Agnes Paston to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 40

11 March 1450

Gairdner, Vol II, item 105; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 75

LETTER LXXV.

        To Iohn Paston
        dwellyn in the inder
        in of the Tempyll att
        london be thys lett^r
        delyuerd in hast.

SON I grete yow and Send yow godds Blyssyng and myn
and as for my doughtyr yo^r Wyfe Che faryt well Blyssyd
be god as a woman in hyr plyte may do and all yo^r Sonys and
doughtrys and for as meche as ye wyll Send me no tydyngs I
send yow seche as ben in thys Contre Rychard Lynsted Cam
thys day fro ¹ Paston and letyt me Wete that on saturday last
past Dravale halfe brother to Waryn Harman was takyn w^t
Enemyis Walkyn be the Se Syde and haue hym forthe w^t hem
and they tokyn ij ² 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 gesse hym
monej and sett hym ageyn on the lond and they haue thys weke
takyn iiij vesselys of Wyntyrton and Happysborough and Ecles
men ben sore aferd for takyn of me for ther ben X grete vesse-
lys of the Enemyis god yeue g’ce that the See may be better
kepte than it is now or ellys it chall ben a perlyous dwellyng be
the Se Cost I p’y yow grete well yo^r. Brethyrne and sey hem
that I send hem godd’s blyssyn and myn and sey Williā that if
jenett Lauton be not payd for the Krymson Cort wheche Alson
³ 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
sejthe Che wyll aske no man the money butt Alson Crane And
I p’y yow that ye wyll Remembr the lett^r that I sent yow last
and god be w^t yow Wretyn att Norwyche the Wedenesday next
before Sent Gregory.

⁴ Angnes Paston.

11 ? by 7 ?.

        Seal octangular, the impression
            imperfect; but it appears to
            be the head of a king or royal
            personage. Pl. XXIII. N^o 1.

                 Paper Mark,
                  An Anchor.
                Pl. XXII. N^o 12.

       Norwich,
             Wednesday, 8th of March,
             1457-8. 36 H. VI.

At a time when the kingdom was in a state of constant alarm from the civil conten-
tions between the White and Red Roses, it is not to be wondered at that the Coasts
were neglected, and that the enemies of England took advantage of this neglect by pil-
laging the inhabitants near the shores. These coasts were likewise exposed to the enemy
in 1449, see Vol. i. Letter VIII. p. 31.

¹ Paston is situated exactly on the north-east point of the Norfolk coast.

² We have here an instance of the respect paid, even by the enemies of this kingdom,
to pilgrims; for we find as soon as the man carried aboard the ships, was known by the
commander to be on pilgrimage he was dismissed, and set on shore with money in his
pocket, which probably might be given to him, as a recompence for what the sailors
had taken from the woman on shore, or to defray the expenses of his pilgrimage.

³ This was probably a daughter of Robert Crane, of Stonham, in Suffolk.

The anecdotes in this Letter are curious, and worth preserving, as they strongly
mark the defenceless state of the kingdom, and point out the inattention of the govern-
ment to naval affairs. I think I have fixed the date of this Letter properly, but I may
be wrong.

⁴ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 19.

LETTER LXXV.

To John Paston, dwelling in the Inner Inn of the Temple, at Lon-
don, be this Letter delivered in haste.

SON, I greet you, and send you God’s blessing and mine; as
for my daughter your wife she fareth well, blessed be God!
as a woman in her plight may do, and all your Sons and
Daughters.

And for as much as ye will send me no tidings, I send you
such as be in this Country; Richard Lynsted came this day
from ¹ Paston and let me weet, that on Saturday last past, Dra-
vell, half-brother to Warren Harman, was taken with enemies,
walking by the Sea side, and (they) have him forth with them,
and they took two ² Pilgrims, a man and a woman, and they
robbed the woman and let her go, and led the man to the Sea;
and when they knew he was a Pilgrim they gave him money,
and set him again on the land; and they have this week taken
four Vessels off Winterton, and Happisborough and Eccles.

Men be sore afraid for taking of me, for there be ten great
Vessels of the Enemy’s; God give grace that the sea may be
better kept than it is now, or else it shall be a perilous dwelling
by the sea coast.

I pray you greet well your brethren, and say (tell) them that
I send them God’s blessing and mine, and say William that if
Janet Lauton be not paid for the Crimson Coat which Alson
³ Crane wrote to her for in her own name, that then he pay her,
and see Alson Crane’s name stricken out of her book, for she
saith she will ask no man the money but Alson Crane. And I
pray you that ye will remember the Letter that I sent you last,
and God be with you.

Written at Norwich, the Wednesday next before Saint Gre-
gory (12th March.)

By your Mother,

⁴ AGNES PASTON.