Henry Berry to John Paston

LETTER XVIII.

To my Rygth worsschipful Cosyn John Paston Squyer, be this
Lett’ delyu’yd, &c.

   RYGHT worsschypfull and Reu’ent Cosyn I recomaunde
     me on to you wyth al myn hert as your feythful Kynnes-
man and Oratour desyrynge to her’ of the goode prosp’ite and
welfare of your worsschipfull modyr my Lady and Cosyn wyth
your wyff S^r. John Paston your brethern Wylliam and Clement
w^t all your Sonys and Doughters to whom I beseche you hertely
y^t I may be recomaundyd. God of his hyghe mercy p’s’ve
you all un to hys m’cy and grace and save you from all ad-
versite.

     Worsschipfull Cosyn my speciall writynge and hertys desire
afore rehersyd nature naturaly so me compellyth watt thou I be
putt fer ought of conceyte and syght I have you all in remem-
brance both day and nyght besechynge you gentyll Cosyn to ten-
der my writynge I take God to my wyttnesse I wold as fayn do
y^t myght be un to your hono^r worsschippe and p’fite as any
herthly man can thynke.

     Worfor now late deyde the Abbott of our Monastery and
lefte us in grete ded the brynger heroff is my sp’all frende,
y^e holdyst brother in our place neu’ hard nor saw our chirche
in y^t mysere y^t is now we have cast y^e perellys amongys us
and y^r is now’ other helpe butt eu’y brother y^t hath any wors-
schipfull kynne or frendys eu’y man to do his part to the well
sare socour and releve of our monasteri y^rfor worsschipfull
Cosyn I a brother of y^t worsschipfull monastery wer inne begoon
the feyth of all thys lond mekely besechyth you in the
reu^rence of allmygty God to render helpe and socour us in
our grete necessite for in London lyth to wedde many ryche
                                                                                                     Jowells

Jowells of ouris w^t other grete detts wych my brother wyll
enforme you of.

     Plesyth your goodnesse for Godys sake and all the Seyntts of
evyn and att my sympyll request to have compassion upon us
ye havynge dooe swerte both in obligacōns and pleggs in y^e
reu’ens of all myghti God do your Allmesse and Charite hitt
schall cause you to be prayed for and all your kynne as longe as
the chirche stantt and be this menys I trust to all myghty God
to se my Cosyn Will’m or Clement to be Stward of our Londys
and so to have an intresse in Kentt, to the worsschippe of God
and you all wych eu’ have you in his kepynge Amen.

     Writyn at Caunterbiry in hast the xxviij^ti day of Januar’.

     Also I beseche you schew the brynger of this Lett’ sū hūanite
and worsschipe y^t when he comyth home he may reporte as he
fyndeth.

     ^* y^s is the cause eu’y wele thi putt my kynne in my berd
seyinge I am come of Lordys Knygtes and Ladys I wold they wer
in your daung^r a m^l m’ke y^t they mygte know you, &c.

                                       Be your Cosyn and bedman,

                                                                            Henry Berry.

          11 ? by 6 ?.

          Canterbury,
               28th of January,
               1463 or 1464, 3 or 4 E. IV.

     This curious Letter, informing us of the state of the Monastery of St. Augustine, in
Canterbury, founded in 605, and in which Christianity was first preached by St. Au-
gustine, during the reign of Ethelbert, King of Kent, was written by Henry Berry,
(Pl. v. N^o 19.) a religious there, and a relation of Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of
Sir William Paston, the Judge, and the Daughter of Sir Edmund Berry, about 1463
or 1464, as Abbot James Sevenoke died in 1463, and was succeeded by William Selling,
who continued Abbot till 1480.

     The Letter is both pathetic and artful, the latter part from this Mark^* (see p. 282) to
the Subscription is crossed out but not so entirely as to hinder me from decyphering it as
here given.

     The Character at the beginning of this Letter I have often met with, and particularly
at the beginning of Letters written by Ecclesiastics. It has some religious meaning I
believe; I am apt to think it slands for I. H. S. and in this particular Letter, considering
the form of the initial R, I suppose the whole to mean Jesu Maria. Pl. v. N^o 19.

LETTER XVIII.

To my right Worshipful Cousin, John Paston, Esquire, be this
Letter delivered.

   RIGHT worshipful and reverend Cousin, I recommend
     me unto you, with all mine heart, as your faithful Kins-
man and Orator, desiring to hear of the good prosperity and
welfare of your worshipful Mother my Lady and Cousin, with
your Wife, Sir John Paston, your Brethren William and Clement,
with all your Sons and Daughters, to whom I beseech you
heartily, that I may be recommended. God of his high mercy,
preserve you all unto his mercy and grace, and save you from all
adversity.

     Worshipful Cousin, my special writing and heart’s desire
before rehearsed, nature naturally so me compelleth.

     What though I be put far out of conceit and sight,

     I have you all in remembrance both day and night;

beseeching you, gentle Cousin, to tender my writing. I take
God to my witness, I would as fain do that might be unto
your honour, worship, and profit, as any earthly man can think.

     Wherefore now late died the Abbot of our Monastery, and
left us in great debt; the Bringer hereof is my special Friend.
The oldest Brother in our place never heard nor saw our
Church in that misery that (it) is now; we have cast the perils
amongst us, and there is none other help, but every brother that
hath any worshipful Kin or Friends, every man to do his part
to the welfare, and succour, and relief of our Monastery.

     Therefore, worshipful Cousin, I, a Brother of that worshipful
Monastery wherein begun the Faith of all the Land, meekly be-
seecheth you, in the reverence of Almighty God to render help,
and succour us in our great necessity; for in London lieth to

wed (pawn) many rich Jewels of ours, with other great debts,
which my brother will inform you of.

