John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XIV.

To S^r John Paston
     Knyght or to hys brodyr
     Edmund in hys Absence
     lodgyd at the George by
     Powlys wharf in london

RYGHT Worchepfull S^r J recomand me to yow preyi˜g yow
to reme˜byr or ye depert ought of london to spek w^t Herry
Ebertonys wyf draper and to enforme hyr that I am profyrd
a maryage in london whyche is worth vj^e Mark and bettyr
w^t whom I preyid yow to Comone in as myche as I myght
not tery in london myself alweys reseruy˜g that if so be that
mastresse Eberton wyll dele w^t me that ye shold not Con-
clud in the other place thow so wer that Eberton wold not
geve so moche w^t Mastress Elyzabet hys dowghtyr as I
myght have w^t the other for syche fantazy as I have in the
seyd Mastress Elyzabet Eberton And that it lyek yow to
sey to Ebertons wyf that syche as I spek to hyr of shalbe
bettyrd rather then enpeyred as for my part And if it lyek
hyr to deale w^t me I wyl be at london for that cawse only
w^t in xiiij dayis aftyr the wryghty˜g of thys byll w^t gods
grace who p’serue yow and yours Wretyn at Norwyche on
Sey˜t Jamys day Also S^r I prey yow that ye wyll as I
desyerd yow comon w^t John Lee or hys wyf or bothe and to
undyrstond how the mater at the blak freerys dothe and
that ye wylle see and spek w^t ye thyng your sylf and w^t hyr
fadyr and modyr or ye depert And that it lyek yow to
desyer John Lee is wyf to send me a byll in all hast possy-
byll how fer forthe the mater is and whedyr it shalbe
necessary for me to come up to London hastyly or not or
ellys to kast all at the Kok Also S^r I prey yow that pytt
may trusse in a male whyche I left in your chambyr at
london my tawny gowne furyd w^t blak and the doblet of
porpyll sateyn and the doblet of blak sateyn And my
wryghty˜g box of syprese And my book of the mety˜g of the
Dwke and of the Emperour and when all thys gere is
trussyd in the male to delyuer it to the berer herof to
brynge me to Norwyche Jt’ J send you herw^t the pylyon
for the male and x’ for the hyer whyche is vsery I tak God
to rekord.

     Also that it lyek yow to spek w^t your apotycary whyche
was som tyme the Erle of Warwyk’s Apotycary And to
weet of hym what the wedow of the blak freiris is woorthe
and what hyr husbonds name was he can tell all for he is
executore to the wedows husbond I prey you forget me not
no more then I do you I have spokyn thys day w^t Jamys
Hubberd and Herry Smyth and to morow I shall haue an
Answer of theym Also my modyr wyll labore thys mater
w^t effect that the CC mark may be had for the wood Also
brodyr Edmu˜d I prey yow and my brodyr S^r John be not in
london that ye wyll labore all thys maters w^t effect, as my
trust is in yow Jn eu˜y poynt as is above wretyn Also J
assartayn yow that I was w^t Ferrour thys day and he had
no leyser to Comon w^t me but I wyll be w^t hym ayen to
morow by apoyntment betwyx hym and me And so as I
speed I shall send yow woord by the next man that Comyth
to london Also J sent John Lee is wyf a lettyr by on
Crawethorn dwelly˜g in Wood Street or ellys in sylu^r Street
at the end of Wood Street I prey yow weet whedyr she had
it or nought and she had it not brodyr Edmund I prey yow
go to the same Crawethorn and take the lettyr of hym and
delyuer it hyr in all hast.

                                                                                 J. PASTON.

      11 by 7.

             Paper Mark,
           Foot and Cross.
           Pl. xxxii. No. 11.

   This is a very curious letter, as it not only opens the characters of persons,
but delineates the manners of the times, particularly in treaties of marriage.
At the same time that J. Paston is endeavouring to settle terms with the
parents of Mistress Elizabeth Eberton, and acknowledging a regard for the
young lady, he not only informs them of another engagement offered him, but
is himself making inquiries after a young widow. This is hastening business;
but it does not show any affectionate regard for the object of his marriage, and
were J. Paston to be tried by a jury of ladies, I fear they would find him guilty
of a want both of politeness and affection. The manner in which he mentions
“the thing” at the Black Fryars is not much in favour of his gallantry.

