John Paston to Lord Hastings

LETTER XXVII.

to my lord

MY most doughtyd and singuler good lord aftyr most hum-
ble and dew recomendacyon please it your good lordshepp
to haue knowlage that accordy˜g to your comandement Jn
my wey homeward I reme˜bred me of a p^rsone whyche to
my thynkyng is meetly to be clerk of your Kechyn whyche
p^rsone is now in seruyse w^t Mast^r Fitzwater And was befor
that w^t Whethyll at Gwynes And purueyor for hys house
And at syche tyme as the Kyngs grace was ther last in hys
vyage towardes France thys man is meane of stature yonge
Jnough well wittyd well manerd a goodly yong man on
horse and foote he is well spokyn Jn Jnglyshe metly well
in Frenshe and verry p’fite in Flemyshe he can wryght and
Reed hys name is Rychard Stratton hys modyr is Mastress
Grame of Caleys and when I had shewyd hym myn Intent
he was agreable and v’ry glad if that it myght please your
lordshep to accept hym in to your servyse wherto I p’mysed
hym my poore helpe as fer forthe as I durst meve your good
lordshepp for hym trusty˜g that I shold have knowelage of
your plesure her in or I departed towardes your lordshep
ought of this Contrey wherfor I advysed hym to be redy
w^t in xiiij dayes of Marche at the ferthest that if it pleasyd
yo^r lordsheppe to accept hym or to haue a syght of hym be
for your dep^rtyng to Caleys that ther shold be no sloughthe
in hym he desyred me to meve Mast^r Fitzwater to be good
Mastyr to hym in thys behalve And so J dyd And he was
v’ry glad and agreable ther to seyi˜g if hys sone had ben of
age and all the seru’ntes he hathe myght be in eny wyse
acceptabell to yo^r lordshepp that they all and hym silf in
lyck wyse shall be at yo^r Comandment whyll he leveth And
at my Comy˜g hom to my poore house I sent for Robart
Bernard And shewid on to hym that J had mevyd your
lordshepp for hym And he in lyck forme is agreable to be
redy by the xiiij day of Marche to awayte on yo^r lordshepp
be it to Caleys or ellys where And fro that Day so foorthe
for ever whyll hys lyff wyll last w^t ought grugei˜g or Con-
trayy˜g your Comandement and plesure in eny wyse that is
in hym possibyll taccomplishe J shewed on to hym that I
had preyed Mast^r Talbot to be A mean to yo^r good lord-
shepp for hym And if so wer that Mastyr Talbot thought
that yo^r lordshep wer content to take hys servyse then that
it wold please M. Talbot to meve my lady of Norff. grace to
wryght or send to Bernard putty˜g hym in knowlage that
hyr g’ce is Content that he shall become yo^r menyall
serv’nt Wherof he was passy˜g well pleasyd but that notw^t-
standy˜g as J enformed yo^r lordshep he is not so receyvyd
neyther by fee nor p’mess but that he may let hym sylf
loose to do yo^r lordsheppe seruyse when ye wyll receyve
hym And so wyll he do but your lordshepe so pleasid leve
wer bettyr Rychard Stratton told me that whyll he was in
Servyse w^t Whethyll John Redwe mocyond hym onys
myche aftyr thys Jntent but at that tyme whethyll wold
not be so good Mastyr to hym as to meve your lordshepe
for hym My lord I trust that yo^r lordshepe shall lyek bothe
ther p^rsones and ther Condicyons And as for ther trowthes
if it may please yo^r good lordshepe to accept my poore
woord w^t thers J wyll depose largely for that And as it
pleasyth yo^r good lordshepe to Comand me Jn thes maters
and all other Jf it may please yo^r lordshepe to shewe the
same to my brodyr Nesfeld he knowith who shall sonest be
w^t me to putt me in knowlage of yo^r plesure whyche J shall
be at all seasons redy taccomplyshe to my poore power w^t
gods grace whom I beseche longe to contenue the p’spe-
rous Astate of yo^r good lordshepp fro Norwyche the
seconde daye of Marche w^t the hand of yo^r most humble
serv’nt and beedman.

                                                                         JOHN PASTON.

      12¼ by 10¼.

               Paper Mark,
         Bull’s-head and Star.
             Pl. xxxii. No. 1.

     From the particular character here given of Richard Stratton, the person
recommended by J. Paston as a servant to Lord Hastyngs, it appears how
cautious and exact noblemen and others were both in receiving and recom-
mending those who were to compose their household.

     Robert Bernard either had been in the service of the late Duke of Norfolk,
or was in treaty with the Duchess, as it was thought necessary for her consent
to be asked for his engaging himself now in the service of another.

