John Pampynge to John Paston, Senior

LETTER XLV.

     To my right Worshipful
     Master Iohn Paston the
     elde' squ'ie.

PLEASE yo^r mastership to wete that the ¹ Assise holde this
day at Thetford And as for any newe assise that ye spak
of ther is non ner non other savyng on for a man a bought

Brunham I spak w^e Herward and I askyd hym if ther was any
gret day at Bury and he seid their was but a small day and as for
any assises ther wer non but old And he told me that Dehenh'm
and the undershireff were falle ought Debenh'm bare the Shireff
on hand that he had do indited an hundred men son he cam in
to his office and the Shireff told hym that the kyngs bokkes
apperid whedir it was so or nought And he told Debenh'm that
he coud indite an hundred at on tyme whan ye wre indited and
named yow the Cause of ther brekyng ther was a man kyllid
now late in Suff. And he that ded it was on of Debenh'm's men
and Herward told me that the Shireff seid to hym he wold do
Debenth'm a shrewd turne and he coud. It'm it was told me at
Norwich that Master Berney shuld haue be here w^t a gret fela-
ship and it is not so ner no man heryth of hys Comyng ner her
is but litell pepill nowther ther wer not so fewe this iij yer as
men say. It'm Herward askyd me where John Gayn was and
J askyd why and he seid ther is a capias ought ayens hym upon
the ² condepnace and the shireff hath it he bad me geue hym
warnyng it is retarnabill XV  ³ pasch'.

     It'm thei sey here that the Kyng was on Monday at Walth'm.

     It'm Nicholas Colman hath brought home yo^r fardell it is at
Norwich.

     It'm ther be no more Igues her but Sr Pers ⁴ Ardeyn Wretyn
at Thetford the Wednesday the last day of Februar.

It'm' ⁵ Wymondh'm is her and was at the Shirehows this day
and the kyngs livery abaught his ⁶ nekke and ther stood be the
Juge whill a lettir of the Kyngs was red the effect was as it
was told me that the Kyng will that Justice be had and that all
risers ayens the pees and oppressers of the pepill be chasteised
letyng hem that he was late in Cambrigge Shire and there such
as had offendid askyd g'ce wheeth thei had sauyng such as wer
rewelers whm he woll somwhat bee puyshid p'posyng to be
in this Country abought Estern, &c.

                                   Yor servut, &c.

                                                            ⁷ John Pampynge.

11 1/2 by 8 1/2.

     This Letter was written at a time when Edward, having confiscated many of the Estate
of the Lancastrians, and granted them to those of his own party, was by mildness and
affability endeavouring to become popular.

     ¹ William Calthorpe was Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk.

     ² Query, as to this word, it being not perfect in the Original?

     ³ Quinzieme Pasche, the fifteenth day after Easter.

     ⁴ Sir Peter Ardern, Knight, was Chief Baron of the Exchequer, &c.

     ⁵ John Wymondham, Esq. the purchaser of Felbrigg; he died there in 1475, and was
buried in the Augustine Friars at Norwich. From him the present William Wyndham,
Esq. of Felbrigg, is lineally descended.

     ⁶ This was either some coloured ribbon, or, most probably, a Collar with the King's
device.

     Collars were at this time generally worn by persons of consequence, and by the fashion
and form of them the rank of the wearer was intended to be ascertained; they were
usually formed of SS, having on the centre before, a rose or some other device, and were
made either of gold or silver, according to the rank, dignity, a or fortune of the wearer.

     By an Act "For Reformation of Excess of Apparel, " passed in the 24 H. VIII. 1532.
ch. 13. it was enacted, "that no man, unless he be a Knight, wear and Collar of Gold,
named a Collar of SS." This Collar therefore from that time became the distinguishing
badge of knighthood.

      ⁷ Autograph.  Pl. XXV. No 12.

LETTER XLV.

           To my rihgt worshipful Master, John Paston, the elder, Esq.

PLEASE your mastership to weet that the ¹ Assize hold this
day at Thetford; and as for any new Assize, that ye spoke
of, there is none, nor none there saving one for a man about
Brunham.

    I spake with Herward, and I asked him if there was my
great day at Bury, and he said there was but a small day, and as
for any assizes there were none but old; and he told me that
Debenham and the Under Sheriff were fallen out; Debenham
bare the Sheriff and hand that he had do (caused to be) endicted an
hundred men since he came into his office, and the Sheriff told
him that the King's books appeared whether it was so or not,
and he told Debenham that he could endict an hundred at one
time when ye were endicted, and named you the cause of their
breaking.

     There was a killed now late in Suffolk, and he that did
it was one of Dehenham's men, and Herward told me that the
Sheriff said to him he would do Debenham a shrewd turn and
(if) he could.

     Item, it was told me at Norwich that Master Berney should
have been here with a great fellowhips, and it is not so, nor no
man heareth of his coming, nor here is but little people neither,
there were not so few this three years, as men say.

     Item, Herward asked me where John Gayne was, and I asked
why, and he said there is a Capias out againts him upon the
² condemnation, and the Sheriff hath it, he bade me give him
warning; it is returnable XV ³pasche.

     Item, they say here that the King was on Monday at Waltham.

     Item, Nicholas Colman hath brought home your fardel, it is
at Norwich.

     Item, there be no more Judges here but Sir Pers ⁴ Arden.

     Written at Thetford, the Wednesday the last day of February.

