John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER II.

To my most worchepfull
       Mody^r Margaret Paston
       be thys delyueryd in hast.

RYGHT worchepfull mody^r I recomand me to yow and as
lowly as I can I beseche yow of yo^r blyssy˜g Please you to
undyrstand that thys Wednysday S^r Thom’s Wyngffeld sent
to me and let me wet that the Kyng had sygnyd my bylle
of perdon whyche the seyd S^r Thom’s delyveryd me and so
by fryday at the forthest I tryst to haue my perdon ensealyd
by the Chaunceler And soone aftyr so as I can fernyshe me
I tryst to se yow if so be that eny of the Kyngs hows com
in to Norwyche I wold fayne my gray horse wer kept in
mewe for gnattys Also modyr I beseche yow that Dollys
and his felawe may be sent to that I may haue my money
redy ayenst that I com horn whyche is dew to be payid
for thys mater hathe cost me the settyng on Also that it
may please yow that Purdy at Heylysdon maye be sent to
for the horse that he hathe of myne and that the horse may
kept well and haue as myche met as he wyll eate be twyx
thys and y^t I com horn and y^t Jakys nage haue met I now
also Also and Syr Thom’s Wyngfeld com to Norwyche
that he may haue as good cher as it please yow to make on
to that man that I am most behold to for hys gret kynd-
nesse and good wyll fer he takyth full my part agenst my
gretest enmyeys Brandons and hys brodyr Will’m For at
my fyrst comy˜g to S^r Thom’s Wyngfeld bothe Will’m
Wyngfeld and Will’m Brandon the yonger wer w^t S^r
Thom’s and had gret werdys to myn owne mowthe and in
cheff W. Wyngfeld and wher so euyr he may met me on
euyn ground he wyll do myche but and we met euynly no
fers so I haue yo^r blyssy˜g I prey yow w^t owght it be to my
lady Calthorp let ther be but fewe woordys of thys p^rdon.

No more but I prey god p’serue you and yours Wretyn
the Wednysday next before Mary Mawdelen by yo^r hum-
blest Sone

                                                                                J. P.

       11 ½ by 5¾.

   The expectations of the Lancastrians being entirely destroyed by Edward?s
victory at Tewksbury, those who had espoused their cause endeavoured now
to make their peace with the victor, we find not without success, as J. Paston
had so quickly obtained his pardon. Sir Thomas Wingfield and William his
brother were both younger sons of Sir Robert Wingfield of Letheringham, in
Suffolk, whose sister Elizabeth had married Sir William Brandon of Hen-
ham, Kt. William Brandon the younger therefore was most probably this sis-
ter’s son and their nephew. He was afterwards standard-bearer to the Earl of
Richmond at Bosworth Field, where he fell; and history reports that he was
slain by the sword of Richard III.: his son Charles became afterwards Duke
of Suffolk, married Mary, the daughter of our Henry VII., and widow of
Lewis XII. King of France.

   J. Paston’s gratitude to his friend, and fearless behaviour towards his enemy,
are both shown to great advantage in this letter. The Lady Calthorpe here
mentioned must be Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir to Sir Miles Stapleton,
and wife of Sir William Calthorpe, Kt.

     His horses, in this letter, seem greatly to claim his attention.

     By his grey horse being “kept in mewe for gnattys,” he means, being
kept in the stable to preserve him from the gnats, flies, &c.

     Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21..

LETTER II.

To my Most Worshipful Mother, Margaret Paston, be this
delivered in haste.

RIGHT Worshipful Mother, I recommend me to you, and
as lowly as I can, I beseech you of your blessing. Please
you to understand that this Wednesday Sir Thomas Wing-
field sent to me, and let me weet that the King had signed
my bill of pardon, which the said Sir Thomas delivered me;
and so by Friday, at the farthest, I trust to have my pardon
ensealed by the Chancellor, and soon after, so as I can
furnish me, I trust to see you, if so be that any of the
King’s house come into Norwich.

     I would fain my grey horse were kept in mew, for gnats.
Also, Mother, I beseech you that Dollys and his fellow may
be sent to, that I may have my money, ready against that I
come home, which is due to be paid, for this matter hath
cost me [much] the setting on. Also that it may please you
that Purdy at Hellesdon may be sent to for the horse that
he hath of mine, and that the horse may be kept well, and
have as much meat as he will eat betwixt this and [the
time] that I come home; and that Jack’s nag have meat
enough also. Also and [if] Sir Thomas Wingfield come to
Norwich, that he may have as good cheer as it please you
to make unto that man, that I am most beholden to for his
great kindness and good-will; for he taketh full my part
against my greatest enemies, [the] Brandons, and his brother
William; for at my first coming to Sir Thomas Wingfield,
both William Wingfield and William Brandon the younger
were with Sir Thomas, and had great words to mine own
mouth, and in chief William Wingfield; and wheresoever
he may meet me on even ground, he will do much, but and
[if] we meet evenly, no fears, so I have your blessing.

