John Paston the Youngest to John Paston his father

Add. 43489, f. 22

1 March 1464

Gairdner, Vol IV, item 560; Fenn, Vol I, Edward IV item 19

LETTER XIX.

To my rygte reu’ent and worchepfull Fadyr John Paston dwellyng in
Castyr be thys delyu’yd.

RYTH reu’ent and worchepfull Fadyr I recomand me on to
yow besechyng yow lowly of your blyssyng desyryng to
her’ of yow^r wellfar and prosperyte the whyche I pray God
p’serve on to hys plesans and to yowyr hertys desyir besechyng
yow to have me excusyd y^t ye had no wrytyng fro me syth y^t
I dep’tyd frome yow for so God me helpe I send yow a Lettyr to
London anon aftyr Kandylmas by a man of my Lordys and he
forgat to delyu’ yt to yow and so he browt to me the lettyr ayen
and sythe y^t tyme I kowd get no messenger tyll now.

As for Tydyngs syche as we have her’ I send yow my ¹ Lord
and my Lady ar in good hele blyssyd be God and my Lord
hathe gret labor’ and cost her’ in Walys for to take dyu’s Gentyll
men her’ whyche wer consentyñg and helpyng on to y^e Dwke of
Som’settys goyng and they wer’ apelyd of othyr seteyn poyntys of
treson and thys mat’ and bycause the Kyng sent my Lord woord
to keep thys Contre, is cause that my Lord terythe her’ thus
longe and now the Kyng hathe geve my Lord power whedyr
he wole do execusyon upon thes Gentyllmen or p’don hem
whedyr that hym lyst and as fertheforthe as I kan undyrstand yet
they schall have Grase and as sone as thes men be com’ in
my Lord is perposyd to come to London whyche I supose schall
be w^tin thys fortnyght the monys namys y^t be apechyd ar thes
John Hanmer and Wyll^m hys Sone Roger Pulyston and Edward
of Madok these be men of worchepe y^t schall com’ in.

The Comenys in Lancasher and Chescher wer up to the nom-
byr of a x m¹ or mor’ but now they be downe ayen and on’ or ij
of hem was hedyd in Chestyr as on sat’day last past.

² Thom’s Danyell is her’ in Chesscher but I wot not in what
plase he hathe sent iij or iiij letyrys to Syr John Howard syn’
my Lord come hedyr.

And othyr tydynggs her we none her’ but y^t I supose ye have
herd befor I supose u’yly y^t it schall be sonye Estern’ er eu’
my Lord come to London y^t I schal not move come home to
yow befor’ Estern wherfor I beseche yow y^t ye wole wyche
save that on’ of you^r men may send a byll to myn’ Oncyll
Clement or to som othyr man who y^t ye wole in youyr name
y^t they may delyu’ me the mony that I am behynd of y^is quarter
syne Crystmas and for the next quarter in parte of y^t some y^t it
plesyd yow to grant me by yer for by my trowthe the Felawchep
have not so myche mony as we wend to have had be ryth myche
for my Lord hathe had gret costs syn he cam’ hedyr.

Wherfor I besech yow that I may have y^is mony at Estern for

I have borowyd mony y^t I must paye ayen aft’ Estern and I pray
to Allmyty God have yow in kepyng.

Wretyn in y^e Castyll of the Holte in Walys the fyrst day of
Marche.

Yo^r Sone and lowly S’vāt,

John Paston, y^e yongest.

11 ½ by 10.

              Holt Castle,
              Denbighshire,
              1st March, 1463-4, 3 E. IV.

¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.

² This Gentleman had a reversionary Grant of the Constableship of Rising Castle, in
1448, 27 H. VI. He married Margaret, Daughter of Sir Robert Howard, and Sister
of Sir John, afterwards Duke of Norfolk. He is said to have been attainted in the
1 E. IV. but fully restored both in blood and possessions in the 14th of the same King.
He was Esquire of the body to Henry VI.

