John Paston to Margaret Paston

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Title
John Paston to Margaret Paston
Reference
Add. 34889, f. 129
Date
?[29 March] 1475
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 868; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 107
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (1st transcript)

LETTER CVII.

 

    To my ryght worchepfull
    modyr Margaret Paston at
    Mawthy.

 

RYGHT Worchepfull Modyr aftyr all humbyll recomen-
dacyons as lowely as I can I beseche yow of yor blyssyg
pleasyt yow to wete that late yestr nyght I cam to Norwyche
p'poseig to haue been as thys day wt yow at Mawthy but it is so
that I may not hold my propose for he that shall pay me my
q'rter I wagys for me and my retenew is in Norwyche and wayt-
yth ourly when hys money shall Com to hym it is oon Edmyund
Bowen of the Cheker a specyall Frend of myn And he avysyth
me to tery tyll the money be com lest yt I be unpayed for who
comyth fyrst to the mylle fyrst must grynd And as I was
wryghtyg thys byll on of the gromys of my lords chambyr cam
to me and told me that my 2 lady wyll be here in Norwyche to
morow at nyght towards Walsygh'm whyche shall I wot well be
a nother lett to me but I had more need to be other wyse ocupyed
then to awayte on ladyse For ther is as yett J trowe no 3 sperre
that shall go over the See so evyll horsyd as I am but it is told
me that Rychard Call hathe a good horse to sell And on Iohn
Becher of Oxborough hathe an other and if it myght please yow
to gave Syme leve to ryd in to that Contre at my Cost and in
your name seyig that ye wyll geue on of yor Sonys an horse de-
syryg hym that he wyll geue yow a penyworthe for a peny And
he shall and the pryse be resonayll hold hym pleasyd wt your
payment ought or my purse thow he knowe it not or hys horse
depert fro hys lands Modyr I bese yow and it may please yow to
geue Syme leve to ryde on thys message in your name that he
may be here wt me to morow in the mornyg he tymys for wer I
onys horsyd I trowe J wer as ferforthe redy as some of my
neyghborows I herd a lytyll word that ye p'poseid to be here in
Norwyche thys next week I prey God it be thys week Modyr
beseche yow that I may haue an answer to morow at the ferthest
of thys mater and of eny other servyse that it please yow to
Comand me whyche J wyll at all seasons redy to acmplyshe wt
gods grace whom J beseche to p'serve yow and yours Wretyn
at Norwyche thys Wednysday in Est'n week.

 

                                         By yor sone and seru'nt

                                                                                                         4 J.P.

            11 ? by 6.

 

    The date of this Letter from J. Paston, the younger, to his Mother, cannot be certainly
ascertained, though I think I may venture to fix it between 1470 and 1474.

    1 We are here informed that those who had engaged in the King's service received
their pay out of the Exchequer quarterly, for themselves and their waged men.

    2 Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk, wife of John Mowbray, the last Duke of Norfolk of
that name, was most probably on her way in pilgrimage to the Image of our Lady at
Walsingham, to offer at her Shrine, and to obtain through her intercession an easy preg-
nancy and happy delivery. Our Lady's favours supposed to be conferred on women in
the Duchess's situation, (to use J. Paston's proverb) "brought great grist to her mill" at
Walfingham.

    3 Horsemen armed with Spears.

    4 Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 21.

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (2nd transcript)

LETTER CVII.

 

To my right worshipful Mother, Margaret Paston, at Mawteby.

 

RIGHT worshipful mother, after all humble recommenda-
tions, as lowly as I can, I beseech you of your blessing.
Please it you to weet that late yesternight I came to Norwich,
purposing to have been as this day with you at Mawteby, but it
is so that I may not hold my purpose, for he, that shall pay me
my quarter 1 wages for me and my retinue, is in Norwich, and
waiteth hourly when his money shall come to him; it is one
Edmund Bowen of the Exchequer, a special friend of mine, and
he adviseth me to tarry till the money be come, lest that I be
unpaid, "for who cometh first to the mill, first must grind."

