John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LX.

To S^r John Paston
     knyght.

SYR aftyr all dutes of recommendacyon pleesyt to undyr-
stand that acordy˜g to yo^r lettre sent me by Wyllson Lom-
nore and I mett at Norwyche and drew ought a formable
bylle ought of your and sent it ayen to thexchetore Palmer
by my brodyr Edmu˜d whyche had an other erand in to that
contre to spek w^t H. Spylman to get hys good wyll towards
the bargayn lyck to be fynyshed hastyly betwyx mastres
Clyppysby and hym. And S^r at the delyvere of the bylle
of Inquisicyon to thexchetour my brodyer Edmu˜d told
hym that accordy˜g to yo^r wryghty˜g to me I spak w^t myn
oncle Willm and told hym that I undyrstood by you that
my lord of Elye had as well desyred hym in wryghty˜g as
you by mouthe that non of you shold sue to have the
inquisycion fond aftyr yo^r intentys tyll other weyes of pese
wer takyn betwyx you, wherfor my brodyr Edmu˜d desyryd
hym that w^th ought myn oncle labord to have it fond for
hym ellys that he shold not pcede for you, but thexche-
tour answerd hym that he wold fynd it for you aftyr your
byll of hys owne autorite and so it was fond but S^r ye must
remembre that my lord of Ely desyryd myn oncle as well
as you to surcease as I put myn oncle in knowlage and
myn oncle at the fyrst agreid that he wold make no more
sute a bought it in trust that ye wold do the same acordy˜g
to my lord of Elys desyer wherfor ye had ned to be ware
that thexchetor skyppe not from you when he comyth to
London and sertyfye it or ye spak w^t hym thexchetor shalbe
at London by twysdaye or Wednysday next comy˜g at John
Leuis house for he shall ryd forwardys as on Monday next
comy˜g be tymys &c.

     Syr your tena˜ts at Crowmer sey that they know not who
shalbe ther lord they marvayll that ye nor no man for you
hathe not yet ben there. Also when I was w^t myn oncle I
had a longe pystyll of him that ye had sent Pekok to Paston
and comandyd the tena˜ts ther that they shold pay non
areragys to hym but if they wer bond to hym by obligacyon
for the same my oncle seythe it was other wyse apoyntyd
be for the Arbytrorys they thought he seythe that as well
my mestyr Fytzwalter as other that he shold receyve that
as it myght be gadryd but now he seythe that he wettyth
well some shall runne away and some shall wast it so that
it is nevyr lyke to be gadryd but lost and so I trow it is
lyck to be of some of the dettors what for casuelte of dethe
and thes other causes befor rehersyd wherfor me thynkyth
if it wer apoyntyd befor the Arbytrors that he shold receyve
theym as he seythe it wer not for you to brek it or ellys if
he be pleyn executor to my gra˜ndam then also he ought to
have it. I spek lyck a blynd man do ye as ye thynk for I
was at no soche apoyntme˜t befor rharbytrors nor I know
not whethyr he is executor to my gra˜ndam or not but by
hys seyi˜g. Also S^r ye must of ryght consydery˜g my bro-
dyr Edmu˜dys dilizence in yo^r maters sythe yo^r dep^rty˜g
helpe hym forwardys to myn oncle S^r George Brown as my
brodyr Edmund preyid yow in hys lettyr that he sent on to
yow by Mondys sone of Norwyche dwelly˜g w^t Thom’s
Jenney that myn oncle S^r George may zett to my brodyr
Edmu˜d of the Kyng y^e wardshepp of John Clyppysby son
and heyer to John Clyppysby late of Owby in the Conte of
Norff sqwyr dury˜g the nonnage of my lord and lady of
Yerk thow it cost iiij or v mark the swte let myn oncle S^r
George be clerk of the Haniper and kepe the patent if it
be g’ntyd tyll he have hys mone and that shall not be longe
to myn Oncle S^r George may enforme the kyng for trowthe
that the chyld shall haue no lond dury˜g hys yong modyrs
lyf And ther is no man her that wyll mary w^t hym w^tought
they have some lond w^t hym And so the gyft shall not be
gret that the kyng shold geve hym and yet I trow he shold
get the modyr by that meane And in my conseyt the kyng
dothe but ryght if he g’unt my brodyr Edmund Clyppysbys
son in recompense for taky˜g my br’dyr Edmunds son
otherwyse callyd Dyxsons the chyldys fadyr bei˜g alyve
Dyxson is ded god haue hys sowle whom J beseche to send
you your most desyred Joye Wretyn at Norwyche on Seynt
leonards day.

