The Paston Letters Volume V Part 22

[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 5]

Most worchepfull and my ryght specyall good modyr, as humbylly as I can, I recomand me on to yow, besechyng yow of your blyssyng. Please it yow to undyrstand that thys day I spake with Batcheler Water, whiche let me have undyrstandyng of your welfare, wherof I thank G.o.d with all my hert.

Also he leet me have knowlage that the Lord Scalys had grauntyd yow to be my good lord, wherof I am no thyng prowd, for he may do leest with the gret mastyr; but he wold depert ovyr the see, as hastyly as he may; and because he wenyth that I wold go with hym, as I had promyseyd evyr, and he had kept foorthe hys jornay at that tyme, thys is the cause that he wyll be my good lord and help to get my pardon. The Kyng is not best pleasyd with hym for that he desyerthe to depert, in so myche that the Kyng hathe seyd of hym, that wen evyr he hathe most to do, then the Lord Scalys wyll sonest axe leve to depert, and weenyth that it is most be cause of kowardyese. As for pardon, I can never get, withowght I schold paye to myche money for it, and I am not so purveyd. As for Herry Hallman, my brodyr wyll axe hym no sylver tyll ye be payeyd; therfor ye may send to hym and have it.

Item, I am sory that ye have fadyrd my hors that was at Caster to be my Brodyr Edmundys, for I had leveer that they had hym style then owght ellys; wherfor thow they profyr hym yow from hense foorthe, let not my brodyr Edmund take hym, but let him sey whedyr they wyll let hym have hym or not, that I have promyseyd my brodyr Edmund a bettyr hors for hym, so that he wyll not cleyme the same for hys. As for tydyngs her be non but that the Scottys and Walyshe men be besy; what they meane I can not seye. My cosyn John Loveday can tell yow, and ther be eny odyr flyeyng talys, for he hathe walkyd in London, and so do not I. When I may I wyll come hom with G.o.dys grace, whom I beseche to sende you your hertys desyeyr. Wretyn the v. daye of Julle.

Be yowr humblest sone and servant,

J. P.

[Footnote 106-1: [From Fenn, iv. 116.] From the mention of Lord Scales in this letter it might be supposed that it was written not later than the year 1469, when Anthony Woodville, the last Lord Scales, became Earl Rivers by the death of his father; but I believe the date to be 1471, and that the writer is simply speaking of Earl Rivers by his old t.i.tle. In the first place there is no appearance of either of the John Pastons requiring a royal pardon before the year 1471; secondly, it is not probable that either of them would have spoken so slightingly of the value of Lord Scales's intercession at an earlier period; and thirdly, it seems doubtful whether Edmund Paston could have been old enough to own a war-horse many years before. Finally, we find by Letter 780 following that John Paston, the youngest, succeeded in obtaining a pardon signed by the King on the 17th July 1471. If the reference to the autograph plate in Fenn is correct, this letter was in the hand of his elder brother, Sir John Paston, Knight; but as it is not signed, like most of his letters, 'John Paston, K.,' we are inclined to suspect that it was really written by the younger brother, like No. 780.]

779

ABSTRACT[107-1]

[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 12]

Norff. and Suff. Deeds, No. 5. 'Relaxatio Johannis Paston militis, Davidi Husband et Will. Gyfford totius juris in maneriis de Saxthorp, Tichwell, Haineford, Ess.e.x in Hickling, etc., Calcote, Leystoft, Habland, Broweston, Gorleston alias Spitlings, quae quondam fuerunt Johannis Fastolf mil., et quae Will. Waynflet episcopus Winton' habuit ex dono Rad. Boteler domini de Sudley, et praedicti David et Willielmus ex dono episc. praedicti, necnon de et in 25 _markes redd._ precipiend. de priori de Hickling. Julii 12, Edw. IV. 11. With a scedule annexed touching the same release.'

[Footnote 107-1: [From MS. Index in Magd. Coll., Oxford.]]

