The Paston Letters Volume V Part 17

[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 22]

For asmuche as Edmond Lee and John Barker, which were waged for your town to awaite upon us in the Kings service to Lincolne Feld, and from thens to Excestre and ayen, and for that season, as we be enfourmed, thei ar not yet fully contented and paied of their wages; wherfore upon the sighte herof we woll and charge that ye, with oute any lenger delay, paie them their hooll duties acording the covenants that ye made with them, and ye faille not herof as ye entende our pleaser.

Wreten at Wyngefeld, the xxij^th day of Octobr.

SUFFOLK.

[Footnote 86-1: [From Fenn, iv. 448.] The battle here referred to as 'Lincoln Field' is what is commonly called the battle of Stamford, in which the insurrection of Sir Robert Welles in Lincolns.h.i.+re was completely defeated in March 1470. Just before the date of this doc.u.ment, Edward IV. had left the kingdom, and Henry VI. had been restored; but perhaps Suffolk was not aware of the situation, or did not recognise it.]

761

MARGARET PASTON TO [JOHN PASTON][86-2]

[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 28]

I grete you wele and send you G.o.ddis blyssyng and myn, and I sende you be the berere herof all the sylver vessell that your graundam[86-3]

makyth so mych of, which she seid I had of myn husband, and myn husband shuld have had it of his fader. And wher as she seid that I shuld have had a garneys, I had ner see never more than I send you, that is to say, ij. plateris, vj. dysshes and vj. sawceris. The ij. playteris weyn xliij. unces di., and the vj. dysshes weyn lxxiiij. unces di. and the sawcers weyn xvij. unces j. quarter. And I marvayll that ye sent me not word what an unce of sylver is werth at London; for it had be lesse joparte to have sold it here and have sent you the money than the plate.

I myght have sold it her for iij_s._ an unce, sum xx_li._ iiij_s._ iij_d._ Be ware how that ye spend it, but in acquityng you ageyn such as ye be in daunger to, or abought the good speed of your materis; for, but if ye take odere heed to your expensis, ye shall do your self and your frendis gret diswurchep and enpoveryssh so them that non of us shall help other, to owr elmys [_enemies'_] grete comfort. It is understand ryght now in this countre be such as cleyme to be frendly to you in what grete daunger and nede ye stande in, bothe to diverse of your frendis and to your elmyse. And also it is noysed that I have departed so largely with you that I may nowthere help yow, my self nor none of my frendis; which is no wurchep, and causeth me to set the lesse be us; and at this tyme it compellith me to breke up howshold and to sogeorn; which I am right loth to have to do if I myght otherwyse have chosyn; for it caused gret clamour in this town[87-1] that I shall do so; and it shuld not have neded if I had restreyned whan I myght. Therfore for G.o.ddis sake take hede here to, and be ware from hens forth; for I have delivered and sent you bothyn my parte the dedis and yowris, and not restreyned nowthere for my self nor the dede. Where fore I thynk we spede and fare all the wers; for it is a fowle slaunder that he was so wurchepful beried and his qwethword not performed, and so litill do for hym sithen. And now though I wold do for hym, I have right not [_naught_] beside my lyffelode that I may make any chevysans with, with ought grete slaunder; and my lyffelode encreasith evill, for I am fayn to takyn Mautby in myn owyn hand, and to set up husbandry ther; and how it shall profite me G.o.d knowyth. The fermour owyth me lx.x.x_li._ and more. Whan I shall have it I wete never. Therfore be never the bolder in your expenses for any help ye trust to have of me. For I will fro hens forth bryng my self ought of such daunger as I stand in for your sakes, and do for the dede and for them that I have my goodis of; for till I do so, I know for certeyn that I shall fayll grace and displeas G.o.d, How [_who_] have you in His kepyng. Wretyn on Sent Symondis day and Judes in hast.--Be your Moder.