After the Destruction of the Queen’s Affairs, and the Capture of the King; Edmund
Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, privately retired into Wales, where he was assisted in his
flight into the Low Countries, by the Welsh, and Edward, being at this time endeavour-
ing to become popular, granted many pardons to those who had assisted his Enemies.

In 1464, Easter Sunday fell on the 25th of March. Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 11.

LETTER XIX.

To my right reverend and worshipful Father, John Paston,
dwelling in Caister, be this delivered.

RIGHT reverend and worshipful Father, I recommend me
unto you, beseeching you lowly of your blessing, desir-
ing to hear of your welfare and prosperity, the which I pray
God preserve unto his pleasance, and to your heart’s desire;
beseeching you to have me excused, that ye have no writing
from me since that I departed from you, for so God me help, I
sent you a Letter to London anon (soon) after Candlemas, by a
man of my Lord’s; and he forgot to deliver it to you, so he
brought to me the letter again; and since that time I could get
no Messenger till now.

As for Tidings such as we have here I send you.

My ¹Lord and my Lady are in good heel, blessed be God, and
my Lord hath great labour and cost here in Wales for to take
diverse Gentlemen here which were consenting and helping unto
the Duke of Somerset’s going; and they were appealed (accused)
of other certain points of Treason, and this matter; and because
the King sent my Lord word to keep this Country, is (the) cause
that my Lord tarrieth here thus long; and now the King hath
given my Lord power, whether he will do execution upon these
Gentlemen, or pardon them, whether that him list (pleaseth,)
and as far forth as I can understand yet, they shall have grace,
and as soon as these men be come in, my Lord is purposed to
come to London, which I suppose shall be within this fortnight;
the men’s names that be impeached are these, John Hanmer
and William his Son, Roger Puliston and Edward of Madoc,
these be men of worship that shall come in.

The Commons in Lancashire and Cheshire were up to the
number of a 10,000, or more, but now they be down again; and
one or two of them was headed in Chester as on Saturday last past.

² Thomas Daniel is here in Cheshire, but I wot not in what
place, he hath sent three or four Letters to Sir John Howard,
since my Lord came hither.

And other tidings have we none here, but that I suppose ye
have heard before; I suppose verily that it shall be so nigh
Easter ere ever my Lord come to London, that I shall not move,
(to) come home to you before Easter; wherefore I beseech you,
that ye will vouchsafe, that one of your men may send a
bill to mine Uncle Clement, or to some other man, who that
ye will, in your name, that they may deliver me the money that
I am behind of the quarter since Christmas; and for the next
quarter, in part of that sum that it pleased you to grant me
by the year; for by my truth, the Fellowship have not so
much money as we wend (thought) to have had by right much;
for my Lord hath had great Costs since he came hither.

Wherefore I beseech you, that I may have this money at

Easter, for I have borrowed money, that I must pay again after
Easter.

And I pray Almighty God have you in keeping.

Written in the Castle of the Holt, in Wales, the first day of
March.

Your Son and lowly Servant,

JOHN PASTON, the youngest.

11 ½ by 10.

              Holt Castle,
              Denbighshire,
              1st March, 1463-4, 3 E. IV.

¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.

² This Gentleman had a reversionary Grant of the Constableship of Rising Castle, in
1448, 27 H. VI. He married Margaret, Daughter of Sir Robert Howard, and Sister
of Sir John, afterwards Duke of Norfolk. He is said to have been attainted in the
1 E. IV. but fully restored both in blood and possessions in the 14th of the same King.
He was Esquire of the body to Henry VI.

After the Destruction of the Queen’s Affairs, and the Capture of the King; Edmund
Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, privately retired into Wales, where he was assisted in his
flight into the Low Countries, by the Welsh, and Edward, being at this time endeavour-
ing to become popular, granted many pardons to those who had assisted his Enemies.

In 1464, Easter Sunday fell on the 25th of March. Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 11.

560

JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGEST TO JOHN PASTON,
HIS FATHER³

To my rygte reverent and worchepfull fadyr, John Paston,
dwellyng in Castyr, be thys delyveryd.

