The Paston Letters Volume Ii Part 3

[Sidenote: 1424]

Be it remembred that where, on the nyght next biforne the feste of the Circ.u.mcision of owre Lord Jesu, the [second][12.2] yeer of the regne of Kyng Henry the s.e.xte, certeyns maffaisours, felons, and brekeres of the kynges peas vnknowyn, to the noumbre of iiij^xx [_four score_] and more by estimacion, of malice and imaginacion forne thowght felonowsly, the dwellyng place of John Grys of Wyghton, in Wyghton, in the shyre of Norffolk, brokyn, and with carpenteres axes the yates and the dores of the seyd place hewen, and the seyd John Grys, and hys sone, and a servaunt man of hese by here bodyes tokyn, and fro the seyd dwellyng place by the s.p.a.ce of a myle to a payre gawles ledden, there hem for to have hangyd; and by cause hem fayled ropes convenient to here felonowse purpos, the seyd John Grys, hese sone, and hys man there felonowsely slowen and mordered in the most orrible wyse that ever was herd spoken of in that c.u.n.tre. Wher up on Walter Aslak, purposyng and imaginyng to putte William Paston in drede and intollerable fere to be slayn and mordered in the seyd forme with force and ageyn the kinges peas, on the shyre day of Norffolk, halden at Norwiche, the xxviij day of August, in the seyd secunde yeer, beyng there thanne a grete congregacion of poeple by cause of the seyd shyre, in hese owne persone, and by Richard Kyllynworth, that tyme hese servaunt, to the seyd William Paston swiche and so many manaces of deth and dismembryng maden and puttyn by certeyns Englische billes rymed in partye, and up on the yates of the Priorie of the Trinite chirche of Norwiche, and on the yates of the chyrche of the Freres Menures of Norwiche, and the yates of the same Cite called Nedeham yates and Westewyk yates, and in othre places wyth inne the seyd Cite by the seyd Walter and Richard sette, makyng mension and berying this undyrstondyng that the seyd William, and hese clerkes, and servauntes schuld be slayn and mordered in lyke forme as the seyd John Grys in the seyd forme was slayne and mordered: conteyning also these too words in Latyn, _et cetera_, by which wordes communely it was undyrstandyn that the forgeers and makers of the seyd billes imagyned to the seyd William, hese clerkes and servauntes, more malice and harm than in the seyd billes was expressed. Wherfore the seyd William, hese seyd clerkes and servauntz, by longe tyme aftyr were in gret and intolerable drede and fere by the sayd maffaisours and felons to be slayn and mordered. Wherfore the seyd William, hese clerkes and servauntes, ne durst not at here fredom nothyr goon ne ryde.

Wher up on the seyd William, for hese owyn persone, affermyd a pleynt of trespas ageyn the seyd Walter and Richard, processe contynued ther up on til the seyd Walter and Richard were founden gilty of the seyd trespas by an iniquisicion ther of takyn in dwe and lawefull forme, by whiche inquisicion the damages of the seyd William for the seyd trespas were taxed to cxx^li [120]. Aftyr which pleynte affermyd, and to fore ony plee up on the seyd pleynt pleded, the seyd Walter and William, by Thomas Erpyngham, Knyght, a myghty and a gret supportour of the seyd Walter in alle these matiers and circ.u.mstaunces ther of ageyn the seyd William, were induced to trete in the same matier in the forme that folwith: That is to seyne, that the seyd William schuld sue forth the seyd pleynt and the execucion ther of at hese owne will, and the seyd Walter schuld defende hym self in the seyd pleynt at hese owne will, except that he schuld no benefice take by noon proteccion, ne wrytte of _corpus c.u.m causa_, ne of no lordes lettres up on the seyd sute. And what so ever fortunyd in the seyd pleynt, the proces, execucion, or the sute ther of, the seyd Walter and William schuld stonde and obeye to the ordinaunce of certeyns persones by the seyd William and Walter arbitratores that tyme named, if thei myghten accordyn, and ellys of anoonpier also that same tyme named, of alle the seyd trespas, pleynt, and sute, and alle the circ.u.mstaunces ther of, so that the seyd arbitrement and ordinaunce of the seyd arbitratores, or ellys of the seyd nounpier, were made withinne xl. dayes next folwyng aftyr the jugement geven in the seyd pleynt.

