The Paston Letters
Chapter 55 : _To the Kyng and the Lordes of his Councell._ [Sidenote: 1452 / [APRIL 30]]I John Clopt

_To the Kyng and the Lordes of his Councell._

[Sidenote: 1452 / [APRIL 30]]

I John Clopton, Shereffe of Norffolk, certifie that wher oon John Falyate and othre were take within the hundred of Blofeld in the seid s.h.i.+re, and led to the castell of Framlyngham in the counte of Suffolk, I, the forseid Shereffe, be the comaundement of my Lord of Norffolk, the last day of Aprill receyved at the seid castell a bille of divers knowlech and confessyons which were enformyd me shuld have be mad in the presens of my seid Lords Councell be Roger Chirch and othre, which the seid John Falyate, as it was enformed me, shuld have confessid to have be trewe. After which bille receyved and be me red and understand, callyng befor me the seid John Falyate and alle othre that where examyned, except the seyd Roger Chirch, in the presens of divers of my Lords Councell there, I red to the seid John Falyate the tale comprised in the seid bille seid be the seid Roger Chirch, demawndyng hym of the trought her of; wherto he answered, and seid that he wust wele ther was no wey with hym but deth, and therfore, as he wuld answer afore G.o.d, he wuld sey the trought, and seid that the substaunce of the tale told be the seid Roger Chirch was untrewe, and feyned and imagyned be the same Chirch, and that he never had knowleched that the tale to be trewe.

Neverthelesse he seid that he was with a felesshep gadered undre Possewykwode be the prokeryng of the seid Chirch, which feleshep, whan thei were all togeder, pa.s.sid not the nombre of xv. persones. And that the seid Chirch wast the furst that ever mevid hym for to come theder, seying that he shuld have feleshep i nowe and do goode, for he was balyffe of the hundred, and be colour of his office he shuld send in men i now, and that he knew a G.o.de name for her capteyn, that shuld be John Amend Alle. More over I the seid Shereffe asked the seid Falyate if thei whan thei wer to geder spoke of Paston and othre gentilmen named in the seid bille to have a.s.sisted hem; and he seid pleynly nay, but that thei and othre thryfty men were noysid be the seid Chirch and be his councellores sith the tyme of the gaderyng of the seid feleshep, and never was spokyn of ther. In like wyse seid othre that were examyned in the seid bille.

[Footnote 263.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] John Clopton was Sheriff of Norfolk from Michaelmas 1451 to Michaelmas 1452.]

215

JOHN OSBERN TO JOHN PASTON[264.1]

_To my right reverent and worchepful maister John Paston in the Iner In of the Temple be this delyverid in hast._

[Sidenote: 1452 / MAY 14]

Please it your maisterchep to weete that John Reyner and Nicholas Strec.o.k of Sparham have gete a respyte of Nicholas Byschop for the distresse that the seid Byschop had take, as ye knowe wele, tyl seche tyme as ye may speke wyth Symond Blake for the trought of the mater; not wythstandyng this respite myght never be gete tyll that Byschop had a reward of mony; it is told me he toke viij_d._ for hese reward. The dryvers ought of the catell fro Sparham ground to Lyng grownd were Hugo Sadde of Baldeswell, Byschoppis man, Nicholas Gatesend, Roberd Joye, Jacobis Baxter of Lyng. James Gloys hath a bill of the tyme and day.

I pray your maisterchep to know that on Fryday in the afftyr none I spak with my lord of Norwiche in hese chamber more than the s.p.a.ce of j. owre and ther I dede to hym myn erand that ye commaunded me for to a do to chalanches, and when my lord woost that ye were to London he was right sory that he had not a spoke wyth yow or that ye reden; he told me that he had iij. letters fro my lord of Norffolk the day before. Alle I wet wel were they not for yowre mater of Charlys Nowell. Aftyer that he had told me of these letteris he askid me how ye dede. I sayde wel, for I trostid to my lord of Norffolkis lordchep and ritewesnesse that he wold see that Charles shuld be sharply correctyd for hese trespa.s.se and mysrewle, or ellis the jentelmen of the s.h.i.+re must to giddyer purvey anodyer meane; and he seid it wold never odyerwyse be, but if he had spoke wyth yow or ye redyn to London he hopid be your avys he shuld a perveyd a meane to a set that in correccion, and also the trobyl for the maner of Brayston, for that was cause of all. For he seide he had spoke wyth my lord Skales and he is wel disposid to yow and vn the best wyse and wel do ... yow that he can, so that he wold forsake Danyell. This was seyde in a diswere, savyng he told me he must ... . pleayne he told me many more thyngges and tales I pray you of your maistechep (_sic_) hold me excusid that I wryte hem [not], but they were not alle of gret substans, &c. I had gret cher, he comaunded me to be had into the seler, and for to drynk wyne and ale bothe; and so I had and goode chere. My mastras recomendith her to yow and pray yow that ye wol do the cost vn my mastras Margery for to do make her a new gyrdyl a yens Witsontyde, for she shal never have, my mastras seith, till she hath nede; and my mastras prayith yow to send her tydyngges, as hastely as ye may, how ye do in your maters. The Holy Trenyte have yow in hese kepyng.

