John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER LXXXVII.

To my Ryght worchepfull Modyr Margaret Paston at Sey’t
Pet[ILL] of Hundgate.

RYGHT worchepfull Modyr aft[SYM]r all dwtes of humble
      recomendacyon as lowly as I can I beseche yow of yo^r
dayly blyssyng and preyes and Moder John Clement Berer
heroff can tell yow the mor pite is if it pleasyd God that my
brodyr is beryed in the Whyghte Fryers at London whych I
thought shold not have ben for I supposyd that he wold have
ben beryed at Bromholme and that causyd me so sone to ryd to
London to have p’veyd hys bryngīg hom and if it had ben hys
wylle to have leyn at Bromholm I had p’posyd all the wey as I
have redyn to have brought horn my ¹ Grauntdam’ and hym to
gedyrs but that p’pose is voyd as now, but thys I thynke to
do when I com to London to spek w^t my Lord ² Chamb’leyn
and to wynne by hys meanys my Lord of  ³ Ely if I can and
if I may by eny of ther meanys cause the Kyng to take my
servyse and my ⁴ quarrell to gedyrs I wyll and I thynk that
S^r. George ⁵ Brown S^r. Jamys Radclyff and other of myn a-
queyntance whyche wayte most upon the Kyng and lye nyghtly
in hys ⁶ Chamber wyll put to ther good wyllys thys is my
wey as yet. And Modyr I beseche yow as ye may get or
send eny messengers to send me yo^r avyse and my cosyn Lome-
ners to John Leeis hows Taylere w^t in Ludgate. I have
myche more to wryght but myn Empty hed wyll not let me
remēbre it.

     Also Modyr I prey that my brodyr Edmōd may ryd to Mar-
l[SYM]gforthe Oxenhed Paston Crowmer and Cast’ and all thes
maners to entre in my name and to lete the tenāts of Oxenhed
and Marlyngfor know that I sent no word to hym to take no
mony of theym but ther attornement wherfor he wyll not tyll
he her fro me ayen axe hem non but lete hym comand theym
to pay to Servñts of myn oncles nor to hymsylff nor to non
othyr to hys use in peyne of payment ayen to me I thynk if
ther shold be eny money axid in my name p’aventure it wold
make my Lady of Norf’ a[SYM]nst me and cause hyr to thynk
I dellt more contrary to hyr plesure than dyd my brodyr whom
God p’don of hys gret mercy. I have sent to entre at Stansted
and at Orwellbery and I have wretyn a bylle to Anne Montgomery
and Jane Rodon to make my Lady of Norff’ if it wyll be.

Yo^r Sone and humble Servñt,

                                                                           J. Paston.

        11 ¾ by 6 ¼.

November, 1479,
               19 E. IV.

On the back of this Letter is written in an ancient hand, ?a Lr’e sent from Jo Paston
(Pl. IV. N^o 9.) at to his mother touching the Buryall of his Brother Sir John Paston
in London”.

Sir John Paston died on the 15th of November, 1479, 19 Edward IV. aged between
thirty and forty years, I should suppose nearly forty. This Letter therefore was written
in November 1479.

     ¹ Agnes, Daughter and Coheir of Sir Edmund Berry, knight, and Widow of Sir
William Paston, knight, died in 1479.

    ² William, Lord Hastyngs.

     ³ John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor.

     ⁴ This must relate to his Dispute with the Duchess of Norfolk, relative to Caister,
or to some Disputes with his Uncle William Paston, concerning other Manors and
Estates.

    ⁵ Of Beechworth Castle, in Surry; he assisted the Duke of Buckingham, in 1484.

     ⁶ These seem to have been the “Esquires of the King’s Body,” who lay in his
Chamber.

LETTER LXXXVII.

To my right worshipful Mother, Margaret Paston, at St.
Peter’s of Hungate.

RIGHT worshipful Mother, after all duties of humble
     recommendation, as lowly as I can, I beseech you of your
daily blessing and prayers; and Mother, John Clement, Bearer
hereof, can tell you the more pity is, if it pleased God that my
Brother is buried in the White Fryers at London, which I
thought should not have been; for I supposed that he would
have been buried at Bromholm, and that caused me so soon
to ride to London, to have purveyed his bringing home; and
if it had been his will to have lain at Bromholm, I had purposed
all the way as I have ridden, to have brought home my ¹ Grandam
and him together, but that purpose is void as now; but this I
think to do when I come to London, to speak with my Lord
² Chamberlain, and to win by his means my Lord of ³ Ely if I
can; and if I may, by any of their means, cause the King to
take my service and my ⁴ quarrel together, I will; and I think
that Sir George ⁵ Brown, Sir James Radcliff, and others of mine
acquaintance, which wait most upon the King, and lie nightly
in his ⁶ Chamber, will put to their good wills: this is my
way as yet.

     And Mother, I beseech you, as ye may get or send any mes-
sengers, to send me your advice and my Cousin Lomenor’s,
to John Lee’s house, Taylor, within Ludgate.

     I have much more to write, but my empty head will not re-
member it.

