The Paston Letters Volume Iv Part 54

The following is another extract from the Index referred to in No.

675:--

[Sidenote: 1467 / OCT. 2]

'12. Concessio Joh. Paston militis Johanni Duci Norfolk et aliis manerii sui vocati Hemnales in Cotton in Com.' Suff., ac manerii sui de Haynford, et advocationis ecclesiae ejusdem in Com.' Norff., habit' ex dono Th. Archiepisc. Cant. et Willielmi Episc. Wynton., c.u.m littera attor. ad deliberandum seisinam. Oct. 2. Edw. IV. 7.'

678

ABSTRACT[290.1]

PEt.i.tION OF JOHN HERLYNG OF BASYNGHAM TO 'LADY' PASTON

[Sidenote: 1467 or later]

Requests 'her Highness' to confirm some grants of her late husband to him of land at Basyngham. William Swan claims, and has taken from him 2 perches of ground in breadth near his (Swan's) gate, which has always been parcel of Herlyng's tenement of Greyve's during his and his father's time. John Pykerell, too, has made mean to the Abbot of St.

Benet's to remove a boundary stone which has stood there sixty years.

Pykerell also took the writer's horse and used it in his field without leave, on Friday before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 6 Edw. IV., which made the beast unserviceable till Fastegong next following.

Pykerell has also done him other injuries.

[As this pet.i.tion refers to the 'Fastegong' or Shrovetide after Holy-Rood Day 6 Edw. IV. as a past date, it cannot have been drawn up earlier than the year 1467. The manor of Basingham, in Norfolk, belonged to the Mauteby family, and came to John Paston by marriage.

This paper, therefore, was addressed to his widow Margaret.]

[Footnote 290.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

679

CECILY DAWNE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[291.1]

_To the right wors.h.i.+pfull, and with my faithful hert and service full entyerly beloved G.o.de maister, Sir John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1463-7 / NOV. 3]

Right wors.h.i.+pfull Sir, and with my faithfull herte and service full entierly beloved G.o.de maister, in my moste humble wyse I recommaund me unto your goode maistres.h.i.+p. Pleace it the same to wite that I thenke right longe to I have veerey knolege of your welfare, the which undrestande wil be to me right grete comfort. And that causeth me to write unto you as nowe. And also to late you wite that I herde reperte ye shuld be wedded unto a Doughter of the d.u.c.h.ez of Somerset, which mater, and I spake with you, I couth enforme your maisters.h.i.+p that were to longe to write as nowe. But I shal and do pray G.o.d dayly to sende you such one unto your worldes make that wil drede and faithfully unfeyned love you above alle othir erthely creatures. For that is most excellent richesse in this worlde, as I suppose. For erthely goodes bene transsitory, and wedding contynues for terme of lyfe, which with some folke is a full long terme. And therfore, Sir, savyng your displeasir, me semez wedding wolde have goode avys.e.m.e.nt. Moreover, Sir, like it your maisters.h.i.+p to undirstond that wynter and colde weders draweth negh, and I have but fewe clothez but of your gift, G.o.d thanke you. Wherefore, Sir, and it like you, I besech your G.o.de maisterschip that ye will vouchsafe to remembre me your servaunte with some lyverey, such as pleaseth you, ayens this wynter, to make me a gown to kepe me from the colde wedders. And that I myght have it and such answare as ye pleace in the premisses sente unto me be the bringer herof. And I schal contynuwe your oratrix and pore servaunte and hertely pray to G.o.d for your prosperite, Whom I besech have you, Right wors.h.i.+pful Sir, and with my faithful herte and service full entierly beloved G.o.de maister, in His blessed governaunce. Writen at h.e.l.lowe the iii^de. Day of Novembre.

CECILE DAUNE.

[Footnote 291.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 166.] This letter is of course not earlier than 1463, when Sir John Paston received his knighthood, but probably belongs to a period before his flirtations with Anne Haute, who first appears on the scene in the summer of 1468.]

