Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I

John Paston II

TO JOHN PASTON I 1461, 08, 23

To my rythg reuerent and worchypfoll fadere John Paston, esquyere, dwellyng jn Heylysdon, be thys lettere delyueryd jn haste.

Most reuerent and worschepful fadyre, I rekomawnd me hertylye, and submytt me lowlely to yowre good faderhood, besechyng yow fore cheryté of yowre dayly blyssyng. I beseche yow to hold me ascewsyd that I sente to yowe none erste no wrythgtyng, fore I kowd not spede to myn jntent the materys that ye sent to me fore. I laboryd dayly my lord of Estsexe, treserere of Ynglond, to haue meuyd the Kyng bothe of the manere removeof Deddham and of the byll copye of the corte rolle euerye mornyng ore he went to the Kyng, and often tymys jnquieryd of hym and he had meuyd the Kyng in these materys. He answeryd me naye, seyyng it was no tyme, and seyd he wold it ware osse fayne spedd os I my-selfe; so offte tymys de-layeng me that jn trowthe I thowt ta haue send yowe word that I felyd by hym that he was not wyllyng to meue the Kyng there-in. Neuerthe-lesse I lawboryd to hym contynually and prayed Baronners, hys man, to remembyre hym of it. I told offten tymys to my seyd lord that I had a man teryyn jn town that I schuld a sente to yow fore othyre sundry materys, and he teryid fore no thyng but that I mythg send yowe by hym an answere of the seyd materys; othyre tymys besechyng hym to spede me in thoys materys fore thys cawse that ye schuld thynke no defawte jn me

fore rememberyng jn the seyd materys. And nowe of late I, rememberyng hym of the same mater, jnquiryd if he had meuyd the Kyngys hythgnes there-in; and he answeryd me þat he hadde felte and meuyd the Kyng there-in, rehersyng the Kyngys answere þer-in: how þat, when he had meuyd the Kyng in the seyd maner of Dedham, besechyng hym to be yowre good lord there-in, konsyderyng the seruyse and trewe hart that ye haue done and owthg to hym, and jn espesyal the rygth that ye haue there-to, he seyd he wold be yowre good lord therein as he wold be to the porest man jn Inglond. He wold hold wyth yowe jn yowre rygth; and as fore fauore, he wyll nogth he vndere-stand þat he schal schewe fauore more to one man then to anothyre, nowgth to on jn Inglond. And as fore the bille copye of the cort rolle, when he meuyd to hym of it he smylyd and seyd þat suche a bylle there was, seyyng þat ye wold an oppressyd syndrye of yowre contrémen of worchypfull men, and theremoverfore he kepyd it styll. Neuer the lesse he seyd he schuld loke it vppe in haste, and ye schuld haue it. Baronners vndertoke to me twyes ore thryes þat he scremovehuld so a remembrid hys lord and master þat I schuld an had it wythinne ij ore iij dayes. He is often tymys absent, and there-fore I haue it nowthg yyt. When I kan gete it I schall send it yowe, and of the Kyngys mowth hys name þat toke it hym. I scend yow home Pekok a-geyn; he is not fore me. God send grase þat he may do yow good seruyse, that be extymacion js not lykelye. Ye schall haue knowlyche aftyrward how he hathe demenyd hym here wyth me. I wold, sauyng yowre dyremovesplesure, that ye were delyueryd of hym, fore he schalle neuer do yow profyte nere worchyp. I suppose ye vnderstand þat the monye that I hadde of yowe att Lundon maye not jndure wyth me tyll that the Kyng goo in-to Walys an kome ageyn, fore I vndere-stand it schall be long ore he kome a-geyn. Where-fore I haue send to Londun to myn onkyl Clement to gete an c s. of Cristofyre Hansom yowre seruaunt, and send it me be my seyd seruaunt, and myn herneys wyth it whyche I lefte at Lundun to make klene. I beseche yowe not to be dysplesyd wyth it, fore I kowd make non othyre cheysaunce but I schuld a boruyd it of a strange man, sum of my felawys, wheremoveche I suppose schold not lyke yowe and ye herd of it a-nothyre tyme. I ame jn suerté where as I schall haue a-nothyre mann jn the stede of Pekoke. My lord of Estsexe seythe he wyll do as myche fore yowe as fore any esquyere in Inglond, and Beronners hys man tellyt me, seyyng 'Yowre

fadyre js myche be-holdyng to my lord, fore he louyth hym well.' Baruners meuyd me onys and seyd þat ye must nedys do sum-whate fore my lord and hys; and I seyd I wost well þat ye wold do fore hym þat laye jn yowre poware. And he seyd þat þer was a lytyl mony be-twyxe yowe and a jantylman of Estsexe callyd Dyrward, seyyng þat þer is as myche be-twejn my seyd lord and the seyd jantyilman, of the wyche mony he desieryth yowre part. It is talkyd here howe þat ye and Howard schuld a streuyn to-gyddyre on þe schere daye, and on of Howardys meremoven schuld a strekyn yow twyess wyth a dagere, and soo ye schuld a ben hurt but fore a good dobelet þat ye hadde on at that tyme. Blyssyd be God that ye hadde it on. No more I wryth to yowere good faderhod at thys tym, but Allmygthy God haue yowe in hys kepyng and send yowe vyttorye of yowre elmyse and worschyp jncressyng to yowre lyuys endyn. Wrytyn at Lewys on Seynt Bertylmweys Eue. Be yowre seruaunt and eldere sone John Paston

TO JOHN PASTON I 1462, 03, 13

To myn ryth reuerent and worschypful fadere John Paston, beyng jn the Indere Temple.

Ryght reuerent and wyrshypfull fadere, I recommand me vn-to you, besychyng you of youre blessyng and gode faderhode. Pleasyt it you to vnderstond the grete expens that I haue dayly travelyng wyth the Kyng, as the berour here-of can enfourme you, and howe long that I am lyke to tary here in thys countray or I may speke wyth you a-gayn, and howe I am chargyd to haue myn hors and harnys redy and in hasty wyse; be-sykyng you to consydere theys causes and so to remembre me that I may haue suche thynges as I may do my maystere servys wyth and pleasure, trustyng in

God it schall be to youre wyrshyp and to myn avayll. In esspeciall, I besyche you that I may be sure where to haue mony somwhat be-fore Estern, other of you or by myn vncle Clement when nede ys. Of othere causes the berour here-of can enfourme you. No more to you at thys tyme, but God haue you in hys kepyng. Wryten at Stamford the xiij day of March. By yowre sone and seruaunt John Paston þe oldere

TO JOHN PASTON I 1462, probably 05-06

To my ryght wurschipfull fadre John Paston.

Plesit you to wete that I am at Leyn, and vnder-stande be dyuers personys, as I am in-formed, þat þe Mayster of Carbroke wold take a rewle in the Mari Talbot as for capteyn, and to yeue jaketes of his leuery to dyuers personis qwych ben waged be oder men and nouth be hym, beyng in the said shep. Qwerfor, in as moch as I have but few sowdeors in myn dyuers personis qwych ben waged be oder men and nouth be hym, beyng in the said shep. Qwerfor, in as moch as I have but few sowdeors in myn leuery here to strenketh me in þat qwych is the Kynges cummandement, I kepe wyth me yowre too men Dawbenney and Calle, qwich I purpose shall seyle wyth me to Yermoth; for I have purueyed harneyse for hem, and ye shall well vnderstande, be þe grace of God, þat the said Maystere of Carbroke shall have non rewle in the sheppes as I had purposid he shuld haue had, be-cause of his besynesse, and for this is on of the specyall causes I kepe yowre said men wyth me, besechyng you ye takyt to non dysplesour of ther taryng wyth me. Nat wythstandyng þer herden at

Wyggenalle shall ben don this day, be the grace of God, whoo haue you in kepyng. Wreten at Leyn the morow after my departyng from you.
Item, as far such tydynges as ben here, Tht shall in-forme you. John Paston

TO JOHN PASTON I 1464, 03, 05

To my ryght wyrschypful fadre John Paston, esquyere, be thys letter delyueryd in hasty wyse.

Ryght worschypful syre, jn the most lowly wyse I comaund me to yowre good faderhod, besechyng yow of yowre blyssyng. Mut it plese yowre faderhod to remembre and concydre the peyn and heuynesse þat it hathe ben to me syn yowre departyng owt of thys contré, here abydyng tyl the tyme it please yow to schewe me grace, and tyl the tyme that by reporte my demenyng be to yowre plesyng; besechyng yow to concydre þat I may not nere haue noo mene to seke to yow as I awght to do sauyng vndre thys forme, whych I besech yow be not take to no dysplesure, ner am not of power to do any thynge in thys contré for worschyp or profyht of yow nere ease of yowre tenauntys whych myght and scholde be to yowre pleasyng. Wherfor I beseche yow of yowre faderly pyté to tendre þe more thys symple wryghtyng, as I schal owt of dowght her-afftere doo þat schal please yow to þe vttermest of my powere and labore. And if there be any servyce þat I may do, it it please yow to comaund me or if I maye vnderstonde it, I wyl be as glad to do it as any thyng erthely, if it were any thyng þat myght be to yowre pleasyng. And nomore, but Allmyghty God haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn the v day of Marche. By yowre oldere sone John Paston

TO JOHN PASTON I 1465, 09, 27

to hys ryght worschypful fadre John Paston, beyng in the Flete at London, be thys delyueryd.

Ryght worschypful syre, jn the most lowly wyse I recomand me to yow Pleasyth it yow to wete þat i sente yow a letter but late agoo, in whych letter I lete yow haue vnderstondyng þat, if it pleasyd yow to grante and assente there-to, Syre Thomas Howes wolde resyngne the benefyce of Mawteby to a ful prestly man of Norwych callyd Syr Thomas Lyndys, whom I suppose ye haue knolech of. Neuerthe-lesse I wote wele he hath not ben grettly aquentyd wyth yow. But I and he haue ben moch aquentyd to-gedere, and I vnderstond and knowe hys vertews leuyng and dysposicion ryght wele, whyche herafftere I wote wele scholde please yow ryght wele. And that letter whyche I sente yow, as I vnderstod syns, Nycholas Colman the berere ther-of cam not owte of Norwych iiij or v dayes aftere that the bylle was delyueryd hym, whefor I am jn dowte whythere it is come to yowre handes or not, whyche cawsyth me to wryght to yow ageyn jn thys wyse; besechyng yow, if it plese yow þat the seyd Syr Thomas Lyndys schal be of yowre promotyng jn þe wyse above wretyn, þat then it lyke yow þat I may haue answere by the berere herof, whych schal tary at London a day or ij and not passyng. Nomore to yow at thys tyme, but Alle-myghty God haue yow in guydyng. Wretyn at Heylesdon the Fryday next byfore Sceynt Mychell. By yowre oldere son John Paston

TO JOHN PASTON III 1467, probably 03

To my brothere John Paston.

Ryght worschypful and verrely welbelouyd brothere, I hertely comande me to yow, thankyng yow of yowre labore and dyligence that ye haue in kepyng of my place at Castre so sewerly, both wyth yowre hert and mynde, to yowr gret bisynesse and troble; and I ageynwarde haue hadde so lytell leysere that I haue not spedde bot fewe of yowre erendys, nere kannot before thys tyme. Asfore my lady Boleynes dysposicion to yow werdys, I kannot in no wyse fynde hyre a-greable þat ye scholde haue here dowter, for all the preuy meanes þat I kowde make; in so moche I hadde so lytell comfore by all the meanes þat I kowde make þat I dysdeyned in myn own person to comon wyth hyre there-in. Neuertheless I vndre-stande þat sche seythe, 'What if he and sche kan agré, I wyll not lette it; but I will neuer advyse hyre therto in no wyse.' And vppon Tewesday last past sche rood hom in-to Norfolke; wherfore as ye thynke ye may fynde the meane to speke wyth hyre yowre-selfe, fore wyth-owt that, in myn conceyt, it wyll nat be. And as fore Crosseby, I vndrestand not þat þer is no maryage concludyd betwen them; neuer thelesse there is get langage þat it is lyke to be.

Ye be personable, and par auentur yowre beyng ones in the syght of þe mayde, and a lytell descuueryng of your good wyl to hyre, byndyng hyre to kepe it secret, and þat ye kane fynde in yowre hert, wyth som comfort of hyre, to fynde the meane to brynge suche a mater abowt as schall be hyre pleasur and yowrys, but that thys ye kannot do wyth-owt som comfort of hyre in no wyse---. And bere yore-selfe as lowly to þe modere as ye lyst, but to þe mayde not to lowly, nere that ye be to gladde to spede nere to sory to fayle. And I alweys schall be yowre herault, bothe here if sche com hydder and at home when I kome hom, whych I hope hastyly wyth-in xl dayes at þe ferthes. My modre hathe a letter whych can tell yow more, and ye may lat Dawbeny se it. John Paston, K. I suppose and ye kall welle vppon R. Calle he schall puruey yow mony. I haue wretyn to hym j-now.

INDENTURE OF WAGER 1467, 05, 01

This bille indentyd mad the first day of Maij the vij yere of the reigne of Kyng Edward the Fourthe bithwix John Paston, knyght, on the on partie, and Thomas Lomnour of London, mercer, on the othir partie, witnessith that the said Thomas Lomnour hath bargeyned, comenauntid and agreed wyth the seid John Paston in the forme folowyng, that is to say that the same Thomas hath sold to the said John an ambelyng hors vpon this condicion that if the day of mariage bithwyx the lord Charles, sone and heire to the Duc of Burgon and my lady Margret, sustir to oure souereyn lord the Kyng aboueseid, take effect, and the same lady Margret lawfully be maried to the said lord Charles wythinne ij yere aftir the date of thes present, thanne and at the same day of mariage the said John Paston grauntith to pay to the said Thomas Lomnour for the said hors vj marc. And if the said mariage take not effect wythinne the seid ij yere, yet the

seid John Paston grauntith to pay to the said Thomas Lomnour at any day aftir the ij. yere aboueseid for the said hors xl s. and nomore. In witnesse wherof the parties abouesaid to these billes enterchaungeably haue set her seals the day and yere aboueseid. Jon Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1468, 11, 09

To my ryght welbelouyd brothere John Paston, esquiere, beyng at Caster, or to John Dawbeney þer be thys letter delyueryd.

Ryght welbelouyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow wete þat I haue wagyd for to helpe yow and Dawbeney to kepe þe place at Castre iiij wel assuryd and trew men to do al maner of thyng what þat they be desyiryd to do in saue-gard ore enforcyng of þe seyd place. And moreouyre they be prouyd men and connyng in the werre and in fetys of armys, and they kan wele schote bothe gonnys and crossebowes and amende and strynge them, and devyse bolwerkys ore any thyngys that scholde be a strenkthe to þe place; and they wol, as nede is, kepe wecche and warde. They be sadde and wel advysed men, sauyng on of þem whyche is ballyd and callyd Wylliam Peny, whyche is as goode a man as gothe on the erthe, sauyng a lytyl he woll, as I vnderstand, be a lytel copschotyn; but yit he is no brawlere, but ful of cortesye, meche vppon James Halman. The othere iij be named Peryn Sale, John Chapman, Robert Jakys son; sauyng þat as yit they haue non herneyse comyn, but when it komyth it schall be sent to yow. And in the meane whyle I pray yow and Dawbeney to puruey them some. Also a cople of beddys they most nedys hue, whyche I pray yow by the help of my modre to puruey for them tyl þat I com home to yow. Ye schall fynde them gentylmanly, comfortable felawes, and that they wol and dare abyde be there takelyng. And if ye vndrestond þat any assawte scholde be towardys, I sende yow thes men becawse þat men of þe contré

there abowt yow scholde be frayed fore fere of losse of ther goodys; wherfore if there were any suche thyng towardys I wolde ye toke of men of the contré but few, and that they were well assuryd men; fore ellys they myght discorage alle the remenant. And asfore any wryghtyng fro the Kyng, he hathe promysyd þat þer schall come non; and iff ther do hys vnwarys, yowr answere may be thys, how the Kyng hathe seyd, and so to delay them tyll I may haue worde, and I schall sone puruey a remedy. I vnderstond þat ye haue ben wyth my lorde of Norfolke now of late. What ye haue don I wote not; we se þat he schal be here ageyn thys daye. More-ouyre I trow John Alforde schall not longe abyde wyth my lorde. I schall sende yow tydyng of othere thyngys in haste, wyth the grace of God, who &c. Wretyn on Wednysday nexte before Seynt Martyn. John Paston I fere þat Dawbeney is not althere best storyd to contenew howsolde longe. Lete hym send me worde in hast, and I wyll releve hym to my powere, and ore longe to I hope to be wyth yow. Rremoveoger Ree is scheryf of Norfolke, and he schall be good j-now; th'excheter I am not yit assertaynyd of. Also þat thes men be at þe begynnyng entretyd as corteysly as ye can. Also I pray yow to sende me my flowre be þe nexte massangere þat comyth. Also, as fore my Lorde Fytz-water oblygacion, I know non suche in myn adward as yit. Also þe obligacion of the Bisshop of Norwychys oblygacion, I neuer sye it þat I remembre, wherfore I wolde and prey my modre to loke it vp. Also as fore the byble þat the master hath, I wend the vttermest pryse had not passyd v mark, and so I trowe he wyl geue it. Wet, I pray yow. Also as fore Syre Wylliam Barbore and Syre Wylliam Falyate, I wolde, if they kan puruey fore them-selfe, folfayne be dyschargyd of them.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1469, 03, 17

To my well belouyd brothere John Paston, or to John Dawbeney in hys absence.

Ryght worschypful and well belouyd brothere, I comand me to yow, letyng yow wete þat Syr Thomas Howes hadde a free chapell in Caster, where-of þe gyfte longyth to me, whyche chapell as I vnderstande scholde bee in the olde tyme, ere the place at Caster were bylte, wyth-in the motte; wherfore I ame but the better pleased. And soo it is now þat at the speciall request of the Qwen and othere especiall good lordes of myn I haue geuyn it to þe berere here-of, callyd Master John Yotton, a chapleyn of þe Qwenys. Neuerthelleremoves in tyme passyd I purposyd that þe master of the colegge scholde haue hadd it, and so ere longe to I hope he schall. Wherfore I thynke he most take possession, and that is the cawse of hys comyng; wherfore I pray yow make hym good chere. He is informyd that it scholde be worthe c s. be yere, whyche I belyue not; I thynke it dere jnow xl s. by yeere. He most haue it as it was hadde before.
Item, thys daye I vnderstonde that there be comen letteris from my modere and yow and Dawbeney, wherin I schall send yow answere when I haue seyn them. No more at þis tyme, for wyth-in this iij dayes I schall lette yow haue knolech of othere materis. Wretyn þe xvij day of Marche. Whethere he nedyth indoccion ore institucion ore non I wot not. If it nede, brothere, ye may seale any suche thynge as well as I. Master Steuyn kan tell all suche thynges. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1469, early 06

To my moodre and to my brothere John Paston.

Brothere, it is so þat the Kynge schall come in-to Norffolk in hast, and I wot nat whethyre þat I may com wyth hym ore nowt. If I come I most do make a leueré of xx gownes, whyche I most pyke owt by yowre advyse; and asfore clothe fore suche persones as be in þat contré, if it myght be hadd there att Norwyche ore not I wot not, and what personys I am nott

remembryd. Iff my modre be at Caster, as ther schall be no dowt fore the kepyng of þe place whyl the Kynge is in that contré, than I may haue the most parte at Caster; and whethere ye woll offre yowre-selfe to wayte vppon my lorde of Norfolk ore not, I wolde ye dyd þat best were to do. I wolde do my lorde plesure and seruyse, and so I wolde ye dyde if I wyst to be sure of hys god lordeschyp in tyme to kome. He schall haue cc in a lyuerye blew and tawnye, and blew on the leffte syde and bothe derke colorys. I pray yow sende me worde and yowremover advyse be Juddy of what men and what horse I cowde be purueyd of if so be þat I most nedys kome, and of yowre advyce in all thyngys be wryghtyng; and I schall sende yow hastily othere tydyngys. John Paston, K. And asfore my materis my sariantys haue no dowt in it, wyth þe grace of God, that þis terme they schall do well j-now and haue an ende. Also sende John Russe worde þat he hathe don in the best wyse, and þat hys deposicion and þe examynacion in Canterbury cort acorde in the best wyse, and so hath Fryre Moghte don passynly wele. I haue wret to myn oncle þat my moodre kan tell hym more than I haue wret to hym. Late Sorell be well kepte.

TO WALTER WRITTLE 1469, early 09

To Mastyre Wryttyll.

Master Wryttyll, I recomande me to yow, besechyng yow hertely,as myn holl trust is in yow, that ye doo yowre devoyre to contynew trews tyll Friday ore Saterday in the mornyng, by whych tyme I hope the massanger shall come; and that ye be not dryuen to take an appoyntment iff ye kan vndrestand by any lyklyod that itt be able to be abydyn and recystyd, and

that ye fele my brotherys dysposycion therin, as my trust is in yow; prayng yow to remembre that it restythe, as God helpe me, on all my well. Fore as God helpe me, I hadd leuyre the place were brennyd, my brother and seruantys sauyd, than the best appoyntment that euyre ye and I comonyd of scholde be my goode wyll be takyn, iff thys massage from the Kynge may reskwe it. And iff it be so that my lorde be remevyd by the Kynges comandement whyche restythe wyth hys honore, I may in tyme to kome do hym servyse as schall recompence any grodge ore dysplesure that he euyre had ore hathe to me ore myn. And ye, iff it the rathere by yowre wysdam and polesye the moene above wryten may be hadd, schall be as sewre of the servyce of my trewe brothere and seruantys and me as ye kan devyse, by my trowthe. Fore, in goode feythe, thys mater stykyth more nyghe myn hart and me than I kan wryght on-to yow, and to my brother and seruantys more nere than, as God knowyth, they wot off. Wherffor, Master Wryttyll, all owre welffare restyth in yow, besechyng yow to remembre it, for thys mater is to all vsse eyther makyng ore marryng.
Item, asfore Arblaster ore Louell, I kan not thynke that they ore any of them may be wyth yow; wherffore in yow is all, and God haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn at London the day next afftre yowre departyng. I schall sende yow more knowleche to-morow, wyth Goddys grace. Yowrys, John Paston., K.

TO WALTER WRITTLE: DRAFT OR COPY 1469, 09, 10

Ryght worshypfull syre, I recomaund me to you, thankyng you of youre grete laboure, whych I haue noȝt as yet but I shall deserue to my powere; and forthermore lyke you to wyte that I haue thoght ryght long aftere you. Neuyrthelesse I remembere well that ye delt wythe ryght delayous peple, my lord Archbyshop and othere of my lordys, and I dempte by-cawse of youre long tarryng that by youre sad dyscrescyon all hadde ben sett thorow. Neuer the lesse I vnderstond by youre wrytyng that my lord of Norffolkys concell thynketh that hys entent whych ye sertefyed me by

youre wrytyng sholde be more to hys wyrshop than the appoyntementys and rewll made by the lordys of the Kyngys concell whych be to my seyd lord of Norffolk nere kyne, whych appoyntementys sythen youre departyng hath be largely remembryd a-mongys the seyd lordys here, thynkyng it in hem-selff so honorabyll to my lord of Norffolk that there shuld non off my lordys concell well avysed mevyd to the contrary. Jamys Hobart was sent fro my removelord of Norffolk hedere, and spake wyth my lord Archbyshop, and awnswere he had of my seyd lord and howe my lord tendryd the matere yet, and wyll. I trowe he haue told you, and yf he haue not the bryngere her-of schall in-forme you. And he broght thys same appoyntement from my lord that my lord was well aggryed that I shuld ocupye. For my parte, jff I shud take no othere apoyntement but acordyng to youre letter it were hard for me and for my tytell to putte my lord in that possessyon, for there ys thyngys in erthe to myn esse in youre letter gode for me in that appoyntement, sauyng the suerty off my brothere lyffe and my seruauntys whych ye thynke dowtefull yf so be that they lakke stuff, shotte, and vytayll; mervaylyng sore and thynk it jnpossybell jn thys shorte season, or in iiij tyme the season hedere-towardys that thay shuld lakk, othere wythowte it soo be that my lordys men haue enterd owght the place and so had there stuffe from hem, whych I cannot thynk. Also, ser, for the tyme of youre comyng to my lord of Norffolk seruauntys of <...> my modere at Norwych, mouyng to send to my brothere hyre sone to delyuer the place vndere such a forme as youre lettere specefyeth and so I cannot vnderstand what regard myn lordys concell takyth to my lordys letter and to youre labour in thys behalf but that thay offeryd as largely afore. ȝe wryteth in youre lettere that ye durst nat passe youre credens. Please you to remembere that seyd youre credens affore the lordys was ryght large, and as large as myght well be in thys matere bothe to my lordys concell of Norffolk to wyth-drawe the seege, wyth moore othere matere as ye knowe, and to the justice of the peas and to the shyryff and hys offycers youre awtoryté was grete j-now to jche of them. Wherfor, Mayster Wretell, I neuer for thys nere ȝet wyll take appoyntement in thys matere but as my lordys wyll and my lord Archbyshop, whych as well as I my-selff haue holy putte oure tryst to youre dyscrete dyreccyon; and my seyd lord sythen youre departere, ȝoure goyng, thynkyng you allys mete a man in executyng there comaundement as cowde be chosyn. Neuer the lesse, for awnswere to you at thys season my lord Archbyshop ys north-wardys towardys the Kyng, how be it it ys seyd vppon a metyng wyth my lord of Clarens my lord shuld retourne a-yen; and as ȝester euyn he send a seruaunt of hys

to me, wenyng to hys lordshyp that Ser Humfray and ye were in Castere as was appoynted, and ye shuld send to hys lordship answere of the gydyng there by wrytyng, comaundyng me that yff any such wrytyngys cam from you yf hys lordshyp wernot past iijxx myle from London to com to hys lordshyp; wyth the same vnderstandyng for sertayn that he ys nat yet so ferre. Wherefore I will in al the hast possybell ryde nyȝt and day till I see hys lordshyp, and aftere cominicacyon had wyth hys lordshyp, as sone as ys possybell that a man may go be-twext ye shall haue an aunswere of hys dysposicyon; for hys jntres is such that as I haue wryten I shall neuer do therin wyth-oute hym, as my cosyn, bryngere herof, more playnly shall enforme you. For I canne thynke ryght well that as ȝe wryteth to me my brodere wyll not delyuer the place to non erthly person but yf he see wrytyng fro my lord. It semyt be youre wrytyng that my lord of Norffolk consayll jntende not that my lord Archbyshop shuld dele in thys matere, for he ys not named in youre letter; wherof I mervayle, for it was movyd to you at youre departyng hens the Kyngys concell shuld haue take dyreccyon in thys matere or els my lord Cardenall, my lord of Clarens, my lord Archbyshop, and my lord of Essex. Neuer the lesse, Mayster Wrytyll, all profytht, maner, or lyfflod leyd apart, if it be so that thorow reklesnese my brothere and seruauntys be in such joparté as ye haue wryten to me, whych shold be half jnpossybell in my mynd that thay shold myssvse so moch stuff in iiij tymes the space, and that ye haue euydent knowlych by my seyd brothere hym-self thereof,i wold praye yow to se hym and them in suerté of there lyffys, what so euer shold fall of the lyfflode. How be it, I woldnot that my brothere and seruauntys shold gyff vpp the place, not for a ml li., yf thay myght in any wyse kepe it and save there lyves. And therefore, at the reuerens of God, sytht it ys so that my lord Archbyshop and my lordys all and I haue putte our trust in you that ye wyll do your deuoyere to haue the verrey knowlych of my brothere hym-sylf, and not of my lordys men, whedere he stante in such jopartye as youre letter specefyeth or nat, for I dowte not vppon the syȝth of thys letter and of the letter that ye had before that my brothere will put no mystrust in you, consyderyng that he knowyth that ye com from my lordys and my lord Archbyshop and haue my wrytyng. And as for my lord Archbyshop wrytyng an aunswere, such as it shalbe ye shall haue it in all the haste possybell; but I thynke veryly that my lord eschewyth to telle you any thyng wythout þat he

myght speke wyth you allone, and me thynketh veryly that thay ought not to lette you to speke wyth hym allone, consyderyng that ye haue auctoryté and wrytyng from the lordys so to do. And as for the justificacyon of entryng the place and sege layng to the same, and the comaundement of the justice of the pease and the sherewe to assyste my lord in thys gydyng, I wote ye vnderstond that the lordys knowe all that matere, and ye herd it comened, and how thay toke it in there consaytys. There ys no more, Mayster Wrytell, but I commytt all thys wrytyng vn-to youre dyscrescyon; and as ye thynk best acordyng to such mennys desyre as haue entretyd you therin, and for my moyst avayle, I pray you, ser, soo doo, and I shall se vn-to youre besynes and labour that ye shall haue cause to do for me in tyme comyng and as the bryngere herof shall tell you. And I pray God haue you in hys kypyng. Wryten at London the x day of Septembre. By your frend for evere, John Paston, K.

To Margaret Paston 1469, 09, 15

Moodre, vppon Saterday last was Dawbeney and Bernay were on lyve and mery, and I suppose ther cam no man owt of the place to yow syn that tyme that cowde haue asserteynyd to yow of there dethys. And as towchyng the fyrsenesse of the Duke ere of hys peple schewyd syn that tyme that Wryttel departyd, I trowe it was concludyd that trews and abstynence of werre scholde be hadde ere he departyd whych shalle dewre tyl Monday next comyng. And by that tyme I trow þat trews schall be takyn tyll that day vij nyght afftre, by whych tyme I hope of a goode dyreccion schall be hadde. And where as ye wryght to me þat I scholde sewe for letteris from my lordys of Clarance and Yorke, they be not here; and iff they wrot to hym as þey haue don ij tymes, I trow it wolde nat advayle.And as fore to labore thois letteris and the rescu togedre, they ben ij sondry thyngys, fore when

the rescu is redy that the cost there-of is don---for iff I be dreuyn therto to rescu it ere they com there that scholde do it, it shall cost a ml escutys and as moche afftre; whych wey were harde for me to take whyll þat i maye do it otherwyse. But as to sey þat they schall be rescuyd iff all the lande that I haue in ingelond, and frendys, maye do it, they schall, and God be frendly, and that as schortly as it may goodlely and wele be browt abut. And the grettest deffaut erthly is mony, and som frendys and neyborys to helpe; wherffore I beseche yow to sende me comfort what money ye coude fynde the menys to get ore cheuysche vppon suerté sufficient ere vppon lyfflod to be jnmorgage ere yit solde, and what peple by lyklyod, yowre frendys and myn, kowde make vppon a schort warnyng, and to sende me worde in all the hast as it is nedffull. But, moodre, I fele by yowre wryghtyng that ye deme in me I scholde not do my deuyre wyth-owt ye wrot to me som hevye tydyngys; and, modre, iff I had nede to be qwykynyd wyth a letter in thys nede I were of my-selfe to slawe a felaw. But, moodre, I ensure yow þat I haue herde x tymes werse tydyngys syn the assege by-gan than any letter that ye wrot to me, and somtyme I haue herde ryght goode tydyngys both. But thys i ensure yow, that they that be wyth-in haue no werse reste than I haue, nere castyth more jupperté. But whethyre I had goode tydyngys er ill, i take Gode to wittnesse þat I haue don my devoyre as I wolde be don fore in case lyke, and schall doo tyll ther be an ende of it. I haue sent to the Kynge to Yorke, and to þe lordys, and hope to haue ansswere from them by Wednysday at þe ferthest; and affter that answere shall I be rewlyd, and than send yow word, fore tyll that tyme kan I take non dyreccion. And to encomfort yow, dyremovespeyre yow not fore lak of vytayle ner of gonne-powdre, ner be natt to heuy ner to mery there-fore. Fore and heuynesse ore sorow wolde haue ben the remedy there-of, i knew neuyre matere in my lyffe þat I kowde haue ben so heuy ore sory fore. And wyth Goddys grace it schall be remedyed well j-now; for by my trowthe I hadde lever lose the maner of Caster than þe symplest mannys lyffe therin iff that may be hys saueacion. Wherfore I beseche yow to sende me worde wat mony and men ye thynke þat I am lyke to get in that contré, fore the hasty purchace of mony and men schall be the getyng and rescu of it, and the sauevacion of most mennys lyffys, iff we take þat weye. Also thys daye I propose to sende to Yorke to þe Kyng fore a thyng, whych same only maye be lyklyod be the savacion of all. Ye must remembre that the rescue of it is the last remedy of all, and how it is nat easy to get.