780

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[107-2]

_To my most worchepfull Modyr, Margaret Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1471 / JULY 17]

Ryght worchepfull modyr, I recomand me to yow, and as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng. Please yow to undyrstand that thys Wednysday Sir Thomas Wyngffeld sent to me, and let me wet that the Kyng had syngnyd my bylle of perdon, whyche the seid Sir Thomas delyveryd me; and so by Fryday, at the forthest, I tryst to have my perdon ensealyd by the Chanceler, and soone aftyr, so as I can fornyshe me, I tryst to se yow, if so be that eny of the Kynges hows com in to Norwyche. I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in mewe for gnattys. Also, modyr, I beseche yow that Dollys and his felawe may be sent to, that I may have my money redy ayenst that I come home, whyche is dew to be payid, for thys mater hathe cost me the settyng over. Also that it may please yow that Purdy at Heylysdon maye be sent to for the horse that he hathe of myne, and that the horse may be kept well, and have as myche mete as he wyll eate be twyx thys and that I come home, and that Jakys nage have mete i now also. Also, and Syr Thomas Wyngfeld come to Norwyche, that he may have as good chere as it please yow to make on to that man that I am most behold to for hys gret kyndnesse and good wyll, for he takyth full my part ayenst my gretest enmyeys, Brandons and hys brodyr William; for at my fyrst comyng to Sir Thomas Wyngfeld, bothe William Wyngfeld and William Brandon the yonger wer with Sir Thomas, and had gret wordys to myn owne mowthe, and in cheff W. Wyngfeld; and wher so evyr he may met me on evyn grownd he wyll do myche; but and we met evynly, no fors, so I have yowr blyssyng. I prey yow, with owght it be to my Lady Calthorp, let ther be but fewe woordys of thys perdon. No more, but I prey G.o.d preserve yow and yours.

Wretyn the Wednysday next before Mary Mawdelen,

By your humblest sone,

J. P.

[Footnote 107-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to a pardon granted by the King to John Paston the younger, for having taken part with the Lancastrians at the battle of Barnet. Though the 'bill' for this pardon was signed by the King on the 17th July, the pardon itself did not pa.s.s the Great Seal till the 7th February following, under which date it is enrolled on the Pardon Roll of 11 Edw. IV., memb. 9.]

781

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[109-1]

_To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esqier, hyr sone, in hast._

[Sidenote: 1471 / SEPT. 15]

Ryght well belovyd brother, I comende me to yow, letyng yow wete that I am in wellffar, I thanke G.o.d, and have ben evyr syns that I spake last with yow; and mervayle for that ye sent never wryghtynge to me syns ye departyd; I herde nevyr synes that tyme any worde out off Norffolk; ye myght aft Bertlemai Feyr[109-2] have had messengers i nowe to London, and iff ye had sent to Wykys, he scholde have conveyed it to me. I herde yisterdaye, that a Worsted man of Norffolk, that solde worstedys[109-3]

at Wynchester, seyde that my Lord of Norffolk and my Lady wer on pylgrymage at Our Lady[109-4] on ffoot, and so they went to Caster; and that at Norwyche on scholde have had large langage to yow, and callyd yow traytor, and pyked many quarellys to yow. Sende me worde ther off; it wer well doo, that ye wer a lytell sewrer off yowr pardon than ye be: avyse you, I deme ye woll her afftr ellys repent yow.

I undrestonde that b.a.s.t.a.r.de Fauconbryge[109-5] is owther hedyd or lyke to be, and hys brother bothe; some men seye he wolde have deservyd it, and som sey naye.

I purpose to be att London the ffyrst daye off the terme; send me worde whethyr ye schall be ther or nott.

