B D M S to John Paston

Add. 34889, f. 43

no later than 1466

Gairdner, Vol IV, item 631; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 66

LETTER LXVI.

Be this delyv^red to
mastyr Iohn Paston.

I Recomaunde me unto you as unknowyn and as for the wryt-
ing I send unto you the cause why yt was nate endossed was
for the berer ther of knew yow wel J now And as for youre
Cossyn Mary she ys no longer w^t us as a pon Seynt Mathewys
Evyn she departyd from me And went to Awdry Croxeston And
she told me that ye wold pay for her borde ther but on thyng I
let you know she hathe demenyd her ful symply bothe for youre
Worship and also for her awne ther ys but few w^tin oure plasse
but they know how yt is w^t her And al by her awne bessynes of
her tung' And I had knowyn as myche at the begynnyng as I
have don sythe I wold not haue delt in the mater nat for xl.
pound for I wys she ys no thyng so sadde as I wold she wer No
more to you at thys tyme but the holy gost haue you in his
kepyng And send you youre hertys esse I p'y you hertly y^t I
may spke w^t you.

B. D. M. S.

         11 1/2 by 4 1/2.
            Paper Mark,                                          Seal,
     Bull's Head and Star.                              A Flower.
          P1. VIII. No 2.                                  P1. XXVIII. No 2.

This appears not to have been the first Letter which J. Paston had received relative to
the behaviour of his cousin Mary. It seems by it, that she had happened of an accident
too common in our age, but which, in the times here treated of, was looked upon as dis-
graceful in a high degree, not only to the person, but likewise to her family and friends.
I wish the shame of it was more attended to now than it is, as that would perhaps pre-
vent the ruin of many young people of both sexes; and in most cases of this kind, the

female, for the first offence, is generally intitled to our pity, however abandoned she may
become afterwards. I am sorry, as an acting Magistrate, to say, that licentiousness in
this respect is an increasing evil, affecting not only the morals of the lower classes in an
amazing degree, but adding considerably to the already enormous burden of the Poor's
Rates.

Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 17.

LETTER LXVI.

Be this delivered to Master John Paston.

I Recommend me unto you as unknown; and as for the writing
I send unto you, the cause why it was not endorsed was, for
the bearer thereof knew you well enough, and as for your Cousin
Mary she is no longer with us, as upon Saint Matthew's Even
she departed from me, and went to Audrey Croxston; and she
told me that ye would pay for her board there; but one thing I
let you know, she hath demeaned her full simply, both for your
worship, and also for her own; there is but few within our
place but they know how it is with her, and all by her own bu-
siness of her tongue. And (if) I had known as much at the
beginning, as I have done since, I would not have dealt in the
matter not for forty pounds, for I wis she is nothing so sad as I
would she were. No more to your at this time, but the Holy
Ghost have you in his keeping, and send you your heart's ease;
I pray you heartily I may speak with you.

B. D. M. S.

No exact date of the year can be affixed
         to this Letter, which appears to have
         been written in September or October,
         before 1466. 6 E. IV.

This appears not to have been the first Letter which J. Paston had received relative to
the behaviour of his cousin Mary. It seems by it, that she had happened of an accident
too common in our age, but which, in the times here treated of, was looked upon as dis-
graceful in a high degree, not only to the person, but likewise to her family and friends.
I wish the shame of it was more attended to now than it is, as that would perhaps pre-
vent the ruin of many young people of both sexes; and in most cases of this kind, the

female, for the first offence, is generally intitled to our pity, however abandoned she may
become afterwards. I am sorry, as an acting Magistrate, to say, that licentiousness in
this respect is an increasing evil, affecting not only the morals of the lower classes in an
amazing degree, but adding considerably to the already enormous burden of the Poor's
Rates.

Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 17.

631

B. D. M. S. TO JOHN PASTON¹

Be this delyvered to Mastyr John Paston.

      I RECOMAUNDE me unto you as unknowyn. And as
          for the wryting I send unto you, the cause why yt was
          nate endossed was, for the berer ther of knew yow wel
i now. And as for youre Cossyn Mary, she ys no longer with
us, as a pon Seynt Mathewys Evyn she departyd from me, and
went to Awdry Croxeston, and she told me that ye wold pay
for her borde ther. But on thyng I let you know; she hathe
demenyd her ful symply bothe for youre worship and also for
her awne. Ther ys but few within oure plasse but they know
how yt is with her, and al by her awne bessynes of her tunge.
And I had knowyn as myche at the begynnyng as I have don
sythe, I wold not have delt in the mater nat for xl. pound; for
I wys she ys no thyng so sadde as I wold she wer.

No more to you at thys tyme, but the Holy Gost have
you in His kepyng, and send you youre hertys esse. I pray
you hertly that I may sp[e]ke with you.

B. D. M. S.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 262.] There is no evidence of the date either of this or of the
four following letters beyond the fact that this and the two next are addressed to John
Paston, while the two last are addressed to Margaret Paston during her husband’s
life. None of them, therefore, can be later than 1466.