The Paston Letters
Chapter 259 : 920 SIR JOHN PASTON'S WILL[300-1][Sidenote: 1477 / OCT. 31][I, JOHN PASTON,] Knyg

920

SIR JOHN PASTON'S WILL[300-1]

[Sidenote: 1477 / OCT. 31]

[I, JOHN PASTON,] Knyght, in the last day of O[ctober, Anno] Domini m^{l}cccclxxvj^o, will, graunte, and be queth my sowle to All myghty G.o.d, and to the ... ... Marye, Seint John Baptist, Seint Gorge, Seint Cristofur, and Seint Barbara; and my body, yf I dyghe ny the Cyte of London, [to the chapel] of Owre Lady in the Whithe Frerys there, at the Northeest corner of the body of the chyrche, and there to be made an orator[y] ... . . or muche leke as ys over Sir Thomas Browne in the Frere Prechours, to the valour of xx_li._, so that it may cause ...

... ther prayours there, the rather to remembre my sowle, and to pray therefore; and that there be gevyn to the behoff ... . . at plotte of grounde be made suer unto me for ever the some of xx. marc.

... ... . dayly, be the s.p.a.ce of an holl yere, by soumme well disposed brother of the same howse, and that the seyd brother ...

... [not]withstondyng yf I decesse in the counte of Norffolk, or there nye abouute, I wolde my bodye were buried at the prio[ry of Bromholm]

... . . un to the Founders Toumbe, which arche is unto the North syde, and ryght agayn my fadyr toum[be] ... ... ... ith an awter and a toumbe for me, to the value of xx_li._, 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 ... ... .

... salarye.

... ... ... ... ... ... a closette made at my cost over my faders body ther ... ... ... . of xx_li._, so that owre cousyns ... ... ... . have the more devocion to that place, and the rather reste there bodyes there the encresse of the ... ... ... . encrese and profite of the howse, and reste on the religeus there of, lyke as owr auncetours have ... ... ... [a]nd to the entent that I disclosed but on to fewe persons concernyng the fee ferme that is payed ... ... . . Duke of Suffolk.

[Item, I will that my bro]ther, 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 graunfader and of my fader, on whos sowles G.o.d have mercye, the ... ... . . esse.

[Item, I will that the] Bysshoppe of Wynchester, or his a.s.sygnes, woll and fynde suerte to do founde at the lyste iiij. prestys ... ... .

... of John Fastolf and his frendys, &c., at Caster, and that there be bylded loggyng conveniant for those ... ... ... ... . .

adjoynyng uppon the bakhous over the gardeyn withouuth the mote on the Weste syde of my ... ... ... . . in the seid maner or maners yn Caster, graunt by chartour, grounde, s.p.a.ce, and londe, convenyant for such ... ... . . entre 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, moreover, ... ... ... resorte theder in his owne persone to over see the werkys or byldyng or establyssyng of the seyd howse [he shall h]ave playn lyberte to dwell withinne my seid maner and fortresse the seid terme of vij. yerez, and that ... ... . . estys.

... ... ... ... . [cha]pell of Seint John Baptyst, withyn the seyd towne of Caster, with all the profitez yerly of that same begeny[ng] ... ... ... ed to the seyd college or howse for evermore, with lycence therunto had of the Kyng and of the Pope, with ... ... . . in Caster before seyd, which londis, with the seyd chapell, schalbe of the yerly value of vij_li._ yerly ... . . ment of one prest above the charge that the Bysshope wyll do to pray for the sowles of my fader ... ... ... Thomas Lyndys, clerk, and of Sir John Dawbeney. And that after this above 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 ... ... ... . .

yssue of his bodye laufully comyeng, and for defaute of yssue of his body lawfully [rem]ayne to the issue of my moders lawfully commynge. And for defaute of yssue of her body lawfully commyng ... ... . . myn uncle, Edward Maudeby, and to the yssue of his body lawfully commynge.

And that for defaute ... ... ... [comm]yng that the seyd maners remayn to my cousyn, Sir William Calthorp, and to the right eyrez ...

... ... ... . defaute of issue of his body lawfully commynge, the seyd maners to reverte to the ... ... . .

[Item, I will that the priest of the chap]ell of the seyd collage be presented by the lordys of my seid maner ... ... ... ... . .

... ed by Syr John Fastolff.

