the distruccion of your fadre; trost not mych up on promyses of lordis now a days that ye shuld be the suerer of the favor of there men. For there was a man, and a lordis sone, seid but late, and toke it for an exampill that Sir Robert Harecourt had the good will of the lordis after ther comyng in, and yet within shorte tyme after here men kylled hym in hysowyn place. A mannes deth is litill set by now a days. Therefore be ware of symulacion, for thei wull speke ryht fayr to you that wuld ye ferd [fared] right evyll. The blissid Trynyte have you in his kepyng. Wretyn in gret hast the Saterday next after Sent Andrewe.Lete this letter be brent whan ye have understond it. Item, I pray you send me iiij. suger lofis, ich of them of iijli., and iiijli.of datis if thei be newe. I send you xs.be the berer hereof; if ye pay more I shall pay it you ageyn whan ye come home. And forgete not to send me word be the berere hereof how ye don; and remembre the bylles and remembrauns for the maner of Gresham that I wrote to your brother for.Be your moder.126.1[Add.MS.34,889, f. 211.] This letter may be of the year 1471, when it would seem byNo. 791that the two brothers, Sir John and John, were both together (in London, no doubt) about St. Andrew’s Day. If so, it was written just two days after that letter, on the receipt of unpleasant news, which was evidently false.126.2Mutilated.793JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON127.11471. . . .the very valew of Sporlewood passyth not C. mark of no manys mony that I can spek with, and to be payid by dayis as the byll that Jwde shall delyv[er]. . .rehers; and ther ayenst ye shold loose iijli.of the ferme of the maner yerly, whych standyth by undyr wood; and yet the fense must stand yow over on xij. mark by the lest wey; but, by God, and I wer as ye, I wold not sell it for C. mark more then it is woorthe. Syr John Styll recomandyth hym to your good mastyrsheppe, and seyth pleynly if ye wyll he wyll com up to yow and awayte on yow whersoever ye be, coort or othyr. By Seynt Mary, he is owyng more mony than I wend; for he is owyng for a twelmonthe and a quarter at thys Crystmas, savyng for hys boord, xijd.a wek for iij. quarters; and he seythe pleynly that ye and R. Calle both bad hym syng styll for SyrJohn Fastolf as he dyd before; but I have bodyn hym that he shall get hym a servyse now at thys Crystmas; and so he shall, withowt that ye send hym othyr wyse woord, or ellys that ye or I may get hym som benefyse or fre chapell, or som othyr good servyse whych I praye yow enqwer for.Item, and ye werk wysly your mater myght com in with othyr maters of the lordes in ther apoyntmentes with the Kyng, but it wold be labord to a porpose this Crystmas whyll ye have leyser to spek with your mastyr. Item, myn aqweyntans with the Lord Revers is none othyrwyse but as it hathe ben alweys; savyng and he go no to Portygall to be at a day upon the Serasyns, I porpose and have promysyd to be ther with hym; and that jorney don, as Wykys seythe, farwell he. He porposyth to go forward a bowt Lent, but Fortune with hyr smylyng contenans strange of all our porpose may mak a sodeyn change. I ensuer yow he thynkyth all the world gothe on ther syd ayen; and as for my comyng up at the begynnyng of thys next term, with owt ye send me othyrwyse woord that I myght do yow som good when I wer com, by my feyth I com not ther, for it shold put yow to a cost, and me to a labor and cost bothe; but [if] ye send for me I com streyght, thow I tery the lesse whyll ther, and so I shall withowt I may do yow som good. By my feythe I porpose to make up my byllys clere, and send yow the copyse as hastyly as I can. Yonge Wysemanothyrwyecallyd Foole, told me that Sir W. Yelverton is abowt to make a bargayne with the Dwches of Suffolk or with my Lord of Norfolk, whyche he may get fyrst, for the maner of Gwton. I reseyve all yet, God hold it.I praye yow recomand me to my brodyr Molyenewx, and all othyr good felaws.J. P.127.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This seems to be only a portion of a letter, beginning in the middle of a sentence. Probably it was a second leaf added to a more lengthy epistle. It is written on one side of a slip of paper and is in the hand of John Paston the younger. It is endorsed ‘John Paston’ in that of his brother Sir John, to whom it was doubtless addressed. The date must be towards the end of the year 1471, as it appears by the letter immediately following that Lord Rivers embarked for Portugal that year on Christmas Eve.Yonge Wyseman othyrwye callyd Fooletext unchanged: error for “othyrwyse”?794MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON129.11471I greteyou wele; letyng you wete that ther was told me a thyng in your absens that goth right nere myn hert, be a wurchepfull man and such an as ye wuld beleve and geffe credence to, and that owyth you right good wille; which if it had comyn to myn remembraunce at your departer I wuld have spoke to you of it most specially befor all other materis; but I am so trobilled in my mende with your materis that thei be so delayd and take no better conclusion, and with the ontrowth that is in servantis now a days but if the maysteris take better heed to ther handis, that such thyngis as I wuld rathest remembre I sonest for gete. It was told me that ye have sold Sporle wood of a right credebill and wurchepful man, and that was right hevy that ye shuld be know of such disposicion, consederyng how your fader, whos sowle God assoyl, cherysshed in every manor his woodis. And for the more preffe that this shuld be trought, the forseid person told me that it was told hym of on [one] that was toward Sir William Yelverton, to whom Richard Calle shuld have seid in thes termes, that Sporle Wood shuld be sold, and that it shuld comyn now in to Cristen mennes handis. Which if it were knowyn shuld cause bothyn your elmyse [enemies] and your frendis to thynk that ye dede it for right gret nede, or ellis that ye shuld be a wastour and wuld wast your lyvelod. If ye had do so in Sir John Fastolfes lyffelode, men shuld have supposid that ye had do it of good pollice, be cause of the onsuerte that it stoonit (?) in, to have takyn that ye had myght of it duryng your possession, to have boryn ought the daungere of it with the same; but for to do this of your owyn lyffelode, men shall thyng that ye do it for pure nede. And in asmych as it is so nere your most elmyse ere, it shall be to you the gretter vylney and shame to all your frendis, and the grettestcoragyng and plesere that can be to your elmyse. For if ye be thus disposid ye shall make them and all othere certeyn of that that befor this tyme thei haue ben in dought, and cause them to purpose the more cruelly agayn you. Where fore, in eschewyng of the greet slaundre and inconveniens that may grow ther of, I require you, and more over charge you upon my blissyng and as ye wull have my good will, that if any such sale or bargany be mad, be your assent or with ought, be Calle, or any othere in your name, that ye restreyn it; for I wuld not for a Mlmarcs that it wer understond that ye were of that disposicion, ner that ye were comyn to so gret nede which shuld cause [y]ou to do so; for every [man130.1] shuld thynk that it were thurgh your owyn mysgovernaunce. Therefore I charge you, if any such bargayn be mad, that ye send a bill as hastly as ye can to Herry Halman, that he do all such as have mad or takyn that bargayn seasse and felle non of the wood, upon peyn that may falle ther of. And how [who] so ever wull councell you the contrary, do as I advyse you in this behalffe, or ellis trost never to have comfort of me; and if I may knowe ye be of such disposicion, and I leve ij. yer it shall disavayll you in my liffelode ccc. marcs. There fore, send me word be the berere here of wheder ye have assent to any such thyng or nought, and how that ye be disposid to do ther in, for I shall not be quiete in myn hert till I understand yow of the contrary disposicion.Be your more moder.129.1[Add.MS.34,889, f. 116.] This letter would seem to have been written about the end of the year 1471 or the beginning of 1472, when we first hear of Sir John Paston’s design to sell Sporle Wood.SeeNos.793,798.130.1Omitted inMS.795SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON130.2To