Item, I send zow ij. sherte clothys, iche of iii. zardis of the fynest that is in thys towne. I xuld a dohem mad here[88-1] but that xuld a be to long here [_ere_] ze xuld a had hem. Zour Awnte[88-2] or sum other good woman wule do her almes up on zow for the makyng of them. I thank zow for the gowne that ye gave me Halowmesse day I hope [I[88-3]] xole be wurshuped ther with. At reverence of G.o.d, be ware and take hed to soche thynggis as is wretyn with ynne thys letter. Telle your brother that the mony is not zet cownyd that I xuld send hym for thersa.r.s.enet (_sic_) and damaske that I spake to hym foor. As for the damaske that may be forebore tylle the nexte terme, but as for the sa.r.s.enet I woold have yt and yt mythe be, for I goo in my rentis. Late zour brothere[88-4] see thys letter. As fore your syster[88-5] I can send zow no good tydyngges of her, G.o.d make her a good wooman.

[Footnote 86-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 206.] This letter was written by Margaret Paston to one of her two sons, Sir John or John, at a time when they were both together. That was the case in October 1470, as appears by a letter of the younger brother, written on the 12th (No. 759), to the postscript of which this seems to be an answer.]

[Footnote 86-3: Agnes Paston, the judge's widow.]

[Footnote 87-1: Norwich.]

[Footnote 88-1: 'I xuld a dohem mad here' = I should have got them made here.]

[Footnote 88-2: Elizabeth, widow of Robert Poynings.]

[Footnote 88-3: Omitted in MS.]

[Footnote 88-4: Sir John Paston, if this letter be to the younger brother.]

[Footnote 88-5: Margery Paston, now probably married to Richard Calle.]

762

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[88-6]

_To John Paston, Esquyere, in haste._

[Sidenote: 1470 / NOV. 15]

Brother, I comand me to yow, praying yow that thys be yow guydyng, if other folkys wy[ll] agree to the same, that Mr. Roos, olde Knevett, ye, and the worshypfullest that wyll do for owr sake, as Arblaster, John Gyneye, Wodhows, and al other gentelmen that at the daye wyll be in Norwyche, that ye all holl as on bodye come to geder, that my Lorde of Oxenforde maye ondrestande that som strenkethethe restyth ther by, whyche if it be well handely[d] and prove in the handely[ng], I trow Heydonnes parte woll be but an easy comparyson. Neverthelesse ye than most ye be war of on [_one_] payn, and that is thys: Heydon wyll of crafte sende amonge yow per case vj. or mor with harneyse for to sclandre yowr felawschep, with seyng that they be ryotous peple, and natt of substance. Requer the gentelmen above wretyn that if any men be in Norwyche of the contre that ber any suche harneyse, to do them leve it or any glysteryng byll.

The Meyr and siteseynes of Nowyche wher wonte to have asertayne[89-1] in harneyse of men of the town to the nombr of ij. or iij. or v.^c., whyche if they now do in lyke case, those wole owe better wyll to Mr. Roos and yow than to other folkys; and if it be so that the thowt nat to have non suche at thys tyme, I thynke the Meyr woll do it at the request of Mr.

Roos and yow, if lak of tyme cawse it not.

Item, be well war of Clopton, for he hathe avysed my Lorde to be all to gydre rewled by Heydon, in so moche he hathe reportyd that all thyng and all materys of my Lordes, and in all the contre, scholde guydyd by Heydon. If Clopton or Hygham or Lowes John be besy, prese in to my Lorde byfor them, for the be no Suff.[89-2] materys, and tell the raylyng; prayng them not to cawse my Lorde to owe hys favor for the pleser to som folkys ther present. For if my Lorde favoryd or theye owther, by lykelyed my Lorde and they myght lose vj. tyme as many frendes as he scholde wynn by ther meanes. Also if ye cowde fynde the meanes, Mr. R.

and ye, to cawse [the] Meyr in my Lordes ere to telle hym, thow he scholde bynde my Lorde to concell, that the love of the contre and syte restyth on owr syde, and that other folkys be not belovyd, ner nevyr wer, thys wolde do nonn harme, if it be soo that all thynge go olyver currant (?); with mor to remembre that ther is owt of that contre that be nat at Norw. besyde me, that be ryght worshypfull, and as worshypfull as few be lengyng to Norff., that woll and schall do my Lorde servyse the rather for my sake and Master Rossys, and the rather if my Lorde semyth nat moche thynge to Heydon guydyng.

Also, the G.o.dely menes wherby ye best can entrete my cosyn Sir W.

Calthorpe at the seyde day, wse them to cawe hym, if itt wyll be, to come, ye in hys companye, and he in yow in cheff at yow cheff schew, and Mr. Roos and he in company, latyng my seyde cosyn wete that I tolde hym ones that I scholde meve hym of a thyng I trostyn scholde be encressyng bothe to hys honor and well.

