John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XXV.

     To my Cosyn Margret
     Paston.

MYN owne dere fou^reyn lady I recomaund me to yow and
            thank yow of the gret chere y^t ye mad me here to my
gret cost and charge and labor nor more at thys tyme but that I
pray yow ye woll send me hedir ij clue of ¹ Worsted for dob-
letters to happe me thys cold wynter and that ye inquere where
Will'm Paston bought his tepet of fyne worsted whech is almost
like silk and if that be mech fyner thaune y^t ye shuld bye me
after vij or viij^s thaune by me a q'rt^r and the nayle therof for
colers thow it be derer thaune the tother for J wold make my
doblet all Worsted for Worship of Norff. rather thaune like
Gonnores doblet.

    It'm as for the mater of the jx^xx li askyd by my lady of ² Bed-
ford for the maner of Westthirrok where as S^r Thom' Howes
faith that he hath no wrytyng therof but y^t S^r Iohn Fastolf pur-
chased the seid maner and payd s^rteyn mony in Ernest and aftir-
ward gr'untyd his bargeyn to the Duc of Bedford and so the
mony y^t he toke was for the mony that he had pays p^raventure
S' Thom' hath writyng therof and knowyth it not for if ther be
any such mony payd upon any bargeyn he shall fynd it in
Kyrtlyngs bocks y^t was S^r Iohn Fastolfs Reseyv^r and it was
abought such tyme as the duc of Bedford was last in Inglond
whech as it is told me was the viij yere of kyng herry the fift or
the viij yere of kyng herrry the sext and the somme that he payd
for the seid bargeyn was CCC m'rks Also he sahll fynd the xxij
yere of kyng Herry or ther abought in the acompts of on of
Fastolfs Reseyvo's at london that ther was take of S' Thom'
Tyrell and of the ³ Duchesse of Excestre that was wif to S^r lowes
Iohn Fermo's of the seid maner s^rteyn mony for repaymēt of
part of the seid CCC m'rk Also he shall fynd in yeres after y^t
or in that yere or ther aboutes that S' Iohn Fastolf reseyved

mony of my lord ⁴ Revers y^t now is by the name of Richard
Wydevile for his owne dette dew to S^r John Fastolf Wherfore
if S^r Thom' be trewe to his Master lete hym do his devoir to
make y^t Worseter whech is uphold be hym w^t the deds goods
to be trewe to his master or ellis it is tyme for S^r Thom' to
forsake hym and helpe to punyssh hym or mē mast sey that S^r
Thom' is not trewe and more ouer lete S^r Thom' examiē what
he can fynd in this mater that I sent hym werd of whech
mater he shall fynd in the seid Reseyvo^s bocks if he list to
seke it.

     Itm, on the day after yo^r dep^rtyng I reseyved letters by Will
Ros from yo^r sones to me and to yow and to Ric Calle &c.

     It' I shall telle you a tale Pampyng and I have picked your
⁵ male and taken out ⁶ pesis v for upon trust of Calles p^rmise
we may sone onthryve and if Calle bryng us hedir xx li ye
shall have yor peses ayen good and round or ellis if he woll not
pay yow the valew of te peses there to the post do nayle his ere
or ellis do hym some other wrongs for I will no more in his de-
faut brought and but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better
plyed ⁷ he shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed and loke ye be
mery and take no thought for thys ryme is cunyngly wrought
my Lord ⁸ Persy and all this house recomaund them to yow
dogges catte and mowse and wysshe ye had be here stille for the
sey ye are a good ⁹ gille no more to you at this tyme but God
hym save y^t mad this ryme wret ye of sent mathe by yowr
trew and trustie husband.
                                                                                                  J. P.

              10 ? by 17 ?

              Paper Mark,
               An Anchor,
            Pl. XXII. No 12.

    The various matter contained in this Letter makes it worthy the reader's notice; the
references to the Receivers Accounts of Sir John Fastolf shew the regularity with which
all money and other transactions were entered and kept. The concluding verses furnish
us with a specimen of the familiar Poetry of the time.

    ¹ Worsted is a small market-town in the most East part of the county of Norfolk, for-
merly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which,
for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his Doublet might be made.

    ² Jaquelina, daughter of Peter of Luxenburgh Earl of Saint Poul, was the second wife
of John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford; she was married to him in 1433, and after his
decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile and died in 1472.

     ³ This was most probably Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Neville, and
widow of Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter; who was buried in the Abbey Church at
Bury St. Edmund's. On digging amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the
Duke was found, on the 20th February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire.

     The face, hair, and every part were prefect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to
the air, the body soon became offensive.