Item, I wolde wete whether ye have spoken wyth my Lady off Norffolk or not, and off hyr disposicion and the howsoldys to me and to yow wardes, and whether it be a possible to have Caster ageyn and ther goodewylles or not; and also I praye yow undrestande what ffelaschyp and guydyng is in Caster, and have a spye resortyng in and owt, so maye ye know the secretys among them. Ther is moche adoo in the Northe, as men seyn; I pray yow be ware off yowr guydyng, and in cheff off yowr langage, and so that ffro hense fforthe by yowr langage noo man perceyve that ye ffavor any person contrary to the Kynges plesur. I undrestonde that the Lord Ryvers hathe lycence off the Kynge to goo to Portyngale now within thys vij. nyght. I pray yow recomande me to my modre, and beseche hyr off hyr blyssyng on my be halve.[110-1]

Item, I praye yow sende me worde iff any off owr ffrendys or wellwyllers be dede, ffor I feer that ther is grete dethe in Norwyche, and in other Borowgh townese in Norffolk, ffor I ensur you it is the most unyversall dethe that evyr I wyst in Ingelonde; ffor by my trowthe, I kan not her by pylgrymes that pa.s.se the contre, nor noon other man that rydethe or gothe any contre, that any Borow town in Ingelonde is ffree ffrom that sykenesse; G.o.d sease it whan it pleasyt Hym. Wherffor, ffor G.o.ddysake, let my moodre take heede to my yonge brytheren that they be not in noon place wher that sykenesse is regnyng, nor that they dysport not with noon other yonge peple whyche resortythe wher any sykenesse is, and iff ther be any off that sykenesse ded or enffect in Norwyche, ffor G.o.ddes sake, lete hyr sende them to som ffrende off hyrse in to the contre, and do ye the same by myn advyce; late my moodre rather remeve hyr howsesolde in to the contre.

Even now Thyrston browt me word ffro London that it was Doctor Aleyn that cawsyd yowr troble that ye had at Norwych; and that John Pampyng roode ffor a dyscharge ffor yow, and that he hathe sped well, but howghe, that wot I nott; iff ye be cleer owt off Doctor Aleyn danger, kepe yow ther, and her afftr ye maye schoffe as well at hys carte.

I praye yow sende me worde off all the fforme off hys delyng with yow.

I had almost spoke with Mestresse Ann Hault, but I dyd not; nevyrthelesse thys next terme I hope to take on weye with hyr or other; sche is agreyd to speke with me, and sche hopythe to doo me ease as sche saythe.

I praye yow sende me worde hoghe ye doo with my Lady Elysabeth Boghscher; ye have a lytell chaffyd it, but I can not tell howe; sende me worde whether ye be in better hope or werse. I her seye that the Erle off Oxenffordys bretheryn be goon owt off Sceyntewarye. Sir Thomas Fulfforthe[111-1] is goon owt off Sceyntewarye, and a gret ffelaschyp ffettchyd hym, a iij.^xx., and they sey that with in v. myle off London he was CC. men; and no man watethe wher he is become not yit.

The Lordes Hastyngs and Howerd be in Caleys, and have it pesebely; and Sir Walter Wrettesle and Sir Jeffrey Gate be comyn thense, and woll be at London thys daye as it is seyde.

Wretyn at Waltham besyd Winchester the daye nex Holy Roode Daye.[111-2]

J. P., K.

[Footnote 109-1: [From Fenn, ii. 72.] Apart from the reference to John Paston's pardon, the date of this letter is fixed by what is said of the b.a.s.t.a.r.d Falconbridge.]

[Footnote 109-2: Bartholomew Fair, in Smithfield.]

[Footnote 109-3: Worsted, in Norfolk, a town formerly famous for the spinning of the fine thread with which the yarn called Worsted is made.--F.]

[Footnote 109-4: Of Walsingham.]

[Footnote 109-5: Thomas Nevill, a natural son of William, Lord Fauconberg. He was beheaded in 1471, and, as mentioned in Letter 782 following, his head was placed on London Bridge.]

[Footnote 110-1: Here follow, says Fenn, some directions about payments of money.]

[Footnote 111-1: Sir Thomas Fulford was son of Sir Baldwin Fulford, beheaded at Bristol in 1461; he likewise ended his life on the scaffold.]

[Footnote 111-2: Holyrood Day, 14th of September.]

[[I pray yow recomande me to my modre _text has "recomande mo": corrected from Fenn_]]

782

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[111-3]

_To hys well belovyd John Paston, Esquier, at Norwyche, or to Mestresse Margret, his Modre._