The Paston Letters
Chapter 271 : Wretyn at Norwyche, on Sonday at nyght next before Sent Andrew, and delyverd on Monday

Wretyn at Norwyche, on Sonday at nyght next before Sent Andrew, and delyverd on Monday next be the morwyn.

Be your,

W. LOMNOUR.

[Footnote 29-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is apparent from the contents that this letter was written shortly after the decease of Sir John Paston in November 1479.]

964

ABSTRACT[31-1]

[WILLIAM PASTON TO ROBERT WALSH]

Thinks his dealing not very commendable, seeing that the writer is not paid his fee, according to the promise made by him and Fouke of Knapton, when they were with him at Norton. I had a distress and left it for your sake, but you show no consideration for me, etc.

[This is a draft in the handwriting of William Paston. To it is attached a small slip with these words, 'A letter fro William Paston to Robert Walsch and Robert Fouk of Knapton.']

[Footnote 31-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

965

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[31-2]

_To my ryght worchepfull and most kynd modyr, Margarett Paston._

[Sidenote: 1479 / DEC.]

Ryght werchepfull modyr, aftyr all dutes of humble recomendacyon, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of your dayly blessyng and preyer. Pleasyt yow to undyrstand that wher as ye wyllyd me by Poiness to hast me ought of the heyer that I am in, it is so that I must pwt me in G.o.d, for her must I be for a season, and in good feyth I shall never, whyll G.o.d sendyth me lyff, dred mor dethe than shame; and thankyd be G.o.d, the sykness is well seasyd here, and also my besyness puttyth awey my fere.

I am drevyn to labore in lettyng of th'execucyon of myn unkynd onclys entent, wher in I have as yet non other dyscorage, but that I trust in G.o.d he shall fayle of it.

I have spokyn with my Lord of Ely[32-1] dyvers tymys, whyche hathe put me in serteynte by hys woord, that he wyll be with me ayenst myn oncle in iche mater that I can shewe that he entendyth to wrong me in; and he wold fayne have a resonable end betwyx us, wher to he wyll helpe, as he seythe. And it is serteyn my brodyr, G.o.d have hys soule, had promysed to a byde the reule of my Lord Chamberleyn[32-2] and of my Lord Ely; but I am not yett so far forthe, nor not wyll be, tyll I know my Lord Chamberleyns intent, and that I purpose to do to morow, for then I thynk to bewith hym, with G.o.des leve. And sythe it is so that G.o.d hathe purveyd me to be the solysytore of thys mater, I thank Hym of Hys grace for the good lordes, mastrys, and frendys that He hathe sent me, whyche have perfytely promysyd me to take my cause as ther owne, and those frendes be not a fewe.

And, modyr, as I best can and may, I thank yow and my cosyn Lomenore of the good avyse that ye have sent me, and I shall aplye me to do ther aftyr. Also, modyr, I beseche you on my behalf to thank myn cosyn Lomnorre for the kindness that he hathe shewyd on to me in gevyng of hys answer to myn onclys servaunt, whyche was with hym.

Modyr, I wryght not so largely to yow as I wold do, for I have not most leyser; and also when I have ben with my Lord Chamberleyn, I purpose not to tery longe aftyr in London, but to dresse me to yow wardes; at whyche tyme I trust I shall brynge yow more serteynte of all the fordell [_advantage_] that I have in my besyness then I can as yett wryght.

I am put in serteynte by my most specyall good mastyr, my Mastyr of the Rollys,[32-3] that my Lord of Ely is, and shal be bettyr lord to me then he hathe shewyd as yet, and yet hathe he delt with me ryght well and honourably.

Modyr, I beseche yow that Pekok may be sent to purvey me as myche money as is possybyll for hym to make ayenst my comyng home, for I have myche to pay her in London, what for the funerall costes, dettes, and legattes that must be content in gretter hast then shalbe myn ease. Also I wold the ferme barly in Flegge, as well as at Paston, if ther be eny, wer gadryd, and iff it may be resonably sold, then to be sold or putt to the maltyng; but I wold at Caster that it were ought of the tenauntes handys for thynges that I here (kepe ye consell thys fro Pekok and all folkys), whyche mater I shall appese, if G.o.d wyll geve me leve.

[Footnote 31-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident from the contents that this letter was written shortly after the death of Sir John Paston. The year 1479 was a year of great mortality, in which the Paston family lost three of its members. The letter is not signed, but is in John Paston's hand.]

[Footnote 32-1: John Morton, Bishop of Ely.]

[Footnote 32-2: Lord Hastings.]

[Footnote 32-3: Robert Morton.]

966

JOHN PASTON AND HIS UNCLE WILLIAM[33-1]

[Sidenote: After 1479]

Thes be th'enjuryes and wrongys done by William Paston to John Paston, hys nevew.

Fyrst, the maners of Marlyngforthe, Stansted, and Horwellbery wes gev[en to] William Paston, Justyce, and to Agnes, hys wyff, and to th'eyers of ther tw ... . to whom the seyd John Paston is cosyn and heyer, that is to sey, son to John, son and heyer to the seyd William and Agnes.