                                                                 J PASTON

     Syr it is told me y^t Nycolas Barlee the Scquer hathe
takyn an axion of dett ayenst me thys terme I prey yow let
Whetley or some body spek w^t hym and lete hym wet that
if he swe me softly thys terme that he shall be payed or
the nexte terme be at an end it is a bought vj li And in
feythe he shold haue had it or thys tyme And our threshers
of Sweynsthorp had not dyed upp˜ And if I myght haue
payed it hym a yer ago as well as I trust I shall sone aftyr
Crystmass J wold not for xij li haue brokyn hym so many
p’messys as I haue Also S^r I prey yow send me by the next
man that comyth fro london ij pottys of tryacle of Jenne
they shall cost xvj^d for I haue spent ought that J had w^t
my ye˜g wyf and my yeng folkys and my Sylf And J shall
pay hym that shall bryng hem to me and for hys caryage I
prey you lett it be sped the pepyll dyeth sore in Norwyche
and specyally abought my house but my wyf and my
woman come not ought and fle ferther we cannot for at
Sweynsthorp sythe my dep^rty˜g thens they haue dyed and
ben syke nye jn ev’y house of the towne.

    11½ by 12¼.

        Paper Mark,
Bull’s Head and Star.
    Pl. xi. No. 10.

    The former part of this letter informs us chiefly of matters in dispute be-
tween William Paston and his nephew Sir John, relative to the lands and estates
of Agnes Paston.

     William Clippesby, of Oby, Esq. (not John) died about this time, leaving
Catherine his widow. She was daughter of John Spelman, Esq. of Stow-Be-
kerton; she soon became the wife of Edmund Paston, by whom she had a son
Robert, and dying in 1491 was buried in Oby church.

    In this year a terrible sickness raged throughout England.
Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

LETTER LX.

To Sir John Paston, Knight.

SIR, after all duties of recommendation, please it [you] to
understand, that, according to your letter sent me by Wil-
son, Lomner and I met at Norwich and drew out a formable
bill out of yours, and sent it again to the Escheator Palmer
by my brother Edmund, which had another errand into that
country to speak with H. Spilman, to get his good will to-
wards the bargain like to be finished hastily betwixt Mis-
tress Clippesby and him.

     And, Sir, at the delivery of the bill of Inquisition to the
Escheator, my brother Edmund told him that according to
your writing to me, I spake with mine uncle William, and
told him that I understood by you that my Lord of Ely had
as well desired him in writing, as you by mouth, that none
of you should sue to have the Inquisition found after your
intents till other ways of peace were taken betwixt you;
wherefore my brother Edmund desired him that without
mine uncle laboured to have it found for him, else that he
should not proceed for you; but the Escheator answered
him that he would find it for you, after your bill, of his own
authority; and so it was found.

     But, Sir, ye must remember that my Lord of Ely desired
mine uncle as well as you to surcease, as I put mine uncle
in knowledge, and mine uncle at the first agreed that he
would make no more suit about it, in trust that ye would
do the same, according to my Lord of Ely’s desire; where-
fore ye had need to beware that the Escheator skips not
from you, when he cometh to London, and certify it, ere ye
speak with him.

     The Escheator shall be at London by Tuesday or Wed-
nesday next coming at John Lewis’s house, for he shall
ride forwards as on Monday next coming betimes.

     Sir, your tenants at Cromer say that they know not who
shall be their lord, they marvel that ye nor no man for you
hath not yet been there.

     Also when I was with mine uncle, I had a long pystyl
[letter] of him, that ye had sent Peacock to Paston and
commanded the tenants there that they should pay none
arrearages to him, but if [unless] they were bound to him by
obligation for the same; mine uncle saith it was otherwise
appointed before the arbitrators; they thought, he saith, as
well my master Fitzwalter as other, that he should receive
that as it might be gathered; but now he saith, that he
weeteth well some shall run away, and some shall waste it,
so that it is never like to be gathered, but lost, and so I
trow it is like to be of some of the debtors, what for casualty
of death and these other causes before rehearsed; wherefore
me thinketh if it were appointed before the arbitrators that
he should receive them, as he saith, it were not for you to
break it, or else if he be plain executor to my grandam,
then also he ought to have it. I speak like a blind man, do
ye as ye think [best], for I was at no such appointment be-
fore the arbitrators, nor I know not whether he is executor
to my grandam or not, but by his saying.