     Also Mother I pray that my brother Edmund may ride to
Marlingford, Oxnead, Paston, Cromer, and Caister, and in all
these Manors to enter in my name, and to let the Tenants of
Oxnead and Marlingford know, that I sent no word to him to
take no money of them, but their Attornment; wherefore he
will not till he hear from me again ask them none, but let him
command them to pay to Servants of mine Uncle, nor to him-
self, nor to none other to his use, in pain of payment again
to me; I think if there should be any money asked in my
name, peradventure it would make my Lady of Norfolk against
me, and cause her to think I dealt more contrary to her plea-
sure than did my brother, whom God pardon of his great
mercy !

     I have sent to enter at Stansted and at Orwellbury; and I
have written a bill to Anne Montgomery and Jane Rodon,
to make my Lady of Norfolk if it will be.

Your Son, and humble Servant,

                                                                   JOHN PASTON.

 11 ? by 6 ?.

November, 1479,
               19 E. IV.

On the back of this Letter is written in an ancient hand, ?a Lr’e sent from Jo Paston
(Pl. IV. N^o 9.) at to his mother touching the Buryall of his Brother Sir John Paston
in London”.

Sir John Paston died on the 15th of November, 1479, 19 Edward IV. aged between
thirty and forty years, I should suppose nearly forty. This Letter therefore was written
in November 1479.

     ¹ Agnes, Daughter and Coheir of Sir Edmund Berry, knight, and Widow of Sir
William Paston, knight, died in 1479.

    ² William, Lord Hastyngs.

     ³ John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor.

     ⁴ This must relate to his Dispute with the Duchess of Norfolk, relative to Caister,
or to some Disputes with his Uncle William Paston, concerning other Manors and
Estates.

    ⁵ Of Beechworth Castle, in Surry; he assisted the Duke of Buckingham, in 1484.

     ⁶ These seem to have been the “Esquires of the King’s Body,” who lay in his
Chamber.

962

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston, at Seynt
Peter of Hundgate.

     RYGHT worchepfull modyr, aftyr all dwtes of humble
         recomendacyon, as lowly as I can, I beseche yow of
         your dayly blyssyng and preyeres. And, moder,
John Clement, berer heroff, can tell yow, the mor pite is, if
it pleasyd God, that my brodyr is beryed in the Whyghte
Fryers at London; whych I thought shold not have ben, for I
supposyd that he wold have ben beryed at Bromholme, and
that causyd me so sone to ryd to London to have purveyd
hys brynging hom, and if it had ben hys wylle to have leyn at
Bromholm, I had purposyd all the wey as I have redyn to
have brought horn my grauntdame² and hym to gedyrs; but
that purpose is voyd as now. But thys I thynke to do when
I com to London to spek with my Lord Chamberleyn,³ and to
wynne by hys meanys my Lord of Ely,⁴ if I can; and if I
may by eny of ther meanys cause the Kyng to take my
servyse and my quarrell to gedyrs, I wyll, and I thynk that
Sir George Brown, Sir Jamys Radclyff, and other of myn
aqueyntance, whyche wayte most upon the Kyng, and lye
nyghtly in hys chamber, wyll put to ther good wyllys. Thys
is my wey as yet. And, modyr, I beseche yow, as ye may
get or send eny messengers, to send me yowr avyse and my
cosyn Lomeners to John Leeis hows, taylere, with in Lud-
gate. I have myche more to wryght, but myn empty hed
wyll not let me remembre it.

     Also, modyr, I prey that my brodyr Edmond may ryd to
Marlyngforthe, Oxenhed, Paston, Crowmer, and Caster, and
all thes maners to entre in my name, and to lete the tenants of
Oxenhed and Marlyngfor know that I sent no word to hym
to take no mony of theym but ther attornement; wherfor he
wyll not, tyll he her fro me ayen, axe hem non, but lete hym
comand theym to pay to servaunts of myn oncles, nor to hym-
sylff, nor to non othyr to hys use, in peyne of payment ayen
to me. I thynk if ther shold be eny money axid in my name,
peraventure it wold make my Lady of Norfolk ayenst me, and
cause hyr to thynk I dellt more contrary to hyr plesure than
dyd my brodyr, whom God pardon of Hys gret mercy. I
have sent to entre at Stansted and at Orwellbery, and I have
wretyn a bylle to Anne Montgomery and Jane Rodon to
make my Lady of Norffolk, if it wyll be.

                          Your sone and humble servaunt,

                                                                                          J. PASTON.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 280.] Sir John Paston died in London on the 15th November
1479, as Fenn informs us. I presume he had some authority for the precise date,
which I have not seen. The inquisition post mortem is not now to be found; but the
writ to the Escheator still exists, and is dated 30 Nov., 19 Edw. IV. This letter refers
not only to the burial of Sir John Paston, but also to the death of his grandmother
Agnes. The year was one of great mortality.

     ² Agnes, widow of William Paston the Judge.

     ³ William, Lord Hastings.

     ⁴ John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and Cardinal, etc.

NOV.

1479
NOV.