And also ye sende me worde þat I scholde nat kome hom wyth-owt þat I kome stronke; but iff I had hadd on othere stronge place in Norffolke to haue comen to, thowe I had browt ryght fewe wyth me I scholde, wyth Goddys grace, haue rescued it by thys tyme, ere ellys he scholde haue ben fayne to haue besegyd bothe placys ore yit, and the Duke had not kept Yarmoth owthe. But, mother, I beseche yow sende me som mony, fore by my trowth i haue but x s. removei wot not wher to haue more, and moreouyremover I haue ben x tymes in lyke case ore werse wyth-in thys x wekys. I sent to Rychard Call for money, but he sendyth me non. I beseche yow to gyde the euydence þat Pekok can tell yow off, and to se it saffe, for it is tolde me þat Richard Call hath hadd right large langage of them; I wolde nat they com in hys fyngrys. I haue no worde from yow of them, ner whethere ye haue yit in yowr kepyng the euydence of Est Bekham owt of hys handys, ner whethyre ye haue sent to my manerys that they schold not paye hym no more mony, ore not. Also þat it lyke yow to geve credence to Robyn in othere thyngys. Wret the Fryday next affter Holy Roode Daye. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1469, 09, 18

To John Paston, and to noon othyre

I recomand me to yow, and promyse yow þat I haue and schall labore and fynde þe meane þat ye schall haue honore of yowre delyng, as ye haue hyddre-towardys, as all Ingelond and euery man reportythe. And moreouer I am in weye fore it by many dyuerse weys, wherof there schall be one exicutyd by thys day xiiij nyght at þe ferthest, and parauenture wyth-in vij dayes, and iff ye maye kepe it so longe I wolde be gladd. And afftre that, iff ye haue nott from me other wryghtyng, that than ye do there-in fore yowre saffgarde and yowre felaschep only, and to yowre worschypys; and asfore the place, no force therffore. Ye knowe thys hande, þerfore nedythe no mencion from whom it comythe. And more-ouyre, they that be abut yow be in obloquy of all men, and more-ouyre they haue ben wretyn to by alse speciall wryghtyng as myght be afftre the worlde þat now is, and removei promyse yow þat the Dukes

concell wolde þat they had neuyre be-gon it. And more-ouyr they be chargyd in payne of there lyvys that, thow they gate the place, they scholde not hurt on of yow. There is nowther ye ner none wyth yow but, and he knewe what is generaly reportyd of hym, he ore ye--and God fortewne yow wele- may thynke hym iiij tymes bettere in reputacion of all folk than euyre he was. Be ware whom ye make a consell to thys mater. Also, I lete yow wete þat I am in moche more comffort of yow þan I maye wryght, and they þat be abowt yow haue cawse to be more ferde than ye haue; and also beware of spendyng of yowre stuffe of qwarellys, powdre, and stone, so that iff they assawt yow ere we come that ye haue stuffe to dyffende yow of on, and than of my lyffe ye get nomore; and that yowre felaschyp be euyre ocopyed in renewyng of yowre stuffe. Wretyn the Mondaye next afftre Holy Roode Daye. I trow, thow ye be not preuy ther-to, ther is taken a trews new tyl thys day vij nyght

TO MARGARET PASTON 1469, 10

To Mestresse Margret Paston be thys delyueryd

Ryght worchypffull moodre, I comand me to yow and beseche yow of yowre blyssyng, and God thanke yow fore yowre tendrenesse and helpe bothe to me, my brothre, and servantys; besechyng yow to sende me worde what is yowre plesure and advyse how that ye thynke were best to do wyth my servantys there wyth yow. Neuerthelesse somwhat I vndrestande by a letter from my brothere John and more-ouyre that he hathe myn euydence of Bekham.

Item, Dawbeney, God haue hys sowle, hadde in kepyng an oblygacion in whyche James Gressham was bonde to me in an c mark, selyd wyth James sele, osse I suppose of hys office, and wyth grene waxe. I haue lente James and payd for hym abut xl li., and haue non othere sewerté. I praye yow late it be lokyd vppe be tymes. I deme it is amonge hys gere at Norwyche.
Item, that it lyke yow to speke to James Gressham that in any wyse he puruey hym mony to save me harmelez here thys terme ageyn Ser Thomas Mongomery.
Item, myn oncle William scholde haue comen home euery daye thys vij nyght, and thys daye or to-morow he comyth homwardys. He and I be as goode as fallyn owt, for he hathe laten me pleynly wete þat he schalle haue alle my grauntdames lyfflod off here enherytance and of hyr joyntore also, wherin I trust to God that he schall helpe. I woll not yit speke of it, ner i praye yow doo not. Also I beseche yow sende me worde of the delyng of my sustre Margery and Rycharde Calle. I wolde nat þat they were maryed of a whyle, iff it maye be, fore dyuers concideracions. Iff it lyk yow to speke on my behalffe, and yowrys bothe, to þe Bysshop to tary it tyll Crystmesse, I hope by that tyme to fynde som remedye therffore; and to telle hym that I desyryd yow to speke to hym therin. And iff soo be that they sshall be maryed in haste, þat than ye sende me worde þer-of whether it be don or nott, and whoghe he purposythe to dele wyth hyre, and how he woll gyde hyre and wher he woll dwelle.
Item, that it lyke yow to vndrestande what fellaschyp and what guydyng ys at Caster, and that ye haue alwey som spye that maye be grett wyth them and so to vndrestande it and to sende me worde.
Item, iff Ebysham come nat hom wyth myn oncle w. þat than ye sende me þe ij Frenshe bookys þat he scholde haue wretyn, þat he may wryght them here. John Paston, K. The Kynge is comyn to London, and there com wyth hym and roode ageyn hym the Duke of Glowcestre, the Duke of Suffolk, þe Erle of Aroundell, the Erle of Northumbreland, the Erle of Essex, the lordez Harry and John of Bokyngham, the Lord Dakrez, the Lorde Chambreleyn, the Lorde Montjoye, and many other knyghtys and sqwyerys, the meyr of London, xxij aldremen in skarlett, and of the crafftys men of the town to þe nombre of cc all in blewe. The Kynge come thorow Chepe, thowe it were owt of hys weye, be-cawse he wold not be seyn; and he was acompanyed in all peple wyth ml horsse, som harneysyd and som nat. My lorde Arche- bysshop com wyth hym from Yorke and is at þe Moore, and my lorde of

Oxenfford roode to haue mett þe Kyng, and he is wyth my lorde Archebysshop at þe Moore and com natt to town wyth þe Kyng. Som sey þat they were yisterdaye iij myle to þe Kyng wardys from the Moore, and that the Kyng sent them a massanger that they scholde come whan þat he sent fore them. I wot not what to suppose ther-in. The Kyng hym-selffe hathe good langage of the lordys of Claraunce, of Warwyk, and of lordys of York, of Oxenfford, seyng they be hys best frendys. But hys howsolde men haue other langage, so what schall hastily falle I cannot seye. My lorde of Norffolk schall be her thys nyght. I schall sende yow more when I knowe more

INDENTURE OF SALE (WITH PROVISION FOR REDEMPTION) 1469, 11, 06

endentura Rogeri Towneshend de manerio de Est Bekham This indenture made the vjte day of Nouembre the ixth yere of the reigne of Kynge Edward the Fourth bitwene Sir John Paston, knyght, on that one partie and Roger Tounesende, gentilman, on that other partie, witnesseth þat þe seid Sir John Paston hath graunted, bargayned, and solde to þe seid Roger his manoir of Estbekham in the counté of Norffolk and all his londes and tenementes with þ'appurtenaunces in Estbekham, Westbekham, Bodham, Sheryngham, Beston iuxta mare, Routon, Shipden, Felbrigge, Aylmerton, Sustede, and Gressham in the seid countee, which þe seid Sir John purchased and hadde of the yifte and feffement of John Mariet the elder of Estbekham, for an c marke of lawefull money of Englond, wherof þe seide Sir John is payed in redy money in hande liiij li. by the handes of the seid Roger. And so remayneth due to þe seid Sir John at þe makynge of thise presentes of the seid c mark only xij li. xiij s. iiij d. to be payed to þe same Sir John or his assignees by þe seid Roger or his assignees by þe fest of Seint Luke next commyng after the date of thise presentes. And for the due execucion and accomplisshyng of þe seid bargayn and sale, þe seid Sir John hath made a dede of feffement of the date of thise presentes to þe seid Roger and other cofeffees of þe seid Roger named in þe seide dede by þe seid Roger, to ther heires and assignees to þe vse of þe seid Roger, his heyres and assignees, of þe seid manoir, londes, and tenementes

with þ'appurtenaunces, and a warrant of attourney in þe same dede to make and deliuere an estate and season of and in the same manoirs, londes, and tenementes, with th'appurtenaunces, to þe seid Roger and his cofeffees after þe fourme and effect of the seid dede. And þervppon þe seid Sir John deliuered to þe seid Roger þe dede of þe seid purchase of the seid Sir John and þe endentures of covenaunt and bargayne hadde and made bitwene þe seid Sir John and John Mariett of and for þe seid manoir, londes, and tenementes, and a dede made by James Andrewe to þe seid John Mariett, and a-nother dede made by þe seid James and one William Jamys to þe seide John Mariett and John Mariett of Runton of the premisses. And by the seid last dede þer passed neuer liueré ne season,and þerfore þe dede made by þe seide James Andrewe alone after þe decese of þe seid cofeffees is good and effectuell, for therby passed liueré and season. And where þe seid Sir John, by þe seid indentures of covenaunt made bitwene him and þe seid John Mariett, graunted þat þe same John Mariett and Elizabeth his wyf shuld haue þer dwellyng with-in þe mote of þe seid manoir, and an annuité of x marke durynge þer lyves and þe lenger leuynge of theym, þe seid Roger is aggreabill to þe same; and ouer that the seid Roger is aggreabill þat, yf þe seid Sir John paye or do pay to þe seid Roger an an c marke of lawfull money of Englond by þe fest of All Seintes next commyng after þe date of þise presentes, þat þanne þe seid Roger and his seid cofeffees, after dewe and resonable warnynge yeven vnto him at þe labour and costes of þe seid Sir John, shall enfeffe þe seid Sir John and such as he thanne will name in his dede withouten ony maner of warrantize. In witnesse wherof þe parties beforneseid to these endentures euery to oþer haan sette þeire seals the day and yere aboueseid.

TO ROGER TOWNSHEND, FOR ANOTHER 1470, 02, 12

To the ryght worschypffull and hys best betrustyd frende, Rogere Townesende.

Right worshipfull sir, I comaunde me to yow, praying yow hertly to remembre that, by the award made by-twen yow and me by Roger Townesend for a tenement in Stratton in Norffolk callid Rees, I shuld delyuer yow all the evydens apperteynyng to the said plase, and not from thens forth to chalenge ner interupte my lady your wife ner yow of the said tenement; and that for thes said causes ye shuld and therto were agreyd to geve me an horse and x li. to an harneys. And moreovir,bifore Cristemasse in the Kynges chambre ye ther ageyn promysed me that at such tyme as I send to yow home to yowre plase by any seruaunt of myne er any man from me that ye wold delyver it hym and send it me by hym. My brothir John hath send me word that he remembird yow therof on my behalfe, and that ye answerid hym that ye wold gyfe hym or me a fayre harneys at your comyng to London. I deme in yow that ye thynke par case to bye a fayre harneys here for x mark; but, cosyn, as God help me, I bowte an harneys syn that tyme for my-self which cost me xx li. But I can not desire of yow so moch; wherfore, cosyn, wyth all myn hert I pray yow acordyng to yowre promyse that it like yow to send me by my seruaunt, berer herof, the said somme of x li., as my trust is in yow and as I wolde in like case haue don to yow, and as in the premysses I delt feithfully wyth yow and evir so shall dele, wyth the grase of God, who have yow in hys kepyng wretyn at london the xij day of Feveryer. Yowre John Paston,K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1470, 02, 20?

To John Paston, esquiere, beyng at Norwyche, be thys letter delyueryd.

I comande me to yow, letyng yow wete that I haue receyuyd yowre letter in þe boxe, and the byllys also off yowre receytys where-in ye refferre yow to a rekenyng whyche ye made to me last, whyche I remembre nat, nere haue no byllys off it that I remembre. But thys was it that I desyred off yow to haue wreten ore asserteynyd me off in rekenyng off all the receyt, asswell olde as newe, off all that was be-hynde and owyng off the tenantys by the seyng and wryghtyng off Richard Call, and off whom and in what place and what daye and whyther off the olde arreragys ore ellys off the last yere.
Item, ye wryghte to Osberne Berney vij li., refferryng yow to þe last rekenyng, and I haue not þat I knowe no suche rekenyng, nere I knowe nat wher that vij li. was payed nere where a-bowt spendyd. I praye yow iff ye haue any leysere to make bothe rekenyngys in on, and that I maye vndrestande what I owe in yowre conceyte in Norffolk, and what is owyng me.
Item, I prey yow sende me the wryghtyng be-twen Townesende and me by the next massanger.
Item, I haue not all the crosse bowez; I lak the tylere fore the mydell bowe, jtem a wyndase fore the bowe that was broken, and the Normandy byll. I praye yow sende them me in hast, fore I mervaylle that they come natt wyth þe othere gere.
Item, I praye yow sende hydder a bowe þat wasse Dawbeneys, wyth a crokyd horn, how so euer ye doo fore Tom Stompys.
Item, as fore Mestresse Kateryn Dudlé, I haue many tymez recomandyd yow to hyre, and sche is noo thynge dyspleasyd wyth itt. She rekkythe nat how many gentylmen love hyre sche is full of love. I haue betyn the mater for yow yowre onknowleche, as I tolde hyre. She answerythe me þat sche woll noon thys ij yere, and I beleve hyre, for I thynke sche hathe the lyffe þat sche can holde hyr content wyth. I trowe she woll be a sore laboryng woman þis ij yer for mede off hyre sowle. And Mestresse Gryseacresse is sure to Selengere wyth my lady off Exestre, a fowle losse.
Item, I praye yow speke wyth Harcort off the Abbeye fore a lytell clokke whyche I sent hym by James Gressham to amend, and þat ye woll get it off hym, and it be redy, and sende it me; and asfore mony for hys labore, he hathe another clokk of myn whyche Syr Thomas Lyndez, God haue hys sowll, gaue me. He maye kepe that tyll I paye hym. Thys klok js my lordys Archebysshopis, but late not hym wete off it, and þat itt removebe easely caryed hyddre by yowre advyse. Also, as for orengez I schall sende yow a serteyn by the next caryere. And asfor tydynge, the berere heroff schall infforme yow; ye most geue credence to hym.

Asfor my goode spede, I hope well I am offryd yit to haue Mestress Anne Haulte, and I schall haue helpe j-nowe, as some seye.
Item, ther is a weye mevyd by the meane off my lorde off Wynchester betwen Syr William Yeluerton and me, and bothe Syr William Yeluerton and I agreyd to abyde hys awarde; wherffore I hope thys next terme ther schall be a weye taken and an ende; and, in concell be it, I fere not the adwarde. I may not wryght my goode hope ner suerté there-off, iff Syr William Yeluerton will abyde by that he hathe seyde; and iff he do natt he is begyled, for my lorde of Wynchester hathe take admynestracion off Syr J. Fastolffys testment and Syr William Yeluerton is excludyd. Syr William Yeluerton wotythe nat her-off, and I rek not thowe ye tell hym not ther-off. But thys ye may sey to Wylliam Yeluerton, whyche hathe by-foore thys tyme feynet that he ment well and wold that we hadd ben acordyd, that ye vndrestand that suche a tretye is hadd be-twen hym and me, and that ye preye God make an ende betwen vs, and than schall we all be goode felawez ageyn; and that ye vndrestand þat Heydon woll be a gret letter her-off, for he louythe nowthe Syr W. Yeluerton in conclusion, nor me nowther, and that a gret whyle lawhyd at vs bothe; and iff we tweyn wer agreyd that nowthere of vsse bothe hathe no nede in tyme to kome to dele wyth hym, for off olde malyse he louyth vs nowthe but hatythe vs bothe. And more ouyre he hathe reportyd hymselff off Syr Wylliam Yeluerton þat he hathe not delt wyselye and that he hathe auenturyd, for malyse of me, hys welffare; and he had kowde haue knowen what he hadde don, but he seyde he was not wyse, seyng that and I hadde recuueryd ageyn hym in the Chancerye that he wer verrely ondon. But I ensure yow I rek not whethyre the tretyse take effecte ere nott, fore theremover schall be a lyfft at it ere owght longe to, wyth the grace off God. I may not wryght the secretnesse heroff. Thys mater maye not be wyst to noo body but to my moodre and yowe onlye, nowther to Syr James ner noo bodye.
Item, I preye yow remembre the oblygacion that Dawbeney, God haue hys sowle, hadde off James Gresham how he was bonde to me in c mark.
Item, I vnderstande þat Thomas Wyngffelde and ye were at Walsyngham to-gedre; God speede yow.
Item, asfore them that were jndyghtyd wyth me off forcyble entré, ther schall no processe goo owt ageyn them, fore I haue purueyd an attorny for them in the Kynges Benche and haue jmparlyd for them tyll the next terme.
Item, I praye yow to comon wyth myn oncle Wylliam and to haue a byll off hym what þat is betwen hym and me, and what I owe hym and vppon what pledgys, and to tell hym that thoys pledgys þat he thynkythe lest worthe þat he woll sende me worde, þat they may be fyrst pledgyd owt,

for I may not well all at onez. But I preye yow sende me worde off hys dysposycion heryn, and also whethere he be off the same dysposicion in my grantdamez londe as he was at hys last beyng here, at whyche tyme he tolde me þat he scholde and wolde haue suche lond as I loked afftre, rehersyng moreouyre that myn oncle Clement had laboryd the same.
Item, I praye yow to speke wyth the chancelere Doctour Pykenam so that I may haue the mony that was oweng me for Syr Thomas Lyndys, wheroff I toke a byll to Syr W. Marrys. It is a-bowt the some off v mremovearke.
Item, Doctur Pykenham tolde me at hys laste beyng here þat suche goodez as were Syr Thomas were yit reseruyd fore me, and noo thynge don for hym tyll that I be payd off my dewté; and sende me worde.
Item, it is soo þat I am halffe in purpose to com hom wyth-in a monythe here-afftre, or a-bowt Med-lente ore beffore Esterne, ondyre yowre coreccion iff so be that ye deme þat my mooder wolde helpe me to my costys, x mremoveark or ther-a-bowt. I praye yow feele hyre dysposicion and sende me worde.
Item, I cannot telle yow what woll falle off the worlde, for the Kyng verrely is dysposyd to goo in-to Lyncoln-schyre and men wot nat what wyll falle ther-off nere there-afftre. They wene my lorde off Norffolke scholde brynge x ml men.
Item, ther is comen a newe litell Torke, whyche is a wele vysagyd felawe off the age off xl yere, and he is lowere than Manuell by an hanfful and lower then my lytell Tom by the scholderys, and more lytell above hys pappe. And he hathe, as he seyde to þe Kyng hym-selffe, iij or iiij sonys chyldre, iche on off hem as hyghe and asse lykly as the Kynge hym-selffe. And he is leggyd ryght j-now, and it is reportyd that hys pyntell is asse longe as hys legge.
Item, I praye yow schewe ore rede to my moodre suche thyngez as ye thynke is fore here to knowe, afftre yowre dyscression, and to late hyre vndrestonde off the article off the treté betwen Syre Wylliam Yeluerton and me.
Item, my lorde off Warwyk, as it is supposyd, schall goo wyth þe Kynge in-to Lyncolne-schyre. Som men seye þat hys goyng shall do good, and som seye that it dothe harme. I praye yow euyre haue an eyghe to Caster to knowe the rewle there, and sende me worde; and whyther my wyse lorde and my lady be yit as sottyt vppon it as they were, and whether my seyd lorde resortythe thyddre as offte as he dyd or nott, and off the dysposycion off the contré. J. P., K.

TO THE BISHOP OF WINCHESTER: DRAFT 1470, 02-07

The copy of the request to the Bishop of Wynchester by Ser John Paston, knyght

Fyrst, Syr J. P. compleyneth and desyrethe, as he hathe dyuerse tymes dessyred, my lorde to make hym an aquitaunce of mlmlmlml mark whyche myght haue been claymed by vertu of wordes rehersed in the bergayne be-twyen Syr J.Fastolf and John Paston, esquiere, fader, &c. And also off all goodes are any that weer Syr J.Fastolff, that come removeto hys handes, hys faderys, or anye other to the vse off J.Paston, esquier, acordyng to an endentur.
Item, he desyrethe hys fefféys sholde be dyschargyd off any entresse in any londes þat weer Syr J. Fastolff in Flegge, in as moche as all they excede nott þe valure off l li. yerlye acordyng to þ'endentur, as þe seyd Syr John is redy to make goode and preeff as reason wyll and concyence, ore ellys, &c. item, he desyrethe that my lorde off Wynchester and othere feffyes schulde make astate off the tenement callyd Fayrchyldes, parcell off the maners, londes, or tenementys callyd Heylesdon, Drayton, Tolthorp, ore tenementys in Norwyche to Guy Fayrffax, Roger Townesend, William Dauerse, and other to þe vse off the seyd lorde and þe seyde Syr John. Also þe seyd Syr J.Paston desyrethe to be preuye and see the bullys off dyspensacion for the alteryng off the coledge to be fondyd nowe at Oxenforthe, wher it sholde and most ellys be at Caster. And

þes be sufficienth bothe in lawe and conscience accordyng to þe promremoveesse of þe said Busshop mad to hym. Also he desyrethe to be aserteyned and to se the letter off admynestracion whyche my lorde most gete on-to hym-selffe approuyd executur off þe wyll and testement off syr J.Fastolf.
Item, as for the maner of Guton, Syr J. Paston thynkythe that he oweth not to assent as yit that W. Passton shold relese, for ij causis: on for hys penalté for Caster, and þe second fore the entresse off my lorde off Canterbury.
Item, as for the maneris off Saxthorpe, Heynfforthe, Burnevyles in Nakton, Cotton, the seyd John Paston owythe to haue a prefferment and to haue theym or any parte off them byffor the amortysement for londys off lyke valew. As for the maneris off Calkotys, Browston, Spitelyngys, Hablond, Leystoffte in Suffolk, and off the maneris off Beyton, Tychewell, Esexe in Hyklyng, iff the lysense be hadde off dyspensacion to þe vse specefyed in the endentur, savyd on-to Syr J. Paston hys profferment off exchaunge, he is agreyd as the cort wyll awarde.

INDENTURE PLEDGING PLATE 1470, 07, 03

This indenture witnessith that Sir John Paston, knyght, being possessed of xx disshes and a sawser of siluer weying by Troy weight xxvij lb. ix vncis and di. in playn and open market in the Citee of London, hathe bargayned, sold, and deliuered the day of the date of thise indentures to Edmund Shaa, citezein and goldsmyth of London, the saide xx disshes and sawser for l li. sterlinges by the said Edmund to the forsaid Sir John Paston aforehand paid, wherof the same Sir John Paston knowlachith him-self truly contented and satisfied by thise presentes, to haue and to hold the forsaid xx disshes and sawser to the said Edmund, his executours and assignees as

theire propre godes foreuermore; which bargayn, sale, and delyueree notwithstondyng, the same Edmund grauntith by thise presentes, if the said Sir John Paston pay or doo to be paid to the forsaid Edmund, to his executours or assignees, l li. sterlinges the xiijth day of Octobre next commyng after the date of thise indentures, or at any tyme byfore the same day, than the said xx disshes and sawser shalbe deliuered by the saide Edmund or his assignees to the forsaid Sir John Paston or to his attourney makyng the saide payment. And if defaulte be made in payment of the saide l li. in parte or in all at the saide xiijth day of Octobre, than the saide graunte made by the forsaid Edmund of reliueree of the saide xx disshes and sawser be void and of noon effect. But that than the saide Sir John Paston grauntith and byndith him by thise indentures and promiseth vpon his honoure and worship to warant the said xx disshes and sawser and the sale of the same to the said Edmund, his executours and assignees, ayenst almaner people foreuer. In witnesse wherof the parties aforsaid to thise indentures entierchaungeably haue sette theire sealles. Youen the third day of July in the xth yere of the reigne of Kyng Edward the Fourth.

INDENTURE PLEDGING PLATE 1470, 07, 08

This endenture made at London the viij day of Julij the xthe yere of the regne of Kyng Edward the iiijthe by-twyxt Syr John Paston, knyght,of the on partye and Sthephen Kelke, citeseyne and goldsmyth of London, on the other partye, bereth witnesse þat the said Syr John the day of this present wrytyng hathe bargayned, delyuered, and solde to the forsayd Sthephen xvj potengers, weying of Troy weyght xxij li. x vnc of seluer di. vnc., for xl li. of laufull money of Englond receyued by þe same Syr John for the same bargayne. And the said Sthephen graunteth by this presentes that and the said Syr John, his executors or assignez, pay or do to be payed to þe said Sthephen xl li. of laufull money of Englond by-fore þe feste of Witsontyde next comyng, þat than the same Sthephen shall selle and delyuer a-yen to the said Syr John alle the forsaid dysshes and potengers of seluer; prouyded that, and the same potengers be take a-wey by any open

robberye, that than þe said Sthephen be not bounden her-by to þe latter sale or relyueré. In witnesse wher-of the partyes a-bouesayd to þis endentures enterchaungeabully haue set to theire seales þe day and yere a-foresaid.

INDENTURE OF AGREEMENT ON FASTOLF ESTATE 1470, 07, 14

Magna indentura conuencionum factarum inter dominum episcopum Wintoniensem et J. Paston militem de qua materia tamen dictus Johannes generaliter relaxauit.

This indenture made betwene the right reuerend fader in God William Wayneflete, Bisshop of Wynchestre, on the oone party, and John Paston, knyght, on the other party, wittenesseth that where John Fastolf, knyght, nowe dede, late beyng seised in his demene as of fee of dyuers maners, londis, and tenementes in the countees of Surré, Essexe, Suffolk, and Norfolk, and in the cité of Norwich, and beyng also possessed of right grete and notable summes of money, jowelex, plate, aras, and other godez and catallez qvyk and dede, caused a feoffement of the said maners, londes, and tenementez to be made to the seid reuerend fader and other, to haue to them and to theire heyres foreuermore to parfourme thereof the wille and entent of the seid Syr John Fastolf, the same Syr John Fastolf also made his testament and named and ordeyned the seid reuerend fader and other to be executoures of the same testament; which Syr John Fastolf, amonge othere pitueux and charitable dedes, willed and ordeyned vij prestys and vij poore folkes to be endowed perpetuelly to praye for the soulez of the same Syr John Fastolf and of Dame Millicent his wife and

other of his frendes and benefactours. After the decesse of which Syr John Fastolf grete variance hathe growen betwene John Paston, sqwyer, fader of the seid John Paston, knyght, on the oon party, and dyueres of the seid feofféz on the other party,for a bargayne alleged to be made betwene the said John Fastolf, knyght, and John Paston, sqwyer, of the seid maneres, londes, and tenementez in the countéz of Norfolk, Suffolk, and in the citee of Norwich; by occasion of which variance dyvers of the seid feofféz of the seid maneres, londes, and tenementez haue thereof made estat, summe to oon persone and summe to other, and grete summes of money and also grete substaunce of the said goodes and catallex and of th'issues and profettes growen and commen of the seid maners, londes, and tenementez, and the wodez of the same, haue be wasted, decaied, and spent, the verey wille of the seid Syr John Fastolf in many grete parties thereof delaied and not parfouremed yet nor executed, and the seid troublez contynued neuer likly in tyme cummyng to be executed. Wherefor the seid reuerend fader, seyng that all the seid named executours nowe in life, excepted hymself oonely, what for renownecyng of administracion of the seid testament, what for other cawses, may not now take vpon them the administracion thereof, considered also of the seid grete substance of lond and goodez the grete waste, destruccion, and perplexité, havyng pité and compassion that of so blessed and charitable entent of the seid John Fastolf no commendable effect shuld ensue, remembryng the singuler trust which the same John Fastolf to hym had, bothe in the seid feoffament and in th' execucion of the testament and of the premyssez, hathe taken vpon hym th'execucion of the seid testament, entendyng by the grace of God, bothe of the seid londes as farforthe as he may and also of such goodez of the seid John Fastolf as yet remayne vnspent and shal com to the hondys of the seid reuerend fadere, that the wille of the same John Fastolf therof shalbe executed. Therefore in ceesyyng of variances, pleez, and trowblez which haue fallen and hereaftir by likliode shuld be contynued, and in accomplesment of party of the will of the said John Fastolf, it is aggreed betwene the said parties in maner and fourme foloyng: that is to witt that the said John Paston and all othere personez by hym or to his vse havyng any title, posses- sion, or interesse in any maners, londes, tenementez, or other possessions which were of the seid John Fastolf in the counteez and citee aforesaid, except certeyn maners, londes, tenementez, and possessions with thaire appurtenauncez vnder writen, that is to wite the maner of Castre with appurtenance in the counté of Norfolk, and all the londys and tenementez called Vaux, Redham, or Bosoms in Castre, the maner called Spencers in Haryngby, except also the maners of Hailesdon, Drayton, Tolthorp, and tenementez in the citee of Norwich, shal relenxe before the fest of

Cristmasse to the seid reuerend fadere and to his heires foreuermore all theire right and intresse which thei haue in all the seid maners, londes, and tenementez, or in ony of them, excepted before excepted, discharged of any rent, reconusaunce, execucion, or ony charge by them or ony of them made, other than the same maners, londes, tenementez, and possessions or any parcell of them were charged tyme of the first estat thereof made to the said John Paston or to ony person or persones to th'use of the said John Paston. Also the said reuerend fader shal, before the said fest of Cristmasse, do to be made to þe seid John Paston, knyght, or such personez as the same1 John wol assigne, and to theire heires foreuermore, a lawfull and sufficiant dymysse of estate of fee symple of the said maner of Castre and of the seid maner called Spensers in Haryngby and of all the londes and tenementez in Castre and also the londes and tenementes in Haryngby called Spensers which were of the seid John Fastolf, and which the seid reuerend fadere to-gedir with John Beauechampe, knyght, Lord Beauechamp, and other had of the feoffament of Rauf Lord Suydeley and other such, and the hole estat as the seid reuerend fader and Lord Bewchamp have or had by reson of the same feoffement discharged of any rent, reconusaunce, execucion, or any charge by theym or either of them made, other than the same maners, londes, and tenementez or any parcell of them were charged tyme of the same feoffement made. Also the seid reuerend fader graunteth to doo his effectuell deuoure to cause William Paston to make dymyss of his estat of fee theryn to the seid John Paston, knyght, in the same fourme discharged, and that by sub pena if the case require. And forthermore the seid reuerend fader promitteth vpon his honoure to do his effectuell deuoure that before the feste of Witsontide next comyng John, Duke of Norfolk, and all other personez by the same Duke or to his vse beyng feoffed in the seid maner of Castre or in any of the seid londes and tenementes in Caster aforeseid, shal make laufull and sufficiant dymysse of theire estat, title, and interesse thereof to the seid John Paston, knyght, or to such personez as the same John Paston wol assigne and to theire heires foreuer- more, discheirged of any rent, reconusaunce, execucion, or any charge other than the same maners, londes, and tenementes or any parcell of them were charged tyme of the first estat thereof made to the seid Duke or to any person to th'use of the same Duke. And if William Yeluerton, knyght and justice, or William Geney, seriaunt, haue not relessed or graunted theire estat in the seid maner of Castre to the seid John, Duke of Norfolk, nor to none other persone to th'use of the same Duke, than the said reuerend fader shal doo his effectuell deuoure to cause the said William Yeluerton

and William Geney to graunte theire said estat to the seid reuerend fader or to the seid John Paston, knyght, or to such personez as the seid John Paston wol assigne and to theire heires foreuermore, or relesse in-to theire possession before the seid fest of Cristmasse, discharged of any rent, reconusaunce, execucion or any charge by theym or either of them made other than the same maners, londes, and tenementez or any parcell of them were charged tyme of the first estat thereof made to the seid William Yeluerton and William Geney. And if th'estat of the seid maner of Caster to the seid John Paston, knyght, be not so made by the seid Duke and other to his vse possessed thereof, the said reuerend fader graunteth that withyn iij monethes next foloyng the said fest of Witsontide to do make a laufull and sufficient estat of fee symple of the maner of Guton with th'appurtenaunce to the said John Paston, knyght, or to such personez as the same John wol assigne and to theire heires, discharged as it was tyme of the feoffement made thereof to the seid reuerend fader, or elles to paye and content to the same John Paston, knyght, or to his assignez withyn the same iij monethes dccxl markez laufull money of Englond. Also it is aggreed that if the seid John Paston, knyght, haue not the seid maner removeof Guton to hym and to his heires as is aforesaid, than the same reuerend fader shal discharge the seid John Paston of promys of bargayne of the seid maner of Guton by the seid John Paston, knyght, made to Thomas, Archebisshop of Canterburye. Also, as to the said maners of Halysdon, Drayton, Tolthorp, and tenementes in the cité of Norwich with theire appurtenaunces, it is aggreed betwene the seid parties that the seid reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, shal sue for the obteynyng thereof by laufull and resonable menes by aduyse of theire counseill and at theire owne cost; and suche thynge theryn as thei haue, or shalbe recouered, goten, or obteyned by them or any of them, or by any other havyng therein title or interesse to th'use of any of them, shalbe equally dyvided betwene the said reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, and theire bothe heyres, how be it that any of the seid reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, decesse before the same recoueryng, getyng, or obteynyng. And neither of the same partiez, heyres, or executours shal take advauntage by the survyuer, butt oonely haue the halfdele of such thyngez as shalbe recouered, goten, or obteyned. Also neither of the same partiez shal theryn take nor make ende nor relesse withoute assent of other. And it is also aggreed that the seid reuerend fader of the said maners of Drayton, Tolthorp, and tenementes in the citee of Norwych and londes, tenementez, and possessions in Drayton, Tolthorp, and Norwich with theire appurtenauncez which were of the said John

