The Paston Letters Volume Vi Part 26

[Footnote 106-1: This name is written in a different character, intended as a representation of the Queen's signature which it somewhat resembles. The writing, however, is crossed out. It is probably the work of the same pen that wrote the words below, though these are in a smaller hand.]

1021

THE EARL OF OXFORD TO SIR JOHN PASTON[106-2]

_To our hertly welbilovyd John Paston, Knyght._

[Sidenote: 1487-1502]

Right hertly welbilovyd, I grete you wele. And where Sir John Howard, Knyght, Sir Gilberde Debenham, Knyght, gederith grete feloship of men, purposyng on Monday next comyng to take stresses of the Lady Roos; and I deme that they undre the colour of the same entende to set on Coton, and to gete it if they may; I therfor councelle you to sende downe a certeine of your men or elles come your silfe for the save garde of the said Coton. Also that ye yeve credence un to the brynger herof. And our Lorde kepe you.

Writyn at the lodge in Lavenham the last day of Juylle.

OXYNFORD.

[Footnote 106-2: [From Douce MS. 393, f. 84.] _See_ preliminary note to the last letter.]

1022

JOHN DAUBENEY TO [SIR JOHN PASTON][107-1]

[Sidenote: [1487-1502] / AUG.]

Please your masterchep to have knowlage that my Lord Archebyschop of Yorke[107-2] is in G.o.d h.e.l.le, blyssyd be G.o.d. And I came to hym as on Monday last past, and toke hym your letter. And whan I had takyn hym and he had over sey it, he merveylle sor of hyr dysposicion, a bad me not care, ye shuld do welle i nowe. And than he told me that he had spokyn to Master William Paston for a note of a letter, hewghe it is best to write to hyr. And so on Tewysday Master William and I, and Skerne of my Lord of Oxenfordis hows, and mad (_sic_) toke hym on Wednysday o [_i.e._ one] not of a letter the wyche I send you; and whan he sey it he thowght it to long, and mad one after his ownne entent, the wiche I send yow a copy of. Also I send yow a copy of the letter that the quene sent to my Lord of Oxenford for the maner of Cotton for Blyaunt; but my Lord of Yorke told to Skerne that he wold in any wysse that my Lord of Oxenford shuld help yow to kepe possession. And so Skerne purposythe to be with in thys v. deyes at home, for to enforme my Lord of Oxenford of my Lord of Yorke is entent, and that he se in no wysse that no man do yow no wrong as moche as my Lord of Oxenford powyr may help yow; for Skerne came from my Lord of Oxenford to my Lord of Yorke for the same mater, for that my Lord of Yorke shuld informe the quene of the mater, and be cause the quene hathe take hyr chambre my Lord of Yorke toke Skerne a rynge for a tokyn to my Lord Tresorer[107-3] that he shuld excuse my Lord of Oxenford to the quene, for as moche as ye hathe (_sic_) infeffid my Lord of Oxenford in a trost in the maner of Cotton he may no lesse doo but helpe yow. Item, thys day is the ma.s.senger gone to my Lady of Suffolk with my Lordis letter. I shall have a answer at the morn on Monday, I trost to G.o.d, ryght G.o.d, &c., it cowd non ere be sped. My Lord hath be all this weke at the Cowncell at Chelchyche and j. day at Chenne.[108-1] Item, I send yow iij. writtis for feleneys and tres.p.a.ce and ij. for Mariete mater. Also your flowyr; Also a letter of Cablys; Also a write for Playter, a letter to Mestres Clere. Item, my Lord wylle in any wyse that ye kepe welle all the lyvelod that ye have of Sir John Fastolff, and that ye suffyr no man to entre no lond nor place, lord nor other personys, what sum ever they be. Ye may veryly thynke he ys your speciall G.o.d lord, and that ye shall knowe in tyme comyng. I understand that Calle dothe pa.s.syngly welle in your maters in the spirituall lawe, as his letter makyth mencion, &c. Wretyn at London the Satyrday before Seynt Lawrens day.

Your servaunt,

JOHN DAUBENEY.

[Footnote 107-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 48.] The letter here referred to from the Queen to the Earl of Oxford seems undoubtedly to be No. 1020; and the date must accordingly be between 1487 and 1502. The reference to the Queen's confinement does not help us to much greater precision, for the time of year does not agree with any known occasion. But some years are distinctly excluded, and the only possible ones are 1487, 1488, 1490, or from 1493 to 1497 inclusive, or 1500, or 1501.]