I sende yow a lettyr, com to Norwyche by lyklyed to yow on Monday last past. It come some what the lattre, for I wende have dyed nat longe by foer it. Also I receyved on from yow by Mr. Blomvyle yister evyn. Tell my cosyn W. Yelverton that he may not appyr of a whylle in no wyse.

I trow my cosyn hys fadr schall sende hym worde of the same. Do that ye can secretly that my Lorde be nat hevy Lorde on to hym. It is undrestande that itt is doon by the craffte of Heydon. He gate hym in to that offyce to have to be ageyn me, and nowe he sethe that he hathe don all that he can ageyn me, and now may doo no mor; nowe he wolde remeve hym. The daye is comen that he fastyd the evyn for, as an holye yonge monke fastyd mor than all the covent, aftr that for hys holynesse and fastyng hopyd to be abbott, whyche afterwarde was abbott; than lefte he hys abstynens, seyng, 'The daye was come that he fast the evyn for.'

Brother, I pray yow recomand me to my Lord of Oxford G.o.de Lordshyp. And wher as I told my Lord that I shuld have awayted uppon hys Lordsyp in Norff., I wold that I myght soo have don lever then a hundred _li._; but in G.o.defeth thos maters that I told my Lord trewed shold lette me war not fynyshed tyl yesterday. Wherfor yf that cause, and also syn Halowma.s.se every other day myst not hold uppe myn heed, nor yet may, in semech that sythen the seyd day, in Westminster Halle and in other place, I have goon with a staffe as a goste, as men sayd, more lyke that I rose owte of the erth then owte of a fayr laydys bedd; and yet am in lyke case, savyng I am in G.o.de hope to amende. Wherfor I beshyche hys Lordshyp to pardon me, and at a nother tyme I shall make dobell amends; for by my trouth a man cowyd not have hyred me for v. mark with so G.o.de will to have ryden in to Norff. as to have at thys season ther to have awaytyd in hys Lordshyp, and also I wold have ben glad for my Lord shold have knowyn what servys that I myght have don hys Lordshyp in that contray.

Item, your geer ys send to you, as Thomas Stampes sayth, savyng Mylsents geer and the shafeson,[91-1] whych I cannot entrete Thomas Stampes to goo therfor thys iij. or iiij. days, wherfor I knokkyd hym on the crowne, &c.

Item, loke that ye take hyde that the letter wer not broken or that it com to your hands, &c. Wryten at London, on Thursday next after Seynt Erkenwolds Day, &c.

JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 88-6: [From Fenn, iv. 450.] From what is said in this letter about the Earl of Oxford, it is impossible that it could have been written at any other time than during the brief restoration of Henry VI., which only lasted from October 1470 till April following.]

[Footnote 89-1: _A certain_, _i.e._ a number.]

[Footnote 89-2: I retain this word in the abbreviated form in which it is printed in Fenn's literal transcript; the copy in modern spelling reads _sufficient_.]

[Footnote 91-1: _Chevron_, a covering for a horse's head, made of iron and leather.]

[[if it be soo that all thynge go olyver / currant (?) _text has "that that": corrected from Fenn_ _"olyver currant" may be the Old French "(avoir) l'olivier courant"

(to have a favorable wind)_]]

763

ABSTRACT[91-2]

[Sidenote: 1470 / DEC. 6]

[1470] 6 Dec., on paper. Notice in English from the Duke of Norfolk to Philippe Cosard, William Dux, and other of his servants and tenants in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, to depart out of the manor of Castre, and all other manors and lands which he bought of Sir W.

Yelverton and other executors of Sir J. Fastolf, as soon as they can conveniently remove all his stuff and their own which is therein, he having consented, at the desire of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chancellor of England, and the Bishop of Winchester, to give up the said manor, etc. Signed by the Duke, 'Norff.' Small seal of arms, three lions pa.s.sant, in chief, a label of three points, a straw round the seal.

[Footnote 91-2: The following abstract is taken from Mr. Macray's Report on the Doc.u.ments in Magdalen College, Oxford, already referred to.]

764

ABSTRACT[92-1]

[Sidenote: 1470 / DEC. 11]