    And as I was writing this bill, one of the Grooms of my Lord's
Chamber came to me, and told me, that my 2 Lady will be here
in Norwich to-morrow at night towards Walsingham, which
shall I wot well be another let to me, but I had more need to be
otherwise occupied than to await on Ladies, for there is as yet
I trow no 3 Spear that shall go over the sea, so evil horsed as I
am, but it is told me that Richard Call hath a good horse to sell,
and one John Butcher of Oxborough hath another, and if it
might please you to give Sym leave to ride into that country at
my cost, and in your name, saying that ye will give one of your
sons an horse, desiring him that he will give you a pennyworth
for a penny, and he shall, and the price be reasonable, hold him
pleased with your payment out of my purse, though he know it
not ere his horse depart from his hands. Mother I beseech you,
and (if) if may please you to give Sym leave to ride on this mes-
sage in your name, that he may be here with me to-morrow in
the morning betimes, for were I once horsed, I trow I were as
far forth ready as some of my neighbours.

        I heard a little word that ye purposed to be here in Norwich
the next week, I pray God it be this week.

        Mother, I beseech you that I may have an answer to-morrow
at the farthest of this matter, and of any other service that it
please you to command me, which I will at all seasons (be) ready
to accomplish with God's grace, whokm I beseech to preserve you
and yours.

        Written at Norwich, this Wednesday in Easter week.

 

                               By your Son and Servant

                                                                                         4 JOHN PASTON.

    Norwich, Wednesday, April,
        between 1470 and 1474.
        10 and 14 E. IV.

 

    The date of this Letter from J. Paston, the younger, to his Mother, cannot be certainly
ascertained, though I think I may venture to fix it between 1470 and 1474.

    1 We are here informed that those who had engaged in the King's service received
their pay out of the Exchequer quarterly, for themselves and their waged men.

    2 Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk, wife of John Mowbray, the last Duke of Norfolk of
that name, was most probably on her way in pilgrimage to the Image of our Lady at
Walsingham, to offer at her Shrine, and to obtain through her intercession an easy preg-
nancy and happy delivery. Our Lady's favours supposed to be conferred on women in
the Duchess's situation, (to use J. Paston's proverb) "brought great grist to her mill" at
Walfingham.

    3 Horsemen armed with Spears.

    4 Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 21.

Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'

868

 

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON1

 

To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston, at Mawtby.

 

RYGHT worchepfull modyr, aftyr all humbyll re-
         comendacyons, as lowely as I can I beseche yow of
          your blyssyng. Pleasyt yow to wete that late yester
nyght I cam to Norwyche, purposeing to have been as thys
day with yow at Mawtby, but it is so that I may not hold my
purpose, for he that shall pay me my quarter wagys for me
and my retenew, is in Norwyche, and waytyth ourly when hys
money shall com to hym. It is oon Edmund Bowen of the
Cheker, a specyall frend of myn, and he avysyth me to tery
tyll the money be com, lest that I be unpayed, for who comyth
fyrst to the mylle, fyrst must grynd.

     And as I was wryghtyng thys byll, on of the gromys of
my lords chambyr cam to me, and told me, that my lady wyll
be here in Norwyche to morow at nyght towards Walsyng-
ham, whyche shall, I wot well, be a nother lett to me; but I
had more need to be other wyse ocupyed then to awayte on
ladyse, for ther is as yett, I trowe, no sperre that shall go
over the see, so evyll horsyd as I am. But it is told me that
Rychard Call hathe a good horse to sell, and on John Becher
of Oxborough hathe an other; and if it myght please yow to
geve Syme leve to ryd in to that contre at my cost, and in
your name, seying that ye wyll geve on of your sonys an
horse, desyryng hym that he wyll geve yow a penyworthe for
a peny, and he shall, and the pryse be resonabyll, hold hym
pleasyd with your payment ought of my purse, thow he
knowe it not or hys horse depert fro hys lands. Modyr, I
bese[che] yow, and it may please yow to geve Syme leve to
ryde on thys message in your name, that he may be here with
me to morow in the mornyng be tymys, for wer I onys
horsyd, I trowe I wer as ferforthe redy as some of my neygh-
borows. I herd a lytyll word that ye purposeid to be here in
Norwyche thys next week. I prey God it be thys week.
Modyr, beseche yow that I may have an answer to morow at
the ferthest of thys mater, and of eny other servyse that it
please yow to comand me, whyche I wyll [be] at all seasons
redy to acomplyshe with Gods grace, Whom I beseche to
preserve yow and yours.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, thys Wednysday in Estern Week.

                                   By your sone and servaunt,

                                                                                                  J. P.

     1 [From Fenn, iv. 444.] This letter was evidently written in 1475, when John
Paston and one or more of his younger brothers were about to go over to France
with the King’s army.—See Letter 871. Margaret Paston was at that time continu-
ally resident at Mautby.         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1475(?)
[MAR. 29]

 

 

 

 

 

1475(?)
[MAR. 29]