The Paston Letters Volume Iv Part 29

[Footnote 149.1: Paper decayed.]

586

JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGEST TO HIS FATHER[150.1]

[Sidenote: 1465 / JUNE 15]

Ryth reverent and worchepfull fadyr, I recomand me on to yow, beschyng yow lowly of your blyssyng. Plesit yow to have knowlage how that I have be in Sowthefolk for syche materys as my cosyn Dawbeney took my modyr a byll of, towchyng the materys be twyx yow and Jenney. And of all the jentylmen that ye wold my modyr schold send to for thys mater ther ar no more at home bot John Alyngton; and I schewyd hym the byll of the namys of the Inqwest and knew no more of hem all bot thes, John Depden, Thomas Wodborne, John Donemowe, Herry Chesten, and Adam Wrene. And to all them Alyngton sent a man of hys for to fele hem how they wer dysposyd. Thys was the answer of John Depden and Thomas Wodborne, they sayd the last tyme they wer at London iche of ther costys stood hem on x_s._, and they seyd they wold no mor come at London bot if[150.2] they knew who schod pay for ther costis; but me thowt by Alyngtonys man that they wold have had a brybe of yow be syd the paying for ther costys for to have bedyn at home, for they have non othyr levyng but brybys. As for John Donemow and Herry Chesten, so that ther issuys may be payd they wyll not come ther; nor in trowthe they scholl not come ther. Wher for Alyngton prayith yow that ther issuys may be payid. Adam Wrene was not spoke to, for he is Jenneys baly or hys fermour. As for the quest they ar not yet somoned to aper, and but if[151.1] they be somonyd ther scholl non of hem all aper. The most part of the todyr dwell a bowt Ippyswyche and they be Debnamys tenauntys and Brewsys, and I knowd get no man to spek with hem but if[151.1] I schold have spok with hem my selve; and my spekyng with hem schold rather aperyd [_have impaired_] the mater than a mendyd it. And also I hyid me the faster home a geyn, for I lay at my cosyn Lovedays on Corpus Christi Day at nyth; and he told me that the d.u.c.h.es of Sofokys consell wold entre in to Calcot Hall, and they wold kep it tyll the d.u.c.h.es knew who schold be her tenaunt, owthyr ye or Debnam. Thus told one of the men of the seyd cowncell to Loveday; whyche man schold ryd thedyr with hem. And thys schold be do as to morow at aftyr non; bot I trow they wole but tak a distres for the servys of the maner, whych is dwe; but I have sent word to Rysyng and to the tenauntis that they schold dryve a wey ther catell. And as for the maner, my brodyr and I scholl kepe it so that they schall not entyr as that daye, by the grase of G.o.d, nor aftyr nowthyr and [_i.e._ if] we may knowe of it, but if[151.1] ye send us othyr wys word. As for the namys that ye wold have for to pase upon the mater betwyx yow and Hogan, I spok to Alyngton and Loveday therof, and Loveday seyd he knew non that wold pas up on ony inquest for hym, for he medylyd with no syche men; and Alyngton seyd that he kowd a.s.syne me none men for serteyn, not tyll he had spok with some, whyche he seyd wold aske gret leyser, for he knew bot fewe in Sofolk; if it had be in Cambrygge schyre he kowd have get you j now. My modyr spak with old Banyard of Sibton Abbey for the same mater, and he knew none that wold pase upon the mater at his desyer, but he asygnyd dyvers men that love not Jeney, whyche he kowd thynk wold pase upon it at yowr desyer if ye spok with hem your selve; or at the lest iche of hem kowd get yow ij. or iij. men that wold sey as they wold in cas ye spok with hem your selve, whoys namys I send you in a byll by Loveday. Item, as for the gape at Nakton Rychard Calle seyth that it was a thorn busche was leyd in with owt a stake betwyx ij. th.o.r.n.ys that grew; and as for Jeneys netes, ther was not one lost her calfe that I can inquer of. And I pray G.o.d farther yow in all youyr materys to Hys plesans and to youer hertys desyir. Wretyn in hast at Hallysworthe the Saterday next aftyr Trinite Sonday.

My cosyn Hevenyngham is at London, and he kowd asygne you men that wold say as he wold mor than Syr John Wyngfeld, Alyngton, and all.

Your sone and lowly servant,

JOHN PASTON THE YONGEST.