Fastolf, knyght, shal thereof before the said fest of Cristmas enfeffe Guy Fairefaxe, serieant at lawe, John Paston, sqwyer, Roger Tounesend, Nicholas Hervy, and William Danvers, to haue to them and to theire heires, to th'use of the seid reuerend fader and John Paston in fourme abouesaid. And ouer this, as to the seid maner of Wynterton called Begvilez, the maner of Reppes in Bastwik, londes and tenementes called Cattes in Haryng- by, the thirde part of the maner of Rounham, londes and tenementez in Yernemouthe, londes and tenementez called Billez in Stokesby, with theire membres, possessions, hereditamentes, and appurtenauncez, it is aggreed betwene the said parties that the said reuerend fader shal there-of before the seid fest of Cristmas cause to be made to the said Guy Fairefaxe, John Paston, sqwyer, Roger Tounesend, Nicholas Hervy, and William Danvers a lawfull and sufficiant dymyss of estat of fee symple, aswell such and the hoole estat and partez of the same as the seid reuerend fader and the seid Lord Beauechamp now haue or at any tyme had by reson of the feoffement thereof made by the seid Rauf Lord Suydeley and other to the seid reuerend fader, Lord Beauchamp, and other, as such and the hole estat and partez of the same as the seid reuerend fader hathe or shal haue by relesse of the feoffés of the seid John Paston, knyght, or by the seid Duke or other to his vse, or by the seid William Yeluerton and William Geney or any of removethe feoffés of the seid John Fastolf. Also the seid reuerend fader graunteth to doo his effectuell deuoure to cause William Paston to make thereof dymyss of his estat of fee in the same fourme, and that by sub pena as the case requyreth, which feoffement of the seid reuerend fader thereof in fourme aboueseid shalbe made to th'entent that the seid John Paston, knyght, and his heires shal haue there-of as much londes and tenementez as to-gedir with the seid maner of Castre, londes and tenementez in Castre, the said maner, londes, and tenementez called Spencers in Haryngby, shal atteyne to the yerely value of l li. ouer all chargez and reprises at eleccion of the seid J. Paston. And the residue thereof aboue l li. yerely shalbe to th'use of the seid reuerend fader and his heires, to be disposed for the sowle of the seid John Fastolf. And that as wel the seid maners of Castre and Haryngby, the seid londes and tenementez in Castre and Haryngby, as the said maners of Wynterton, Reppes, the iijd part of the maner of Rounham, londes and tenementez called Cattys in Haryngby, londes and tenementes in Yernemouth, londes and tenementez called Billes in Stokesby, with theire membres, possessions, hereditamentes, and appurtenauncez, shalbe extended to an yerly value by the discrecion of Roger Tovnesend and William Danvers, the same extent to be made in writyng before the fest of Candelmas next foloyng; and if the seid Roger

and William or any of them decesse before the seid extent made, than it is aggreed betwene the said partiez that euerych of þem shal for theire part name oone persone to make the same extent before the fest of Estre than next foloyng aftir the date of these presentez. And if the seid Roger and William, or if thei decesse before extent made the seid other personez named in fourme aboueseid, can not accord in makyng of the seid extent, than the seid partiez bethe aggreed that the same Roger and William, or if they decesse the seid other personez named, shal chese an vmpere to make the seid extent before the fest of Witsontide next foloyng; vnto which extent in any of the seid fourmez made bothe the seid parties shal stond. And if noone extent be made in any of the seid fourmez before the seid fest of Witsontid, than the seid feofféz shal suffre the seid John Paston, knyght, to haue thereof, and of Castre and Haryngby as is aforeseid, to the yerely value of l li., and the seid reuerend fader shal haue the residue there-of ouer l li. Also the seid reuerend fader is aggreed att his owne charge to obteyne of the Pope a sufficiant dispensacion for chaungyng of the place and fundacion of the seid perpetuel prestes and poore folkes fro the seid maner of Castre. Also, withyn vj monethes next foloyng the seisyn and possession of þe same reuerend fader obteyned and had of all the seid maners, londes, and tenementes, excepted before excepted,the same reuerend fader graunteth to exhibit and fynd perpetuelly in his college att Oxonford vij prestys and vij poore scolers to praye for the sowles of the seid John Fastolf and of Dame Milicent his wife, his frendys and benefactoures. Also the same reuerend fader graunteth to acquyte and discharge the seid John Paston, knyght, and th'executoure of John Paston, sqwyer, of mlmlmlml marcz which mought be claymed by the seid reuerend fader for the bargayne pretented to be made betwene the seid John Fastolf and John Paston, sqwyer; and ouer this the same reuerend fader graunteth to acquyte and discharge the same John Paston, knyght, of all summez of money, jowelx, plate, aras, and all goodes and catallex quyk or dede which late were of the seid John Fastolf and com to the hondes or to th'use of the seid John Paston, sqwyer, John Paston, knyght, or any of them, or any other persone to th'use of the seid John Paston, sqwyer, John Paston, knyght, or any of them. Also, if any of the seid maners, londes, and tenementes which shal remayne or be to th'use of the said reuerend fader lye to the pleasure of the seid John Paston, knyght, þe same reuerend fader graunteth byfore th' amortezement thereof þe said John Paston to haue them to hym or to his heires by wey of eschaunge for othere maners, londes, and tenementez of suere title and like value. Also the same John Paston vpon his feith, knyghthode, and honesté

promytteth to delyvere before þe said fest of Cristmas to þe seid reuerend fader all dedes, chartres, euydences, and munimentz concernyng soolly any of þe said maners, londes, and tenementes which by vertu of this aggrement shal remayne toward þe said reuerend fader and which þe same John Paston, or any other person to his vse, now hathe or by the seid fest of Cristmas shal haue. And all such dedes, chartres, munimentz, and euidencez which the same John Paston, or any other person to his vse, hathe concernyng aswel the seid maners, londes, and tenementes which as is foresaid shal remayne to the said reuerend fader, as to þe said maners, londes, and tenementes which by the seid aggrement shal remayne to þe said John Paston, knyght, the same John Paston as aboue promitteth to do bryng before the seid fest of Cristmas all the seid dedes, chartres, munimentz, and euidences to þe Priory of Seynt Marie Ouerey in Suthwerk, there to be delyuered and putt in a chest lokked with ij lockes and ij keyes, whereof oon key shal remayne with the seid reuerend fader and a-nother key shal remayne with the seid John Paston, knyght, to th'entent that bothe þe seid partiez may haue recourse to the seid euidences whan any of theire possessions be putt in plee or trowble; vnto which recourse so to be had bothe the seid partiez shalbe aggreable, aftir the trwe entent hereof declared by writyng endented and triparted, whereof oone part shal remayne with þe seid reuerend fader and a-nother part thereof shal remayne with the said John Paston, knyght, and þe iij part thereof shal remayne with the Priour of Seynt Marie Ouerey. And in like wise the seid reuerend fader promytteth on his honoure to delyuere to the seid John Paston, knyght, before the seid fest of Cristmas all dedes, chartres, euidences, and munimentz conceryng soolly any of the seid maners, londes, and tenementez which by vertu of this aggrement shal remayne toward the seid John Paston, knyght, and which the seid reuerend fader, or any persone to his vse, nowe hathe or by the seid fest of Cristmas shal haue. And all such dedes, chartres, munimentz, and euidences which the seid reuerend fader, or any persone to his vse, hath concernyng aswel the seid maners, londes, and tenementz which shal remayne to þe seid reuerend fader as to þe seid maners, londes, and tene- mentez which shal remayne to þe seid John Paston, knyght, the seid reuerend fader as aboue promitteth to do bryng before þe seid fest of Cristmas all þe seid dedes, chartres ,munimentes, and euidences to þe seid Priory of Seynt Marie Ouerey, there to be delyuered and putt in-to the seid chest to th'entent aforesaid. In witnesse whereof the seid partiez vnto thies indentures chaungeablé

haue putt theire sealez. Date is the xiiijthe daye of jule the xthe yere of the reyne of Kyng Edward the iiijthe.

INDENTURE OF RELEASE AND QUITCLAIM OF FASTOLF MANORS 1470, 07, 14

indentura inter dominum episcopum Wintoniensem et J. Paston militem de acquietancia et relaxacione. E. iiijti xmo.

This endenture made bitwene the right reuerent fader in God, William Wayneflete, Bisshop of Wynchestre, executour of the testament of Sir John Fastolf, knyght, on the oon parte and John Paston, knyght, son and heire of John Paston, squyer, and executoure of the testament of the same John Paston, squyer, named to be oon of th'executours of the testament of the said John Fastolff, on the other parte, witnesseth that where in other endentures made bitwene the same parties, wherof the date is the day of makyng of thiez presentz, of disposicion and departyng of alle the maners, londez, tenementz, possessions, and hereditamentes, with theire appurtenauncez whiche were of the said John Fastolf, knyght, in the counteez of Surré, Essex, Suffolk and Norffolk, and in the citee of Norwich, the said John Paston, knyght, hath oonly therof taken and shall have toward hym-self and his heires and other to his vse the maner of Castre with th' appurtenauncez and the londes and tenementz called Vaux, Redham, and Bosoms in Castre, the manere called Spencers in Haryngby, and the londes and tenementz called Spensers in Haryngby with theire appurtenauncez, and also to have to hym and to his heires and other to his vse of the said maners, londez, and tenementz, togider with the maner of Wynterton called Begvyles, the manere of Reppes in Bastwyk, the third parte of the manere of Rounham, londes and tenementz called Cattes in Haryngby, londez and tenementz called Billes in Stokesby, londes and tenementz in Yernemouth with theire membres, possessions, hereditamentz, and appur- tenauncez to the yerly value of l li. over all charges and reprisez at eleccion of the said John Paston accordyng to the saide other indentures, and of the manerez of Haylesdon, Drayton, Tolthorp, and tenementz in the cité of Norwich with theire appurtenauncez the said reuerent fader and John Paston, knyght, to have as in the said endentures more playnly may appiere, the said John Paston, knyght, not to have more of any of the maners, londes, tenementz, possessions, and hereditamentes whiche were of the

said John Fastolf, but vtterly to leve theym to the said reuerent fader, to parfourme therof the wille and entent of the said John Fastolf, but if the said John Paston like to have of theym by waye of eschaunge as in the saide endentures more playnly may appiere. Therfore the said reuerent fader relesseth and quietclaymeth by thiez presentz to the said John Paston ml ml ml ml marc. by reason of the bargayne allegged to be made bitwene the said John Fastolf and the said John Paston, squyer. The said reuerent fader also relesseth, dischargeth, and quietclaymeth by thiez presentz to the said John Paston, knyghte, and his heires the fundacion or makyng of removea college and endowyng of vij preestes and vij poure men to praie perpetuelly for the sowles of the said John Fastolf and of Dame Milcent his wif and theire benefactours, whiche fundacion, makyng, and endowyng the said John Paston, squyer, by reason of the said allegged bargayn was bownde and sholde have made. The said reuerent fader also relesseth and quietclaymeth by thiez presentz to the said John Paston, knyght, alle manere of accions, claymes, and demaundes whiche the said reuerent fader hath or may have ayenst the said John Paston, knyght, his heires or execu- tourz, or ayenst th'executourz of the testament of the said John Paston, squyer, or any of theym by reason of the testament of the said John Fastolff and of the godes or catelles whiche were of the said John Fastolf and whiche cam to the handes of the said John Paston, squyer, John Paston, knyght, or any other persone to the vse of theym or of any of theym. And the same John Paston, knyght, relesseth and quietclaymeth by thiez presentez to the said reuerent fader alle maner accions, claymes, and demaundez of londez, possessions, or godes whiche were of the said John Fastolf whiche the same John Paston hath, or may have by reason of the said allegged bargayn, or by reason of any agreement bifore tyme had or made bitwene the said reuerent fader and the same John Paston, or by any other reason or cause growen bifore the makyng of the saide other indentures; alwey forseen that this present endenture nor no graunte nor relesse therin con- teyned extend not to the avoydyng or dischargyng of any promys, covenaunt, penalité, paiement of money, estate, or relesse of londez or tenementz, or liueree of evidences to be made , or graunte to be parfourmed or caused to be parfourmed by any of the saide partiez to oþer or any to their vse to be parfourmed herafter, conteyned in the said other indentures, but that all the poyntes and articles in the saide other indentures conteyned be truely parfourmed and kepte after the true intent of the same. In wittenesse wherof the said partiez vnto thies endentures have chaungeably putte theire seales the xiiij day of juyll the xth yere of the reigne of Kyng Edward the iiijth. John Paston, K.

INDENTURE OF AGREEMENT CONCERNING FASTOLF MANORS 1470, 07, 14

This indenture triparted made betwene the right reuerend fader in God, William, Bisshop of Wynchestre, on the oone part, and John Paston, knyght, Guy Fairfaxe, serieant at lawe, John Paston, sqvyer, Roger Tovnesend, Nicholas Hervy, and William Danvers on the other part, witn- esseth that where the said reuerend fader, by his chartre indented whereof date is þe daye of makyng of thies presentez, hathe enfeoffed þe said Guy, John Paston, sqvyer, Nicholas, and William of þe maners of Drayton and Tolthorp in þe counté of Norfolk and all þe londes, tenementez, possessions, and hereditamentez in Drayton, Tolthorp, and in the cité of Norwich with theire appurtenauncez which sumtyme were of John Fastolf, knyght, and which þe said reuerend fader, togider with other late ioyntly had to them, theire heirs and assignez, of þe dymysse and feoffement of Rauf Boteler, knyght, Lord Suydeley, and other as in the said chartre may appiere, th'entent of þe said feoffement is that such thyng as by the said reuerend fader and John Paston, any of them or theire heirs, shal thereof be recouered, goten, or obteyned shalbe equally dyvided betwene þe said reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, and theire both heires, and nethir of þe said parties shal take advauntage by the survyver of other, but oonely haue the halfedele of such thynge as shalbe recouered, goten, or obteyned. And forthermore, where the said reuerend fader by oon other chartre indented, whereof date is also the day of makyng of thies presentez, hathe enfeoffed the said Guy, John Paston, sqvyer, Roger, Nicholas, and William of þe maner of Wynterton called Begvilez, þe maner of Reppys in Bastwik, þe thirde part of the maner of Rowneham, londez and tenementez called Cattes in Haryngby, londes and tenementes called Billez in Stokesby, and all the londes, tenementes, possessions, and hereditamentez in Wynterton, Bastwik, Rounham, and Yernemouthe, with appurtenauncez, which sumtyme were of þe said John Fastolf and wich the said reuerend fader togider with other late ioyntly had to them, theire heires and assignes, of þe dymysse and feoffement of þe said Rauf Lord Suydeley and other as in the said chartre maye appiere, th'entent of the said feoffement is that of þe maners of Wynterton and Reppys, the iij parte of the maner of Rounham,

londez and tenementez called Cattes in Haryngby, londes and tenementez called Billez in Stokesby, and all þe londez, tenementez, and possessions and hereditamentez in Wynterton, Bastwik, Rounham, and Yernemouth abouesaid, with th'appurtenauncez, the said John Paston, knyght, and his heirs shal haue as muche of maners, londes, and tenementez, togedir with the maner of Castre, londes and tenementez called Vaux, Redham, and Bosoms in Castre, the maner, londes, and tenementez called Spencers in Haryngby, shal atteyne to þe yerely value of l li. ouer all charges and reprises att eleccion of the said John Paston, and the residue thereof aboue l li. yerely shalbe to th'use of the said reuerend fader and of his heirs to be disposed for the soule of the said John Fastolf, alwey foreseen if any extent thereof be made in any fourme conteyned in other indentures thereof made betwene þe said reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, or theire heyres that bothe the said partiez stond to the same extent so made. In witness whereof þe said partiez vnto thies indentures haue chaungeablé putt theire seales, the thirde part hereof ensealed with þe seales of the said reuerend fader and John Paston, knyght, remaynyng with the said Guy Fairefaxe. Date is the xiiijthe day of Juyll the xth yere of þe reigne of Kyng Edward the iiijth.

TO LORD BEAUCHAMP: DRAFT 1470, 07

dominus de Bewchamp

And forasmoch as I am credibly enfourmed that my lord of Winchestre hath sent to you desiring that ye shold ensele dyuers writingys of graunt and relesse of your estat in alle such maners, londys, and tenementys as late wer of J. Fastolf, knyght, and wheryn ye, togider wyth other, be iointly enfeffed to th'use of the seid J. Fastolf I, considering the honorable disposicion and gret sadnesse of my seid lord of Winchestre, which is

feffé of the seid therin and hath now taken vpon hym th'administracion of testament of the seid J. F., trusting verryly that my seid lord wol as conscience requireth consider my title and interese in that behalf, praie you right hertely that, not wythstonding any labour or mocion on my part or for me in tyme passed made to you to ensele any writyng of graunt or relesse of youre seid estat to me or to myn vse, that ye wol now ensele and parfourme the entent and desir of my seid lord Winchestre now made vnto you. Ser John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1470, 08, 05

Brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow wete þat I sende yow a letter in a boxe by Corby, and another by Gulmyn the gonnere whyche I wote well is nat comen yit to yow; wherffor I praye yow to remembre the letter broght to yow by Coorby, and in cheff that the euydence whyche ye wote offe be here in all the haste, for by my trowthe and they be not her by Saterdaye itt is to me a reproche, I haue so largely appoyntyd and promysed ther-in.
Item, I thynke þat Mestresse Kateryn Dodlee hathe lettyd yow, wherffor iff it soo be þat Dauerse com in-to Norffolke ere than ye haue serchyd fore the seyde euydence, he woll parcase desyre to helpe yow, whyche nedythe nat to doo, for I haue seyde by the assent off Dauerse to my lorde off Wynchester that he scholde helpe yow; neuyre the lesse Dauerse seythe he woll nowther desyre it nor besy hym abowt it. He schall com thedyre for other cawsesse, noo-thyng ageyn myn aduantage,wherffor I praye yow make hym goode cheer and holde hym company in that ye maye. Also telle Johne Pampyng that the mayde at þe Bulle at Cluddys at Westminster sent me on a tyme by hym to the Moore a rynge off goolde to a tookne, whyche I hadde not off hym; wherffor I wolde he scholde sende it hyddre, for sche most haue itt ageyn, ore ellys v s., for it was not hyrrys.

Item, I praye yow be redye, the mater qwykennythe bothe for yowe and yowres as well as for vs and howrys. As for tydynges,my lorde Erche- bysshop is at the Moore, but ther is beleffte wyth hym dyuerse off the Kynges seruantes, and as I vnderstond he hathe lysence to tarye ther tyll he be sente foore. Ther be many folkes vppe in the Northe, soo þat Percy is not able to recyst them; and soo the Kyng hathe sente for hys feeod men to koom to hym, for he woll goo to putt them down, and soom seye þat the Kynge ssholde come ageyn to London and that in haste, and as itt is sayde Cortenayes be londyd in Deuenschyre and therre rewle.
Item, that þe Lordes Clarance and Warwyk wooll assaye to londe in Ingelonde euyrye daye, as folkes feere. I praye yow late not John Mylsent be longe from me, wyth as moche as can be gaderyd, and also that ye wryght to me off all thynges that I haue wretyn to yow fore, so that I maye haue answere off euremoveery thynge. Other thynges Bachelere Waltere, berere here-off, schall informe yow. Wretyn at London the Sondaye nexte beffor Seynt Lawrence Daye. Also my brother Edmonde is not yit remembryd. He hathe not to lyff wyth; thynke on hym,&c. John Paston, Kn.

INDENTURE PLEDGING PLATE 1470, 08, 07

Richard Rawlyns

This endenture made at London the vijthe day of August in þe xthe yere of the regne of Kyng Edward þe iiijthe bytwene Syr John Paston, knyght, on the o partye, and Richard Rawlyn of London, grocere, on the other partye, witnesseth that þe said Syr John hathe þe day and yere afore said solde, bargayned, and delyuered to þe said Richard ij chargers, iiij potengers, weying xj li. Troy weyght on vnc. and iij quarter of seluer, for xx li. of lawfull money of Englond receyued by the said Syr John the day of makyng of this presentes. And the said Richard graunteth þat and the said Syr John, his executors or assigneez pay or do to be payed to the said Richard, his executors or assigneez xx li. of lawfull money of Englond by-fore þe

feste of Wythsonday next comyng, that than he shall doo deluer to the said Syr John or his assigneez so paying the said xx li. all the forsaid dysshes of seluer. In wytnesse wher-of the partyes aboue said to this endentures haue set to ther seles the day and yere a-boue wreten.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1470, 11, 15

To John Paston, esquyere, in haste.

Brother, I comand me to yow, prayng yow þat thys be yowremover guydyng iff other folkys wyremovell agré to þe same: þat Master Roos, olde Kneuett, ye, and the worshypffullest þat wyll do for owre sake, as Arblaster, John Gyneye, Wodhows, and al other gentelmen þat at the daye wyll be in Norwyche, þat ye all holl os on bodye come to-gedre þat my lorde off Oxenfforde maye ondrestande þat som strenkethe restyth ther, by whyche iff it be well handelyremoved and proue in the handelyremoveng I trow Heydonnes parte woll be but an easy comparyson. Neuer the lesse ye than most ye be ware off on payn, and that is thys:Heydon wyll off craffte sende amonge yow par case vj or more wyth harneyse fore to sclandre yowre felawschep wyth seying that they be ryotous peple and nott of substance. Requere the gentelmen aboue wretyn that iff any men be in Norwyche off the contré that bere any suche harneyse to do them leue it, ore any glysteryng byll. The meyre and siteseynes off Norwyche wher wonte to haue a sertayne in harneyse off men off the town to þe nombre off ij ore iij ore vc, whyche iff they now do in lyke case those woll owe better wyll to Master Roos and yow þan to othere folkys; and iff it be so þat the thowte nat to haue non

suche at thys tyme I thynke the meyre woll do it at þe request off Master Roos and yow,iff lak off tyme cawse it not.
Item, be well ware off Clopton, fore 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 off my lordes, and in all the contré, scholde removebe guydyd by Heydon. Iff Clopton ore Hygham ore Lowes John be besy, prese in to my lorde byffor theremovem, fore theremover be no Suffolk materys, and tell the raylyng, prayng them not to cawse my lorde to owe hys fauore fore there plesere to som folkes ther present, fore iff my lorde fauoryd, ore theye owthere, by lyklyod my lorde and they myght lose vj tyme as many frendes as he scholde wynn by there meanes. Also iff ye cowde fynde the menes, Master R. and ye, to cawse removethe meyre in my lordes ere to telle hym, thow he scholde bynde my lorde to concell, that the loue of the contré and syté restyth on owre syde, and that other folkys be not belouyd nere neuyre were, thys wolde do nonn harme, iff it be soo þat all thynge go olyuer currant; wyth more to remembre that there is owt off that contré that be nat at Norwych besyde me, that be ryght worshypfull and as worshypffull as few be-longyng to Norffolk that woll and schall do my lorde seruyse, the rather fore my sake and Master Rossys, and the rathere iff my lorde remytt nat moche thynge to Heydon guydyng. Also the goodely menes wherby ye best can entrete my cosyn Syr W. Calthorpe at the seyde day, wse them to cawremovese hym, iff itt wyll be,to come, ye in hys companye and he in yowremover in cheff at yowremover cheff schew, and Master Roos and he in company; latyng my seyde cosyn wete þat I tolde hym ones þat I scholde meue hym off a thyng I trostyd scholde be encressyng bothe to hys honore and well. I sende yow a lettyre com to Norwyche by lyklyod to yow on Monday last past; it come some-what the lattre, fore I wende haue dyed nat longe by-foore it. Also I receyued on from yow by Master Blomvyle yister euyn. Tell my cosyn W. Yeluerton that he may not appyre off a whylle in no wyse; I trow my cosyn hys fadre schall sende hym worde off the same. Do þat ye can secretly that my lorde be nat heuy lorde on-to hym. It is vndrestande þet itt is doon by the craffte off Heydon---he gate hym in-to that offyce to haue to be ageyn me, and nowe he sethe that he hathe done all þat he can ageyn me and now may doo no more, nowe he wolde remeve hym. The daye is comen þat he fastyd the euyn fore, as an holye yonge

monke fastyd more than all the couent, afftre that fore hys holynesse and fastyng hopyd to be abbott, whyche afterwarde was abbot, than leffte he hys abstynens seyng the daye was come þat he fast the eeuyn fore. Brothere, I pray you recomand me to my lord of Oxfordes gode lordshyp, and where as I told my lord that I shuld haue awayted vppon hys lordshyp in Norffolk, I wold that I myght soo haue don leuer than a hundred li., but in godefeth thos maters that I told my lord removei trowed shold lette me wer not fynyshed tyl yesterday, wherfor yremoveef that cause. And also syn Halowmasse euery othere day myȝtnot hold vppe myn heed, nor yet may, insomoch that sythen the seyd day in Westminster Hall and in othere place I haue goon wyth a staffe as a goste, as men sayd, more lyke that I rose owte of the erth then owte of a fayre laydys bedd; and yet am in lyke case, sauyng I am in gode hope to amende. Wherfore I beshyche hys lordshyp to pardon me, and at a-nothere tyme I shall make dobell a-mendes, for by my trouth a man cowydnot haue hyred me for vc markis wyth so gode will to haue ryden in-to Norffolk as to haue at thys season, there to haue awaytyd un hys lordshyp; and also I wold haue ben glad, for my lord shold haue knowyn what seruys that I myȝt haue don hys lordshyp in that contray.
Item, youre geere ys send to you, as Thomas Stompes sayth, sauyng Mylsentes geere and the shaferon, whych I cannot entrete Thomas Stompes to goo therefore thys iij or iiij days, wherfor I knokkyd hym on the crowne, &c.
Item, loke that ye take hyde that the lettere wernot broken or that it com to youre handes, &c. Wryten at London on Thursday next aftere Seynt Erkenwoldes Day, &c. John Paston, K.

INVENTORY 1470??

These vndirwretyn be the goodes and stuffe of howsold lefte in the maner plase of Caster by Sir John Paston at the entré of my lord of Norffolk in- to the same maner, and born and led awey duryng my lordes possession there. First, xxiij barres of jron lying overthwart the jnner gate and the bakhows gate, ich worth ij s. iiij d.
Item, ij gret fowlers wyth vj chambirs lying in the jnner gates.
Item, a lesse fowler and a serpentyne wyth vj chambirs lying in Ser John Stilles chambir.
Item, a gret serpentyne wyth iij chambirs lying vpon a carte.
Item, a short potte gonne wyth ij chambirs lying in the chapell.
Item, iiij gonnes lying in ij stokkes callid orgon gonnes, wyth ix chambirs.
Item, a gret fowler lyimg in Bedfordes Towre wyth iij chambirs.
Item, a small serpentyn wyth iij chambirs lying in Penys Towre.
Item, a gret fowler wyth iij chambirs lying in the lavendré.
Item, a serpentyne wyth ij chambirs lying in the somer halle.
Item, a fowler wyth iij chambirs lying in the kechyn.
Item, a small serpentyne wyth iij chambirs lying in the botery.
Item, ij smale serpentynes wyth vj chambirs lying in the gret towre.
Item, a gret fowler wyth iij chambirs lying in the larder.
Item, over the bakhows gate a small fowler wyth iij chambirs.
Item, in the overmest chambir of the gret towre a gret standard and a peyre gardevyandes.
Item, in the tresory ij standardes bounde wyth jron.
Item, in the warderobe a gret standard and a cofir wyth quarell hedes a busshell.
Item, iij panes of glasse of xviij fete wele wrought wyth jmages and armes and other besy werk set in the chambir wyndowe over the chapell.
Item, ij panes of glasse of xij fete in the same chambir wrought wyth armes and other devises.
Item, ij panes of glasse of ij fete wyth armes in the somer halle.
Item, in the same halle and chambir next vj plates of coper and gilt wyth armes vpon, set in the walle for wax or candell to stonde on.
Item, in the same halle ij longe tabils, on grene, a notheremover yelough.
Item, ij peyre trostelis poyntid reed.
Item, iij chayris, wherof ij were poyntid reed and on grene.
Item, in Daubeneys chambir a cuppebord wyth a rennyng leed.

Item, in the nethermest chambir of the gret towre a falt tabill.
Item, a peire trostelis on-poyntid.
Item, a long chayre poyntid reed in the chambir next the somer halle.
Item, a long chayre onpoyntid in Inglose chambir.
Item, a cuppebord and a long chayre poyntid in the prestes halle.
Item, xij formes standyng in dyvers chambirs.
Item, a morter of brasse set in a long stokke wyth a pestell therto.
Item, a tornyng morter of free stoon wyth iiij holis.
Item, ij gret spittis callid standardes.
Item, a peyre quernes to grynd wyth mustard.
Item, a gret leed to brewe wyth iiij comb malt.
Item, a gret vessell of brasse set in a forneys to sethe in growte.
Item, a gret gylyng fat for iiij comb malt.
Item, ix ledes set in iij stokkes to cole in worte, ich conteynyng xx galons and more.
Item, xij stondes to tonne in ale, ich conteynyng xxiiij gal.
Item, ij spyndyls of jron for the hors mille.
Item,ij ryngis for the same.
Item, ij trendils for the same.
Item, a pese of lede that coverid on of the rounde torettes of the jnner gate.
Item, a-nother pese of leed that coveryd a litell toret comyng oute on to the clokke lede ouer Sir James chambir.
Item, a pese of lede of a spowte of ij yardes long comyng by the gresis next the chapell.
Item, a cranke of jron to wynde wyth the clokke.
Item, xxv lokkes.
Item

DECLARATION CONCERNING THE FASTOLF ESTATE 1471, 02, 12

To alle Cristen people whom this present writing shal come vnto John Paston, knyght, sendeth greting in our Lord God euerlasting. Where it is so that certein agrementes and accordes beth had betwene the right reuerend fader in God, William, Bisshop of Winchestre, on the oon part, and me the seid J. Paston on the other part, of the maners, lordshippes, londes, tenementes, possessions, and hereditamentes which sumtyme wer of J. Fastolf, knyght, as in endentures therof betwene vs made may appier; where also sithen the making of the same indentures iugement hath be yoven for me ayenst W. Yeluerton, knyght, in the Kynges Chauncerie vpon a bille sued by me in the same Chauncerie ayenst the seid W. Yeluerton and W. Genney, serieant; and ouer this where the seid reuerend fader hath sued ayenst W. Paston, vncle of me the seid J. Paston, a writte sub pena in the seid Chauncerie; know ye me the seid John Paston, knyght, feithfully to promytte and graunt by thiez presentes and bynd me by the order of knyghthode and myn honesté as ferforth and as straitly as I can to parfourme and fulfille on my behalf alle and euerich of the appointementes made betwene the seid reuerend fader and me natwithstonding the seid iugement, suytes, or any other cause or occasion what so euer it be. In witnesse wherof I haue vnto thies presentes put my seale xij day of February the xlix yer of the regne of our souerain lord King Henry the vjthe.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1471, 04, 18

To my moodre.