my most honorabl and tendre modre, Margrete Paston, be thys letter delivered.1472JAN. 8Mostworschypfull and kynde moodre, I comande me to yow, and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my pardon,130.3as the berer heroff can informe yow, forcomffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Crystmesse, and have been parte theroff with Sir George Browen,131.1and with my Lady myn aunte, hys wyffe,131.2and be ffor Twelthe131.3I come to my Lorde Archebysshope,131.4wher I have hadde as greete cheer, and ben as welkom as I cowde devyse; and iff I hadde ben in sewerte that Castr weer hadde ageyn, I wolde have comen homewards thys daye.131.5. . . . . . .And I beseche yow to remembr my brother to doo hys deveyr thatt I maye have agayn my stuffe, my bookes and vestments, and my beddyng, how so evyr he doo, thoghe I scholde gyffe xxtiscutes by hys advyse to my Lady Brandon, or some other goode felawe.As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, saffe that the Kyng hath kept a ryall Crystmesse; and now they seye that hastelye he woll northe, and some seye that he woll into Walys, and some seye that he woll into the West Contre. As ffor Qween Margrett, I understond that sche is remevyd from Wyndesor to Walyngfforthe, nyghe to Ewhelme, my Lady of Suffolk Place in Oxenforthe schyre.And men seye that the Lorde Ryverse schyppyd on Crystmesse evyn in to Portyngale warde; I am not serteyn.Also the schalle be a convocacion off the Clergye in all haste, whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a dyme and an halffe, some seye. I beseche God sende yow goode heele and greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij.Wretyn att the Moor the viij. daye off Janever, AoE. iiij. xj.By yowr soone,John Paston, K.130.2[From Fenn, ii. 86.]130.3His pardon passed the Great Seal on the 21st December 1471.Pardon Roll11 EdwardIV., m. 25.131.1Sir George Browne, Knight, of Betchworth Castle, in Surrey.—F.131.2Elizabeth Paston, formerly married to Robert Poynings.131.3Twelfth day, 6th of January.—F.131.4George Neville, Archbishop of York.—F.131.5Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.—F.796JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON132.1To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Syr John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd.1472JAN. 23Ryghtworchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow in my best wyse, lykeyth yow to wet132.2that I have thys day delyveryd yowr mantyll, yowr ray gowne,132.3and yowr crosbowys, wyth telers and wyndas, and yowr Normandy byll to Kerby to bryng wyth hym to London.Item, in eny wyse, and [if] ye can axe the probate of my fadyrs wyll to be gevyn yow wyth the bargayn that ye make wyth my Lord of Canterbery, and I can thynk that ye may have it, and as soone as it is prevyd ye or I may have a lettyr of mynystracyon upon the same, and a qwetance of my Lord Cardinalle evyn foorthe wyth; and thys wer one of the best bargaynys that ye mad thys ij. yer I enswyr yow, and he may make yow aqwetance or get yow one of the Bysheop of Wynchestyr for Syr John Fastolfys goodes also, and in my reson thys wer lyght to be browght a bowght with the same bargayn. And ye purpose to bargayn with hym ye had need to hye yow, for it is tolde me that my Lord of Norffolk wyl entyr in to it hastyly, and if he so doo, it is the wers for yow, and it wyll cawse them to profyr the lesse sylvyr.Item, I pray yow send me some secret tydyngs of the lyklyed of the world by the next messenger that comyth between, that I may be eyther myryer or ellys mor sory then I am, and also that I may gwyd me ther aftyr.Item, as for Sir R. Wyngfeld, I can get nox.li.of hym,but he seyth that I shall have the fayirest harneys that I can bye in London for sylvyr, but money can I non get. I can not yet make my pesse wyth my Lord of Norffolk nor my Lady by no meane, yet every man tellyth me that my Lady seyth passyngly well of me allweys notwithstandyng. I trowe that they wyll swe the apell133.1thys term, yet ther is no man of us indytyd but if it wer doon a for the crowners er then we cam owt of the plase; ther is now but iij. men in it, and the brygges alwey drawyn. No mor, but God lant yow myn her.133.2Wretyn the Twysday next aftyr Seynt Agnet the fyrst.133.3J. P.Item, yestyrday W. Gornay entryd in to Saxthorp and ther was he kepyng of a coort, and had the tenaunts attou[r]nyd to him, but er the coort was all doon, I cam thedyr with a man with me and no more, and ther, befor hym and all hys feluwschep, Gayne, Bomsted, &c., I chargyd the tenaunts that they shold proced no ferther in ther coort upon peyn that myght folle of it, and they lettyd for a seasen. But they sye that I was not abyll to make my partye good, and so they procedyd ferther; and I sye that, and set me downe by the stward and blottyd hys book wyth my fyngyr as he wrot, so that all tenaunts afermyd that the coort was enterupte by me as in yowr ryght, and I reqwered them to record that ther was no pesybyll coort kept, and so they seyd they wold.132.1[From Fenn, iv. 420.] It appears by a letter of the 17th February following (No. 798), that at the beginning of the year 1472 the Pastons were endeavouring to come to an understanding with the Duke of Norfolk by the intercession of the Duchess. For further evidence of date, see the next letter.132.2A blank occurs here in Fenn’s left-hand, or literal copy, which is not explained.132.3This means a gown made of cloth that was never either coloured or dyed.—F. But according to Halliwell ‘ray’ means striped cloth.133.1This must be the appeal of the two widows, though one of them is said to have married again.SeeNo. 783.133.2This sentence I wish to have explained.—F.133.3The festival of St. Agnes, the first (and the most noted of the two), was kept on the 21st of January; her second festival was on the 28th of the same month, which it is to be observed was not the octave of the former, but a distinct feast upon a different occasion, and it is sometimes written ‘Agnetis Nativitas’; but it was on account of a miracle wrought at her tomb that this second feast was instituted.—F.I can get no x.li.anomalous spacing unchanged797MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON134.1To John Paston, Esquyer, be thys delivered.1472FEB. 5I greteyou wele, and send you Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that the woman that sewyth the appell ageyn your brother and his men is comyn to London to call ther up on. And whan that she shuld come to London ther was delivered her C.s.for to sewe with, so that be that I here in this countre she wull not leve it, but that she shall calle ther up on such tyme as shall be to your most rebuke, but if [unless] ye ley the better wetch. She hath evill councell, and that wull see you gretely uttered, and that ye may understand be the money that was take her whan she came up, and ye shuld fynd it, I knowe it wele, if ther myght have you at avauntage; ther for, for Godds sake make diligent serge be the advyce of your councell, that ther be no necglicens in you in this mater ner other for diffaught of labour, and call upon your brother, and telle hym that I send hym Godds blyssyng and myn, and desire hym that he wull now a while, whill he hath the Lords at his entent, that he seke the meanes to make an ende of his maters, for his elmyses arn gretly coraged now of late; what is the cause I knowe not. Also, I pray you speke to Playter that ther may be fownd a meane that the shereffe or the gaderer of grene wax134.2may be discharged of certeyn issues that renne up on Fastolf for Mariotts mater, for the balyfe was at hym this weke, and shuld have streyned hym, but that he promysed hym that he shuld with in this viij. days labore the meanes that he shuld be dischargedor ell[es] he must content hym, &c. Also, I send you be the berer her of, closed in this letter, v.s.of gold, and pray you to bey me a suger loyfe, and dates, and almaunds, and send it me hame, and if ye bewar [lay out] any mor money, whan ye came hame I shall pait you ageyn. The Holy Gost kepe you bothyn, and deliver you of your elmyse [enemies]. Wretyn on Sent Agas Day, in hast.Item, I pray you speke to Mayster Roger135.1for my sorepe, for I had never mor nede therof, and send it me as hastly as ye can.BeM. P.

