The Paston Letters
Chapter 17 : _Tradatur Johanni Paston, of the Inner In in the Temple, att London._ [Sidenote: 1447(?

_Tradatur Johanni Paston, of the Inner In in the Temple, att London._

[Sidenote: 1447(?)]

Ryth worschipfull brothir, I recomaund me to yow, &c. I preye write to myn modre of your owne hed as for to consell her howh that sche kepe her prevye, and tell no body ryth nowth of her counsell; for sche woll tell persones many of her counsell this day, and to morwe sche woll sey be G.o.ddis faste that the same men ben false. I have seen parte of the evydence, and the maner[79.2] hath be pourchasid be parcell, and certeyn feffement mad of the avowson, and certeyn pecis of lond enterlessant the maner; and I wote well ye have on collaterall rellesse wyth a warente of on of the wyffys of Hauteyn[79.3] of all the holl maner.

Steward, the chiffe constable, told me he was enpanellyd up on the a.s.sise be twex yow and Frauncesse; he axyd me counsell what he myght do ther inne, for he told me it was take in Sir Thomas Tudham name. He wold fayne be chalengyd. I concellyd him swere the trewthe of the issue that he shall be swore to, and thanne he nedyd never to drede hym of noon atteynte. I yave him this counsell, and noon othir. He enqueryd me of the rewle of myn master Danyell[80.1] and myn Lord of Suffolke,[80.2]

and askyd wheche I thowte schuld rewle in this schere; and I seyd bothe, as I trowh, and he that survyvyth to hold be the vertue of the survyvyr, and he to thanke his frendes, and to aquite his enmyys. So I fele by him he wold forsake his master, and gette him a newh yf he wyste he schuld rewle; and so wene I meche of all the contre is so disposyd. The holy Trenyte kepe yow.

Wrete at Norwiche, on the Wednysday after Seynt Peter[80.3] in hast.

Your Brother,

E. PASTON.

[Footnote 79.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From the conversation here reported touching the antic.i.p.ated ascendancy of Daniel and the Marquis, afterwards Duke, of Suffolk, this letter may be referred to the year 1447. In April of the year following, the influence of Suffolk was paramount, and Daniel was said to be out of favour, as will be seen by Letter 75 following.]

[Footnote 79.2: The manor of Oxnead. --_See_ Blomefield, vi.

478.]

[Footnote 79.3: Probably Robert, father of John Hauteyn, the friar.]

[Footnote 80.1: Thomas Daniel.]

[Footnote 80.2: William de la Pole, at this time Marquis, afterwards Duke, of Suffolk.]

[Footnote 80.3: St. Peter's day is the 29th June.]

[[att London _printed "Lonaon" (recurring error with italic "d")_]]

70

ABSTRACT[80.4]

[Sidenote: 1447 / SEPT. 3]

Deed by which William Pope, perpetual Vicar of Paston, confirms to Agnes, widow of William Paston, and John Bakton, their estate in a piece of land, particularly described; and also binds himself to celebrate ma.s.s every Friday for the souls of said William and Agnes, &c. &c., exhort his paris.h.i.+oners to put up prayers for them every Sunday, called 'certeynys,' and celebrate William Paston's obit on the 13th August.

Dated at Paston, 3rd September 26 Henry VI.

[Footnote 80.4: [Add. Charter 17,235, B.M. (Paston MSS.)]]

71

ABSTRACTS[80.5]

[Sidenote: 1447 / OCT. 21, 26]

21 Oct., at London.--Letter from Fastolf to Thomas Howys and John Grene, desiring them to procure information about one Robert Eccles, cousin and heir to John Eccles, whom the counsel for the prior of Hickling propose to call to give evidence about the rent of 25 marks.

1447, [26 Oct.] 'Thursday byfore S. Symond and Jude,' 26 Hen. VI. at Castre. Long letter from Thomas Howys in reply to the preceding, with the results of searches made in the Bishop's registry for wills of the Eccles family, with particulars about various members of the family, etc.

