The Paston Letters Volume Ii Part 19

LORD SCALES TO THOMAS GNATESHALE[87.1]

_To Thomas Gnateshale._

[Sidenote: Date uncertain]

Thomas Gnateshale, I wul ze wite it was oute of my remembrance that Paston hade pout in my determinacion the discort betwene you and hym.

I was the more favourable to your entent, but in so mych as I had forgete that beforesaid, I praye you that ye suffre the cornes in mene hand til that I have determined the matier betwene you too be the advis of lerned men whech han knowelich in such causses, the which thing I wul do in as short tyme as may, wherof ze shal have knowelich.

Writen at Myddelton, the xiiij. day of August.

THE LORD SCALES.

[Footnote 87.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The person to whom this is addressed is probably the same 'Knatysale' mentioned in the preceding letter, and as it contains no evidence of any definite date, we think best to insert it here.]

77

ABSTRACT[88.1]

MARGARET PASTON TO HER HUSBAND (_not addressed_).

[Sidenote: 1448 / MAY 19]

On Friday last, the Parson of Oxened 'being at messe in one Parossh Chirche, evyn at levacion of the sakeryng, Jamys Gloys had been in the town, and come homeward by Wymondam's gate,' when he was attacked by Wymondham who had two of his men with him, and driven into 'my mother's place' for refuge. With the noise of this, my mother and I came out of the church from the sakeryng, and Wymondham 'called my mother and me strong wh.o.r.es, and said, ye Pastons and all her kin were ... ... .

yngham said he lied, knave and churl as he was.' After noon my mother and I reported this to the Prior of Norwich, who sent for Wymondham; and Pagrave came with us. While Wymondham was with the Prior, and we at home, Gloys was a.s.saulted again in the street, 'as he stood in the Lady Hastyngs' chamber,' by Thomas Hawys, one of Wymondham's men. This last a.s.sault the Parson of Oxened saw. Sends Gloys to her husband for fear of further trouble. The Lady Morle 'would have the benefice of her obligacion,' as her counsel tells her it is forfeit, and she would not have the relief till she have your homage. The Lord Moleyns' man is collecting the rent at Gresham 'a great pace,' as James Gresham will report to you.

Trinity Sunday, at even.

Further statement about the a.s.sault added in a different hand (qu. Agnes Paston's?).

[From the fact of Lord Molyns being in possession of Gresham, and collecting rents there, it is clear that the date of this letter is 1448. This date also agrees with what is said in Letter 75 about a relief claimed by Lady Morley.]

[Footnote 88.1: [From Phillipps MS. 9735, No. 256.]]

78

JOHN NORTHWOOD TO JOHN, VISCOUNT BEAUMONT[88.2]

_To my worschypful and reverent Lord, John, Vicont Beaumont._

[Sidenote: 1448 / MAY 28]

Rygth worschypfull, and my reverent and most spesiall Lord, y recomaund me un to yowr good grace in the most humble and lowly wyse that y canne or may, desyryng to her of your prosperite and well fare [as to my][88.3] most syngeler joy and spesiall comfort.

And gyf hyt plees your Hygnes, as towchyng the soden aventuer that fell latly at Coventre, plees hyt your Lordshyp to her that, on Corpus Christi Even[89.1] last pa.s.sed, be twene viij. and ix. of the clok at a[fternon],[89.2] Syr Umfrey Stafford[89.3] had browth my mayster Syr James of Urmond[89.4] towa[r]d hys yn [_inn_] from my Lady of Shrewesb[ery,[89.5] and][89.2] reterned from hym toward hys yn, he met with Syr Robert Harcourt[89.6] comyng from hys moder towards hys yn, and pa.s.s[ed Syr][89.2] Umfrey; and Richard, hys son, came somewhat be hynd, and when they met to gyder, they fell in handes togyder, and [Sir Robert][89.2] smot hym a grette st[r]oke on the hed with hys sord, and Richard with hys dagger hastely went toward hym. And as he s...o...b..ed, on of Harcourts men smot hym in the bak with a knyfe; men wotte not ho hyt was reddely. Hys fader hard noys, and rode toward hem, and hys men ronne befor hym thyder ward; and in the goyng downe of hys hors, on, he wotte not ho, be hynd hym smot hym on the hede with a nege tole, men know not with us with what wepone, that he fell downe; and hys son fell downe be fore hym as good as dede. And all thys was don, as men sey, in a Pater Noster wyle. And forth with Syr Umfrey Stafford men foloed after, and slew ij. men of Harcowrttus, on Swynerton, and Bradshawe, and mo ben hurt; sum ben gonne, and sum be in pryson in the jayll at Coventre.

