The Paston Letters Volume V Part 2

[Sidenote: 1467-9 / FEB. 12]

Right worshipfull sir, I comaunde me to yow, praying yow hertly to remembre that by the award made bytwen yow and me by Roger Townesend for a tenement in Stratton in Norfolk callid Rees, I shuld delyver yow all the evydens apperteynyng to the said plase, and not from thens forth to chalenge nor interupte my lady your wife ner yow of the said tenement; And that for thes said causes ye shuld and therto were agreyd to geve me an horse and x_li._ to an harneys. And moreovir before Cristema.s.se in the kynges chambre ye ther ageyn promysed me that ye wold such tyme as I send to yow home to yowre plase by any servant of myne er any man from me, that ye wold delyver it hym and send it to me by hym. My brothir John hath send me word that he remembird yow therof on my behalfe and that you answerid hym that ye wold gyfe hym or me a fayre harneys at your comyng to London. I deme in yow that ye thynke par case to bye a fayre harneys here for x. markz; but, cosyn, as G.o.d help me, I bowte an harneys syn that tyme for my self, which cost me xx_li._ But I con not desire of yow so moch. Wherfore, cosyn, with all myn hert I pray yow accordyng to yowre promyse that it like yow to send me by my servaunt, berer herof, the said somme of x_li._, as my trust is in yow, and as I wolde in like case have don to yow, and as in the premysses I delt feithfully with yow and evir so shall dele, with the grase of G.o.d, Who have yow in Hys kepyng. Wretyn at London the xii. day of Feveryer.--Youris,

JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 7-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 186.] This letter was probably written after the death of John Paston, the writer's father, but the precise year is uncertain.]

[[John Paston, k.

_printed with anomalous small "k."_]]

700

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[8-1]

_To my mastyr, Sir John Paston, knyght, in Flet stret._

[Sidenote: 1468-9(?)]

Syr, &c. It is so that, with owght ye have hasty reparacyon doon at Caster, ye be lyek to have doubyll cost in hast, for the reyn hathe so moystyd the wallys in many plasys that they may not tylle the howsys tyll the wallys be reparyd; or ellys ye shall have doubyll cost for to untylle your howsys ayen at syche tyme as ye shall amend the wallys. And if it be not do thys yer, many of the wallys wyll lye in the moot or longe to; ye knowe the febyllnesse of the utter coort of old. John Pampyng hathe had hame to Caster as good as x^ml. tylle fyr the plase at Yermeuthe, and it wer pete that the tyll wer lost; and the lenger that it lythe unleyd the wers it wyll be. I have thys day bespok as myche lyme as wyll serve for the tyll. Wherfor I prey yow remembyr the cost of the werkmanschep and purvey the money by oo mean or othyr, what shefte so evyr ye make. And, for your owne profyte, remembyr to goo thorow with Hwghe of Fen; for by my trowthe ye wyll ellys repent yow er owght longe.

For bothe ye shall loose hys good wyll and lett peraventure that avantage that he myght do yow in your lond recoveryng; wher as he may do yow harme and [_if_] he wyll and then, to late wyse. Item, that ye remembyr your relesys and gounys of my Lord of Norffolk er ye com hom.

Item, I send yow by the berer herof a lettyr dyrect to yow that a man of my Lord of Oxenfortheys delyverd me; whych lettyr comyth fro the Kyng.

Item, that ye remembyr in eny wyse to serche for the fyne in syche plasys as my modyr sent you woord of in a lettyr; for myn oncyll and my grauntdam report that they have serchyd in all plasys thar as it shold be, but they can not fynd no thyng of it. Also that ye look whedyr the fyne was reryd to eny feeffeys mor then to my grauntfadyr and my grauntdam and ther issu; for and ther wer eny feoffeys namyd in the fyn, it is the bettyr for yow. My Lady and my grauntdam be com to London for the same mater; wherfor it wer well do that the jwgys wer enformyd of your mater befor they spok with theym. I prey yow hye yow hom hastyly and se your owne profyte your sylf. Pampyng and I shall clowt up your howsys as we may with the money that we have tyll more come, but ye shold do bettyr your sylf. I prey red thys byll onys on a day tyll ye have sped thes maters wretyn her in; thowe it be to your peyne to labore theym, remembyr your profyt. Nomor, &c., but G.o.d kep yow thys Lent fro lollardy of fleshe. Wretyn at Norwyche the Twysday next aftyr that I departyd fro yow.

J. P.

[Footnote 8-1: [Add. MS. 33,597, f. 4.] The year in which this letter was written is doubtful, but it was most probably either 1468 or 1469, at the beginning of Lent.]