    Item, ⁵ Wymondham is here, and was at the Shire-house
this day, and the King's Livery about his ⁶ neck, and there
stood by the Judge, while a Letter of the King's was read, the
effect was, as it was told me, that me, that the King will that Justice be
had, and that all risers against the peace, and oppressors of the
people be chastised, letting them weet that he was late in Cam-
bridgeshire, and that there such as had offended asked grace,
which they had, saving such as as were rulers, whom he will
somewhat see punished, proposing to be in this Country about
Easter.

                                   Your Servant

                                                                ⁷ JOHN PAMPYNGE.

Thetford, Wednesday,
          the last day of February,
          1463-4. 3 E. IV.

     This Letter was written at a time when Edward, having confiscated many of the Estate
of the Lancastrians, and granted them to those of his own party, was by mildness and
affability endeavouring to become popular.

     ¹ William Calthorpe was Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk.

     ² Query, as to this word, it being not perfect in the Original?

     ³ Quinzieme Pasche, the fifteenth day after Easter.

     ⁴ Sir Peter Ardern, Knight, was Chief Baron of the Exchequer, &c.

     ⁵ John Wymondham, Esq. the purchaser of Felbrigg; he died there in 1475, and was
buried in the Augustine Friars at Norwich. From him the present William Wyndham,
Esq. of Felbrigg, is lineally descended.

     ⁶ This was either some coloured ribbon, or, most probably, a Collar with the King's
device.

     Collars were at this time generally worn by persons of consequence, and by the fashion
and form of them the rank of the wearer was intended to be ascertained; they were
usually formed of SS, having on the centre before, a rose or some other device, and were
made either of gold or silver, according to the rank, dignity, a or fortune of the wearer.

    By an Act "For Reformation of Excess of Apparel, " passed in the 24 H. VIII. 1532.
ch. 13. it was enacted, "that no man, unless he be a Knight, wear and Collar of Gold,
named a Collar of SS." This Collar therefore from that time became the distinguishing
badge of knighthood.

    ⁷ Autograph.  Pl. XXV. No 12.

559

JOHN PAMPYNGE TO JOHN PASTON, SENIOR¹

To my right worshipfull master, John Paston,
the elder, Squier.

     PLEASE your mastership to wete that the Assise holde
         this day at Thetford; and as for any newe Assise, that
         ye spak of, ther is non, ner non other savyng on for a
man a bought Brunham.

     I spak with Herward, and I askyd hym if ther was any gret
day at Bury, and he seid ther was but a small day, and as for
any assises ther wer non but old; and he told me that Deben-
ham and the Undershireff were falle ought. Debenham bare
the Shireff on hand¹ that he had do indited an hundred men
son he cam in to his office, and the Shireff told hym that
the Kyngs bokkes apperid whedir it was so or nought;
and he told Debenham that he coud indite an hundred at
on tyme whan ye wer indited, and named yow the cause of
ther brekyng.

     Ther was a man kyllid now late in Suffolk, and he that ded
it was on of Debenhams men; and Herward told me that the
Shireff seid to hym he wold do Debenham a shrewd turne and
he coud.

     Item, it was told me at Norwich that Master Berney shuld
have be here with a gret felaship, and it is not so, ner no man
heryth of hys comyng, ner her is but litell pepill nowther, ther
wer not so few this iij. yer, as men say.

     Item, Herward askyd me where John Gayn was, and I
askyd why, and he seid ther is a capias ought ayens hym upon
the condempnaceon,² and the Shireff hath it, he bad me geve
hym warnyng; it is retarnabill xv. Pasch.³

     Item, thei sey here that the Kyng was on Monday at
Waltham.

     Item, Nicholas Colman hath brought home your fardell; it
is at Norwich.

     Item, ther be no more Juges here but Sir Pers Ardeyn.⁴

     Wretyn at Thetford, the Wednesday the last day of
Februar.

 Item, Wymondham¹ is here, and was at the shirehows this
day, and the Kyngs livery abaught his nekke, and ther stood
be the Juge, whill a lettir of the Kyngs was red. The effect
was, as it was told me, that the Kyng will that justice be had,
and that all risers ayens the pees, and oppressers of the pepill,
be chasteised, letyng hem weet² that he was late in Cambrigge
Shire, and there such as had offendid askyd grace, whech thei
had, savyng such as wer rewlers, whom he woll somwhat bee
punyshid, purposyng to be in this contry abought Estern, &c.

                                 Your servaunt, &c.,

                                                                             JOHN PAMPYNGE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 158.] The circumstance of the last day of February falling on
a Wednesday fixes the date of this letter to the year 1464. There is no evidence in
the dates of Privy Seals that the King was at Waltham in the end of February, or that
he had previously visited Cambridgeshire, in any year during the period when this
letter must have been written; but it is quite possible that he was at Waltham on the
27th February 1464, and if so, that he had passed through Cambridgeshire on his
way from Kimbolton, where he had been on the 17th.

     ¹ i.e. accused him. See vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.

     ² Query, as to this word, it being not perfect in the original.—F.

     ³ Quindena Paschæ, the fifteenth day after Easter.

     ⁴ Sir Peter Ardern, Knight, was appointed Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and
also a Justice of the Common Pleas, in 1448; but in 1462 a new Chief Baron was
appointed, and Ardern retained only the judgeship in the Common Pleas. He died
in 1467.

     ¹ John Wymondham, Esq., the purchaser of Felbrigg; he died there in 1475, and
was buried in the Augustine Friars at Norwich.—F.

     ² The word ‘weet’ is omitted in Fenn’s original text, but occurs in the modern
copy.

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1464
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1464
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