And aftyrward, the Thursday next biforn Pentecost, the thrydde yeer of the regne of the seyd kyng, at London, in the presence of the right excellent, high and myghty prynce, the Duc de Gloucestre,[14.1] and by hese commaundement, atte sute and instaunce of the seyd Thomas Erpyngham, it was accordyd bytwen the seyd William and Walter that thei schuld stande and obeye to the ordinaunce and award of alle the seyed matiers of twenye of these iiij. persones, William Phelip, Knyght, Henry Inglose, Knyght, Oliver Groos, and Thomas Derham, chosen on the partye of the seyd William Paston, and tweyne of those iiij. persones, Symond Felbrygge, Knyght, Bryan Stapilton, Knyght, Roberd Clyfton, Knyght, and John of Berneye of Redeham, chosen on the partie of the seyd Water, and elles the decree and jugement of a nounpier to be chosen by the same arbitrores. The whiche William Phelip, Bryan Stapilton, Roberd Clyfton, Oliver Groos, John of Berneye, and Thomas Derham, takyng up on hem the charge of the makyng of the seyd award and ordinaunce by the a.s.sent of the seyd Thomas Erpyngham, the Fryday next aftyr the feste of the a.s.sumpcion of Owre Lady, in the seyd thrydde yeer, at Norwiche, tokyn ensurans of the seyd William and Walter by here fayth and here trowthez to stande and obeye to here ordinaunce of alle the seyd matiers, and the same day biforne noon, maden here full ordinaunce and arbitrement of alle the same matiers in the chyrche of the Greye Freyrys at Norwich; and aftyrward, up on the same award and ordinaunce mad, hadden a communicacion ther of with the seyd Thomas Erpyngham; and aftyr the same communicacion, the same day aftyr noon, the same ordinaunce and award wretyn was red byforn the seyd arbitrores and the seyd Walter and William, and examyned, agreed, and a.s.sented, and by the seales of the same vj. arbitrores and the seyd Walter and William, was affermed and ensealed and left in the handes of the seyd Sir Bryan, saveliche to be kept in playne remembraunce of the seyd award and ordinaunce; the whiche award and ordinaunce the seyd William was at all tymes redy to obeye and performe, on to the seyd feste of Michelmesse, that the seyd Walter to holde or performe the seyd award pleynly refused.

And where the seyd Walter, by jugement of the Chaunceller of Inglond, the xvj. day of Jull' the seyd thrydde yeer, was remytted to the kynges prison at Norwich by cause of the seyd sute, the seyd Walter yede at large owt of warde fro the seyd xvj. day of Jull' to the seyd day of the makyng of the seyd arbitrement and award, and fro that day in to Michelmesse thanne next aftyr; the seyd William that meene tyme evermore supposyng that the seyd Walter wolde have holde and performyd the sayd ordinaunce, arbitrement, and award. And at the comyng of the right high and myghty prynce the Duc of Norfolk fro his Castell of Framyngham to the Cetie of Norwyche, aftyr the seyd day of the makyng of this arbitrement and ordinaunce, and to fore the feste of Michelmesse than next folwyng, the seyd Walter by hese sotill and ungoodly enformacion caused the seyd Duke to be hevy lord to the seyd William. Where the seyd William the tyme of the seyd enformacion was with Sir John Jermy, Knyght, and othre of the counseill of the seyd Duk of Norffolk in hys lordshipes in Norffolk and Suffolk, thanne to hym falle [_fallen_] by the deth of the right worthy and n.o.ble lady hys modyr, occupied abowte the dwe service of wryttes of _diem clausit extremum_[16.1] aftyr the deth of the seyd lady. And where as the seyd William Paston, by a.s.signement and commaundement of the seyd Duk of Norffolk, at hese fyrst pa.s.sage over the see in to Normandye, in the kynges tyme Henry the Fyfte, was the Styward of the seyd Duc of Norffolk, of alle hese lordshipes in Norffolk and Suffolk fro hys seyd pa.s.sage un to the seyd feste of Michelmesse; [And[16.2] over that as sergeaunt of lawe, thow he be unworthy, withholdyn with the seyd Duc of Norffolk alle the tyme that he was sergeaunt bifore the same feste of Michelmesse. And all be it that the fees and the wages of the seyd William for hys seyd service unpayed draweth a gret some to hys pouere degree, if the seyd Duk of Norffolk lyked, of hys n.o.ble and plentifous grace, to graunte to the seyd William, in right, ony part of the favour of hese good lordship, the seyd William wolde evere be hys pouere and trewe bedeman, and evere in hys herte thenke alle hys seyd service, and alle the service that ever he dede to the seyd [Duke] of Norfolk, plentefeousely weell rewarded.[16.3]]

