John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XXXVI.

To my ryght Worchipfull Modyr Margaret Paston be thys delyu’d.

AFTYR humbyll and most dew recomendacyon as lowly
     as I can I beseche yow of yo^r blyss[SYM]g Plesyt yow to wet
y^t blyssyd be god my brodyr and I be in good hele and I tryst
that we shall do ryght well in all owyr maters hastyly ffor my
Lady of ¹ Norff hathe promyssyd to be rewlyd by my Lord of
² Oxynforthe in all syche maters as belonge to my brodyr and
to me and as for my Lord of Oxynforthe he is bettyr Lord
to me by my trowthe than I can wyshe hym in many maters
for he sente to my Lady of Norff by John Bernard only for
my mater and for non othyr cause my onwet[SYM]g or wythout
eny preyer of me for when he sente to hyr I was at London
and he at Colchestyr and y^t is a lyeklyod he remēbyrthe me
the Dwk and the Dwchess swe to hym as humbylly as evyr
I dyd to them in so myche that my Lord of Oxynforth shall
have the rwyll of them and thers by ther owne desyirs and gret
meanys. As for the Ofyces that ye wrot to my brodyr for and
to me they be for no poore men but I tryst we shall sped of
othyr ofyseys metly for us. For my Mastyr the Erle of Oxyn-
forthe bydeth me axe and have. I trow my brodyr S^r. John
shall have the Constabyllshep of Norwyche castyll w^t xx^li of ffee
all the Lordys be agreyd to it. Tydyngs the Erle of ³ Wyr-
cestyr is lyek to dye y^s day or to morow at the ferthest John
Pylk[SYM]gton M. W. att Clyff and fsowler ar takyn and in the castyll
of Pomfrett and ar lyek to dye hastyly w^t owte y^ey be dead.
S^r. T. Mongomere and Joudone be takyn what shall falle of hem
I can not sey.

     The ⁴ Qwen y^t was and the Dwchess of ⁵ Bedford be in Seyn-
tuary at Westmestyr, the Bysheop ⁶ of Ely w^t othyr Bysheopys
ar in seynt Martyns when I here more I shall send yow more
I prey God send yow all your desyrs Wretyn at London on Seynt
Edwards evyn.

                                           Yo^r Sone and humbyll Servñt,

                                                                                               J. P.

11 ¾ by 8½.

   London, Thursday,
              11th of October, 1470, 10 E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

Modyr I beseche yow y^t Brome may be spokyn to to gadyr
up my sylluyr at Gwton in all hast possybyll for I have no mony.
Also y^t it lyek yow y^t John Mylsent may be spokyn to to
kep well my Grey horse and he be alyve and y^t he spare no met
on hym and y^t he have konn[SYM]g Lechys to look to hym As
for my com[SYM]g hom I knowe no serteynte for I terry tyll my
Lady of Norff com to go thorow w^t the maters and she shall
not be here tyll sonday.

     This Letter was written after the flight of Edward, and very soon after the restoration
of Henry VI. to the throne. Sir John Paston, and his Brother John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 12.)
the Writer of this Letter, had been and still were of the Household of the Duke of Norfolk,
but were now making their court to the Earl of Oxford; and hoped by his favour to have
appointments under this new Government, which took place the beginning of October.

     ¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk; Elizabeth, Daughter of John Talbot, first Earl
of Shrewshury, Duchess of Norfolk.

     ² John de Vere, a firm friend to the House of Lancaster, and who, during the short
exaltation of Henry, was amongst the first Statesmen of that Party. He died 10th of
March, 1412, 4 H. VIII.

     ³ John Tiptost, Lord Treasurer and Lord Constable, absconded on the departure of
his Royal Master, but was taken in Weybridge Forest, in Huntingdonshire, concealed in a
Tree; and being brought to the Tower, was there beheaded upon a charge of cruelty, on
the 18th of October, 1470.

     ⁴ Elizateth, Queen of Edward IV.