119.1In Fenn’s edition this is printed ‘swgar, feg, and dats.’ The word ‘feg’ is not in theMS.It seems to be a misreading of ‘swg’’ (sugar), which the transcriber forgot to cancel.

120.1F. adds ‘and comfyts,’ but the words are not in theMS.

120.2F. reads ‘the price of ali.,’ but this is not in theMS.

120.3The following sentence is added in the fair copy: ‘I warn yw kepe this letter clos and lese yt not; rather brenyt.’

Termino Sancti Michaelis Anno xjoE. iiijtipro Ricardo Calle deff’ versus Willelmum Huggan q. in placito trans’.

1471NOV.

In primis, for a copy of the bill,

Item, for makyng of the awnswer to Mr. Pygot, Mr. Fayrefax, and to Mr. Hosy,

Item, wyne and perys at tavern ij. tymes,

Item, for a copy of record in the Kynges Bench,

Item, for pledyng of the record in the Kynges Bench a yenst Wyll. Huggan,

Item, gyven to Hosey, the xxvij. day of the same moneth, for to enparle120.5to the bill,

Item, the xxx. day of October, for the copy of the tytelyng of Huggans plee,

Item, for wyne at [the] Cardenall Hatte120.6the same day,

Item, the iiij. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax and Mr. Hosey for puttyng yn of the replicacyon,

Item, the x. day of November, gyven to Mr. Fayrfax, Mr. Pygotte, and Mr. Hosey, for the seyng of the paper, and comenyng of the issewe a yenst Wyll. Huggan,

Item, for the wyne at the Cardenall Hatte,

Item, for the entre of the aunswere a yenst Huggan by Ric. Calle, payd to Sandys,

Item, to Nedersole for makyng of the paper,

Item, for the copy of the same,

Summa totalis, lvjs.iiijd.

