The Paston Letters
Chapter 13 : 51 JAMES GRESHAM TO WILLIAM PASTON[61.1]_To my right worthy and worshepfull Lord, Willi

51

JAMES GRESHAM TO WILLIAM PASTON[61.1]

_To my right worthy and worshepfull Lord, William Paston, Justice, in hast._

[Sidenote: 1444 / JAN. 29]

Please it your good Lords.h.i.+p to wete that the Chief Justice of the Kynggs Benche[61.2] recomaundeth hym to yow, and is right sory of the matier that is cause of your noun comyng hedir, but he wole do al that he can or may for yow. He hath hadde a cyetica [sciatica] that hath letted hym a gret while to ride, and dar not yet come on non horses bak, and ther for he hath spoke to the Lordes of the Conseill, and enformed hem of your sekenesse and his also, that he may not ride at these next a.s.sizes to Estgrynsted; and though thoe a.s.sizes discontynue _puer noun venue dez Justicez_, he hopeth to be excused and ye also. And as for the remenant of the a.s.sizes, he shall purvey to be ther by water. And Almyghty Jesu make yow heyle and strong.

Wretyn right simply the Wednesseday next to fore ye Fest of the Purificacion of Our Lady at London.

By your most symple servaunt,

JAMYS GRESHAM.

[Footnote 61.1: [From Fenn, iii. 26.] 'From a memorandum,' says Fenn, 'on the back of this letter, dated in April 1444, it is probable that it was written on the 30th of January 1443.' Did Fenn mean the 30th of January 1443-4? In the side-note immediately below the letter, he dates it in his usual exact manner, 'Wednesday, 30th of January 1443, 22 H. vi.' But unfortunately there is an error here. January in the 22d year of Henry VI., means January 1444 according to the modern computation, or 1443 in the style formerly in use, by which the year was reckoned from the 25th of March. But the 30th of January was a Wednesday in 1443, only according to the modern computation of the year,--that is to say, it was a Wednesday in the year 1442-3, not in 1443-4. I imagine, however, that the '30th of January' should have been '29th of January,' and that Fenn really meant 1443-4, corresponding with the 22nd year of Henry VI.; for the memorandum to which he refers is a draft agreement, dated on Pa.s.sion Sunday, 22 Hen. VI., A.D. 1444.]

[Footnote 61.2: The celebrated Sir John Fortescue.]

52

JOHN GYNEY TO WILLIAM PASTON[62.1]

_To the worthy and wors.h.i.+pfull Sir and good Lord and Maister, William Paston, on of the Justices of oure Sovereign Lord, of his Commone Benche at Westminster._

[Sidenote: Not later than 1444]

Right worthy and wors.h.i.+pfull Sir, and my good Lord and Maister, I recomaund me to yow. And where as ye, by your lettre direct to my Lady, your wyf, wold that my seid Lady shuld have Robert Tebald and me to geder, as sone as she myght, and the evidences which the seid Robert receyved of yow at your last beyng at Norwich, and that I shuld amende the defautes therinne, and that that doon there shuld of Baxteres Place of Honyng be taken estate to yow and to other, as your seid lettre requireth: Prey and beseche yow to witte that, on the Friday next after your departyng fro Paston, Thomas Walysh and William Burgh, in his owen persone, and the seid Thomas by William Inges and William Walsyngham, his attornies, by his lettre under his seal, where [_were_] at Honyng, and delyvred to my Lady Scarlet seson [_seisin_] in the seid place, and Colbyes and Donnynges in Walsham. And the seid Thomas Walyssh, as the seid Tebald told me, wold not enseale the seid lettre of attornie til the parson of Ingeworth come to hym therfore, and required hym to don it. Wychyngham in his owen persone in the nyght next beforn the seid Friday, as the seid Tebald infourmeth me, come to the same Tebaldes hows, and desired hym to enseale acquytaunce, as he seid, and the same Robert refused to don it.

Nertheless, whether it were acquytaunce or were not, the same Robert kan not seye, for he myght noo sight have there of. And the seid Wychyngham the same nyght rood to John w.i.l.l.yot, and desired of hym the same, and refused also to don it. What is the best to be don in this matier my seid Lady, your wyf, kan not thynke with owt your advis and counseile.

Wherfore as touchyng the takyng of th'estate to yow and other, as in your seid lettre is conteigned, is yet right nought doon.

The Holy Trinite have yow in his blissed kepyng. Wretyn at North Walsham, the Thursday next after the Purificacion of oure Lady.

My seid Lady, your wyf, preyeth yow to be remembred of here grene gynger of almondes for Lente, and of the leche of Orwelde, for here seknes encreseth dayly upon here, whereof she is sore a ferd.

By youre servunt,

JOHN GYNEY.

[Footnote 62.1: [From Fenn, iii. 28.] There is nothing to be said of the date of this letter, except that it is not later than 1444, when William Paston died.]

53

ABSTRACT[63.1]

[Sidenote: 1444 / MARCH 15]

Indenture between the Prior and Convent of the Monastery of St. Andrew, Bromholme, impropriators of the Church of St. Margaret, Paston, and John Partrik, vicar of the said church, of the first part, William Paston of Paston, of the second part, and Edmund Palmer of Wytton, of the third part, relative to lands in Baketon and Wytton, and containing amongst other things a grant by the Prior and Convent to the said John Partrik, at the instance of the said William Paston, in consideration of which ma.s.ses, called _certeynes_, are to be performed every Friday for the souls of William Paston and Agnes his wife, and the obit of Clement Paston, William's father, is to kept yearly on St. Botolph's day (17th June). Dated 15th March 22 Henry VI. Confirmed by Walter, Bishop of Norwich, and John, the Prior of the Cathedral of Norwich, and the chapter of that church, 11th and 21st March 1446[-7].

