John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER VII.

To mast^r S^r John
 Paston Knyght

RYGHT worchepfull syr I recomand me to yow thanky˜g yow
most hertly of your dylygence And cost whyche ye had in
gettyng of the hawk whyche ye sent me for well I wot yo^r
labore and trowbyll in that mater was as myche as thow she
had ben the best of the world but so god help me as
ferforthe as the most Cony˜g estragers that ever J spak w^t
can Jmagyn she shall never serue but to ley eggys for she is
bothe a mwer de haye and also she hathe ben so brooseid
w^t carnage of feowle that she is as good as lame in boothe
hyr leggys as every man may se at Jee wherfor all syche
folk as haue seen hyr auyse me to cast hyr in to some wood
wher as I wyll have hyr to eyer but I wyll do ther in as ye
wyll whedyr ye wyll J send hyr yow ayen or cast hyr in
thorp wood and a tarsell w^t hyr for J weet wher on js but
now J dar no more put yow to the cost of an hawke but for
gods sake and ther be eny tersell or good chep ¹goshawk
that myght be gotyn that the berer herof may have hyr to
bryng me And J enswer yow be my trowthe ye shall have
dollys and browne bonde to paye yow at Kandyllmas the
pryse of the hawke now and ye have as many ladyse as ye
wer wont to have J reqwere yow for hyr sake that ye best
loue of theym all onys trowbyll yowr sylf for me in thys
mater and be owght of my Clamo^r It’ as for the ²ryng it is
delyuerd but I had as gret peyn to make hyr take it as ever
I had in syche a mater but I have promyseid yow to be hyr
knyght and she hathe p?myseid me to be more at your
comandment then at eny knyghts in Jnglond my lord
reseruyd and that ye shall well undyrstand if ye have owght
to do wherin she may be an helper for ther was never
knyght dyd so myche cost on hyr as ye have doon I
meruyall that I her no woord of the lettyrs that my lord
Chamb^rleyn shold send to my lord and my lady for Cast^r
it is best that my lord Chamb^rleyn wryght to my lady by
som p?vy tokyn betwyx theym and let a man of hys com w^h
the lettrys my lord Chamb^rleyn may speed w^h my lady what
maters he wyll sauyng the gret mater and if ye inbyll me
for a solysitor J shal be a vouster comandment a touz iours
It? me thynkyth that ye do euyll that ye go not therewgh
w^h my lady of Suff. for Heylysdon and Drayten for ther
shold growe mony to you whyche wold qwyte yow ayenst
R. C. and all other and set yow befor for euer J prey yow
for your ease and all others to you ward plye thes maters as
for alle othe^r thyngs J shall send yow an answer when I
cam to Norwyche whyche shall be on Thorsday w^t gods
grace J have teryd her at Framly?gh?m thys sevennyght
for lady took not hyr Chambyr tyll yesterday Adewe
Wretyn on Seynt Katy?in euyn.

                                                                          J. P.

         11 ½ by 8½.

     I sye the pye and herd it spek and ³be god it is not
worthe a crowe it is fer wers then ye wend be god it wer
shame to kep it in a cage.

     The easy style and address of this letter, with the strokes of pleasantry
which it contains, must interest the reader in its contents, and make him
almost suppose he is perusing a modern epistle from one friend to another.

     ¹ The Goshawk is a large short-winged hawk, the best of which were bred
in the north of Ireland; the Tarsel is the male of this particular kind; and it
may be here observed, that the female of all birds of prey is larger, stronger,
and more courageous, than the male.

     ² This ring was a present to Mrs. Jane Rothen or Roden, one of her
Grace’s gentlewomen, and her principal favourite: Sir John and his brother
both knew the most likely means of insuring success to their petition; and, it
appears here, did not neglect them.

     ³ In this postscript J. Paston twice uses an oath, which is very unusual with
him, though swearing was in this age a common failing. I wish I could
entirely exculpate the present generation from this vice. Would the gentleman
only recollect how common swearing degrades him, and places him on a level
with the most abandoned, he would want no further admonition to reclaim
him!

     Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21.
     Under the direction is written A^o xij E. iiij^ti.

LETTER VII.

To Master Sir John Paston, Knight.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, thanking
you most heartily of your diligence and cost which ye had
in getting of the hawk, which ye sent me, for well I wot
[know] your labour and trouble in that matter was as much
as though she had been the best of the world, but so God
help me, as forsooth as the most cunning estragers
[falconers] that ever I speak with can imagine; she shall
never serve but to lay eggs, for she is both a muer de haye,
and also she hath been so bruised with carnage of fowl, that
she is as good as lame in both her legs, as every man may
see at eye; wherefore all such folk, as have seen her, advise
me to cast her into some wood, whereas I will have her to
eyer [build]; but I will do therein as ye will; whether ye will
I send her you again, or cast her into Thorp wood, and a
Tarsel with her; for I weet where one is: but now I dare
no more put you to the cost of an hawk; but for God’s
sake, and [if] there be any Tarsel, or good cheap ¹Goshawk
that might be gotten, that the bearer hereof may have her
to bring me, and I ensure you, by my troth, ye shall have
Dolly’s and Brown’s bond to pay you at Candlemas the
price of the hawk; now and [if] ye have as many ladies as
ye were wont to have, I require you for her sake that ye
best love of them all, once trouble yourself for me in this
matter, and be out of my clamour.

     Item, as for the ²ring, it is delivered; but I had as great
pain to make her take it as ever I had in such a matter:
but I have promised you to be her knight, and she hath
promised me to be more at your commandment than at any
knight’s in England, my Lord reserved; and that ye
shall well understand, if ye have ought to do, wherein
she may be an helper, for there was never knight did so
much cost on her as ye have done.

