John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XLIV.

To my ryght worchepfull
     Moder Margaret Paston.

RYGHT Worchepfull and my most good and kynd moder in
as humbyll wyse as I can or may I recomand me to yow
and beseche yow of yo^r dayly blyssy˜g Moder please it yow
to undyrstand that tyll thys day dame Elyzabeth brews
hathe ben so syke that she myght nevyr sythe she cam to
Salle haue leyser to Comon of my mater w^t master Brews
tyll thys day And thys day w^t gret peyn I thynk the rather
because Heydon was ther the mater was Comond but other
Answer than she hathe sent yow in hyr lettre closed her in
can she not haue of hyr husbond. Wherfor Modyr if it
please yow myn advyse is to send hyr Answer ayen in thys
forme folowi˜g of some other manys hand.

                                                                  Yo^r         J PASTON

—————

To the ryght worchepfull and my very good Lady and Cosyn
Dame Elyzabeth Brews.

RYGHT worchepfull and my v’ry good lady and Cosyn as
hertly as I can J recomand me to yow and Madam J am
ryght sory if it myght be otherwyse of the dysease as I
undyrstand by the berer herof that my Cosyn yo^r husbond
and ye also haue had a season whyche I prey god soone to
redresse to your bothe easeis and madam I thank yow
hertly that ye haue reme˜bred the mater to my Cosyn your
husbond that I spak w^t you of at syche tyme as I was last
w^t you at Norwyche to my gret Comfort And I wyse mada˜
I am ryght sory that John Paston is no more fortunate
then he is in that mater for as I undyrstand by yo^r lettyr
my Cosyn yo^r husbond wyll geue but an C li whyche is no
money lyck for syche a Joyntore as is desyred of my Son
thow hys possybylyte wer ryght easy but Madam when I
mad that large grant in the maner of Sperh’m that I have
mad to hym and my Cosyn yo^r doughter he told me of an
other some that he shold haue w^t hyr then of an C li he
hathe befor thys be wont to tell me none untrowthe and
what I shall deme in thys mater I can not sey for me
thynkyth if more then an C li wer promysyd on to hym by
my Cosyn yo^r husbond and yow that ye wold not lett to
geve it hym w^t ought so wer that J or he abryggyd eny
thyng of ou^r p’mess whyche I wot well neyther I nor he in-
tend to do if I may undyrstand that hys seyi˜g to me was
trowthe and that it may be p’formyd but wyst I that he
told me otherwyse then my Cosyn yowr husbond and ye
p’mysed hym to descyue me of Sp^rh’m by my trowthe thow
he haue it he shall lese as myche for it If I leve and that
shall he well undyrstand the next tyme I se hym And ma-
dam I prey god send us good of thys mater for as for hys
broder S^r John also I sent ones to hym for it to haue mad
good the same g’unt that I g’unted yow w^t hys dissent to
them and to ther issu of ther ij bodyes lawfully comy˜g
And he dyd not ther in as I desyred hym And ther for J
prey yow p^rdon me for sendy˜g on to hym eny more for
Madam he is my sone and I can not fynd in my hert to
becom a dayly petycyoner of hys sythe he hathe denyed
me onys myn axi˜g p^rauenture he had ben better to haue
p^rformed my desyer And what hys answer was on to me
John Paston Can tell yow as well as J but madam ye ar a
moder as well as J wher J prey tak it non other wyse bot
well that J may not do by John Paston as ye wyll haue me
to do for madam thow I wold he dyd well I haue to p^ruey
for more of my chylder then hym of whyche some be of
that age that they can tell me well Jnow that J dele not
evenly w^t theym to geve John Paston so large and theym so
lytell And madam for syche grwgys and other causys I am
ryght sory that the g’unte is knowyn that J haue mad w^t
ought it myght take effect And therfor Madam fro henss-
forthe I remyght all thyng to yowr dyscressyon besechy˜g
yow the rather for my sake to be my son Johnis good lady
And I prey god p’serue yow to hys plesure send yow has-
tyly yowr hele ayen And my Cosyn yo^r husbond Also to
whom I prey yow that I may hertly be recomandyd and to
my Cosyns Margery and Margaret byllyngforthe Wretyn
at Mawtby on Seynt Petrys Day.