120.4[From PastonMSS., B.M.]120.5Toimparl, a technical expression, meaning to obtain time to plead.120.6A tavern in Southwark. The name is still preserved in Cardinal Hat Alley.121.1N.B.—Under viijd.is written ‘46s.4d.’ in a different hand.

120.4[From PastonMSS., B.M.]

120.5Toimparl, a technical expression, meaning to obtain time to plead.

120.6A tavern in Southwark. The name is still preserved in Cardinal Hat Alley.

121.1N.B.—Under viijd.is written ‘46s.4d.’ in a different hand.

... for makyng of the paper, ijs.vjd.text hass,fors.

Tho my rytgh wurshepfull brother John Paston, in hast.

1471NOV. 18

Ryghwurshipful brother, I recumawnd me to zow, prayeng zow hartely that ze wyl remembyr soche maters as I wryth to zow. I send zow now be the brynggar her of mony, wycche mony I pray zow that [ye121.3] be stowe yt as I wryth to zow. I wend a don yt my sylf but consyderyng costis and other dyvers thyngis I may not bryng yt abowthe. Wher for I pray zow hartely to take the labour up on zow, and I trust to deservyt. I pray zow be stow thys mony thus: to Christofyr Hanyngton vs.: to the prynspall of Stapylin121.4vs.in parte of payment. Also I pray zow to bye me iij. zerddis of porpyl schamlet, price the zerd iiijs., a bonet of depe murry, pryce ijs.iiijd., an hose clothe of zelow carsey of an ellyn, I trow yt wyl cost ijs.; a gyrdyl of plunkket ryban, price vjd.; iiij. lacis of sylke ij. of one color and ij. of ane other, price viijd.; iij. doseyn poynttis wythe red and zelow, price vjd.; iij. peyer of pateyns. I pray zow lateWylliam Mylsant purvey for them. I was wonte to pay but ijd.ob. for a payer, but I pray zow late them not be lefte behyng thow I pay mor; they must be lowe pateyns; late them be long inow and brode up on the hele. Among all other I pray zow recumawnd me to Mastres Elyzabet Hygons. I may sey poverte partes feleschepe. Yf that I had ben so well purveyde as I wend I trowst to have ben with zow her thys; also I pray zow recumawnd me to my brother Sir John. I fer lasse he wyl take a dysplesur with me that I send hym no mony. I pray zow excuse me as ze can. I trust to send hym sum a bowth Candylmesse. I had a promyse of Masteres Elyzabeth of a typet of welvet; but and I myth have a hatlase I woold thynk me well. I pray zow sey thus myche on zour owyn hed, and yf ze can not sped of the hatlase I pray zow bye me one of xijd.or xvjd.Also Sir I send Parkar hys mony be the brynggar har of and I have desyered hym to lend me a gown of puke, and I have send hym a typet of welvet to boredyr yt [round122.1] a bowthe; and I pray zow be at schesyng there of; and yf that he wyl not be cryst calkestowe over hys hed that is schoryle in Englysche, yt is a terme newe browthe up with my marschandis of Norwych. Sir John Pampyng recummawnd hym to zow and pray zow that ze wyl remembyr hys harnes, and yf that ze can get the mony he pray zow to delyver Parkar xs.that he howyth hym. Also, sir, my modyr gretis zow wel and send zow Goddis blyssyng and heres, and prays zow that ze wyl bye her a runlet of Malmesey owthe of the galey; and yf ze have no mony sche byd that ze schuld borow of my brother Sir John, or of sum other frend of zowers, and send [he]r122.1woord as hastily as ze have it, and sche schale send zow mony; and yf that ze send it home sche byd that yt schuld be woond in a canivasse for brochyng of the caryars, for sche sethe that sche hath knowyn men served soo befor. Also I pray zow, if ze speke with Master Roger, tell hym that yf he cum in to thys cuntre thys crystemas, he schal have hys xs., and yf that he cum not I schal send yt hym be xij. day [Twelfth Day] at the fardest. I pray zow, hartely remembyrmy gere, and that ze wyl desyere Wylliam Mylsant on my be halve to purvey for the caryage in as hasty wyse as yt can. Also I pray zow that the welvet that levyt of my typet may be send hom a geyn, for I woold strype a dobelet ther with. As for Masteres Blakenye, I trowe sche in zour quarters. I woold I had the same entyrpryce up on hyr that John Bramppton of Atylborowe had up on master Byrston. Alle the Coorte recommawndes hem tow zow. I pray zow, and ze can get me any profytable servyce, a saye. My brother Sir John was meved of my hawnt Ponyngges to have ben with here. I woold have rytgh an hesy servyse tyl I were owthe of detis. God have zow in Hys kepyng. Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday nex be fore Sen Edmond the Kyng.Edmond Paston.

On the back of the letter are the following memoranda:—

In primis, to the pryncypall of Stapyll In

Item, for iiij. lasys

Item, for iij. doseyn poyntes

Item, for a plonket ryban

121.2[Add.MS.34,889, f. 130, and Add.MS.27,445, f. 52.] TheMS.of this letter is in two fragments, from which it is now printed entire. The year in which it was written is shown by Margaret Paston’s letter to the writer’s brother John Paston, on the 29th November 1471 (No. 791), in which she apologises for not sending him money for a runlet of wine she had desired him to purchase for her, on account of the number of thieves stirring. It will be seen that she made the request by means of her son Edmund in this letter.121.3Omitted inMS.121.4Staple Inn.122.1Mutilated.

121.3Omitted inMS.

121.4Staple Inn.

