Dame Alice Ogard to John Paston

LETTER LXXII.

            To my Right wurshipfull
            Cosyn John Paston esquyer.

RYGHT worshippfull and enterly belovyd Cosyn I comaund
     me to yow hertyly Latyhg yow wete that there ys a con-
traversie mevyd be twix my Cosyn Iohn ¹ Radeclyff of attyl-
burgh and me for the Advoweson of the chirch of Attylburgh
the whech ys new voide wheroff the title is myn veryly as god
knowith the whech shall be oppenyd unto yow And upon Thurs-
day next atte Wymondh’m there shall be take an enquerre de
jure patronatus afore ² Mast^r Robert Popy And Mast^r Symond
Thornh’m atte whech day j may nought be my selff as god
knowyth And thow j myght yt were not convenyent And ther-
fore ryght trusty Cosyn consideryng that j am a wedowe jmpo-
tent as of body tendyrly and hcrtily j pray you yf yt lyke yow
to be there assistyng my Councell in my Right as reson and lawe
wille upon thursday next be viij of the clokke And ³ Fynch’m
Spelman and othir of my Councell shall be than there waytyng
upon yow And jentyll Cosyn have me excused thowh j wryte
thus brefly and homly to yow for in trouth j do it of a synguler
trust and affection the wheche j have in yow consideryng the
goode nome and Fame of trouth wysdom and good conducte the
which j here of you And therfor and ye may to youre well j be-
seche you hertyly to be there And ye shall nought lese therby
with the grace of almyghty jhu the wheche evyr preserve and
promote you gentill Cosyn in moche worship to youre hertys
ease Atte Bokenh’m Castell on teuysday in Pache weke in hast

                                                                              ⁴ D. A. Ogard.

           12 by 6 ¾.
           Paper Mark,
       Cap and Fleur de lys.
           Pl. VIII. N^o 4.

           Bokenhem,
     Easter Tuesday, 30 March,
         1456, 34 H. VI.

     It appears that Lady Ogard’s Cousin and Counsel assisted her to good purpose, for on
the 2d of August, 1456, we find that Master Thomas Fairclowe, D. D. was presented
by her to the Church of Attleborough.

     ¹ John Radcliff, Esq. married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Walter Lord Fitz
Walter; he was in her right called Lord Fitz Walter, and was killed at Ferrybridge,
in 1460.

     ² These were Civilians and Officers belonging to the Bishop’s Court.

     ³ Simeon Fincham, of Fincham, Esq. his Son John married Agnes, Daughter of
John Spelman, of Beckerton, Esq. I suppose the person here mentioned, he died in
1460, and Simeon in 1458.

     ⁴ Dame Alice Ogard was the Widow of Sir Andrew Ogard, Knt. whose first wife
was Margaret, the Daughter of Sir John Clifton, Knt. of Bokenhem Castle. He
died in 1454, and Alice, his relict, in 1460.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 20.

     The Character here given of John Paston is such as places him in a very advanta-
geous point of view.

LETTER LXXII.

To my right worshipful Consin, John Paston, Esq.

RIGHT worshipful and entirely beloved Cousin, I commend
     me to you heartily, letting you weet, that there is a con-
troversy moved betwixt my Cousin ¹ John Radcliff, of Attle-
borough, and me for the Advowson of the church of Attlebo-
rough, the which is now void, whereof the title is mine verily
as God knoweth, the which shall be opened unto you, and upon
Thursday next, at Wymondham, there shall be taken an En-

quiry de jure Patronatûs, afore ² Master Robert Popy and Mas-
ter Simon Thornham, at which day I may nought be myself
as God knoweth, and though I might, it were not convenient
(q? becoming). And therefore, right trusty Cousin, consider-
ing that I am a Widow impotent as of body, tenderly and
heartily I pray you, if it like You to be there assisting my Coun-
sel in my right, as reason and law will upon Thursday next by
eight of the clock, and ³ Fincham, Spelman, and other of my
counsel shall be then there waiting upon you; and gentle Cousin
have me excused, though I write thus briefly and homely to
you, for in truth I do it of a singular trust and affection the which
I have for you, considering the good name and fame of truth,
wisdom, and good conduct, the which I hear of you. And
therefore and (if) ye may to your weal, I beseech you heartily
to be there, and ye shall nought lose thereby with the grace of
Almighty Jesu, the which ever preserve and promote you, gen-
tle Cousin, in much worship to your heart’s ease. At Boken-
ham Castle, on Tuesday in Pasche Week, in haste.

