Agnes Paston to Edmund Paston

Add. 34888, f. 13

4 February 1445

Gairdner, Vol II, item 62; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 8

LETTER VIII.

            To Edmond Paston
            of Clyffordis jnne in
            london be this l’re take.

TO myn welbelovid sone I grete yow wel and avyse yow
to thynkk onis of the daie of youre fadris counseyle to
lerne the lawe for he seyde manie tymis that ho so ev’ schuld
dwelle at Paston schulde have nede to conne defende hym selfe
the ¹ Vikare of Paston and yowre ² fadre in lenttyn laste was
wher thorwe and acordidde and doolis sette howe broode the
weye schuld ben and nowe he hath pullid uppe the doolis and
seithe he wolle makyn a dyche fro the corner of his walle ryght
over the weye to the newe diche of the grete cloose And there is
a man in truntche hyzht Palmer to y^t hadde of yowre fadre
certein londe in truntche ov^r vij yere or viij yere agoone for corn
And trewli hathe paide all the yers And now he hathe suffrid
the corne to ben w^t sette for viij^s of rentte to Gymmyngh’m
wich yowre fadre paide nevere Geffreie axid Palmere why the
rentte was notte axid in myn husbonddis tyme And Palmere
seyde for he was a grete man and a wyse man of the lawe And
that was the Cawse men wolde not axe hym the rentte I sende
yow the namis of the men that kaste down the pittis that was
Gynnis Close wretyn in a bille closid in this lettre I sendde yow
not this lettre to make yow wery of Paston for I leve in hoope
And ye wolle lern that they schulle be made werye of her werke
for in good feyth I dar welseyne it was yowr fadris laste wille to
have do ryzht wel to that plase And that can I schewe of good
p^rfe thowe men wolde seye naye god make yow ryzht a good
man and sende goddis blessyng and myn Wrettyn in haste at
Norwich the thorsdaie aftir Candelmasse daie.

Wetith of yowre brothere John how manie Gystis wolle
serve the parle’ and the Chapelle at Paston And what lenghthe
they moste be and what brede and thykknesse thei moste be for
yowre fadris wille was as j weene veryli that thei schuld be ix
³ enchis on wey And vij another weye And po’venthe therfor
that thei mow be squarid there And sentte hedre for here can non
soche be hadde in this conttre And seye to yowre brothir John
it weer wel don to thinkke on Stansted ⁴ Chirche And I p’ye
yow to sende me ⁵ tydynggs from be yond see for here thei arn
a ferde to telle soche as be reportid.

By yowr Modre,

⁶ Augnes Paston.

11 ½ by 7.

         Paper Mark,
    A Bull’s or Goat’s Head.
         Pl. X. N^o 8.

Norwich,
Thursday, 4th of February,
1444-5. 23 H. VI

We see that the same little contentions took place amongst neighbours in the times
here treated of, as too frequently happen at this day.

¹ John Partrick, of Swathfield, was vicar of Paston, from 1442 to 1447.

² Sir William Paston, knight, died 13th of August 1444, aged 66.

³ These dimensions were for very substantial work, and shew the care and attention of
the Testator to have his habitation to endure for a great length of time;—the vestiges
only of these buildings now remain, in which these strong joists were to be placed.

⁴ Stansted Church in Suffolk—Dame Agnes had possessions in that parish.

⁵ These tidings relate to our foreign transactions, the giving up of Maine, Truces, &c.
&c. on the King’s marriage, which had taken place in November.

⁶ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 19.

Johames Due de Norfolk.

Prate pro bono statu illustrissmi dñi bumfridi Comifis
Staffordie, of dñe Time confortis sue.

LETTER VIII.

To Edmund Paston, of Clifford’s Inn, in London, be this Letter taken.

TO mine well beloved Son, I greet you well, and advise
you to think once of the day of your father’s counsel to
learn the law, for he said many times that whosoever should
dwell at Paston, should have need to con [to know how to]
defend himself.

The ¹ Vicar of Paston and your ² Father, in Lent last was,
were thorough and accorded, and doles set how broad the way
should be, and now he hath pulled up the doles, and saith he
will make a ditch from the corner of his wall, right over the
way to the new ditch of the great close. And there is a man in
Trunch hight [called] Palmer too, that had of your father cer-
tain lands in Trunch over seven years, or eight years agone, for
corn, and truly hath paid all the years; and now he hath
suffered the corn to be withset [taken] for eight shillings of rent
to Gimmingham, which your father paid never; Geoffry asked
Palmer why the rent was not asked in mine husband’s time,
and Palmer said, for [because] he was a great man, and a wise
man of the law, and that was the cause men would not ask him
the rent.

I send you the names of the men, that cast down the pit, that
was (in) Genney’s Close, written in a bill closed in this Letter.

I send you not this Letter to make you weary of Paston, for I
live in hope, and ye will learn that they shall be made
weary of their work, for in good faith I dare well say it was
your father’s last will to have done right well to that place, and
that can I shew of good proof though men would say nay.
God make you right a good man, and send God’s blessing and
mine. Written in haste at Norwich, the Thursday after Candle-
mas-day.