701

MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[10-1]

_To Sir John Paston, knyght, be this delivered in hast._

[Sidenote: 1469 / MARCH 12]

I grete you wele and send you G.o.ddes blyssyng and myn, desiryng you to recomaund me to my brother William, and to comune with hym and your councell in such materis as I wryght to you, that ther may be purveyd be some writyng fro the Kyng that my Lord of Norffolk and his councell seas [_cease_] of the wast that thei done in your lordsheps, and in especiall at Heynford; for thei have felled all the wood, and this weke thei wull carie it a wey, and lete renne the wateris and take all the fyssh. And Sir William Yelverton and his sone William, John Grey and Burgeys, William Yelvertons men, have ben at Guton and takyn distresses, and with ought that [_unless_] thei wull pay them thei shall not set ought no plow to till there lande; thei byd them lete there land lye on tilled but if [_unless_] thei pay them. So that if the tenauntes have no remedy that thei may pesibily, with ought a.s.saught or distresse takyng, be the seid Yelverton or his men, or of any other in there names, at there liberte herye there landis, with in this vij. days there tylth in the feldis be lost for all this yere and thei shall be on doon; and though ye shuld kepe it here after pesibilly ye shuld lese the ferme of this yere, for thei may not pay you but if [_unless_] thei may occupie there landis; thei set not so sone a plow ought at ther gatis but ther is a felesship redy to take it. And thei ride with speris and launyegays, like men of werre, so that the seid tenauntis arn a ferd to kepe there owyn howses. Therfore purvey an redy remedy, or ellis ye lese the tenauntis hertis and ye gretly hurt; for it is gret pety to here the swemefull[10-2] and petowse compleyntis of the pore tenauntis that come to me for comfort and socour sometime vi. or vij. to geder. Therfore, for G.o.ddis love, se that thei ben helpyn, and desire my brothere William to geve you good concell here.

Also it is told me that my Lady of Suffolk hath promysed you here good will, if your bargayn of the mariage[11-1] holdyth, to do as largely as she shall be disired, or largelyer if there be any appoyntment takyn a twix you for any materes a twyx her and you. And [_i.e._ if] thei wuld avyse you to geve any money to here to make here refuse or disclayme here t.i.till, me semyth ye may wele excuse you be the money that she had last, and be the wrongis that were don be here and here men in fellyng of wood and pullyng doune of your place and logge at Heylesdon, and takyn a wey of the shep and your faderis goodis, which were takyn a wey at the pullyn don of the seid place; wheche wele considered, she were wurthy to recompense you. And [_if_] the Kyng and the lordis were wele enformed thei wuld considere the redilyer your hurtis. It semyth this Sir William Yelverton hath comfort that he is so bold, for [he[11-2]]

hath ryght prowde and fowle langage and ryght slaundrows to the tenauntis, as thei have reported to me. Therfor be ryght ware that ye bynde not your self nor mak non ensurance till ye be suer of a pesibill possession of your lande; for oftyn tyme rape rueth, and whan a man hath made such a covenante he must kepith it, he may not chese; there[fore[11-2]] be not to hasty till your londe be clere. And labore hastly a remedy for thes premysses, or ellis Sir John Fastolffis lyvelode, though ye entre it pesibilly, shall not be worth to ye a grote this yere with ought ye wull on do your tenauntis. I pray you remembre a kerchye of Cremyll for your suster Anne. Remembre to labore some remedy for your faderis will whill my Lord of Caunterbury[11-3] lyvyth, for he is an old man and he is now frendly to you and if he happed to dye, how [_who_] shuld come after hym ye wote never; and if he wer a nedy man, in asmych as your fader was noysed of so greet valew he wull be the mor straunge to entrete. And lete this be not for gete; for [if] ther were on [_one_] that aught us no good wyll he myght calle us up to make accounte of his goodis, and if we had not for to showe for us where by we have occupied, he myght send doun a.s.sentence to curse us in all the diosyse and to make us to delivere his goodis; which were to us a gret shame, and a rebuke. There fore purvey hastly and wyssely therfore whill he lyvyth, and do not as ye dede whill my Lord of York[12-1] was Chanceller make delays, for if ye had labored in his tyme as ye have do sith, ye had be thurgh in your materis; be ware be that, and lete slauth nomor take you in such diffaught; thynk of after clappes and have provysion in all your work, and ye shall do the better. G.o.d kepe you.

Wretyn on Myd Lent Sonday in hast.

Be your moder,

M. P.

[Footnote 10-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 202.] This letter must have been written in 1469, after the Duke of Norfolk and Sir William Yelverton had taken possession of Fastolf's lands.]

[Footnote 10-2: _swemeful_, sorrowful.--Halliwell.]

[Footnote 11-1: With Anne Haute.]

[Footnote 11-2: Omitted in MS.]

[Footnote 11-3: Cardinal Bourchier.]

[Footnote 12-1: George Nevill, Archbishop of York. He surrendered the Great Seal on the 8th June 1467.]