Moodre, I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wette þat, blyssed be God, my brother John is a lyffe and farethe well, and in no perell off dethe. Neuer the lesse he is hurte wyth an arow on hys ryght arme be-nethe þe elbow, and I haue sent hym a sorion whyche hathe dressid hym, and he tellythe me þat he trustythe þat he schall be all holl wyth-in ryght schort tyme. It is so þat John Mylsent is ded, God haue mercy on hys sowle, and

Wylliam Mylsent is on lyffe and hys othere seruantys all be askapyd by all lyklihod.
Item, as for me, I ame in good case, blyssyd be God, and in no joparté off my lyff if me lyst my-selffe, fore I am at my lyberté iff nede bee.
Item, my lorde Arche-bysshop is in the Towre. Neuer the lesse I trust to God þat he schall do well j-noghe. He hathe a saffe-garde for hym and me bothe. Neuerthelesse we haue ben troblyd syns, but nowe I vndrestande þat he hathe a pardon, and so we hope well. There was kyllyd vppon the felde halffe a myle from Bernett, on Esterne Daye, the Erle off Warwykk, þe Marqweys Montacu, Syr William Terell, Syr Lowes John, and dyuerse other esquierys off owre contré, Godmerston and Bothe. And on the Kyng Edwardes partye, the Lorde Cromwell, þe Lorde Saye, Syr Omffrey Bowghshere off owre contré, whyche is a sore moonyd man here, and other peple off bothe partyes to þe nombre off more then a ml. As for othere tythynges is vndrestande here þat the Qwyen Margrett is verrely londyd, and hyre sone, in the west contré, and I trow þat as to-morow ere ellys þe next daye the Kyng Edwarde wyll depart from hense to hyre warde to dryve her owt ageyn.
Item, I beseche yow þat I maye be recomandyd to my cosyn Lomnore, and to thanke hym fore hys goode wyll to me wardes iff I had hadde nede, as I vndrestoode by the berer heroff. And I beseche yow on my behalue to advyse hym to be well ware off hys delyng ore langage as yit, for the worlde, I ensure yow, is ryght qwesye, as ye schall knowe wyth-in thys monythe. The peple heere feerythe it soore. God hathe schewyd hym-selffe marvelouslye, lyke hym þat made all and can vndoo ageyn whan hym lyst; and I kan thynke þat by all lyklyod schall schewe hym-sylff as mervylous ageyn, and þat in schort tyme, and as I suppose offtere then onys in casis lyke.
Item, it is soo that my brothere in on-purveyed off monye. I haue holpyn hym to my power and above, wherffore, as it pleasythe yow, remembre hym, for removei kan not purueye for my-selffe in þe same case. Wretyn at London the Thorysdaye in Esterne Weke. I hope hastely to see yow. All thys bylle most be secrett. Be ye nat adoghted off the worlde, for I trust all schall be well. Iff it thusse contenewe I ame not all vndon, nere noon off vs; and iff otherwyse, then, &c.

SCHEDULE TO RELEASE OF LANDS 1471, 07, 12

I, John Paston, knyght, haue do this writyng of reles hereto annexed to be writen. And also I haue sealed the same writyng and delyuered hit to Robert Anketill to kepe as a cedule, and nott my dede as yet, vnto tyme that Dauid Husband and William Gifford, named in the same writyng, or oone of them, requyre the said Robert to delyuere to them or to oone of them the said writyng; att which tyme I wol that the same Robert delyuere to the said Dauid and William, or to oone of them, the foresaid writyng as my dede,the same writyng att the same delyuerance so to be made by the said Robert first to take effect as my dede and not before.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1471, 09, 15

To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, esquier, hyr sone, in hast.

Ryght well belouyd brother, I comande me to yow, letyng yow wete þat I am in wellffare, I thanke God, and haue ben euyre syns þat I spake last wyth yow; and mervayle sore þat ye sent neuer wryghtyng to me syns ye

departyd. I herde neuyre syn þat tyme any worde owt off Norffolk. Ye myght att Bertelmev Feyre haue had massengerys j-nowe to London, and iff ye had sent to Wykys he scholde haue conveyd it to me. I herde yister-daye þat a worsted man off Norffolk þat solde worstedys at Wynchester seyde þat my lord off Norffolk and my lady wer on pylgrymage at Owre Lady on foote, and so they went to Caster; and þat at Norwyche on scholde haue had large langage to yow and callyd yow traytore, and pyked many quarellys to yow. Sende me worde ther-off. It were well doo þat ye wer a lytell sewrere off yowr pardon than ye be. Auyse yow; I deme ye woll her-afftre ellys repent yow. I vndrestonde þat Bastarde Fauconbryg is owther hedyd or lyke to be, and hys brother bothe. Som men seye he wolde haue deseruyd it, and som sey naye. I purpose to be att London the fyrst daye off the terme. Sende me worde whethyre ye schall be ther or nott.
Item, I wolde wete whether ye haue spokyn wyth my lady off Norffolk or not, and off hyr dysposicion, and the howsoldys, to me and to yow wardes, and whether it be a possible to haue Caster ageyn and ther goode wyllis, or nott. And allso I praye yow vndrestande what felaschyp and guydyng is in Caster, and haue a spye resortyng in and owt; so maye ye know the secretys a-monge them. Ther is moche adoo in the Northe, as men seyn. I pray yow be ware off yowr guydyng, and in chyff off yowre langage, so þat fro hense forthe by yowr langage noo man parceyue þat ye fauor any person contrary to þe Kynges plesure. I vndrestonde þat þe Lord Ryuers hathe lycence off þe Kynge to goo to Portyngale, now wyth-in thys vij nyght. I pray yow recomande me to my moodre, and beseche hyr off hyr blyssyng on my be-halue. I herde not from hyre thys x wekys, nowther I wote not whether sche be payed off x li. at Sporle ore nott. I deme yis; neuerthelesse Harry Halman is a false schrew. For all my spekyng wyth hym my-selffe, and þer-to þe removedaye assyngnyd by hym-selffe, wher as he scholde haue payed at Candelmes to paye me, he hadd daye to paye Townesend tyll Fastyngonge; and at Mydsomer i vndrestonde he had not payed Townesende, as hym-selffe tolde me. He hathe don me an hurte þerby more than he wenythe. Iffe he haue not payed my moodre I praye yow see þat sche be payed, and scende to hym for it; and sende me worde how it is.
Item, I praye yow scende me worde iff any off owre frendys or well- wyllerys be dede, fore I feer þat ther is grete deth in Norwyche and in other borowghe townese in Norffolk; for I ensure yow it is the most vnyuersall dethe þat euyre I wyst in Ingelonde, for by my trowthe I kan not her by

pylgrymes þat passe þe contré, ner noon other man þat rydethe er gothe any contré, þat any borow town in Ingelonde is free from þat sykenesse. God sease it whan it pleasyt hym. Wherffor, for Goddysake, late my moodre take heede to my yonge brytheryn, that they be nat in noon place wher that sykenesse is regnyng, nor that they dysport not wyth noon other yonge peple whyche resortythe wher any sykenesse is. And iff þer be any off that syknesse ded or enffecte in Norwyche, for Goddes sake lete hyre sende them to som frende off hyrse in-to þe contré, and do ye þe same, by myn advyce. Late my moodre rather remeve hyr howsolde in-to þe contré. Euyn now Thyrston browt me worde fro Lundon þat it was Doctore Aleyn þat cawsyd yowre troble þat ye had at Norwych, and þat John Pampyng roode for a dyscharge fore yow and þat he hathe sped well; but hoghe, þat wot I nott. Iff ye be cleer owt off Doctore Aleyn danger, kepe yow ther and here-afftre ye maye schoffe as well at hys carte. I praye yow sende me worde of all the forme off hys delyng wyth yow. I had almost spoke wyth Mestresse An Hault, but I dyd not. Neuyre thelesse thys next terme I hope to take on weye wyth hyre ore othere. Sche is agreyd to speke wyth me, and sche hopythe to doo me ease, as sche saythe. I praye yow sende me worde hoghe ye doo wyth my lady Elysabeth Boghschere; ye haue a lytell chaffyd it, but I can not tell howe. Sende me worde whether ye be in better hope ore werse. I her seye þat the Erle off Oxenffordys bretheryn be goon owt off sceyntewarye. Syr Thomas Fulfforthe is goon owt off sceyntewarye and a gret felaschyp fettchyd hym, a iijxx, and they sey þat wyth-in v myle off London he was removewyth cc men, and no man wotethe where he is become not yit. The Lordes Hastyngys and Howard be in Caleys and haue it pesebely, and Syr Walter Wretteslé and Syr Ieffrey Gate be comyn thense and woll be at London thys daye, as it is seyde. Wretyn at Waltham besyd Wynchester the daye nex Holy Roode Daye. J. P., K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1471, 09, 28

To hys well belovyd John Paston, esquier, at Norwyche, or to Mestresse Margret hys moodre.

I comande me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I vndrestonde þat þe Duchesse off Suffolk and þe Duke of Norffolk concelle jntend verrely thys terme in the begynnyng to comence a-geyn the appelys ageyn me and yow and other off owr seruantys, wherffor itt is full convenyent þat we take goode heede and ryght goode advyce how to guyde vs for itt, and whether it is convenyent for me to appyre or nott; wher-in I wolde, as well as in other materys, fayne knowe yowre advyce and comon wyth yow and other off my frendes er I joparte any sertayn weye, for in my conseyt I most thys terme take oon wey or other. Wherffor I praye yow, iff ye maye in any wyse, þat ye wolde be her at London wyth-in iiij dayes afftre Seynt Feythe, as well for the materys above wretyn as for a fynall conclusion to be taken wyth Mestresse An Hault and wyth all other folkys.
Item, I vnderstande be Juddy þat he hathe spoken wyth yowre cosyn Sampson at þe Barse, and he promyttyd Juddy þat he scholde hym-selffe haue spoken wyth yow er thys tym. He seyde alsso þat he hathe wretyn to yow twyes or thryes; howe it is syns I wote not. I wolde fayne haue the mesure wher my fadre lythe at Bromholm, bothe the thyknesse and compase off the peler at hys hed and from that the space to þe alter, and the thyknesse off that awtre and jmagery off tymbre werk, and what hyght the arche is to þe gronde off þe jlde, and how hye the grovnde off the qwyre is hyer than the grownde off the jlde.
Item, I praye yowe late the mesure by pakthred be taken, or ell mesured by yerde, how moche is from the northe gate ther the brygge was at Gressham to þe sowthe wall, and in lyke forme from the este syde to þe west; also the hyght off the este wall and the hyghremovet off the sowthest towre from þe grownde, iff ye maye easely. Alsso what breede euery towre is wyth-in þe wall, and whych towre is moore than other wyth-in; allso how manye fote or what brede eche towre takythe, wythin jche cornere off þe quadrate

ovyrethwert the dorys, and how many taylorys yerdys is from þe moote syde wher the brygg was to þe hyghe weye, or to þe heddge all a-longe the entré, and what brede the entré is be-twyen þe dykys. I praye yow, iff ye haue a leyser in any wyse, se thys doone yowr-selffe iff ye maye; or ellys iff Pampyng do it, or who þat ye thynke can doo it, I wolle spende xx d., or as ye seme, to haue the sertayn off euery thyng her-in. And as for my faderys tombe, I charge yow se it yowre-selffe, and when I speke wyth yow I woll tell yow the cawses why þat I desyre thys to be doon. As for tydyngys, the Kyng and þe Qwyen and moche other pepell ar ryden and goon to Canterbury, neuyr so moche peple seyn in pylgrymage her-to-foor at ones, as men seye. Alsso it is seyde þat þe Erle off Penbroke is taken in-to Brettayn, and men seye þat the Kyng schold haue delyueré off hym hastely; and som seye þat the Kynge off France woll se hym saffe and schall sett hym at lyberté ageyn.
Item, Thomas Fauconbrydge hys hed was yesterdaye sett vppeon London Brydge lokyng in-to Kent warde, and men seye þat hys brother was sore hurte and scope to seyntwarye to Beuerlé. Syr Thomas Fulfforthe escapyd owt off Westminster wyth an c sperys, as men seye, and is in-to Deuenshyre, and ther he hathe strekyn off Syr John Crokkerys hed and kylt an other knyght off the Corteneys, as men seye. I wolde ye hadd yowre verrey pardon at onys, wherffor I praye yow fayle not to be at London wyth-in iiij daye afftre Seynt Feythe. Ye schall do goode in many thynges, and I praye yow sende me worde her-off by the next massenger, and iff it come to Mestresse Elysabeth Hyggens at þe Blak Swan sche schall comveye it to me, for I woll not fayle to be there at London ageyn wyth-in thys vj dayes. Mestresse Elysabeth hathe a son, and was delyueryd wyth-in ij day afftre Seynt Bertelmew, and hyre dowtre a.h. was þe next daye afftre delyueryd off an other sone, as sche seythe xj wekys er hyre tyme. It was crystened John, and is ded; God save all. Nomore tyll I speke wyth yow. Wretyn at London on Mychellmesse Euyn. J. P., K.
Item, I praye yow late som wytty felaw, or ellys yowre selff, goo to þe townes ther as thes ij women dwelle, and inquire whether they be maryed

syns and ageyn, or not; for I holde the hoorys weddyd, and iff they be than the appelys wer abbatyd ther-by. I remember not ther names; ye knowe them better than I. Alsso in þe schreffvys bookys ther maye ye fynde off them.

INVENTORY OF PAPERS After 1470

In þe sqare trussyng coffre A boxe wyth euydence off my place in Fletstrett. A lytell box wyth obligacions off þe Archbisshop off York and W. Jennyes oblygacion. A box wyth euydence off Tytlyshall. A box wyth þe letter off attorney off Fastolffys londes by Syr John Paston. I, a box de actis inter episcopum wyntoniensem et J. P. militem.Item, endentura de argento mutuato termino trinitatis ao xo et testamentum W. Paston justiciarij.
Item, ij pixides de nouis cartis de terris Fastolffis.
Item, a litell box wyth þe obligacion off T. Fastolff, and on off James Gresham.
Item, a box wyth the dede off gyfft off J. P. and þe byll assyngnyd for þe dyamant.
Item, the bagge de placitis in vsu.
Item, the bagge wyth ger taken owt off my caskett.
Item, a bagge wyth the bondell wher-on was wreten London,
Item, a bagge wyth euydence off Est Bekkham.
Item, a bondell de actis parlimenti et de excambia in Paston.
Item, a bondell de actis cantuariensibus.
Item, a bondell de fyrma Caster Berdolffis. The endentur off Snaylwell by Wylleys. A bondell off Greshremoveam, Moleyns.

A bondell off processe off þ'eschekyre, letter and byllys sirca festum Johremoveannis, ao ixo.
Item, th'endentur off W. Jeney.
Item, a bondell off letteris and byllis, ao xo. A bondell wyth jnquisicions nott returnyd in-to þe Chanceri. copia voluntatis Fastolf vltima et probata. enventorium apud Caster per episcopum norwicensem et dominum de Scales, et alia ad redisesinam. apunctamentum regis et litera amici. endentura de Fennes per patrem Hugonis Fenne. The verray endentur off my mariage.
Item, a bondell off letteris from my brother John.
Item, iij billis, þe endenter off W. Jenney for Nacton, a byll off Wylleys, and on off J. Owen.
Item, a bondell wyth þe names off them þat had stoff from Heylesdon.
Item, a byll off Sweynesthorp.
Item, a byll off Brok off Dedham off þe purchace þeroff. A quitance pro scaccario. A bonde towchyng the probatte off Fastolffis will, wyth mj olde testament. A copie off a generall releffe de terris Fastolffis.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1472, 01, 08

To my most honorable and tendre moodre, Margrette Paston, be thys letter delyueryd.

Most worschypffull and kynde moodre, I comande me to yow and beseche yow off yowre dayly blyssyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I haue my pardon, as þe berere heroff can jnfforme yowe, for comffort wheroffe I haue been the merier thys Crystmesse, and haue been parte ther-off wyth Syr George Browen and wyth my lady myn aunte hys wyffe. And be-for Twelthe I come to my lorde Archebysshope, wher I haue hadde as greete cheer, and ben as welkom, as I cowde devyse, and iff I hadde ben in sewerté þat Caster weere hadde ageyn I wolde comen homewardes

thys daye; wherffor I sende thys man home nowe to late yow haue knowleche theroff, and my brother bothe, in chyeffe for thys cause, that iff theer be any crafftye delaye by Sothewell or Brandon, thatt than my brother maye late them haue knowleche ther-off, soo that my lordes concell off Norffolk maye vndrestand thatt my lorde neer noon other maye haue it off þe Kynges ...as they haue been halffe ... off heer-to-foore; besechyng yow to hast my brother in laboryng ther-abowt iff ... be ... soo thatt itt maye ones ageyn come to Crysten mennes handes. And by the latter ende off thys terme, iffe itt be hadde ageyn, I purpose to come home and see yow thys Lente and sette my londe in better rewle than itt hathe been heer-to-foore and repayre vppe my howses. And I beseche yow to remember my brother to doo hys deueyre thatt I maye haue ageyn my stuffe, my bookes and vestmentys, and my beddyng, how so euyre hee doo, thoghe I scholde gyffe xxti scutes by hys advyse to my lady Brandon or som othere goode felawe. As for any tydynges, ther be noon heer saffe þat the Kynge hathe kepte a ryall Crystmesse, and now they seye þat hastelye he woll northe, and some seye þat he woll in-to Walys, and some seye þat he woll in-to þe west contré. As for Qween Margrett, I vndreston þat sche is remeuyd from Wyndeshore to Walyngfforthe nyghe to Ewhelme, my lady off Suffolk place in Oxenfforthe schyre. And men seye þat the Lorde Ryuerse schyppyd on Crystmesse euyn in-to Portyngale warde; I ame nott serteyn. Also theremover schalle be a convocacion off the clergye in all haste, whyche men deeme wyll avayle the Kynge a dyme and an halffe, some seye. I beseche Gode sende yow goode heele and more joye in on yeer than ye haue hadde thys vij. Wretyn att the Moore the viij daye off Janeuer ao E. iiij xjo. By yowre soone John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1472, 02, 17

A Jehan Paston, esquiere, soit doné.

Brother, I comande me to yow and praye yow to loke vppe my Temple off Glasse, and sende it me by the berer heroff.
Item, as for tydyngys, I haue spoken wyth Mestresse Anne Hault at a praty leyser and, blyssyd be God, we be as ferfforthe as we weer to-foore, and soo I hoope we schall contenew; and I promysed hyre that at the next leyser that I kowd fynde ther-too þat I wolde come ageyn and see hyre, whyche wyll take a leysere as removei deeme. Now syn thys obseruance is ones doon I purpose nott to tempte God noo moore soo . Yisterdaye the Kynge, the Qween, my lordes off Claraunce and Glowcester wente to Scheen to pardon, men sey nott alle in cheryté. What wyll falle men can nott seye. The Kynge entretyth my lorde off Clarance for my lorde off Glowcester, and as itt is seyde he answerythe that he maye weell haue my ladye hys suster in lawe, butt they schall parte no lyvelod, as he seythe; so whatt wyll falle can I nott seye. Thys daye I purpose to see my lady off Norffolk ageyn, in goode howre be it. Ther is proferyd me marchauntys for Sporle woode, God sende me goode sale whan I be-gynne; þat poore woode is soore manased and thrett. Yitt woote I nott whethyr I come home beffoore Esterne or nott; I schall sende yow worde. No moor, &c. Wretyn the fyrst Tewesdaye off Lenton. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1472, 04, 30

To Master John Paston, or to my mestresse hys moodre, be thys letter delyueryd in hast.

Brother, I comand me to yow, prayng yow þat ye late William Barker weet þat I wolde þat he made hys acompt, and that acompt I wolde that eythere Geffrey Spyrlyng or som other auditore off Norwyche, wyth John Pampyng, toke itt off hym. And as for any presedentys ther-off, but iff Spyrlyng ore William Berker haue any them-selff, ellys I cann non puruey as yitt. Neuerthelesse I suppose that Goodknape off Ormessby hathe owther be experyence or ellys in wrytyng mater j-nowe to charge hym wyth. And as for the rent in Rakhythe longyng to Runham, I had levere itt wer respigtyd than þat ther scholde as yitt be any troble for itt. I praye yow that thys maye be doon, and thatt Pampyng in alle hast goo her-abowt. And as for the costys or audytorys rewarde that schalle growe off the same, it maye be payed by Barker. Also that he delyuer the remenant off the mony that is fonde in hys hande, soo that itt maye be sent me hyddre. Also I praye yow remembre þe mony for Syr Thomas Lynde. The daye þat Master John Smythe assyngnyd is past; and sende me word by Juddy. I sende yow a letter by Corby wyth-in iiij dayes byffor thys, and therwyth ij pottys off oyle for saladys, whyche oyle was goode as myght be when I delyueryd itt, and schall be goode at þe reseyuyng iff it be nott mysse- handelyd ner mysse-karyed.
Item, as for tydyng, the Erle off Northomberlonde is hoome in-to þe Northe, and my lorde off Glowcester schall afftre as to-morow, men seye. Also thys daye Robert off Racclyff weddyd the Lady Dymmok at my place in Fleetstrett, and my ladye and yowrys Dame Elyremovesabeth Bowghcher is weddyd to þe Lorde Howardys soone and heyre. Also Syr Thomas Walgraue is ded off þe syknesse þat reygnyth, on Tewesdaye. Now theer for yowe. Also my lorde Archebysshope was browt to þe Towre on Saterday at nyght, and on Mondaye at mydnyght he was conveyd to a schyppe and so in-to þe see, and as yitt I can nott vndrestande whedyre he is sent nere

whatt is fallen off hym. Men seye þat he hathe offendyd; but as John Foster seythe, som men sey naye. But all hys meny are dysparblyd, euery man hys weye, and som þat are greete klerkys and famous doctorys of hys goo now ageyn to Cambrygge to scoolle. As for any other tydyng, I heer noon. The Cowntesse off Oxenfford is stylle in Seynt Martyns; I heer no worde off hyre. The Qween hadde chylde, a dowghter, but late at Wyndeshor; ther-off I trow ye hadde worde. And as for me, I am in lyke case as I was. And as for my lorde chamberleyn, he is nott yit comen to town. When he comythe, than schall I woote whatt to doo. Syr John off Parre is yowre freende and myn, and I gaffe hym a fayre armyng sworde wyth-in thys iij dayes. I harde somwhatt by hym off a bakk freende off yowrys; ye schall knowe moore here-afftre. Wretyn the last daye off Aprylle.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1472, 11, 04

A Johan Paston, esquyere, soit doné.

Worshypffull and weell belovyd brother, I recomaund me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I sente yow a letter and a rynge wyth a dyamand, in whyche letter ye myght well conceyue what I wold ye scholde do wyth þe same ryng, wyth manye other tydyngys and thyngys whyche I prayed yowe to haue doon for me; whyche letter Boton had the beryng off. It is soo nowe þat I vndrestond that he is owther deed ore ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am ryght heuye, and am not serteyn whethyre the seyd letter and rynge come to yowre handys ore nott. I wolde nott that letter were seyn wyth som folkys, wherffor I praye yow take goode heede hoghe thatt letter comythe to yowre handys, hooll or brokyn; and in especiall I praye yow gete it iff ye haue it nott. Also I praye yow feele my lady off Norffolkys dysposicion to me wardys, and whethyre she toke any dysplesure at my langage, ore mokkyd ore dysdeyned my wordys whyche I hadd to hyre at Yarmothe be-twyen the place wher I fyrst mett wyth hyre and hyre lodgyng. Fore my lady Brandon

and Syr William also axhyd me what wordys I had had to hyre at that tyme. They seyde þat my lady seyde I gaff hyre ther-off, anf þat I sholde haue seyde þat my lady was worthye to haue a lordys soon in hyre belye, fore she cowde cheryshe itt and dele warlye wyth it. In trowthe, owther the same ore wordys moche lyke I had to hyre, whyche wordys I ment as I seyde. They leye to þat I seyde she toke hyre ease. Also I scholde haue seyde þat my ladye was off sremovetature goode and had sydes longe and large, so that i was in goode hope she sholde bere a fayre chylde; he was nott lacyd nore bracyd jne to hys peyn, but þat she lefft hym rome to pleye hym in. They seye that I seyde my lady was large and grete, and that itt sholde haue rome jnow to goo owt att. And thus whyther my lady mokk me or theye I woote nott. I mente weell, by my trowthe, to hyre and to þat she is wyth, as any he þat owythe heere best wyll in Ingelond. If ye can by any meene weete whethyre my ladye take it to dysplesure or nowt, or whether she thynke i mokkyd hyre, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my-selffe, I praye yow sende me worde, for I woot nott whethyre I maye trust thys Lady Brandon ore nott.
Item, os fore tydynges, nowe heer be but fewe saff that, as I vndrestande, jmbassatorys off Bretayn shall come to London to-morowe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryuerse and Scalys shall hastelye come hom, and men seye þat ther is many off the sowdeorys þat went to hym in-to Bretayn been deede off the flyxe and othere jpedemye, and þat the remenant sholde come hom wyth the Lorde Skalys; and som seye þat thees jmbassatorys come for moore men. And thys daye rennyth a tale þat the Duke of Bretayne sholde be ded. I beleeff it nott. I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns. I do and shall doo þat is possible in such a neede. Also I canne nott vndrestond that my lorde off Norffolk shall come heere thys tyme, wherffore I am in a greet angonye howe js best fore me to sywe to hym fore rehauyng off my place. þat goode lorde woot full lytell how moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode ore worshyp it dothe hym. I praye yow sende me yowre advyce. No moore to yowe at thys tyme, but God haue yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at London þe iiij daye off Novembre ao E. iiijti xijo. I feere me þat jdelnesse ledythe yowre reyne. I praye yow rathere remembre Syr Hughe Lavernoys tyll yowre hauke come. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1472, 11, 08

A John Paston, esquyer, soyt doné.

Brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow weet þat wheer my moodre desyreth þat I sholde sende worde to my fermorys off Sporle that they sholde paye to my moodre x marke for my brother William, it weere nowe to short a warnyng, for I haue assyngnyd it to Townesende, the hoole as fore the yeer past. I haue alweyis offryd it hyre and she was neuyre ar nowe abowt to receyue it, and as yitt it nedyth not greetlye fore no charge þat she hathe moore than she was wont to haue abowt hym. Sche spendythe nott v mark by yeer on hym, as I conceyve. Neverthelesse, as for the next yeer I promyse yow she shall haue it for me, or ellys I shall purueye as weell for hym.
Item, as for the aqwytance off the Bysshop off Wynchester, I shall doo for hyre as my part is to doo. I shall gete it iff I can, and iff I cannott, iff it be proffitable for hyre I wolde hyre consell had som other meene to gete it. Iff I gete it I am worthy thanke, and iff I gete it nott I am worthy no magrye. I shall doo as I can.
Item, as for my suster Annys comyng hyddr, I shall puruey for hure wyth myn aunt iff I can, iff my moodre will depart wyth c s. be yere, wher-off I am not serteyn. Iff she wer heer at my settyng and my moodr had onys payed c s. for on yeer, I feer me she wolde be weery and lothe to paye an other c s. for the next. Neuerthelesse I woll purueye for hyre thoghe i sholde paye the c s. by yeer my-selffe, and yit she is nott my dowtre. As for the c li. to be payed in x yer, it is a strange proffre to a ientylwomanys mariage ward. By my trowthe, I offryd c marke wyth hyre, to be payed on a daye, besyde þat þat my moodre woll depart wyth, to haue had on that I soppose ye knowe, but it is not lyke to bee; it greuys me to remembre the onkyndnesse off the worlde. Neuerthelesse I hope to see a remedye ther-in . Folkys weene to be ther owne best freendys and are there owne

moost fooys. Folkys be roonne so ferre ther-on that they woot not wher they be and growe paste shame. As fore the delyueraunce off the rynge to Mestresse Jane Rothon, i dowt nott but it shall be doon in the best wyse so þat ye shall geet me a thank moore than the rynge and I are worthe ore deserue. And wheer ye goo to my laydy off Norffolkys and wyll be theere att the takyng off hyre chambre, I praye God spede yow, and Owre Ladye hyre to hyre plesure, wyth as easye labore to overkom that she is abowt as euyre had any lady or gentyll-woman saff Owre Lady heer-selffe. And soo I hope she shall to hyre greet joye and all owres, and I prey God it maye be lyke hyre in worshyp, wytt, gentylnesse, and euery thynge excepte the verry verry thynge. As for the hawke þat I sende yow, thanke me for it, God save it, for I trow she woll neuer be nowght, as Cromer seythe. Neuerthelesse it is the best þat I can geet. wherffor prennes en gree, þer is noon othere remedee as yit, but iff I kan geet a better ye shall it habbe. I praye yow sende me worde off the ij letteris þat I sent yow.
Item, I praye yow recomand me to Sampson. I am glad that he is ageyn in favore wyth my lorde and my ladye. Neuerthelesse I am sorye þat Rygge hathe bytyn hym soo by the bygge, and that lytell Qwayll pynchyd hys pendaunt so nyghe hys tayle. And as fore the pye that ye sent me worde off I remytt it to yowre dyscrecion. No moore to yow at thys tyme, but I woll sleepe an howre þe lengere to-morow by-cawse I wrote so longe and late to-nyght. Wretyn betwyen þe viij and þe ix daye off Novembre ao xijo E. iiijti. J. P., K.

TO MARGARET PASTON OR JOHN PASTON III 1472, 11, 22

To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, esquiere, or to Roose dwyllyng affore ther gate to delyuer to them.

Please it yow to weete þat I have opteyned letterys from the Kynge to my lorde off Norffolke, to my lady off Norffolke, and to ther concell, whyche letter to there concell is nott superscrybyd for cawse we wyst nott serteyn whyche off the councell sholde be present when the massengere cowme, I therffor thynke þat thoos namys most be somwhatt by yowre advyce, and for-get nott Gornaye, nor yitt Brome, iff ye thynke so best, nor Sowthewelle. I trust to my cosyn Gornaye and on-to Brom and Barnard in cheffe, and as to Bernarde brothere I praye yow to take hys advyce, for I hope he is my welwyller, as ye know; and iffe he do me parffyght ease in thys mater I thynke verrely in tyme to come to gyff hym xx scutys, and yit a goode turne whan so euer it lythe in my power. The Kynge hathe specially doon for me in thys case and hathe pitte me, and so have þe lordys, in ryght greete comfort þat iff thys fayle þat I shalle haue ondelayed justyce; and he hathe sente a man off worshyp and in greet favore wyth hym on thys massage, whyche hathe nott offte ben seyne, whyche gentylman kan well do hys mastrys massage and brynge trywe reporte. I have gevyn hym v li. for hys costys; God sende hym and yow goode spede in thees werkys. I feere thatt he shall nott speke wyth my lady, for þat she hathe takyn hyre chambre. Iff she be my verry goode ladye, as she hathe seyde hertoffore þat she wolde be, I hope þat she wolle speke wyth hym. Neuerthelesse I praye yow by the meanys off Mestresse Jahne Rothen that removeye will have my ladye mevyd fore me, and wher þat herre-to-fore I wolde have departyd wyth c mremovearke to have hadde hyre goode helpe and to be

restoryd to my place, whyche nott acceptyd I tolde my seyde lady þat I feeryd þat my power sholde natt be ther-afftre to gyff so large a plesyre; for at þat tyme I was in hope þat the Bysshop off Wynchester sholde have payd it, thoghe it hadde drawen a c li. Yit, for as moche as men may nott lure none hawkys wyth empty handys, I wolde yitt agré to gyffe my lady xx li. for an horse and a sadell so þat I be restoryd to my place, and thatt doone to have a relesse off my lorde and my gounys and bokys to be restoryd iff it maye bee. Neuerthelesse thys mony is nott yit redy wyth me. I remytte thys to yowre dyscressyonys.
Item, iff it be soo þat itt be thowte behovefull, I thynke þat thoghe nowthere Slyfelde nore ye, brother John, maye come in-to my ladyes chambre, þat my moodre, iff she weer at Norwyche, she myght speke wyth hyre, for þat she is a woman and off worshyppe. I thynke þat my moodre sholde meve my lady moche. I thynke þat ther most be som body for me havyng auctoryté to conclude for me, or ellys knowyng myn entente; ellys they myght make delaye, and seye they wolle at þe Kyngys enstance comon wyth me, neuer the lesse I was nott ther present. Wherffor, rather than fayle yff neede be I wolle wyth-owte any abode iff I heere from yow come home, and Slyfelde is agreyd to tary theremover a vij nyghte for my sake so þat the mater take effecte. I praye yow make hym goode cheere, and iff it be so that he tarye, I most remembre hys costys. Therffor iff I shall be sent for and he tery at Norwyche ther-whylys it wer best to sette hys horse at þe Maydes Hedde, and I shalle content for ther expencys.
Item, ye maye largely sey on my behalve for suche servyse þat I sholde do to my lorde and lady hereaffter, whyche by my trowthe I thynke to doo. Neuerthelesse to sey þat I woll be hys sworyn man, I was neuer yitt lordys sworyn man, yit have I doone goode seruyce and nott leffte any at hys most neede nere for feere. But as Gode helpe me I thynke my lady shalle have my servyce a-bove any lady erthely, wheche she scholde weell have knowyn had I been in suche case as I hadde nott been alweye þe werse welkome for that on off myn herandys alweye was vndrestande þat it was for Caster, whyche was nott acceptable and I euyre the werse welkome.
Item, brother, I ame concludyd wyth my lorde for yow þat ye shalle be at Caleys iff ye list, and have iij men in wagys vndre yow, wheroff my lorde seythe þat William Lovedaye most be on tyll tyme þat he have purveyd othere rome for hym. Iff ye be dysposyd to goo, as I tolde hym þat ye weer, yitt wer it nott best þat ye lete it be knowe tyll thys mater be doone, and than ye maye acordyng to yowre promyse lete my ladye have knowleche ther-off. Neuer þe lesse my lorde shall be here wyth-in xx dayes or ther-abowt; iff ye come thys weye ye maye speke wyth hym. Neuer the lesse ye shall nott lose no tyme iff ye weer at Caleys at thys owre, for my lorde promysed me þat he wolde wryght to Elkenhed, þe tresorer at Caleys, for yow by the next massenger thatt went.
Item, ther hathe Perauntys wyffe wryte to me þat Bernaye seruyth hyre onkyndely. He owythe hyre xxxij s. and she is in noon hope þat euyre he woll come ther ageyn. Sende me worde iff he wyll. He shall nott lyff so weell and trywly to-geedr, I trowe, but iff he goo thyddre. I hadde comen home butt þat I ame nott yitt verrely purveyd for payment for my oncle

William þe xxvj daye off thys monyremoveth, and he dothe me harme he delythe so oncurteysly wyth Towneshende, for he wille nott yitt paye hym the c mremovearke payeable att Halowmesse whyche he hadde a monythe affore; wherffor I feere þat Towneshende wille nott do for me ageyn. I shall doo as I kan. Wretyn on Sondaye next Seynt Clement. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 02, 03

To John Paston, esqwyere, ore to Mestresse Margret Paston hys moodre, be thys letter delyueryd.