      The list of his apparel shows us that he dressed handsomely; and, in so
distant and unlearned an age, we should scarcely have expected to find a
writing-box of cypress mentioned as part of a young gentleman’s equipage.

     His book most probably contained an account of some meeting between
Charles Duke of Burgundy and the Emperor Frederick III.

     The word thing was sometimes used in ancient poetry coupled with terms
of endearment, as “that swete thynge.” This usage of the word is not en-
tirely laid aside in modern language.

LETTER XIV.

 To Sir John Paston, Knight, or to his Brother Edmund in his
    absence, lodged at the George, by Paul’s Wharf, in London.

RIGHT worshipful sir, I recommend me to you, praying you
to remember, ere ye depart out of London, to speak with
Harry Eberton’s wife, Draper, and to inform her that I am
proffered a marriage in London, which is worth 600 marks
(400l.) and better, with whom I prayed you to commune,
inasmuch as I might not tarry in London myself; always
reserving, that if so be that Mistress Eberton will deal with
me, that ye should not conclude in the other place; though
so were that Eberton would not give so much with Mistress
Elizabeth his daughter, as I might have with the other, for
such fantasy as I have in the said Mistress Elizabeth
     Eberton; and that it like you to say to Eberton’s wife, that
such as I spake to her of shall be bettered rather than
enpeyred [made worse] as for my part; and if it like her to
deal with me, I will be at London for that cause only within
fourteen days after the writing of this letter, with God’s
grace, who preserve you and your’s. Written at Norwich,
on Saint James’s day.

     Also, Sir, I pray you that ye will, as I desired you,
commune with John Lee, or his wife, or both, and to under-
stand how the matter at the Black Fryers doth, and that ye
will see and speak with the thing yourself, and with her
father and her mother, ere ye depart; and that it like you
to desire John Lee’s wife to send me a bill in all haste
possible, how far forth the matter is, and whether it shall
be necessary for me to come up to London hastily or not,
or else to cast all at the Cock. Also, I pray you that Pitt
may truss in a mail, which I left in your chamber at London,
my tawny gown furred with black, and the doublet of
purple satin, and the doublet of black satin, and my
writing box of cypress, and my “Book of the Meeting of
the Duke and of the Emperor;” and when all this geer
is trussed in the mail, to deliver it to the bearer hereof, to
bring me to Norwich.

     Item, I send you herewith the pillion for the mail, and
10s. for the hire, which is usury, I take God to record.

     Also, that it like you to speak to your apothecary, which
was sometime the [late] Earl of Warwick’s apothecary, and
to weet of him what the widow of the Black Fryars is
worth, and what her husband’s name was: he can tell all,
for he is executor to the widow’s husband. I pray you
forget me not, no more than I do you.

  I have spoken this day with James Hubbard [Hobart],
and with Harry Smyth; and to-morrow I shall have an
answer of them.

     Also my mother will labour this matter with effect, that
the 200 marks [133l. 6s. 8d.] may be had for the wood.

     Also, brother Edmund, I pray you, and [if] my brother
Sir John be not in London, that ye will labour all these
matters with effect, as my trust is in you in every point as
is above written.

     Also, I ascertain you that I was with Ferrour this day,
and he had not leisure to commune with me; but I will be
with him again to-morrow by appointment betwixt him and
me; and so as I speed I shall send you word by the next
man that cometh to London.

     Also I sent John Lee’s wife a letter by one Crawthorn,
dwelling in Wood Street, or else in Silver Street, at the end
of Wood Street: I pray you weet whether she had it or
not; and [if] she had it not, brother Edmund, I pray you go
to the same Crawthorn, and take the letter of him, and
deliver it her in all haste.

                                                                      JOHN PASTON.

           Norwich,
       Monday, 25th July,
        1474. 14 E. iv.

This is a very curious letter, as it not only opens the characters of persons,
but delineates the manners of the times, particularly in treaties of marriage.
At the same time that J. Paston is endeavouring to settle terms with the
parents of Mistress Elizabeth Eberton, and acknowledging a regard for the
young lady, he not only informs them of another engagement offered him, but
is himself making inquiries after a young widow. This is hastening business;
but it does not show any affectionate regard for the object of his marriage, and
were J. Paston to be tried by a jury of ladies, I fear they would find him guilty
of a want both of politeness and affection. The manner in which he mentions
“the thing” at the Black Fryars is not much in favour of his gallantry.

