John Paston to Lord Grey

LETTER LIII.

         Dñs de Grey.

RIGHT worshipfull and my ryght gode lord j recomand
      me to yowr gode lordship and where as it pleasyd yowr
lordship to dyrecte yowr letter to me for amaryage for my por
sust^r. to a jantylman of yowr knowleth of CCC marc lyflod in
cas she wer not maryd wherfor j am gretely bownd to do yo^r
lordship servyse forsoy^e my lord she is not maryd ne jnsurid

to noman ther is and hath be dyvers tymys and late comu-
nycacon of seche maryags wyth dy’vs jantylmen not det’mynyd
as yett And whedder the jantylman yat yowr lordchip menith
of be on of hem or nay j dowth And wher as yo^r. seyd letter
specyfyith that j shuld send yow word whedder j thowght ye
shuld labo^r. ferther in the mater or nay jn that my lord I dare
not preswme to wryte so to yow wythowte j knew the Gentyl-
mans name notwythstand[SYM]g my lord j shall take uppe on me
wyth the avyse of other of here frendys that she shall nother be
maryd ner inswryd to no creatwr ne forther p’sede in no seche
mater befor the fest of the Assup’con of owr lady next comyg
dwr[SYM]g whyche tyme yowr lordship may send me if itt please
yow certeyn informac’on of the seyd Gentylmanys name and of
the place and contrey wher hys lyfflod lyth and whedder he
hath any chylder and after j shall demene me in the mater as
yowr lordship shall be pleasyd For in gode feyth my lord it
were to me grette joy that my seyd pore suster were acordīg to
hier pore degre marijd be yowr Avyse trust[SYM]g thanne that ye
wold be here gode lord Ryght wurchipfull and my Ryght gode
Lord j beseche Almyghty God to have yow in his kep[SYM]g wrete
att Norwych the XV day of jull.

            11 ? by 5.

         Norwich,
              Monday, 15th of July,
              1454. 32 H. VI.

The above is transcribed from a Copy of the Original Letter (in J. Paston’s own
hand) which he had sent to Lord Grey; it was preserved with the preceding one of his
lordship to J. Paston. He shews himself in this Letter not only a kind brother, but
one who was attentive to his Sister’s welfare, for though this alliance came recom-
mended by a nobleman, who assured him that the gentleman proposed was not only
 

well born, but had an handsome livelihood, yet he would give no positive answer till
he knew for whom the application was made, and in what County his Estate was
situated.

     This Letter being only a Copy, has no concluding Subscription.

LETTER LIII.

The Lord Grey.

RIGHT worshipful and my right good Lord, I recom-
      mend me to your good Lordship, and whereas it pleased
your Lordship to direct your Letter to me for a marriage for my
poor Sister to a gentleman of your knowledge of 300 marks
(200l.) livelihood, in case she were not married; wherefore I
am greatly bound to do your lordship service; for sooth my
Lord she is not married, nor insured to no man; there is and
hath been, divers times and late, communication of such mar-
riages with divers gentlemen not determined as yet, and whether
the gentleman that your Lordship meancth of be one of them
or nay I doubt; and whereas your said Letter specifieth that I
should send you word whether I thought you should labour
farther in the matter or nay; in that my Lord I dare not pre-
sume to write so to you without I knew the gentleman’s name;
notwithstanding, my Lord, I shall take upon me with the advice
of other of her friends, that she shall neither be married nor
insured to no creature, nor farther proceed in no such matter
before the feast of the Assumption of our Lady (15th of August)
next coming, during which time your Lordship may send me,
if it please you, certain information of the said gentleman’s
name, and of the place and country where his livelihood lieth,
and whether he hath any children; and after I shall demean me
in the matter as your Lordship shall be pleased; for in good
faith, my Lord, it were to me great joy that my said poor sister
were, according to her poor degree, married by your advice,
trusting then that ye would be her good Lord.

     Right worshipful and my right good Lord I beseech Almighty
God to have you in his keeping. Written at Norwich, the 15th
day of July.

            11 ? by 5.

         Norwich,
              Monday, 15th of July,
              1454. 32 H. VI.

The above is transcribed from a Copy of the Original Letter (in J. Paston’s own
hand) which he had sent to Lord Grey; it was preserved with the preceding one of his
lordship to J. Paston. He shews himself in this Letter not only a kind brother, but
one who was attentive to his Sister’s welfare, for though this alliance came recom-
mended by a nobleman, who assured him that the gentleman proposed was not only
 

well born, but had an handsome livelihood, yet he would give no positive answer till
he knew for whom the application was made, and in what County his Estate was
situated.

     This Letter being only a Copy, has no concluding Subscription.

252

JOHN PASTON TO LORD GREY¹

Dominus de Grey.

   RIGHT worshipfull and my ryght gode Lord, I recomand
     me to yowr gode Lordship. And where as it pleasyd
     yowr Lordship to dyrecte yowr letter to me for
amaryage for my por suster to a jantylman of yowr knowleth
of CCC. marc lyflod, in cas she wer not maryd; wherfor I am
bownd to do your Lordship servyse; forsothe, my Lord, she
is not maryd, ne insurid to noman; ther is and hath be, dyvers
tymys and late, comunycacion of seche maryages wyth dyvers
jantylmen not determynyd as yett, and whedder the jantylman
that yowr Lordchip menith of be on of hem or nay I dowth.
And wher as your seyd letter specyfyith that I shall send yow
word whedder I thowght ye shuld labour ferther in the mater
or nay, in that, my Lord, I dare not preswme to wryte so to
yow wythowte I knew the gentylmans name,—notwythstand-
yng, my Lord, I shall take uppe on me, wyth the avyse of
other of here frendys, that she shall nother be maryd ner
inswryd to no creatwr, ne forther prosede in no seche mater
befor the fest of the Assumpcion of owr Lady next comyng,
dwryng whyche tyme yowr Lordship may send me, if itt
please yow, certeyn informacion of the seyd gentylmanys
name, and of the place and contrey where hys lyfflod lyth, and
whedder he hath any chylder, and, after, I shall demene me in
the mater as yowr Lordship shall be pleasyd; for in gode
feyth, my Lord, it were to me grette joy that my seyd pore
suster were, according to hier pore degre, marijd be yowr
avyse, trustyng thanne that ye wold be here gode Lord.

     Ryght wurchipfull and my ryght gode Lord, I beseche
Almyghty God to have yow in His kepyng. Wrete att
Norwych, the xv. day of Jull.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 216.] This letter is the answer to No. 250, originally printed
from a copy in Paston’s own handwriting, without signature.

JULY 15

1454
JULY 15