[Footnote 150.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 190.] This letter refers to the dispute with Jenney in 1464-5, and seems to belong to the latter year.]

[Footnote 150.2: 'But if,' the old familiar expression for 'unless,' occurs in this letter with peculiar frequency.]

[Footnote 151.1: See footnote 2 on preceding page.]

[[and I knowd get no man to spek _text unchanged: error for "kowd"?_]]

587

RICHARD CALLE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[152.1]

_To my ryght reverent and worschippfull master, Sir John Paston, Knyght._

[Sidenote: 1465 / JUNE 15]

Plesith it your G.o.de masterschip to wete that as for the examynacion of Master Robert Popy, his examinacion was wreten in a longe bille of parchemyn accordyng to the deposicion in the Spirituall Coorte. And Master Robert come into the Chauncery, and was sworne that all that was wreten in the seide bille was trewe, and so delyverd the same bille to the Mastre of the Rolles; and he bare it forthe with hym in his hande, for it was delyverd hym at the risyng of the Coorte. Tounesende was by and I bothe, &c. And as for delyveryng of money to Dawbeney, I do that I may do, and more thenne I may weele doo, for I have put my selfe in gret daunger for that I have borwyd, &c. Almyghty G.o.d spede you in all your maters, &c. Wreten the Saterday next after Corpus Christi Daye.

Your servaunt R. C.

[Footnote 152.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have reference to the depositions touching Sir John Fastolf's will in the suit brought by Sir William Yelverton and William Worcester against John Paston and Thomas Howes. Robert Popy seems to have been examined in the spring of 1464 (_see_ No. 565); but the suit was still going on in 1465, and in a letter of Margaret Paston's, of the 24th June following, Richard Calle is mentioned as having recently left her and gone to her husband in London.]

588

JOHN RYSYNG TO JOHN PASTON[153.1]

_Onto my ryght reverent and worchipfull maister, John Paston, Esquyer, be this letter delyvered._

[Sidenote: 1465 / JUNE 18]

Ryght reverent and worchipfull sir, I recomende me onto your good maisterchip in the moste lowly wise that I can or may, letyng your masterchippe understonde howe that John Smyth, of Freton, and John Hopton, of Freton, and I were attached and led onto Gippeswich, and there putte into the Kynges pryson by cawse of the fyn which was sessed upon the forsaid John Smyth, John Hopton, and me, as your maisterchippe knowith well. And as for John Smyth and John Hopton, they had labored the meanes onto Master Jenney, that they were delyvered owt of pryson or than the ma.s.senger come ageyn to theym which they sent onto yow; and I remayne stille in pryson, and I can not knowe but that they labour the meanes to make me to paye the money for theym. And so I can not se non other meane but that I shall ly stille in pryson, and been ondo for ever withoute your good masterchippe shewed to me at this tyme; for as I am enformed that Jenney hath promysed theym that I shall paye the fyne for theym, and also alle the costes that haith be spent ther upon, and shall be spent, for thei say that I am sufficient to bere the hole daunger.

And my keper yafe me licence to goon home, and thei had hevyed the peple that dwelle ther, and that gretly, and said playnly how that ye myght not beere the dawnger a geyns Jenney for your self; therfor the seiden that ye myght not helpe them owt of dawnger when thatte ye myght not helpe your self. Wherfor I pray your masterchippe to lete me have word in as hasty tyme as ye may, to knowe whether that I shall abyde her stylle or not, and if I myght do yow any good at London, I pray your masters.h.i.+ppe that ye will sende for me, and I will come up to yow. And if ther be non other remedy but that the money most nedys be paid, I pray your masterchippe that ye will make such purveyaunce therfor that it may be to myn delyveraunce at the reverence of G.o.d, and in the weye of charite as myn hole truste is in your masterchippe, for I can not seke to no man, nor will not but only to yow. Wherfor I pray yow that ye will tenderly understond this letter, as I may pray for yow onto G.o.d, who have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Gippeswich the xviij. day of June.

These ar the names of theym that have parte of my catell, Gilbert Nicoll, of Sprowton, William Merssh and John Woode of Gippeswich, bocher.

By your man and feithfull servant,

JOHN RYSYNG.

[Footnote 153.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The imprisonment of John Rysing is referred to in Margaret Paston's letter of the 27th May 1465 (No. 584), and in another of the 24th June following (No. 590). There can be no doubt this letter is of the same year.]