Weell belovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I wrote yow a letter þe xxij daye off Januare whyche was delyueryd to Thomas Elys at Caleys the seyde daye, wenyng to me þat he sholde haue ben in Norffolk wyth-in vj or vij dayes afftre, but now I vndrestand that thys letter is lyke to be wyth yow as sone as it. It is so now þat I suppose verrely to be at London by the xiij or xiiij daye off Feverere but iff wynde ore wedre cawse it; at whyche daye, acordyng as the other letter spekyth off, I beseche my moodre þat Playtere maye mete wyth me there, lyke as he and I comonyd towchyng the maner off Sporle, and I trust to God that that mater shall be easyd.
Item, I praye yow take goode heed to þe letter þat yonge Thomas Elys hathe the beryng off, to weete whether it hathe been oponyd ore nott; þe worde is full false. As for tydyngys heer, ther bee but fewe saff þat þe Duke off Borgoyn and my lady hys wyffe farethe well; I was wyth them on Thorysdaye last past at Gawnt. Peter Metteney farethe weell and Mestresse Gretkyn bothe, and Babekyn recomand hyre to yow. She hathe ben verry seke, but it hathe doon hyre goode for she is fayrer and slenderer than she was. And she cowde make me no cheere, but alwey my sawse was 'how faret Master John yowre brother?', wher-wyth I was wrothe and spake a jalous worde are too, dysdeynyng þat she shulde care so moche for yow when þat I was present.

I pray yow make a goode bargeyn for my ferme barly in Fledge, so that I myght haue mony now at my beyng in Ingelond, whyche shall not contynew past a monyth by lyklyhod.
Item, I pray yow take goode heede to myn olde stuffe at Norwyche soo that it appeyre nott, and sende me worde to Hoxonys in wrygtyng what goode þe bysshop ded fore me att Framynham and how my lorde, my lady, and all the cort are dysposyd to me wardys. I herd also seye þat my ladye and yowrys, Dame Margret Veere, is ded, God haue hyre sowle. Iff I weer not sorye for herre I trowe ye haue been. No moore to yow at thys tyme, but All-myghty Good haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys þe iij daye off Februarye ao r.r. E. iiij xijo. .J P., K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 04, 02

A soun treschere et ben amé freere, John de Paston, esquiere.

Weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow wete þat at the request off Mestresse Jane Hassett and yow I haue laboryd bothe þe knyghtys off þe sheere off Norffolk and the knyghtys off þe shyre off Suffolk. I vndrestod theere had ben made labore þat suche a thyng shulde haue ben as ye wrotte to me off, but now it is saff. Raff Blaundrehasset were a name to styrte an hare. I warant theremover shall come no suche name in owre bokys nere in owre howse; it myght par case styrt xxti harys at onys. 'ware that', quod Perse. I redde there in the bylle off Norffolk off on John Tendall, esquiere, but I suppose it be not ment by owre Tendall, and iff it be he shall not rest theere iff I maye helpe it. As fore tydynges, the werst that I herde was that my moodre wyll not doo so moche fore me as she pit me in comffort off. Othere tydyngys, I herd sey fore serteyn þat þe Lady Fytzwater is ded and þat Master Fytzwater shall haue cccc mremovearke a yere more than he had. I am not sory therffore. As fore the worlde, I woot nott what it menyth. Men seye heere,as weell as Hogan, þat we shall haue adoo in hast. I know no lyklyhod but that suche a rumore there is. Men sey the Qwyen wyth the Prynce shall come owt off Walys and kepe thys Esterne wyth the Kyng at Leycetre, and som seye nowthere off them shall com there.

Item, off beyond þe see it is seyd þat the Frense Kyngys host hathe kyllyd the Erle off Armenak and all hys myry mene, som seye vndre appoyntment and som seye they were besegyd and gotyn by pleyn assault. Ferthermoore men seye that þe Frenshe Kynge is wyth hys ost vppon the water off Somme a lx myle froo Caleys. I leve them wheer I fand them. I made yowre answere to þe frendys off Mestresse Jane Godmerston acordyng to yowre instruccion. As for me, I am nott serteyn whether I shall to Caleys, to Leysetre, or come hom in-to Norffolk, but I shall hastely send yow worde. I praye yow be nott hasty vppon William Berker for Syr John Stille ner for John Koke , for by my feythe I may not forber it. Wretyn þe ij daye off Aprill ao E. 4. xiijo.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 04, 12

To John Paston, esquiere.

Best belovyd brother, I recomand me on-to yow, letyng yow weet þat i receyuyd on Wednysday last past yowremover angry lettre towchyng the troble þat Sandre Kok is in, wherin I haue largely comonyd wyth John Russe and advysed hym to take a curteys weye wyth Sandre for yowre sake and myn. He seythe he wold nott dysplease yow by hys wyll, and that he purposythe to entrete yow and wolde deserue it to yowe. He vndrestod þat ye had large langage to þe jurye þat passyd ageyn Saundre. I lete hym weete þat ye weere wrothe, and that he shall nowther please yow nere me but iff he dele curteyslye wyth Saundre. I tolde hym as fore the condempnacion vppon the accion off trespasse, I thoght it nowthere good ner worshypffull. Also I haue wretyn to þe person off Maultby to dele curteyslye wyth Sawndre iff he woll please yow ore me.
Item, I sende yow herwythe the supercedyas fore Saundre so that, iff ye fynde any meane for the condempnacions, þat than ye maye ease therwyth the suerté off pease. John Russe, as I suppose, is att home thys daye.
Item, as for tydynges heere, the Kynge rydeth fresselye thys daye to Northamton warde, there to be thys Esterne; and afftre Esterne he purposythe to be moche at Leysettre and in Leysettre shyre. Euery man seythe þat we shall have adoo ore Maye passe. Hogan the prophet is in the Towre.

He wolde fayne speke wyth þe Kyng, but the Kynge seythe he shall not avaunt þat euyre he spake wyth hym.
Item, as fore me, I most nedys to Caleyse warde to-morowe. I shall be heere ageyn iff I maye thys next terme. John Myryell, Thyrston, and W. Woode be goon from me, I shrewe them. My modre dothe me moore harme than good. I wende she wolde haue doon for me. Playter wroot to me þat she wolde haue leyde owt for me c li. and receyuyd it ageyn in v yere off the maner off Sporle, wherto I trustyd; whyche iff she had perfformyd I had nott ben in no juparté off the maner off Sporle. Neuerthelesse i shall do whatt I kan, yit I preye yow calle vppon hyre fore the same; remembre hyre off that promyse.
Item, I preye yow remembre hyre for my fadrys tombe at Bromholme. She dothe ryght nott; I am afferde off hyre þat she shall nott doo weell. Bedyngffelde shall mary Syr John Skottys doghtre, as I suppose.
Item, Janore Lovedaye shall be weddyd to on Denyse, a fuattyd gentylman wyth Syr G.Brown, nowther to weell ner to ylle.
Item, as for me, iff I had hadd vj dayes leyser more than I hadd, and other also, I wolde haue hopyd to haue ben delyueryd off Mestresse Anne Hault. Hyr frendys the Quyen and Attclif agreyd to comon and conclude wyth me iff I can fynde the meanys to dyscharge hyre concyence, whyche I trust to God to doo.
Item, I praye yow that ye take a leysere thys Estern halydayes to ryde to Sporle and sende for John Osberne, and I wolde ye sholde conclude a bergayn wyth on Bochere, a woode byere, whyche Mendham þat was my fermore there can fecche hym to yow. And thys is myn entent. I wolde haue the dykys to stonde stylle acordyng as John Osberne and I comonyd, I trow xij foothe wyth-in the dyke.
Item, þat þe standardys off suche mesure as he and I comonyd off maye also be reseruyd; I suppose it was xxx inche abowt a yerde from the grownde.
Item, that it be surely fencyd at þe cost off þe woode byere in any wyse wyth a sure hedge, bothe hyghe and stronge.
Item, that there be a weye taken wyth the fermorys fore the vndrewood so þat I lesse nott the ferme therffore yerly. Item, John Osbern can telle yow the meanys howe to entrete the fermorys, for Herry Halman hathe pleyed the false shrowe and fellyd my woode vppon a tenement off myn to þe valew off xx mremovearke, as it is tolde me. I praye yow enquire that matre and sende me worde, and dele wyth hym ther-afftre.

Item, iff the seyde wood, clere above all chargys excep as is above, be made any better than cc mremovearke I woll seye that ye be a good huswyff. John Osberne seythe þat he woll doo me a frendys turne ther-in and yitt gete hym-selff an hake-neye. Memorandum that he haue nott past iij ore iiij yere off vutraunce at þe ferthest.
Item, that I haue payement off the holl as shortly as ye kan, halffe in hande, the remenant at halffe yeere ore ellys at ij tymes wyth-in on yere at þe ferthest by Mydsomere xij monyth. And that ye make no ferthere bergayn than Sporle woode and the lawnde, not delyng wyth noon other woode nowther in the maner nor ellys wher in non other tenement.
Item, that ye haue sufficient sewerté for the monye, wyth penaltés iff nede be, som othere men bonden wyth hym for the payement.
Item, I wolle well be bownde to waraunt it to hym. Item, I sende yow herwyth a warant to yow and John Osberne joyntlye to bergayn, comone, and conclude that bergayn.
Item, I suppose he woll, iff he conclude wyth yow, desyre to felle thys Maye and I to haue mony soon afftre. I reke not thowe he fellyd not tyll thys wynter, but iff he woll nedys begyn thys Maye, therffor I wryght yow thus hastelye. Entrete hym iff ye can that he felle not tyll wynter.
Item, be ware howe ye bergeyn so þat he felle nott butt in sesonable tyme and sesonable wood, for he maye felle no vndrewood thys Maye, as I trowe.
Item, as for yowre costys late th.. newe fynde yow mete and I woll allow it them, ore ellys make me a bylle what it dra...nce yow.
Item, I praye yow iff ye g... for me as ye can. I made my lady heer but easy cheer; neuerthelesse I gaff hyre ...ys. I promysed hyre to purueye hyre a... weselys, but I was deseyuyd; yit I wend to haue had on. My lord of Norffolk hathe ben mevyd for Caster by my lord Cardenall and the Bysshop off Wynchester, but it woll take non effecte ...y lady com. God gyff grace þat she brynge auctoryté when she comythe thys next terme to common ther-in and conclude, and so I prey yow advyse hyre. Itt may haply paye for hyre costys.

Nomore to yow, but wretyn at London the xij daye off apryll ao E. iiijti xiijo. I sende yow herwyth ij letteris from John Osbern to me, wherby and by hys billes ye may vndrestond þe verry valewe off the wood. I praye yow sende me wryghtyng ageyn by the Mondaye vij nyght afftre Estern. Iff Hoxon ore the goode man off the Goot haue it they shall conveye it to me.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 04, 16

To John Paston, esquiere, in Norffolk. I prey yow iff W. Mylsent go froo yow þat he myght come to me to Caleys. I woll haue hym.

Wyrsshypffull and ryght hertyly belowyd brother, I recomande me on-to yow, letyng yow wete þat on Wednysdaye last past I wrote yow a letter wheroff John Garbalde had the beryng, promyttyng me þat ye shold haue it at Norwyche thys daye ore ellys to-morowe in the mornyng; wherin i praye yowe to take a labore acordyng afftre the tenure off the same, and þat I maye haue an answere at London to Hoxon iff any massenger come, as euremoveere I maye doo fore yow. As for tydyngys, there was a truse taken at Brussellys abut the xxvj daye off Marche last past be-twyn the Duke off Borgoyn and þe Frense Kyngys jmbassatorys and Master William Atclyff for the Kyng heere, whyche is a pese be londe and water tyll the fyrst daye off Apryll nowe next comyng, betwyen Fraunce and Ingelond and also þe Dukys londes. God holde it for euere and grace be.
Item, the Erle off Oxenfford was on Saterdaye at Depe, and is purposyd in-to Skotlond wyth a xij schyppys. I mystrust that werke.
Item, there be in London many flyeng talys seyng that þer shold be a werke, and yit they wot not howe.
Item, my lorde chamberleyn sendyth now at thys tyme to Caleys þe yonge Lorde Sowche and Syr Thomas Hongreffordys dowtre and heyre,

and som seye þe yonge Lady Haryngton. Thes be iij grett jowellys. Caleys is a mery town; they shall dwell there, I wot not whyghe. No more, but I haue ben and ame troblyd wyth myn ouere large and curteys delyng wyth my seruantys and now wyth ther onkyndnesse. Plattyng, yowre man, wolde thys daye byd me fare-well to to-morow at Douer, not wythstondyng Thryston, yowre other man, is from me and John Myryell and W. Woode, whyche promysed yow and Dawbeney, God haue hys sowle, at Castre þat iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn wyth me þat than he wold neuer goo fro me; and ther-vppon I haue kepyd hym thys iij yere to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robynhod and the shryff off Notyngham, and now when I wolde haue good horse he is goon in-to Bernysdale, and I wyth-owt a kepere. Wretyn at Canterburye, to Caleys warde on Tewesday and happe be, vppon Good Frydaye þe xvj daye off apryll ao E. iiijti xiijo. Yowre J. P., K.
Item, the most parte off the sowdyorys þat went ouer wyth Syr Robert Green haue leeff and be comyn hom, the hyghe-weye full. My cariage was be-hynd me ij howres lengere þan I lokyd afftre, but j-wysse I wende þat I myght haue etyn my parte on Good Frydaye, all my gownes and pryde had ben goon; but all was saffe.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 05, 18

To John Paston, esquyer, in Norwyche.

Ryght wershypffull brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I receyuyd a lettre yisterdaye þat com fro yow, wretyn the viij daye off Maye, wherby I vndrestond þat the troble þat John Osberne has had hathe lettyd the bargeyn off the woode in Sporle, wheroff I make no grett forse so þat it maye be weell her-afftre. And as for John Osbernes beyng here, I heere no worde off hym. I wolde be glad to weet ones what I weer the rycher fore that woode.
Item, I thynke, iff I haue leysere, to com and speke wyth my moodre. Bothe she and Playtere haue promysed me so largely þat it is shame for

them to goo balke wyth it; and iff she wolde helpe me as she hathe promysed, þan all shall be weell. Sende me worde what wey ye haue taken for Saundre Cok. Ye weere at Yarmothe---on Nycoll, a man off R. Racclyffys, tolde me þat he spake wyth yow there, and þat ye promysed hym to haue sende me a letter by hym, but ye dyd nott. As for tydyngys, the Erle off Wylshyre and the Lord Sudelé be ded, and it was seyd þat Syr W. Stanlé was deed, but now it is seyd naye. As for W. Melsent, I woll nott haue hym but iff he had goon from yow, as it was tolde me that he was. As for Burgeys, iff I haue verry greet nede I shall sende yow worde; feell hys dysposicion and sende me worde by Juddy.
Item, as for Master John Smythe, he delys harde wyth me. Late Juddy receyue off hym what he can geet; a marke is passyng lytell foremover vj mremovearke.
Item, the Fryres heer most be remembryd for there xx s. þat he bargayned for hyremoves grownde there, also a stoon for hym. Take what ye maye and afftre thatt cometh more.
Item, as for Fastolff, he is nott curteyse. I praye yow deell wyth hym ther-afftre. Axe it as on-curteysly iff ye mete wyth hym.
Item, I preye yow remembre the mater off John Kendall, so þat I maye haue a goode astate and relesys in my lond in Fylbye. Inquire afftre goode amblyng horse.
Item, as for yowre goyng to Seyn James, I beleve it but atwyen ij.
Item, John Osbern com to town thys afftre-non, and ryght now I spake wyth hym. He promysed me to doo þat in hym lythe when he comythe hom, whyche shall be in all hast, as he seythe. He wyll depart homwardys to-morow.. I herd seye that a man was thys daye examyned and he conffessed þat he knewe greet tresore was sende to þe Erle off Oxenfford, wheroff a ml li. sholde be conveyd by a monke of Westminster and som sey by a monke off Chartrehows.
Item, that the same man schulde acuse c gentylmen in Norffolk and Suffolk þat have agreyd to assyst the seyd Erle at hys comyng thyddre, whyche as itt is seyd sholde be wyth-in viij dayes afftre Seynt Donston, iff wynde and weddre serffe hym---flyeng tales. No more at thys tyme, but God haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn at London on Seynt Donstones Daye, þe xviij daye off Maye ao E. iiijti xiijo. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 06, 03

To John Paston, esquiere, be thys delyueryd.

Ryght wyrshypffull brother, I comand me to yow, latyng yow weet þat thys daye I was in verry purpose to Caleys warde, all redy to haue goon to þe barge, saff I teryed for a yonge man þat I thoght to haue had wyth me thyddre, on that was wyth Rows whyche is in the cowntré. And becawse I cowde not geet hym, and þat I have nomore here wyth me butt Pampyng, Edward, and Jak, therffor Pampyng remembryd me that at Caleys he tolde me þat he purposyd to be wyth the Duchesse off Norffolk, my lady and yowrys; and Edward is syke and semythe nott abydyng---he wolde see what shold falle off thys worlde. And so I am as he that seythe, 'com hyddre, John, my men'. And as happe was yisterday Juddy went a-fore to Caleysward, wherffor I am nowe ille purueyd, whyche for owte þat i knowe yit is lyke to kepe me heere thys Wytsontyd. Wherffor, iff ye knowe any lykly men and fayre condycioned and good archerys, sende hem to me, thowe it be iiij, and I wyll have them and they shall haue iiij mremovearke by yere and my leveré. He maye com to me hyddre to þe Gott, or yit to Caleys, wyth a riall iff he be wyse, whyche iff nede bee I wolde þat Berkere toke hym to com vppe wyth, iff it be suche on as ye tryst.
Item, I suppose bothe Pytte and Kothye Plattyng shall goo from me in hast. I wyll neuer cherysshe knaves soo as I have don for ther sakys.
Item, I praye yow sende me a newe vestment off whyght damaske fore a dekyn, whyche is among myn other geer at Norwyche, for he shall ther-too as ye woot off. I wyll make an armyng doblett off it, thow I sholde an other tyme gyff a longe gown off velwett fore an other vestment; and send it in all hast to Hoxon to send me. I hopyd to have been verry mery at Caleys thys Whytsontyd, and am weell apparayled and apoyntyd saff that thes folkys fayle me soo; and I have mater there to make off ryght excellent. Som man wolde have hastyd hym to Caleys thowe he had hadd no better erand, and som men thynke it wysdom and profyght to be theer now, weell owt off the weye.

Item, as for the Bysshop and I, we bee nerre to a poynt than we weere, so that my part is nowe all the londes in Flegge holly, the maner off Heylesdon, Tolthorpe, and tenremoveementys in Norwyche and Erlham excepte Fayrechyldys; but farweell Drayton, the devyll doytt them!
Item, large and ferre comynycacion hathe ben bytwyen Syr John Fogge, Richard Hawlte, fore ther suster and me, byffore Doctore Wynterborne and ellys where, so that I am in better hope than I was by Seynt Lawrens that I shall haue a delyueraunce.
Item, as for tydyngys heer, I trow ye have herde yowre parte howe þat þe Erle off Oxenfford londyd at Seynt Osyes in Esexe þe xxviij daye off Maye, saff he teryed nott longe; for iff he hadd the Erle off Essexe rod to hym wardys, and the lordys Denham and Durasse and other more, whyche by lyklyod sholde have dystrussyd hym. But yit hys comyng savyd Hogan hys hed, and hys profesye is the more belevyd, for he seyde that this troble sholde begyn in Maye, and þat the Kyng sholde northwardys and that þe Scottys sholde make vs werke and hym batayle. Men loke afftre they wot not what, but men by harneys fast. The Kyngys menyall men and þe Duke off Clarauncys are many in thys town; þe Lord Ryuerse com to-daye, meremoven sey to purueye in lyke wyse.
Item, how þat þe Cowntesse off Warwyk is now owt off Beweley seynt- warye, and Syr James Tyrell conveyth hyre northwarde, men seye by the Kynges assent, wherto som men seye þat the Duke of Clarance is not agreyd. Item, men seye þat the Erle off Oxenfford is abowt the jlde off Tenett hoveryng, som seye wyth grett companye and som seye wyth fewe. No more, but God kepe yow. Wretyn at London the iij daye off June ao E. iiijti xiijo. John P., K.

TO EDMOND PASTON II 1473, 07, 05

A Edmond Paston, esquyere, a Caleys soyt donné

Brothere Edmond, I grete yow weell, letyng yow weete þat abowt thys daye vij nyght I sende yow a letter by Nycholas Bardeslee, a sowdyore whyche is wont to be at borde removeat Perauntys, and also an hoseclothe off blak fore yow. I wende þat ye sholde haue hadde itt wyth-in ij dayes, but I am afferde þat he deseyued me.
Item, I lete yow weet þat Plattyng is comen hyddre, and he seythe þat ye gaffe hym leve to fetche hys geere and Pittys, and that is hys erande hyddre and noon othere; nere he thowt neuer to goo fro me, nere he wyll nott goo fro me, as he seythe. Wherffor I praye yow sende me worde off hys condycions, and whyghe ye thynke þat he sholde neuer do me worshypp. He seythe also þat he and Pytte weer at þe takyng off the Esterlyngys, and that he was in the Pakkere and Pytte in the Crystoffre. I praye yow sende me worde howe bothe he and Pitte quytte them, by the report off som jndyfferent trewe man þat was there. Iff they quytte them weell I wolde love them the better, wherffore the next daye afftre the syte off thys letter I praye yow wryght ageyn, and sende it by the next passage.
Item, I sende a lytell praty boxe herwith whyche I wolde þat Juddy sholde delyuer to þe woman þat he wotyth off, and praye hyre to take it to þe man þat she wotyth off; þat is to seye as moche as ye know all well j-now, bot ye maye nott make yow wyse in no wyse.
Item, I praye yow sende me worde as ye were wont to do off heere well- ffare, and whether I weere owt and other jnne, ore nott; and whether she shall forsake Caleys as sone as ye sende me worde off, or nott. By God,i wolde be wyth yow as fayne as yowre-selff, and shall be in hast, wyth Goddys grace.
Item, as for my brother John, I hope wyth-in thys monyth to see hym in Caleys, for by lyklyhod to-morowe or ellys the nexte daye he takyth shyppe at Yarmothe and goothe to Seynt James warde, and he hathe wretyn to me þat he wyll come homwarde by Caleys.
Item, I suppose þat James Songer shall com wyth me to Caleys þe rather for yowre sake.
Item, Mestresse Elysabett fareth well. but as yit Songer knoweth nott so parffytly all þat ye wolde weet þat he woll nott wryght to yow off thees ij dayes tyll he knowe moore. But iff she hadde ben bolde, and durst have abydyn styll at hyre gate and spoken wyth me, so God helpe me she had hadd thys same þat I sende nowe where ye woot off, whyche ye shall see woryn heer afftre. Itt is a praty ryban wyth praty aglettys and goodlye. Make yow nott wyse to Juddy, nowther not þat ye wolde weet any thynge, fore I maye sey to yowe at hys comyng ovre he browt goodly geere resonablye.

Item, as for my byll þat is gylt, I wolde it weer taken heed too. There is on in the town þat can glaser weell j-nowe, as I herde sey. Also ther is on comythe euery markett daye fro Seynt Omerys to Caleys, and he bryngethe dagerys and fecchyth; also he maye haue it wyth hym and brynge it ageyn the next markett daye for xij d. or xvj at þe most; and ellys late it be weel oylyd and kepte tyll I come. No more. Wretyn at London þe v daye off jull ao E. iiijti xiijo.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1473, 07, 30

To my ryght wyrshypful Moodre, Margret Paston.

Ryght wyrshypffull and my ryght tendre modre, I recomaunde me to yow, besechyng yow off yowre dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weet þat I herde nott from yow off longe tyme, whyche cawsythe me to be ryght hevye; nere at þe last tyme þat I sende to yow in wryghtyng I hadde from yowre-selffe noo wryghtyng ner answere ageyn saff by Playtere on tym and by my brother an other tyme, whyche answer off Playtere was noo-thyng acordyng but contraryaunt to other wryghtyng more comfortable þat he had sent me nott longe byffore thatt, on yowre behalve as he wrotte, whyche God amende. Neuerthelesse to my more heuynesse I herde seye þat ye sholde have been passhyng hevy for my sake, and in cheffe fore that I was lyke to late goo the maner off Sporle, wherin I was pytte in comffort to have had relyffe by the meanes off yow; and syns it was tolde me þat iff I leete it goo þat ye wolde therfore dysavauntage me more londe in tyme to come off syche as by poscybylyté myght com to mee off yowrys. Vppon whyche corage my grauntdame and myn oncle to-gedre gaffe me an answere on hyr part moche lyke, and so my fadre, God have hys sowle, leffte me scant xl li. londe in rest, and ye leffe me as pleasythe yow, and my grauntdame at hyre plesure. Thus maye I have lytell hope off the worlde. Neuerthelesse I beseche yow to be my good moodre, how so euer ye doo wyth yowre londe, fore I feell weell þat iff I have on losse I am lyke therffor to have three. But

as for Sporle, it shall nott goo iff I maye nere by my wyll, and iff ther hadde ben performed me as largelye as was promysed me by Playtere I were sewre it sholde nott have goon nor yit sholde nat goo. Neuerthelesse, iff ye and all my frendys and yowrys in Norffolk myght haue lende me so moche monye, and to haue takyn it vppe in v yere, I suppose they sholde par auentur have ben payed ageyn in a yere ore ij iff I had solde any woode. Neuerthelesse, plese yow to weet þat I have provyd my fadres wyll and testement, wherin I maye nowt dele on-to þe tyme that all the executorys have reffused, wherffore ther most be sende sitacions to yow and alle other that weer namyd my fadris executorys, wherin iff ye lyst not to take admynystracion, as I woot well ye woll nott off olde, ye most than make a proctore that must on yowre behalve byffor my lorde off Canterbury, wyth a sufficiant warant and autoryté, vndre a notarys syngne ther in the corte reffuse to take admynestracion; and thys jnstrument and aultoryté I beseche yow maye be redy and at London by the fyrst daye off þe terme. And iff ye be not aqueyntyd wyth non suche at London, iff it please yowe to take and avowe for yowre proctore and sende hym auctoryté, on Master John Halsnothe, whyche was a clerke off Master Robert Centys and was so trusty to my fadre, God have hys sowle, and to sende me a letter off yowre wylle ther-in, I vndretake þat he shall nott do but as ye sende me worde. Plese it yow to gyff credence to Juddy her-in. No more to yow at thys tyme, but Jeshu have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn att Caleys the last daye saff on off Julle. Yowre sone J. P., K.

TO JOHN PASTON III : DRAFT Late 1473

Item, Arbremovelaster must mak a proctyr by yowre advyce, and iff he lyst to mak the seyd Master John Halsnothe he maye; ell he must sende vppe an

other, and he must also make a letter off warant to þe seyde Master John Halsnothe vndre hys sell by yowre advyce in thys forme: Master John, &c., I recomande me &c., letyng yow weet þat I haue made yow my proctore towchyng the testement off John Paston, esquiere, wherffore I praye yow þat ye on my behalve reffuce the admynystremoveracion off hys seyde testamenremovet, fure I woll nowt have ado ther-wyth. Wherfforemover loke þat ye on my behalve reffuce all admynestracion, entresse, ore besynesse þat I myght have there-by, and thys shewys yow my wyll her-in and shall be to yow a dyscharge att any tyme. No moore, &c. Yowre frend James Arblaster I wolde nat þat myn oncle William scholde cawse hym to take on hym as hys felaw, for iff myn oncle William doo thus moche in the corte I suppose it may her-afftre doo ease; for as God helpe me I cannot say verrely iff my fadre, God haue hys sowle, agremovereyd that he shold be on, but in my sowle he neuer thowt þat he sholde be, for he neuer namyd no moore butt my modre and me, and afftre yow whan I rehersyd myn oncle Clement, yow, and Arblaster, and than he chase yow, seyng he thoght þat ye were good and trewe. Kepe thys secrett. Iff myn oncle be noon executur it maye happely brynge ageyn a trussyng coffre wyth cc old peyse noblis whyche he toke from me as executur.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 11, 06

To John Paston, esquiere, at Norwyche be thys delyueryd.

Wyrshypffull and well belovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow weet þat the worlde semyth qweysye heer, fore the most part that be abowt the Kyng haue sende hyddre for ther harneys; and it removeis seyd for serteyn that þe Duke of Claraunce makyth hym bygge in that he kan, schewyng as he wolde but dele wyth the Duke of Glowcester. Butt the Kyng ententyth in eschyewyng all jnconvenyentys to be as bygge as they bothe, and to be a styffelere atwyen them. And som men thynke þat vndre thys ther sholde

be som other thynge entendyd and som treason conspyred, so what shall falle can I nott seye. item, it is seyde þat yisterdaye ij passagerys off Dovre were takyn. I fere þat iff Juddy had noon hasty passage, so þat iff he passyd nott on Sondaye or Mondaye, þat he is taken and som geer off myn þat I wolde nott for xx li. I hope and purpose to goo to Caleys warde on Sondaye ore Mondaye, or nyghe bye, for I ame nott acompanyed to do any seruyse heer, wherffor it were better for me to be owt off syght.
Item, I praye yow calle vppon Doctore Pykenham and Master John Bulman, Hubberd, and other fore to make redy þe c li. þat I sholde haue off them. They grantyd me onys by the advyce of Fowlere þat I sholde have had it, so þat I hadd delyueryd them the oblygacion and fonde them sewerté to save them harmeles, whyche suerté was redy, and I neuer the neere . I shall preue my fadrys wyll and have a letter off admynestracion, and nott beer grett perell; whyche I nedyd nott to have don iff Doctore Pykenham had ben kynde and just. Wherffor I thynke they shall paye for parte off my costys iff I sewe them. Neuerthelesse I preye yow entrete them that iff I sende them the oblygacion and heer-afftre fynde them sewerté to saff them harmlesse, þat than I maye wett where to have my mony herin. I pray yow sende me answer in all the hast.
Item, Sprynge, þat wayted on my fadre when he was in jowelhows, whom my fadre at hys dyeng besett xl s., he cryethe euyr on me for it, and in weye off almesse he wolde be easyd thow it wer but xx s. or x; wherffor he hathe wretyn to my modre, and most have an answer ageyn. I wolde þat my moodre sende hym as thoghe she lende hym som whatt, and he woll be pleasyd, and ellys he can seye as shrewdely as any man in Ingelonde.
Item, the Kynge hathe sent for hys greet seall. Som seye we shall have a newe chavnceler, but som thynke þat the Kynge dothe as he dyde at the last feldys: he wyll have the seall wyth hym. But thys daye Doctor Morton, Master off þe Rollys, rydethe to þe Kyng and berythe the seall wyth hym.
Item, I had neuer more nede off mony than now, wherfore Fastolffys v mremovearke and the mony off Master John Smythe wolde make me holl. item, I praye yow remembre alwey my moodre and Playtere bothe off ther promyse þat they made me off c ly. and to receyve it ageyn at Sporle off the ferme in v yere. Neuerthelesse iff I sell my wode I shall paye hyr in o yeere; jff I passe Mychelmesse I lose xx li., whyche wyll nott becom me in no wyse. I praye yow call on removethem.

wretyn on Seynt Lenardys Daye ao r.r. E. iiijti xiijo. item, sende me my vestment acordyng to þe letter I sent yow by Symond Dam in all hast. J. P., K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 11, 22

to John Paston, esquyere, be thys delyueryd.