[Footnote 107-2: Archbishop Rotherham.]

[Footnote 107-3: John, Lord Dynham.]

[Footnote 108-1: Sheen.]

1023

ABSTRACT[108-2]

R[OBERT] CLERE TO SIR JOHN PASTON, KNIGHT

[Sidenote: Not before 1487]

Your farmer of Mauteby has not given surety and paid poundage for his cattle, as he pretends. I hope you will not encourage him, when he tells you he owes me no duty, and that he took not my 'merch' for twenty years, but only so long as he continued in Heryngby farm. I denied him the replevin, because the ground of my farm is parcel of ancient demesne. Your tenants complain of me without cause. I hope you will not be displeased if I ask them simply for what is due to me. I never said 'that ye shuld hang upon many bushes.' I have always been glad to say or do my best for you, as any poor gentleman in Norfolk. I pray you bring forth my accuser that I may come to my answer, and know who would make variance between us.

Ormesby, 24 Oct.

[The writer of this letter was Robert Clere of Ormesby, who was knighted in 1494, and was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1501.

The expression 'your' farmer of Mauteby, shows that it was written after the death of Margaret Paston, and that the Sir John addressed must have been her second son, to whom the manor of Mauteby descended. The date is, therefore, not earlier than 1487 when this Sir John was knighted, and may be many years later.]

[Footnote 108-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

1024

JOHN, LORD FITZWALTER, TO SIR JOHN PASTON[109-1]

_To my right worshipfull cosyn, Syr John Paston, Knight, be thys lettre delivered._

[Sidenote: 1488(?) / APRIL 7]

Right worshipfull cosyn, in my most herty wise I [comme]nd me to you.

And where I am enformed that ye have takyn a disthresse within the [Du]chy of Lankastir for suche money as was commyng toward you of ryght for the tyme that ye were shiryef, me seme, cosyn, ye aught not to take it within the said Duchy of noon auncyen demene holdyn upon the King; for there be places inow to gadir it upon without the said auncyen demene, and so ye cannot lose it. And also, cosyn, I am enformed that it is paied alredy to oon John Burnam, which is of sufficyency inow. For whiche cause mesemythe it werne resone to levey it upon hym than ther where as is noon auctorite to levey it upon. Wherfore, cosyn, I pray you to be good mastir for my sake to thies pore men, whiche be the Kingz tenauntz, and to shew them the favour that ye may. And I shall be as glad to doo you as gret plesure in tyme commyng, by G.o.ddz grace, Who preserve you.

Wretyn at Attylborow, the vij. daie of Apryll.

Zowir cosyn and frend,

[J.] SIR FYTZ WAUTER.

[Footnote 109-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Sir John Paston had been sheriff in the year 1485-6, but he did not receive his knighthood till June 1487 at the battle of Stoke, so that this letter cannot be earlier than 1488. It is, however, not unlikely to have been written in that year, or one or two years later. The writer, Lord Fitzwalter, was beheaded and attainted in 1495 as an adherent of Perkin Warbeck.]

1025

LORD FITZWALTER TO SIR JOHN PASTON[110-1]

_To my right wourschippfull and hertely welbeloved cousyn, Sir John Paston, Knyght, this be delyvered._

[Sidenote: 1488-94]

Right wourschippfull cousyn, in as hertely wyse as I cane, I recommaund me to you. And forasmoche as ther was appoynted a day that ye and my cousyn Heydon, Sir Robert Brandon, the Kynges Attorney, and other of the worschippfull of this schyr, should have mett here before this tyme of Estren, it was so longe or the Kynges Attorney was commen in to the contre, and the tyme so shorte, that it hathe bene thowght there myght be non convenable tyme affor this. Wherfor they be agreed that they and ye should mete here on Thursday next commyng. Prayinge you, therfor, that ye wolbe here at that tyme, trustynge to G.o.des mercy that a right good wey shalbe hadde betyx yow that all grugges and rancores shalbe layd a parte. And therfor, cousyn, I praye yow that ye wol not fayle for to be here, and what I canne do for yow, ye shall fynde it redy with G.o.des grace, Who have yow in His most blessed and a.s.sured kepyng.

Wreten on Good Fryday last pa.s.sed.

Zowir lofyng cosyn,

J. SIR FITZ WAUTER.

[Footnote 110-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter, as of the last, must be between the years 1488 and 1494.]

1026