--To John Paston

56

— — TO JOHN PASTON³

RIGHTE reverent and my most worshipful 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,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, Thomœ
Broun, Walteri Heylok, Willelmi Stotevyle, Thomœ Mason, Roberti
Marche, Johannis Kechon, legalium et proborum hominum in hac
parte pro domino Rege juratorum: Qui dicunt 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 dccimo die mensis Augusti, anno
regni domini Regis predicti xxij. Et quod Johannes Paston filius
ipsius Willelmi est hœres ejus propinquior, et œtatis 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 God
assoyle, 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
God, if I shall make ony purvyaunce in this cuntre for my
maistres comyng hom, lete me have reson[able] warnyng,
and so God me helpe, and I shall do my dever. I here no
tydyngges of Thom’ yet. My maistres Garneys, your moder,
. . . . . .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 [mastership]¹ that this sympil skrowe may
recomaund me to my reverant and worshipful maistres, your
moder. And I prey our Lord of his . . . . . .¹ bothe moche
worship and wilfare, and graunte me to do and labour that is
to your bothenerys pleaser.²

     Writen the Saterday next. . . . . .³

     This letter appears to have been used as a wrapper for others. It is
endorsed, ‘Literæ diversorum directæ J. Paston receptæ apud London per
diversos annos ante festum Michaelis anno xxxiiij Hen. VI. Literæ Fastolff
pro Costid (?). Literæ W. Wayt pro tempore suæ tribulationis. Literæ
Windham.’

          ³ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is without a signature or address, and
who the writer was does not appear. It was evidently written soon after the taking of
the inquisition on the death of William Paston, the Judge, the date of which is given
in the extract as 2nd November 23 Henry VI., i.e. 1444.

     ⁴ See p. 16, Note 1.

     ¹ Mutilated.                 ² I.e., that which is to the pleasure of you both (?).

     ³ A little mutilated at bottom.

1444

1444

1444