Ryght wyrshypfull and hertyly belovyd brothere, I comand me to yow, letyng yow wet þat I receyuyd a letter that com from yow wretyn sirca viij Mychaelys, wherin ye leet me weet off þe decesse off Syr James, and þat my moodre is in purpose to be at Norwyche; and I am ryght glad þat sche wyll now doo somwhat by yowre advyce. Wherffor be ware fro hense forthe þat noo suche felawe crepe in be-twyen hyre and yow, and iff ye lyst to take a lytell labore ye may lyff ryght well, and she pleasyd. It is as good that ye ryde wyth a cople off horse at hyre cost as Syre James ore Richard Calle. Ye sende me worde also þat she in noo wyse wyll purueye thyre c li. for þe redemyng off Sporle. Late it goo. As towchyng that mater, John Osbern tolde me that he comonyd wyth yow at Sporle off that mater. Ferre, he devysed þat Kokett ore suche an other man sholde, to haue it the better cheppe, leye owt the valewe off vj yere for to haue it vij yere, wherto I wolde agré; and for Goddys sake iff thatt maye be browt a-bowt late it be doon. As ye woot off, it is laten for xxij li. by yere,yit þe fermorys graunt but xxj; but to Kokett it wolde be worthe xxv li., yea and better. Neuerthe lesse, iff Kokett wyll delyuer vjxx li. I wolde he had it for vij yeere, wyth thys that my moodre be agreable to þe same by-cawse off th'entresse that she hathe for my brother William , whyche shall nott be off age thys vij yeere. Neuerthe lesse, as ye know myn olde entent, I purpose to puruey for hym in an other plase better than theere, off whyche graunte off my moodre i praye yow to be my solycytore, in whyche iff it be browt abowt Sporle shall be in as goode case as euyre he was. John Osbern willyd me to make yow a sufficiaunt waraunt to selle and felle wood at Sporle, whyche I

remembre ye have in as ample forme as can be. Neuerthe lesse iff thys meane above wretyn, off letyng to ferme, maye be hadde, it shall I hope nat nede to felle nere selle moche; but I remytte that geere to yowre dyscrescion. But iff ye haue suche comfforte I praye yow sende me worde. I maye seye to yow John Osbern flateryd me, fore he wolde haue borowyd mony off me. Item, jn retaylyng off woode theere it weere harde to tryst hym, he is nedye. Iff Kokett ore whoo so euyre had that maner to ferme for vij yere and payd therffor but vjxx li. he sholde, to lete it ageyn, wynne xxxvj li., whyche weremovere moche; wherffore, iff it myght bee, yt were more resenable vjxx vij li. to be reseyuyd, and yit is there lost xxix li., ore ellys iff ye take lesse mony and fewere yerys so it be afftre the rate, so there be purueyd c li. at þe lest. Sende worde.
Item, ye wroot þat lyke a trewe man ye sende me xviij s. by Richarde Radlé. Ye weere to trewe, but he semys to be a false shrewe, fore he browt me noon yitt. Whethyr he be owt off town ore nott kan I nott seye. Ye prayed me also to sende yow tydyngys how I spedde in my materis, and in cheff off Mestresse Anne Hault. I haue answere ageyn froo Roome that there is the welle off grace and salve sufficiaunt fore suche a soore, and that I may be dyspencyd wyth. Neuerthe lesse my proctore there axith a ml docatys, as he demythe, but Master Lacy, an other Rome-rennere heere, whyche knowyth my seyde proctore theere, as he seythe, as weell as Bernard knewe hys sheeld, seythe þat he menythe but an c docatys, ore cc at þe most; wherffor afftre thys comythe moore. He wrote to me also quod papa hoc facit hodiernis diebus multociens.
Item, as towchyng Caster, I tryst to God þat ye shall be in it to myn vse ore Crystmesse be past.
Item, yowre ost Brygham recomand hym to yow, and when he and I rekenyd I gave hym ij noblis fore yowre borde whyll ye weere theere in hys absence; but in feythe he wolde, fore nowth þat I kowde doo, take j d., wherffore ye most thanke hym ore charge me to thanke hym on yowre behalve in som nexte epystyll þat ye wryght to me to Caleys. He leete me weet þat he wolde do moore for yow than soo.
Item, my Lady Bowgchere was almost deed but she is amendyd. I trowe they com in-to Norffolk.
Item, as for W. Berkere, I heere no worde from hym. I praye yow comon wyth Berney ther-in; he knoweth myn conceyt. And also I praye yow hast Berney ageyn. I wold not þat he pleyed the fooll nere wastyd hys tyme nere hys syluer.
Item, as for the brace of growndes, ore on verry goode ore in especiall þe blak off Germynys, I can nott seye but ye be a trewe man, but William

Mylsent isse a false shrewe, so mote I thee; and I trow hys master is too.
Item, I most haue myn jnstrumentys hydder whyche are in the chyst in my chambre at Norwyche, whyche I praye yow and Berney to-gedre, joyntly but natt seuerallye, to trusse in a pedde and sende them me hyddre in hast, and a byll ther-in how many pecys. Thys most be had to avoyde jdelnesse at Caleys.
Item, I praye yow take heed among thatt my stuffe take noon harme, nere that myn euydence wher ye wott off be owt off joparté.
Item, I praye yow doo for Berneye as ye kan so þat he maye be in sewerté for hys annywyté, and that it be nott costius fro hense forthe to hym any more to come ore sende for it. I praye yow wynne yowre sporys in thys mater.
Item, I purposed to haue sent heere-wyth the testement off my fadre and the scytacions to my moodre, to yow, and Arblaster, but they be nott redy. Wyth-in ij dayes afftre the comyng off thys I suppose they shall be wyth yow, and than I shall wryght more to yow. As for other tydyngys, I trust to God thatt the ij Dukes off Clarans and Glowcester shall be sette att on by the adward off the Kyng.
Item, I hope by the meanys off þe Duke of Glowcester þat my lord Archebysshop shall com hom.
Item,as towchyng my sustre Anne, I vnderstand she hathe ben passyng seek, but I wende þat she had ben weddyd. As fore Yeluerton, he seyde but late þat he wold haue hyre iff she had hyre mony, and ellis nott; wherffor me thynkyth that they be nott verry sewre. But amonge all other thyngys i praye yow be ware þat þe olde love off Pampyng renewe natt. He is nowe fro me; I wott nat what he woll doo. No more. Wretyn at London the xxij daye of Novembre Ao r.r. E. iiijti xiijo. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1473, 11, 25

To John Paston, esquiere.

Ryght wyrshypffull and well belovyd brother, I recomaund me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I sende yow herwyth j sitacion where-in ben my moodre and yee, wheroff I praye yow þat I maye haue hasty answeere. The effeccte theroff is no moore bute ye bothe most sende answere and make yow a proctore heere, and that most come hyddre ondre a notaryes syngne affermyng that ye make suche a man Master John Halsnothe, ore ellis yff ye will do þe cost to sende som other hyddre yowre proctore to take admynystracion ore to reffuse, and what so he dothe ye to holde it for ferme and stable. Than most my moodre and ye wryght a letter vndre my moodrys seall and yowre syngne manuell to me and Master John Halsnothe jn thys forme: we gret yow well, letyng yow weet þat we haue made yow, Master John Halsnoth, owre proctore in the testament off John Paston, husbond and fadre to yow, wherin we wyll þat an owre behalff ye reffuse the admynestracion off the seyde testament; and thys wryghtyng is to yow warant and dyscharge, and also the verry wyll off vsse.' Thys most we haue for owre dyscharge.
Item, I pray yow take good hedde to my soster Anne lesse the olde love atwyen hyre and Pampyng renewe.
Item I pray yow sende me worde howe my moodre is dysposyd to hyr wardys, and iffe so weer that a good mariage myght be had, what she wolde depart wyth.
Item, I praye yow þat ye remembre hyr for the tombe off my fadre at Bromholme, and also the chapell at Mavteby, and sende me worde how she is dysposyd her-in.
Item, iff I have Caster ageyn whethyre she wolle dwelle ther or nott, and I wyll fynde hyr a prest towardys at my charge and geve hyr the

dovehowse and other comodytés ther; and iff any horsekeper off myn lye ther I wolle paye for hys borde also, as weell as for the prestys.
Item, iff my moodre sholde haue a new prest I thynk þat my brother Syr J. Goos weere a metly man to be ther. He wolde also doo as ye wolde haue hym. Nowe bere the cuppe euyn, as whatcalle-ye-hym seyde to Aslake. Be ware off mynerys fro hense forthe, and sende me worde how ye trist Doctore Pykenham. I wolde, iff he wolde doo owght for my moodre, that he hastyd the sonner to paye me the c li. so þat I myght pledge owt Sporle.
Item, as fore other tydyngys, the Erle off Oxenforthe is stille besegyd. Neuerthelesse onys he issued owt and toke a jentilman and hant hym wyth-in, but now off late he was besye and on espyed hym and shott at hym and strake in the verry fase wyth an arowe. I sye thys daye þe same man, and theer I leeff hym. Iff Arblaster come to yow ye maye see hys letter sente to hym by me, wherin I have wretyn þat he scholde take yowre advyce; but I pray yow above all thyngys that ye make hast so þat I heer from yow ageyn by thys day vij nyght. At London the xxv daye off novembre. John Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1474, 02, 20

Ryght honorable and most tendre good moodre, I recomand me to yowe, besechyng yow to haue, as my tryst is þat I have, yowre dayly blessyng; and thanke yow off yowre good moderhood, kyndenesse, cheere, charge, and coste whyche I had and pvtte yow to att my last beyng wyth yow, whremoveyche God gyffe me grace her-afftre to deserve. Please it yow to weet þat I thynke longe þat I heere nott from yow, ore from Pekok yowre seruaunt, fore the knowlege howe he hathe doon in þe sale off my ferme barlye, nere what is made there-off. Wherffore I beseche yow, iff it be not answeryd by that tyme þat thys bylle comythe to yowe, to hast hym and

itt hyddrewardys, fore iff þat had nott taryed me I deme I had ben at Caleys by thys daye. For it is soo, as men seye, þat þe Frense Kynge wyth a gret hoste is at Amyas, but iijxx myle from Caleys, and iff he ore hys roode byffore Caleys and I nott theere, I wolde be sorye.
Item, men seye þat the Erle off Oxenfford hathe ben constreynyd to sewe fore hys pardon only off hys lyffe, and hys body, goodes, londes, wyth all þe remenaunt at þe Kynges wyll, and soo sholde in all haste nowe com in to þe Kyng. And som men seye þat he is goon owt off þe Mownte, men wot not to what plase, and yit leffte a greet garnyson theere weell fornysshyd in vytayll and all other thyng.
Item, as fore the hauyng ageyn off Castre, I trust to have good tydyngys theroff hastelye.
Item, my brother John farethe weell, and hathe doon ryght delygentlye in my cosyn Elisabeth Berneys materys, wheroff hastely I trust he shall sende hyre tydyngys þat schall please hyre; and as to-morow he purposyth to take hys jurneye to Walys warde to þe Lord Ryverse. Nomore at thys tyme, but Jeswe haue yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at London the xx daye off Feuerere Ao E. iiijti xiijo. Yowre sone J. Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1474, probably 11

to Mestrese Margrett Paston at Norwyche, er to J. Paston in hyre absence.

Ryght wyrshypfull and my moste kynd and tendre moodre, I recomaund me to yow, thankyng yow off the grete cost and off the greet chere þat ye dyd to me and myn at my last beyng wyth yowe; whyche cheere also hathe made me perffyghtly hooll, I thanke God and yow, in so moche þat where as I feeryd me þat for weykenesse, and so green recuveryd off my syknesse, þat I scholde have apeyryd by the weye, but, God thanke yow, I toke soo my crommys whyls I was wyth yow þat I felyd my-sylffe by the weye that God and ye had made me stronger than I wenyd þat I had ben, jn so moche þat i feell my-selffe euery daye hollere than othere.

it was soo that I mett wyth myn onkle William by the weye, and there in the felde I payed hym the iiij li. whyche I had borowyd off hym, and he was passyng jnquisytyff howe þat I was purueyd fore recompensyng off Towneshend. I tolde hym I hopyd weell. He tolde me þat he vndrestood þat I had the c li. off the Bysshopys executorys,and he had herd seye þat I had also borowyd an other c li. off a marchaunt, and so I lakyd but an c marke. I deme he herde thys off T. Lovell, fore I tolde hym þat I was in hope to fynde suche a freende þat wolde lende me c li. He axed me who was that; I answeryd hym an olde marchaunt, a freende off myn; but myn oncle thowte þat sholde be by weye off chevyshanse and to myn horte, wherffore I was pleyne to hym and tolde hym that ye were sewerté therffore and purueyed it off suche as wolde doo for yowe. And as for the forte c mark, he seyde to me þat as for that he wolde, rather than joparté sholde be, purvey it by weye off chevyshaunce at London, jn so meche þat ere he come fro London he had for my sake leyde v c markys worthe off plate wyth Hewghe Fenne. The place at Warwykys Inne is large and my grawntdame is agyd; it had ben jopartous to leve moche plate wyth hyre, thoghe halffe were hyre owne. But iff I maye doo other wyse I purpose nott to chevyshe any mony by hys meane.
Item, I have delyueryd yowre botell to Courbye þe caryere thys same daye, and he promysed me to be wyth yow on Mondaye nyghte ore ellys on Towesday tymely. He hathe also xl d. to paye fore the thryd hyryd horse, and he bryngythe the iij horse wyth hym and is contente for hys labore and for the mete largely. They be delyueryd hym in as good and rather better plyght than whan I had them forthe, and nott gallyd nore hurte. He hatremovehe also ij sadelys, on off my brotherys and an other hyred, as ye woot off. Item, he hathe a peyre botys off Edmond Reedys þe shomakere, whyche Saundre borowyd off hym. I beseche yowe that William Mylsent ore Symme maye se þat euery man have hys owne.
Item, as fore my brother Edmond, blyssyd be God he is weell amendyd.
Item, as fore Hankyn owre dogge, I am a-ferde neuer to see hym but iff yowre good helpe bee.
Item, as for the bookys þat weer Syr James, iff it lyke yow þat I maye haue them I ame not able to by them; but som-what wolde I gyffe, and the remenaunt, wyth a goode devowte herte by my trowthe I wyll prey for hys sowle. Wherffor iff it lyke yow by the next massenger ore karyere to sende hem, in a daye I shall have them dressyd heer; and iff any off them be claymyd here-afftre in feythe I wyll restoore it. Wretyn on Saterdaye. John Paston, K

TO MARGARET PASTON 1474, 11, 20

To Mestresse Margrete Paston, ore to Roose dwellyng byffore hyre gate at Norwyche.

Afftre dew recomendacion, my most tendre and kynde moodre, I beseche yow off yowre dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weete þat I reseyvyd a lettre that come from yowe, wretyn þe xxvj daye off Octobre, non erst but on Wednysday last past; wherby I conceyvyd þat at þe wryghtyng off þat letter ye weere nott serteyn off the delyng betwyn Towneshende and me. It was so þat, God thanke yow, I receyvyd þe xx li. broght by Syme and also the mony browght by my brothere, wyth whyche mony, and wyth moore þat I had my-selff, I redemyd the maner off Sporle and payed Towneshend bothe þe cccc mremovearke ther-fore and also x li. þat i owte hym besyde; and have off hym an aqwytaunce off all bargaynes and off all other dettys. Neuerthelesse, I assayed hym iff he wolde, iff nede hadde ben, gyvyn me a xij monyth lenger respyght, whyche he grauntyd to do. But in conclusyon I can nott entrete hym but þat he woll have the vttremest off hys bargayn, and thys xx li. payeable at Candelmesse and Esterne. I kan entrete hym noon other wyse as yit; wherfore I thynke iff I had passyd my daye it had ben harde to have trustyd to hys cortesye, jn so moche I fynde hym also ryght loose in the tonge. For Bekham, he spekyth no-thyng comfortably ther-in; what he wyll doo can I nott seye.
Item, as for Castre, it nedyth nott to spore nore prykke me to doo owghte ther-in. I doo þat I can wyth goode wyll, and somwhat I hope to doo hastely þer-in þat shall doo goode.
Item, as for the bokes þat weere Syre James, God haue hys sowle, whyche it lykethe yow þat I shall have them, I beseche yow þat I maye have them hyddre by the next massenger; and iff I be goon, yit that they be delyueryd to myn ostesse at þe George at Powlys Wharff, whyche wolle kepe them saffe, and þat it lyke yow to wryght to me whatt my peyne ore payment shall be for them.
Item, it lyked yow to weet off myn heelle. I thanke God nowe þat I am nott greetly syke nere soore but in myn heele, wherin alle men know nott whatt peyne I feele. And wher ye advysed me to hast me owt off thys towne, I wolde full fayne be hense. I spende dayly more than I sholde doo iff I were hense, and I am nott well porveyed.

Item, blessyd be Good my grauntdam is amendyd by suche tyme as myn oncle W. come hyddre, but my yongest cosyn Margret, hys doghtre, is ded and beryed er he come hom. I am as moche a-ferde off thys londe þat is in hys hande as I was off that þat was jn Towneshendys hande. I hope to wryght yow moore serteyntés wyth-in iiij ore v dayes. Nomore, &c. Wretyn þe xx daye off Novembre Ao E. iiij xiiijo. Yowre sone J. Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1474, 11, 20

To John Paston, esquyere, at Norwyche, ore to Roose dwellyng affore Mestresse Pastonys gate in Norwych.

Ryght wyrshypfull and weell belovyd brother, I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weet þat I have comonyd wyth yowre freende Dawnson and have receyvyd yowre rynge off hym, and he hathe by myn advyce spoken wyth hyre ij tymes. He tellythe me off hyre delyng and answerys, whyche iff they were acordyng to hys seyng a feynter lovere than ye wolde, and weell aghte to, take ther-in greet comffort, so þat he myght haply slepe þe werse iij nyghtys afftre. And suche delyng in parte as was by-twyen my Lady W. and yowre freende Danson he wrote me a bylle theroff, whyche I sende yow herwyth; and that þat longythe to me to doo therin it shall nott fayle, to leeve all other bysynesse a-parte. Neuerthelesse, wyth-jn iiij dayes I hope so to deele here-in þat I suppose to sette yow in serteynté hoghe þat ye shall fynde hyre fore evyre heer-afftre. It is so, as I vndrestande, þat ye be as besy on yowre syde fore yowre freende Dawnson wheer as ye be. I praye God sende yow bothe goode spede in thees werkys, whyche iff they be browte abowte, jche off yowe is moche be-holden to other. Yit weere it pyté þat suche craffty wowerys as ye be bothe scholde speede weell but iff ye love trewly.

Item, as fore Stoctonys doghtre, she shall be weddyd in haste to Skeerene, as she tolde hyre-selffe to my sylkemayde whyche makyth parte off suche as she shall weere, to whom she brake hyre harte and tolde hyre þat she sholde have hadde Master Paston, and my mayde wende it had been I þat she spake off; wyth moore, þat the same Master Paston kome where she was wyth xx men and wold have taken hyre aweye. I tolde my mayde þat she lyed off me, and þat I neuer spake wyth hyre in my lyff, nere þat i wolde not wedde hyre to have wyth hyre iij ml marke.
Item, as for Ebortonys dowghtre, my brother Edmonde seythe þat he herde neuer moore speche þer-off syns yowre departyng, and þat ye wolde þat he sholde nott breke nore doo no-thynge ther-in but iff it come off theere begynnyng.
Item, I had answere from my lorde þat he is my speciall goode lorde, and þat by wryghtyng; and as for Bernaye, he sette hym in hys owne wagys for my sake, and þat whan so euer I come to Caleys I shall fynde all thyng there as removeI woll have it, and rather better than it was heere-tofor.
Item, þe Kynge come to þis towne on Wednysdaye. And as for the Frenshe enbassate þat is heere, they come nott in þe Kynges presense, by lyklihod, for men seye þat þe chyeff of them is he þat poysonyd bothe þe Duke off Berry and þe Duke off Calabre.
Item, there was neuer more lyklyhood þat þe Kyng shall goo ouyre thys next yere than it is nowe. I praye yow remembre þat I maye have þe pewtre vessell hyddre by þe next karyer by the lattre ende off thys weke.
Item, I praye yow remembre so þat I maye have the bokys by the same tyme whyche my moodre seyde she wolde sende me by the next cariere. Wretyn at London þe Sondaye þe xx daye off Novembre ao E. iiijti xiiijo. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1474, 12, 11

to John Paston, esquiere.

Brother, I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete þat I have, lyke as i promysed yowe, I have doon my devoyre to knowe my Lady Walgraues stomake, whyche, as God helpe me and to be pleyn to yowe, I fynde in hyre no mater nere cawse þat I myght take comfort off. Sche wyll in no wyse receyve nere kepe yowre rynge wyth hyre, and yit I tolde hyre þat she scholde not be any-thynge bownde therby but þat I knew by yowre herte off olde þat I wyst weell ye wolde be glad to forbere the levest thyng þat ye had in the world whyche myght be dayly in here presence þat sholde cawse hyre onys on a daye to remembre yow; but itt wolde not be. She wolde nott therby, as she seyde, putte yow nere kepe yow in any comffort ther-by, and more-ovyre she preyed me þat I sholde neuer take labore moore heere-in fore she wolde holde hyre to suche answere as she hadd gevyn yow to-foore; wherwyth she thowght bothe ye and I wolde have holde vs contente had nott been the wordys off hyre suster Geneffyeff. When I vndrestoode all thys, and that ouer nyght she bad hyre þat weent bytwyen hyre and me byd me brynge wyth me hyre muskeball whyche, &c., than I aftre all thys axid iff she weere dyspleasyd wyth me for it, and she seyde naye. Than I tolde hyre that I had nott sent it yowe fore synne off my sowle, and so I tolde hyre all how I had wretyn to yow why that I wold nott sende it yow by-cawse I wyst weell ye sholde have slepyd the werse. But nowe I tolde hyre, as God helpe me, þat I wolde sende it yow, and gyffe yow myn advyse nott to hope ouyre moche on hyre whyche is ovyre harde an hertyd lady for a yonge man to tryst on-to, whyche I thowght þat for all my wordys ye cowde nott nere wolde nott do fore all myn advyce. Yitt ageynwardys, she is nott dyspleasyd nor forbad me nott but that ye sholde have the kepyng off hyre mvskball. Wherffor do ye wyth itt as ye lyke. I wolde it hadd doon weell. By Good, I spake fore yow soo that in feythe I trowe I kowde nott seye so weell ageyn; wherffor I sende yow herwyth yowre rynge and the onhappy muskeball also. Make ye mater off it herafftre as ye kan. I am nott happy to wow,

nowther for my-selff nere noon othere. I tolde hyre all þe process off the Lorde Howarde and off yowre grewndys as I kowde; all helpys notte.
Item, I praye yow late my brothere Edmonde vndrestonde þat as for þe chevysshaunce þat myn oncle W. spake off, as God helpe me itt canne nott be, I cannott chevyshe for my-selffe. I feer þat I am lyke to be deseyuyd by hym; by God I had lever than c noblys þat I weer qwyte off hym. I can se noon other as yit, but that I ame nott lyke to goo to Caleys byffore Crestmesse but iff I wolde jopart it at hys curtesye. I am in an agonye wyth hym þat vexithe all my spyrytys. I heer no woorde from my brother E. ner fro R. Lynsted howe they have sped wyth Towneshende. Iff ther be any answere sent to myn oncle W. he makyth me nott prevye ther-to, wheremoverfor I have to grett an hurte jff I wote nott in all haste howe þat Lynsted hathe doon wyth Towneshend and also att Snaylwell; wherffor in hast sende worde to me or to myn ostesse at þe George. I here no worde off my vessell nere off my bokys. I mervayll. No more. Wretyn at London the xj daye off decembre Ao E. iiijti xiiijo. J. P., K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1475, 01, 17

To þe ryght worshypfull John Paston, esquiere, at Norwych ore to hys moodre Margreet Paston in hys absence, in haste.

I recomande me to yow, prayng yow hertely þat I maye have weetyng whan þat my lorde and ladye off Norffolk shalle be at London, and howgh longe they shall tery theere, and in especiall my lorde off Norffolk, for vppon there comyng to London were it for me to be guydyd. Neuerthelesse I wolde be soory to come theere but iff I nedys most. I thynke it wolde be to yow ouyre erksom a labore to solycyte the materys a-twyen them and me but iff I weere theere my-selffe; wherffore iff ye thynke it be convenyent that I come thyddre, I praye yow sende me worde as hastely as ye maye, and by what tyme ye thynke most convenyent þat I sholde be theere, and off all suche counfforte as ye fynde ore heere off the towardnesse ther-off, and whan also þat ye shall be theer yowre-selffe. Fore it is so þat as tomorow I purpose to ryde in-to Flaundrys to purveye me off horse and

herneys, and parcase I shall see the assege at Nwse ere I come ageyn iff I have tyme, wherffor jff I so doo by lyklyhod it woll be a xiiij dayes er i be heer ageyn. And afftre as I heere from yowe and other, then vppon that at þe next passage, and God woll, I purpose to come to London warde, God sende me goode spede, jn cheff for þe mater above wretyn and secondly fore to appoynt wyth the Kynge and my lorde for suche retynwe as I sholde have now in thees werrys in-to Frawnce. Wherffore I praye yow in Norffolk and other places comon wyth suche as ye thynke lykly fore yow and me þat are dysposyd to take wagys in gentylmennys howsys and ellys where so þat we maye be the moore redy whan þat nede is. Neuerthelesse at thys owre I wolde be gladde to have wyth me dayly iij ore iiij more than I have suche as weere lykly, for I lakke off my retynwe þat I have heere so many. I praye yow sende me som tydyngys suche as ye heere, and howghe þat my brother Edmonde dothe , for as for tydyngys heere, theere be but fewe saffe þat the assege lastyth stylle by the Duke off Burgoyn affoore Nuse and the Enperore hathe besegyd also, not ferre from thense, a castell and an other town in lyke wyse wher-in þe Dukys men been. And also þe Frenshe Kynge, men seye, is comyn nyghe to þe water off Somme wyth iiij ml sperys, and som men trowe þat he woll at þe daye off brekyng off trewse, or ellys byffoore, sette vppon the Dukys contreys heere. When i heere moore I shall sende yowe moore tydyngys. The Kyngys jnbassatorys, Syr Thomas Mongomeré and þe Master off the Rollys, be comyng homwardys from Nuse, and as for me I thynke þat I sholde be seke but iff i see it. Syre John off Parre and William Berkeley com thys weys to Flaundrys ward to by them horse and herneys, and removei made Syr J. Parre goode cheere as I cowde for yowre sake, and he tolde me þat ye made hym haulte cheere &c. at Norwyche. No moore. Wretyn at Caleys the xvij daye off Janeuer Ao Edwardi iiijti xiiijo

TO JOHN PASTON III OR OTHERS 1475, 02, 05

To hys brother John Paston, ore to hyremoves oncle William Paston in Werwykk Lane, ore to Edmond Paston at þe George at Powlys Wharffe: to delyuer any of them.

Ryght worshypfull, I recomaunde me on-to yow, letyng yow weete þat i thynke longe þat I heere nott from yow syns Crystmesse nere have no serteyn knowleche whether þat Towneshend hathe performyd hys promysse ore nott, nere off my brothere Johnys beyng at London, nere off my lord ore lady off Norffolkys comyng to London, at whoys comyng sholde be þe cheffe labore and sewte þat I or any for me sholde labore. It was soo, God thanke yow bothe, þat iche off yow at my last beyng wyth yow grauntyd me to take labore vppon yow and iche off yow for the hauyng ageyn off my place in Castre. Now is it soo þat wher my verry purpose was to have comyn to London now, wyth the Master of the Rollys and Syr Thomas Mongomeré, demyng to fynde the Kyng at the parlement, and also þat my lorde and lady off Norffolk sholde nott by lyklyhod fayle to be theere also, wherffore me thoght the tyme was convenyent; but it happyd so þat suche tydyngys come hyddre off the Frenshe Kyngys hasty comyng in-to thees marchys off Pykardye whyche cawsyd my lordys deputé and cownsell heere to desyre and charge me soo streyghtly þat in noo wyse I maye, tyll I heere othere tydyngys, departe from hense. Notwythstondyng the marchall and counsell heere have wretyne to my lorde lywe-tenant for me , and moore-ouer desyryd both þe Master off þe Rollys and Syr T. Mongomeré to remembre my materys both to þe Kynge and to my lorde, in so moche þat iff the season be convenyent bothe þe seyd Master and Syre T. Mongomeré wille labore bothe the Kynge and my lorde to entrete my lorde of Norffolk, my lady hys wyff, and ther consell to do for me all that reason wyll, off whoys good willys and labore here-in I ame better ensuryd off than I kan,for lakke off leysere at thys tyme, wryght yowe wetyng off. Wher-for I praye yow and iche off yow, iff the season be convenyent, to take the labore that theese jentyllmen maye do for me and to my proffyght like as I feelle them dysposyd to doo; and moore-ouer I have somwhatt informyd them bothe ther-in. And also þat I maye

hastyly heer from yow; and jff it come to þat any mony most be geuyn to my lorde ore lady off Norffolk for a plesyre herffore, I woll vppon as i heer from yow come to yow in alle hast possible, all thyngys leyde a-parte.
Item, iff any letter be requeryth to be hadde, jn lyke forme as onys ther was from the Kyng to my lorde off Norffolk, Syr T. Mongomeré will by yowre advycys opteyne yow suche on off yowre ententys to my proffyghte in the premyssys, and by thys my wryghtyng I bynde me to repaye yowe iff any suche letter ore wryghtyng be opteynyd, what so euer it coste. No more for lakke off leyser. Wretyn at Caleys the v daye off Feuerere Ao E. iiij xiiijo. As for tydyngys heer, my masteris th'embassatorys, Syr T. Mongomeré and the Master off the Rollys, kom streyght from the Duke at hys assege at Nywysse, whyche wyll nott yit be wonne. Yowre John Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1475, 02, 22

To Mestresse Margret Paston at Norwyche be thys delyueryd.

Please it yow to weete þat I receyuyd a letter from yow wretyn þe Saterdaye next byffore Candelmesse, for answere wheroff lyke it yow to weete þat, as for the bokys þat weer Syr James, God haue hys sowle, I thynke best that they be styll wyth yow tyll þat I speke wyth yow my-selff. My mynde is now nott most vppon bokys.
Item, as for xx li. þat ye sey þat yowre plate lythe fore, it is so þat i fownde my oncle William no sewerté therffore. As Playtere and my brother John bothe cowde enfforme yowe, it was neuer desyryd off me, nere the tolde me nott þat any suche pledge laye for it, but þat ye hadd dyschargyd me off xx li. and chevysshyd it, and þat ye sholde repaye it in hast: wherin I woll do as ye woll, and as it pleasyth yow to sende me wetyng.

Item, I ame sory þat ye be no bettre payd off þe xx li. þat I had off yowe, whyche ye sholde haue receyuyd ageyn off my londys in Flegge; iff the markett be nott goode yit I hope jt shall be better. Neuer the lesse my wyll is that ye sholde have yowre holl xx li. ageyn and nott lose j d.; wherffor iff it be soo þat ye be mysse seruyd there, I beseche yowe off pacyence tyll the begynnyng off the next yeere, and iff aught be behynd ye shall receyue vppe the remenaunt then, for as God helpe me I wolde be sory þat ye lost moore for me. I have pytte yow to cost, charge, and losse j-nowge, God thanke yowe off it, thoughe ye lose no more; wherffor jff Sporle woode sprynge any syluer ore golde it is my wyll þat fyrst off alle ye be yowre owne payere off all þat is be-hynde, and next thatt to paye myn oncle William vijxx vj li. xiij s. iiij d., and besyd that xvj li. lost vppon the chevysshaunce offe iiijxx li.; and so I owe viijxx ij li. xiij s. iiij d. Wherfor I beseche yow to make hast in repayment heroff as fast as it woll growe, as my trost is in yowe.
Item, wher it pleasyd yow to weete off myn heele and a-mendyng, I thanke Godde I ame in goode case, and as goode aremoves full hooll bothe off the fevre agwe, off myn je, myn legge, and myn heele, saff þat I ame tendre off all theese and, were nott goode rewle, full like to feell off iche off them ryght soone. Neuerthelesse God thanke yow off yowre large profre, wheroff I wolde be ryght gladde iff I myght, fore trobles and other labore that I have takyn on me nowe in-to Fraunce warde. For the goode spede off me and þat jorneye I beseche yow off yowre preyerys and remembrance; and thatt jorney wyth Goddys grace onys doon, I purpose verrely wyth Goddys grace therafftre to daunce atendaunce most abowt yowre plesure and ease. And wyth Goddys grace soone vppon Esterne, ere euyre I goo forthe, I hope to se yow and fecche yowre blessyng. No moore at thys tyme, but Jesus have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys the xxij daye off Feuerere Ao E. iiijti xiiijo. Yowre sone John Paston, K.