And where the seyd Walter, the tyme of the seyd trespas and of the seyd bylles makyng ne long to fore, ne never aftyr biforn the seyd comyng of the seyd Duc of Norffolk to Norwich, ne no tyme hangyng the seyd sute, ne the tyme of makyng of the said arbitrement and ordinaunce, never was servaunt to the seyd Duc of Norffolk at fees, ne at wages, ne wythhaldyn in hese service, ne to hym sued to be supported by hese high Lordship in this seyd matier, to the knowleche of the seyd William, ne to no commune knowleche, in the shyres of Norffolk, Suffolk, ne Norwiche; the sute that the seyd Walter made for supportacion in this seyd matier was be the meene of the seyd Thomas Erpyngham to the seyd Duk of Gloucestre, by whose reule and commaundemente the seyd arbitrement and award was mad in the forme aforn seyd. And not with stondying the seyd trespas and grevaunce by the seyd Walter doon the seyd William, ne that the seyd William ne is not satisfied of the seyd cxx^li., ne no peny therof, and hath absteyned hym of al maner of execucion, sewyng of G.o.des or catelles, that by force of the seyd processe, or ony othyr, he myght have had ageyn the seyd Walter or hese borwes [_sureties_], ne that the seyd William hath suffred the seyd Walter to gon at large by long tyme whan he myght have had hys body in warde in lawfull forme: The seyd Walter, be billes in the too last parlementz holden at Westminster and at Leycestre, and at divers tymes in divers other maneres hath noysed and skaundered the seyd William ungoodly and othyr wyse than othyr [_either_] gentilnesse or trowthe wolde; and, overmore, caused the seyd William orribly to be mana.s.sed of hys deth, betyng and dismembryng of hys persone by certeyns servauntz of the Lordes Fitz Wauter and othre persones, and by ferefull and overe felle lettres and sondes. Wherfore the seyd William, nothyr hese frendes, ne hese servauntz in hys companye, at here fredam sithen the seyd parlement at Leycestre dur?t not, ne yet ne dar not rydyn ne goo abowte swyche occupacion as he arn used and disposed, to here grete and unportable drede and vexacion in here spirites, and gret harme and damage and losse of here pouere goodes.