122.1Mutilated.

to boredyr yt [round122.1]unclear punctuation or flyspeck between editorial “round” and footnote marker

[Margaret Paston] to her Son [Sir John Paston]

1471(?)NOV. 20

Wonders she has no answer to her letter by Ric. Raddeley. Wants him and his brother to get a discharge from my Lord of Canterbury, ‘for occupying of your father’s goods.’ If my Lord died before we got it, his successor might be ‘more hasty upon us than he hath been.’ My Lord knows the great charges we have had since he deceased, which have caused the goods to be spent. If any of us were to die, no one would take charge for us unless we have a discharge. Remember the spices and malmsey I have sent to you for.St. Edmund’s Day the King.

St. Edmund’s Day the King.

Sealed.

[At the date of this letter, Sir John Paston and his brother John were together in London, and apparently the Archbishop of Canterbury was seriously ill. Of the latter fact we have no certain knowledge, but it appears by a subsequent letter that there was a report of his death in June 1472, and the two brothers were certainly in London together in November of the year preceding. It is probable therefore that the Archbishop was ill of the epidemic which prevailed in the latter part of 1471 and the spring of 1472. The two brothers were not together in November 1472.]

123.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.]

To John Paston, Esquier, be this delyverd in hast.

1471NOV. 29

I gretezow welle, and send zow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng zow wete that I have a letter from zour brother, wherby I undyrstand that he cannot, ner may, make no porveyans for the C. mark; the wyche causythe me to be rythgh hevy, and for other thynges that he wrytht to me of that he is in dawnger. For remembering wat we have had befor thys and ho symppylly yt hath be spente and to lytyl profythe to any of us, and now arn in soche casse that non of us may welle helpe other with owte that we schuld do that wer to gret a dysworschip for us to do, owther to selle wood or lond or soche stuffe that were nessessary for us to have in owr howsys; so mot I answer a for God, I wot not how to do for the seyde money, and for other thyngges that I have to do of scharge, and my worshup saved. Yt is a deth to me to thynk up on yt. Me thynkyth be zour brothers wrythtyng, that he thynkyth that I am informed be sume that be a bowthe me to do and to sey as I have be for thys, but be my trowthe he demyth a mysse; yt nedyth me not to be informed of no soche thengges. I construe in my owyn mend, and conseyve i now and to myche, and whan I have brokyn my conseyte to sume that in happe he deniythe yt too, they have put me in cownforth more than I kowde have be any imajynasyon in my owyn conseythe. He wrythetyth to me also, that he hath spend thys terme xlli.Yt is a gret thyng; me thynkyth be good dyscresyon ther mythe myche ther of aben sparyd. Zour fadyr, God blysse hys sowle, hathe had as gret maters to do as I trowe he hathe had thys terme, and hath not spend halfe the mony up on them in so lytyl tyme, and hath do ryth well. At the reverens of God, avyse hym zet to be war of hys expences and gydyng that yt be no schame to us alle. Yt is a schameand a thyng that is myche spokyn of in thys contre that zour faders graveston is not mad. For Goddes love, late yt be remembyrd and porveyde for in hast. Ther hathe be mych mor spend in waste than schuld have mad that, me thynkyth be zour brother that he is wery to wrythe to me and there fore I wyl not a kumbyr hym with wrythtyng to hym. Ze may telle hym as I wryth to zow. Item, I woold ze schuld remembyr zour brother of Pekerngges mater, if he cum not hom hastely, that ze and Townesend and Lumnor may examyn and sette yt thorow. The pore man is almost on don ther by, and hys brother suethe hym and trobylyth hym sor zet; and also for the plesur of my koseyn Clere and the Lady Bolen, I woold yt were sette thorow.

As for my rowndlet of wyne, I schuld send zow mony there fore, but I dar not put yt in joperte, ther be so many theves stereng. John Lovedayes man was robbyd in to hys schyrte as he cam home ward. I trow, and ze assaye Towneshend or Playter, or sum other good kuntery man of owrys to lend yt zow for me tyl they cum hom, they wyl do so myche for me and I schal contente them a geyn. Item, Jamys Gressham hath ben passyng sekke and ys zet. Judy tellythe me that zour brother is avysed for to sue hym. For Goddes sake, late non onkyndnesse be schewed to hym, for that woold sone make an hend of hym. Remembyr ho keynd and true hartyd he hath ben to us to hys powre; and he had nevere take that offyce upon hym that he is in dawnger for, ne had be for owr sakkes. He hathe sold a gret parte of hys lond there for, as I suppose ze have knowlache of. Late yt be remembyrd, and ellys owr enmyes wyl rejoysyt, and ther wyl no wurshup be ther in at long way.

I schuld wryth mor but I have no leyser at thys tyme. I trow ze wyl sone kum hom, and there fore I wryth the lesse. God kepe zow and send zow good speede, &c. Wretyn the Fryday, Sen Andrue Ev.Be zour modyr.

The following note is written on the back of the Letter in Sir John Fenn’s hand:—‘This letter was fastened by threads brought through with a needle and made fast by the seal. The threads being cut on the directed side, the letter is opened without breaking the seal.’

124.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] St. Andrew’s Eve, the 29th November, fell on a Friday in 1471. It will also be seen that the beginning of this letter refers to the same subject as the beginning ofLetter 787.

To John Paston, Esquyer, be this deliuered.

