Dame Elizabeth Brews to John Paston

LETTER LXXI.

 To my wurschypfull Cosyne John ¹ Paston Be this bill delyu’yd, &c.

COSYN I recomande me un to yowe Thankyng yowe hertely
       for the grette chere that ye made me and all my Folkys
the last tyme y^t I was at Norwych. And ye p’mysyd me y^t
ye wold neu’ breke the mat’ to ² M’grery unto suche tyme as ye
and I were at a point. But ye hase made hyr suche Advo-
kett for yowe y^t I may neu’ hase Rest nyght ner Day for
callyng and cryeng uppon to brynge the saide mat’ to ef-
fecte, &c.

     And Cosyn uppon fryday is Sent ³ Volentynes Day and eu’y
Brydde chesyth hym a make and yf it lyke yowe to com’ on’
thursday at nyght and so p’vey yowe y^t ye may abyde y^r
tyll monday I trusty to God y^t ye schall so speke to myn hus-
band and I schall prey y^t we schall bryng the mat’ to a con-
clusyon, &c.

     For Cosyn it is but a sympill oke y^t cut down at the first stroke
ffor ye will be resonabill I trust to God whech hafe yowe eu’
in hys m’cyfull kepyng, &c.

                ⁴ Be yowr Cosyn Dame ⁵ Elizabeth Brews,

                              oy’wes schall be called be Godds g^rce.

       11 ½ by 3 ½.

 Between the 8th and 14th of February,
              1476-7, 16 E. IV.

     This is a Letter from Lady Brews, the Mother of the Gentlewoman, to whom John
Paston was desirous of paying his Addresses, and whom he married. We here see that
the custom of choosing Valentines was a sport practised in the houses of the gentry at this
time.

     ¹ John Paston was the next Brother to Sir John Paston, Knight, and his Heir in 1479.
He was High Sheriff of Norfolk, &c. in 1485, created a Kight Banneret in 1487, and
died in 1503.

     ² Margery, Daughter of Sir Thomas and Elizabeth Brews, of Stinton Hall, in Salle.

     ³ 14th of February.—Brydde, Bird.—Make, Match or Mate.

     ⁴ These two last lines seem intended to rhyme.

     ⁵ Elizabeth Brews, was a Daughter of Sir Giles, and Sister and heir of Sir Gilbert
Debenham, she seems very desirous of the match, and wishes to call him not only her
Cousin but Son, as she plainly intimates in her Subscription to this Letter. Pl. V. N^o 26.

LETTER LXXI.

 To my worshipful Cousin John ¹ Paston, Be this Bill delivered, &c.

COUSIN, I recommend me unto you, Thanking you
     heartily for the great cheer ye made me, and all my
Folks, the last time that I was at Norwich; and ye promised
me, that ye would never break the matter to ² Margery unto
such time, as ye and I were at a point. But ye have made her
such (an) Advocate for you, that I may never have rest night
nor day, for calling and crying upon to bring the said matter to
effect, &c.

     And Cousin, upon Friday is Saint ³ Valentine’s day, and every
Bird chuseth him a Mate; and if it like you to come on Thurs-
day at night, and so purvey you, that ye may abide there till
Monday, I trust to God, that ye shall so speak to mine husband;
and I shall pray, that we shall bring the matter to a conclu-
sion, &c.

               For, Cousin, “it is but a simple Oak,
              “That’s cut down at the first stroke,”
for ye will be reasonable I trust to God, which have you ever in
his merciful keeping, &c.

                    ⁴ By your Cousin Dame ⁵ ELIZABETH BREWS,

                                      otherwise shall be called by God’s Grace.

  11 ½ by 3 ½.

 Between the 8th and 14th of February,
              1476-7, 16 E. IV.

     This is a Letter from Lady Brews, the Mother of the Gentlewoman, to whom John
Paston was desirous of paying his Addresses, and whom he married. We here see that
the custom of choosing Valentines was a sport practised in the houses of the gentry at this
time.

     ¹ John Paston was the next Brother to Sir John Paston, Knight, and his Heir in 1479.
He was High Sheriff of Norfolk, &c. in 1485, created a Kight Banneret in 1487, and
died in 1503.

     ² Margery, Daughter of Sir Thomas and Elizabeth Brews, of Stinton Hall, in Salle.

     ³ 14th of February.—Brydde, Bird.—Make, Match or Mate.

     ⁴ These two last lines seem intended to rhyme.

     ⁵ Elizabeth Brews, was a Daughter of Sir Giles, and Sister and heir of Sir Gilbert
Debenham, she seems very desirous of the match, and wishes to call him not only her
Cousin but Son, as she plainly intimates in her Subscription to this Letter. Pl. V. N^o 26.

896

DAME ELIZABETH BREWS TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my wurschypfull cosyne, John Paston, be this bill
delyveryd, &c.

COSYN, I recomande me un to yowe, thankyng yowe
     hertely for the grette chere that ye made me and all
     my folkys, the last tyme that I was at Norwych; and
ye promysyd me, that ye wold never breke the mater to Mar-
grery unto suche tyme as ye and I were at a point. But ye
hafe made hyr suche advokett for yowe, that I may never hafe
rest nyght ner day, for callyng and cryeng uppon to brynge
the saide mater to effecte, &c.

     And, cosyn, uppon Fryday is Sent Volentynes Day, and
every brydde chesyth hym a make [mate]; and yf it lyke yowe
to come one Thursday at nyght, and so purvey yowe, that ye
may abyde there tyll Monday, I trusty to God, that ye schall
so speke to myn husband; and I schall prey that we schall
bryng the mater to a conclusyon, &c. For, cosyn,

                                It is but a sympill oke,
                                That [is] cut down at the first stroke.

For ye will be resonabill, I trust to God, Whech hafe yowe
ever in Hys mercyfull kepyng, &c.

                                   Be yowr cosyn, Dame ELIZABETH BREWS,
                                   otherwes schall be called be Godds grace.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 208.] It is clear from internal evidence that this letter was
written between the 7th and the 12th of February, and the fact that St. Valentine’s
Day (the 14th) fell on Friday, proves the year to have been 1477. Besides which, we
have distinct references to the matter further on in the dated correspondence.

1477
FEB.