John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER V.

A mons^r J Paston
    Cheualler

RYGHT worchepfull S^r J comand me to yow sertifyi˜g yow
that Pekok hath receyuyd of S^r John Stylle by a bylle all
suche stuff as he had of your and as for Kendallys mater
he hathe doon as myche in it as can be doon but as for
Richard Calle he hathe geuyn hym a pleyn answer y^t he
wyll not seale to the lease y^t ye haue mad to Kendalle for
he seyth he wottyth not whether it be yo^r wylle or not not-
w^hstandyng he sye yore sealle up on it I wold be sory to
delyuer hym a subpena and ye sent it me. I send yow
herew^t the endenture betwyx yow and townesend my
modyr hathe herd of that mater by the reporte of old
Wayte whyche rennyth on it w^t opyn mowthe in hys werst
wyse. My modyr wepyth and takyth on meruaylously for
she seythe she wotyth well it shall neu^r be pledgyd ought
wherfor she seythe that she wyll p^ruey for hyr lond y^t ye
shall neu^r selle of it for she thynkys ye wold and it cam
to yowr hand as for hyr wyll and all syche maters as wer in
hand at yo^r last bei˜g here they thynk that it shall not lye
in all oure porys to let it in on poynt S^r Jamys is euyr
choppy˜g at me when my modyr is present w^t syche wordys
as he thynkys wrathe me and also cause my modyr to be
dyspleased w^t me euyn as who seyth he wold I wyst that
he settyth not by the best of us And when he hathe most
unfytty˜g woordys to me J smylle a lytyll and tell hym it is
good hery˜g of ther old talys. S^r Iamys is p^rson of Stokysby
by I. bernays gyft. I trowe he beryth hym the hyeer Jt’
ye must sende in haste to W. Barker a warrant to pay John
Kook xxxs and to the woman of Yermothe for otys xx
and syr John Styll hys money for they call dayly up on it
It’ I prey yow send me some tydyngs howgh the world
gothe and whether ye haue sent eny of yo^r folk to Caleys
me thynk it costyth yow to myche money for to kepe hem
all in london at yo^r charge Jt’ whethyr ye haue eny thyng
spekyn of my goi˜g to Caleys. It’ as for a goshawk or a
terssell J wend to haue had on of yours in kepyng or thys
tyme but fere fro jee fer fro hert by my trowthe J dye for
defawlt of labore And it may be by eny meane possybyll
for gods sake let on be sent me in all hast for if it be not
had by halowmess the seson shall passe a non meme˜to mei
And jn feythe ye shall not loose on it nor yet myche wyne
on it by god who p’serue yow Wretyn on Seynt Mychell
day in Monte tomba.

                                                                                 J P

         11 ½ by 6 ½.

     In this Letter private family affairs are further disclosed, and the transac-
tions with Townshend seem such as to warrant M. Paston’s uneasiness, as
she fears disagreeable consequences to arise to Sir John Paston from them.
Sir James Glois’s behaviour to J. Paston is natural, and I fear might, at this
day, be paralleled in many families. He died in 1473, when administration of
his effects was granted to Margaret Paston; so it is probable that either she or
her family were benefited by him. The reader will smile at J. Paston’s de-
scription of his sensations on his hawk not being sent to him.

     Tombland is an open area within the city of Norwich, surrounded by seve-
ral good houses, and takes its name from having been many ages ago the
largest burial-place in the city.

Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21.

     On the back of the original Letter, under the direction, and in a hand of
that age, is written “A^o. iiij^ti. E xij^o.”

LETTER V.

To Sir John Paston, Knight.

RIGHT Worshipful Sir, I commend me to you, certifying
you that Peacock hath received of Sir John Styll, by a bill,
all such stuff as he had of yours, and as for Kendal’s matter,
he hath done as much in it as can be done; but as for Rich-
ard Calle, he hath given him a plain answer that he will
not seal to the Lease that ye have made to Kendal, for he
saith he weeteth not whether it be your will or not, not-
withstanding he saw your seal upon it; I would be sorry
to deliver him a subpoena, and [if] ye sent it me. I send
you herewith the Indenture between you and Townshend;
my Mother hath heard of that matter, and taketh on mar-
vellously, for she saith she weeteth well it shall never be
pledged out; wherefore she saith that, she will purvey for
her land, that ye shall never sell of it, for she thinks ye
would, and [if] it came to your hands; as for her Will, and
all such matters as were in hand at your last being here,
they think that it shall not lie in all our powers to let
[hinder] it in one point.

     Sir James (Glois) is ever chopping at me, when my
Mother is present, with such words as he thinks wrath me,
and also cause my Mother to be displeased with me, even
as who saith, he would I wist that he setteth not by the
best of us; and when he hath most unfitting words to me,
I smile a little, and tell him, “it is good hearing of these
old tales.”

