John Paston to Sir John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
John Paston to Sir John Paston
Reference
Add. 27445, f. 101
Date
6 May 1476
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 890; Fenn, Vol V, Edward IV item 31
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (1st transcript)

LETTER XXXI.

 

To the ryght worchepfull
     Sr John Paston Knyght
     lodgyd at the George by
     Powlys wharf in london

 

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon lyeketh yow to wet
that to my power ye be welcom ayen in to Inglond and as
for the Castell of Shene ther is no mor in jt but Calle and
hys mak and a goose may get it but Jn no wyse I wold not
that wey and my modyr thynkyth the same take not that
wey if ther be eny other I undyrstand that Mastres Fytz-
water hathe a systr a mayd to mary I trow and ye entretyd
hym she myght Come into Crysten menys handys I prey yow
spek wt Mastyr fytzwater of that mater for me And ye may
telle hym synse that he wyll haue my servyse it wer as good
and syche a bargayn myght be mad that bothe she and
J awaytyd on hym and my mastress hys wyf at oure owne
cost as I a lone to awayt on hym at hys cost for then he
shold be swer that I shold not be flytty˜g and I had syche a
qwarell to kepe me at home And J have hys good wylle it is
non Jnpossybyll to bryng a bowght I thynk to be at london
wt in a xiiij dayes at the ferthest and prauenture my mastress
Also in Consayll be it clatryd God kepe yow and yours At
Norwyche the vj day of May Ao Eiiijti xvjo

                                                                                       J. P.

     7 by 5¼.

     I have given this Letter as it contains J. Paston’s inclinations to pay his
addresses to the sister of Fitzwalter, a friend of his and Sir John’s, and who I
suppose now returned with the latter into England. What he means by his
advice to Sir John concerning the Castle of Shene, I know not, unless it re-
fers to some lady there resident.

     1   Let it be kept secret.

     Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21. Seal, a Fleur-de-lis and Annulet, Pl. xiv.
No. 22.
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (2nd transcript)

LETTER XXXI.

 

To the Right Worshipful Sir John Paston, knight, lodged at
the George, by Paul’s Wharf, in London.

 

AFTER all duties of recommendation, liketh you to weet,
that to my power ye be welcome again into England; and
as for the Castle of Shene, there is no more in it but Calle
and his mak [wife], and a goose may get it, but in no wise
I would not that way, and [if] my mother thinketh the
same, take not that way, if there be any other.

     I understand that Mistress Fitzwalter hath a sister, a
maid, to marry, I trow, and [if] ye entreated him, she might
come into Christian men’s hands. I pray you speak with
Master Fitzwalter of that matter for me; and ye may tell
him since that he will have my service, it were as good, and
[if] such a bargain might be made, that both she and I
awaited on him, and my mistress, his wife at our own costs,
as I alone to await on him at his cost; for then he should be
sure that I should not be flitting, and [if] I had such a
quarrel [quarry] to keep me at home; and [if] I have his
good will, it is none impossible to bring about.

     I think to be at London within a fourteen days at the
farthest, and peraventure my mistress also, in counsel be it
clattered.1

     God keep you and your’s. At Norwich, the 6th day of
May, in the 16th year of Edward IV.

                                                                     JOHN PASTON.

             Norwich,
        Monday, 6th May,
       1476. 16 E. iv.

     I have given this Letter as it contains J. Paston’s inclinations to pay his
addresses to the sister of Fitzwalter, a friend of his and Sir John’s, and who I
suppose now returned with the latter into England. What he means by his
advice to Sir John concerning the Castle of Shene, I know not, unless it re-
fers to some lady there resident.

     1   Let it be kept secret.

     Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21. Seal, a Fleur-de-lis and Annulet, Pl. xiv.
No. 22.
Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'

890

 

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON1

To the ryght worchepfull Sir John Paston, Knyght, lodgyd
at the George, by Powlys Wharf, in London.

 

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon, lyeketh yow to
     wet, that to my power ye be welcom ayen in to
     Inglond. And as for the Castell of Shene, ther is
no mor in it but Colle and hys mak, and a goose may get it;
but in no wyse I wold not that wey, and my modyr thynkyth
the same. Take not that wey, if ther be eny other.

     I undyrstand that Mastres Fytzwater hathe a syster, a
mayd, to mary. I trow, and ye entretyd hym, she myght
come into Crysten menys handys. I prey yow spek with
Mastyr Fytzwater of that mater for me, and ye may telle
hym, synse that he wyll have my servyse, it wer as good,
and syche a bargayn myght be mad, that bothe she and I
awaytyd on hym and my mastress hys wyff at oure owne cost,
as I a lone to awayt on hym at hys cost; for then he shold be
swer that I shold not be flyttyng, and I had syche a qwarell
to kepe me at home. And I have hys good wylle, it is non
inpossybyll to bryng a bowght.

     I thynk to be at London with in a xiiij. dayes at the
ferthest, and peraventure my mastress also, in consayll be it
clatryd. God kepe yow and yours.

     At Norwyche, the vj. day of May, anno E. iiijti xvjo.

                                                                                          J. P.

1 [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAY 6