Wrete at Norwiche the xiiij. day of Maii.

Be your seruaunt,

JOHN OSBERN.

[Footnote 264.1: [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 83.] The reference to the outrages of Charles Nowell, the bailiff of Bradeston, and the trouble about that manor, show that this letter must be of the year 1452.]

216

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[266.1]

_To my rygth wirchipfel hosbond, John Paston, be this delyverid in hast._

[Sidenote: 1452 / JULY 4]

Ryth wors.h.i.+pfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow, desyryng hertyly to her of your welfar, praying yow that ye woll send me word in hast how ye be agreid with Wychyngham and Inglose[266.2] for that mater that ye spake to me of at your departyng; for if I shuld purvey other wood or hey, it shuld be bowgth best chepe be twixt this and Seynt Margretys messe,[266.3] as itt is told me. As for Applyard, he com not yett to this town syn he com from London. I have sent to Sir Bryse to lete me have knowleche when he comyth to town, and he hath promysid that I shall have knowleche, and when he comyth I shall do your commawndement. My moder bad me send yow word that Waron Herman hath dayly fys.h.i.+d hyre water all this yer, and therfor she prayith yow to do therfor while ye be att London as ye thynk best.

Chyrche[266.4] of Byrlyngham was toke and browte to the castell yisterday be the Beshopys men, and all his G.o.dys ben seysid for that he owyth to the Boshop. And the seid Chirche seyth as for that he hath seyd of hem that he hath appelyd befor this tyme, he woll awow itt and abyd therby; and seyth that he woll appele one that hath mor n.o.belys than they have all that he hath spoke of yett, and that shall avayll the King more than they have all that he hath speke of yett; but what he is, he woll not name tyll he know mor. I trow but if that be the grett labour made ayens hym, he is lyke to have grett favour of hem that have be his supportors. Men thenk that have spoke with hym that he hopeth to have good helpe. I pray G.o.d that the trewth mote be knowyn.

I pray yow that ye woll vouchesaff to send me an other sugor loff, for my old is do; and also that ye well do make a gyrdill for your dowgter, for she hath nede therof. The blyssid Trinyte have yow in his kepyng.

Wretyn at Norwyche in hast, on the Tewysday next befor Seynt Thomas day.[267.1]

Paper is deynty.[267.2]

Yours,

M. P.

[Footnote 266.1: [From Fenn, iv. 14.] What is said in this letter about Church of Burlingham clearly shows that it belongs to the same year as the last and the letters following.]

[Footnote 266.2: _See_ p. 251.]

[Footnote 266.3: 20th July.]

[Footnote 266.4: Roger Church. --_See_ p. 263.]

[Footnote 267.1: Translation of St. Thomas, Apostle, 7th July.]

[Footnote 267.2: Fenn says that the letter is written upon a piece of paper nearly square, out of which a quarter had been cut before the letter was written.]

217

INFORMATION OF OUTRAGES[267.3]

[Sidenote: 1452]

Charlys Nowel, Otywell Nowell, Robert Ledeham, John the sone of Hogge Ratkleff, Robert Dallyng, Herry Bangge, Roger Cherche, Nicholas Goldsmyth, Robert Taylor, Christofer Grenescheve, ----[267.4] Dunmowe, Elis Dokworth, Christofer Bradle, Jon c.o.kkow, a.s.semblyng and gadderyng to hem gret mult.i.tude of mysrewled people, kepe a frunture and a forslet at the hows of the seid Robert Ledeham, and issu ought at her pleser, sumtyme vj., sumtyme xij., sumtyme x.x.x^ti and mo, armed, jakked, and salattyd with bowis, arwys, speris, and bylles, and over ride the contre and oppresse the people, and do many orible and abhomynable dedis lyke to be distruccion of the s.h.i.+re of Norffolk, wythoute the Kyng owre Sovereyn Lord seth it redressid.