Item, wher the [_seyd William Paston was seasyd of the maner of ----_], Ed. Clere with other infeofyd to the use of the seyd Will[iam][33-2] and of hys heyres, the whyche William made hys wyll that th[e said Agnes], hys [wife], shold have the seyd maner for terme of hyr lyff. And aftyr th[at he] dyed, and the seyd Agnes occupyed for terme of hyr seyd lyff ... . of the seyd feoffes the seyd maner; and aftyrwardes the seyd ... ... Afftyr whoys dethe Sir John Paston, Knyght, as cosyn and heyer to t[he said William], in to the seyd maner entred, and dyed with ought issue of hys bodye... ... John as brodyr and heyer to the seyd Sir John, [_and cosyn and heyer is lett . ._],[34-1] . . seyd maner entred, and is lettyd to take the profytys of the same by ... . of the maners of Marlyngforthe, Stansted, and Horwelbery befor r ... . by the meanys of the seyd Wylliam.

[Footnote 33-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident that this paper was drawn up some time after the death of Sir John Paston in 1479. It is in his brother John's handwriting.]

[Footnote 33-2: 'Ed. Clere--Will[iam].'--These words are interlined in place of the words in italics within brackets, which are struck through.]

[Footnote 34-1: These words are struck through.]

967

JOHN PASTON TO ----[34-2]

[Sidenote: 1479-80]

Sir, I pray yow that ye will send sum chyld to my Lord of Bukingham place, and to the Crown, wich as I conseive is called Gerardes Hall, in Bred Stret, to inquere whedir I have any answer of my letter sent to Caleys, whech ye know off; and that ye will remembre my brotheris ston, so that it myth be mad er I c.u.mm ageyn, and that it be klenly wrowgth.

It is told me that the man at Sent Bridis is no klenly portrayer; [the]rfor I wold fayn it myth be portrayed be sum odir man, and he to grave it up.

Sir, it is informyd sum personis in this c.u.n.tre that ye know that the frere will sew a nodir delegaci fro Rome, direkt to sum byschop of Ingland, to amend his mater, &c.; and how be it that it may not gretly hurt, yet the seyd persones, &c., wold not he shuld have his entent, in asmoch as his suggestion is untrew, but rather they wold spend mony to lette it. I suppose the Abbot of Bery shuld labor for him rather than anodir, becawse the sey Abbot is a perteynor to the lord that is the freris mayntener, &c.; wherefor, ser, my moder and I pray yow enquere after a man callid Clederro, whych is solisitor and attorne with Master Will. Grey, that late was the Kingges proktor at Rome, and the seyd Clederro sendith matiers and letters owth of Ingelond to his seyd master ever[y] monith, &c. He is well knowe in London, and among the Lumbardes, and with the Bischop of Winchesteris men, but I wot not wher he dwellit in London, and I suppos if ye speke with him, he knowith me. Plese yow to comone with him of this mater, but let him not wete of the mater atwix my modir and him; but desir him to wryth to his master to lett this, if it may be, or elles to se the best wey that he have not his intent, and to comon with the proktor of the Whith Freris at Rome to hep forth, for the freris here have laborid to my moder, and praid her to lette his ontrewe intent, and have wrete to her proketor befor this. And I suppose if ye speke to the prior of the freris at London, he will writh to her seyd proktor, &c., but tell the prior no word that I know [ther]of, but let him wete if he will wryth to his proktor, odir men shall help forth.

More over, that ye will tell Cledero that I am not seker that the frere laborith thus, but be talis of freris and odir; nevertheles let him writh to his master that [for] whatsomevyr he do herin, he shall be truly content for his labor and costes. And if ye think that Cledro will writh effectually herin, geff hym j. n.o.ble, [bid] hym let his master know that my Lord of Wynchester[35-1] and Danyell ow G.o.dwill to the part that he shall labor for. And if thar be fown no sech sewth be the seyd [fre]re, yet wold I have sum thing fro Rome to anull the old bull, &c., or to apeyr [_impair_] it [if] it myth be do esily, &c., and tyding wheder ther be any sech sute, &c.

Your own, &c.

[For] how beit that it may nowthir avayl ner hurt, yet my moder will this be do. [I] send yow the copi of the bull, and how execucion was do, and informacion of the mater imparte, &c. And, sir, I sha content your n.o.ble, &c. And I pray yow red it over, and spede yow homeward, and bring this letter home with yow, &c.

[Footnote 34-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] As this letter refers to the making of a tombstone for Sir John Paston, it may be presumed to have been written either at the end of the year 1479, or in the course of the year 1480. The MS. is a rough draft, apparently in the hand of Edmund Paston. It has been slightly mutilated, and apparently since the letter was printed in Fenn's fifth volume.]

[Footnote 35-1: William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

968

AN INVENTORY OF PLATE[36-1]

[Sidenote: 1479]