     I am sorry to add, that, for want of proper attention, the body was indecently thrown
out of its leaden repository (which was sold by the workmen for its value by weight),
and tumbled into the ground, where it remained till the next day, when, at the expence of
some neighbouring gentlemen, and oaken coffin was procured, in which the remains were
decently deposited, and interred near the spot where they were originally discovered.
     I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.

    ⁴ Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Graston in Northampton-
shire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became
the Queen of Edward IV. who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers.
He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury, in 1469.

    ⁵ Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed, that in the original
Letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.

    ⁶ Pieces of money.

    ⁷ I do not understand this line.

    ⁸ This must be Henry Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy Earl of Northum-
berland, who was killed at the battle of Towton, in 1461, by Ellenor, grand-daughter
and heir of Robert Lord Poynings.

     His father having been attained he continued to be called Lord Percy; but in 1472
was fully restored both in blood and title, the attainder of his father being made void. He
was murdered by a tumultuous mob in Yorkshire, in 1488.

    9 An agreeable companion.
The exact date of this Letter cannot be ascertained.
Autograph. Pl. XXIV. No 6.

                                                           LETTER XXV.

                                  To my Cousin Margaret Paston.

MINE own dear sovereign Lady, I recommend me to you,
and thank you of the great cheer that ye made me here
to my great cost and charge and labour. No more at this time,
but that I pray you ye will send me hither two ells of ¹ worsted
for Doublets, to happe me (wrap me up warm) this cold winter;
and that ye enquire where William Paston bought his Tippet of
fine worsted, which is almost like silk, and if that be much finer
than that ye should buy me after seven or eight shillings, then
buy me a quarter and the nail thereof for Collars, though it be
dearer than the other, for I would make my doublet all worsted
for worship of Norfolk, rather than like Gonner's doublet.

   Item, as for the matter of the nine score ponds asked by my
Lady of ² Bedford for the manor of West Thurrok, whereas Sir
Thomas Howys faith that he hath no writing thereof, but that
Sir John Fastolf purchased the said manor, and paid certain
money in earnest, and afterwards granted his bargain to the
Duke of Bedford, and so the money that he took was for the
money that he had paid; peradventure Sir Thomas Howys hath
writing thereof, and knoweth it not; for if there by any such
money paid upon any bargain he shall find it in Kyrtling's books
that was Sir John Fastolf's Receiver, and it was about such time
as the Duke of Bedford was last in England, which, as it is
told me, was the 8th year of King Harry V. (1420,) or the 8th
year of King Harry VI. (1429), and the sum that he paid for
the said bargain was 300 marks (200l.) Also, he shall find the
22d year of King Harry (VI.) or there about (1443). in the
accounts of one of Fastolf's Receivers at London, that there was
taken of Sir Thomas Tyrell, and of the Duchess of ³ Exeter,
that was wife to Sir Lewis Johnes, Farmer of the said manor,
certain money for repayment of part of the said 300 marks.
Also he shall find in years after that, or that year, or there-

abouts that Sir John Fastolf received money of my Lord ⁴ Rivers
that now is, by the name of Richard Wydvile, for his own debt
due to Sir John Fastolf; wherefore, if Sir Thomas be true to
his master, let him do his devoir to make that Worcester, which
is upheld by him with the dead's goods, be true to his master, or
else it is time for Sir Thomas to forsake him, and help to punish
him, or men must say that Sir Thomas is not true; and moreover
let Sir Thomas examine what he can find in this matter that I
sent him word of, which matter he shall find in the said receiver's
book, if he list to seek it.

     Item, on the day after your departing, I received letters by William
Roos from your sons to me, and to you, and to Richard Calle, &c.

            Item, I shall tell you a tale,
            Pampyng and I have picked your ⁵ male
            And taken out ⁶ Pieces five,
            For upon trust of Calle's promise, we may soon unthrive,
            And, if Calle bring us hither twenty pound,
            Ye shall have your pieces again, good and round;
            Or else, if he will not pay you the value of the pieces, there
            To the post do nail his ear,
            Or else do him some other wrongs,
            For I will no more in his default borrow;
            And but if (unless) the receiving of my livelihood be better plied
            ⁷ He shall Christ's hour and mine clean tried;
            And look ye be merry and take no thought,
            For this rhyme is cunningly wrought.

My Lord ⁸ Percy and all this house
            Recommend them to you, dog, cat and mouse,
            And wish ye had been here still,
            For they say ye are a good ⁹ gill.
            No more to you at this time,
            But God him save that made this rhyme.
            Written the of Saint Mathe,
            By your true and trusty husband J. P.

February,
          Between 1461 and 1465.
          1 and 5 E. IV.

