The Paston Letters
Chapter 225 : Syr, I recomande me to yow, &c. W. Gorney and I ar apoyntyd that ther shall no mony be

Syr, I recomande me to yow, &c. W. Gorney and I ar apoyntyd that ther shall no mony be takyn at Saxthorp tyll thys terme be past, for he hathe promysyd me to spek with yow and your consell, and that ye shall tak a wey betwyx yow so that ye shall be bothe plesyd. He had warnyd a coort at Saxthorp and to have be kep upon Holy Rood Day last past, and ther he wold have gadyrd the half yere ferm, but it fortunyd me to be there ere the coort was half done, and I took syche a wey with hym that the qwest gave no verdyt, ner they procedyd no ferther in ther cort, nor gadyrd no mony ther, nor not shall do, tyll syche tym as ye spek to gedyr, and [_if_] ye be at London thys term; but and ye be not at London, I wold avyse yow to let Townysend tak a wey with hym, for it lyeth not in my power to keep werre with hym; for and I had not delt ryght corteysly up on Holy Rood Day I had drownk to myn oystyrs, for yowng Heydon had reysyd as many men as he kowd mak in harneys to have holp Gornay; but when Heydon sye [_saw_] that we delt so corteysly as we ded he withdrew hys men and mad hem to go hom a yen, notwithstandyng they wer redy, and ned had be. And also my Lord of Norffolks men wyll be with hym ayenst me I wet well as yet, tyl bettyr pesse be.

Item, as for myn ownkyll William, I have spook with hym, and he seyth that he wyll make a byll in all hast of iche percelle be twyxt yow and send yow word in wryghtyng how that he wooll dyell with yow; but I can not se that he besyth hym abowght it, notwithstandyng I calle upon hym dayly for it. As for mony, I can none get, neyther at Snaylewell nor at Sporle tyll mydsomer, thow I wold dryve all the catell they have. I was bond to the shrevys for gren wax[139-1] and for a _fyeri facias_ that is awardyd owt of yowr lond, wyche drawyth in alle bettyr than v. mark, and I am fayn to borow the mony to pay it by that Lord I beleve on, for I cowd not gadyr a n.o.byll of areragys syn I was with yow at London of alle the lyvelod ye have. As for John Maryot, he is payid of hys anuyte in to a n.o.byll or x_s._ at the most, but as for all hys dettors I can not pay hem tyll I can gadyr more mony, so G.o.d help me. I pray yow send a byll to John Pampyng that he may ryed with me ovyr all your lyvelood, and tak a clere reknyng what is owyng and what that I have receyvyd, that ye may have a cler reknyng of all that ye owe in thys contre, and what your tenauntes owe yow. Item, I pray yow send me word as hastyly as ye can, how the world goethe. No more, but G.o.d lant yow lansmann,[139-2] and rather then to stand in dowght, remembyr what peyn it is a man to loese lyberte. The Flet is a fayir preson, but ye had but smale lyberte ther in,[139-3] for ye must nedys aper when ye wer callyd. Item, I have fownd Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon. Item, he comyth to Londonward thys day.

Wretyn the xiiij. day of Maye.

J. P.

[Footnote 138-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] What is here said of the attempt of Gurney to collect the rents at Saxthorpe, seems to show that this letter is of the same year as No. 796. Also the mention of Maryot's annuity and the green wax agrees very well with the previous allusion to these matters in No. 797.]

[Footnote 139-1: _See_ p. 134, Note 2.]

[Footnote 139-2: So in MS. What does this mean? Compare similar expression at p. 133.]

[[_"similar expression" = "G.o.d lant yow myn her" and footnote_]]

[Footnote 139-3: I have found no other mention of Sir John Paston having been imprisoned in the Fleet.]

802

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[139-4]

[Sidenote: 1472 / MAY 25]

Ryght worchefull syr, I recomande me to yow, sertyfying yow that I was purposyd to have com to London to have made my pese with my Lady of Norffolk, but I undyrstand she is not in London; notwithstandyng that is no cause of myn abydyng at hom, but thys is the cause, so G.o.d help me,--I can get no mony, neythyr of your lyvelod ner of myn, to pay for my costes, nor for to ease yow with at my comyng. Notwithstandyng I am promysyd som at Snaylewell, and if so be that John can take eny ther, he shall bryng it yow with this bylle. I send yow here ij. of my reknynges that I have receyved and payd syn I delt with yowr lyvelod, and by thes ij. and by that reknyng that I sent yow to London ye may know what is receyved by me, and what I have payid; and howgh and when so evyr ye wyll let your tenauntes and fermours at alle plasys be examynd, ye shalle fynd it non othyr wyse. So G.o.d help me, as your lyvelod is payid, it cannot paye your dettes in thys contre; for it drawyth up on a x_li._ that ye owe yet in thys contre, besyd the xii_li._ to Dawbney; and with in thes vij. dayis I shall send yow a clere byll what ye owe, for ther are axyid many thynges that I knewe not of when I was with yow.