     ⁵ Jaqueline, of Luxemburgh, Duchess-dowager of Bedford, and Widow of Sir Richard
Widville or Woodville, Mother to Elizabeth.

     ⁶ William Gray, a man of family and great Learning, was placed in this See by
Pope Nicholas the V. in 1454. He was Lord Treasurer to Edward IV. and died in
1478.                                                                       

LETTER XXXVI.

To my right worshipful Mother, Margaret Paston, be this delivered.

AFTER humble and most due recommendation, as lowly
     as I can, I beseech you of your blessing. Please it you to
weet, that, blessed be God, my Brother and I be in good hele
(health); and I trust that we shall do right well in all our mat-
ters hastily; for my Lady of ¹ Norfolk hath promised to be
ruled by my Lord of ² Oxford in all such matters as belong to
my brother and to me; and as for my Lord of Oxford, he
is better Lord to me, by my truth, than I can wish him in
many matters; for he sent to my Lady of Norfolk by John
Bernard only for my matter, and for none other cause mine on
weeting (forgetting), or without any prayer of me, for when
he sent to her I was at London, and he at Colchester, and that
is a likelihood he remembered me.

     The Duke and the Duchess sue to him as humbly as ever I
did to them; insomuch that my Lord of Oxford shall have the
rule of them and theirs, by their own desires and great means.

     As for the Offices, that ye wrote to my brother for and to me

they be for no poor men; but I trust we shall speed of other
offices meetly for us. For my Master the Earl of Oxford biddeth
me ask and have.  I trow (think) my brother Sir John shall
have the Constableship of Norwich Castle, with 20l. of Fee,
all the Lords be agreed to it.

     Tidings, the Earl of  ³  Worcester is like to die this day, or
to morrow at the farthest ; John Pilkington, M. W.  at Clyff,
and Fowler are taken, and in the Castle of Pomsret, and are like
to die hastily, without they be dead.  Sir Thomas Montgomery
and Joudone be taken, what shall fall of them I cannot say.

     The  ⁴ Queen that was, and the Duchess of ⁵ Bedford be in
Sanctuary at Westminster; the Bishop of ⁶ Ely with other
Bishops are in Saint Martin’s; when I hear more, I shall send
you more ; I pray God send you all your desires. Written
at London on Saint Edward’s even.

                               Your Son and humble Servant,

                                                                               J. PASTON.

11 ¾ by 8½.

   London, Thursday,
              11th of October, 1470, 10 E. IV. (49 H. VI.)

Mother, I beseech you, that Brome may be spoken to, to
gather up my Silver at Guyton in all haste possible, for I have
no money. Also that it like you, that John Milsent may be
spoken to, to keep well my Grey Horse, an (if) he be alive, and
that he spare no meat on him, and that he have cunning
Leeches to look to him. As for my coming home, I know
no certainty, for I tarry till my Lady of Norfolk come to go
through with the matters, and she shall not be here till Sunday.

     This Letter was written after the flight of Edward, and very soon after the restoration
of Henry VI. to the throne. Sir John Paston, and his Brother John Paston, (Pl. IV. N^o 12.)
the Writer of this Letter, had been and still were of the Household of the Duke of Norfolk,
but were now making their court to the Earl of Oxford; and hoped by his favour to have
appointments under this new Government, which took place the beginning of October.

     ¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk; Elizabeth, Daughter of John Talbot, first Earl
of Shrewshury, Duchess of Norfolk.

     ² John de Vere, a firm friend to the House of Lancaster, and who, during the short
exaltation of Henry, was amongst the first Statesmen of that Party. He died 10th of
March, 1412, 4 H. VIII.

     ³ John Tiptost, Lord Treasurer and Lord Constable, absconded on the departure of
his Royal Master, but was taken in Weybridge Forest, in Huntingdonshire, concealed in a
Tree; and being brought to the Tower, was there beheaded upon a charge of cruelty, on
the 18th of October, 1470.