     I pray you, without it be to my Lady Calthorpe, let there
be but few words of this pardon. No more, but I pray God
preserve you and yours. Written the Wednesday before
Mary Magdalen (22d July.) By your humblest Son,

                                                                  JOHN PASTON.

              London,
      Wednesday, 17th July,
              1471. 11 E. IV.

The expectations of the Lancastrians being entirely destroyed by Edward?s
victory at Tewksbury, those who had espoused their cause endeavoured now
to make their peace with the victor, we find not without success, as J. Paston
had so quickly obtained his pardon. Sir Thomas Wingfield and William his
brother were both younger sons of Sir Robert Wingfield of Letheringham, in
Suffolk, whose sister Elizabeth had married Sir William Brandon of Hen-
ham, Kt. William Brandon the younger therefore was most probably this sis-
ter’s son and their nephew. He was afterwards standard-bearer to the Earl of
Richmond at Bosworth Field, where he fell; and history reports that he was
slain by the sword of Richard III.: his son Charles became afterwards Duke
of Suffolk, married Mary, the daughter of our Henry VII., and widow of
Lewis XII. King of France.

   J. Paston’s gratitude to his friend, and fearless behaviour towards his enemy,
are both shown to great advantage in this letter. The Lady Calthorpe here
mentioned must be Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir to Sir Miles Stapleton,
and wife of Sir William Calthorpe, Kt.

     His horses, in this letter, seem greatly to claim his attention.

     By his grey horse being “kept in mewe for gnattys,” he means, being
kept in the stable to preserve him from the gnats, flies, &c.

     Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21

780

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON²

To my most worchepfull Modyr, Margaret Paston, be thys
delyveryd in hast.

RYGHT worchepfull modyr, I recomand me to yow, and
     as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng.
     Please yow to undyrstand that thys Wednysday Sir
Thomas Wyngffeld sent to me, and let me wet that the Kyng
had syngnyd my bylle of perdon, whyche the seid Sir Thomas
delyveryd me; and so by Fryday, at the forthest, I tryst to
have my perdon ensealyd by the Chanceler, and soone aftyr,
so as I can fornyshe me, I tryst to se yow, if so be that eny of
the Kynges hows com in to Norwyche. I wold fayne my
gray horse wer kept in mewe for gnattys. Also, modyr, I
beseche yow that Dollys and his felawe may be sent to, that
I may have my money redy ayenst that I come home, whyche
is dew to be payid, for thys mater hathe cost me the settyng
over. Also that it may please yow that Purdy at Heylysdon
maye be sent to for the horse that he hathe of myne, and that
the horse may be kept well, and have as myche mete as he
wyll eate be twyx thys and that I come home, and that Jakys
nage have mete i now also. Also, and Syr Thomas Wyngfeld
come to Norwyche, that he may have as good chere as it
please yow to make on to that man that I am most behold to
for hys gret kyndnesse and good wyll, for he takyth full my
part ayenst my gretest enmyeys, Brandons and hys brodyr
William; for at my fyrst comyng to Sir Thomas Wyngfeld,
bothe William Wyngfeld and William Brandon the yonger
wer with Sir Thomas, and had gret wordys to myn owne
mowthe, and in cheff W. Wyngfeld; and wher so evyr he
may met me on evyn grownd he wyll do myche; but and we
met evynly, no fors, so I have yowr blyssyng. I prey yow,
with owght it be to my Lady Calthorp, let ther be but fewe
woordys of thys perdon. No more, but I prey God preserve
yow and yours.

     Wretyn the Wednysday next before Mary Mawdelen,

                          By your humblest sone,                         J. P.

     ² From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to a pardon granted by the King
to John Paston the younger, for having taken part with the Lancastrians at the battle
of Barnet. Though the bill’ for this pardon was signed by the King on the 17th
July, the pardon itself did not pass the Great Seal till the 7th February following,
under which date it is enrolled on the Pardon Roll of 11 Edw. IV., memb. 9.

1471
JULY 5

1471
JULY 5