Anonymous to John Paston

LETTER XVIII.

RYGHT Worchefull Mast^r I Recōmend me on to yow &c.
y^e cause of my wrytyng is yis J was at blofeld on sent
Andruys Day wyt y^e p^rson and he vnd^rstode non noder but y^t
I can to se is Mast^r chepe for it was hese cheue day and y^t I
mecuyd in to hym of y^e lond in sochewerk how J hard fey qwan
I was in sochefolk y^t Geney mad hys auuant y^t he had zon zow
and hym a chopped of xx pownd of lond and in contynent he
telded me al y^e mat^r bet yan J cowde telle hym and as I cowde
vnd-stond in hym be my sympyl wyt y^t he was of knoleche or
alle y mat^r for he seyd y^t yelu^rton cam don fro y^e benche and
plete y^e mat^r and for cause ye wer to laches and cam not in tyme
y^e mat^r yede a mys and so I vnd^rstode be hym y^t he is dysposyd
to excuse yelu^rton in all mat'ys rather yan yow but neu^r de les
make good cher to y^e person as yow ye vnd^rstode y^t he wer your
frend tyl tyme ye haue your in tente but be warr and tost hym
not but make yow so storng in lorchepe and in y^e lawe y^t ye
reeke not meche qwd^r he be good or bad &c. It' ye be meche
be held on to tom's Grene and to Edmund Wydewel brod^r to
Heu A Fen for yei reporte meche worchepe of your Mast^r chepe
in al maters and y^t cause y^e substans of y^e towne to howe yow
                                                                                             seruese and be well dysposyd on to yow Mast^rchepe and yar vnd^r-
stonde J hev'y day and yf y^t plese yow qwan we partyt at Nor-
wyche in yowr plase ye seyd on to me ye wold som qat do be
my sympyl a wyse and yis is myn a wyse y^t in ony wyse ye
make Heuasen and tom's Grene on your consel yf ye can
fyne in yow herte for I dare sey as J her and vnd^rstode y^t yei
how yow ryth good well and servyse for a man may her be y^e
halfe qwat y^e hole menyth and y'for fodds lowe remember
yow wel in yis mat^r for and it stode on my lyfe J wold do as I
awyse yow &c. It' for howr lords loue goo tharow w^t wyll
Weset^r and also plese chrewys as ye thynke in yow hert best for
to do for it is a Comon prouerbe a man must sumtyme set a
candel befor y^e deuyle and y'for yow it be not ald^r most mede
and p'fytabyl yet of ij harmys y^e leste is to be take It' ye xul
oond^rstonde y^t y^e parson telde me y^t dey wer somūd to cum for
y^e p'bat of y^e testement at cūuercyon of sent Powle and y' for
J wolde auyse yow in ony wyse y^t ye xuld vnd^rstond y^e mat^r
wysely her ye Com hom for I sopose y^t yelu^rton and he is con-
fydett and acorde to ged^r It' qwan I was at Blofeld w^t y^e p^rson
y' cam Robert Fyrass to hym seyyng y^t he is compeld be y^e kyngs
cōmycyoners to have harnes aft^r is degre and y^t y^t p^rson sent
hym to my Mastras y^e che xuld delyu^r hym harnes and I vnd^r-
stond che wylle not tylle ye com hom but ye xul vnd^rstond it is
anhalmes dede to do hym good vnd^rstondyng is nesessyte and nede
y^t he stond in and also vnd^rstondyng y^t he was kynnyes man to
my Mast^r and it is a comon p'uerbe a man xuld kepe fro y^e
blynde and geuyt to is kyn and heu^ry man wyl sey wel, y' of y^e
mor cause he is a gentylman and of is kyne and in gret penur
and y' for for y^e loue of god remembyr seche maters No mor at
yis tyme but god have yow in hys kepynd bothe body and sowle
and spede yow in yowr maters as wel as wel as J wolde ye
xulde do.

               9 ? by 8 ?.

              Paper Mark,

     Bull's Head and Star.

              Pl. VIII. No 2.

     Though this Letter has neither address nor subscription it appears to have been written
so John Paston, in the beginning of Edward the Fourth's reign, and the business it con-
tains seems to be relative to Sir John Fastolf's affairs and will.