    Sir James is parson of Stokesby by J. Berney’s gift; I
trow he beareth him the higher.

     Item, ye must send in haste to W. Barker a warrant to
pay John Cook 30s., and to the woman of Yarmouth, for
oats, 20s., and Sir John Styll his money, for they all call
daily upon it.

     Item, I pray you send me some tidings how the world
goeth, and whether ye have sent any of your folk to Calais:
me thinks it costeth you too much money for to keep them
all in London at your charge.

     Item, whether ye have any thing spoken of my going to
Calais.

     Item, as for a Goshawk or a Tersel, I weend to have had
one of yours in keeping long ere this time, but “far from
eye far from heart;” by my troth I die for default of
labour; and [if] it may be by any mean possible, for God’s
sake let one be sent me in all haste, for if it be not had by
Hallowmas, the season shall pass anon, memento mei, and
in faith ye shall not lose on it, nor yet much win on it by
God, who preserve you. Written on Saint Michael’s day
in monte tomba [on Tombland].

                                                                    JOHN PASTON.

             Norwich,

      Tuesday, 29th Sept.
          1472. 12 E. IV.

  In this Letter private family affairs are further disclosed, and the transac-
tions with Townshend seem such as to warrant M. Paston’s uneasiness, as
she fears disagreeable consequences to arise to Sir John Paston from them.
Sir James Glois’s behaviour to J. Paston is natural, and I fear might, at this
day, be paralleled in many families. He died in 1473, when administration of
his effects was granted to Margaret Paston; so it is probable that either she or
her family were benefited by him. The reader will smile at J. Paston’s de-
scription of his sensations on his hawk not being sent to him.

     Tombland is an open area within the city of Norwich, surrounded by seve-
ral good houses, and takes its name from having been many ages ago the
largest burial-place in the city.

Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21.

     On the back of the original Letter, under the direction, and in a hand of
that age, is written “A^o. iiij^ti. E xij^o.”

810

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

A Monsieur J. Paston, Chevalier.

RYGHT worchepfull sir, I comand me to yow, sertyfying
     yow that Pekok hath receyvyd of Sir John Stylle by a
     bylle all suche stuff as he had of your. And as for
Kendallys mater, he hathe doon as myche in it as can be doon:
but as for Richard Calle, he hathe gevyn hym a pleyn answer
that he wyll not seale to the lease that ye have mad to Ken-
dalle, for he seyth he wottyth not whether it be your wylle or
not, notwithstandyng he sye yore sealle up on it. I wold be
sory to delyver hym a subpena and ye sent it me.

     I send you herwith the endenture betwyx yow and Towne-
send. My modyr hathe herd of that mater by the reporte of
old Wayte, whyche rennyth on it with opyn mowthe in hys
werst wyse. My modyr wepyth and takyth on mervaylously,
for she seythe she wotyth well it shall never be pledgyd ought;
wherfor she seythe that she wyll purvey for hyr lond that ye
shall none selle of it, for she thynkys ye wold and it cam to
yowr hand. As for hyr wyll and all syche maters as wer in
hand at your last being here, they thynk that it shall not lye in
all oure porys to let it in on poynt.

     Sir Jamys is evyr choppyng at me, when my modyr is
present, with syche wordys as he thynkys wrathe me, and also
cause my modyr to be dyspleased with me, evyn as who seyth
he wold I wyst that he settyth not by the best of us; and
when he hathe most unfyttyng woordys to me, I smylle a
lytyll and tell hym it is good heryng of thes old talys. Sir
Jamys is parson of Stokysby by J. Bernays gyft. I trowe he
beryth hym the hyeer.

     Item, ye must sende in haste to W. Barker a warrant to
pay John Kook xxxs., and to the woman of Yermothe for otys
xx., and Syr John Styll hys money, for they call dayly up
on it.

     Item, I prey yow send me some tydynges howgh the world
gothe, and whether ye have sent eny of your folk to Caleys.
Me thynkes it costyth yow to myche money for to kepe hem
all in London at your charge.

     Item, whethyr ye have eny thyng spokyn of my going to
Caleys.

     Item, as for a goshawk or a terssell, I wend to have had on
of yours in kepyng or thys tyme, but fere [far] fro iee fer fro
hert; by my trowthe I dye for defawlt of labore. And it may
be by eny meane possybyll, for Godes sake let on be sent me
in all hast; for if it be not had by Halowmess, the seson shall
passe a non, Memento mei, and in feythe ye shall not loose
on it. Nor yet myche wyne on it by God, Who preserve
yow.

     Wretyn on Seynt Mychell Day, in Monte Tomba.¹

                                                                                                     J. P.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is shown by a contempor-
aneous endorsement ‘Anno E. iiij^ti xij^o,’ as well as by the repetition of the writer’s
request for a goshawk.

     ¹ The feast of St. Michael in Monte Tumba was the 16th October.

1472
OCT. 16

1472
OCT. 16