The Paston Letters Volume Iv Part 40

Item, in pygges lxx.

Item, in swannes xij.

Item, in geese iiij^{xx}.

Item, in conyis c. cowple.

Item, in capons xxiiij.

Item, in chekens vij^{xx}.

Item, in venyson x.x.x. dois.

Item, in pertryches iiij. doseyn.

Item, in fesauntis xiv.

Item, in pekokkes vij.

Item, in mallardes iij. doseyn.

Item, in plovers iij. doseyn.

Item, in eggis viij. C.

Item, in mylke x.x.x. galons.

Item, in hony iij. galons.

[Footnote 211.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 38.] 'Soulmas,' or All Souls' Day, is the 2nd November, and it appears that Lady Katharine died on the morrow of that day in 1465. As these expenses run into December, we place them at the end of the year.]

623

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGER[213.1]

_To John Paston the younger._

[Sidenote: Before 1466]

I grete you wele, letyng you wete that as for[213.2] your sustrys[213.3]

beyng with my Lady, if your fader wull aggrey therto I hold me right wele pleasyd; for I wuld be right clad that she shuld do her servyse be for any other, if she cowde do that shuld pleas my ladyes good grace.

Wherfor I wuld that ye shuld speke to your fader therof and lete hym wete that I am pleasid that she shuld be ther if he wuld, for I wuld be right glad and she myght be preferrid by mariage or be servyce, so that it myght be to her wurchep and profight in dischargyng of her frendis; and I pray you do your parte therin for your owyn wurchep and herys. And a.s.sone as ye may with ought daunger, purvey that I may have ageyn the vj. marks that ye wote of, for I wuld not that your fader wust it. Item, if ye pas London, send me ageyn my chene and the litill chene that I lent you be for, be sum trusty person; and if ye wull have my good wille, eschewe such thyngis as I spake to you of last in owr parisch chirch. I pray G.o.d make you as good a man as ever was any of your kynne, and G.o.ddis blissyng mote ye have and myn, so that ye do wele, &c. Wretyn the Sonday next after your departyng.

And I pray you, send me sum tydyngis as sone as ye may after that ye be comyn to London, how your fader spedyth and your brother in here materes.

Be your moder.

[Footnote 213.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 208.] This letter was written at a time when John Paston, the writer's husband, and one of his sons, was in London, while the other, to whom this letter is addressed, was going thither. The date must therefore be before May 1466, but what particular year or month it is impossible to say.]

[Footnote 213.2: 'affor,' MS.]

[Footnote 213.3: This may be either Anne or Margery Paston. Who 'my lady' was does not appear.]

624

JOHN RADCLIFF OF ATTLEBOROUGH TO JOHN PASTON[214.1]

_To my ryght trusty and welbelovyd Frend, John Paston._

Rygth trusty and welbelovid, I c.u.mmaund me un to zow, lattyng zow wytte that there ys a tenawnt off Thyrnyng, on [_one_] Wyllyam Rust, whos dur ys selyd be a offycer off zowrys. Wherffor I pray zow that ze wyll se that the forsay tenawnt be not hurt; and yff there be oni thyng that ys dw for to pay, I wyll se that hyt schall be content. And therfore I pray zow that hyt may be repytyd un tyll the tyme that I speke with zow. No more at thys tyme, but the Hole Trinite hawe zow in kepyng. Wretyn at Attylburgth the xvij. day off Dyssembyre.

JOHN RADCLYFF DE ATTYLBURGTH.

[Footnote 214.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 223.] The princ.i.p.al lords.h.i.+p in the manor of Thurning belonged to the Radcliff, or Ratcliff, family, afterwards Earls of Suss.e.x; but it seems there was another lords.h.i.+p which belonged to John de Mauteby in the ninth year of Edward II. From this very likely Margaret Paston derived some claims, and John Paston through his wife. _See_ No. 634. The year of this letter, however, cannot be ascertained.]

625

SIR JOHN FELBRIGGE TO JOHN PASTON[215.1]

_To my Cosyn Paston, be thys letter delyverd yn haste._

[Sidenote: 1466(?) / JAN. [20]]

Ryght reverent and worshyppeful cosyn, y comawnd me on to you, desyryng to her off your welfare, the whyche Almyghty Jesu preserve to Hys plesawns, and to your own herts desyres. Forthermore and yff yt please your gentylnesse to be my trusty frend, as my ful truste ys yn you, as for swyche materys as the brynger off this lettre shall enforme you, and beth effectualy my frend, and brynge yt abowte, and by my trowthe y shall geve you an C. marke for your labowr. For yn trowthe y am aferde that Roberd Radclyff hathe deseyvyd me, for he laboryd to me dayly by my Lords comawndement off Warwyk, and brought with hym Yllyngworthe and oder off my Lords cownsel, and seen my evydens; and so we stoden uppon apoyntement, and y for to have had an unswere sent to Felbrygge Halle, and yff ne had be for ffendyng off my Lords lordschyppe, y myght have had my money for my ryght or y cam owt off London, as my man schall enforme you. For yn trowthe y muste now make an schiffte, for Wyndham hathe sold hys ryght, and rathere than yt schuld go that way to, y had lever my Lord had yt ij. C. marke with yn the pryse that y grawnt yt laste, and therfor y be scheche you to labowr to my Lord that y may have an unswer. And thies many townes longithe thereto, Felbrygge, Aylinton, Ronton, Colby, Bannyngham, Ingworthe, Styrston, besyde hamelets.

No mor to you at this tyme, but the Holy Trinyte have you yn His kepyng.

Wryten at Felbrygg, the Monday affor Seynt Augnetes Day.[216.1]

By your cosyn,

JOHN FELBRYGGE.

[Footnote 215.1: [From Fenn, iv. 242.] The date of this letter cannot be ascertained with very great precision; but as it belongs most probably to about the same period as Letter 619, which we have referred to November 1465, we may a.s.sign this to the January following.]

[Footnote 216.1: The modern version in Fenn reads 'the Monday _after_ Saint Agnes's Day,' and the date subjoined at the bottom of the page is in accordance with this reading. But it is more likely the text as printed in the old spelling is correct. St.

Agnes' Day is the 21st January. The Monday before it would have been the 20th in 1466.]

626

JOHN WYKES TO SIR JOHN PASTON[216.2]

_Un to the ryght wyrshypfull mayster, Sir John Paston, Knygt, be thys letter delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1466 / FEB. 17]