                                                     Yo^r MARGARET PASTON.
 

An other Lettyr to me that J may shewe.

  To John Paston Sqwyer.

I GRET yow well and send you gods blessy˜g and myn
lety˜g yow wet that J undyrstand well by my Cosyn Dam
Elyzabeth Brewsys lettyr whyche I sende yow her w^t
wherby ye may undyrstand the same that they intend not
to p^rforme thos p’ferys that ye told me they p’mysyd yow
trusty˜g that ye told me non other wyse then was promysed
yow Wherfor I charge yow on my blessy˜g that ye be well
ware how ye bestow your mynd w^t ought ye haue a sub-
stance wher upon to leve for I wold be sory to wet yow
myscary for if ye do in your defawt looke neuer aftyr helpe
of me And also J wold be as sory for hyr as for eny gentyl-
woman leueng Jn good feythe Wherfor I warne yow be
ware in eny wyse And look ye be at Mawtby w^t me as has-
tyly as ye can and then I shall tell yow more And god helpe
yow Wretyn at Mawtby on Seynt Petrys Day.

                                                               Yo^r Modyr        M. P.

   17½ by 11½. a whole sheet.

               Paper Mark,
          Bull’s-head and Star.
              Pl. xxii. No. 15.

  From this letter of J. Paston and the enclosed copies to his mother, to get
transcribed, and send as from herself, we learn that Sir Thomas Brews had de-
parted from his original promise respecting the fortune he meant to give his
daughter; this proceeding seems to have justly displeased J. Paston, and he
therefore dictates to his mother, what he wished her to say in answer to Lady
Brews’s letter, (which does not appear,) and also a letter to himself, hoping by
these means to have the promised conditions complied with.

  The letters shew his good sense and address in managing a matter of this
kind, and though some finesse appears, it is excusable after the treatment he
had met with, his mother having done, as far as she was able, every thing re-
quired of her.

   It is probable he was really pleased with his brother Sir John Paston for his
having refused his consent to the settling the manor of Sparham in fee upon
his marriage, though Sir John’s refusal proceeded entirely from scruples of
conscience.

     The making his mother say that she feared he had deceived her, rather than
to think it possible that Sir Thomas or Lady Brews could vary from their
original promise, is an artful and refined thought, and perhaps had its effect,
when the letters were transcribed and sent.

   It plainly appears from this letter that Margaret Paston did not write her
own letters, for her son concludes with saying “of some other manys hand,”
fearing perhaps lest his mother in her hurry might have returned them in his
hand, and so have discovered the part he had taken, and the advice he had
given. He was now at Sir Thomas Brews’s house, and had been told the con-
tents of Lady Brews’s letter, most probably by his mistress Margery Brews.

     Seal, a Fleur-de-lys and Annulet. Pl. xiv. No. 22.

LETTER XLIV.

To my right worshipful Mother Margaret Paston.

RIGHT worshipful and my most good and kind mother, in
as humble wise as I can or may, I recommend me to you,
and beseech you of your daily blessing. Mother, please it
you to understand that till this day Dame Elizabeth Brews
hath been so sick, that she might never, since she came to
Sall, have leisure to commune of my matter with Master
Brews till this day; and this day, with great pain, I think the
rather because Heydon was there, the matter was com-
muned, but other answer than she hath sent you in her
letter closed herein can she not have of her husband;
wherefore, mother, if it please you, mine advise is to send
her [an] answer again, in this form following, of some other
man’s hand.

                                                        Your JOHN PASTON.

           Salle, Saturday,
     28 June, 1477. 17 E. iv.

