John Paston and Margery Brews

LETTER XL.

Notes touching the mariage betwen Jo. Paston ar?. and
Margery Brews.

M^d to kepe secret fro my moder that the bargayn is full
Concludyd

     It? to let hyr haue fyrst knowlage that in the Chapell
wher as ye wold had ben no book nye by X Myle that when
Mastyr Brews seyd that he wold shortly haue eyther more
lond in Joyntour then Sweynsthorp and X Mark ought of
                                                                                                    xx
Sp?h?m or ellys that some frend of myne shold paye the vj
li so that it shold not be payed of the Maryage Money that
then I sware on A book to hym that I wold neuer of my
mocyon endanger moder nor broder ferther then I had done
for I thought that my modyr had done myche for me to
geue me the maner of Sp’h’m in syche forme as she had
done but Mastyr Brews wyll not agre w^t ought that my
Mastress hys doughter and I be mad swer of it now in hand
and that we may take the hole p’fytes what so euer fortune

     It’ to enforme my moder that if so be that we may be
pute in possessyon of all the hole maner dury˜g oure two
lyues and the lengest of us leveng y^t then Mastyr Brews
wyll geve me in maryage w^t my Mastresse hys doughter
CCCC Marks payable in hand L li and so yerly L li tyll the
some of CCCC Mark be full payed.

     It’ that wher as he had leyd up C li for the maryage of
a yonger doughter of hys he wylle lend me the same C li
and XX li more to pledge ought my lond And he to be
payed ayen hys C li and XX li by X li by yer.

     It’ to avyse my modyr that she brek not for the yerly
valew of Sp’h’m aboue the X Mark dury˜g hyr lyve.

        5? by 11¾.

             Part of the
            Paper Mark,
      Bull’s Head and Star.
         Pl. xxxii. No. 4.

  These seem to be the final conditions on which the marriage was to take
effect, but there appears some mystery in concealing the accomplishment of
this business from his mother. J. Paston had either engaged to perform some
conditions which he knew she would not approve; or he thought, by keeping
her ignorant of the ultimate conclusion of them, to persuade her to do some-
thing more for him.

  In either case he seems to act disingenuously, and contrary to his own sen-
timents in these Notes.

     It appears that these conditions were discussed in the chapel, where J. Pas-
ton swore on one of the service books, that he never would consent to the
endangering of any of his friends by their entering into an obligation for the
repayment of the sixscore pounds.

     This condition, by what follows, seems to have been given up, and the
agreement appears to be, that the sixscore pounds should be repayed by him
by £10 every year on his own security only.

LETTER XL.

Notes touching the Marriage between John Paston, Esq.
and Margery Brews.

MEMORANDUM, To keep secret from my mother that the
bargain is full concluded.

     Item, to let her have first knowledge that in the chapel,
where as ye would had been no book nigh by ten miles, that
when Master Brews said that he would shortly have either
more land in jointure than Swainsthorp and ten marks
(6l. 13s. 4d.) out of Sparham, or else that some friend of
mine should pay the sixscore pounds, so that it should not
be paid of the marriage money, that then I swore on a book
to him, that I would never of my motion endanger mother
nor brother farther than I had done; for I thought that my
mother had done much for me to give me the manor of
Sparham in such form as she had done; but Master Brews
will not agree, without that my mistress his daughter and I
be made sure of it now in hand, and that we may take the
whole profits, whatsoever fortune.

     Item, to inform my mother that if so be that we may be
put in possession of all the whole manor during our two
lives, and the longest of us living, that then Master Brews
will give me in marriage with my mistress his daughter 400
marks (266l. 13s. 4d.), payable in hand 50l. and so yearly
50l. till the sum of 400 marks be full paid.

     Item, that whereas he had laid up 100l. for the marriage
of a younger daughter of his, he will lend me the same 100l.
and 20l. more, to pledge out my land, and he to be paid
again his 100l. and 20l. by 10l. by year.

     Item, to advise my mother that she break not, for the
yearly value of Sparham above the ten marks during her
life.

       March,
1476-7. 17 E. iv.

    These seem to be the final conditions on which the marriage was to take
effect, but there appears some mystery in concealing the accomplishment of
this business from his mother. J. Paston had either engaged to perform some
conditions which he knew she would not approve; or he thought, by keeping
her ignorant of the ultimate conclusion of them, to persuade her to do some-
thing more for him.

  In either case he seems to act disingenuously, and contrary to his own sen-
timents in these Notes.

     It appears that these conditions were discussed in the chapel, where J. Pas-
ton swore on one of the service books, that he never would consent to the
endangering of any of his friends by their entering into an obligation for the
repayment of the sixscore pounds.

     This condition, by what follows, seems to have been given up, and the
agreement appears to be, that the sixscore pounds should be repayed by him
by ?10 every year on his own security only.

910

JOHN PASTON AND MARGERY BREWS¹

MEMORANDUM.—To kepe secret fro my moder that
     the bargayn is full concludyd.

     Item, to let hyr have fyrst knowlage that in the
chapell, wher as ye wold had ben no book nye by x. myle, that
whyn Mastyr Brews seyd that he wold shortly have eyther
more lond in joyntour then Sweynsthorp and x. mark ought
of Sparham, or ellys that some frend of myne shold paye the
vj^xxli., so that it shold not be payed of the maryage money,
that then I sware on a book to hym that I wold never of my
mocyon endanger moder nor broder ferther then I had done;
for I thought that my modyr had done myche for me to geve
me the maner of Sparham in syche forme as she had done.
But Mastyr Breus wyll not agre, with ought that my mastress
hys doughter and I be mad swer of it now in hand, and that
we may take the hole profytes, what so ever fortune.

     Item, to enforme my moder that if so be that we may be
pute in possessyon of all the hole maner duryng oure two
lyves, and the lengest of leveing, that then Mastyr Brews wyll
geve me in maryage with my mastresse hys doughter CCCC.
markes, payable in hand lli., and so yerly lli. tyll the some of
CCCC. mark bew full payed.

     Item, that wher as he had leyd up Cli. for the maryage of
a yonger doughter of hys, he wylle lend me the same Cli. and
xxli. more, to pledge ought my lond, and he to be payed ayen
hys Cli. and xxli. by xli. by yer.

     Item, to avyse my modyr that she brek not for the yerly
valew of Sparham above the x. mark dwryng hyr lyve.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This paper, which is in John Paston’s hand, was
evidently written about the same time as the letter immediately following, in which it
is mentioned that Margaret Paston had given up the manor of Sparham to her son.
The paper is endorsed in a more modern hand: ‘Notes touching the mariage betwene
Jo. Paston, Ar’, and Margery Brews.’

1477