      RYTH reverent and worchepfull fadyr, I recomand me
          on to yow, besechyng yow lowly of your blyssyng,
          desyryng to here of yowyr wellfar and prosperyte, the
whyche I pray God preserve on to Hys plesans, and to yowyr
hertys desyir; besechyng yow to have me excusyd that ye had
no wrytyng fro me syth that I departyd frome yow; for so
God me helpe, I send yow a lettyr to London anon aftyr
Kandylmas, by a man of my Lordys; and he forgat to delyver
yt to yow, and so he browt to me the lettyr ayen; and sythe
that tyme I kowd get no messenger tyll now.

As for tydyngs, syche as we have here I send yow. My
Lord and my Lady¹ ar in good hele, blyssyd be God, and my
Lord hathe gret labore and cost here in Walys for to take
dyvers gentyllmen here whyche wer consentyng and helpyng
on to the Duke of Somersettys goyng; and they were apelyd
of othyr se[r]teyn poyntys of treson, and thys mater. And
bycause the Kyng sent my Lord woord to keep thys contre, is
cause that my Lord terythe here thus longe. And now the
Kyng hathe geve my Lord power, whedyr he wole do execusyon
upon thes gentyllmen, or pardon hem, whedyr that hym lyst;
and as fertheforthe as I kan undyrstand yet, they shall have
grase. And as sone as thes men be come in, my Lord is
perposyd to come to London, whyche I supose schall be within
thys fortnyght. The menys namys that be apechyd ar thes,
John Hanmer, and Wylliam hys sone, Roger Pulyston, and
Edward of Madok; these be men of worchepe that schall
come in.

The Comenys in Lancasher and Chescher wer up to the
nombyr of a x. m^l. [10,000] or more, but now they be downe
ayen; and one or ij. of hem was hedyd in Chestyr as on
Saterday last past.

Thomas Danyell² is here in Chesscher, but I wot not in
what plase, he hathe sent iij. or iiij. letyrys to Syr John
Howard, syne my Lord come hedyr.

And othyr tydynggs her we none here, but that I supose ye
have herd before; I supose veryly that it schall be so nye
Esterne³ er ever my Lord come to London, that I schal not
move [q. mowe? i.e. be able] come home to yow before
Estern; wherfor I besech yow, that ye wole wyche save
[vouchsafe] that one of your men may send a byll to myne
oncyll Clement, or to som othyr man, who that ye wole, in
youyr name, that they may delyver me the mony that I am
behynd of this quarter syn Crystmas, and for the next quarter,
in parte of that some that it plesid yow to grant me by yer;
for by my trowthe, the felawchep have not so myche mony as
we wend to have had be ryth myche; for my Lord hath had
gret costs syn he came hedyr. Wherfore I besech yow, that I
may have this mony at Estern, for I have borowyd mony that
I must paye ayen after Estern: and I pray to Allmyty God
have yow in kepyng.

Wretyn in the Castyll of the Holte, in Walys, the fyrst
day of Marche.

Your sone and lowly servant,

JOHN PASTON, the yongest.

³ [From Fenn, i. 284.] ‘The Duke of Somerset’s going’ here referred to cannot
well be his flight to Scotland in 1462 (see No. 512), though the time of year at which
this letter is dated would agree very well with that supposition; for it appears by
Letter 511 that John Paston, the father, was at that time residing in the Temple and
not at Caister; nor indeed have we distinct evidence of his being at the latter place
before 1464. Moreover, in the beginning of 1463, Somerset had just made his peace
with King Edward and been received into favour, but early in 1464 he rebelled again.
There can be little doubt, therefore, that this year is the true date.

¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, and Elizabeth, his wife.

² This gentleman had a reversionary grant of the constableship of Rising Castle in
1448, 27 Hen. VI. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Howard, and sister
of Sir John, afterwards Duke of Norfolk. He is said to have been attainted in the
1 Edw. IV., but fully restored both in blood and possessions in the 14th of the same
King. He was esquire of the body to Henry VI.—F.

³ In 1464 Easter Day fell on the 1st of April.

MARCH 1

1464
MARCH 1