Also I enswyr yow by my trowthe I saw my modyr nevyr sorer mevyd with no mater in hyr lyve then she was when she red the byll that ye gave me warnyng in that Perker had atainyd an axyon ayenst yow and me, for she supposyth veryly that it is doon by myn oncyll William meanys, to mak yow to sell your lond. But thys she comandyd me for to send yow word, that and ye sell eny lond, but paye your dettes with syche good as my Lord Archebyshopp owyth yow, and eny law in Inglond can put fro yow eny of hyr lond, she sweryth by that feyth that she owyth to G.o.d she wyll put fro yow dobyll as myche lond as ye selle. And therfor I wold avyse yow, calle sharply upon my Lord, the Archebyshop, for ye ar not bond to undo your sylf for hym.

Item, I pray yow se that I tak no hurt by Parker. As for myn oncyll W., I can not mak hym to send you the byll of syche stuff as he hathe of yowrs. He seyth he woll, but he comyth no of with it.[140-1] He and I ar fowly fallyn owght thys same day for a mater betwyx Lovell and Johne Wallsam and hyr sustyr. Lovell hathe bowt Jone Walshamys part of hyr lyvelod, and maryd hyr to a knave, and myn oncyll W. hathe oft spok with my modyr and me for to delyver Jone Walshamys evydence to Lovell, whyche I have in kepyng; and be cause I wyll not delyver Lovell the evydence therfor we fyll owt, in so myche that he seyth he wyll stryppe me fro the maner of Sweynsthorpe. Wherfor I pray yow in eny wyse send me by John Mylsend a copye of the deed that I sent yow to London. Ther is in the same deed Gresham and Snaylewell, and Sporle and Sweynsthorpe, alle to gedyr I trow. And I prey yow let the date and the feoffeys namys, and alle be set in. And I trust to G.o.d to mak yt so sewyr that he shall do me lytyll harm. Gefrey Spyrlyng callyth oft up on me to undyrstand how ye wyll delle with hym for hys plase in Norwyche. I pray you send me woord by John what answer I may geve hym; he delyth alwey ryght frendly with yow.

Item, I send yow here wyth Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon.

Item, I pray yow send serteyn woorde how the world gothe.

Wretyn the xxv. day of May.

J. P.

_Endorsed_--John Paston.

[Footnote 139-4: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have been written in 1472, when, as before observed, the Pastons were endeavouring to make peace with the Duke of Norfolk by means of the d.u.c.h.ess. The date is confirmed by the reference to James Gresham's obligation at the end. Compare last No. There is no address on the back.]

[Footnote 140-1: So in MS.]

803

MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[141-1]

_To Sir John Paston, Knythe, be thys delyverid._

[Sidenote: 1472 / JUNE 5]

I gret zow welle, and send zow G.o.dds blyssyng and myn, latyng zow wet that I spakke with frends of myn with yne thys fewe days that told me that I am leke to be trobyld for Sir John Fastolles goodes, the whyche were in zour fadyrs possessyon, and as for me I had never none of them.

Where fore I pray zow send me a kopy of the dyssecharge whyche ze have of my Lord of Wynchester that ze told me that ze had, bothe for my dyscharge and zowyrs wat sum ever that be callyd upon of eyther of us here after. Item, yt ys told me that Harry Heydon hat bowthe [_bought_]

of the seyd Lord bothe Saxthorpe and Tychewelle, and hathe takke possessyon there in. We bette the busschysse and have the losse and the disworschuppe and ether men have the byrds. My Lord hathe falsse kownselle and sympylle, that avyseythe hym thereto; and as yt ys told me, Guton ys leke to goo the same wey in hast. And as for Heylysdon and Drayton, I trow yt is ther yt schalle be. Wat schalle falle of the remnaunt, G.o.d kowythe,--I trow as evelle or whersse. We have the losse among us. Yt owythe to be remembyrd, and they that be defawty to have konsyens there in. And so mot I thryve, yt was told me but latte that yt is seyd in kownselle of them that ben at Caster, that I am leke to have but lytylle good of Mauteby yf the Duke of Norfolke have possessyon stylle in Caster; and yf we lesse that, we lesse the fayereste flower of owr garlond. And ther for helpe that he may be owte of possessyon there of in haste be myn a vyse, wat so ever fortune here after. Item, yt is seyde here that my Lord Archebysschoppe is ded; and yf yt be so, calle up on hys sueretes for the mony that is owyng to us, in hast be myn avyse; and at reverens of G.o.d helpe that I mythe be dyschargyd of the C.