—————

“ To the Right Worshipful and my very good Lady and Cousin
“ Dame Elizabeth Brews.”

“ RIGHT worshipful and my very good lady and cousin,
“ as heartily as I can I recommend me to you; and, madam,
“ I am right sorry, if it might be otherwise, of the disease,
“ as I understand by the bearer hereof, that my cousin your
“ husband and ye also have had a season, which I pray God
“ soon to redress to your both eases; and, madam, I thank
“ you heartily that ye have remembered the matter to my
“ cousin your husband, that I spake with you of, at such
“ time as I was last with you at Norwich, to my great com-
“ fort; and I wis, madam, I am right sorry that John Paston
“ is no more fortunate than he is in that matter, for as I
“ understand by your letter, my cousin your husband will
“ give but an 100l. which is no money like for such a join-
“ ture as is desired of my son, though his possibility were
“ right easy. But, madam, when I made that large grant in
“ the manor of Sparham, that I have made to him and my
“ cousin your daughter, he told me of another sum that he
“ should have with her than of an 100l. He hath before this
“ been wont to tell me none untruth, and what I shall deem
“ in this matter I cannot say, for methinketh if more than
“ an 100l. were promised unto him by my cousin your hus-
“ band and you, that ye would not let to give it him, with-
“ out so were that I or he abridged any thing of our pro-
“ mise, which I wot well neither I nor he intend to do, if
“ I may understand that his saying to me was truth, and
“ that it may be performed; but wist I that he told me
“ otherwise, than my cousin your husband and ye promised
“ him, to deceive me of Sparham; by my troth though he
“ have it, he shall lose as much for it, if I live, and that
“ shall he well understand the next time I see him. And,
“ madam, I pray God send us good of this matter, for as
“ for his brother Sir John also, I sent once to him for it, to
“ have made good the same grant, that I granted you with
“ his dissent, to them and to their issue of their two bodies
“ lawfully coming, and he did not therein as I desired him;
“ and therefore I pray you pardon me for sending unto him
? any more, for, madam, he is my son, and I cannot find in
? my heart to become a daily petitioner of his, since he hath
? denied me once my asking; peradventure he had been
? better to have performed my desire: and what his answer
? was unto me, John Paston can tell you, as well as I;
? but, madam, ye are a mother as well as I, where [fore] I
? pray you take it none otherwise but well, that I may not
? do by John Paston, as ye will have me to do; for, madam,
? though I would he did well, I have to purvey for more of
? my children than him, of which some be of that age, that
? they can tell me well enough that I deal not evenly with
? them, to give John Paston so large, and them so little;
? and, madam, for such grudges, and other causes, I am
? right sorry that the grant is known, that I have made,
? without it might take effect, and therefore, madam, from
? henceforth I remit all things to your discretion, beseech-
? ing you, the rather for my sake, to be my son John?s good
? lady, and I pray God preserve you to his pleasure, [and]
? send you hastily your health again and my cousin your
? husband also, to whom I pray you that I may heartily be
? recommended, and to my cousin Margery and Margaret
? Billingforth. Written at Maultby on Saint Peter?s day.

                                    ? Your MARGARET PASTON.?

             ? Maultby,
      ? Sunday, 29 June,
        ? 1477. 17 E. iv.?

Another Letter to me, that I may shew.

    “ To John Paston, Esq.

“ I GREET you well and send you God’s blessing and mine,
“ letting you weet that I understand well by my cousin
“ Dame Elizabeth Brews’s letter, which I send you here-
“ with, whereby ye may understand the same, that they
“ intend not to perform those proffers that ye told me they
“ promised you, trusting that ye told me none otherwise
“ than was promised you; wherefore I charge you on my
“ blessing, that ye be well aware how ye bestow your mind,
“ without ye have a substance whereupon to live, for I
“ would be sorry to weet you miscarry, for if ye do, in your
“ default, look never after help of me; and also I would be
“ as sorry for her as for any gentlewoman living, in good
“ faith, wherefore I warn you beware in any wise, and look
“ ye be at Maultby with me as hastily as ye can, and then
“ I shall tell you more, and God keep you; written at
“ Maultby on Saint Peter’s day.”

