The Paston Letters
Chapter 52 : 199 JOHN BERNEY TO JOHN PASTON[249.1]_To the Ryght worshpful John Paston, Esquyer._ [Si

199

JOHN BERNEY TO JOHN PASTON[249.1]

_To the Ryght worshpful John Paston, Esquyer._

[Sidenote: 1451 / JUNE 20]

Ryght wors.h.i.+pfull, &c. Please zou to comfort and help my pouer tenaunt, Symond Sparre, whech ys a restyd by warant, at the sute of the Lord Scalys, for Sir T. Tudynham shepp. And, Sir, uppon Fryday last pa.s.syd, Blake, the Kynges secratory, tolde me that there was delyvered a _supersedyas_ for all men in that sute. But, Sir, as my verry trust is in zou for this, lat it be easyd, as I may doo for zou, &c.; for, Sir, I may not attent, by cause I am ocupyed with my suster, for hir husbond, Sir Rychard Veuuter,[249.2] dessessyd upoon Fryday last, &c. Wretyn in gret hast upon Trenyte Sunday.

Be zoure pouer cosyn,

JOHN BERNEYE.

[Footnote 249.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] For the date of this letter see Note 3 on last page. Trinity Sunday fell on the 20th of June in 1451.]

[Footnote 249.2: Blomefield mentions a Sir Richard Veutre, who presented to the living of c.o.c.kthorp in 1450.--_Hist. Norf._ ix.

218.]

200

NOTE

[Sidenote: 1451 / JUNE 28]

A letter of Sir John Fastolf to Sir Thomas Howes, dated 28th June 1451, 29 Henry VI., is mentioned by Fenn in vol. iii., p. 133, in a footnote, and the following sentence extracted:-- 'The untrouthe of the Pryour of Hykelyng draweth away my devotion in such causes.' The original of this letter I have not met with.

201

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[250.1]

_To my rygth worshypfull hosbond Jon Paston, be this delyverd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1451 / JULY 1]

Rygth worchypfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow, desyryng hertyly to her of yowr wellfar, preying yow to wete that I have spoke with my Lady Felbrygg[250.2] of that ye bad me speke to her of, and she seyd pleynly to me that she wold not, ne nevyr was avysyd, neyther to lete the Lord Moleyns ne non other to have ther intents as for that mater, whyll yet she levyth. And she was rygth evyll payd with Sawtr that he shuld reporte as itt was told yow that he shuld have reportyd; and she made rygth moche of yow, and seyd that she wold nowgth that no servaunte of herys shuld reporte no thyng that shuld be ayens yow other wyse than she wolld that your servawnts shud do or seyn ayens her; and if other your servawnts dede ayens her, or any of her ayens yow, she wold that itt shuld be reformyd be twyx yow and her, and that ye mygth ben all on; for she seyd in good feyth she desyryth your frendshep; and as for the report of Sawtr, she seyd she supposyd that he wold nowgth reporte so; and if she mygth know that he dede, she wold blame hym therfor. I told her that itt was told me syth that ye reden [? yeden, i.e. went], and that itt grevyd me mor that the seyd Sawtr shuld reporte as he dede than itt had be reportyd of another, in als moche as I had awgth hym goodwyll befor; and she prayid me that I shud not beleve seche reports tyll I knewe the trowth.

I was att Toppys at dyner on Seynt Petyrs day; ther my Lady Felbrygg and other jantyll women desyryd to have hadde yow ther. They seyd they shuld all abe [_have been_] the meryer if ye hadde ben ther. My cosyn Toppys hath moche car tyll she her goode tydyngs of her brotheris mater. Sche told me that they shuld kepte a day on Monday next komyng be twyx her brother and Ser Andrew Hugard and Wyndham. I pray yow send me word how they spede, and how ye spede in yowr owyn materys also. Also I pray yow hertyly that ye woll send me a potte with treacle in hast; for I have ben rygth evyll att ese, and your dowghter bothe, syth that ye yeden hens, and on of the tallest younge men of this parysch lyth syke and hath a grete myrr'. How he shall do G.o.d knowyth. I have sent myn unkyll Berney[251.1] the potte with treacle that ye dede bey for hym. Myn awnte recommawndeth her to yow, and prayith yow to do for her as the byll maketh mencion of that I send you with this letter, and as ye thenk best for to do therinne.