589

ABSTRACT[154.1]

[Sidenote: 1465 / JUNE]

Examinations taken at the house of the treasurer of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, of the following witnesses in the matter Sir John Fastolf's will, viz.:-- of Thomas Torald and Robert Lawe on the 18th; of William Waterman on the 19th; of John Osbern and John Heydon on the 20th; of William Pykeryng, John Symmys and John Shawe on the 21st day of June 1465.

[Footnote 154.1: [From MS. Phillipps, 9309.]]

[[on the 21st day of June _text has "days"_]]

590

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[154.2]

_To my ryght wyrs.h.i.+pfull husband, John Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1465 / JUNE 24]

Ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, I recomaund me to you. Please it you to wyte that the same Wensday that Ric. Call departyd hens I send Ric. Charlys to speke with the undershryf, requyryng hym that he shold serve the replevyn for the shype and hors that were take, &c.; and the shryf sayd playnly that he wol not, nor derst not serve it, not thogh I wold yeve hym xx _li._ to serve it. And Ric. Charlys axhyd the cause why, and he sayd, for he wold not have to doo with that felshyp, and so it ys yet unservyd. I supyose that Ric. Calle hath told you what revell ther was by the Bayllyf of Coshay and his felaw uppon your men that shold have servyd the replevyn.

Item, the same Wensday that Ric. Call rode from hens the were indytyd v.

of men by the enquest of Fourhoo hunder, as Crome can enforme you, and on Fryday last paste John Paston, the yonger, Wykes and Thomas Honewerth were endytyd at Dyram, by what menys the berour herof Crome shall [en]forme you. I send theder Ric. Charlys, John Seve, and iij. or iiij.

other G.o.de felows, for to have don other folks as G.o.de atorne; but it wold not be, for the Juge ys soo parcyall with the other party that I trowe ther shalbe sped no maters before hym for you, nor for non of yours tyl it be otherwyse by twene you than it ys. Crome shall tell you of hys demenyng at the last sessyons at Dyrham. I send you a copy of both the endytements. Your son John Paston the yonger, I hope shal be with you thys wyke and enforme you of mo thyngys, and howe myn hors and hys sadell and harnys ys prysoner at Coshaye Halle and have ben ever syn Wensday last.

Item, I recevyd a letter from you on Satorday last, whych was wryten on Monday next before and I have sent to Sir Thomas Howys the same day for such maters as ye wrote to me of, and he sent me word that Wyllyam Worceter had a boke of remembraunce of recaytys that hath be recevyd by Sir John Fastolf or any of hys sythen the iiij.^te. yere Kyng Harry, both of hys owyn lyflode or of any other mannys that he had to doo wyth all. He sayd, yf ye wold send to Wyll. Worceter to loke therfore he sayd he wyst well he wold lete you have knowlych yf any such thyng may be founde, and also he sayd that he wold send to the seyd Wyll. to serche therfore, and as for such bokys as he hath hyre at hom he wol doo loke yf any remembraunce canne be founde therof, and ye shall have knowlych ther of, as he hath promysyd, by Satourday next comyng. And as for the woman that made the clayme that ye wrote of he ys wellwyllyd that she shold be seyn to in the way of almys. And as I here say, it symyth by hym that in any thyng that he canne doo tochyng the savacyon of the dedys G.o.de,[156.1] other in lyflode, other in other G.o.dys, he sayth that he wyll doo. I canne not have no knowlych that Haydon mellyth in the mater of Drayton; yf he do oght therin, he doyth it closely, as he ys wont to doo, and wayshyth hys hondys ther of as Pylate dyde. It shalnot be long to or that I send to yow; of such tythynges as we have I shall lete you have knowlych ther of. I fynd Crome ryght welwyllyng to you in such thyngys as lyth in hym for to do. I pray you lete hym be thankynd therfor, and that shall cause hym to be the beter wylled; he hath not be rewardyd as yet but by Ric. Call, as he canne tell you. The Blyssyd Trynyte have you in His kepyng and send you G.o.de spyde in all your maters. Wryten in hast on Mydsomer day.

As for Rysyng, but yf [_unless_] ye purvey for hym he canne no helpe have at home.

By yours,

M. P.

[Footnote 154.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] As this letter refers to Paston's disputes with the Duke of Suffolk and his officers, the date must be 1465.]

[Footnote 156.1: _i.e._, the dead man's goods.]