John Paston to Margaret Paston

Add. 27445, f. 93

1475

Gairdner, Vol V, item 878; Fenn, Vol V, Edward IV item 29

LETTER XXIX.

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon inas hu˜byll wyse as I
can I beseche yow of yo^r blyssy˜g the chef cause that I
wryghty˜g to yow for at thys season is for that I undyrstand
that my lady wold be ryght glad to have yow a bought hyr
at hyr labore jn so myche that she hathe axyd the questyon
of dyuers gentyllwemen whedyr they thought that ye wold
awayte on hyr at that season or nought And they answerd that
they durst sey that ye wold w^t ryght good wyll awayte on hyr
at that tyme and at all other seasons that she wold comand
yow And so I thynk that my lady wyll send for yow And
if it wer your ease to be here I wold be ryght glad that ye
myght be here for I thynk your bei˜g here shold do gret
good to my brodyrs maters that he hathe to sped w^t hyr
wherfor for gods sake haue your horse and all yo^r gere redy
w^t yow whersoeur ye be ought or at home and as for men
ye shall nott need many for I wyll come for yow and awayte
on yow my sylf and on or ij w^t me but I had need to undyr-
stand wher to fynd yow or ellys I shall happyly seeke yow
at Mautby when ye be at Freton And my lady myght then
fortune to be ferforthe on hyr Jorney or ye cam if she wer
as swyfte as ye wer onys on good Fryday and as for the
mater in the latter end of my brodyr S^r Johnys lettyr me
thynk he takyth a wronge wey if he go so to werk for as fer
the peopyll here I undyrstand non other but that all folkys
here be ryght well dysposyd toward that mater fro the
hyghest degre to the lowest except Robart Brandon and
John Colvyll and it is a grete lykeyhod that the grettest
body is well dysposyd towards that mater in as myche as
they wold put yow to the labore aboue wretyn and if they
wer not I thynk they wold not put yow to that labore
Also here was here w^t me yest^rday a man fro the p^rour
of bromholme to lete me haue knowlage of the ille speche
whyche is in the contre now of new that the tombe is not
mad and also he scythe that the clothe that lythe over the
grave is all toryn and rotyn and is not worth ij^d and he
seythe he hathe pachyd it onys or twyis wherfor the pryour
hathe sent to yow at the least to send thedyr a new clothe
a yenst estern Also mastyr Sloley prayith yow for gods sake
And ye wyll do non almess of tylle that he myght berow
some of yow tyll he may bye some and pay yow ayen for en
the fayrist chambyrs of the fryers standyth half encouerd for
defaulte of tylle for her is yett non to get for no money And
the holy trynyty haue yow in kepyng at Norwyche thys
Twysday.

J PASTON

11¾ by 6½.

               Part of the
              Paper Mark,
               A Coronet.
            Pl. xxvi. No. 2.

The reader cannot but be pleased with this Letter, and with the anxious
care expressed by J. Paston for his mother’s attendance on the Duchess, both
on her own and on her son Sir John’s account. The neglect of his father’s
tomb cannot escape notice; and the circumstance of having a cloth over the
grave during nearly ten years, for he died in May 1466, shows the fashion of
the time; the decayed state of it likewise will not pass unobserved. As the
new cloth was desired to be procured against Easter, which this year fell on
the 14th of April, it is probable the letter was written during the month of
March.

Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

LETTER XXIX.

John Paston to his Mother Margaret Paston.

AFTER all duties of recommendation in as humble wise as I
can, I beseech you of your blessing; the chief cause that I
write to you for at this season is, for that I understand that
my Lady would be right glad to have you about her at her
labour; insomuch that she hath asked the question of divers
gentlewomen, whether they thought that ye would await on
her at that season, or not: and they answered that they durst
say that ye would, with right good will, await on her at that
time, and at all other seasons that she would command you;
and so I think that my Lady will send for you; and if it
were your ease to be here, I would be right glad that ye
might be here, for I think your being here should do great
good to my brother’s matters that he hath to speed with
her; wherefore for God’s sake have your horse and all your
geer ready with you, wheresoever ye be, out or at home;
and as for men, ye shall not need many, for I will come for
you, and await on you myself, and one or two with me; but
I had need to understand where to find you, or else I shall
haply seek you at Maultby, when ye be at Fritton; and my
Lady might then fortune to be farforth on her journey, ere
ye came, if she were as swift as ye were once on Good
Friday.