     Thomas Howys was parson of Blofield from about 1460 to 1471, and his cheve-day,
or thriving-day, I should suppose means the day on which he received the profits of his
living; Saint Andrew's day being now a usual time for the payment of compositions for
tythes.

     The Writer of this Letter was a friend of J. Paston, and, from the advice which he here
gives him, may be supposed one who knew mankind.

                                      LETTER XVIII.

                 To my right worshipful Master, John Paston.

RIGHT worshipful Master, I recommend me unto you, &c.
the cause of my writing is this, I was at Blofield on Saint
Andrew's day (30 November) with the parson, and he under-
stood none other but that I came to see his mastership, for it
was his cheve day; and there I moved unto him of the land in
sochewerk (Southwark) how I heard say when I was in Suffolk
that Jenney made his avaunt that he had given you and him a
chop of twenty pound (worth) of land; and incontinent (imme-
diately) he told me all the matter better than I could tell him;
and as I could understand in him by my simple wit, that he was
of knowledge of all the3 matter for he said that Yelverton came
down from the Bench, and plete (pleaded) the matter, and for
cause ye were so laches (negligent), and came not in time, the
matter yede (went) amiss, and so I understand by him, that he is
disposed to excuse Yelverton in all matters rather than you, but
nevertheless make good cheer to the parson as thought ye under-
stood that he were your friend, till time ye have your intent, but
beware and trust him not, but make you so strong in lordship and
in the law, that ye reel not (care not) much whether he be good
or bad. &c.

     Item, ye be much beholden unto Thomas Greene and to Ed-
mund Wydeville, brother to Hugh Fenn, for they report much
worship of your mastership in all matters, that causes the sub-
 

stance of the town to owe you service, and be well disposed
unto your mastership, and that understand I every day; and if
it please you, when we parted at Norwich in your place ye said
unto me ye would somewhat do by my simple advice; and this
is mine advice, that in any wise ye make Hugh Fenn and
Thomas Greene on your counsel, if ye can find in your heart,
for I dare say as I hear and understand that they owe you right
good will and service, for a man may hear by the half what the
whole meaneth; and therefore for God's love remember you
well in this matter, for and (if) it stood on my life I would do
as I advise you, &c.

     Item, for our Lord's love go through with William Worcester
and also Please Chrewys as ye think in your heart best for to
do, for it is a common proverb, "A man must sometimes set a
candle before the Devil;" and therefore though it be not aldermost
meet and profitable, yet "of two harms the least is to be taken."

     Item, ye shall understand that the parson told me that they were
summoned to come for the probate of the Testament at (the)
Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January), and therefore I would
advise you in any wise, that ye should understand the matter
wisely ere ye come home, for I suppose that Yelverton and he
is confederate, and accord together.

     Item, when I was at Blofield with the parson, there came Robert
Fyrass (Ferrers q?) to him, saying that he is compelled by the
King's Commissioners to have harness after his degree, and that
the parson sent him to my mistress that she should deliver him
harness, and I understand she will not till ye come home, but
ye shall understand it is an alms deed to do him good, under-
standing his necessity and need that he stand in, and also under-

standing that he was kinsman to my master, and it is a common
proverb, ?A man should keep from the blind and give it to his
kind,? and every man will say well hereof, the more because he
is a gentleman, and of his kin, and in great penury; and there-
fore for the love of God remember such matters. No more at
this time, but God have you in his keeping both body and soul,
and speed you in your matters as well as I would ye should do.

9 ? by 8 ?.

     December, or January,

         between 1460 and 1462.

         1 and 2 E. IV.

     Though this Letter has neither address nor subscription it appears to have been written
so John Paston, in the beginning of Edward the Fourth's reign, and the business it con-
tains seems to be relative to Sir John Fastolf's affairs and will.

     Thomas Howys was parson of Blofield from about 1460 to 1471, and his cheve-day,
or thriving-day, I should suppose means the day on which he received the profits of his
living; Saint Andrew's day being now a usual time for the payment of compositions for
tythes.