[Overmore,[17.1] the seyd Walter hath sued, and yet rigorously suethe a wrytte of _decies tantum_[17.2] ageyns x. persones of the seyd Inquisicion and ij. of the servauntz of the seyd William and iiij. othre persones; supposyng by hese seyd sute hem to have taken of the seyd William in hys seyd syte lxij^li [62] and more of moneye. The whiche sute of _decies tantum_ the seyd Walter, betwyx G.o.d and hym, knewith verraly is untrewe. And also the seyd Walter hath sued, and yet persuyth Adam Aubre, on of the seyd Inquisicion in the court of the said Duc of Norffolk of hys manoir of Fornsete, by cause and occasion of the seyd matiers, in whiche sute in the seyd court it is proceded ageyn the seyd Adam in other maner thanne othyr lawe, conscience, or good fayth wolde.[18.1]]

Overmore the seyd William, atte commaundement of the seyd Duc of Norffolk, hath submytted hym to stonde to the ordinaunce of divers persones of alle the seyd matiers: ones at Leyceetre, the Wednesday next biforn Palm Soneday, the iiij. yeer of the regne of the syd kyng; anothyr tyme at Reed clyf in Aprill the same iiij. yeer, aftyr the forme of certeyns billes endented ther of made. The whiche submission, with alle the circ.u.mstaunces ther of, the seyd William hath be at alle tymes redy to obeye. The cause why the seyd Walter, by the seyd Englishe bylles, and in othyr forme, putte and sette the seyd William, and hys seyd clerkes and servauntz, in drede and fere intollerable to be slayn and mordered, and to hem tres.p.a.ced in the forme aforn seyd, was onely for as moche as the seyd William was with the prior of Norwiche of counseille in hese trewe defence ageyn the entent of the seyd Walter in a sute that he made ageyn the seyd priour of a voweson of the chyrche of Sprouston in the counte of Norffolk, wher to the seyd Walter hath nothyr t.i.tle suffisaunt ne right in no maner wyse by ony matier by hym declared byforn thys tyme.

This scrowe is mad only for the informacion of the worthy and worshipfull lordes the arbitrores; savyng evere to the maker the benefice reasonably to adde and amenuse, his ignoraunce in swiche occupation and defaute of leyser also tendrely considered.

[Footnote 12.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This paper refers to proceedings as late as the fourth year of Henry VI., and therefore cannot be earlier than 1426; but as it mainly relates to outrages committed in the second year of Henry VI., _i.e._ 1424, we have arranged it under that year.]

[Footnote 12.2: This word is omitted in the MS.]

[Footnote 14.1: Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Protector of England.]

[Footnote 16.1: These were writs issued on the death of a tenant _in capite_ of the Crown, and directed to the escheators in the different counties in which his lands lay, directing them to inquire by jury what lands he held, and of what value, and who was his nearest heir, and what was the heir's age.]

[Footnote 16.2: Over this word is written 'va,' the first syllable of _vacat_, showing that the pa.s.sage is cancelled.]

[Footnote 16.3: Here is written 'cat.' --_See_ Note 2.]

[Footnote 17.1: Here is written 'va.' --_See_ p. 16, Note 2.]

[Footnote 17.2: A writ against a juror who had been bribed, by which the prosecutor could recover from him ten times the amount of the bribe, dividing the proceeds with the King.]

[Footnote 18.1: Here is written 'cat.' --_See_ p. 16, Note 2, and p. 17, Note 1.]

[[anoonpier also that same tyme named _error for "a noonpier" with s.p.a.ce?_]]

[[othyr wyse than othyr [_either_] gentilnesse or trowthe wolde _bracketed gloss printed in roman (non-italic) type_]]

[[the seyd parlement at Leycestre dur?t not _anomalous long s in original_]]

[[ones at Leyceetre _text unchanged: error for "Leycestre"?_]]

7

WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN STAYNFORD[19.1]

_To my weel beloved John Staynford of Furnyvales Inne_.

[Sidenote: 1425]

The instruccion to comune of to John Robynson of Carleton bysyde Snayth.

To enquerre and wyte whether the stoon may be sawed or nought. Whether it wille chippe or chynne or affraye with frost or weder or water.