     The various matter contained in this Letter makes it worthy the reader's notice; the
references to the Receivers Accounts of Sir John Fastolf shew the regularity with which
all money and other transactions were entered and kept. The concluding verses furnish
us with a specimen of the familiar Poetry of the time.

    ¹ Worsted is a small market-town in the most East part of the county of Norfolk, for-
merly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its name, and of which,
for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his Doublet might be made.

    ² Jaquelina, daughter of Peter of Luxenburgh Earl of Saint Poul, was the second wife
of John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford; she was married to him in 1433, and after his
decease, in 1435, she became the wife of Sir Richard Wydvile and died in 1472.

     ³ This was most probably Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Neville, and
widow of Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter; who was buried in the Abbey Church at
Bury St. Edmund's. On digging amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the
Duke was found, on the 20th February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire.

     The face, hair, and every part were prefect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to
the air, the body soon became offensive.

 I am sorry to add, that, for want of proper attention, the body was indecently thrown
out of its leaden repository (which was sold by the workmen for its value by weight),
and tumbled into the ground, where it remained till the next day, when, at the expence of
some neighbouring gentlemen, and oaken coffin was procured, in which the remains were
decently deposited, and interred near the spot where they were originally discovered.
      I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and very flexible.

     ⁴ Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Graston in Northampton-
shire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth afterwards became
the Queen of Edward IV. who then advanced her father to the dignity of Earl Rivers.
He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury, in 1469.

    ⁵ Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed, that in the original
Letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.

     ⁶ Pieces of money.

     ⁷ I do not understand this line.

     ⁸ This must be Henry Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy Earl of Northum-
berland, who was killed at the battle of Towton, in 1461, by Ellenor, grand-daughter
and heir of Robert Lord Poynings.

     His father having been attained he continued to be called Lord Percy; but in 1472
was fully restored both in blood and title, the attainder of his father being made void. He
was murdered by a tumultuous mob in Yorkshire, in 1488.

     9 An agreeable companion.
The exact date of this Letter cannot be ascertained.
Autograph. Pl. XXIV. No 6.

609

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my Cosyn Margret Paston.

      MYN owne dere sovereyn lady, I recomaund me to yow,
          and thank yow of the gret chere that ye mad me
          here to my gret cost and charge and labour. No
more at thys tyme, but that I pray yow ye woll send me hedir
ij. clue of worsted² for dobletts, to happe me thys cold wynter;
and that ye inquere where William Paston bought his tepet of
fyne worsted, whech is almost like silk, and if that be mech
fyner thanne that he shuld bye me after vij. or viij.^s., thanne
by me a quarter and the nayle therof for colers, thow it be
derer thanne the tother, for I wold make my doblet all
worsted for worship of Norffolk, rather thanne like Gonnores
doblet.

     Item, as for the mater of the ix.^xxli. askyd by my Lady of
Bedford³ for the maner of Westthirrok, where as Sir Thomas
Howes saith that he hath no wrytyng therof, but that Sir John
Fastolf purchased the seid maner, and payd serteyn money in
ernest, and aftirward graunted his bargeyn to the Duc of
Bedford, and so the money that he toke was for the mony
that he had payd. Peraventure Sir Thomas hath writyng
therof, and knowyth it not; for if ther be any such mony
payd upon any bargeyn he shall fynd it in Kyrtlyngs bocks
that was Sir John Fastolfs reseyver, and it was abought such
tyme as the Duc of Bedford was last in Inglond, whech, as it
is told me, was the viij. yere of Kyng Herry the fift, or the
viij. yere of Kyng Herry the sext, and the somme that he
payd for the seid bargeyn was CCC. marks. Also he shall
fynd, the xxij. yere of Kyng Herry or ther abought, in the
acompts of on of Fastolfs Reseyvors at London, that ther was
take of Sir Thomas Tyrell, and of the Duchesse of Excestre,¹
that was wif to Sir Lowes John, fermours of the seid maner,
serteyn mony for repayment of part of the seid CCC. marks.
Also he shall fynd in yeres after that, or in that yere, or ther
aboutes, that Sir John Fastolf reseyved mony of my Lord
Revers² that now is, by the name of Richard Wydevile, for
his owne dette dew to Sir John Fastolf; wherfore, if Sir
Thomas be trewe to his master, lete hym do his devoir to
make that Worseter, whech is uphold be hym with the deds
goods, to be trewe to his master, or ellis it is tyme for Sir
Thomas to forsake hym, and helpe to punyssh hym, or men
mast sey that Sir Thomas is not trewe; and more over lete
Sir Thomas examine what he can fynd in this mater that I
sent hym werd of, whech mater he shall fynd in the seid
Reseyvours bocks, if he list to seke it.