TO EDMOND PASTON II 1475, 06, 13

To John Paston ore to hys brother Edmond Paston at + þe George at Powles Wharff.

Brother Edmonde, it is soo þat I heer telle þat ye be in hope to come hyddre and to be in suche wagys as ye schall can lyve lyke a jentylman, wheroff I wolde be gladde. Wherffor for yowre better speede I lete yow weete þat Heugh Beamond is deed, wherffor I wolde ye had hys roome, nowe ore neuer iff ye can brynge it a-bowt. Ellys, iff ye dyspose yowe to abyde in Inglonde, syns it is so þat the Bysshop of Lynkolne is chauncelere, hys seruyse is the meter for yow---he is next neyghbore to Norffolk off any astate. God sende yow som good warde off hys. I praye yow iff yowre leyser be ther-afftre to remembre Towneshende þat he wyth the advyse and assystence off my Master off þe Rollys have on daye off Marche wyth þe slawe Bysshope off Wynchester, þat he maye kepe me hys promyse; þat is to seye to entrete þe Duke and Duchesse off Norffolk for Caster. He promysed to doo it, and to ley owt an c li. for þe same.
Item, I praye yow sende me som tydyngys wyth-in v dayes afftre þat ye see thys bylle. Wretyn at Caleys þe xiij daye off June. John Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1475, 09, 11

To Mestresse Margret Paston, at Norwyche.

Ryght reuerend and my most tendre and kyynde moodre, I recomaunde me to yow. Please it yow to weete þat, blessyd be God, thys wyage off the Kyngys is fynysshyd for thys tyme, and alle the Kyngys ost is comen to Caleys as on Mondaye last past, þat is to seye þe iiij daye off Septembre, and at thys daye many off hys host be passyd þe see in-to Inglond ageyn, and in especiall my lorde off Norffolk and my bretheryn.
Item, I was jn goode hope to have hadde Caster ageyn. þe Kynge spake to my lorde off Norffolk for it and it was full lyke to have comyn, but in conclusyon it is delayed tyll þis next terme, by whyche tyme the Kynge

hatremovehe comaundyd hym to take advyce off hys councell and to be sywere þat hys tytle be goode, ore ellys þe Kyng hathe asserteynyd hym þat for any favore he most do me ryght and justyce, &c. And iff Caster hadde comen, by my feythe I had comyn streyhte home. Notwytstondyng, iff i may do yow servyce or ease, as ye and I have comonyd heere-to-foore, afftre as I heere from yow, as God helpe me, I purpose to leeffe alle heere and come home to yow and be yowre hosbonde and balyff; wher-in I spake to my brothere John to telle yow myn advyce. I also mysselyke somwhat the heyre heer, for by my trowtremovehe I was in goode heele whan I come hyddre, and all hooll, and to my wetyng I hadde neuer a better stomake in my lyffe; and now wyth-in viij dayes I am crasyd ageyn. I suppose þat I most be at London at Mychelmesse and ther to purveye for payment for myn oncle William, by whyche tyme I praye yow þat I maye heer from yow, and off yowr advyce and helpe iff any thynge be growyn off Sporle woode, For had nott yit that danger have been, I myghremovet yit have ben at home wyth yow at thys daye or wyth-in vij dayes afftre. No more, but I beseche Jesus have yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys the xj daye off Septembre. John Paston, K.

PETITION TO EDWARD IV 1475

to þe King our souuerain lord

Sheweth vnto your highnesse your feythful liegeman and seruaunt John Paston, knight, that where Ser William Yeluerton, William Jenney, and Thomas Howes were infeffed in certain ...to þe vse of youre said suppliaunt, they of great malice, confetered with oon or ij of þe counsell of my lord þe Duc of Norffolk, caused the same Duc to clayme tytle vnto

þe manoire of Caster and other landes of your said suppliant, wherinne þe said Yeluerton and his coofeffees were infeffed, contrary to þ'entent and wille þat þei were enfeffed fore; vpon whiche title the said Duc with great force assegid and entred þe said manoire of Castre and other landes of your said suppliant, putting hym from þe lawful possession and estate þat he had in þe same, and also take from him vjc shepe and xxx nete, and þe same with other stuf and ordinaunces longing to þe same manoire of þe value of c li. toke and caryed awey, and þe said manoire diffacid, hurt, and appeired, so þat it coude not be repaired with cc marc. Also þe revenues of þe said landes by þe space of iij yeres to þe value of vijxx li. þe same my lord the Duke receyued and þe owt rentes of þe same never payed; whiche great trouble was like to be þe vndoing of your said suppliant. Wherfore he was fayn to sue to þe said Duc and lord by þe meanes of his godsip þe Bisshop of Wynchestre, whiche was in his special favour; at whos contemplacion, and for vc marc whiche þe same your suppliant payed vnto the same Duc, he graunted him to haue ayen his said manoire and landes and to restore him to þe possession of the same, whiche was so doon. And your said suppliant being in peasible possession, my said lord þe Duc and his cofeffees, Ser William Brandon, Thomas Hoo, Rauf Ashton, and other, at þe desire of my said lord relessed þeire estate and interesse aswel vnder my said lordes sele as vnder þeire own seles; wherupon your said besecher continued in possession but half a yere, at whiche time he was chargid in reparacions to þe somme of c marc, and payed þe owt rentes dewe by þe space of þe said iij yere to þe somme of xl li. That doon, my said lord, by sinistre mocion and aduice with force ayen entred þe said manoire and other landes aforsaid, with alle stuf of howshold being in þe same manoire to þe value of c marc, and so long time hath kept and reioysed þe revenues of þe said landes, and in chief þe said manoire, to þe value of vjxx li, by þe space of iiij yere and more. For redresse wherof your said suppliant hath þis said space of iiij yere sued to my said lord and his counsell, and of alle þat time þe same my lord wold never suffre hym to comme in his presence ne here him, ne noon other for him, to declare or shewe his grief. And forthermore, whanne your said besecher hath sued to þe counsel of my said lord and desired þem to moue his lordship þerinne, and to ansuere him resonably and according to right, they ansuered þat þei haue shewed my said lord his request, and þat he was, and is alwey, so moved and displesid with þem þat þei dar nomore move him þerinne. And þus your said suppliant hath loste alle his coste and laboure, to his charge, by his feyth, this iiij yere in his sute þe somme of vc marc, and now is owt of remedye without youre habundant grace be shewed in þat behalue, in somoche as he is not of power t'attempte youre lawes ayenst so mighty and noble estate, nor t'abide þe displeser of him.

Wherfore please it your moost noble grace, at þe reuerence of God, to move my said lord to withdrawe þe affeccion whiche he so hath to þe said manoire and landes, and to suffre your said besecher to haue and enioye þe possession of þe same according to right; and he at youre commandment shal relesse vnto my said lord alle þe dammages aboue wretyn, whiche amounte to þe somme of ml ccc liij li. vj s. viij d., and in time to comme, with Goddes grace, be þe more hable to do you seruice, and also specially preye to God for þe conseruacion of youre moost noble persone and estate royall.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1476, 01, 17

Lyke it yow to weete þat not in þe most happy season for me jt is so fortunyd þat wher as my lorde off Norffolke yisterdaye beyng in good heele, thys nyght dyed a-bowte mydnyght; wherffor it is for alle þat lovyd hym to doo and helpe nowe that that may be to hys honoure and weell to hys sowele. And it is soo þat thys contré is nott weell purveyd off clothe off

golde for the coveryng for hys bodye and herse, wherffor, euery man helpyng to hys powere, I putte the cowncell off my lorde in cownffort þat I hopyd to gete on for that daye if it weer so þat it be nott broken or putt to other vse. Wherffor please it yow to sende me worde iff it be so þat ye have or kan kom by the clothe off tyssywe þat I bowte for my faderys tombe; and I vndretake it shall be saffyd ageyn for yowe on-hurremovet at my perell. I deeme herby to gete greet thanke and greet assystence in tyme to come; and that owther Symme or Mother Broun maye delyuer it me to-morow by vij off þe clokke.
Item, as for other meanys, I have sente my servant Richard Tornor to London, whyche I hope shall brynge me goode tydyngys ageyn; and wythin iiij dayes I hope to see yowe. Wretyn on Wednysdaye the xvij daye off Janyuere Ao E. iiijti xvo. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1476, 01, 27

To John Paston, esquiere, at Norwyche be thys delyueryd.

I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete þat I was jnfformyd by Richard Radlé þat on Scarlett, þat was vndrescheryff to Hastyngys, wolde sywe to me on yowre behalff fore thatt ye weere dyspleasyd wyth a returne off nichyll vppon yow in þe seyde Hastyngys tyme; wherffor Richard Radlé thoghte þat the seyde Scarlett wolde be gladde to gyff yow a noble or a riall for a sadell to amendys, so þat ye wolde sease and stoppe the bylle whyche ye entende to putt in to þe corte ageyn hys master Hastyngys. Wherffor the seyde Scarlett com to me and prayed me to helpe in the same, and so I have don my devoyre to feele off hym the most þat he can fynde in hys stomake to departe wyth to please yow; and in conclusyon I trowe he shall gyff yow a doblett clothe off sylke, price xx s. ore þer-abowte, whyche vppon suche answeere as I heer from yowe I deme þat Bysshop the atornye shall, iff I conclude wyth hym on yowre behalve, paye in mony or otherwyse to whom þat ye woll assyngne heere. I shall by the meanys off

Raddelé weete at whoys sywte it was takyn owte. I deme it som-thynge doon by craffte by the meanys off them þat have entresse in yowre lond to þ'entent to noyse itt therys, or to make yow past shame off the sellyng ther-off.
Item, I have receyvyd a letter from yowe, wretyn on Tywesdaye last.
Item, wher þat som towardys my lady off Norffolk noyse þat I dyd onkyndely to sende so hastely to Caster as I dyd, þer is no dyscrete person þat so thynkyth; fore iff my lorde hade ben as kynde to me as he myght have ben, and acordyng to suche hert and seruyce as my grauntffadre, my fadre, yowre-selff, and I have owght and doon to my lordys off Norffolk þat ded ben, and yitt iff I hadde weddyd hys dowghtre, yitt most I have doon as I dydde. And moore-ovyre, iff I had hadde any demyng off my lordys dethe iiij howrys ore he dyed, I most nedys, but iff I wolde be knowyn a foolle, have entryd it the howre byffore hys dyscesse. But in effecte theygh that in þat matere have alweye ment onkyndely to me, they feyne þat rumore ageyn me; but there is noon thatt ment truly to hym þat dede is þat wolde be sory þat I hadde itt, and in especiall suche as love hys sowle.
Item, wher it is demyd þat my lady wolde herafftre be the rather myn hevy lady for þat delyng, I thynke þat she is to resonable so to be, fore i dyd it nott onwyst to hyre cowncell. þer was no man thoght þat I sholde doo otherwysse, an as to seye þat I myght have hadde my ladyes advyce ore lyve, I myght have teryed yitt or I cowde have speken wyth hyre, ore yitt have hadde any body to have mevyd hyre on my be-halve. As ye wote, I dydde what I cowde. Moreouyre I taried by the advyce off Syr Robert Wyngffelde iij dayes þer for þat he putte me in comffort þat þe Lorde Howard and hys brother Syr John sholde have comyn to Norwyche, att whoys comyng he dowtyd nott but þat I sholde have a goode dyreccion takyn for me in thatt mater. They leyhe to me onkyndenesse for ouyrkyndenesse.
Item, as for my mater heere, itt was thys daye beffoore alle the lordes off the cowncelle, and amonge them ale it was nott thowght þat in my sendyng off Whetley thyddre in-mediatly afftre the dyscese off þe Duke þat I dalte onkyndly ore onsyttyngly, but þat I was moore onresonably dalte wyth. Wherffor, late men deme whatt they wylle, grettest clerkys are nott alweye wysest men; but I hope hastely to have on weye in it ore othere.
Item, I wende to have fownde a gowne off myn heere, but it come home the same daye þat I come owte, browght by Herry Berker, lodere. I wolde in alle hast possible have thatt same gowne off puke furryd wyth whyght

lambe. Item, I wolde have my longe russett gowne off þe Frenshe russett in alle hast, for I have no gowne to goo in here.
Item, I praye yow recomande me to my moodre, and late vs alle preye God sende my lady off Norffolk a soone, fore vppon þat restythe moche mater. For iff þe Kyngys soone mary my lordys dowghtre, the Kynge wolde þat hys soone sholde have a fayre place in Norffolk, thowhe he sholde gyffe me ij tymes þe valywe in other londe, as I am doon to weete. I praye yow sende me worde off my ladyes spede as soone as ye kan.
Item, as for Bowen, I shall fele hym, and sholde have doon thowghe ye hadde nott sente.
Item, ther is offryd me a goode mariage fore my suster Anne, Skypwyththys sone and heyre off Lynkolneshyre, a man v or vjc mremovearke by yeere. No more. wretyn at London þe xxvij daye off Janyvere Ao E. iiijti xvo.
Item, my lady off Excester is ded, and it was seyde þat bothe þe olde Dywchesse off Norffolk and þe Cowntesse off Oxenfforde weere ded, but itt is nott soo yitte.
Item, I shall remembre Caleyse bothe for horse and alle.
Item, Phylypp Lovedaye is heere comyn thys daye, and wyll be wyth yow in hast. He comythe home for goode and alle.

TO JOHN PASTON III OR MARGARET PASTON 1476, 03, 12

To John Paston, esquiere, ore to Mestresse Margrett Paston hys moodre, + in Norffolk.

I recomande me to yow, letyng yow wete þat , blessyd be God, vppon Saterdaye last past my lorde and wee toke the see and come to Caleyes þe same daye. And as thys daye my lorde come to Guynesse, and theere was receyvyd honourablye wyth-owt any obstaklys; wheer as I fownde Master Fytzwalter and other, whyche wer ryght hevye fore the dethe off þe noble man thatt was theere to-foore. Itt happyd soo þat my seyd Master Fytzwalter axid me ryght hertely fore yow, and I lete hym weete þat I demyd ye wolde be heere in haste, wheroffe he seyde he was ryght soory, fore soo moche þat he entendyth to come in-to Englonde; and as I conceyve he wyll come to Attylborogh and brynge my mestresse hys wyffe wyth hym, and theer to stablysshe hys howse contynuall. Wherffor he thynketh þat he sholde have as grete a lakke off yow as off any on man in þat contré,

willyng me to wryght on-to yowe and to late yow weete off hys comynge. He also hathe tolde me moche off hys stomake and tendre fauur þat he owythe to yow, wherffore I asserteyn yow þat he is yowre verry especiall goode master, and iffe ye weere abydynge in thatt contré whylse he weere theere, he is dysposyd to doo largely fore yowe in dyuerse wyse whyche weere to longe to wryght; in so moche þat I feele by hym þat he thynkyth þat itt sholde be longe ere he scholde be wery off yowre expencys off horse ore man. Now I remytte alle thynge to yowre dyscresion. Ye woote best what is fore yow. As for my lorde, I vndrestande nott yitt whethyre he wylle in-to Ingelonde the weke to-fore Esterne ore ellys afftre. I pray yow recomande me to my moodre; I wolde have wretyn to hyre, but in trowthe I ame some-whatt crased, what wyth the see and what wythe thys dyet heere. Nomoore to yow, but wretyn at Gynes the xij daye of Marche Ao E. xvj. By John Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON OR JOHN PASTON III 1476, 03, 21

To Mestresse Margrete Paston + at Norwyche, ore hyre sone John Paston, esquyere, and to euerych off them.

I recomande me to yow. Like it yow to weete þat I am nott sertayremovene yitte whethere my lorde and I shall come in-to Ingelonde þe weke byffoore Esterne ore ellys the weke afftre Esterne; wherffor, moodre, I beseche yow to take noo dysplesyre wyth me for my longe tarijnge, for I durst doo noon otherwyse fore dysplesyng off my lorde. I was noo-thynge gladde off thys jornaye iff I myght goodely have chosen. Neuerthelesse, savyng þat ye have cawse to be dyspleasyd wyth mee for the mater off Kokett, I am ellys ryght gladde, for I hope þat I ame ferre moore in favore wyth my lorde than I was to-foore.
Item, I sende yow, brother John, a letter herwyth whyche was browte hyddre to Caleys from þe George at Powles Wharff; I deme it comythe from my brother Water.
Item, iff ye entende hyddrewarde itt weere weell doon þat ye hyghed yowe, for I suppose þat my lorde wille take the vywe off alle hys retynywe

heere nowe byffoore hys departyng, and I thynke þat he woolde be better contente wyth yowre comyng nowe than an other tyme. Doo as ye thynke best, and as ye maye. Item, wher Master Fytzwalter made me to wryght to yowe to advyse yow to tarye, I remytte thatt to yowre dyscrescion. As for tydyngys heere, we here from alle the worlde. Fyrst, the Lord Ryverse was at Roome right weell and honorably, and other lordys off Ynglonde, as þe Lorde Hurmonde and þe Lorde Scrope, and at there departyng xij myle on thyse halff Roome the Lorde Ryverse was robbyd off alle hys jowellys and plate, whyche was worthe ml marke or better, and is retornyd to Rome for a remedy.
Item, þe Duke off Burgoyne hathe conqueryd Loreyn, and Quene Margreet shall nott nowe be lyklyhod have it; wher-for the Frenshe Kynge cherysshyth hyre butt easelye. Butt afftre thys conquest off Loreyn the Duke toke gret corage to goo vppon the londe off þe Swechys to conquere them; butt the berdyd hym att an onsett place, and hathe dystrussyd hym and hathe slayne the most parte off hys vamwarde and wonne all hys ordynaunce and artylrye, and more-ovyre alle stuffe thatt he hade in hys ost wyth hym exceppte men and horse þat fledde nott. But they roode þat nyght xx myle, and so the ryche salettys, heulmettys, garter nowchys gelte, and alle is goone, wyth tentys, pavylonys, and alle, and soo men deme hys pryde is abatyd. Men tolde hym that they weer frowarde karlys, butte he wolde nott be-leve it; and yitt men seye þat he woll to them ageyn. Gode spede them bothe!
Item, Syr John Mydelton toke leve off þe Duke to sporte hym, but he is sett in pryson att Brissellys. I praye yowe sende me som worde iff ye thynke likly þat I maye entre Castre when I woll, by the nexte massenger. Wretyn at Caleys in resonable helthe off bodye and sowle, I thanke Good, the xxj daye off Marche Ao E. iiijti xvjo. J.P.,K

TO MARGARET PASTON OR JOHN PASTON III 1476, 05, 27

To Mestresse Margret Paston att Norwyche, ore to hyre sone John Paston.

Please it yow to weete þat as for my materys, and theye appeyre nott, the doo, blessyd be Godde, as weell as I wolde they dyd, saffe that it shalle cost me grett mony and it hathe cost me moche laboore. It is soo þat the Kynge most have c mremovearke, and other costys will draw xl marke. And my mater is examynyd by the Kyngys cowncell and declaryd affoore all the lordys, and nowe lakkythe noo-thynge butt prevy sealys and wryghtyng to Master Colvill to avoyde. For the Kynge hathe promysed me as moche as I wolde he scholde fulleffille, and alle the lordys, jugys, seriauntys, have affermyd my title goode. Nott wythstondyng Sowthewell, James Hubberde, and Syr W. Braundon where at there owne desyrys offryd to afferme and advowe my tytell for goode, and þat my lorde off Norffolk þat ded is hadde noo tytell thatt they knywe, they tolde my tale as ille as they cowde, and yitt a lye ore too to helpe it, and yit it seruyth them nott. They be knowen as they are, in cowncell be it seyde, and so most all thys letter be. I have moche payne to gete so moche mony. Neuerthe lesse, but iff myn oncle schewe hym-selffe werse than euer he was, I shalle nott fayle iff he kepe me promyse, and thatt is but as he dyde last, þat is butt to be my sywerté and i to make hym sywerté ageyn. The Kynge departythe thys daye and wille nott be heer tyll Frydaye, whyche lettyth me, ore ellys by thatt daye I wolde have hopyd to have comen homewardys, and erst par aventur. Nomoore, but Jesus have yow in kepyng. Wretyn at London þe xxvj daye off Maye, the Mondaye next Holy Thurrysdaye þe Assencion. þe Kynge wolde have bowte it, but he was enfformyd off the trowthe and þat it was nott for a prynce, and off the greet pryse þat I wolde selle it att for þat I myght nott for-ber it, for he scholde have payed ml ml mremovearke ore moore iff he hadde hadde itt. Yowre sone J. Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1476, 06, 30

To John Paston, esquiere, beyng at the syngne off the George at Powles Wharff.

I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete þat I hav receyvyd yowre letter wretyn the next daye aftre Mydsomer; for answer wheroff I thynke þat to be bownde in vc mremovearke I thynke it is to moche, where-as I felt by yow ye sholde have wyth þe gentylwoman but iiijc. Neuer the lesse I agree. But ye shall vndrestande þat I wyll nott be bownde for yow þat ye shall make hyre joyntoure past xx li. by yere wyth-in a sertayne daye lymyted, be it j yere ore ij; þat is þe largest þat ye maye performe. For as fore the maner off Sparham, my moodre and ye acorde nott in yowre sayngys. She wyll nowght graunte yow ther-in whylse she levyth, saff, as she seythe to me, she hathe grauntyd yow x mremovearke by yeere tyll xl li. be payed, þat is but vj yeere. And afftre hyre dyscease she woll agree wyth goode will, so þat it maye be yowre proferment þat ye sholde have þat maner in joyntur wyth yowre wyffe to þe lenger lyvere off yow bothe, payng x mremovearke by yeere, soo ore there as she wyll þat it shall be. Therfore as for l mremovearke joyntur, I pray yow bynde me in no suche clawse butt iff it be for xx li. by a resonable daye, and xx mremovearke afftre the dyssease off my moodre. Take example at Derby.
Item, ye make yow sywerere than I deme yow bee, for I deme þat here frendes wyll nott be content wyth Bedyngffeldys sywerté nore yowrys. I deme thys mater will ocopy lenger leysere than ye deme fore.
Item, I remembre thatt thys mony þat she sholde have is nott redy, but in the handes off marchauntys off the Estaple, whyche at a prove ye shall fynde par case so slakke payerys þat ye myght be deseyvyd ther-by. I knowe dyverse have lost mony er they cowde gete ther dywtés owte off th' Estaple. God spede yow and sende yow þat ye wolde have. I sende yow þe obligacion her-wyth acordyng to yowre desyre, and a letter to Bedyngffelde thankyng hym for yow, and more-ouer letyng hym know off myn entent. Opyn it and close it ageyn iff ye lyst.
Item, wher I tolde yow þat the gowne clothe off olde chamlott I wolde have it hoome for my suster Anne, ye for-gate it. I praye yow sende it home by the next massenger, and a letter wyth it off suche tydyngys as ye knowe.
Item, blissed be God, I have Castre at my will.

God holde it better than it removewas doone her-to-foore. No moore, but wretyn the next daye afftre Seynt Petre, Ao E. iiijti xvjo. J. Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1476, 08, 30?

To Mestresse Margret Paston.

Please it yow to wete þat I was vppon Tywesdaye, the daye þat I departyd froo yowe, wyth my brothere John at Atelborow by viij off the clokke at euyn, and founde hym in suche case as iff ye had seyn hym than ye wolde nowe be as gladde of hym osse off a nywe sone. I wenyd nott þat he scholde not have levyd tyll þe mornyng, in so moche þat by my trowthe i dare seye þat iff it had nott fortunyd vs to have comyn to hym, he had not been on lyve on Wednysdaye; fore syns Saterdaye slepyd he nott iiij howrys, and yitt iij off them was syns I come thydyre, on-to thys nyght. And thys nyght, blessyd be God, he hathe slepyd well, and wyth Goddys grace I dowte nott but thatt he shall do weell, fore hys agywe is goone, and alle þat laye in hys stomake and vndre hys syde it weryth aweye. And wyth-in a daye ore ij I hope he shall be so stronge þat I maye come frome hym, and he hopyth to see yowe wyth-in fewe days afftre, as he seythe. On Wednysdaye I wysshyd to hym þat he and I hadde been at Norwyche; whervppon he harpyd all þat nyght, and fore cawremovese he hadde nott so goode rest as he wolde, it fylle in hys brayne to come to Norwyche, and he in an angre wolde nedys to horse - he wolde non horsse litter, he was so stronge. Neuerthelesse we wenyd nott þat he sholde have been able to have redyn a myle, and wenyd þat it had nott been possible to have passyd Wyndham. Bott whan he was vppe fore þat we seyde he roode so welle he ledde vss a dawnce faster than alle we cowde weell folowe. He was at Wyndham, by my trowthe, in lesse þan an howre, by a large quartere, and ther restyd hym an howre, and to horse ageyne and was heere in lesse than

an howre and on halffe. And now he dowtyth nott to slepe weell, fore he seythe þat he neuer faylyd to slepe weell in that bedde þat he hathe chosyn now at Frenshys; and thusse I hope he be sauffe. And I ame in dowte whethyre I shall wyth-in ij dayes owther come home to yow ore ellis to goo forthe as ye woote off. No more, &c. Wretyn on Frydaye next the Decollacion off Seynt John Baptyst.
Item, I have the wryghtyngys off Richard Calle. Yowre sone J. Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1477, 02, 14

To John Paston, esquyer, at Norwyche in hast.

I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete þat yisterdaye beganne the grete cowncell to whyche all the astatys off þe londe shall com to, butt iff it be for gret and resonable excusis. And I suppose þe cheffe cawse of thys assemblé is to comon what is best to doo now vppon þe greet change by the dethe off þe Duke of Burgoyne, and for þe kepyng off Caleys and the Marchys, and for the preseruacion off þe amytéys taken late as weell wyth Fraunce as now wyth the membrys off Flaundrys; wher-to I dowt nott þer shall be jn all hast bothe þe Dukys off Clarance and Glowcestre, wheroff I wolde þat my brother E. wyst.
Item, I feele butt litell effecte in the labore off W. Alyngton; neuerthelesse I deme it is nott for yow. She shall nott passe cc mremovearke, as ferre as I can vndrestand aparte.
Item, I will nott forget yow other-wyse. Itt is so þat thys daye I heer grett liklyhood þat my Lorde Hastyngys shall hastely goo to Caleys wyth greet company. Iff I thynke it be fore yow to be on, I shall nott for-geet yow.
Item, thys daye the mater by-twyen Mestresse Anne Haulte and me hathe ben soore broken bothe to þe Cardynall, to my Lorde Chamberleyn, and to my-selffe, and I am in goode hope. When I heer and knowe moore, I shalle sende yow worde. It semythe þat the worlde is all qwaveryng. It will reboyle somwher, so þat I deme yonge men shall be cherysshyd; take

yowre hert to yow. I feer þat I can nott be excusyd, but þat I shall forthe wyth my Lorde Hastyngys ouyre þe see; butt I shall sende yow worde in hast, and iff I goo I hope nott to tary longe.
Item, to my brother Edmond: I am like to speke wyth Mestresse Dyxon in hast, and som deme þat þer shall be condyssendyd þat iff E.P. come to London þat hys costys shall be payed fore. I shall hastely sende yow worde off more thyngys. Wretyn at London þe xiiij daye off Feuerere Ao E. iiijti xvjo, þe Frydaye a-fore Fastyngong. John Paston, K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1477, 05, 09

To John Paston, esquyere, in hast.

I have receyvyd yowre letter and yowremover man J. Bykerton, by whom I knowe all þe mater off Mestresse Brews, whyche iff it be as he seythe I praye Godde brynge it to a goode ende.
Item, as for thys mater off Mestresse Barly, I holde it butt a bare thynge. I feele weell þat itt passyth nott...marke. I syghe hyre fore yowre sake. She is a lytell onys; she maye be a woman heere-afftre, iff she be nott olde nowe: hire person semyth xiij yere off age, hyre yerys men sey ben full xviij. She kremovenowyth nott of the mater, I suppose. Neuerthelesse she desyryd to see me as gladde as I wasse to se hyre. I praye yow sende me som wryghtyng to Caleys off yowre spede wyth Mestresse Brewys. Bykerton tellyth me þat she lovyth yow weell. Iff I dyed I hadde lever ye hadde hyre than the Lady Wargrave; neuerthelesse she syngeth weell wyth an harpe. Clopton is aferde off Syr T. Greye, for he is a wydowere now late, and men sey þat he is aqueyntyd wyth hyre off olde. Nomore. Wretyn on Sondaye the ix daye off Marche Ao E. iiijti xvijo to Caleys warde. J. Paston, K. Iff ye haue Mestresse Brews and E. Paston Mestresse Bylyngford, ye be lyke to be bretheryn.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1477, 03, 28

To my ryght worshypfull moodre Margret Paston.

Please it yow to weete þat I have receyvyd yowre letter wherin is remembryd the gret hurte þat by liklihod myght falle to my brother John iff so be þat thys mater betwyn hym and Syr Thomas Brewses doghtre take nott effecte wheroff I wolde be as sory as hym-selffe reasonably; and also þe welthy and convenyent mariage þat scholde be iff it take effecte, wheroff I wolde be as gladde as any man, and ame better content nowe þat he sholde have hyre than any other þat euyre he was hertoffoore abowte to have hadde - concyderyd hyre persone, hyre yowthe, and the stok þat she is comyn offe, þe love on bothe sydes, þe tendre fauore þat she is in wyth hyre fadre and moodre, the kyndenesse off hyre fadre and moodre to hyre in departyng wyth hyre, the favore also and goode conceyte þat they have in my brothere, the worshypfull and vertuous dysposicion off hire fadre and moodre, whyche prenostikyth þat of lyklihod the mayde sholde be vertuous and goode. All whyche concyderyd, and the necessary relyffe þat my brother most have, I mervayle the lesse þat ye have departyd and geuyn hym the maner of Sperham in suche forme as i haue knowleche off by W. Gornay, Lomnore, and Skypwyth; and i ame ryght gladde to se in yow suche kyndenesse on-to my brother as ye have doon to hym, and wolde by my trowthe levere than c li. þat it weere fee symple londe, as it is entaylyd, whyche by liklyhood scholde prospere wyth hym and hyis blode the better in tyme to come and sholde also neuer cavse debate in owre bloode in tyme to come, whyche Godde dyffende for that weere onnaturell.
Item, an other jnconvenyence is, wher as i vndrestande þat the maner is gevyn to my brother and to hys wyff and to þe issywe bytwen them bygoten, iff the case weer soo þat he and she hadde yssywe togedre a dowtre ore moo, and hys wyffe dyed and he maried afftre an othere and hadde issywe a sone, þat sone sholde have noon londe. and he beyng hys fadris heyre. And for th'enconvenyence þat i have knowe late in vre in case lyke, and yit enduryth, in Kente by-twyen a jentylman and his sustre, i wolde ye toke the advyce off yowre concell in thys poynt. And that þat is past yow by wryghtyng ore by promyse i deme verrely in yow þat ye dyd it off kyndenesse and in eschywyng of a moore yll þat myght befall.

Item, where as it pleasyth yow that i sholde ratefye, grawnt, ore conferme the seyde gyfte on-to my brother, it is so þat wyth myn honesté i may nott, and for other cawses. The Pope will suffre a thyng to be vsyd, but he will nott lycence nor grant it to be vsyd ner don; and soo i. My brother John knowyth myn entent weell j-now heer-to-foore in thys mater. I will be fownde to hym as kynde a brother as i maye be.
Item, iff it be soo þat Syr T. Brews and hys wyff thynke þat i wolde troble my brother and hys wyff in the seyde maner, i can fynde no meene to putte them in sywerté þer-of but iff it weere to be bownde in an obligacion, wyth a condicion þat i shalle nott trowble ner inquiete them ther-in.
Item, i thynke þat she is made sywer j-now in astate in the londe, and that off right i deme they shall make noone obstacles at my wryghtyng, for i hadde neuer non astate in the londe, nere i wolde nott þat i had hadde. No mor to yow at thys tyme, but All-myghty God have yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys the xxviij daye of Marche Ao E. iiij xvjjo . By yowr sone J. Paston,K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1477, 04, 14

To John Paston, esquyere.