[[ride with speris and launyegays _text unchanged; expected form is "launzegays" (laun?egays)_]]

702

CARDINAL BOURCHIER'S DECLARATION[12-2]

[Sidenote: 1469]

To all cristen men to whom this present writyng shall come, Thomas, by the providence of G.o.d, Preeste Cardinall Archiebisshopp of Caunterbury, Primat of all Inglond and Legat of the Appostallic See, gretyng. Where now late Alice, d.u.c.h.esse of Suffolk, come to us and desirid of us to dismysse us of oure estate and to enseall a deed of a relees of the maner of Haylysdon with the appurtenaunce in the counte of Norffolk; which we denyed, in as myche as wee stode infeoffyd in the seid maner with othirs to the use of Sir John Paston knyght, sone and heire to John Paston sqwyer; to the whiche the seid d.u.c.h.esse replied, seying and affermyng that she was accordyd and agreed with the seid Sir John Paston by the meane of the ryght Reverent fader in G.o.d, George Archebysshop of York, and that the seid Sir John Paston was fully a.s.sented and agreed that the seid d.u.c.h.esse shuld have the seid manere wyth th'appurtenaunce to hir, hir heyris and a.s.signes for ever more, and that all the feoffees enfeoffid and seisid in the seid manere wyth the appurtenaunce shuld relees and make astate to hir or such as shee wolde a.s.signe of the seid manere wyth th'appurtenaunce; the wehych we answerde and seid upon condicion that the seid Sir John Paston weere so agreed we wold relees wyth a goodwyll, and els not; and yff so were that we cowde understand hereafter by the seid Right reverent Fadir in G.o.d, George Archebisshop of York, or by the seid Sir John Paston, that ther ware noon such accorde made by twex the seid d.u.c.h.esse and the seid Sir John, that than oure deed and relees by us so ensealed off the seid maner wyth th'appurtenaunce shuld stond as voyd, and of no force nor effecte; to the wehyche the seid d.u.c.h.es agreed, and prayd us that we wold sealle hir a deed of the same maner, wyche shee had theere redy, uppon the same condicion and uppon noone other. And wee than, at hir specyall request upon the condicion aforeseyd rehersid, sealid the seyd deed and delyvered it; and the seid d.u.c.h.esse at the same tyme promitted us that she wold use and kepe the seid writyng noo notherwise, nor to noon othir use but uppon the same condicion as is aforeseid. In witnesse whereoff, to this oure present writyng we have sette oure seall.

[Footnote 12-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 127.] From what Margaret Paston writes to her son Sir John in the end of the last letter about his father's will, and also from what she says a little later about the d.u.c.h.ess of Suffolk (_see_ page 15), we may a.s.sign this doc.u.ment with great probability to the year 1469.]

[[_page 15 = Letter 704_]]

703

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[13-1]

_To myght' well belovyd brother, John Paston, or to John Dawbeney, in his absence._

[Sidenote: 1469 / MARCH 17]

Ryght worschypful and well belovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng you wete that Sir Thomas Howes hadde a free chapell at Castr, wher of the gyfte longyth to me, whyche chapell, as I understande, scholde be in the olde tyme, er the place at Caster wer bylte, with in the motte, wherfor I ame but the better pleased; and soo it is now that at the speciall request of the Qwen and other especiall good Lordes of myn, I have gevyn it to the berer her of, callyd Master John Yotton, a chapleyn of the Qwenys. Neverth.e.l.le[ss] in tyme pa.s.syd I proposyd that the master of the colegg scholde have hadd it, and so er longe to I hope he schall, wherfor I thynke he most take possession, and that is the cawse of hys comyng. Wherfor I pray yow make hym good cher. He is informyd that it scholde be worthe C_s._ be yer, whyche I belyve not; I thynke it der jnow xl_s._ by yeer. He most have it as it was hadde befor.

Item, thys daye I understonde that ther be comen letteris from my moder and yow, and Dawbeney, wherin I schall sende yow answer when I have seyn them.

No mor at this tyme, for within this iij. dayes I shall lette yow have kneleche of other maters.

Wretyn the xviij. day of Marche.

Whether he nedyth indoccion, or inst.i.tucion, or non, I wot not; if it nede, brother, ye may seale any suche thynge as well as I. Master Stevyn kan tell all suche thynges.

JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 13-1: [From Fenn, iv. 308.] Sir Thomas Howes appears to have died in the latter part of the year 1468. Before the end of that year his living of Pulham was vacant, and his death is alluded to in a letter of Margaret Paston's, written on the 30th September 1469, as having occurred 'within this twelvemonth.' It would appear by the following extract, quoted by Fenn, from the Inst.i.tution Books of the Bishop of Norwich, that Sir John's presentation referred to in this letter was not allowed, or was not made out in time, and that the Bishop presented by a lapse:--

'Cantaria in Cayster-hall.