1471(?)DEC. [1]

I greteyou wele, and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn. Desyryng you to send me word how that your brother doth. It was told her that he shuld have be ded, which caused many folkis and me bothyn to be right hevy. Also it was told me this day that ye wer hurt be affray that was mad up on you be feles disgysed. Ther fore, in any wyse send me word in hast how your brother doth and ye bothyn; for I shall not ben wele at eas till I know how that ye do. And for Goddis love lete your brother and ye be ware how that ye walken, and with what felesshep ye etyn or drynkyn, and in what place, for it was seid here pleynly that your brothere was poysoned. And this weke was on of Drayton with me and told me that there were diverse of the tenauntis seid that thei wost not what to do if that your brothere came home; and ther was on of the Duk of Suffolkis men by, and bad them not feryn, for his wey shuld be shorted and [i.e.if] he shuld come there. Wherfore, in any wyse be ware of your self, for I can thynk thei geve no fors what to do to be wenged and to put you from your entent, that thei myght have her wyll in Ser John Fastolffis land. Thy[nke]126.2what gret sor[ow]126.2it [shu]ld126.2be to me and any. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .I had lever ye had never know the lond; remembre it was the distruccion of your fadre; trost not mych up on promyses of lordis now a days that ye shuld be the suerer of the favor of there men. For there was a man, and a lordis sone, seid but late, and toke it for an exampill that Sir Robert Harecourt had the good will of the lordis after ther comyng in, and yet within shorte tyme after here men kylled hym in hysowyn place. A mannes deth is litill set by now a days. Therefore be ware of symulacion, for thei wull speke ryht fayr to you that wuld ye ferd [fared] right evyll. The blissid Trynyte have you in his kepyng. Wretyn in gret hast the Saterday next after Sent Andrewe.

Lete this letter be brent whan ye have understond it. Item, I pray you send me iiij. suger lofis, ich of them of iijli., and iiijli.of datis if thei be newe. I send you xs.be the berer hereof; if ye pay more I shall pay it you ageyn whan ye come home. And forgete not to send me word be the berere hereof how ye don; and remembre the bylles and remembrauns for the maner of Gresham that I wrote to your brother for.Be your moder.

126.1[Add.MS.34,889, f. 211.] This letter may be of the year 1471, when it would seem byNo. 791that the two brothers, Sir John and John, were both together (in London, no doubt) about St. Andrew’s Day. If so, it was written just two days after that letter, on the receipt of unpleasant news, which was evidently false.126.2Mutilated.

126.2Mutilated.

1471

. . . .the very valew of Sporlewood passyth not C. mark of no manys mony that I can spek with, and to be payid by dayis as the byll that Jwde shall delyv[er]. . .rehers; and ther ayenst ye shold loose iijli.of the ferme of the maner yerly, whych standyth by undyr wood; and yet the fense must stand yow over on xij. mark by the lest wey; but, by God, and I wer as ye, I wold not sell it for C. mark more then it is woorthe. Syr John Styll recomandyth hym to your good mastyrsheppe, and seyth pleynly if ye wyll he wyll com up to yow and awayte on yow whersoever ye be, coort or othyr. By Seynt Mary, he is owyng more mony than I wend; for he is owyng for a twelmonthe and a quarter at thys Crystmas, savyng for hys boord, xijd.a wek for iij. quarters; and he seythe pleynly that ye and R. Calle both bad hym syng styll for SyrJohn Fastolf as he dyd before; but I have bodyn hym that he shall get hym a servyse now at thys Crystmas; and so he shall, withowt that ye send hym othyr wyse woord, or ellys that ye or I may get hym som benefyse or fre chapell, or som othyr good servyse whych I praye yow enqwer for.

Item, and ye werk wysly your mater myght com in with othyr maters of the lordes in ther apoyntmentes with the Kyng, but it wold be labord to a porpose this Crystmas whyll ye have leyser to spek with your mastyr. Item, myn aqweyntans with the Lord Revers is none othyrwyse but as it hathe ben alweys; savyng and he go no to Portygall to be at a day upon the Serasyns, I porpose and have promysyd to be ther with hym; and that jorney don, as Wykys seythe, farwell he. He porposyth to go forward a bowt Lent, but Fortune with hyr smylyng contenans strange of all our porpose may mak a sodeyn change. I ensuer yow he thynkyth all the world gothe on ther syd ayen; and as for my comyng up at the begynnyng of thys next term, with owt ye send me othyrwyse woord that I myght do yow som good when I wer com, by my feyth I com not ther, for it shold put yow to a cost, and me to a labor and cost bothe; but [if] ye send for me I com streyght, thow I tery the lesse whyll ther, and so I shall withowt I may do yow som good. By my feythe I porpose to make up my byllys clere, and send yow the copyse as hastyly as I can. Yonge Wysemanothyrwyecallyd Foole, told me that Sir W. Yelverton is abowt to make a bargayne with the Dwches of Suffolk or with my Lord of Norfolk, whyche he may get fyrst, for the maner of Gwton. I reseyve all yet, God hold it.

I praye yow recomand me to my brodyr Molyenewx, and all othyr good felaws.J. P.

127.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This seems to be only a portion of a letter, beginning in the middle of a sentence. Probably it was a second leaf added to a more lengthy epistle. It is written on one side of a slip of paper and is in the hand of John Paston the younger. It is endorsed ‘John Paston’ in that of his brother Sir John, to whom it was doubtless addressed. The date must be towards the end of the year 1471, as it appears by the letter immediately following that Lord Rivers embarked for Portugal that year on Christmas Eve.

Yonge Wyseman othyrwye callyd Fooletext unchanged: error for “othyrwyse”?