     These proceedings show a proper attention in the great both to the manners
and morals of their domestics; and were the same cautions observed now,
joined with a strict regard to truth in the characters given with servants by
those whom they last served, that dissoluteness of manners amongst the com-
mon people would not be so general, nor would our gaols so swarm with
highwaymen and housebreakers. When the Great become inattentive and
dissipated, the Little will soon follow their example, and stop at no unjust
methods to enable them to imitate their superiors.

     Though there is no name on the superscription of the original letters, it
was certainly intended for Lord Hastyngs, at this time Lieutenant of Calais,
for which government he was preparing to embark.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

LETTER XXVII.

To my Lord Hastyngs.

MY most doughted [valiant] and singular good Lord, after
most humble and due recommendation, please it your good
Lordship to have knowledge, that according to your com-
mandment, in my way homeward, I remembered me of a
person, which to my thinking is meet to be clerk of your
kitchen; which person is now in service with Master Fitz-
walter, and was before that with Whethill at Guisnes, and
purveyor for his house, and at such time as the King’s grace
was there last, in his voyage towards France. This man is
mean of stature [of moderate stature], young enough, well
witted, well mannered; a goodly young man on horse and
foot; he is well spoken in English, meetly well in French,
and very perfect in Flemish; he can write and read; his
name is Richard Stratton; his mother is Mistress Grame of
Calais; and when I had showed him mine intent, he was
agreeable and very glad, if that it might please your Lord-
ship to accept him into your service: whereto I promised
him my poor help, as far forth as I durst move your good
Lordship for him, trusting that I should have knowledge of
your pleasure herein, ere I departed towards your Lordship
out of this country, wherefore I advised him to be ready
within fourteen days of March at the farthest; that if it
pleased your Lordship to accept him, or to have a sight of
him before your departing to Calais, that there should be
no sloth in him.

   He desired me to move Master Fitzwalter to be good
master to him in this behalf, and so I did, and he was very
glad and agreeable thereto, saying if his son had been of
age, and all the servants he hath might be in any wise
acceptable to your Lordship, that they all, and himself in
like wise, shall be at your commandment, while he liveth.

     And at my coming home to my poor house, I sent for
Robert Bernard, and showed unto him that I had moved
your Lordship for him; and he in like form is agreeable to
be ready, by the 14th day of March, to await on your Lord-
ship, be it to Calais or elsewhere, and from that day so
forth for ever, while his life will last, without grudging or
contrarying your commandment and pleasure, in any wise
that is in him possible to accomplish.

     I showed unto him that I had prayed Master Talbot to
be a mean to your good Lordship for him, and if so were
that Master Talbot thought that your Lordship were con-
tent to take his service, then that it would please Master
Talbot to move my Lady of Norfolk’s grace to write or send
to Bernard, putting him in knowledge that her grace is
content that he shall become your menial servant: whereof
he was passing well pleased; but that notwithstanding, as I
informed your Lordship, he is not so received neither by
fee nor promise, but that he may let himself loose to do your
Lordship service, when ye will receive him; and so will he
do; but, your Lordship so pleased, leave were better.
Richard Stratton told me, that while he was in service with
Whethill, John Redwe motioned him once much after this
intent, but at that time Whethill would not be so good
master to him as to move your Lordship for him.

     My Lord, I trust that your Lordship shall like both their
persons and their conditions; and as for their truth, if it
may please your good Lordship to accept my poor word
with their’s, I will depose largely for that; and as it pleaseth
your good Lordship to command me in these matters, and
all other, if it may please your Lordship to show the same
to my brother Nessfield, he knoweth who shall soonest be
with me to put me in knowledge of your pleasure, which I
shall be at all seasons ready to accomplish to my poor power
with God’s grace, whom I beseech long to continue the
prosperous estate of your good Lordship.

     From Norwich, the second day of March, with the hand
of your most humble servant and beadsman.

                                                                              JOHN PASTON.

              Norwich,
       Saturday, 2d March,
         1475-6. 15 E. iv.

     From the particular character here given of Richard Stratton, the person
recommended by J. Paston as a servant to Lord Hastyngs, it appears how
cautious and exact noblemen and others were both in receiving and recom-
mending those who were to compose their household.

     Robert Bernard either had been in the service of the late Duke of Norfolk,
or was in treaty with the Duchess, as it was thought necessary for her consent
to be asked for his engaging himself now in the service of another.

     These proceedings show a proper attention in the great both to the manners
and morals of their domestics; and were the same cautions observed now,
joined with a strict regard to truth in the characters given with servants by
those whom they last served, that dissoluteness of manners amongst the com-
mon people would not be so general, nor would our gaols so swarm with
highwaymen and housebreakers. When the Great become inattentive and
dissipated, the Little will soon follow their example, and stop at no unjust
methods to enable them to imitate their superiors.