Un Mydlent Soneday[267.5] certeyn of the seid felechep in the chirche of Byrlyngham made a fray upon tweyne of the servauntes of the reverent fadyr in G.o.dde, Byschop of Norwiche,[267.6] the seid servaunts at that tyme knelyng to see the usyng of the Ma.s.se; and there and than the seid felechep wold have kelled the seid two servauntes at the prestis bakke, ne had they be lettyd, as it semed.

[268.1][Item, un the Moneday[268.2] next before Esterne daye, s.e.x of the seid persones made a saute upon John Paston and hese two servauntes at the dore of the cathedrall cherche of Norweche, wyth swerdes, bokeler, and dagareis drawe smet at the seid Paston, on of them holdyng the seid Paston be bothe armes at hese bakke, as it semyth purposyng there to have morderid the seid Paston and they had not a be lettyd; and also smet on of the servaunts of the seid Paston upon the naked hed wyth a swerd, and poluted the seyntewary.]

Item, on the Monday[268.2] next before Esterne day, x. of the seid persones lay in awayte in the hey weye undyr Thorp Woode up on Phelep Berney, Esquier, and hese man, and shet at hem and smet her hors wyth arwes, and then over rede hym and brake a bowe on the said Phelippis hed and toke hym presoner, callyng hym traytor. And when they had kepte hym as long as thei lyst, thei led hym to the seyd Byshop of Norwiche and askid of hym swerte of the peas, and forwyth relessid her suerte and went her way.

Item, iij. of the seid felechep lay unawayte upon Emond Brome, jentelman, and with nakid swerds fawte wyth hym be the s.p.a.ce of a quarter of a owre and toke hym presoner; and when they had kepte hym as long as they lyst, lete hym goo.

Item, xl^ti of the same felechep come rydyng to Norwiche jakked, and salettyd, with bowys and arwys, byllys, gleves, un Maundy Thursday,[268.3] and that day aftyr none, when service was doo, they, in lyke wyse arrayid, wold have brake up the Whyte Freris dores, where,[268.4] seying that they came to here evesong; howbeit that they made her avaunt in towne they shuld have sum men owt of town (?), qwhyke or deede; and there made a gret rumor, where the mayre and the aldermen, with gret mult.i.tude of peple, a.s.sembled, and therupon the seyd felischep departid.

Item, dyvers tymes serteyn of the seid felechep have take fro John Wylton, wythoute any cause, hese net, hese shep, and odyr cattell, and summe there of have saltyd and eten, sume thereof have aloyned,[269.1]

so that the seid Wylton wot not where for to seke hese bestes; and un the morwe[269.2] next aftyr Esterne day last past, they toke fro hym xj.

bestis, and kepte hem two dayis wythowte any cause.

Item, in lyke wyse they have do to John c.o.ke and Kateryn Wylton.

Item, in lyke wyse they have take the goodys and catelles of Thomas Baret and many odyr.

Item, certeyn of the seid felechep late made a sawte upon John Wylton in Plumsted cherche yerd, and there beete hym so the [_that_] he was [in]

dowth of his liff.

Item, in lyke wyse upon John c.o.ke of Wytton, brekyng up hese dores at xj. of the clok in the nyght, and with her swerdis maymed hym and gaf hym vij. grete woyndis. Item, smet the modyr of the seid c.o.ke, a woman of iiij^xx [_four score_] yeres of age, upon the crowne of the heed wyth a swerd, wheche wownde was never hol to the daye of her deth.

Item, the seyd Dunmowe, on of the seid feleche[p], now lete beet the parson of Hasyngham, and brake hese hed in hese owne chauncell.

[269.3][Item iii^xx [_three score_] of the seid felechep, arayid as men of werre, now late enterd with fors upon Phelep Berney and dissesid hym of the maner of Rokelandtoftys, wheche darnot, for feer of mordyr, reentre hese owne londe; how be it, he and hese aunseters have be pesibely possessid therof many yeris.]

Item, Alredis sone of Erll Some, fast be Framyngham, un the Saterday[269.4] next before Palme Soneday last past was pullid ought of a hows and kyllid. Whedyr any of the seid felechep were there or not men kan not sey, there be of hem so many of wheche many be unknowe people.