The Paston Letters
Chapter 27 : I seyd to hem, as for seche servys as they had do to zw and to me, I desyr no mor that

I seyd to hem, as for seche servys as they had do to zw and to me, I desyr no mor that thei xuld do nother to zw ner to me. Thei seyd I myt an had of them att Gressham qhat I hadde desyryd of hem, and had as moche as I desyryd. I seyd, nay; if I mytz an had my desyr, I xuld nother a departid owth of the place, ner from the stuff that was ther in. Thei seyd, as for the stuff it was but esy. I seyd ze wold not a zoven the stuff that was in the place qhan thei com in, not for C_li._ Thei seyd the stuff that thei sey [saw] ther was skars worth xx_li._ As for zour moder and myn, sche faryth wel, blissid be G.o.d, and she had no tydynges but G.o.de zett, blissid be G.o.d. The blissyd Trynyte have zou in his kepyng, and send zou hele, and G.o.de spede in al your maters. Wretyn at Sustede,[134.1] on the Satyrday next after Seynt Valentynys day.

Here dare no man seyn a G.o.de wurd for zu in this c.u.n.tre, G.o.dde amend it.

Yowres,

M. P.

[Footnote 130.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From an allusion in the latter part of this letter, it is evident that it was written in 1450, after Margaret had been driven out of Gresham, as mentioned in John Paston's pet.i.tion, No. 102 preceding.]

[Footnote 130.2: William Hasard. --_See_ Letter No. 88.]

[Footnote 130.3: But if, _i.e._ unless.]

[Footnote 131.1: Fastyngong was a popular name for Shrovetide.

Fastingong Sunday I believe to have been the Sunday _after_ Shrove Tuesday, which would be the 22nd of February in 1450.]

[Footnote 131.2: Mutilated.]

[Footnote 133.1: John Heydon, Esq. of Baconsthorpe, appears to have been the person referred to. --_See_ No. 135 following.]

[Footnote 134.1: Sustead was John Damme's place (_see_ Blomefield, viii. 168). It is in the immediate neighbourhood of Gresham.]

104

ABSTRACT[134.2]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOMAS HOWYS, CLERK, WILLIAM COLE, AND WATKYN s.h.i.+PDAM.

[Sidenote: 1450 / MARCH 7]

The beginning of this letter, which is more than half lost by mutilation, speaks of 'a bill in the Parliament of the extortions done [to me]' from the 17th year [of Henry VI.] hitherto. The rest seems to be partly memoranda of things to be entered in this 'bill,' viz. of sheep distrained at Drayton, of a matter of trespa.s.s between Lady Bardolf and Fastolf, of 'Chevers mater in Blyclyng,' of an unpaid annuity at Hiklyng, of decays at Tichewell, etc. They are to learn from Nich. Bokkyng, to whom the 100 for Busshop was paid. Thinks two men should occupy Castre and Wynterton which Broun holds alone. It is too much for one to occupy well; 'and in the same wise at Heylesden and Drayton.' Let me know what Lampet has done in my matter, and if you find him friendly. Both my s.h.i.+ps have arrived in safety, thank G.o.d.

London, 7 March 28 Henry VI.

_Signed._

[Footnote 134.2: [MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 225.]]

105

AGNES PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[135.1]

_To John Paston, dwellyn in the Inder In of the Tempyll, att London, be thys letter delyverd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1450 / MARCH 11]

Son, I grete yow, and send yow G.o.dds blyssyng, and myn; and as for my doughtyr your wyfe, che faryt well, blyssyd be G.o.d, as a woman in hyr plyte may do, and all your sonys and doughtrys.

And for as meche as ye will send me no tydyngs, I send yow seche as ben in thys contre. Rychard Lynsted cam thys day fro Paston, and letyt me wete that on Sat.u.r.day last past Dravale, halfe brother to Waryn Harman, was takyn with enemyis, walkyn be the se syde, and have hym forthe with hem; and they tokyn ij. pylgremys, a man and a woman, and they robbyd the woman, and lete hyr gon, and ledde the man to the see, and whan they knew he was a pylgreme, they geffe hym monei, and sett hym ageyn on the lond. And they have thys weke takyn iiij. vesselys of [_i.e._ off]

Wyntyrton; and Happysborough and Ecles men ben sore aferd for takyn of mo [_i.e._ more (?)], for ther ben x. grete vesselys of the enemyis; G.o.d yeue grace that the see may be better kepte than it is now, or ellys it chall ben a perlyous dwellyng be the se cost.

I pray yow grete well your brethyrne, and sey hem that I send hem G.o.ddis blyssyn and myn; and sey William that if Jenett Lauton be not payd for the krymson cort wheche Alson Crane wrote to hyr for in hyr owyn name, that than he pay hyr, and see Alson Cranys name strekyn owt of hyr boke, for che seithe che wyll aske no man the money b.u.t.t Alson Crane. And I pray yow that ye wyll remembr the letter that I sent yow last, and G.o.d be with yow.

Wretyn att Norwyche, the Wedenesday next before Sent Gregory.

AUGNES PASTON.

[Footnote 135.1: [From Fenn, iii. 304.] Fenn a.s.signs this letter to the year 1458, but not very confidently. The similarity of its contents, in part, to those of the letter immediately following, appears to me to render the year 1450 the more probable date.]

106

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[136.1]

_To my rytz worchypful maystyr, Jon Paston, be this delyveryd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1450 / MARCH 12]

Rytz worchipful hosbond, I recomawnd me to yow, desyring hertyly to her of zour wellfar, &c.[136.2] ... . Wyllyam Rutt, the whiche is with Sir Jon Hevenyngham, kom hom from London zesterday, and he seyd pleynly to his master, and to many other folks, that the Duke of Suffolk is pardonyd, and hath his men azen waytyng up on hym, and is rytz wel at ese and mery, and is in the Kyngs G.o.de grase, and in the G.o.de conseyt of all the Lords, as well as ever he was.

Ther ben many enemys azens Yermowth and Crowmer, and have don moche harm, and taken many Englysch men, and put hem in grett distresse, and grettely rawnsommyd hem; and the seyd enmys been so bold that they kom up to the lond, and pleyn hem on Caster Sonds, and in other plases, as homely as they were Englysch men. Folks ben rytz sore afred that they wel don moche harm this somer, but if [_i.e._ unless] ther be made rytz grett purvyans azens hem.

Other tydyngs know I non at this tym. The blysseful Trinyte have zow in his kepyng.

Wryten at Norwyche, on Seynt Gregorys day.

Yowrs,

M. P.

[Footnote 136.1: [From Fenn, i. 28.] The reference to the Duke of Suffolk's pardon proves this letter to have been written in the year 1450.]

[Footnote 136.2: Here Fenn has omitted a pa.s.sage, relating, as he says, to some common business about Paston's farms and tenants.]

107

ABSTRACT[137.1]

SIR JO. FASTOLF TO SIR THOS. HOWYS, PARSON OF CASTLCOMBE, WILL. c.o.kE, AND WATKIN SHYPDAM.

[Sidenote: 1450 / APRIL 16]

Bids 'Sir Parson' send in all haste 'the utmost knowledge of all grievances' done to him by John Heydon this thirteen years. You have sent me the costs of the pleas, but not declared particularly how often I have been wrongfully distrained by the enforcing of the said Heydon.

'I took never plea in the matter because the world was alway set after his rule, and as I would have engrossed up [_upon_] my bill.'

London, 16 April 28 Henry VI.