     The Writer of this Letter was a friend of J. Paston, and, from the advice which he here
gives him, may be supposed one who knew mankind.

495

ANONYMOUS TO JOHN PASTON¹

RYGHT worchefull master, I recommend me on to yow,
     &c. The cause of my wrytyng is this; I was at
     Blofeld on Sent Andruys Day² wyt the person,³ and
he understode non noder but that I cam to se is master chepe,
for it was hese cheve day,⁴ and that I mevyd in to hym of the
lond in Sochewerk, how I hard sey qwan I was in Sochefolk
that Geney mad hys avaunt that he had zon [given] zow and
hym a choppe of xx. pownd of lond. And in contynent he
telde me al the mater beter than I cowde telle hym, and as I
cowde understond in hym be my sympyl wyt, that he was of
knoleche of alle the mater; for he seyd that Yelverton cam
don fro the benche, and plete the mater, and for cause ye
wer to laches, and cam not in tyme, the mater yede a mys.
And so I understode be hym that he is dysposyd to excuse
Yelverton in al materys rather than yow; but never de les
make good cher to the person, as thow ye understode that he
wer your frend, tyl tyme ye have your in tente. But be warr
and trost hym not, but make yow so strong in lorchepe and
in the lawe, that ye reeke not meche qwder he be good or
bad, &c.

     Item, ye be meche be held on to Tomas Grene and
Edmund Wydewel, broder to Heu a Fen, for thei reporte
meche worchepe of your master chepe in al maters, and that
cause the substans of the towne to howe yow servese, and
be wel dysposyd on to yow masterchepe, and that understonde
I hevery day. And yf that plese yow, qwan we partyt at
Norwyche in yowr plase, ye seyd on to me ye wold som qat
do be my sympyl a wyse; and this is myn a wyse that in ony
wyse ye make Heu à Fen and Tomas Grene on your consel,
yf ye can fyne in yow herte. For I dare sey, as I her and
understonde, that thei how yow ryth good well and servyse,
for a man may her be the halfe qwat the hole menyth, and
therfor for Godds lowe remember yow wel in this mater; for
and it stode on myn lyfe, I wold do as I awyse yow, &c.

     Item, for howr Lords love, goo tharow with Wyll Weseter,
and also plese Chrewys as ye thynke in yow hert best for to
do; for it is a comon proverbe, ‘A man must sumtyme set a
candel befor the Devyle’; and therfor thow it be not alder
most mede and profytabyl, yet of ij. harmys the leste is to
be take.

     Item, ye xul oonderstonde that the parson telde me that
dey wer somuned to cum for the probat of the testement at
Convercyon of Sent Powle;¹ and therfor I wolde avyse yow in
ony wyse that ye xuld understond the mater wysely her ye
com hom, for I sopose that Yelverton and he is confydett and
acorde to geder.

     Item, qwan I was at Blofeld with the parson, ther cam
Robert Fyrass to hym, seyyng that he is compeld be the
Kyngs Commycyoners to have harnes after is degre, and that
the parson sent hym to my mastras that che xuld delyver hym
harnes, and I understond che wylle not tylle ye com hom.
But ye xul understond it is an halmes dede to do hym good,
understondyng is nesessyte and nede that he stond in, and also
understondyng that he was kynnyes man to my master, and it
is a comon proverbe, ‘A man xuld kepe fro the blynde and
gevyt to is kyn’; and hevery man wyl sey wel ther of, the
mor cause he is a gentylman, and of is kyne, and in gret
penur. And therfor, for the love of God, remembyr seche
maters.

     No mor at this tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng,
bothe body and sowle, and sqede yow in yowr maters as wel
as wel as I wolde ye xulde do.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 64.] The date of this letter is a little uncertain, but it seems
to have been written at the beginning of the dispute between Paston and Yelverton,
about Fastolfs will, and the year 1461 appears to me on the whole most probable.

     ² 30th November.

     ³ Thomas Howes.

     ⁴ The day of his chief or patron saint. Blofield Church is dedicated to St.
Andrew.

¹ Jan. 25.

1461(?)
DEC.

1461(?)
DEC.

1461(?)
DEC.