680

ABSTRACT[292.1]

[Sidenote: 1468 / JAN. 11]

Release by William, Bishop of Winchester, John, Lord Beauchamp, Sir John Howard, Sir William Yelverton, Justice of the King's Bench, Thomas Lytelton, Justice of the Common Pleas, William Jenney, Serjeant-at-Law, William Paston, Esq., Thomas Howys, clerk, and William Grene, to Sir John Paston, Knight, of the manors of Castre, in Flegge, called Vaux and Bosoms, and the lands in Castre called Redham, the manors or tenements in Heryngby called Spensers and Fennes, a third part of the manor of Runham, the manor of Wynterton, called Begvyles, with a windmill, the manor of Reppes in Bastewyk, and messuages, &c., in Yarmouth; the lands called Billes in Stokesby and Cattes in Heryngby, &c.; the manors of Guton in Brandeston, Heynford, the manor of Saxthorp, called Loundhalle, with a watermill, the manor of Lincolnhalle, in Boyton, &c., in Norfolk; and the manor called Caldecotes in Freton, Suff.; the manors of Akethorp in Lowestoft and Spitlyngges in Gorleston, and lands called Havelound in Bradwell, &c.; also in the manor of Tichewell, &c., in the hundred of Smethedon, Norf.; and the manor of Hempnales in Cotton, and Burnevyles in Naketon, Suff.; all which the said Bishop and the others had, _inter alia_, of the gift of Ralph, Lord Sudeley, Sir William Oldhall, Richard Waller, Esq., Thomas West, Esq., William w.a.n.gford, and Nicholas Girlyngton.

Dated 11th Jan. 7 Edw. IV.

[Footnote 292.1: [MS. in Bodleian Library.]]

681

WILLIAM WORCESTER TO MARGARET PASTON[293.1]

_To my ryght worshypfull maistras, Margyt Paston, wedowe._

[Sidenote: 1468(?)]

Ryght worchypfull maistras, aftyr dew recomendacion, please your G.o.de maistra.s.shyp to wete that I comyned late wyth your entier welbelovyd son, Sir John Paston, of the fundacion of my Maister Fastolf Collage myght ben at Cambrygge, yn case hyt shall nat bee at Castre, nether at Seynt Benetts, because that Universyte lyeth neere the c.u.n.tree of Norffolk and Suffolk; for albe it my Lord of Wynchestr ys disposed to found a Collage yn Oxford for my seyd maister to be prayd for, yhyt wyth moch lesse cost he myght make som othyr memorialle also yn Cambrygge, and yt weere of ij. clerkys, iij. or iiij. scolers, founded at leest wyth the value of G.o.de benefices and ryche parsonages, that myght be purschased the advowsons, wyth moch lesse goodes then lordshyppes or maners may; and I fonde your son well disposed to meofe and excyte my seyd Lord. Also now the Cristma.s.se weke next before the feest att London, my Lord Wynchester called me to hym yn presence of Sir John, and desyrid hym effectually to be my G.o.de wyller; and maister wold hafe no wordes rehersed on my behalf, and he seyd full welle. Wold Jesu, Maistras, that my G.o.de maister that was som tyme your husbond, yn my seyd Maister Fastolf lyfe dayes, as he shewed to me, their coude hafe founded yn hys hert to hafe trusted and lovyd me as my Maister Fastolf dyd, and that he wold not hafe geven credence to the malyciouse contryved talys that Frere Brakley, W. Barker, and othyrs ymagyned ontruly, savyng your reverence, of me. And now ye may opynly ondrestand the sothe, and your son Sir John also; and yhyt for all that I put nevyr my Maister Fastolf lyfelode yn trouble, for alle the unkyndnesse and covetuse that was shewed me, as I hafe declared to the berer heroff, that I know ye trust welle, to whom yn thys ye may gefe credence at thys tyme.

G.o.d amend J. Russe. I wold he had ben at Irland for one day ys sake.

Your,

W. W.

And I thank you hertly for my pore woman, she shuld com to you at your commaundment late or rathe, but for gelosye and mysdemyng of peple that hafe me yn greete awayt; and ye know welle, maistras, better ys afrende unknow then knowen; the world ys to mysdemyng and redy to make dyvysyon and debate that comyth of an envyouse disposicion. And I am ryght glad that Castr ys and shall be at your comaundment, and yowres yn especialle. A ryche juelle yt ys at neede for all the c.u.n.tre yn tyme of werre; and my Maister F. wold rather he had nevyr bylded yt then hyt shuld be yn the gouvernaunce of eny sovereyn that wole oppresse the c.u.n.tree. And I fynde the relygyoux of Seynt Benetts full unkynde toke away a chambre, the elder Abbot had put me yn possessyon for my solace, when I myzt com thedr and desport me, and toke that chambre to Maister John Smyth, that Sir Thomas Howys seyd to me, was none holsom counceller yn the reformacion of the last testament made but ij. executors to hafe the rule allone. I wold he had nevyr medled of yt, that councell made moch trouble. I pray you kepe thys letter close to your sylf, as I trust you and Sir Jamys, and also yn R. Toly that I undrestand hym close and just.

