The Paston Letters
Chapter 276 : EDMOND PASTON.[Footnote 44-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Fenn dates this letter 1479-80,

EDMOND PASTON.

[Footnote 44-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Fenn dates this letter 1479-80, suggesting that it must have been written very soon after Edmund Paston's marriage with the widow of William Clippesby, as it seems to imply that he had not yet carried his bride to pay her duty to his mother. I do not, for my part, know the date of this marriage, and I suspect Fenn had no other clue to it than the fact that William Clippesby, the lady's first husband, died on the 24th September 1479; but I presume his widow was still unmarried when she proved his will on the 18th May 1480 (_see_ Blomefield, xi.

144). I consider, therefore, that the letter must have been written between the years 1481 and 1484, as Margaret Paston died in November of the latter year.]

976

MONASTERY OF ST. FAITH[45-1]

[Sidenote: 1481 / AUG.]

Robertus filius domini Walteri de Mauteby militis insp[ex]sit cartas an[tiquas] ... . concessas Deo et monasterio Sanctae Fidis quinque quarteria salis annualis redditus . . e olim ... ... quinque _wayes_ percipienda de salinis ma[r]issi de Mauteby secundum mensuram ejusdem [mari]ssi. Quam quidem concessionem praedictus Robertus ratificat ... . . suum sub sigillo suo quid est[[45-2]]. And this deed sawe John Paston at the seid Seynt Feythes, mense Augusti Anno xxj^o Regis E.

[Q]uarti. And for this rent a . . the prior and the monkys there shewyd [to th]e seyd John, the same moneth and tyme, thes obitis foloyng tightled in the ... . . they s[ay]d that they ... . . whiche wold be knowyn and wachid. So the sayd ... . the obbites ... ... ... .

bi Maltby xij. die mensis Aprilis. Et d'ns d'nii (?)

JOHANNES DE MALTB[Y].

[Footnote 45-1: [Add. Charter 17,252, B.M.]]

[Footnote 45-2: Here occurs a representation of a s.h.i.+eld in the middle of the text of the MS.]

977

ABSTRACT[46-1]

ANONYMOUS TO MRS. [MARGARET PASTON?]

There is no tachment made in the land unless it be done privily. The sheriff has been thrice in our town in these three weeks. As for the panel of Frances' matter, there is none of the sheriff's deputies but Francis to inquire of.

[I am quite unable to attach a date to this letter, or to conjecture by whom it was written. Even the person to whom it is addressed is very uncertain, though I have suggested Margaret Paston.]

[Footnote 46-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

978

MARGARET PASTON'S WILL.[46-2]

[Sidenote: 1482 / FEB. 4]

In the name of G.o.d, amen. I, Margaret Paston, widowe, late the wiff of John Paston, Squier, doughter and heire to John Mauteby, Squier, hole of spirit and mynde, with perfite avis.e.m.e.nt and good deliberacion, the iiij^te day of February, in the yer of Our Lord G.o.d a m^{l.}cccclx.x.xj.

make my testament and last wille in this fourme folowyng. First, I betake my sowle to G.o.d Almyghty and to Our Lady His blissid Moder, Seint Michael, Seint John Baptist, and to Alle Seintes, and my body to be beried in the ele of the cherch of Mauteby, byfore the ymage of Our Lady there. In which ele reste the bodies of divers of myn aunceteres, whos sowles G.o.d a.s.soile.

Item, I bequethe to the high awter of the seid cherch of Mauteby xx_s._

Item, I wulle that the seid ele in which my body shalbe beried be newe robed, leded, and glased, and the walles therof heyned [_heightened_]

convenyently and werkmanly.

Item, I wulle that myn executours purveye a stoon of marble to be leyde alofte upon my grave within a yer next after my decesse; and upon that stoon I wulle have iiij. scochens sett at the iiij. corners, wherof I wulle that the first scochen shalbe of my husbondes armes and myn departed, the ij^de of Mawtebysarmes and Berneys of Redham departed, the iij^de of Mawtebysarmes and the Lord Loveyn departed, the iiij^te of Mawtebysarmes and Sir Roger Beauchamp departed. And in myddys of the seid stoon I wull have a scochen sett of Mawtebysarmes allone, and under the same thise wordes wretyn, 'In G.o.d is my trust,' with a scripture wretyn in the verges therof rehersyng thise wordes, 'Here lieth Margret Paston, late the wif of John Paston, doughter and heire of John Mawteby, Squier,' and so forth, in the same scripture rehersed the day of the moneth and the yer that I shall decesse: 'on whos sowle G.o.d have mercy.'

