The Paston Letters Volume Iii Part 31

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON AND SIR THOMAS HOWES, PARSON OF BLOFELD

[Sidenote: 1459 / APRIL 13]

As you desire me to write letters to certain lords, etc., on 'such matters as ye beth now to London for,' and as you know best what it would be most expedient for me to write, I send my servant Colyn Newman to you with my signet sealed in a little leather bag, under a signet of a ram, that you and William Jenney, or two of you, may make out letters in my name as you think fit, keeping copies of those you write. When Sir Thomas comes home again, let him bring back my signet sealed under your signets and the copies you have sent. 'And also peradventure I might as well write to them that ben away as to those that been present. And among others ye may say to my nephew, Henry Filongley, I trust right greatly in my Lord Treasurer's good Lordship that he will be my good Lord's supporter to me in my right.'

Castre, 13th April 37 Hen. VI.

(_Signature not Fastolf's own._)

[Footnote 138.1: [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 254.]]

377

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[138.2]

_Tho my ryth worschopfful hossebond, John Paston, in hast._

[Sidenote: 1459 / APRIL 29]

Rythe worchepfwl hosbond, I recommawnd me onto yow. Plesyth you to wete that on Thorisday last was ther wer browt unto this towne many Prevy Selis, and on of hem was indosyd to yow, and to Hastynggs, and to fyve or s.e.xe odyr gentylmen; and anodyr was sent onto yowr sone, and indosyd to hym selfe alone, and asynyd wythinne wyth the Kynggys howyn hand, and so wer bwt fewe that wer sent, as it was told me; and also ther wer mor specyal termys in hys then wern in oderys. I sey a copy of thoo that wer sent onto odyr gentylmen. The intent of the wrytyng was, that they sshuwlde be wyth the Kyngg at Leycester the x. day of May, wyth as many personys defensebylly arayid as they myte acordyng to her degre, and that they schwld bryng wyth hem for her expensys for ij. monythis. As for the lettyr that was indosyd to yow and to odyr, it was delyveryd to Welyam Yelvyrton, for ther aperyd no mor of the remwlawnt. Hastynggs is forthe into Yorke schyr.

I prey yow that ye vowchesaf to send word in hast how ye wyl that yor sone be demenyd herin. Men thynk her, that ben yowr wel wyllerys, that ye may no lesse do than to send hym forthe. As for hys demenyng, swn ye departyd, in G.o.d feythe, it hath ben ryth good, and lowly, and delygent inn ovyr sythe of yowre servawntys, and odyr thinggys, the whiche I hope ye wold abe plesyd wyth, and ye had be at hom. I hope he wyl be well demenyd to plese yow heraftyrward. He desyryd Alblaster to bemene[139.1]

to yow for hym, and was ryte hevy of hys demenyng to yow, as I sent yow word also be Alblaster, how I dede to hym aftyr that ye wer go; and I beseche yow hartyly that ye wochesaf to be hys G.o.d fadyr, for I hope he is schastysyd, and wil be the worher [_worthier ?_] heraftyr.

As for alle odyr tynggys at hom, I hope that I and odyr schal do howr part ther inne, as wel as we may, bwt as for mony it comyth bwt slowly.

And G.o.d have yow in hys kepyng, and sen yow good sped in alle yowr matteris.

Wretyn in hast at Norwece, on the Sonday next before the a.s.sencyon Day.

Ser, I wold be ryte glad to he [_hear_] swmme G.o.de tydynggys fro yow.

Be yorys,

M. P.

[Footnote 138.2: [From Fenn, i. 174.] The only years during the married life of John and Margaret Paston (except when their eldest son was a mere child), in which the Sunday preceding Ascension Day fell some time before the 10th of May, were 1456 and 1459. In the former year the King could not either have been or have intended to be at Leicester on the 10th of May. In 1459 the Privy Seals show that he was at Northampton on the 14th, 18th, and 19th of May, and it is quite possible he may have been at Leicester on the 10th. In 1464 Edward IV. was at Leicester in May, and the Sunday before Ascension Day was the 6th of May; but it is not probable this letter was written in that year, for two reasons. In the first place, Margaret Paston could hardly have hoped for an answer from her husband--who may be presumed to have been in London--in time to have sent his son to be at Leicester on the 10th; secondly, Letter 375, which is evidently of the same year as this, would probably have been signed 'John Paston, K.' (_i.e._ Knight).]

[Footnote 139.1: To be mean, _i.e._ to be a mediator. Fenn has not apprehended the phrase, which he has modernised 'to bemoan.']