[For these abstracts I am indebted to Mr. Macray, and also for those immediately following, which are from the same source.]

[Footnote 80.5: [From MSS. Hickling, 130, 140, in Magd. Coll., Oxf.]]

72

ABSTRACTS[81.1]

THE PRIOR OF HICKLING.

_Hickling 71._

[14 . . ] At Westminster.

_Letter_ [on paper, in English] from two counsel, _William w.a.n.geford_ and _William Jenney_, to Sir John Fastolf, giving their opinion on his claim against the prior of Hickling. Sir John cannot recover the 20 forfeit, because the condition of the obligation only extended to the heirs of Sir Hugh Clifford, and not to his a.s.signs, and Sir John is only an a.s.sign; but the rent of 25 marks is sure to him, and he can recover it, if denied by the prior, by process of law; they will consult with justices and serjeants whether he can recover it by distraint.

_Hickling 74._

[14 . . ] Friday in the 2nd week after Easter at Lenne.

_Letter_, [in English, on paper] from _Henry Notyngham_ to Sir Henry Barton, Alderman of London. Has counselled with Paston, and finds him more friendly and ready to help in Barton's matter than ever before; supposes that the cause is, that the prior that was obstinate is dead, and another appointed, who Paston trusts will be more easy to stir.

Desires that Paston may be thanked. Sends a letter which he desires 'a child of zours' may carry to Mistress Jenkin Leventhorpe the younger; and ask at my lord's inn of Doreham or of Ratclyff or some other which he may think best, if he (_i.e._ my Lord of Durham) shall be at this Parliament. Send to Thomelin Grys, spicer at Norwich, some 'loder,' as soon as he can goodly buy it, which comes each week to Rossamez Inn in St. Laurence's Lane.

_Hickling 75._

[14 . . ] 14 Apr., at Norwich.

_Letter_, [in English, on paper] from _H[enry] Notyngham_ to Sir Henry Barton, alderman of London. Delivered Paston the copy of the deeds; shewed his letter to the prior and convent, but gained nothing; they said they would please Barton full fain, but all their counsel are full against their binding themselves by any such confirmation; they were bound to the former owner and his heirs, but not to his a.s.signs. Advises him to get good counsel, and thinks nothing can be done unless he gets Paston's a.s.sent and grant to help the matter.

_Hickling 89._

[1450 _or_ 1451?] 18 Aug. Norwich.

_Letter_ [in English, on paper] _from_ '_W. [Hart], Bisshope of Norwich_,' to Sir John Fastolf. Has put himself greatly in his devoir to put an end to the controversy between Fastolf and the house of Hykelyng, and has been so importunate that Lord Scales has advised him not to meddle in the matter, because he is taken as a suspect person; if he could do him more profit, he would not spare labour or cost, on account of Fastolf's towardness and gentleness to condescend unto right and reasonable mean, the which he conceives not in the other party. Had hoped his good and devout purpose towards the place of St. Bennett's would have grown to some good conclusion; was there the Sunday before St. Laurence's Day, and greatly rejoiced at such work and cost as he has done there. Heartily desires him to come here to the air of his natural birth, where he will find my Lord of Norfolk and such attendance as the Bishop and other gentles of the country may do, ready unto him at all times; his coming would be to his health and heart's ease, and the cause of much peace in the country.

Small seal, fastened _on_ the letter; a stag; a straw round it.

_Hickling 104._

_Letter_, [in English, on paper] from _Lord Scales_ to Sir John Fastolf, asking him to withdraw an outlawry which has been issued against John Dowebegyng, servant of the former, for a debt of 100 due to Fastolf by Thomas Danyell, Esq., for which Dowebegyng had become bound.

Signed by Lord Scales, who adds a postscript in his own hand that Fastolf has been as faithful and kind to him since he came into England as he was in France, and that there is no one of his estate for whom he would do so much.