John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XXVI.

To S^r John Paston
     Knyght at y^e George
     at Powlys Wharffe

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon lycketh yow to weet
that J ensuer yow your se˜dy˜g to Cast^r is evyll takyn among
my lords folks in so myche that some sey that ye te˜dryd
lytyll my lords dethe in as myche as ye wold so sone entre
upon hym aftyr hys dysease w^t ought auyse and assent of
my lords Consayll wherfor it is thought here by syche as be
yo^r frends in my lords house that if my lady haue onys the
g’unt of the wardshepp of the ¹chyld that she wyll ocupye
Cast^r w^t other londs and ley the defaute on your unkynd
hastyness of Entre w^t ought hyr assent Wherfor in eny
wyse gett yow a patent of y^e Kyng ensealyd be for hyrs and
ye may by eny meane possybyll Also I pray yow Comon w^t
my lord Chamb^rleyn for me and weet hough that he wyll
have me demeanyd it iss told me for serteyn that ther is non
hey to gete at Caleys Wherfor if I mygh be p^rdon’d for eny
kepy˜g of horse at Caleys till Myd somer it wer a good torne.
the berer herof shall Com home ayen fro london w^t in a day
aftyr that he Comyth thedyr if ye wyll ought Comand hym.
J prey yow send me woord by hym hough ye do w^t your
maters and I prey yow in eny wyse lete me undyrstand by
the berer herof hough Bowen of the Cheker will dele w^t me
xx                                                                  xx
vj and x li it is nough and I would haue vij li and x li And J
to plege it ought in iiij or v yer or ellys to forfet the ²maner
Wretyn at Norwyche the Twysday next aftyr your dep^rty˜g
thens.

     xxiij die Januarij A^o
     Eiiij^ti xv^o

                                                                    ³JOHN PASTON.

                  Paper Mark,
                   a Coronet.
                Pl. xxvi. No. 2.

     We here find that Sir John Paston, immediately after the decease of the
Duke of Norfolk, sent and took possession of Caister. This step, though
perhaps necessary, gave offence to the Duchess and her council, and his bro-
ther seems fearful that it would make her grace more tenacious of keeping it;
he therefore urges Sir John instantly to apply for the King’s patent.

     ¹  This child was Ann, who soon after was betrothed to Richard Plantagenet
Duke of York, the second son of King Edward. She died very young, and
the Duke was, as it is supposed, smothered in the Tower by the command of
his uncle Richard III.

     ²  This transaction seems to relate to a mortgage of a manor, upon which
Bowen would not advance the sum J. Paston expected.

     ³  Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

LETTER XXVI.

To Sir John Paston, Knight, at the George at Paul?s Wharf.

AFTER all duties of recommendation, liketh it you to weet,
that I ensure you your sending to Caister is evil taken
among my Lord?s folks, insomuch that some say that ye
tendered little my Lord?s death, in as much as ye would so
soon enter upon him after his decease, without advice and
assent of my Lord?s counsel; wherefore it is thought here
by such as be your friends in my Lord?s house, that if my
Lady have once the grant of the wardship of the ¹child, that
she will occupy Caister with other lands, and lay the default
on your unkind hastiness of entry without her assent;
wherefore in any wise get you a patent of the King ensealed
before her?s, and [if] ye may, by any mean possible. Also
I pray you commune with my Lord Chamberlain for me, and
weet how that he will have me demeaned. It is told me
for certain that there is none hay to get at Calais, wherefore
if I might be pardoned for any keeping of horse at Calais
till Midsummer, it were a good turn.

     The bearer hereof shall come home again from London,
within a day after that he cometh thither, if ye will aught
command him. I pray you send me word by him how ye do
with your matters, and I pray you in any wise let me under-
stand, by the bearer hereof, how Bowen of the Exchequer
will deal with me: six-score and ten pounds it is now;
and I would have seven score and ten pounds, and I to
pledge it out in four or five years, or else to forfeit the
²manor. Written at Norwich, the Tuesday next after your
departing thence, the 23d day of January, in the fifteenth
year of Edward IV.

                                                                       ³JOHN PASTON.

              Norwich,
        Tuesday, 23d Jan.
           1475. 15 E. iv.

   We here find that Sir John Paston, immediately after the decease of the
Duke of Norfolk, sent and took possession of Caister. This step, though
perhaps necessary, gave offence to the Duchess and her council, and his bro-
ther seems fearful that it would make her grace more tenacious of keeping it;
he therefore urges Sir John instantly to apply for the King?s patent.

     ¹  This child was Ann, who soon after was betrothed to Richard Plantagenet
Duke of York, the second son of King Edward. She died very young, and
the Duke was, as it is supposed, smothered in the Tower by the command of
his uncle Richard III.

     ²  This transaction seems to relate to a mortgage of a manor, upon which
Bowen would not advance the sum J. Paston expected.

     ³  Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

883

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To Sir John Paston, Knyght, at the George, at Powlys Wharffe.

AFTYR all dewtes of recomendacyon, lyeketh yow to weet
               that I ensuer yow your sendyng to Caster is evyll takyn
               among my lordes folkes, in so myche that some sey
that ye tendryd lytyll my lordes dethe, in as myche as ye wold
so sone entre upon hym aftyr hys dyssease, with ought avyse
and assent of my lordes consayll; wherfor it is thought here
by syche as be your frendes in my lordes house that if my lady
have onys the graunt of the wardshepp of the chyld,² that she
wyll ocupye Caster with other londes, and ley the defaute on
your unkynd hastyness of entre with ought hyr assent. Wher-
for in eny wyse get yow a patent of the Kyng ensealyd be for
hyrs, and ye may by eny meane possybyll.

     Also I prey yow comon with my Lord Chamberleyn for
me, and weet hough that he wyll have me demeanyd.

     It iss told me for serteyn that ther is none hey to gete at
Caleys ; wherfor if I mygh be pardond for eny kepyng of
horse at Caleys till Myd somer, it wer a good torne.

     The berer herof shall come home ayen fro London with in
a day aftyr that he comyth thedyr, if ye wyll ought comand
hym. I prey yow send me woord by hym hough ye do with
your maters, and I prey yow in eny wyse lete me undyrstand,
by the berer heroff, hough Bowen of the Cheker wyll dele
with me; vj^xx. and xli. it is nough, and I wold have vij^xx.li. and
xli. and I to plege it ought in iiij. or v. yer, or ellys to forfet
the maner.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, the Twysday next aftyr your de-
partyng thens, xxiij. die Januarii, anno E. iiij^ti xv^o.

                                                                                JOHN PASTON.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

     ² This child was Ann, who soon after was betrothed to Richard Plantagenet,
Duke of York, the second son of King Edward. She died very young, and the
Duke was, as it is supposed, smothered in the Tower by the command of his uncle
Richard III.—F.                                                                                                   

JAN. 23

1476
JAN. 23