... ... ... ... ... ... eryng de eadem villa vendatur per executores meos ad perimplendum et persolvendum... ... ... ... .

em invenerit securitatem ad redimendum manerium de Sporle praedictum, quod si ipse ... ... ... x. acr' terrae de eisdem perquesit' de Johanne Kendall tempore debito dentur praedicto Johanni fratri [meo et haeredibus suis legiti]me procreatis; et defectu exitus legitimi de praedicto Johanne fratre meo, tunc praedictae terrae et tenementa remaneant ... ... ... ... . triavi mei, legittime procreatis; et pro defectu exitus legittimi praedicti triavi mei, tunc remaneant Willelmo ... . . [et haeredibus i]psius Willelmi legitime procreatis; et pro defectu exitus legitimi praedicti Willelmi, tunc omnia praedicta terrae et tenementa [remaneant] ... ... a.s.signatis imperpetuum; proviso quod executores testamenti Willelmi Pekering habeant x. marcas pro ... . .

et habeat x.x.xvij. acras terrae de praedictis terris sibi per voluntatem patris ejus a.s.signatis sive legatis si tantae ... ... ... . terrae quae idem Johannes vendidit sint de numero illarum acrarum sibi limitatarum per Nicholaum patrem praedicti Johannis ac ... ... ...

recompensacionem; eo quod idem Johannes forte credidit quod ipse juste potuit vendere, quaeque terrae et tenementa in feofamento ... . .

[pat]ris, non obstante quod pater praedictus non declaravit quicquid faciendum de dictis terris suis ultra certas acras ... ... ... na ipsius patris.

[Footnote 300-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The original of this doc.u.ment is mutilated. It is endorsed in a more modern hand, 'Testamentum Johannis Paston Senioris militis.']

[[Sidenote: 1477 _printed as shown, but body text says "m^{l}cccclxxvj" (1476)_

invenerit securitatem ad redimendum _text reads "invenet.i.t"_]

921

WILLIAM PEKOC TO SIR JOHN PASTON[304-1]

_To my ryth worschepffull master, Sir John Paston, Knyth, logyd at the Goorge, be Powll Warffe, in London, in hast._

[Sidenote: 1477 / NOV. 19]

Ryth worchepful sir, I recomand me to yowr good masterchep. Plseyth you to wete that I have purweyid for for your heryng a non after your departyng, but I can yet no caryage, nowthir owte of Yermowth, ner in no oder place be twyn Wynterton and Leystoft, nowthir be lond nor be the se, not yet; and specyally for your swanes. Hery Cook seyth he wolle no more come on the se with his good wylle. Ther is no man wyllyng to del with your swanes. Also, as for your hors, ye most ordayne a nothir keper than they have, or ellis ye chal not leke wel be them whan ye se hem; they arn nowthir redyn nor corayd. Peris is meche owteward, and Whyte wol not a tende hem, nowdyr for Peris ner for me. They arn not watryd b.u.t.t at the welle. Peris hath be ryth seke; and yet, but for dyspleser of you, Peris had ben in hand with Whyte or this tyme. Ye muste be proveyd of a nothir hors keper, or elles it wol do you harm on your hors. Also, I have had iiij_li._ for to a sent you if I cowde have gete ony trosty man to youward. As for barly, I can non selle a bove xiiij_d._ the comb. As your leter that ye sent me, I have fownd a frere that hath promyssyd me to do'n his dever if it may be browte a bowte be ony mene in hast. Also there is a grete chyppe go to wrekke be for Wynterton, and there came up on your several grownd gret plente of bowe stawys and waynescotte, and clappalde[304-2] grete plente. I gate cartys and caryd to the towne that that was fownd on your fee. Mastras Clere hath sen down hyr men, and with set alle the stuff and wrekke, and seyth that ye gete non there, for sche wol have it be the tytyl of the lete, and I have answerd there to, that che owte non to have be that tytil; and so if ye wol comon with yor cownsel, I trow it to the lord of the soylle and not to the lete; for the maner holdyth nothyng of hyr. Sche had never no wrekke nor growndage till withinne this xx. wynter. There is no maner in Wyynterton but your; lesse your ryth now and lesse it for ever. I am threte to be trobelid there, for there ben v. men on lyve of the chyppe. The bordes had ben good for wyndownes and dores. Ye chuld have had thyme worthe the money, and sche had not lettyd it. Ther is com up ter [_tar_] at Caster v. or vj. barell. Men of Scrowby hath fet it awey. Ye must have a meen be sum wryte of trespas for them, or ellis it wool do yow meche harm here after. Rechard Kedman, John Pool, senior, and William Abbys, these arn summe of ther namys of Scrowby.