      The list of his apparel shows us that he dressed handsomely; and, in so
distant and unlearned an age, we should scarcely have expected to find a
writing-box of cypress mentioned as part of a young gentleman’s equipage.

     His book most probably contained an account of some meeting between
Charles Duke of Burgundy and the Emperor Frederick III.

     The word thing was sometimes used in ancient poetry coupled with terms
of endearment, as “that swete thynge.” This usage of the word is not en-
tirely laid aside in modern language.

850

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

To Sir John Paston, Knyght, or to hys brodyr Edmund in hys
absence, lodgyd at the George by Powlys Wharff, in London.

        RYGHT worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, preying
              yow to remembyr, or ye depert ought of London, to
              spek with Herry Ebertonys wyf, draper, and to
enforme hyr that I am profyrd a maryage in London, whyche
is worth vj^c. [600] mark and bettyr; with whom I preyid yow
to comone, in as myche as I myght not tery in London myself,
alweys reservyng that if so be that Mastresse Eberton wyll
dele with me, that ye shold not conclud in the other place, thow
so wer that Eberton wold not geve so moche with Mastress
Elyzabet, hys dowghtyr, as I myght have with the other, for
syche fantazy as I have in the seyd Mastress Elyzabet Eberton.
And that it lyek yow to sey to Ebertons wyff that syche as I
spak to hyr of shalbe bettyrd rather then enpeyred as for my
part; and if it lyek hyr to deale with me, I wylbe at London
for that cawse only with in xiiij. dayis aftyr the wryghtyng of
thys byll, with Godes grace, Who preserve yow and yours
     Wretyn at Norwyche, on Seynt Jamys Day.

     Also, sir, I prey yow that ye wyll, as I desyerd yow, comon
with John Lee or hys wyf, or bothe, and to undyrstond how
the mater at the Blak Freerys dothe, and that ye wylle see and
spek with the thyng your sylf, and with hyr fadyr and modyr,
or ye depert; and that it lyek yow to desyer John Lee is wyff
to send me a byll in all hast possybyll, how fer forthe the mater
is, and whedyr it shalbe necessary for me to come up to London
hastyly or not, or ellys to kast all at the Kok.

     Also, sir, I prey yow that Pytt may trusse in a male, whyche
I left in your chambyr at London, my tawny gowne furyd with
blak, and the doblet of porpyll sateyn, and the doblet of blak
sateyn, and my wryghtyng box of syprese, and my book of the
Metyng of the Dwke and of the Emperour, and when all thys
gere is trussyd in the male, to delyver it to the berer herof, to
brynge me to Norwyche.

     Item, I send you herwith the pylyon for the male, and xs.
for the hyer, whyche is usery, I tak God to rekord.

     Also, that it lyek yow to spek with your apotycary, whyche
was som tyme the Erle of Warwykes apotycary, and to weet
of hym what the wedow of the Blak Freiris is woorthe, and
what hyr husbondes name was. He can tell all, for he is
executore to the wedous husbond. I prey yow forget me not,
no more then I do yow. I have spokyn thys day with Jamys
Hubberd and Herry Smyth, and to morow I shall have an
answer of theym.

     Also, my modyr wyll labore thys mater with effect, that the
CC. mark may be had for the wood.

     Also, brodyr Edmund, I prey yow, and my brodyr Sir
John be not in London, that ye wyll labore all thys maters
with effect, as my trust is in yow in every poynt as is above
wretyn.

     Also, I assartayn yow that I was with Ferrour thys day, and he
had no leyser to comon with me; but I wyll be with hym ayen
to morow by apoyntment betwyx hym and me, and so as I
speed I shall send yow woord by the next man that comyth to
London.

     Also, I sent John Lee is wyff a lettyr by on Crawethorn
dwellyng in Wood street, or ellys in Sylver street at the end of
Wood street. I prey yow weet whedyr she had it or nought;
and she had it not, brodyr Edmund, I prey yow go to the
same Crawethorn, and tak the lettyr of hym, and delyver it
hyr in all hast.

J. PASTON.¹

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed in a contemporaneous hand
‘Anno xiiij^o,’ showing that it was written in 1474, the 14th year of Edward IV. We
also find Sir John writing to his brother in November following that his brother
Edmund had heard nothing more of Eberton’s daughter.

     ¹ This signature stands in the middle of the postscript.

JULY 25

1474
JULY 25

1474
JULY 25