     Though there is no name on the superscription of the original letters, it
was certainly intended for Lord Hastyngs, at this time Lieutenant of Calais,
for which government he was preparing to embark.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

886

JOHN PASTON TO LORD HASTINGS¹

To my Lord.

MY most doughtyd and singuler good lord, aftyr most
     humble and dew recomendacyon, please it your good
     lordshepp to have knowlage that, accordyng to your
comandement, in my wey homeward, I remembred me of a
persone whyche to my thynkyng is meetly to be clerk of your
kechyn, whyche persone is now in servyse with Master Fitz-
water, and was befor that with Whethyll at Gwynes, and
purveyor for hys house, and at syche tyme as the Kynges
grace was ther last in hys vyage towardes France. Thys man
is meane of stature, yonge inough, well wittyd, well manerd, a
goodly yong man on horse and foote. He is well spokyn in
Inglyshe, metly well in Frenshe, and verry perfite in Flemyshe.
He can wryght and reed. Hys name is Rychard Stratton;
hys modyr is Mastress Grame of Caleys. And when I had
shewyd hym myn intent, he was agreable and verry glad if
that it myght please your lordshepp to accept hym in to
your servyse; wherto I promysed hym my poore helpe, as
ferforthe as I durst meve your good lordshepp for hym,
trustyng that I shold have knowelage of your plesure her in,
or I departed towardes your lordshep ought of this contrey.
Wherfor I advysed hym to be redy with in xiiij. dayes of
Marche at the ferthest, that if it pleasyd your lordsheppe to
accept hym or to have a syght of hym be for your departyng
to Caleys, that ther shold be no slaughthe in hym.

     He desyred me to meve Master Fitzwater to be good
mastyr to hym in thys behalve, and so I dyd; and he was
verry glad and agreable ther to, seying if hys sone had ben of
age, and all the servauntis he hathe myght be in eny wyse
acceptabell to your lordshepp, that they all, and hym silff in
lyek wyse, shall be at your comandment, whyll he leveth.

     And at my comyng home to my poore house, I sent for
Robart Bernard, and shewid on to hym that I had mevyd
your lordshepp for hym; and he in lyek forme is agreable to
be redy by the xiiij. day of Marche to awayte on your lord-
shepp, be it to Caleys or ellys where, and fro that day so
foorthe for ever, whyll hys lyff wyll last, with ought grugeing
or contraying your comandement and plesure, in eny wyse
that is in hym possibyll t’accomplishe.

     I shewed on to hym that I had preyed Master Talbot to
be a mean to your good lordshepp for hym, and if so wer that
Mastyr Talbot thought that your lordshepp wer content to
take hys servyse, then that it wold please Mr. Talbot to
meve my Lady of Norffolkes grace to wryght or send to
Bernard, puttyng hym in knowlage that hyr grace is content
that he shall become your menyall servaunt. Wherof he was
passyng well pleasyd; but, that notwithstandyng, as I en-
formed your lordshepp, he is not so reteyned, neyther by fee
nor promess, but that he may let hym sylff loose to do your
lordsheppe servyse when ye wyll receyve hym, and so wyll he
do; but, your lordshepe so pleasid, leve wer bettyr. Rychard
Stratton told me that whyll he was in servyse with Whethyll,
John Redwe mocyond hym onys myche aftyr thys intent, but
at that tyme Whethyll wold not be so good mastyr to hym as
to meve your lordshepe for hym.

     My lord, I trust that your lordshepe shall lyek bothe ther
persones and ther condicyons; and as for ther trowthes, if it
may please your good lordshepe to accept my poore woord
with thers, I wyll depose largely for that. And as it pleasyth
your good lordshepe to comand me in thes maters, and all
other, if it may please your lordshepe to shewe the same to
my brodyr Nessfeld, he knowith who shall sonest be with me
to putt me in knowlage of your plesure, whyche I shall be at
all seasons redy t’accomplyshe to my poore power, with Godes
grace, Whom I beseche longe to contenue the prosperous
astate of your good lordshepp.

     Fro Norwyche, the seconde daye of Marche, with the
hand of your most humble servaunt and beedman,

                                                                                  JOHN PASTON.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Although the lord to whom this letter was
addressed is not named, it was undoubtedly intended for Lord Hastings, Lieutenant
of Calais, who, as will be seen hereafter, was preparing to go over to Calais in March
1476.—See No. 888.

1476
MARCH 2

1476
MARCH 2

1476
MARCH 2