Item, I wulle that myn executours shall purveye xij. pore meen of my tenauntes, or other if they suffice not, the whiche I wulle shalbe apparailled in white gownes with hodes according, to holde xij. torches abowte myn herse or bere at such tyme as I shalbe beried, during the exequies and ma.s.se of my berying; which xij. torches I wille remayne in the seid cherch of Mawteby whil they may last for my yerday.

Which yerday I wull myn heire kepe in the same cherch for me my seid husbond and myn aunceteres yerly during the terme of xij. yeres next after my decesse;[47-1] and I wulle that ich of the seid xij. pore meen the day of my beriing have iiij_d._ Also, I wulle that iche preste being at my berying and ma.s.se have viij_d._, and ich clerk in surplys iij_d._ Also, I wull that the preste which shall berie me have vj_s._ viij_d._, so that he seye over me at the tyme of my berying all the whole service that to the berying belongeth.

Also, I wulle that from the day and tyme that I am beried unto the ende of vij. yeres than next folowyng be ordeyned a taper of wexe of a_li._ to brenne upon my grave ich Sonday and haliday at alle divine service to be seid or sunge in the seid cherch and dailly at the ma.s.se of that preest that shalle singe there in the seid ele for my sowle.

Item, I wulle that vj. tapers, ich of iiij_li._, brenne abowte myn herse the day of my beryng, of which I wull that iiij. yerly be kept to brenne abowte myn herse whan my yerday shalbe kept aslong as they may honestly serve.

Item, I wulle have an honest seculer prest to synge and pray in the seid ele for my sowle, the sowles of my father and mother, the sowle of the seid John Paston, late my husband, and for the sowlys of his aunceteres and myn during the terme of vij. yeres next after my decesse.

Item, I wulle that myn executours purveye a compleet legende in oon book, and an antiphoner in an other book, which bookes I wull be yeven to abide ther in the seid cherch to the wurss.h.i.+p of G.o.d aslonge as they may endure.[48-1]

Item, I wulle that every houshold in Mauteby as hastily as it may be convenyently doo after my decesse have xij_d._

Item, to the emendyng of the cherch of Freton in Suffolk I bequethe a chesiple and an awbe.[48-2]

And I wulle that ich houshold being my tenaunt there have vj_d._

And I bequethe to the emendement of the cherch of Basyngham a chesiple and an awbe.[48-3]

And I wulle that every houshold there have viij_d._

Item, I bequeth to the emendyng of the cherch of Matelask a chesiple and an awbe.[48-4]

And I wull that every pore houshold that are my tenauntes there have viij_d._

Item, I bequethe to the emendyng of the cherch of Gresham a chesiple and an awbe.[48-6]

And I wulle that ich pore houshold that be my tenauntes there have vj_d._

Item, I wulle that ich pore houshold late my tenauntes at Sparham have vj_d._

Item, to the reparacion of the cherch of Redham there as I was borne I bequeth v. marc and a chesiple of silk with an awbe with myn armes therupon to the emendement of the same cherche.[48-5]

Item, to iche of the iiij. houshes of Freres in Norwich, xx_s._

Item, to iche of the iiij. houshes of Freres of Yermouth and at the South toun to pray for my sowle I bequeth xx_s._

Item, to the ankeres at the Frere Prechours in Norwich I bequeth iij_s._ iiij_d._

And to the ankeres in Conesford I bequeth iij_s._ iiij_d._

Item, to the anker at the White Freres in Norwich I bequethe iij_s._ iiij_d._

Item, to iche hole and half susters at Normans in Norwich, viij_d._

Item, to the Deen and his bretheren of the Chepell of Feld, to the use of the same place to seye a _dirige_ and a ma.s.se for my sowle, xx_s._