378

OSBERT MUNDEFORD TO JOHN PASTON[140.1]

_A mon treshonnoure Seigneur, Jehan Paston, Escuier._

[Sidenote: 1459(?) / MAY 25]

Treshonnoure Sire, je me recommande a vous tant que je puis, et vous prie qu'il vous plaise me recommander a ma maistresse vostre n.o.ble espouse et a tous voz enffans, et que ne soit point mis en oubly mon pet.i.t homme d'armes. Et oultre vous plaise me recommander a mon Maistre Yelverton et mon Maistre Caulthorpe, et a touz mes autres maistres et amis de pardela ou sera vostre bon plaisir. Et vous mercie des grans plaisirs et amitiez que avez faitz et monstrez a moy et aux miens, lesquelz Dieu me doint deservir. Treshonnoures Sire, plaise vous savoir que mon frere Jehan a Bernay ma escript dune matere dont me touchastes, moy estant parde la, a laquelle vostre desir vouldroit l'onneur des deux pars, et de laquelle matere le porteur de cestes vous informera, et des nouvelles de pardeca s'il vient a voz bons plaisirs. Et vouldroye bien que vous et mon dit frere Jehan a Bernay voulsissez communiquer avecques la personne aqui la matere touche, et que je peusse savoir son entente, affin dy otemperer, car je luy vouldroye faire plaisir et service; car je y suis tenu, et la chose sera en partie reglee par vous et par mondit frere, mais je veil estre le tiers, et une autre personne sera le quart.

Treschere et treshonnoure Sire, je vous recommande tout mon fait de pardela, et sy faiz je la pet.i.te Marie, pour laquelle je vous mercie, et especiallement ma damoiselle vostre fame et n.o.ble espouse, et me desplaist de la grant paine et charge que avez pour elle; mas Dieu me doint grace que je le puisse aquicter. Priant nostre Seigneur qui soit garde de vous, et vous doint bonne vie et longue, et joyeulx acompliss.e.m.e.nt de touz voz desirs.

Escript a Calais, le xxv^me jour de May.

Le tout votre serviteur,

OSBERNE MUNDEFORD.

[Footnote 140.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The writer of this letter was put to death at Calais on the 25th June 1460, having been taken at Sandwich when about to go thither in aid of the Duke of Somerset against the Earl of Warwick. The date cannot be in that year, and how much earlier it may be is quite uncertain, unless we suppose 'mon pet.i.t homme d'armes' to be Paston's eldest son, who, as we have seen, was summoned to perform military service in 1459.]

379

WILLIAM BARKER TO JOHN PASTON[141.1]

_To myn ryght worshypfull [m]ayster, John Paston, at London, atte the Temple._

[Sidenote: 1459 / JUNE 24]

Please youre maystership that as to morwen a newe _inquirendum_ shal be taken at Wycham Markette for the parsonage of Rendelesham for one Mayster John Clerke, a chapeleyn of the Lady Roos; and Sir Thomas[141.2]

shuld a ben there, but he is hurte of an hors, and also hit was so late warnyng that we myght not ben there; and, as Mayster Steven seyth, hit should not a avayled, thow one hadde bene there, and elles I wold a labored theder myn self. But he seyth and [_i.e._ if] ye wold speke to myn Lord Norwych, and enforme hym of the trought of the mater, he shal never presente ner inducte non tyl the ryght of the patentes be discussed, and also we may after wardes hald a _melius inquirendum_.

Mayster Steven hath wreten to Sir John Bulman all the tytles and presentacions, and therefore, if hit please yow to comon with hym, ye shall understande all the mater by hym how myn Lord is disposed. And [_if_] Mayster Robert Eppeswell is now at London, hit were shame that they shuld have ther entent. Sir Phillip Wentworth groundeth not his presentacion by the patent, but by the endenture a twyxt the wedewe and hym, &c. Myn mayster is as freshe as ever he was this ij. yere, thanked be G.o.d. And youre mater that ye have meved of to Sir Thomas for the porchase, &c., myn mayster is weel agreed therto, but fyrst hit was taken strangely, &c. Almyghty Jesu preserve yow, myn worshipfull mayster, to youre desyre after his pleser and youre trewe entent.

Hastly at Norwyche, on Seynt John Day, at vij. of the clokke at even.

Youre owen man,

W. BARKER,

Per mandat' T. H.

[Footnote 141.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It appears by the Bishops' Registers at Norwich that John Clerk was inst.i.tuted to the living of Rendlesham on the 20th June 1459 on the King's presentation. This letter must have been written four days later in ignorance of the fact. Clerk's predecessor was John Sybton, administration of whose goods was granted on the 19th May 1450.]

[Footnote 141.2: Sir Thomas Howes.]

380

ABSTRACT[142.1]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON

[Sidenote: 1459 / JULY 3]

'Hit is to remember my cousin, John Paston, that where as he desired to have the names of the new feoffment of the manor of Dedham that William Geney might see to ground such matter upon as might be for the surety of the said manor, I sent a copy of the said feoffment by John Daunson the last week.' Gives other points of information asked for. Has caused the patent to be written and sealed for Rauff Alygh's fee. Paston is to oversee the evidences of Fastolf's tenement by St. Olave's Church, which one Laurence Donne has summoned. Philip Grocer on London Bridge is a great maintainer of Donne. As to the matters moved by Stephen Scrope and Richard Byngham has lately written by Daunson 'to my said cousin' and to William Yelverton of his intent, and given them full power to appoint with them.

(_Signature not his own._)