     Item, on the day after your departyng, I reseyved letters
by Will. Ros from your sones to me, and to yow, and to
Ric. Calle, &c.

     Item, I shall telle you a tale,

     Pampyng and I have picked your male¹

     And taken out pesis² v.,

     For upon trust of Calles promise, we may soon onthryve;

     And, if Calle bryng us hedir xxli.,

     Ye shall have your peses ayen, good and round;

     Or ellis, if he woll not pay yow the valew of the peses,
          there

     To the post do nayle his ere;

     Or ellis do hym some other wrongs,

     For I will no nore in his defaut borough;

     And but if the reseyvyng of my livelod be better plyed

     He shall Crists ours and mine clene tryed;³

     And loke ye be mery and take no thought,

     For thys ryme is cunnyngly wrought.

     My Lord Persy⁴ and all this house

     Recomaund them to yow, dogge, catte, and mowse,

     And wysshe ye had be here stille,

     For the sey ye are a good gille.⁵

     No more to you at this tyme,

     But God hym save that mad this ryme.

     Wret the of Sent Mathe,⁶

     Be yowr trew and trustie husband, J. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 90.] From the mention of ‘this cold winter’ at the beginning
of this letter we might naturally suppose that the feast ‘of Sent Mathe,’ on or about
which it was written, was that of St. Matthias, which occurs on the 24th of February.
But we believe the day of St. Matthew to have been intended, so that the expression
must have had reference to some unusually cold weather in September. It is clear
from the contents of the letter that Margaret Paston had recently been with her
husband in London, and had just left him in company with Richard Calle on her
return towards Norfolk. Letters for her and Richard Calle had arrived from her two
sons since they departed. Now the only time, so far as I can find, that Margaret
Paston ever visited her husband in London—at all events when her sons were grown
up—was in September 1465; and on that occasion Calle was with her, and every-
thing else agrees. Indeed, no one can doubt that the latter portion of the letter
immediately following was written in answer to this letter.

     ² Worsted is a small market-town in the most east part of the county of
Norfolk, formerly famous for the manufacture of those stuffs which still bear its
name, and of which, for the worship of Norfolk, J. Paston desired his doublet to
be made.—F.

     ³ Jaquetta, daughter of Peter of Luxembourg, Earl of Saint Pol, was the second
wife of John, Duke of Bedford, the Regent of France during Henry VI.’s minority.
She was married to him in 1433, and after his decease, in 1435, she became the wife
of Sir Richard Wydvile, and died in 1472.

     ¹ Anne, eldest daughter of John Montacute, third Earl of Salisbury, married,
1st, Sir Richard Hankford, Knight; zndly, Sir Lewis John, Knight (whose will
was proved in 1442); and 3rdly, John Holland, who was created Duke of Exeter
6th January 1443, and died in 1446. Fenn erroneously supposed the lady to have
been the widow of Thomas Beaufort, a previous Duke of Exeter, who died in 1426.
This Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas
Nevill, but his wife did not survive him, as Fenn supposed, for at his death he was
found to have been tenant of her lands for life by the law of England. Fenn’s note
on this passage is, however, so interesting that we must quote a part of it. Beaufort,
Duke of Exeter, was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. ‘On digging,’ he
says, ‘amongst the ruins of this Abbey, the body of the Duke was found, on the
20th of February 1772, wrapt in lead, and entire. The face, hair, and every part were
perfect, and the flesh solid, but being exposed to the air, the body soon became
offensive . . . . . I procured some of the hair, which was of a fine brown colour, and
very flexible.’

     ² Sir Richard Wydvile, in 1448, was created Baron Rivers of Grafton, in North-
amptonshire, and elected a Knight of the Garter. His daughter Elizabeth after-
wards became the Queen of Edward IV., who then advanced her father to the dignity
of Earl Rivers. He was seized by the Lancaster mutineers, and beheaded at Banbury
in 1469.—F.

     ¹ Male, or Mail, is a trunk or portmanteau. It is to be observed that in the
original letter the verses do not finish the line but are written as prose.—F.

     ² Pieces of money.

     ³ I do not understand this line.—F. Surely ‘ours’ must be a misreading of
’curs’ (curse)?

     ⁴ Henry, Lord Percy, son and heir of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who
was killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461, by Eleanor, granddaughter and heir of
Robert, Lord Poynings.

     His father having been attainted, he continued to be called Lord Percy; but he
was afterwards fully restored both in blood and title.

     ⁵ An agreeable companion.—F.

     ⁶ St. Matthew’s Day is the 21st September.

1465
SEPT. [21]

1465
SEPT. [21]

1465
SEPT. [21]