Weet of your brother John how many joists will serve the
parlour and the chapel at Paston, and what length they must be,
and what breadth and thickness they must be, for your father’s
will was, as I ween verily that they should be nine ³ inches
one way, and seven another way, and purvey therefore that
they may be squared there, and sent hither, for here can none
such be had in this country; and say to your brother John it
were well done to think on ⁴ Stansted church; and I pray you
to send me ⁵ Tidings from beyond sea, for here they are afraid to
tell such as be reported.

By your Mother,

⁶ AGNES PASTON

11 ? by 7.

         Paper Mark,
    A Bull’s or Goat’s Head.
         Pl. X. N^o 8.

Norwich,
Thursday, 4th of February,
1444-5. 23 H. VI

We see that the same little contentions took place amongst neighbours in the times
here treated of, as too frequently happen at this day.

¹ John Partrick, of Swathfield, was vicar of Paston, from 1442 to 1447.

² Sir William Paston, knight, died 13th of August 1444, aged 66.

³ These dimensions were for very substantial work, and shew the care and attention of
the Testator to have his habitation to endure for a great length of time;—the vestiges
only of these buildings now remain, in which these strong joists were to be placed.

⁴ Stansted Church in Suffolk—Dame Agnes had possessions in that parish.

⁵ These tidings relate to our foreign transactions, the giving up of Maine, Truces, &c.
&c. on the King’s marriage, which had taken place in November.

⁶ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 19.

62

AGNES PASTON TO EDMUND PASTON²

To Edmond Paston of Clyffordis Inn, in London, be this
Lettre take.

        TO myn welbelovid sone, I grete yow wel, and avyse yow
              to thynkk onis of the daie of youre fadris counseyle to
              lerne the lawe, for he seyde manie tymis that ho so
ever schuld dwelle at Paston, schulde have nede to conne
defende hym selfe.

The Vikare³ of Paston and yowre fadre,⁴ in Lenttyn last
was, wher [were] thorwe and acordidde, and doolis⁵ sette howe
broode the weye schulde ben,⁶ and nowe he hath pullid uppe the
doolis, and seithe he wolle makyn a dyche fro the corner of his
walle, ryght over the weye to the newe diche of the grete
cloose. And there is a man in Truntche, hyzht Palmer to,
that hadde of yowre fadre certein londe in Truntche over vij.
yere or viij. yere agoone for corn, and trewli hathe paide all
the yers; and now he hathe suffrid the corne to ben with sette
for viijs. of rentte to Gymmyngham, wich yowre fadre paide
nevere. Geffreie axid Palmere why the rentte was notte axid
in myn husbonddis tyme; and Palmere seyde, for he was a
grete man, and a wyse man of the law, and that was the cawse
men wolde not axe hym the rentte.

I sende yow the namis of the men that kaste down the
pittis, that was Gynnis Close, wretyn in a bille closid in this
lettre.

I sendde yow not this lettre to make yow wery of Paston;
for I leve in hoope, and ye wolle lern that they schulle be
made werye of her werke, for in good feyth I dar welseyne it
was yowr fadris laste wille to have do ryzht wel to that plase,
and that can I schewe of good profe, thowe men wolde seye
naye. God make yow ryzht a good man, and sende Goddis
blessyng and myn.

Wrettyn in haste, at Norwich, the Thorsdaie aftir Candel-
masse daie.

Wetith of yowre brothere John now manie gystis [joists]
wolle serve the parler and the chapelle at Paston, and what
lenghthe they moste be, and what brede and thykknesse thei
moste be; for yowre fadris wille was, as I weene veryli, that
thei schuld be ix. enchis on wey, and vij. another weye. And
porveythe therfor that thei mow be squarid there, and sentte
hedre, for here can non soche be hadde in this conttre. And
seye to yowre brothir John it weer wel don to thinkke on
Stansted Chirche;¹ and I praye yow to sende me tydynggs²
from be yond see, for here thei arn a ferde to telle soche
as be reportid.

By yowr Modre,

AUGNEIS PASTON.

² [From Fenn, iii. 32.] This letter must have been written in February 1445, as
it appears from the contents that William Paston was dead, but had been alive in the
preceding Lent.

³ John Partrick of Swathfield was Vicar of Paston, from 1442 to 1447.—F.

⁴ William Paston, the Judge.

⁵ Landmarks. ‘Dolestones’ are still spoken of in Norfolk in this sense.—See
Latham’s Edition of Johnson’s Dictionary.

⁶ On the 6th July 1443 a licence was granted to William Paston to enclose a
portion of the highway at Paston, and another at Oxnead, on his making two other
highways in place thereof.—Patent Roll, 21 Henry VI. p. 1, m. 10.

¹ Stansted Church in Suffolk.—Dame Agnes had possessions in that parish.—F.

² These tidings relate to our foreign transactions, the giving up of Maine,
Truces, &c. &c. on the King’s marriage, which had taken place in November.—F.

1445
FEB. 4