     Pleaseth your goodness, for God’s sake, and all the Saints of
Heaven, and at my simple request, to have compassion upon us,
ye having due surety both in Obligations and Pledges.

     In the reverence of Almighty God, do your Alms and Charity;
it shall cause you to be prayed for, and all your Kin as long as
the Church standeth; and by this means, I trust to Almighty
God, to see my Cousin William, or Clement, to be Steward of
our Lands, and so to have an interest in Kent, to the worship
of God and you all, which ever have you in his keeping.
Amen.

     Written at Canterbury in haste the 28th day of January.

     Also I beseech you, shew the Bringer of this Letter some hu-
manity and worship, that when he cometh home, he may report
as he findeth.

     ^* This is the cause every while they put my Kin in my beard,
saying, I am come of Lords, Knights, and Ladies, I would they
were in your danger a 1000 Marks (666l. 13s. 4d.) that they
might know you, &c.

                                      By your Cousin and Beadman,

                                                                      HENRY BERRY.

        11 ? by 6 ?.

          Canterbury,
               28th of January,
               1463 or 1464, 3 or 4 E. IV.

     This curious Letter, informing us of the state of the Monastery of St. Augustine, in
Canterbury, founded in 605, and in which Christianity was first preached by St. Au-
gustine, during the reign of Ethelbert, King of Kent, was written by Henry Berry,
(Pl. v. N^o 19.) a religious there, and a relation of Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of
Sir William Paston, the Judge, and the Daughter of Sir Edmund Berry, about 1463
or 1464, as Abbot James Sevenoke died in 1463, and was succeeded by William Selling,
who continued Abbot till 1480.

     The Letter is both pathetic and artful, the latter part from this Mark^* (see p. 282) to
the Subscription is crossed out but not so entirely as to hinder me from decyphering it as
here given.

     The Character at the beginning of this Letter I have often met with, and particularly
at the beginning of Letters written by Ecclesiastics. It has some religious meaning I
believe; I am apt to think it slands for I. H. S. and in this particular Letter, considering
the form of the initial R, I suppose the whole to mean Jesu Maria. Pl. v. N^o 19.

556

HENRY BERRY TO JOHN PASTON⁵

To my Rygth worsschipful cosyn, John Paston, Squyer,
be this Letter delyveryd, &c.

      RYGHT worsschypfull and reverent cosyn, I recomaunde
          me on to you wyth al myn hert, as your feythful
          kynnesman and oratour, desyrynge to here of the
goode prosperite and welfare of your worsschipfull modyr
my Lady and cosyn, wyth your wyff, Sir John Paston, your
brethern Wylliam and Clement, with all your sonys and
doughters, to whom I beseche you hertely that I may be
recomaundyd. God of His hyghe mercy preserve you all un
to Hys mercy and grace, and save you from all adversite.

     Worsschipfull cosyn, my speciall writynge and hertys desire
afore rehersyd, nature naturaly so me compellyth,

                 Watt thou I be putt fer ought of conceyte and syght,
                 I have you all in remembrance both day and nyght;

besechynge you, gentyll cosyn, to tender my writynge. I take
God to my wyttnesse, I wold as fayn do that myght be un to
your honor, worsschippe, and profit as any herthly man can
thynke.

     Worfor now late deyde the Abbot of our Monastery, and
lefte us in grete ded [debt]; the brynger heroff is my speciall
frende: the holdyst brother in our place never hard nor saw
our chirche in that mysere that is now; we have cast the
perellys amongys us, and there is nowne other helpe, butt
every brother that hath any worsschipfull kynne or frendys,
every man to do his part to the well fare, socour, and releve
of our monasteri; therfor, worsschipfull cosyn, I, a brother of
that worsschipfull monastery, wer inne begoon the feyth of all
thys lond, mekely besechyth you in the reverence of Allmygty
God to render help, and socour us in our grete necessite; for
in London lyth to wedde many ryche jowells of ouris, with
other grete detts, wych my brother wyll enforme you of.

     Plesyth your goodnesse, for Godys sake, and all the Seyntts
of evyn, and att my sympyll request, to have compassion upon
us, ye havynge dooe swerte [due surety] both in obligacions and
pleggs; in the reverens of All myghti God, do your allmesse
and charite; hitt schall cause you to be prayed for, and all
your kynne as long as the chirche stantt; and be this menys, I
trust to All myghty God, to se my cosyn William, or Clement,
to be stward of our londys, and so to have an intresse in Kentt,
to the worsschippe of God and you all, wych ever have you in
His kepynge. Amen.

     Writyn at Caunterbiry in hast the xxviij^ti day of Januare.

    Also I beseche you, schew the brynger of this letter sum
humanite and worsschipe, that when he comyth home, he may
reporte as he fyndeth.

     ¹ [This is the cause every wele thi putt my kynne in my
berd, seyinge, I am come of lordys, knygtes, and ladys. I
wold they wer in your daunger a m^l. merke, that they mygte
know you, &c.]

               Be your cosyn and bedman,            HENRY BERRY.

     ⁵ [From Fenn, i. 278.] By the mention of Sir John Paston it is evident that this
letter was written after 1463, but of course the date cannot be later than 1466, in
which year John Paston the father died, to whom the letter is addressed. It appears
also to have been written shortly after the death of James Sevenoke, Abbot of St.
Augustine’s, Canterbury, which Fenn, I know not on what authority, says occurred
in 1463. Even the new edition of Dugdale does not give the date; but Fenn’s date
is in all probability right.

     ¹ This last paragraph is crossed out in the original MS.

JAN. 28

1464
JAN. 28

1464
JAN. 28