mark that ze wet of, owder be that mene or sum other, for yt is to myche for me to bere, with other charges that I have besyd, that I am to hevy wan I thynk up on yt. As for your syster Anne, Master G.o.dfrey and his wyffe and W. Grey of Martyn, arn up on a powntment with me and your brother John, so that ze wylle a gre there to and be her good brother; sche schalle have to joyntor hys modyrs lyvelod after the dyssese of her and her husbond, and I to pay x_li._ be zere to the fynddyng of her and her husbond tylle c_li._, be payed. And yf hys grawntsyers lyvelod falle to hym here after, he hathe promysed to amend her joyntyr. Master G.o.dfrey hathe promysyd hym for hys parte xl_s._ be zere, and than lakkythe but iiij. n.o.byls of xx. mark be zere, the wyche they hope ze wylle make upe for zour parte. Wylliam Grey told me he schuld speke with zow here in wan he kam to London thys terme. G.o.d kepe zow.

Wretyn in hast on Fryday next after Sen Pernelle.[143-1]

Be your modyr.

[Footnote 141-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is evident that Henry Heydon's purchase of Saxthorpe, mentioned in this letter, must have been subsequent to his support of Gurney in the possession of that manor, as mentioned in Letter 801. No doubt the year is the same. The letter is endorsed by Sir John 'Per matrem.']

[Footnote 143-1: St. Petronilla the Virgin or St. Pernell. Her day was the 31st May.]

[[G.o.d kowythe _text unchanged: error for "knowythe"?_

tylle c_li._, be payed _punctuation unchanged_]]

804

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[143-2]

_To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght._

[Sidenote: 1472 / JUNE 5]

Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow.[143-3]

Item, Mastyr John Smythe tellyth me that Sir T. Lyneys goodys ar not abyll to paye a quarter of hys detts that be axyd hym; wherfor syche money as is be left it most be devydyd to every man a parte aftyr the quantyte, whyche dyvysyon is not yet mad, but when it is mad he hathe promyseyd me that your part shalbe worthe iij. the best, &c.

Item, as for J. of Barneys hors, whoso have leest need to hym he shall cost hym xx. marks, not a peny lesse.

Ye send me woord of the maryage of my Lady Jane; one maryage for an other on, Norse and Bedford were axed in the chyrche on Sonday last past. As for my syster Anne, my modyr wyll not remeve fro W. Yellverton for Bedyngfeld, for she hathe comend ferther in that mater, syn ye wer in this contre, as it aperyth in hyr lettyr that she sendyth yow by Thyrston.

Tydyngs her, my Lady of Norffolk is with chyld, she wenyth hyrsylf, and so do all the women abowght hyr, insomyche she waytys the qwyknyng with in thes vj. wekys at the ferthest. Also W. Gernay wenyth that Heydon is swyr of Saxthorp, and that Lady Boleyn of Gwton. John Osberne avysythe yow to take brethe for your wodsale at Sporle, for he hathe cast it, that it is woorthe as good as ix.^xx._li._ Bewar of Montayn, for he may not pay yow so moche mony with hys ease.

I prey yow recomand me to Sir John Parre with all my servys, and tell hym by my trouthe I longyd never sorer to see my Lady than I do to se hys Mastershepe; and I prey G.o.d that he aryse never a mornyng fro my Lady hys wyff, with owght it be ageyn hyr wyll, tyll syche tyme as he bryng hyr to Our Lady of Walsyngham.

Also I prey yow to recomand me in my most humbyll wyse unto the good Lordshepe of the most corteys, gentylest, wysest, kyndest, most compenabyll, freest, largeest, most bowntesous knyght, my Lord the Erle of Arran,[144-1] whych hathe maryed the Kyngs sustyr of Scotland. Herto he is one the lyghtest, delyverst, best spokyn, fayrest archer; devowghtest, most perfyghte, and trewest to hys lady of all the knyghtys that ever I was aqweyntyd with; so wold G.o.d, my Lady lyekyd me as well as I do hys person and most knyghtly condycyons, with whom I prey yow to be aqweyntyd, as yow semyth best; he is lodgyd at the George in Lombard Street. He hath a book of my syster Annys of the _Sege of Thebes_; when he hathe doon with it, he promysyd to delyver it yow. I prey lete Portland bryng the book hom with hym. Portland is loggyd at the George in Lombard Street also.

And thys I promyse yow, ye schall not be so longe ayen with ought a byll fro me, as ye have ben, thow I shold wryght how ofte the wynd changyth, for I se be your wryghtyng ye can be wrothe and ye wyll

crosse it.

+ + + for lytyll.[144-2] Wretyn the v. day of June.