1471

I greteyou wele; letyng you wete that ther was told me a thyng in your absens that goth right nere myn hert, be a wurchepfull man and such an as ye wuld beleve and geffe credence to, and that owyth you right good wille; which if it had comyn to myn remembraunce at your departer I wuld have spoke to you of it most specially befor all other materis; but I am so trobilled in my mende with your materis that thei be so delayd and take no better conclusion, and with the ontrowth that is in servantis now a days but if the maysteris take better heed to ther handis, that such thyngis as I wuld rathest remembre I sonest for gete. It was told me that ye have sold Sporle wood of a right credebill and wurchepful man, and that was right hevy that ye shuld be know of such disposicion, consederyng how your fader, whos sowle God assoyl, cherysshed in every manor his woodis. And for the more preffe that this shuld be trought, the forseid person told me that it was told hym of on [one] that was toward Sir William Yelverton, to whom Richard Calle shuld have seid in thes termes, that Sporle Wood shuld be sold, and that it shuld comyn now in to Cristen mennes handis. Which if it were knowyn shuld cause bothyn your elmyse [enemies] and your frendis to thynk that ye dede it for right gret nede, or ellis that ye shuld be a wastour and wuld wast your lyvelod. If ye had do so in Sir John Fastolfes lyffelode, men shuld have supposid that ye had do it of good pollice, be cause of the onsuerte that it stoonit (?) in, to have takyn that ye had myght of it duryng your possession, to have boryn ought the daungere of it with the same; but for to do this of your owyn lyffelode, men shall thyng that ye do it for pure nede. And in asmych as it is so nere your most elmyse ere, it shall be to you the gretter vylney and shame to all your frendis, and the grettestcoragyng and plesere that can be to your elmyse. For if ye be thus disposid ye shall make them and all othere certeyn of that that befor this tyme thei haue ben in dought, and cause them to purpose the more cruelly agayn you. Where fore, in eschewyng of the greet slaundre and inconveniens that may grow ther of, I require you, and more over charge you upon my blissyng and as ye wull have my good will, that if any such sale or bargany be mad, be your assent or with ought, be Calle, or any othere in your name, that ye restreyn it; for I wuld not for a Mlmarcs that it wer understond that ye were of that disposicion, ner that ye were comyn to so gret nede which shuld cause [y]ou to do so; for every [man130.1] shuld thynk that it were thurgh your owyn mysgovernaunce. Therefore I charge you, if any such bargayn be mad, that ye send a bill as hastly as ye can to Herry Halman, that he do all such as have mad or takyn that bargayn seasse and felle non of the wood, upon peyn that may falle ther of. And how [who] so ever wull councell you the contrary, do as I advyse you in this behalffe, or ellis trost never to have comfort of me; and if I may knowe ye be of such disposicion, and I leve ij. yer it shall disavayll you in my liffelode ccc. marcs. There fore, send me word be the berere here of wheder ye have assent to any such thyng or nought, and how that ye be disposid to do ther in, for I shall not be quiete in myn hert till I understand yow of the contrary disposicion.Be your more moder.

129.1[Add.MS.34,889, f. 116.] This letter would seem to have been written about the end of the year 1471 or the beginning of 1472, when we first hear of Sir John Paston’s design to sell Sporle Wood.SeeNos.793,798.130.1Omitted inMS.

130.1Omitted inMS.

To my most honorabl and tendre modre, Margrete Paston, be thys letter delivered.

1472JAN. 8

Mostworschypfull and kynde moodre, I comande me to yow, and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my pardon,130.3as the berer heroff can informe yow, forcomffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Crystmesse, and have been parte theroff with Sir George Browen,131.1and with my Lady myn aunte, hys wyffe,131.2and be ffor Twelthe131.3I come to my Lorde Archebysshope,131.4wher I have hadde as greete cheer, and ben as welkom as I cowde devyse; and iff I hadde ben in sewerte that Castr weer hadde ageyn, I wolde have comen homewards thys daye.131.5

. . . . . . .

And I beseche yow to remembr my brother to doo hys deveyr thatt I maye have agayn my stuffe, my bookes and vestments, and my beddyng, how so evyr he doo, thoghe I scholde gyffe xxtiscutes by hys advyse to my Lady Brandon, or some other goode felawe.

As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, saffe that the Kyng hath kept a ryall Crystmesse; and now they seye that hastelye he woll northe, and some seye that he woll into Walys, and some seye that he woll into the West Contre. As ffor Qween Margrett, I understond that sche is remevyd from Wyndesor to Walyngfforthe, nyghe to Ewhelme, my Lady of Suffolk Place in Oxenforthe schyre.

And men seye that the Lorde Ryverse schyppyd on Crystmesse evyn in to Portyngale warde; I am not serteyn.

Also the schalle be a convocacion off the Clergye in all haste, whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a dyme and an halffe, some seye. I beseche God sende yow goode heele and greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij.

Wretyn att the Moor the viij. daye off Janever, AoE. iiij. xj.By yowr soone,John Paston, K.

130.2[From Fenn, ii. 86.]130.3His pardon passed the Great Seal on the 21st December 1471.Pardon Roll11 EdwardIV., m. 25.131.1Sir George Browne, Knight, of Betchworth Castle, in Surrey.—F.131.2Elizabeth Paston, formerly married to Robert Poynings.131.3Twelfth day, 6th of January.—F.131.4George Neville, Archbishop of York.—F.131.5Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.—F.

130.2[From Fenn, ii. 86.]

130.3His pardon passed the Great Seal on the 21st December 1471.Pardon Roll11 EdwardIV., m. 25.

131.1Sir George Browne, Knight, of Betchworth Castle, in Surrey.—F.

131.2Elizabeth Paston, formerly married to Robert Poynings.

131.3Twelfth day, 6th of January.—F.

131.4George Neville, Archbishop of York.—F.

131.5Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses into order.—F.

To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Syr John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd.

1472JAN. 23

Ryghtworchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow in my best wyse, lykeyth yow to wet132.2that I have thys day delyveryd yowr mantyll, yowr ray gowne,132.3and yowr crosbowys, wyth telers and wyndas, and yowr Normandy byll to Kerby to bryng wyth hym to London.