Ser Henry Inglose is pa.s.syd to G.o.d this nygth, hoys sowle G.o.d asoyll, and was caryid forthe this day at ix. of the clok to Seynt Feythis, and ther shall be beryid. If ye desyer to bey any of hys stuff, I pray you send me word therof in hast, and I shall speke to Robert Inglose and to Wychyngham therof; I suppose thei ben executors. The blyssyd Trinyte have you in his kepyng. Wretyn at Norwyche in hast on the Thursday next after Seynt Peter.[251.2]

I pray yow trost nott to the sheryve[251.3] for no fayr langage.

Yours,

M. P.

[Footnote 250.1: [From Fenn, iii. 124.] The mention made of the death of Sir Harry Inglos at the end of this letter proves it to have been written in the year 1451. According to the inquisition _post mortem_ 29 Hen. VI., No. 9, he died on the 1st July 1451, which corresponds exactly with 'the Thursday next after St.

Peter,' the day this letter was written.]

[Footnote 250.2: _See_ p. 224, Note 2.]

[Footnote 251.1: Philip Berney.]

[Footnote 251.2: St. Peter's day was the 29th June.]

[Footnote 251.3: John Jermyn was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk this year.]

202

ABSTRACT[252.1]

SIR J. FASTOLF to SIR THOMAS HOWYS, Parson of Castlecombe.

[Sidenote: 1451(?) / JULY 20]

Has received his letter by Herry Hansson. Does not think he authorised Howys to have Andrews and his other adversaries noted and corrected at _oyer and determyner_; but if there was any letter to that effect, F.

will bear him out. Thinks even if there was any letter to that effect sent by negligence, Howys should have taken counsel, and he would not have been sued for conspiracy. If Andrews and the others had been sued in Suffolk instead of Norfolk, they could have had no grounds of action.

London, 20 July.

[John Andrews was one of Heydon's adherents who gave trouble to Fastolf and his friends on more than one occasion; but this letter seems to have reference to the proceedings taken against several of that faction in 1451.]

[Footnote 252.1: [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 258.]]

203

ABSTRACT[252.2]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN BERNEY, SIR THOS. HOWYS, AND WALTER s.h.i.+PDAM.

[Sidenote: 1451 / SEPT.]

Begs them to hasten Rob. Boothe to London. Hears that the _oyer and termyner_ is to be at Norwich on Thursday[252.3] after Holyrood day, and that Will. Yelverton, justice, is to be there. Ascertain, therefore, how the substantial men of Norwich are inclined in my matter against Appulzerd, and take Paston's advice in proceeding. Is advised to send John Bokkyng or Will. Barker to them before the time. Bids them send an indenture of Cornelys Floryson about wheat and malt. Has arrested the s.h.i.+p. As to the matter against Applierd, if Todenham, Heydon, Wymondham, &c., or any of them, will labour for their acquittal against me in the Lady Bardolf's matter, you must oppose it. Trusts the present mayor and his predecessor know what he has done for the town, and Will. Jenney and his brother can testify to Applierd's demeanour. You must get a copy of the indictment, lest he deny the presentment. Sends a lease of Lady Sterburgh's part and Bardolf's, made by Wichingham and Blake, and a confirmation of Sir Reynold Cobham,[253.1] and the said Lady Sterburgh his wife, &c. Commend me to my Lord of Ely[253.2] and my Lord of Oxford if they be there, and my coz. Yelverton, and ask my Lord of Norwich for tidings of Hikelyng. 'Item, blessed be G.o.d of his visitation! I have been sore sick and am well amended, and trust to our Lord to see you hastily and other of my friends.'

(_Signature not F.'s own._)

[Footnote 252.2: [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 233.] From the reference to the date of the _oyer and termyner_ mentioned in this letter, it is clear that it was written in the same year as the letter following, and probably a few days earlier.]

[Footnote 252.3: September 16th, Holy Rood day being the 14th.]

[Footnote 253.1: Sir Reginald Cobham of Sterborough in Surrey, father of the notorious Eleanor Cobham.]

[Footnote 253.2: Thomas Bourchier, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.]