     I marvel that I hear no word of the letters that my Lord
Chamberlain should send to my Lord and my Lady for
Caister: it is best that my Lord Chamberlain write to my
Lady by some privy token betwixt them, and let a man of
his come with the letters; my Lord Chamberlain may speed
with my Lady what matters he will, saving the great matter;
and ye inbill me for a solicitor, I shall be à votre commande-
ment a toujours.

     Item, methinketh that ye do evil that ye go not through
with my Lady of Suffolk for Hellesden and Drayton; for
there should grow money to you, which would quit you
against R. C. [Richard Calle], and set you before for
ever.

     I pray you for your ease, and all others to you ward, ply
these matters; as for all other things, I shall send you an
answer when I come to Norwich, which shall be on
Thursday, with God’s grace. I have tarried here at Fram-
lingham this sev’night, for [my] Lady took not her chamber
till yesterday. Adieu. Written on Saint Katherine’s even.

                                                                       JOHN PASTON.

     I saw the pie, and heard it speak; and ³by God it is not
worth a crow; it is far worse than ye weend: by God it
were shame to keep it in a cage.

             Framlingham,

         Tuesday, 24th Nov.
             1472. 12 E. IV.

     The easy style and address of this letter, with the strokes of pleasantry
which it contains, must interest the reader in its contents, and make him
almost suppose he is perusing a modern epistle from one friend to another.

     ¹ The Goshawk is a large short-winged hawk, the best of which were bred
in the north of Ireland; the Tarsel is the male of this particular kind; and it
may be here observed, that the female of all birds of prey is larger, stronger,
and more courageous, than the male.

     ² This ring was a present to Mrs. Jane Rothen or Roden, one of her
Grace’s gentlewomen, and her principal favourite: Sir John and his brother
both knew the most likely means of insuring success to their petition; and, it
appears here, did not neglect them.

     ³ In this postscript J. Paston twice uses an oath, which is very unusual with
him, though swearing was in this age a common failing. I wish I could
entirely exculpate the present generation from this vice. Would the gentleman
only recollect how common swearing degrades him, and places him on a level
with the most abandoned, he would want no further admonition to reclaim
him!

     Autograph, Pl. XXV. No. 21.
     Under the direction is written A^o xij E. iiij^ti.

817

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To Master Sir John Paston, Knyght.

RYGHT worchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow, thank-
     yng yow most hertly of your dylygence and cost
     whyche ye had in gettyng of the hawk, whyche ye sent
me, for well I wot your labore and trowbyll in that mater was as
myche as thow she had ben the best of the world; but, so God
help me, as ferforthe as the most conyng estragers [falconers]
that ever I spak with can imagyn, she shall never serve but to
ley eggys, for she is bothe a mwer de haye, and also she hathe
ben so brooseid with cariage of fewle that she is as good as
lame in boothe hyr leggys, as every man may se at iee.
Wherfor all syche folk as have seen hyr avyse me to cast hyr
in to some wood, wher as I wyll have hyr to eyer [lay eggs];
but I wyll do ther in as ye wyll, whedyr ye wyll I send hyr
yow ayen, or cast hyr in Thorpe wood and a tarsell with hyr,
for I weit wher on is. But now I dar no more put yow to the
cost of an hawke, but, for Godes sake, and ther be eny tersell
or good chep goshawk that myght be gotyn, that the berer
herof may have hyr to bryng me, and I ensuer yow be my
trowthe ye shall have Dollys and Browne bonde to paye yow
at Kandyllmas the pryse of the hawke. Now, and ye have
as many ladyse as ye wer wont to have, I reqwere yow for
hyr sake that ye best love of theym all, onys trowbyll yowr
syllf for me in thys mater, and be owght of my clamor.

     Item, as for the ryng, it is delyverd, but I had as gret
peyn to make hyr take it as ever I had in syche a mater; but
I have promyseid yow to be hyr knyght, and she hathe promy-
seid me to be more at your comandment then at eny knyghtes
in Inglond, my Lord reservyd; and that ye shall well undyr-
stand, if ye have owght to do, wherin she may be an helper;
for ther was never knyght dyd so myche cost on hyr as ye have
doon.

     I mervyall that I her no woord of the lettyrs that my
Lord Chamberleyn shold send to my Lord and my Lady for
Caster. It is best that my Lord Chamberleyn wryght to my
Lady by som prevy tokyn betwyx theym, and let a man of hys
com with the lettrys. My Lord Chamberleyn may speed with
my Lady what maters he wyll, savyng the gret mater; and if
ye inbyll me for a solysitor, I shal be a vouster comandment a
touz jours.

     Item, me thynkyth that ye do evyll that ye go not thorewgh
with my Lady of Suffolk for Heylysdon and Drayton; for ther
shold growe mony to you, whyche wold qwyte yow ayenst
R. T. and all other, and set yow befor for ever.

     I prey yow for your ease, and all others to you ward,
plye thes maters. As for alle other thynges, I shall send yow
an answer, when I com to Norwyche, whyche shall be on
Thorsday, with Godes grace. I have teryd her at Framlyng-
ham thys sevennyght, for [my] Lady took not hyr chambyr
tyll yersterday. Adewe.

     Wretyn on Seynt Kateryns Evyn.                                 J. P.

    ¹ I sye the pye, and herd it spek; and, be God, it is not
worthe a crowe; it is fer wers then ye wend; be God, it wer
shame to kep it in a cage.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] At the foot of this letter is written, in a different
but contemporary hand, ‘A^o E. iiij^ti xij^o.’ The date is besides abundantly evident
from other circumstances.

                          ¹ This P.S. is written on the back of the letter.

1472
NOV. 24

1472
NOV. 24