Item, I receyved a leter the Twis day befor Sen Edmunde the Kyng there as ye wryte to me for William Foster; his sewirtesse ston chargyd for iiij_li._ vj_s._ viij_d._, as John Seyve hath seyd to me or the tyme that I receyvyd your leter, but he hath ij. men of Norwech to sewirte to save hym and his felaw harmeless. Scharggar is on, and Vyncent the plomer is a nothir that chal bere the dawnger. And as for your swanes, I have gette a man that chal cary hem be lond, and that I chal send word with the swanes that the herynges chal com be water; and if the chuld have ony heryng for your store, it wold be purveyd for, for heryng wol be dere or Lente.

Item, there arn wyndownes blow opyn in the place, and the wyndown of the gonne hows with inne the brege is revyn. I wot not whethir it was so or ye wente or not. My Lord of Norwech was at Caster Halle for to a cen the place as he cam to London ward. Ser, remembir your hors to have a better keper. Ser, to remembir thesse men of Scrowby, and comon with Master William Paston there in, for he part.i.th with you both wrekke and growndage in Caster; and he wold take the accyon in his lordes name that he delyth for, it ware a good wey, be my sympil wyth. G.o.d preserve you, and kepe yow, and bryng yow home a yen to your contre.

Wretyn at Mawteby on Sen Edmundis Evyn, the Kyng, in hast,

Be your man and servant,

WILLIAM PEKOC.

[Footnote 304-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed by Sir John Paston, 'Pekok, m. [_i.e._ mense] Decembris, anno E.

iiij^ti xvij^{o}.']

[Footnote 304-2: Board cut to make casks.]

[[Plseyth you to wete that I have purweyid for for your heryng _all text unchanged; duplication is at mid-line in Gairdner but at line break in MS._]]

922

WILLIAM PEKOC TO SIR JOHN PASTON[306-1]

[Sidenote: 1477 / NOV. 30]

Ryth worchypfull ser, I recomand me to your good masterchep. Plesyth you, as for Pekrynges mater, I sent a frere in John Pekerynges name for the evydens; and he had an answer that if he had a busschelful of evydenss, he chuld noon have of them, for he hath set the londe in trobill, nor he cowd have no seyte of none. Also remembir your ryth of your wreke at Wynterton. Thesse arn the menes namys of Wynterton, Robert Parker of West Somerton, John Longyard of Wynterton, Thomas Goodknape of the same, Will Wrantham and John Curteys of the same Wynterton, that caryid of your severel grownd xxij. carte ful of stuffe, viij^xx.

bowestavis, iij^xx. and vij. waynescottes, xiiij^c. clapalde,[306-2] v.

barell ter, iiij. copil oris, and gret plante [_plenty_] of wreke of the schyppe that is worth meche mony, as ye chal understonde the trowth after this.

And as for your heryng that chuld in to Ess.e.xkes, they arn there, be the grace of G.o.d. As for your swanes, they chal be there be Our Ladys Day next comyng, I troste to G.o.d, Ho have your masterchyp in Is kepyng.

Wretyn at Mawteby, where as I am ryth werey, on Sen Andrews Day, Anno xvij^o E.

Ser, if it plese your masterchep, I sold yet no barly, ner none can a bove xiiij_d._ the comb, as I sen word in a leter be John Russe; and I toke iiij_li._ in mony to bryng to your materchep. The prysse of your heryng is iiij_li._ iij_s._ iiij_d._, besyd oder costes. Hery Cook wold goo with your swanes, for hys yefte chuld be vj_s._ viij_d._, and there fore he wold yeffe you his labore, be so ye payd for his costes. Ipse dixit.

Be your servaunt,

WILL. PEKOC.

[Footnote 306-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] There is no address on this letter, but it is endorsed, like the preceding, by Sir John Paston, 'Pekok, mense Decembris, anno E. iiij^ti xvij^{o}.']

[Footnote 306-2: _See_ page 304, Note 2.]