And before the coroner of Coventre, up on the sygth of the bodyes, ther ben endited, as prynsipall for the deth of Richard Stafford, Syr Robert Harcourt and the ij. men that ben dede. And for the ij. men of Harcourts that ben dede, ther ben endited ij. men of Syr Umfrey as prynsipall. And as gytte ther hath ben no thyng fownden before the Justice of the Pees of Coventre of thys riot, be caws the shreffe of Warwyk shyre is dede,[90.1] and they may not sytt in to the tyme ther be a new shreve.

And all thys myschef fell be cawse of a nold debate that was be twene heme for takyng of a dystres, as hyt is told.

And All mygthty Jesu preserve yowr hye astat, my spesiall Lord, and send yow long lyve and good hele.

Wryten at Coventre on Tewusday next after Corpus Christi day, &c.

Be yowr own pore Servant,

JOHN NORTHWOD.

[Footnote 88.2: [From Fenn, i. 12.] The date of this letter will appear by a foot-note.]

[Footnote 88.3: The bracketed words are noted by Fenn as 'imperfect in the original, the paper being chafed.']

[Footnote 89.1: 22nd May.]

[Footnote 89.2: The bracketed words are noted by Fenn as 'imperfect in the original, the paper being chafed.']

[Footnote 89.3: Killed in an engagement with Jack Cade in June 1450.]

[Footnote 89.4: Probably Sir James Butler, son and heir-apparent of James, fourth Earl of Ormond, who in 1449 was created Earl of Wiltshire.]

[Footnote 89.5: Wife of John Talbot, the famous Earl of Shrewsbury.]

[Footnote 89.6: He signalised himself in the wars of Henry VI.

and Edward IV., was a Knight of the Garter, and in November 1470, 10 Edward IV., was slain by the Staffords, perhaps in revenge for this murder of Richard Stafford.--F.]

[Footnote 90.1: Thomas Porter was sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester in 26 Henry VI., and died in his year of office on Monday after Corpus Christi day (27th May 1448), the day before this letter was written.--Inquisition _post mortem_, 27 Henry VI., No. 13.]

79

LORD MOLYNS TO THE BISHOP OF WINCHESTER[90.2]

_To the worschypful Fader yn G.o.d, and my ryth G.o.de Lord, the Bysshop of Wynchestyr.[90.3]_

[Sidenote: 1448 / JUNE 13]

Worschypful Fader yn G.o.d, and my rythe G.o.de Lord, as hertely as y canne, y recomaund me to your G.o.de Lordschyp; to the wyche plese hyt to wyt that y have resayvyd your lettre, by the wyche y oundyrstond the dayely sute to your Lordschyp as of Pastun, as for the mater betwyx hym and me, wer yn also y fele that he ys wyllyd that comynycasyon and trete schold be had betwyxt hys counsayle and myne, now at Mydsomer; to the wyche, my Lord, y am at the reverens of your Lordschyp wel agreyd, and have send to my counsayle at Loundon, aftyr the seyng of thys your last letter, as for the trete by twyxt hym and me, and that they schold yeve ful attendauns to the end of the mater by twne the sayde Pastun and me, as thow y were present with hem.

And, my Lord, hyt were to grete a thyng, and hyte laye yn my power, but y wold do at the reverens of your Lordschyp, yn las than hyt schold hurt me to gretly, wyche y wote wel your Lordschyp wol nevyr desyr.

And G.o.d for hys mercy have you, rythe worschypful Fadyr yn G.o.d, and my rythe G.o.de Lord, yn hys blessyd kepyng.

Wrytyn with my noune chaunsery hand, yn hast, the xiij. daye of June, at Teffaunt.

Vere hartely your,

MOLYNS.