[Footnote 63.1: [Add. Charter 14,571, B.M. (D. Turner's Coll.)]]

[[Confirmed by Walter _text has "Comfirmed"_]]

54

ABSTRACT[64.1]

JOHN MARYOT TO WILLIAM PASTON, Justice.

[Sidenote: Before 1444]

Is ready to fulfil the indentures of Becham made by W. P. with his late mother, if W. P. will send 'the indenture of our part,' that Maryot may know the terms and his own t.i.tle. Will make no bargain else.--Crowmer, Monday after Our Lady's Nativity.

[Footnote 64.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This and the following letter are quite uncertain in point of date, except that they were of course written before the death of William Paston, to whom they were addressed.]

55

ABSTRACT[64.2]

WILLIAM WOTTON DE PAGRAVE TO JUSTICE PASTON.

Sends his wife to him to explain some business about lands in Lytyl Pagrave, of which a woman of Sporle has already spoken to him; also touching some land at Castleacre.--_On parchment._

[Footnote 64.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

56

---- ---- TO JOHN PASTON[64.3]

[Sidenote: 1444]

Righte reverent and my most wors.h.i.+pful maister, I recomaund me to yow.

Please it yow to wite that I sende yow a copie of a verdite take before my maister Roberd Clere by vertu of a writ _diem clausit extremum_,[64.4] whiche writ I sende yow also with this, of whiche verdite the wordis arn as it folwith:--

_Inquisicio capta apud Wynterton, secundo die Novembris anno regni Regis Henrici vj^ti post conquestum vicesimo tertio, coram Roberto Clere escaetore domini Regis in com. Norfolk et Suffolk, virtute brevis domini Regis sibi directi et presenti Inquisitioni consuti, per sacramentum Johannis Berkyng, Nicholai Pikeryng, Johannis Chapell, Johannis Jekkys, Willelmi Stiwardson, Roberti Hosele, Johannis Topy, Johannis Wacy, Johannis Rychers, Thomae Broun, Walteri Heylok, Willelmi Stotevyle, Thomae Mason, Roberti Marche, Johannis Kechon, legalium et proborum hominum in hac parte pro domino Rege juratorum: Qui dic.u.n.t super sacramentum suum quod Willelmus Paston nominatus in dicto brevi nulla terras et tenementa tenuit de domino Rege in capite die quo obiit in comitatu predicto. Et quod obiit quarto decimo die mensis Augusti, anno regni domini Regis predicti xxij. Et quod Johannes Paston filius ipsius Willelmi est haeres ejus propinquior, et aetatis xxiij. annorum._

Ther is founde more of other thyngges be the same verdite touchyng other matieris, whiche he will not certifie yet. And for as moche as my maister Clere wetyth well that the seid verdite touchyng my maister your fader, hoes soule G.o.d a.s.soyle, must have other maner of makyng thanne he kan make, he recomaundith hym to my maistres your moder, and yow also; and prey yow that ye will do it make as effectuel and availeabill for the wel of my maister your fader and yow as ye kan, and sele it with your seall, or what seall ellys ye will, in his name, and sealle it also with as many of other seales as ther be jerores, and delyvere it to William Bondes, his depute, to delyvere into the Chauncelre. And if William Bondes be fro London or this may be redy, thanne purveye ye for the speed of this matier in youre best wise; and what so ever ye do, or sey, or write, or seale, or avouche in this matier in my maister Cleris name, he shall avowe it, and [_i.e._ if] it shulde coste hym gret parte of his good.

Sir, ther is noon enquerre take in Suffolk, for as moche as my maister your fader helde no londe ther but be my maistres your moder; but if ye will that he shall inquere ther as sone as he may wete it, it shall be doo; and if this forseide verdite may serve for bothe, he is right glad therof. He tolde me that he seide to the jurores, whiche have sealed her verdite: 'Seris, I wot well this verdite after my makyng is not effectuel in lawe, and therfore may happe it shall be makid newe at London, and ellys peraventure I shulde be amercied in the Kyngges Courte; and therfore I truste yow, and [_i.e._ if] it be newe mad and newe sealed, ye will avowe it.' And thei seide with a good herte ya; these wordes wern seide _in secreta confessione_ to v. or vj. of the reuleris of the seide jurre whiche he kan truste righte well. He preyith yow to holde hym excused that he writyth not to yow for this matier, for he is ocupied in other wise. He badde me write in this fourme to yow, which he supposith ye will beleve, and he knoweth alle this writyng, and is well concented and agreed therto. Sir, ther arn xv. jurores abowe to certifie ye, as many as ye will: but lete these men that be tottid be certified, for thei be the rewleris and t ... . he spk (?) &c. Sir, atte reverence of G.o.d, if I shall make ony purvyaunce in this c.u.n.tre for my maistres comyng hom, lete me have reson[able] warnyng, and so G.o.d me helpe, and I shall do my dever. I here no tydyngges of Thom' yet. My maistres Garneys, your moder, ... ...[66.1] Berney, and my maisteris your sonys and my maister your brother arn heyle and mery, and recommend hem to yow. And I beseche your [masters.h.i.+p][66.1] that this sympil skrowe may recomaund me to my reverant and wors.h.i.+pful maistres, your moder. And I prey our Lord of his ... ...[66.1] bothe moche wors.h.i.+p and wilfare, and graunte me to do and labour that is to your bothenerys pleaser.[66.2]

Writen the Saterday next... ... .[66.3]