     Also, Sir, ye must of right, considering my brother Ed-
mund’s diligence in your matters, since your departing, help
him forwards to mine uncle Sir George Brown, as my bro-
ther Edmund prayed you in his letter that he sent unto you
by Mond’s son of Norwich, dwelling with Thomas Jenney,
that mine uncle Sir George may get to my brother Edmund
of the king the wardship of John Clippesby, son and heir
to John Clippesby, late of Oby, in the county of Norfolk,
esquire, during the nonage of my lord and lady of York,
though it cost four or five marks (2l. 13s. 4d. or 3l. 6s. 8d.)
the suit; let mine uncle Sir George be clerk of the haniper,
and keep the patent, if it be granted, till he have his money,
and that shall not be long to. Mine uncle Sir George may
inform the king for truth, that the child shall have no land
during his young mother’s life, and there is no man here
that will marry with him without they have some land with
him, and so the gift shall not be great that the king should
give him, and yet I trow he should get the mother by that
mean, and in my conceit the king doth but right if he grant
my brother Edmund Clippesby’s son in recompense for
taking my brother Edmund’s son, otherwise called Dyx-
son’s, the child’s father being alive; Dyxson is dead, God
have his soul, whom I beseech to send you your most de-
sired joy.

     Written at Norwich on Saint Leonard’s day.

                                                            JOHN PASTON.

            Norwich,
  Saturday, 6 November,
        1479. 19 E. iv.

     Sir, it is told me that Nicholas Barley the squire hath
taken an action of debt against me this term, I pray you let
Wheatley or somebody speak with him, and let him weet
that if he sue me softly this term, that he shall be paid ere
the next term be at an end; it is about six pounds, and in
faith he should have had it ere this time and [if] our
threshers of Swainsthorp had not died upon, and if I might
have paid it him a year ago, as well as I trust I shall soon
after Christmas, I would not for twelve pounds have broken
him so many promises as I have.

     Also, Sir, I pray you send me by the next man that
cometh from London two pots of treacle of Genoa, they
shall cost 16d. for I have spent out that I had with my
young wife, and my young folks, and myself; and I shall
pay him that shall bring them to me, and for his carriage;
I pray you let it be sped.

     The people dieth sore in Norwich, and specially about
my house, but my wife and my women come not out, and
flee farther we cannot, for at Swainsthorp, since my depart-
ing thence, they have died, and been sick nigh in every
house of the town.

957

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To Syr John Paston, Knyght.

     SYR, aftyr all dwtes of recomendacyon, pleasyt to undyr-
         stand, that, acordyng to your lettre sent me by Wyllson,
         Lomnore and I mett at Norwyche and drew ought a
formable bylle ought of your, and send it ayen to th’Exchetore
Palmer by my brodyr Edmund, whyche had an other erand in
to that contre to spek with H. Spylman, to get hys good wyll
towardes the bargayn lyek to be fynyshed hastyly betwyx
Mastres Clyppysby and hym. And, syr, at the delyvere of
the bylle of inquisicyon to th’Exchetour, my brodyr Edmund
told hym that accordyng to your wryghtyng to me, I spak
with myn oncle William, and told hym that I undyrstood by
yow that my Lord of Elye had aswell desyred hym in wryght-
yng as you by mouthe, that non of you shold swe to have the
inquisycion fond aftyr your intentys tyll other weyes of pese
wer takyn betwyx you; wherfor my brodyr Edmund desyred
hym that with ought myn oncle labord to have it fond for
hym, ellys that he shold not procede for yow; but th’Exchetour
answerd hym that he wold fynd it for you, aftyr your byll, of
hys owne autorite; and so it was fond. But, syr, ye must
remembre that my Lord of Ely desyred myn oncle as well as
you to surcease, as I put myn oncle in knowlage, and myn
oncle at the fyrst agreid that he wold make no more sute a
bought it, in trust that ye wold do the same, acordyng to my
Lord of Elys desyer; wherfor ye had ned to be ware that
th’Exchetor skyppe not from you, when he comyth to London,
and sertyfye it, or ye spek with hym. Th’Exchetor shalbe at
London by Twysdaye or Wednysday next comyng, at John
Leeis house, for he shall ryd forwardys as on Monday next
comyng be tymys, &c.