                                                             ⁴ DAME ALICE OGARD.

          12 by 6 ?.
           Paper Mark,
       Cap and Fleur de lys.
           Pl. VIII. N^o 4.

          Bokenhem,
     Easter Tuesday, 30 March,
         1456, 34 H. VI.

     It appears that Lady Ogard’s Cousin and Counsel assisted her to good purpose, for on
the 2d of August, 1456, we find that Master Thomas Fairclowe, D. D. was presented
by her to the Church of Attleborough.

     ¹ John Radcliff, Esq. married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Walter Lord Fitz
Walter; he was in her right called Lord Fitz Walter, and was killed at Ferrybridge,
in 1460.

     ² These were Civilians and Officers belonging to the Bishop’s Court.

     ³ Simeon Fincham, of Fincham, Esq. his Son John married Agnes, Daughter of
John Spelman, of Beckerton, Esq. I suppose the person here mentioned, he died in
1460, and Simeon in 1458.

     ⁴ Dame Alice Ogard was the Widow of Sir Andrew Ogard, Knt. whose first wife
was Margaret, the Daughter of Sir John Clifton, Knt. of Bokenhem Castle. He
died in 1454, and Alice, his relict, in 1460.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 20.

     The Character here given of John Paston is such as places him in a very advanta-
geous point of view.

327

DAME ALICE OGARD TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right wurshipfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquyer.

   RYGHT worshippfull and enterly belovyd cosyn, I
     comaund me to yow hertyly; latyng yow wete that
     there ys a contraversie mevyd be twix my cosyn John
Radeclyff² of Attylburgh and me for the advoweson of the
chirch of Attylburgh, the whech ys now voide, wheroff the
title is myn veryly as God knowith, the whech shall be oppenyd
unto yow; and upon Thursday next atte Wymondham, there
shall be take an enquerre de jure patronatus afore Master Robert
Popy and Master Symond Thornham, atte whech day I may
nought be my selff as God knowyth, and thow I myght, yt
were not convenyent.

     And therfore, ryght trusty cosyn, consideryng that I am a
wedowe impotent as of body, tendyrly and hertily I pray you,
yf yt lyke yow, to be there assistyng my councell in my right
as reson and lawe will upon Thursday next, be viij. of the
clokke; and Fyncham,³ Spelman, and othir of my councell
shall be than there waytyng upon yow. And, jentyll cosyn,
have me excused thowh I wryte thus brefly and homly to yow,
for in trouth I do it of a synguler trust and affection, the
wheche I have in yow, consideryng the goode nome and fame
of trouth, wysdom, and good conducte, the which I here of
you. And therfor, and ye may to youre well, I beseche you
hertyly to be there, and ye shall nought lese therby with the
grace of Almyghty Jesu, the wheche evyr preserve and pro-
mote you, gentill cosyn, in moche worship to youre hertys
ease.

     Atte Bokenham Castell, on Teuysday in Pache weke, in
hast.                                                                   D. A. OGARD.¹

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 290.] This letter would appear to have been written in the
year 1456, as Thomas Fairclowe, D.D., was presented to the church of Attleborough
on the 2nd August in that year by Dame Alice Ogard as patron.

     ² John Radcliff, Esq., married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Walter, Lord Fitz-
Walter. He was in her right called Lord Fitz-Walter, and was killed at Ferrybridge
in 1461.

     ³ Simeon Fincham, of Fincham, Esq. His son John married Agnes, daughter of
John Spelman, of Beckerton, Esq., I suppose the person here mentioned. He died in
1460, and Simeon in 1458.—F.

¹ Dame Alice Ogard was the widow of Sir Andrew Ogard, Knight, whose first
wife was Margaret, the daughter of Sir John Clifton, Knight, of Bokenham Castle.
He died in 1454, and Alice, his relict, in 1460.—F.

MARCH 30

1456

MARCH 30