Also that every pece of the stoon be iij. foote longe, and that xv.

tunne tyght of the stoon be every stoon weel bedded into the walle and a foote thikke that it ryse in heighte a foote in the walle; and x. stones of the stoan must be ii. foote broad, and at the lest a foote and an half thikke. A stoon wil drawe the wighte of a pipe, as I suppose; the gret stones and nought the smallere stones shuld be sawed, so that every pece sawed shud holde the seid lengthe of iij. foote, and the seid brede of ij. foote, and to be, after it is sawed, half a fote or lesse on thikkenesse, and thenne the brode sawed stones shulde evere stond in the werk betwen the seid weel bedded stonys that shuld ryse but a fote in the walle and ben ankered iche of hem with other; and this werk shal be strong j nowe, as werkmen seyn, and drawe but litill cariage. I wold have swiche stoan a xx^ti tunne tight caried to Moneslee[19.2] in Norffolk between Crowmere and Bromholm, and but a myle from Bromholm.

To reporte plein answere of this bylle writen and how sone I myght have the seid stone caried to Monesle aforn seid, and for what price.

This werk is for a ...

W. PASTON.

On the back is written, also in the Judge's hand:--

'Sount due a mon sieur Will. Bardolf de ses gages en les lyueres a ... de mon tres honneure seigneur le Count de Warrwick, capitayn illeoqes, iusques al iiij.^e jour de febr. lan de Roy Henri Sysme tierce, ccccxiii_li._ xvj_s._ x_d._ q^a.'

Below this is written in Fenn's hand: '14 Feb^y 3 H. 7. 1487'

--a great misreading of the date.

[Footnote 19.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 213.] This letter appears from the postscript to be of the year 1425, as Bardolf's wages, due on the 4th February in that year, had not yet been paid.]

[Footnote 19.2: Mundesley.]

8

NICHOLAS PRIOR OF BROMHOLM TO WILLIAM PASTON[20.1]

_A Will' Paston soit donne._

[Sidenote: 1425 / JULY 5]

Dere Syre and weel be loved, I grete yow weel, and do yow to wetyn that Dawn John Pastone was atte Norwiche on Munday last pa.s.sed, and dede settyn on Cryste Chyrche gates divers litteres, a lytyl tyme, and ij.

copiis wheche stondyn ther yet, for somounnyn me to the curt of Rome.

And we supposyn to have hym at Bromholm, or sum man in hys name wyth inne a lytyl tyme; for dawn Robert of Yorke was atte Norwiche be sendynge of my lady of Murlee, and spak wythe hym in hyre hous on Munday afornseyd, and ther he told the forseyd dawn Robert that he wolde nedys ben Priour of Bromholm, to levyn and deyin ther upon. Also he seyde, as for the composissioun of Bromholm, he hadde do sherchyd att Clunye; and ther inne he standyth clere as he seythe; and as for provisyoun, he seyde he hadde spokyn wyth the Chaunceler and the chef Justyse and Ascam, and thei demptyne hym clere as ther inne, and he seyth; and other dowte is ther none inne be hys tale. And after this the forseyd dawn John askyd obedience of the forseyd dawne Robert in my ladyis presens, and dawn Robert seyde agayne he xulde noghte done that atte that tyme, but he badde hym provyn owt hys purpos as for the composissioun and provisioun to an hende, and than he wolde do hys dever to hym; and thus he departyd. Where for, yif ony thing may be don whyl ye arn now atte Londone for oure helpe and his lettyng, G.o.de Syre, helpythe atte this tyme if it maybe G.o.dely, we be seche yow. Dawn Thomas of Cane was atte my lord of Norwiche for helpe in this matier, and he seyde he was inhibytyd and alle hys clerkes be the curt of Rome in this matier, and he seyde by yowre advys, yif it lyke yow, wryttes may ben taken agens hym, and that is best remedye ther inne; j. [_one_] wrytte is _ne ingrediatur manu forti_. The Holy Trinite have yow in governaunce.

Wretyn atte Bromholm the v. day of July,

_per_ NICH. PRIOREM DE BROMHOLM.

[Footnote 20.1: [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 1.] This letter is evidently of the year 1425. Comp. No. 10.]

9

ABSTRACT[21.1]