     ⁴ Elizateth, Queen of Edward IV.

     ⁵ Jaqueline, of Luxemburgh, Duchess-dowager of Bedford, and Widow of Sir Richard
Widville or Woodville, Mother to Elizabeth.

     ⁶ William Gray, a man of family and great Learning, was placed in this See by
Pope Nicholas the V. in 1454. He was Lord Treasurer to Edward IV. and died in
1478.                                                                       

759

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my ryght worchipfull Modyr, Margaret Paston,
be thys delyuered.

AFTYR humbyll and most dew recommendacyon, as
     lowly as I can, I beseche yow of yowr blyssyng.
     Plesyt yow to wet that, blyssyd be God, my brodyr
and I be in good hele; and I tryst that we shall do ryght well
in all owyr maters hastyly; ffor my Lady of Norff.² hathe
promyssyd to be rewlyd by my Lord of Oxynforthe³ in all
syche maters as belonge to my brodyr and to me; and as for
my Lord of Oxynforthe, he is bettyr Lord to me, by my
trowthe, than I can wyshe hym in many maters; for he sente
to my Lady of Norff. by John Bernard only for my mater,
and for non othyr cause, my onwetyng [i.e. without my
knowledge], or wythout eny preyer of me, for when he sente
to hyr I was at London, and he at Colchestyr, and that is a
lyeklyod he remembyrthe me.

     The Dwk and the Dwchess swe to hym as humbylly as evyr
I dyd to them; in so myche that my Lord of Oxynforth shall
have the rwyll of them and thers, by ther owne desyirs and
gret meanys.

     As for the ofyces that ye wrot to my brodyr for and to
me, they be for no poore men; but I tryst we shall sped of
othyr ofyseys metly for us, for my Mastyr the Erle of Oxyn-
forthe bydeth me axe and have. I trow my brodyr Syr John
shall have the Constabyllshep of Norwyche Castyll, with xxli.
of ffee; all the Lordys be agreyd to it.

     Tydyngs, the Erle of Wyrcestyr¹ is lyek to dye this day,
or to morow at the ferthest. John Pylkyngton, Mr. W. att
Clyff, and Fowler ar takyn, and in the Castyll of Pomfrett,
and ar lyek to dye hastyly, with owte they be dead. Sir T.
Mongomere and Joudone be takyn; what shall falle of hem I
can not sey.

     The Qwen² that was, and the Dwchess of Bedford,³ be in
seyntuary at Westmestyr; the Bysheop of Ely⁴ with othyr
Bysheopys ar in Seynt Martyns. When I here more, I shall
send yow more. I prey God send yow all your desyrs.
Wretyn at London on Seynt Edwards Evyn.

                          Your sone and humbyll servant,              J. P.

     Modyr, I beseche yow that Brome may be spoken to, to
gadyr up my syllvyr at Gwton in all hast possybyll, for I have
no mony. Also that it lyek yow that John Mylsent may be
spoken to, to kep well my grey horse, and he be alyve, and
that he spare no met on hym, and that he have konnyng
lechys to look to hym. As for my comyng hom, I knowe no
serteynte, for I terry tyll my Lady of Norff. com to go thorow
with the-maters, and she shall not be here tyll Sonday.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 50.] The contents of this letter clearly refer to the state of
matters on the restoration of Henry VI.

     ² Elizabeth, daughter of John Talbot, first Earl of Shrewsbury, was the wife of
John Mowbray, fifth Duke of Norfolk.

     ³ John de Vere, a staunch Lancastrian.

     ¹ John Tiptoft, Lord Treasurer and Chief-Constable of England. He was
beheaded on a charge of cruelty, 18th October 1470.

     ² Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward IV.

     ³ Jaquetta of Luxemburg, Duchess-Dowager of Bedford, widow of Sir Richard
Woodville, the mother of Edward’s queen.

     ⁴ William Gray.

1470
OCT. 12

1470
OCT. 12