I had no tyme to speke withyn now late, when I was but one day at Norwych. W. Barker sclaundred me yn certeyn maters of G.o.de to the some of v^c. mark that Reynold Harneys shuld kepe and take me half. Wold Jesu B[a]rker had seyd true, hyt myzt hafe do me moch G.o.de! And, Maistras, as I dar desyre you, I pray you recomaund me to my best maistras, your moder Agnes, for she favorued me and dyd me grete cherytee, to be the better disposed to hyr son, Maister John, and by my soule yt made me the hertyer to safe the lyfelode fro trouble or from claymes, as I support me to alle the world, I put nevyr maner ne lyfelode of my Maister Fastolf yn trouble, ne ent.i.tled no crettur to na place, and ye may speke wyth hyr herof when ye be allone.

[Footnote 293.1: [From Fenn, iv. 280.] It seems probable that this letter was written about the beginning of the year 1468. As to the time of year, we may judge by one expression that it was not very long after Christmas; and as the writer congratulates Margaret Paston that Caister is to be at her command, we may with great probability suppose the date to be about the same as that of the preceding doc.u.ment.]

682

HUGH FENN TO SIR JOHN PASTON[295.1]

_To the right worchepfull Sir John Paston, Knyght._

[Sidenote: 1468 / [APRIL 12]]

Right worchepfull sir, I recommand me to you. Like you wete a distresse was take in Caster by Thomas Pekok, I trowe your servant, a besy man, called of a full true sowle, John Hadynet of Haryngby, a pore man his plow hath loyn ever sith, he seith; I understonde it is for Catts landes. I sent my clerk to my mastresse, your moder, and the seid John with hym therfor; and my mastresse wold hym come ageyn a nother day, for Pec.o.k was not thanne at home; so he ded, and can not have it, as he seith, but that ye wold I shuld speke with you at Castr therof, and of other maters he tolde me this day. And by cause of my moders yereday holden this day, G.o.d have hir sowle, and to morwe shal be a good day, I wol by G.o.ddes grace dispose me to His mercy ageyns Thursday, as I have used; therfor I pray you pardon my comyng. In the weke after Ester, I entend to se you and my seid mastresse certeynly; it is loong seth I sy hir, me semeth. And if ye be not thanne at Castr, I pray you send me worde that I may come soner to you to comon with you in this mater, and in all other what ye wil, and sone departe to London fro thens; and therfor I wil abide with you a good while.

Sir, as to Catts ye be remembred what I seid to you at London at ij.

tymes. I am the same man; I have sith I cam geten th'evidences in to myn handes, and I am redy to shewe them what lerned man her that ye wol a.s.signe. The mater is cler to my thynkyng. t.i.tleshale that solde it to Sir J. Fastolf myght as wele a solde hym your lande or myn; and if the sale be lawfull, I shal leve my hands at the first as I said at London.

The distresse to be kept for that, I wisse it nede not, and it was unlawfully taken. Like it you to do delyvere the pore man his goods ageyn, I am redy to answer you for elde and new as right wol. I shal breke no day to be a.s.signed, for to leve all other thyngs.

By the blissed Lady I beleve that ye wol dispose you wele, and so I pray G.o.d ye do, and have you in His blissed governaunce. Wretyn at the hede town of Norffolk this Tuysday.

Your owen,

H. atte FENNE.

[Footnote 295.1: [From Fenn, iv. 290.] This letter was written on the Tuesday before Easter, probably in the year 1468, _i.e._ after the other executors of Fastolf had released to Sir John Paston.

The date could hardly be later than 1469, when Sir John was driven out of Caister by the Duke of Norfolk; and in 1469 he does not seem to have been residing there about Easter.]