                                                   “ Your Mother,

                                                                                         “MARGARET PASTON.”

          “ Maultby,
     “ Sunday, 29 June,
      “ 1477. 17 E. iv.”

From this letter of J. Paston and the enclosed copies to his mother, to get
transcribed, and send as from herself, we learn that Sir Thomas Brews had de-
parted from his original promise respecting the fortune he meant to give his
daughter; this proceeding seems to have justly displeased J. Paston, and he
therefore dictates to his mother, what he wished her to say in answer to Lady
Brews’s letter, (which does not appear,) and also a letter to himself, hoping by
these means to have the promised conditions complied with.

  The letters shew his good sense and address in managing a matter of this
kind, and though some finesse appears, it is excusable after the treatment he
had met with, his mother having done, as far as she was able, every thing re-
quired of her.

   It is probable he was really pleased with his brother Sir John Paston for his
having refused his consent to the settling the manor of Sparham in fee upon
his marriage, though Sir John’s refusal proceeded entirely from scruples of
conscience.

     The making his mother say that she feared he had deceived her, rather than
to think it possible that Sir Thomas or Lady Brews could vary from their
original promise, is an artful and refined thought, and perhaps had its effect,
when the letters were transcribed and sent.

   It plainly appears from this letter that Margaret Paston did not write her
own letters, for her son concludes with saying “of some other manys hand,”
fearing perhaps lest his mother in her hurry might have returned them in his
hand, and so have discovered the part he had taken, and the advice he had
given. He was now at Sir Thomas Brews’s house, and had been told the con-
tents of Lady Brews’s letter, most probably by his mistress Margery Brews.

     Seal, a Fleur-de-lys and Annulet. Pl. xiv. No. 22.

915

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON²

RYGHT worchepfull and my most good and kynd moder.
     Moder, in as humbyll wyse as I can or may, I re-
     comand me to yow, and beseche yow of your dayly
blyssyng. Moder, please it yow to undyrstond that tyll thys
day Dame Elyzabeth Brews hathe ben so syke that she myght
nevyr, sythe she cam to Salle, have leyser to comon of my
mater with Master Brews tyll thys day; and thys day with
gret peyn, I thynk the rather because Heydon³ was ther, the
mater was comond, but other answer than she hathe sent yow
in hyr lettre closed her in can she not have of hyr husbond.
Wherfor, modyr, if it please yow, myn advyse is to send hyr
answer ayen in thys forme folowing, of some other manys
hand.

[Margaret Paston to Dame Elyzabeth Brews.]

‘RYGHT worchepfull and my verry good lady and cosyn,
as hertly as I can, I recomand me to yow. And, madam, I
am ryght sory, if it myght be otherwyse, of the dysease, as I
undyrstand by the berer herof, that my cosyn your husbond
and ye also have had a season, whyche I prey God soone to
redresse to your bothe easeis. And, madam, I thank yow
hertly that ye have remembred the mater to my cosyn your
husbond, that I spak with you of at syche tyme as I was last
with you at Norwyche, to my gret comfort. And I wyse,
madam, I am ryght sory that John Paston is no more for-
tunate then he is in that mater; for, as I undyrstand by your
lettyr, my cosyn your husbond wyll geve but an Cli., whyche
is no money lyek for syche a joyntore as is desyred of my son,
thow hys possybylyte wer ryght easy. But, madam, when I
mad that large grant in the maner of Sperham that I have
mad to hym and my cosyn your doughter, he told me of an
other some that he shold have with hyr then of an Cli. He
hathe befor thys be wont to tell me none untrowthe; and what
I shall deme in thys mater, I can not sey, for me thynkyth if
more then an Cli. wer promysyd on to hym by my cosyn your
husbond and yow, that ye wold not lett to geve it hym, with
ought so wer that I or he abryggyd eny thyng of our promess,
whyche I wot well neyther I or he intend to do, if I may
undyrstand that hys seying to me was trowthe, and that it may
be performyd; but wyst I that he told me otherwyse then my
cosyn yowr husbond and ye promysed hym, to deseyve me of
Sparham, by my trowthe, thow he have it, he shall lese as
myche for it, iff I leve, and that shall he well undyrstand the
next tyme I se hym.