Ryght worshypfull and hertely belovyd brother, i recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete þat as by Pyrse Moody when he was heer i hadde no leysere to sende answere in wryghtyng to yow and to my cosyne Gurnaye off yowre letteris; butt for a conclusion, ye shalle fynde me to yowe as kynde as i maye be, my conciense and worshyp savyd, whyche when i speke wyth yowe and them ye bothe shall weell vndrestande. And i praye God sende yow as goode speede in þat mater as i wolde ve hadde, and as i hope ye shall have er thys letter come to yow; and i praye Gode sende yow yssywe betwyne yow þat maye be as honorable as euer was any off yowre ancestris and theris, wheroff i wolde be as gladde in maner as off myn owne. Wherffor i praye yow sende me worde how ye doo, and iff Godde fortune me to doo weell, and be off any powere, i woll be to Syr Thomas Brewse and my lady hys wyffe a verry sone in lawe for yowre sake, and take

them as ye doo, and doo for them as iff i weere in case lyke wyth them as ye bee. No moore, but Jesus have yow in kepyng. Wretyn at Caleys the xiiij daye off Aprill Ao E. iiijti xvijo. As for tydyngys her, the Frenshe Kynge hathe gothen many off the townys off the Dukys off Borgoyne, as Seynt Quyntynys, Abevyle, Motrell, and now off late he hathe goten Betoyne and Hedynge wyth þe castell ther, whyche is on off þe ryallest castellys off the worlde; and on Sonday at euyn the Ameralle off Fraunce leyde seege at Boloyne, and thys daye it is seyde þat þe Frenshe Kynge shalle com thyddre, and thys nyght it is seyde þat ther was a vysion seyne abowte þe wallys off Boloyne, as it hadde ben a woman wyth a mervylowse lyght; men deme þat Owre Lady there will shewe hyre-selffe a lovere to þat towne. God forfende þat it weer Frenshe; it weer worthe xl ml li. þat it were Englyshe. J. Paston,k.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1477, probably 04

To hys weell belovyd brothere John Paston, esquyere.

I recomande me to yow, letyng yow weete þat i receyvyd a letter off yowrys by Edward Hensted ij dayes afftre þat Whetley was departyd from me, whyche he hadde forgetyn in hys caskett, as he seyde; wherremoveoff i sholde have sente yow answere by Whetley iff i had hadde it to-fore he wente. Notwythstondyng i am ryght lothe to wryghte in that mater offte, fore for a conclusion i wrote to my moodre by Peerse Moody alle þat i myght and wolde doo ther-in. Ye have also nowe wretyn ageyn. Yow neede nott to praye me to doo þat myght be to yowre profyght and worshyp, þat i myght doo, offter than onys, or to late me weete theroff; for to my powere I

wolde do for yow and take as moche peyne for yowre weell, and remembre itt when par case ye sholde nott thynke on it yowre-selffe. I wolde be as gladde þat one gaffe yow a maner off xx li. by yeere as if he gave it to my selffe, by my trowthe.
Item, wher ye thynke þat i may wyth concience recompence it ageyn on-to owre stokke off other londys þat i have off þat valywe in fee symple, it is so þat Snaylwell, by my grauntefadrys will onys and by my fadris will sceconderely, is entaylyd to þe issyw off my fadrys body.
Item, as for Sporle xx li. by yeer, i hadde ther-off butt xx mremovearke by yere, whyche xx marke by yeere and the x mremovearke ouyre i have endangeryd, as ye weell knowe off þat bargayne, whyche iff itt be nott redemyd i most recompence som other maner of myn to on off my bretheryn for the seyde x marke ouyr xx mremovearke þat longith to me; wherffor i kepe the maner off Runham. Than have i fe symple londe þe maner off Wynterton, wyth Bastwyk and Billys, whyche in alle is nott xx mremovearke by yeere, whyche is nott to þe valywe off þe maner off Sparham. And as for Castre, it weer noo convenyent lond to exchange for suche a thyng, nore it weere nott polesy for me to sett þat maner jn suche case, for alle maner off happis. I nede nott to make thys excuse to yowe but þat yowre mynde is troblyd. I praye yow reioyse nott yowre-sylffe to moche in hope to opteyne thynge þat alle yowre freendys may nott ease yow off; for iff my moodre were dysposyd to gyve me and any woman in Ingelande the best maner þat she hathe, to have it to me and my wyffe and to þe heyrys off owre too bodyes begotyn, i wold nott take it off hyre, by God. Stablysshe yowre-selffe vppon a goode grownde, and grace shall folowe. Yowre mater is ferre spoken off and blowyn wyde, and iff it preve noo better i wolde þat it had neuer be spoken off. Also, þat mater noysyth me þat i am so onkynde þat i lette alle togedre. I thynke notte a mater happy, nore weell handelyd, nore poletykly dalte wyth, when jt can neuer be fynysshyd wyth-owte an inconvenyence, and to any suche bargayne i kepe neuer to be condescentyng nere off cowncell. Iffe i weere att the begynnyng off suche a mater, i wolde have hopyd to have made a better conclusyon, iff they mokke yow notte. Thys mater is drevyn thus ferforthe wyth-owte my cowncell; i praye yow make an ende wyth-owte my cowncell. Iffe it be weell, i wolde be glad; iff it be oderwyse, it is pité. I praye yow troble me no moore in thys mater.

TOJOHN PASTON III 1477, 06, 23

To John Paston, esqwyere.

I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weete þat i have spoken wyth Herry Colett and entretyd hym in my best wyse for yow, soo þat at þe last he is agreyd to a resonable respyght for þe xv li. þat ye sholde have payd hym at Mydsomer, as he seyth, and is gladde to do yow ease or plesyre in all þat he maye. And i tolde hym þat ye wolde, as i supposyd, be heere at London herre nott longe to, and than he lokyth afftre þat ye sholde com see hym, for he is sheryff and hathe a goodely hows.
Item, my lady off Oxenfforth lokyth afftre yow, and Arblaster bothe. My lorde off Oxenfford is nott comen jn-to Inglonde þat i can perceyve, and so þe goode lady hathe nede off helpe and cowncell howe þat she shall doo. No moore at thys tyme, but God have yow in kepyng. Wretyn att London on Seynt Awdryes Daye Ao E. iiijti xvijo . Tydyngys, butt þat yisterdaye my lady Marqueys off Dorset, whyche is my Lady Hastyngys dowtre, hadd chylde a sone.
Item, my Lord Chamberleyn is comen hyddre fro Caleys and redyn wyth þe Kynge to Wyndeshore, and þe Kynge wille be here ageyn on Mondaye. J.P.,K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1477, 08, 07

To þe ryght worshypfull Mestresse Margret Paston.

Please it yow to weete þat i have receyvyd yowre letter wretyn þe Tywesdaye nexte afftre Seynt James Daye, wherin ye desyre me to remembre Kokett, and also to be helpyng to my brother Johnys mariage. As fore Kokett, as God helpe me i knowe nott yitt the meanys possible þat i myght

paye hym by thatt daye; for thoos materis þat be off grettest wyght and charge and þat stonde nerrest my weell, þat is to seye the sywerté off þe maner off Castre, and the mater bytwen Anne Hault and me, shall wyth Goddys grace thys terme be at a perffyght ende, whyche will charge me ferthere than i have mony as yitt, ore lyke to have byffore that tyme off myn owne, and as God helpe me i wote nott where to borow.
Item, i most paye wyth-in thys iij yeere iiij mremovearke to Towneshende ore ellis forffett the maner off Sporle, and thus my chargys be gretter than i maye a-weye wyth, concidryd suche helpe as i have. And iff it fortunyd þat i forffetyd the maner off Sporle, ye weere neuer lyke to se me myry afftre, so God helpe me. Ye gave me onys xx li. to it wardys, and ye promyttyd as moche, whyche i receyvyd; and synnys off my mony off seyde maner growyng þat come to yowre handys was receyvyd by yow ageyn the seyde xl li., whyche when Kokett scholde be payed was nott yowre ease to departe wyth. Neuerthelesse ye maye yitt, when yow lyketh, perfforme yowre sayde gyffte and promyse, and thys somme owyng to Kokett is nott so moche. Neuerthelesse i suppose þat ye be nott so weell purveyd; wherffore, iff it please yow at yowre ease here-afftre to performe yowre seyde gyffte and promysse, so þat i maye have it wyth-in a yere ore ij, ore yitt iij, i sholde par case gete yowre obligacion to yow ageyn from Kokett, and he pleasyd. Wherffor i beseche yow þat i maye have an assyngnement off suche dettys as been owyng yow, payeable at leysere off suche mony as is owyng for the woode at Basyngham ore ellys-wher, for so God helpe me i sholde ellys wylfully ondoo my-selffe; wherin i beseche yow to sende me an answere in hast.
Item, as towchyng the mariage off my brother John, i have sente hym myn advyce and tolde hym wherto he shall truste, and i have grauntyd hym as moche as i maye. I wolde þat i weere at on comunycacion atwyen them for hys sake, whyche i sholde iff i myght. As fore my comyng home, i ame nott yitt sertayn theroff. I shalle hast me as faste as i canne, wyth þe grace off God, who have yow in hys kepyng. I beseche yow to remembre the premyssis and to helpe me, and wyth Goddys grace thes ij materis above wretyn, bothe off Castre and Mestresse Anne Hault, shall be endyd to my profyth and rest, and moore-ovyre ere awghte longe to, wyth Goddys grace, the maner off Sporle to be owte off dangere; promyttyng yow þat i shall doo jn Kokettys mater as moche as is possible for me to doo to yowre plesyre. It shall neuer neede to prykk nor threte a free horse. I shall do whatt i can. Wretyn the Thorysdaye next byffore Seynt Lawrence Ao E. iiijti xvijo. By yowre sone John Paston, K.

COPY OF WILL 1477, 10, 31

I, John Paston, knyght, in the last day of October anno Domini mlcccclxxvijo, will, graunte, and be-queth my sowle to All-myghty God and to the ... Marye, Seint John Baptist, Seint Gorge, Seint Cristofure, and Seint Barbara, and my body, yf i dyghe the cyté of London ..., of Owre Lady in the Whithe Frerys there, at the northe-est cornere of the body of the chyrche, and there to be made an oratory ...d or muche leke as ys ouer Syr Thomas Browne in the Frere Prechours, to the valour of xx li., so that it may cause ... there prayours there the rathere to remenbre my sowle and to pray therefore; and that there be geuyn to the behoff ...at plotte of grounde be made suere vnto me for euer the some of xx marc. ...dayly be the space of an holl yere by soumme well disposed brothere of the same howse, and that the seyd brother ...notwithstonding yf i decesse in the counté of Norffolk or there nye abouute, i wolde my bodye were buried at the priory of Bromholm ny vn-to the founders toumbe, which arche is vn-to the northsyde and ryght agayn my fadyre toumbe ...with an awtere and a toumbe for me to the value of xxli., and that the howse there have a rewarde ... to the Frerys of London, and that

there be also a broder of that howse to synge for my sowle by one ...s salarye. ..a closette made at my cost ouer my faders body there to the value of xx li. so that owre cousyns ...y have the more deuocion to that place and the rathere reste there bodyes there the encresse of the ... encrese and profite of the howse and reste on the religeus thereof lyke as owre auncetours have ...and to the entent that i have disclosed but on-to fewe persons concernyng the fee ferme that is payed ...the Duke of Suffolk. ...brothere John, yf i dye with-owth yssue leffull of my bodye, have the maner of Swaywell to hym and ... accordyng to the willez both of myn graunfadere and of my fadere, on whos sowles God have mercye the ...esse. ... Bysshope of Wynchestere or his assygnes woll and fynde suerté to do founde at the lyste iiij prestys ... of John Fastolf and his frendys, &c., at Caster, and that there be bylded loggyng conueniant for those ...r adioynyng vppon the bakhous ouer the gardeyn withouuth the mote on the weste syde of my ...es in the seid maner or maners yn Caster graunt by chartour grounde, space, and londe conuenyant for such ... entré and yssue therunto and to that entent and byldyng or purchasyng of license of the Kyng ... profitez of the seid maners holly be expendid the terme of vij yerez next after my dissece, and moreouer ... resorte theder in his owne persone to ouer-see the werkys or byldyng or establyssyng of the seyd howse ...have playn lyberté to dwell with-jnne my seid maner and fortresse the seid terme of vij yerez and that t... ...prestys. ...chapell of Seint John Baptyst withyn the seyd towne of Caster, with all the profitez yerly of that same, be geuyn ...ed to the seyd college or howse for euermore. with lycence therunto had of the Kyng and of the Pope with ... in Castre beforeseyd, which londis with the seyd chapell schalbe of the yerly value of vij li. yerly ...ment of one prest aboue the charge that the Bysshope will do to pray for the sowles of my fadere ... Thomas Lyndys, clerk, and of Syr John Dawbeney, and that after this aboue wretyn be performed, yf that ...es make astate by fyne reryd and enrolled in the Kynges courte of the seid maner and maners in Castre ...the yssue of his bodye lauffully comyeng. And for defaute of yssue of his body lawfully ...remayne to the issue of my moders lawfully commynge. And for defaute of yssue of here body lawfully commyng ... myn vncle Edward Maudeby and the yssue of his body lawffully commynge. And that for defaute ...comyng that the seyd maners

remayn to my cousyn Syr William Calthorpe and to the right eyrez ... for defaute of issue of his body lawfully commyng the seyd maners to reuerte to the ... ...chapell of the seyd collage be presented by the lordys of my seid maner ...gned by Syr John Fastolff. ...eryng de eadem villa vendatur per executores meos ad perimplendum et persoluendum ...em inuenerit securitatem ad redimendum manerium de Sporle predictum quod si ipse ... x acre terre de eisdem perquesite de Johanne Kendall tempore debito dentur predicto Johanni fratri ...legittime procreatis. Et defectu exitus legittimi de predicto Johanne fratre meo tunc predicte terre et tenementa remaneant ...y triaui mei legittime procreatis;et pro defectu exitus legittimi predicti triaui mei tunc remaneant Willelmo ...ipsius Willelmi legittime procreatis. Et pro defectu exitus legittimi predicti Willelmi tunc omnia predicta terre et tenementa ... assignatis imperpetuum, proviso quod executores testamenti Willelmi Pekering habeant x marcas pro ... habeat xxxvij acras terre de predictis terris sibi per volountatem patris eius assignatis siue legatis si tante ... terre que idem Johannes vendidit sint de numero illarum acrarum sibi limitatarum per Nicholaum patrem predicti Johannis ac... recompensacionem eo quod idem Johannes forte credidit quod ipse iuste potuit vendere queque terras et tenementa in feofamento ...patris, non obstante quod pater predictus non declarauit quicquid faciendum de dictis terris suis vltra certas acras ...na ipsius patris.

TO JOHN PASTON III AND OSBERN BERNEY 1478, 05, 05

To John Paston, esquiere, ande to Osberne Berney and to eueryche off them be thys letter delyueryd.

I recomaunde me to yowe, and thanke yow off yowre labore þat ye hadde at Heylesdon and Drayton in seyng þe woodys there; and it is soo heere þat Richard Ferore seyde þat he repentyd hym þat euyre he dalte wyth any woode theere, and iff i hadde sente hym but þe leest chylde þat i hadde to have warnyd hym to leve he wolde notte have dalte ther-wyth. And he

fonde noo comfforte in the Chancery but þat he is lyke to contente me for the harmes and hurte þat is doone, and moore-ovyre he hathe an injoncyon þat he shall felle noo moore.
Item, wheere as he desyryd me to be freendly to hym, i dalte so wyth hym þat i trowe he wylle reporte þat i seyde and dalte moore cortesly wyth hym than he demyd þat i woolde doo. Yitt for alle inconvenyencys þat myght falle, i wolde be gladde to have a weell stomakyd felawe þat wolde for my sake euerye daye see the seyde woodys off Heylesdon and Drayton and to knowe iff any weere fellyd heer-afftre, and iffe there be any fellyd syns that Whetley was theere, and i can preve it by wytnesse, I sholde have better recompence for euery tree than iiij trees weere worthe.
Item, it is so þat he hathe answeryd to my bille, wheryn he seythe þat he neuer knywe byfor the subpena delyueryd hym þat i hadde any clayme or entrest in the maner off Heylesdon, but þat it was peasyblé my lordys off Suffolk. Wherffor i suppose þat there be many men in Norwyche þat comonyd wyth hym off the byenge off that woode ere evyr he made hys fulle bergayne; and par aventur some freendys off hys gave hym warnyng ther-off and off myn entrest. Iff any suche credyble mane þat hadde hadde any suche langage to hym, or in hys companye, ere than he bargayned, or any man þat he laboryd to be halffe marchant or byere wyth hym, ar any man þat refusyd to bye the seyde woode bycawse off myn entrest in the presence off Ferore, any such credyble man maye, iff he wyll wytnesse ther-in wyth me or þat dare avowe it, sholde be to me a remedy off alle that is fellyd. I praye yow iff ye can heere any suche þat ye will in the presence off them make a bylle off remembraunce theroff. and off ther sayng, so þat they maye her-afftre wytnesse in þe mater. Neuerthelesse trowthe it is that he hadde knowleche theroff j-nowe, and soo hadde euery man off hys havore in Norwych, i dowt nott. And as for hym, i ame sure he hadde knowleche, for so moche as he desyryd at hys bargayn to have a sywerté to be savyd harmeles ageyn me, whyche was grawntyd hym butt nott executyd. No mor, butt i hope wyth Goddys grace to have hastely goode remedy for the hole maner, and off Drayton therto and alle the remenaunte. Wretyn at London the v daye off Maye Ao E iiijti xviijo.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1478, 05, 13

To my ryght worshypfull moodre Margrete Paston be thys delyueryd.

Please it yow to weete þat, where as i entendyd to have ben at home thys Mydsomer, and purposyd wyth yowre goode helpe to have bygonne vppon my fadrys tombe so þat it myght have ben endyd thys somyre, it is soo þat fore suche cawsys as are nowe bygvnne by-twyen my lorde off Suffolk and me for the manerys off Heylesdon, Drayton, &c., for whyche materis i most nedys be heere thys nexte terme, therffor i deme jt wolle be afftre Mydsomer ere than i can see yowe. Please it yow also to weete þat i comonyd wyth Master Pykenham to weete iffe he wolde bye the clothe off golde fore soo moche as he desyryd onys to have bowte it, and he offryd me onys xx marke therffore. Neuerthelesse it coste me xxiiij li.; yit nowe when þat i spake to hym ther-off he refusyd to bye it, and seyde þat he hadde nowe so many chargys þat he maye nott. Butt it is soo þat the kynge dothe make sertayne copys and vestymentys off like clothe whyche he entendyth to gyve to the coledge at Foodryngeye wher my lorde hys fadre is nowe buryed, and he byethe at a grete pryce. i comonyd wyth the vestment maker for to helpe me forthe wyth xij yerdys, and he hathe grauntyd me to doo, as Whetleye can telle yow; wherffor, iff it plese yow that it be bystowyd for to make a towmbe for my fadre at Bromholme, iff ye lyke to sende it hyddre, iffe it be solde i vndretake or Mychelmesse þat ther shalle be a tombe and somwhatt ellys ovyre my fadris grave, on whoys sowle God have mersye, þat ther shalle noone be lyke it in Norffolk, and as ye shalle be gladde herafftre to see it. And Gode sende me leyser þat i maye come home; and iff i doo nott, yitt the monye shalle be pitte to noon other vse but kepyd by some þat ye trust tylle þat it maye be bystowyd acordyng as is above wretyn; and ellys i gyve yow cawse neuyre to trust me whylle ye and i lyve. When i was last wyth yow ye grauntyd þat the seyde clothe off golde sholde be bywaryd abowte thys werke þat is above wretyn, whyche iff ye wylle perfforme, i vndretake þat ther shalle be suche a towmbe as ye shalle be pleased wyth, thowghe it cost me xx marke off myn owne purse besyde, iff i onys sette vppon it. No more, but i beseche Goode have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at London þe Wednysdaye in Whyghtsonweke Ao E. iiijti xviijo. Please it yow to sende me worde by Whetleye off yowre plesyre her-in. By yowre sone John Paston,K.

TO JOHN PASTON III 1478, 08, 25

To John Paston, esquyere, be thys lettre delyueryd, ore to my mestresse hys wyffe at Norwych to delyuer to hym.

Brother John, i recomaund me to yow, and i thanke God, my sustre yowre wyffe, and yow off my fayre nevywe Crystofre whyche i vndrestande ye have, where-off i ame ryght gladde and i praye God sende yow manye iff it be hys plesyre. Neuerthelesse ye be nott kynde þat ye sende me no wetyng ther-off; i hadde knowleche by footemen ore euer ye kowde fynde any massanger on horsbak to brynge me worde ther-off. Syr, it is soo þat the Duke of Bokyngham shall come on pilgrymage to Walsyngham, and so to Bokenham Castell to my lady hys sustre, and then it is supposyd þat he shalle to my lady off Norffolk; and myn oncle William comythe wyth hym. And he tellyth me þat ther is like to be troble in the maner off Oxenhed, wherffore i praye yow take hede lesse þat the Duke off Suffolk councell pley therwyth now at the vacacion off the beneffyse as they ded wyth the beneffice off Drayton, whyche by the helpe off Master John Salett and Donne hys man ther was a qweste made by the seyde Donne þat fownde þat the Duke off Suffolk was verrye patrone, whyche was false yitt they ded it fore an euydence. But nowe iff any suche pratte scholde be laboryd it is, i hope, in bettre case, for suche a thynge most needys be fownde byffore Master John Smyth, whyche is owre olde freende; wherffor i praye yow labore hym þat iff neede bee he maye doo vsse a freendys torne ther-in.
Item, bothe ye ande i most nedys take thys matere as owre owne, and it weere for noon other cawse butt for owre goode grawntdames sake. neuerthe lesse ye woote well thatt ther is an other entresse longyng to vsse afftre here dysceasse. Iffe ther be any suche thynge begune ther by suche a fryere or prest, as it is seyde, i mervayle þat ye sente me no worde ther-off; butt ye haue nowe wyffe and chylder, and so moche to kare fore thatt ye forgete me. Asfor tydyngys here, i her telle þat my cosyn Syr Robert Chamberleyn hathe entryd the maner off Scolton vppon yowre bedffelawe Conyerse, wher-off ye sende me no worde.

Item, yonge William Brandon is in warde and arestyd fore thatt he scholde have by force ravysshyd and swyvyd an olde jentylwoman, and yitt was nott therwyth easyd but swyvyd hyr oldest dowtre and than wolde have swyvyd the othere sustre bothe, wher-fore men sey fowle off hym, that he wolde ete the henne and alle her chekynnys; and som sey þat the Kynge entendyth to sitte vppon hym, and men seye he is lyke to be hangyd, for he hathe weddyd a wedowe.
Item, as for the pagent þat men say þat the Erle of Oxenfforde hathe pleyid atte Hammys, i suppose ye have herde theroff, itt is so longe agoo. i was nott jn thys contré when the tydyngys come, therfor i sent yow no worde ther-off; butt for conclusion, as i here seye, he lyepe þe wallys and wente to þe dyke and in-to þe dyke to þe chynne, to whatt entent i cannott telle--- some sey to stele awey and some thynke he wolde have drownyd hym-selfe, and so it is demyd. No more, butt i ame nott sertayne whether i shall come home in hast ore nott. Wretyn at London the daye nexte Seynt Bartelmewe Ao E. iiijti xviijo. John Paston, K.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1479, about 05-06

To Mestresse Margrete Paston be thys delyueryd.

Please it yow to weete þat i sende yow by Barkere, the berere heroff, iij triacle pottes off Geane, as my potecarie swerytht on-to me, and mooreouyre that they weer neuer ondoo syns þat they come from Geane; wheroff ye shalle take as many as pleasyth yow. Neuerthe lesse my brother John sente to me for ij; þerfore i most beseche yowe þat he maye have at þe leste on. There is on potte þat is morkyn ondre þe bottome ij tymes wyth thyes letteris, "M.P.", whyche potte i have best truste on-too, and nexte hym to þe wryghe potte; and i mystruste moost þe potte þat hathe a krotte abovyn

in the toppe, lesse þat he hathe ben ondoone. And also the other ij pottys be prentyd wyth þe marchauntys marke too tymes on the coueryngys, and that other potte is butt onys morkyn but wyth on prente. Notwythstondyng i hadde lyke othe and promyse for on as well as for alle.
Item, it was soo þat i was yisterdaye wyth myn oncle Mautebyes wyffe, and delyueryd yowre letter, and lete her wete also þat ye had wretyn to me to speke wyth hyre and to have delyueré off suche euydencys as she hathe. And in effecte she is nott dysposyd to delyuer them on-to þe tyme þat she be in sywerté off her mony off the arreragys on-to myn oncle here husbonde, whyche she seythe is abowte þe somme off xx li.; and that doone she woll delyuer them, and ellys nott. And than i prayed hyre to se them, and soo at þe laste she grauntyd me to see them, and so yisterdaye i sawe them; and ther come iiij off her neyborys and wer ther present, whyche as i conseyuyd wer but shewyd and browte vppe for þat i sholde thynke þat she lakked noon helpe; and many suche soleyn toyes she hathe, and she hopyth þat ye sholde depart wyth her wyth a fee off x mremovearke or xx mremovearke by yeer. Bott as God helpe me i thynke, contrary to her promyse made to me, she hathe laten other folkys see thos euydencys, for she knywe euery dede weelle j-nowe and browte me forthe fyrst iij boxis wyth olde euydencys, i syghe neuer older, but as to seye þat ther be any þat will avayle, as God helpe me i deme nott there is nott paste x ore xij olde dedys þat i wolde gyffe for a grote, and yitt ther be abowte a houndred olde dedys in alle iij boxis. And than for a seconde corse she browte me iij other deedys endentyd off suche astate as was made to myn ij onclys off Sall, Wynterton, &c., and off them wolde she speke no worde tyll þat i tolde heer þat she most needys have suche; and soo she wolde graunte noo more, saff þat i bare hyre soo on hande þat i wost weell ther were more, so at þe last she seyde þat she shalle delyuer alle iff she have her monye. It is a peyne to deele wyth hyre. I sawe the wylle and testament off myn oncle her hosbonde, whyche is prowyd and vndre my lorde Kardynallys sealle, and she provyd sool executryse and hathe taken admynestracion; i syghe it vndre sealle. Wherffor i thynke beste þat ye purveye the on halffe off her arreragys and sende it hyddre, and at þe receyvyng off that halffe i hope þat she shalle delyuer alle the euydencys and truste yow for þe other halffe tylle Candelmesse ore Esterne, as i deme. But jn effecte she moste be sworyn, and other bothe whyche as i shalle devyse, whyche i deme hathe ouyre-lokyd the euydencys; and soo we shall make the best ther-off þat can be, and ellys, as she seythe her-selffe and as she lokythe afftre, þat ye scholde cause here to be hadde byffor the Chauncelere. She is in many thyngys full lyke a

wyffe off London and off Londone kyndenesse, and she woll needys take advise off Londonerys, wheche i telle here can nott advyse her howghe she scholde deele weell wyth any body off worshyp. And i tolde here þat she owghte off ryght to truste better to yowre promyse than ye scholde on-to herys, but ther-in she woll compare wyth a better woman than her-selffe as off her promyse, and yit i deme it is broken. I praye yow sende me worde her-off by the next massengere. I tolde her also þat but iffe she pleasyd yow þat she wer neuer lyke to have peny ther-off, for she canne nott dystreyne ther-for, and as for yow, ye neuer receyvyd peny theroff. Neuerthe lesse yowre wryghtyng to her and yowre promyse is j-nowghe to her to be in suerté þat she shalle be payed. I hope to doo welle, and the better for that þat ye sente me, jn alle my materys.

MEMORANDA 1479, 08

Memorandum vppon the presse at þe ferther ende is a box wyth ij ore iij bondellis wyth euydence off Oxenhed and Hauteyn. Memorandum that ther is rollis tytelyd vppon them ' contra William Paston', and they be owther vppon the presse or on the cowntre or on the shelffe by the cowntre, or ellys in the cowntre on that syde next the shelffe. To enquire off myn oncle William, off Jane, off my grauntdamys wylle, and whoo wrot itt, and whether she be buried or noo, and who weer present at hyre wylle makyng, and iff she spake owte off her londes. Inquire off the Kynge the Chaunceler

Milorde Chamberleyn Syr Thomas Mongomeré Mi lorde Cardynall Master Bele and hys clerke for my faderys wille.

TO MARGARET PASTON 1479, 10, 29

To þe ryght worshypfull Mestresse Margret Paston be thys delyueryd.

Please it yow to weete þat i have ben heer at London a xiiij nyght, wherremoveoff the first iiij dayes i was in suche feere off the syknesse, and also fownde my chambre and stuffe nott so clene as i demyd, whyche troblyd me soore; and as i tolde yow at my departyng i was nott weell monyed, for i hadde nott paste x mremovearke, wheroff i departyd xl s. to be delyueryd off my olde bedfelawe, and then i rode be-yonde Donstaple and there spake wyth on off my cheffe wittnessis, whyche promysed me to take labore and to gete me wryghtyngys towchyng thys mater bytwyen me and þe Duke off Suffolk, and i rewardyd hym xx s; and then as i jnformyd yow i payed v mremovearke jncontynent vppon my comyng hyddre to replegge owte my gowremovene off velwett and other geer. And then i hopyd to have borowyd some off Townesheremovend, and he hathe foodyd me forthe euyre synys, and in effecte i cowde have at þe most and at þe soneste yisterdaye xx s.; wherffor i beseche yow to purveye me c s., and also to wryght to Pekok þat he purveye me as moche, c s., whyche i suppose þat he hathe gaderyd at Paston and other placys by thys tyme. For wyth-owte i have thys x li., as God helpe me, i fere i shalle doo butt litell goode in noo mater, nor yitt i woote nott howe to come home but iff i have it. Thys geer hathe troblyd me so þat it hathe made me moore than halffe seke, as God helpe me.
Item, i vndrestande þat myn oncle William hathe made labor to þ'exchetor, and þat he hathe bothe a wrytte off diem clawsyth extremum and also a supercedeas. I have wretyn to þe exchetor ther-in off myn entent.

Iff myn oncle hadde hys will in that, yitt sholde he be neuer nerre the londe, butt in effecte he shold have thys avauntage whyche is behovefull for a weyke matere, to have a coloure ore a clooke ore a botrase. But on Tywesdaye i was wyth þe Bysshop off Hely, whyche shewyth hym-selffe goode and worshypfull, and he seyde þat he sholde sende to myn oncle William þat he sholde nott procede in no suche mater till þat he speke wyth hym; and moore-ouyre þat he scholde cawse hym to be heer hastelye. In whyche mater is no remedy as nowe, butt iff it were soo þat þe exchetor, iff he be entretyd to sytte by myn oncle William, whyche par case he shall nott, þat iff my brother John and Lomnore have knowleche off the daye, and they myght be there, Lomnore can geve euydence j-now in that mater wyth-owte þe boke. And more-ouyre þat they see bothe the letter and the other noote þat i sende to þe exchetor, and wyth helpe off th'exchetor all myght be as beste is. And iff my brother and Lomnor take labor her-in, i shall recompence ther costys. Wretyn in haste wyth schort advisemenremovet on the Frydaye next Seyntys Symond and Jude A0 E. iiijti xixo. Late my brother John se thys bille, for he knoweth mor off thys mater. John Paston,K.

INVENTORY OF BOOKS Not after 1479

The Inventory off Englysshe bokis off Joh... made þe v daye off Novembre Ao r.r. E. iiijti ... 1. A boke had off myn ostesse at þe George ... off þe Dethe off Arthur begynyng at Cassab... Warwyk, Kyng Richard Cure delyon, a croni... to Edwarde þe iij, pric-- 2. Item, a boke off Troylus whyche William Bra... hathe hadde neer x yer and lent it to Da... Wyngfelde, et jbi ego vidi; valet3.Item, a blak boke wyth The Legende off Lad... saunce Mercye, þe Parlement off Byr... Glasse, Palatyse and Scitacus, The Med... the Greene Knyght, valet- 4. Item, a boke jn preente off þe Pleye of þe... 5. Item, a boke lent Midelton, and therin is Bele Da... Mercy, þe Parlement off Byrdys, Balade ... off Guy and Colbronde, Off the Goos, þe... þe Dysputremoveison bytwyen Hope and Dyspeyre... Marchauntys, þe Lyffe off Seint Cry... 6. A reede boke þat Percyvall Robsart gaff m... off the Medis off þe Masse, þe Lamentacion ... off Chylde Ypotis, A Preyer to þe Vernycle... callyd The Abbeye off þe Holy Gooste... 7. Item, in quayerys Tully de Senectute in d... wheroff ther is noo more cleere wretyn... 8. Item, in quayerys Tully or Cypio de Ami... leffte wyth William Worcester, valet- 9. Item, in quayerys a boke off þe Polecye off In... 10.Item, in qwayerys a boke de sapiencia... wherin þe ij parson is liknyd to sapi...

11.Item, a boke de Othea, text and glose, valet... in quayerys- Memorandum, myn olde boke off blasonyngys off a...
Item, the nywe boke portrayed and blasonyd...
Item, a copy off blasonyngys off armys and t... names to be fownde by letter-
Item, a boke wyth armys portrayed in paper v ... Memorandum, my boke off knyghthod and ther-in ... off makyng off knyghtys, off justys, of torn... fyghtyng in lystys, paces holden by sou... and chalengys, statutys off weer and de regimi... valet-
Item, a boke off nyw statutys from Edward... the iiij-