     Syr, your tenauntes at Crowmer sey that they know not
who shalbe ther lord; they marvayll that ye nor no man for
yow hathe not yet ben there. Also, when I was with myn
oncle, I had a longe pystyll of hym, that ye had sent Pekok to
Paston, and comandyd the tenauntes ther that they shold pay
non areragys to hym, but if [unless] they wer bond to hym by
obligacyon for the same; myn oncle seythe it was other wyse
apoyntyd be for the arbytrorys; they thought, he seythe, as
well my Mastyr Fytzwalter as other, that he shold receyve
that as it myght be gadryd; but now he seythe, that he
wottyth well some shall renne away, and some shall wast it, so
that it is nevyr lyek to be gadryd, but lost, and so I trow it is
lyek to be of some of the dettors, what for casuelte of dethe
and thes other causes befor rehersyd; wherfor me thynkyth if
it were apoyntyd befor the arbytrors that he shold receyve
theym, as he seythe, it wer not for you to brek it, or ellys if
he be pleyn executor to my grauntdam, then also he ought to
have it. I spek lyek a blynd man, do ye as ye thynk, for I was
at no syche apoyntment befor th’arbytrors, nor I know not
whethyr he is executor to my grauntdam or not, but by hys
seying.

     Also, syr, ye must of ryght, consyderyng my brodyr
Edmundys diligence in your maters, sythe your departyng,
helpe hym forwardys to myn oncle Syr George Brown, as my
brodyr Edmund preyid yow in hys lettyr that he sent on to
yow by Mondys sone of Norwyche, dwellyng with Thomas
Jenney, that myn oncle Syr George may gett to my brodyr
Edmund of the Kyng the wardshepp of John Clyppysby, son
and heyer to John Clyppysby,¹ late of Owby, in the conte of
Norffolk, Sqwyr, dwryng the nonnage of my Lord and Lady of
York,² thow it cost iiij. or v. mark the swte. Let myn oncle
Syr George be clerk of the haniper, and kepe the patent, if it
be grantyd, tyll he have hys mone, and that shall not be
longe to.

     Myn oncle Syr George may enforme the Kyng for trowthe,
that the chyld shall have no lond duryng hys yong modyrs
lyff, and ther is no man her that wyll mary with hym withought
they have some lond with hym, and so the gyft shall not be
gret that the Kyng shold geve hym; and yet I trow he shold
get the modyr by that meane, and in my conseyt the Kyng
dothe but ryght if he graunt my brodyr Edmund Clyppysbys
son in recompense for takyng my brodyr Edmundes son,
otherwyse callyd Dyxsons, the chyldys fadyr being alyve.
Dyxson is ded, God have hys sowle, Whom I beseche to send
you your most desyred joye.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, on Seynt Leonardes Day.

                                                                                    J. PASTON.

     Syr, it is told me that Nycolas Barlee, the Scyuer, hathe
takyn an axion of dett ayenst me thys terme. I prey yow let
Whetley or some body spek with hym, and lete hym wet that
if he swe me softly thys terme, that he shall be payed or the
nexte terme be at an end. It is a bought vjli., and in feythe
he shold have had it or thys tyme, and our threshers of
Sweynsthorp had not dyed upp; and if I myght have payed it
hym a yer ago, as well as I trust I shall sone aftyr Crystmass,
I wold not for xijli. have brokyn hym so many promessys as I
have.

     Also, syr, I prey yow send me by the next man that
comyth fro London ij. pottys of tryacle of Jenne,—they shall
cost xvjd.,—for I have spent ought that I had with my yong
wyf, and my yong folkys, and my sylff, and I shall pay hym
that shall bryng hem to me, and for hys caryage. I pray you
lett it be sped.

     The pepyll dyeth sore in Norwyche, and specyally abought
my house, but my wyff and my women come not ought, and
fle ferther we can not; for at Sweynsthorpe, sythe my depart-
yng thens, they have dyed, and ben syke nye in every house
of the towne.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It will be seen from the contents that this letter
must have been written after the receipt of the last, or of one to the same effect
addressed to John Paston.

     ¹ The writer probably intended to say ‘son and heir to William Clippesby,’ who
died about this time. His widow Catherine, the daughter of John Spelman, Esq., of
Stow Bekerton, soon afterwards married Edmund Paston.

     ² Richard, Duke of York, son of Edward IV., at this time a child of seven years
old, and Anne Mowbray, daughter of the late Duke of Norfolk, to whom he was
married in 1478.

1479
NOV. 6

1479
NOV. 6

1479
NOV. 6