     ‘And, madam, I pray God send us good of thys mater, for
as for hys broder Sir John also, I sent ones to hym for it to
have mad good the same graunt that I grauntyd yow with hys
assent, to them and to ther issu of ther ij. bodyes lawfully
comyng, and he dyd not ther in as I desyred hym. And ther
for I prey yow pardon me for sendyng on to hym eny more;
for, madam, he is my sone, and I can not fynd in my hert to
becom a dayly petycyoner of hys, sythe he hathe denyed me
onys myn axing. Peraventure he had ben better to have
performyd my desyer; and what hys answer was on to me,
John Paston can tell yow as well as I. But, madam, ye ar a
moder as well as I, wher I prey tak it non other wyse bot
well, that I may not do by John Paston, as ye wyll have me
to do; for, madam, thow I wold he dyd well, I have to purvey
for more of my chylder then hym, of whyche some be of that
age, that they can tell me well inow that I dele not evenly
with theym to geve John Paston so large, and theym so lytyll;
and, madam, for syche grwgys and other causys, I am ryght
sory that the graunte is knowyn that I have mad, with ought
it myght take effect. And therfor, madam, fro hensforthe I
remyght all thyng to yowr dyscressyon, besechyng yow, the
rather for my sake, to be my son Johnis good lady; and I
prey God preserve yow to Hys plesure, send yow hastyly
yowr hele ayen, and my cosyn yowr husbond also, to whom I
prey yow that I may hertly be recomandyd, and to my cosyns
Margery and Margaret Byllyngforthe.

     ‘Wretyn at Mawtby, on Seynt Petrys Day.

                                                     ?Yowr,             MARGARET PASTON.’

‘An other lettyr to me that I may shewe.

     ‘I gret yow well, and send you Godes blessyng and myn,
letyng yow wet that I undyrstand well by my cosyn, Dame
Elyzabeth Brewsys lettyr, whyche I sende yow her with,
wherby ye may undyrstand the same, that they intend not to
performe thos proferys that ye told me they promysyd yow,
trustyng that ye told me none other wyse then was promysed
yow. Wherfor I charge yow on my blyssyng that ye be well
ware how ye bestow your mynd with ought ye have a substance
wher upon to leve; for I wold be sory to wet yow myscary;
for if ye do, in your defawt looke never aftyr helpe of me.
And also I wold be as sory for hyr as for eny gentywoman
leveing, in good feythe; wherfor I warne yow, be ware in eny
wyse; and look ye be at Mawtby with me as hastyly as ye
can, and then I shall tell yow more. And God kepe yow.

     ‘Wretyn at Mawtby, on Seynt Petrys Day.

                                          ‘Your modyr,                        M. P.’

     ¹ Cecily, wife of Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset, was great grand-daughter
and heir of William Bonvile, Lord Bonvile, who was beheaded by order of Margaret
of Anjou, after the second battle of St. Albans in 1461.

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter, with the two subjoined, are drafts
written on the same paper in John Paston’s hand. They must belong to the year
1477, being on the same subject, already so often referred to, of the negotiations for
John Paston’s marriage. Fenn had added addresses to all these letters, and a signature
to the first, which are not in the original MS.

     ³ John Heydon of Baconsthorpe, who died on the 27th September 1479.—
Inquisition p.m., 19 Edw. IV., No. 72.

JUNE 29
 

1477

JUNE 29

1477

JUNE 29