Item, in eny wyse, and [if] ye can axe the probate of my fadyrs wyll to be gevyn yow wyth the bargayn that ye make wyth my Lord of Canterbery, and I can thynk that ye may have it, and as soone as it is prevyd ye or I may have a lettyr of mynystracyon upon the same, and a qwetance of my Lord Cardinalle evyn foorthe wyth; and thys wer one of the best bargaynys that ye mad thys ij. yer I enswyr yow, and he may make yow aqwetance or get yow one of the Bysheop of Wynchestyr for Syr John Fastolfys goodes also, and in my reson thys wer lyght to be browght a bowght with the same bargayn. And ye purpose to bargayn with hym ye had need to hye yow, for it is tolde me that my Lord of Norffolk wyl entyr in to it hastyly, and if he so doo, it is the wers for yow, and it wyll cawse them to profyr the lesse sylvyr.

Item, I pray yow send me some secret tydyngs of the lyklyed of the world by the next messenger that comyth between, that I may be eyther myryer or ellys mor sory then I am, and also that I may gwyd me ther aftyr.

Item, as for Sir R. Wyngfeld, I can get nox.li.of hym,but he seyth that I shall have the fayirest harneys that I can bye in London for sylvyr, but money can I non get. I can not yet make my pesse wyth my Lord of Norffolk nor my Lady by no meane, yet every man tellyth me that my Lady seyth passyngly well of me allweys notwithstandyng. I trowe that they wyll swe the apell133.1thys term, yet ther is no man of us indytyd but if it wer doon a for the crowners er then we cam owt of the plase; ther is now but iij. men in it, and the brygges alwey drawyn. No mor, but God lant yow myn her.133.2

Wretyn the Twysday next aftyr Seynt Agnet the fyrst.133.3J. P.

Item, yestyrday W. Gornay entryd in to Saxthorp and ther was he kepyng of a coort, and had the tenaunts attou[r]nyd to him, but er the coort was all doon, I cam thedyr with a man with me and no more, and ther, befor hym and all hys feluwschep, Gayne, Bomsted, &c., I chargyd the tenaunts that they shold proced no ferther in ther coort upon peyn that myght folle of it, and they lettyd for a seasen. But they sye that I was not abyll to make my partye good, and so they procedyd ferther; and I sye that, and set me downe by the stward and blottyd hys book wyth my fyngyr as he wrot, so that all tenaunts afermyd that the coort was enterupte by me as in yowr ryght, and I reqwered them to record that ther was no pesybyll coort kept, and so they seyd they wold.

132.1[From Fenn, iv. 420.] It appears by a letter of the 17th February following (No. 798), that at the beginning of the year 1472 the Pastons were endeavouring to come to an understanding with the Duke of Norfolk by the intercession of the Duchess. For further evidence of date, see the next letter.132.2A blank occurs here in Fenn’s left-hand, or literal copy, which is not explained.132.3This means a gown made of cloth that was never either coloured or dyed.—F. But according to Halliwell ‘ray’ means striped cloth.133.1This must be the appeal of the two widows, though one of them is said to have married again.SeeNo. 783.133.2This sentence I wish to have explained.—F.133.3The festival of St. Agnes, the first (and the most noted of the two), was kept on the 21st of January; her second festival was on the 28th of the same month, which it is to be observed was not the octave of the former, but a distinct feast upon a different occasion, and it is sometimes written ‘Agnetis Nativitas’; but it was on account of a miracle wrought at her tomb that this second feast was instituted.—F.

132.2A blank occurs here in Fenn’s left-hand, or literal copy, which is not explained.

132.3This means a gown made of cloth that was never either coloured or dyed.—F. But according to Halliwell ‘ray’ means striped cloth.

133.1This must be the appeal of the two widows, though one of them is said to have married again.SeeNo. 783.

133.2This sentence I wish to have explained.—F.

133.3The festival of St. Agnes, the first (and the most noted of the two), was kept on the 21st of January; her second festival was on the 28th of the same month, which it is to be observed was not the octave of the former, but a distinct feast upon a different occasion, and it is sometimes written ‘Agnetis Nativitas’; but it was on account of a miracle wrought at her tomb that this second feast was instituted.—F.

I can get no x.li.anomalous spacing unchanged

To John Paston, Esquyer, be thys delivered.

1472FEB. 5

I greteyou wele, and send you Godds blyssyng and myn, letyng you wete that the woman that sewyth the appell ageyn your brother and his men is comyn to London to call ther up on. And whan that she shuld come to London ther was delivered her C.s.for to sewe with, so that be that I here in this countre she wull not leve it, but that she shall calle ther up on such tyme as shall be to your most rebuke, but if [unless] ye ley the better wetch. She hath evill councell, and that wull see you gretely uttered, and that ye may understand be the money that was take her whan she came up, and ye shuld fynd it, I knowe it wele, if ther myght have you at avauntage; ther for, for Godds sake make diligent serge be the advyce of your councell, that ther be no necglicens in you in this mater ner other for diffaught of labour, and call upon your brother, and telle hym that I send hym Godds blyssyng and myn, and desire hym that he wull now a while, whill he hath the Lords at his entent, that he seke the meanes to make an ende of his maters, for his elmyses arn gretly coraged now of late; what is the cause I knowe not. Also, I pray you speke to Playter that ther may be fownd a meane that the shereffe or the gaderer of grene wax134.2may be discharged of certeyn issues that renne up on Fastolf for Mariotts mater, for the balyfe was at hym this weke, and shuld have streyned hym, but that he promysed hym that he shuld with in this viij. days labore the meanes that he shuld be dischargedor ell[es] he must content hym, &c. Also, I send you be the berer her of, closed in this letter, v.s.of gold, and pray you to bey me a suger loyfe, and dates, and almaunds, and send it me hame, and if ye bewar [lay out] any mor money, whan ye came hame I shall pait you ageyn. The Holy Gost kepe you bothyn, and deliver you of your elmyse [enemies]. Wretyn on Sent Agas Day, in hast.

Item, I pray you speke to Mayster Roger135.1for my sorepe, for I had never mor nede therof, and send it me as hastly as ye can.BeM. P.

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