And as for the matter in the latter end of my brother Sir
John’s letter, methinks he taketh a wrong way, if he go so
to work; for as for the people here, I understand none
other but that all folks here be right well disposed towards
that matter, from the highest degree to the lowest, except
Robert Brandon and John Colville; and it is a great likeli-
hood that the greatest body is well disposed towards that
matter, in as much as they would put you to the labour
above written; and if they were not, I think they would not
put you to that labour. Also here was here with me yes-
terday a man from the Prior of Bromholm, to let me have
knowledge of the ill speech which is in the country now of
new, that the tomb is not made; and also he saith, that the
cloth that lieth over the grave is all torn and rotten, and is
not worth two pence, and he saith he hath patched it once
or twice; wherefore the Prior hath sent to you at the least
to send thither a new cloth against Easter.

Also Master Sloley prayeth you, for God’s sake, an [if] ye
will do no alms of tile, that he might borrow some of you,
till he may buy some, and pay you again; for one, the
fairest chamber of the Fryars, standeth half uncovered for
default of tile, for here is yet none to get for no money;
and the Holy Trinity have you in keeping. At Norwich,
this Tuesday.

Your son and humble servant,

JOHN PASTON.

           Norwich,
     Tuesday, March,
     1475-6. 16 E. iv.

The reader cannot but be pleased with this Letter, and with the anxious
care expressed by J. Paston for his mother’s attendance on the Duchess, both
on her own and on her son Sir John’s account. The neglect of his father’s
tomb cannot escape notice; and the circumstance of having a cloth over the
grave during nearly ten years, for he died in May 1466, shows the fashion of
the time; the decayed state of it likewise will not pass unobserved. As the
new cloth was desired to be procured against Easter, which this year fell on
the 14th of April, it is probable the letter was written during the month of
March.

Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

878

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon, in as humbyll wyse
as I can, I beseche yow of your blyssyng. The cheff
cause that I wryght to yow for at thys season is, for
that I undyrstand that my lady² wold be ryght glad to have
yow a bought hyr at hyr labore; in so myche that she hathe
axyd the questyon of dyvers gentyllwomen whedyr they thought
that ye wold awayte on hyr at that season or nought, and they
answerd that they durst sey that ye wold, with ryght good wyll,
awayte on hyr at that tyme, and at all other seasons that she
wold comand yow. And so I thynk that my lady wyll send
for yow; and if it wer your ease to be here, I wold be ryght
glad that ye myght be here, for I thynk your being here shold
do gret good to my brodyrs maters that he hathe to sped with
hyr. Wherfor, for Godes sake, have your horse and all your
gere redy with yow, whersoever ye be, ought or at home, and
as for men, ye shall nott need many, for I wyll come for yow,
and awayte on yow my sylf, and on or ij. with me; but I had
need to undyrstand wher to fynd yow, or ellys I shall happyly
seeke yow at Mautby, when ye be at Freton, and my lady
myght then fortune to be ferforthe on hyr jorney or ye cam,
if she wer as swyfte as ye wer onys on Good Fryday.

And as for the mater in the latter end of my brodyr Sir
Johnys lettyr, me thynk he takyth a wronge wey, if he go so
to werk; for as for the peopyll here, I undyrstand non other
but that all folkys here be ryght well dysposyd towardes that
mater, fro the hyghest degre to the lowest, except Robart
Brandon and John Colvyll; and it is a grete lyklyhod that the
grettest body is well dysposyd towardes that mater, in as
myche as they wold put yow to the labore above wretyn, and
if they wer not, I thynk they wold not put yow to that
labore.

Also here was here with me yesterday a man fro the Priour
of Bromholme to lete me have knowlage of the ille speche
whyche is in the contre now of new, that the tombe is not mad;
and also he seythe that the clothe that lythe over the grave is
all toryn and rotyn, and is not worth ijd., and he seythe he
hathe pachyd it onys or twyis. Wherfor the Pryour hathe
sent to yow at the leest to send thedyr a newe clothe a yenst
Estern.

Also Mastyr Sloley prayith yow, for Godes sake, and ye
wyll do non almess of tylle [tile] that he myght borow some of
yow tyll he may bye some, and pay yow ayen; for on [one] the
fayrist chambyrs of the Fryers, standyth half oncoverd for
defaulte of tylle, for her is yett non to get for no money. And
the Holy Trynyte have yow in kepyng.

At Norwyche, thys Twysday.

Your sone and humbyll servaunt,

J. PASTON.

¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have been written shortly before
the confinement of the Duchess of Norfolk in December 1475.

² The Duchess of Norfolk.

1475