John Paston to Sir John Paston

Add. 27446, f. 8

21 January 1478

Gairdner, Vol V, item 925; Fenn, Vol V, Edward IV item 48

LETTER XLVIII.

To my Ryght worchepfull
broder S^r John Paston Knyght.

SYR aftyr all dutes of recomendacyon lycketh yow to
undyrstand that J haue Comond w^t dyuers folkys of the
dwk of Suff. now thys crystmas and sythen whyche let me
in secret wyse haue knowlage lyck as J wrott on to yow
that he must mak a sheft for money And that in all hast
Wherfor s^r at the reu^rence of god let it not be lachesyd but
w^t effect aplyed now whyll he is in london and my lady hys
wyff also for J assarteyn yow that C mark wyll do more
now in ther neede the˜ ye shall p^rauenture do w^t C C marks
in tyme Comy˜g and thys season be not takyn And alweys
fynd the meane that my lady of Suff and S^r R. Chamber-
leyn may be yo^r gwyd in thys mater for as for my lord he
nedyth not to be mevyd w^t it tyll it shold be as good as
redy to the sealyng S^r lyeketh yow also to reme˜ber that J
told yow that Mastyr ¹Yotton had as I cam last towards
london desyred me by a lettre of attorney wrythyn w^t hys
owne hand to se thenprowment of syche p’fytes as ar
growi˜g of hys Chapell in Cast^r that ye gaue hym. And at
syche season as I told yow of it ye sayd on to me that ye
wold asay to make a bargayn w^t hym so that ye myght
haue a prest to syng in Cast^r. S^r me thynk ye can not haue
so good a season to meue hym w^t it as now thys p^rlement
tyme for now I thynk he sholbe awayty˜g on the quen
And also if ye myght Compone w^t hym or he wyst what
the valew wer it wer the better. And I haue p’mysed hym
to send hym woord thys terme of the v’ry valew of it And
also syche money as J Cowd gader of it. Wherfor S^r I
prey yow that by the next messeng^r that ye can get to
Pekok that ye wyll send hym woord to paye me for the
lond in XXX Acres as it hathe ben answerd befor tym.
And as for tydy˜gs here we haue non but we wold fayne
here of all yo^r royalte at london as of the maryage of my
lord of ²Yerk and other p^rleme’t mater And so I prey yow
that J may doo when ye haue leyser. S^r I prey yow that
whetley may haue knowlage that my broder Yelu^rton hathe
p’mysed me to take hym XL^d he owyth me by reason of
hys fermore at Cast^r more then that. And S^r as for my
³huswyff I am fayne to carry hyr to se hyr fadyr and hyr
frends now thys Wynter for I trow she wyll be ought of
facyon in Somer And so Jn my p’gresse fro my fadyr
Brews on to Mawtby J took Mast^r playter in my wey at
whoys hows J wrot thys bylle the xxj day of January A^o E.
iiij^ti xvij^o And J beseche god to p’serue yow and yowrs.

⁴YO^r J PASTON.

             Paper Mark,
             the letter G,
             and a Cross.
             Pl. xii. No. 18.

The business with the Duke of Suffolk was by this money to settle some
claims on the Hellesdon and other estates in Norfolk, which had caused much
trouble and expense to each party; the Duchess seems to be the person who
was to transact the business.

¹ Dr. Yotton was the Queen’s Chaplain.

² Richard, Duke of York, second son to King Edward IV., married Ann,
daughter and heir of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, 15th Jan. 1477-8. He
is supposed to have been murdered by the command of his uncle, king Richard
III., in 1483, and she died very young. Their nuptials, I suppose, were cele-
brated with great magnificence and rejoicing, she being a very rich heiress.

The Parliament appears to have been sitting at this time.

² John Paston had been married to Margery Brews about four or five
months, and we find that she was now in a fair way to produce him an heir in
due season.

⁴ Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

LETTER XLVIII.

To my Right Worshipful Brother, Sir John Paston, Knight.

SIR, after all duties of recommendation, liketh you to un-
derstand that I have communed with divers folks of the
Duke of Suffolk now this Christmas and since, which let me
in secret wise have knowledge, like as I wrote unto you,
that he must make a shift for money, and that in all haste;
wherefore, Sir, at the reverence of God, let it not be la-
chesed [neglected], but with effect applied now, while he is
in London, and my Lady his wife also, for I ascertain you
that an 100 marks (66l. 13s. 4d.) will do more in their need
than ye shall peradventure do with 200 marks (133l. 6s. 8d.)
in time coming, and [if] this season be not taken; and
always find the mean that my Lady of Suffolk and Sir R.
Chamberlayn may be your guides in this matter, for as for
my Lord, he needeth not to be moved, till it shall be as
good as ready to the sealing.

Sir, liketh you also to remember that I told you that
Master ¹Yotton had, as I came last towards London, de-
sired me, by a letter of attorney written with his own hand,
to see the improvement of such profits as are growing of
his chapel in Caister, that ye gave him; and at such
season as I told you of it, ye said unto me that ye would
assay to make a bargain with him, so that ye might have a
Priest to sing in Caister: Sir, methink ye cannot have so
good a season to move him with it as now this parliament
time; for now I think he shall be awaiting on the Queen;
and also if ye might compound with him ere he wist what
the value were, it were the better; and I have promised
him to send him word this term of the very value of it, and
also such money as I could gather of it; wherefore, Sir, I
pray you that by the next messenger that ye can get to
Peacock, that ye will send him word to pay me for the
land in 30 acres, as it hath been answered before time.

And as for tidings here, we have none, but we would
fain hear of all your royalty at London, as of the marriage
of my Lord of ²York, and other parliament matter, and so
I pray you that I may do, when ye have leisure.

Sir, I pray you that Wheatley may have knowledge that
my brother Yelverton hath promised me to take him 40d.
he oweth me, by reason of his farmer at Caister, more than
that.

And, Sir, as for my ³housewife, I am fain to carry her to see
her father and her friends now this winter, for I trow she will
be out of fashion [shape] in summer; and so in my progress
from my father Brews unto Maultby, I took Master Play-
ters in my way; at whose house I wrote this bill the 21st
day of January, in the 17th of Edward IV., and I beseech
God to preserve you and your’s.

Your

⁴JOHN PASTON.

Wednesday, 21st Jan.
1477-8. 17 E. iv.

The business with the Duke of Suffolk was by this money to settle some
claims on the Hellesdon and other estates in Norfolk, which had caused much
trouble and expense to each party; the Duchess seems to be the person who
was to transact the business.

¹ Dr. Yotton was the Queen’s Chaplain.

² Richard, Duke of York, second son to King Edward IV., married Ann,
daughter and heir of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, 15th Jan. 1477-8. He
is supposed to have been murdered by the command of his uncle, king Richard
III., in 1483, and she died very young. Their nuptials, I suppose, were cele-
brated with great magnificence and rejoicing, she being a very rich heiress.

The Parliament appears to have been sitting at this time.

² John Paston had been married to Margery Brews about four or five
months, and we find that she was now in a fair way to produce him an heir in
due season.

⁴ Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 12.

925

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

To my ryght worchepfull broder, Syr John Paston, Knyght.

     SYR, aftyr all dutes of recomendacyon, lyeketh yow to
         undyrstand that I have comond with dyvers folkys of
         the Dwk of Suffolk now thys Crystmas and sythen,
whyche let me in secret wyse have knowlage, lyek as I wrott
on to yow, that he must mak a shefft for money, and that in
all hast. Wherfor, syr, at the reverence of God, let it not be
lachesyd, but with effect aplyed now, whyll he is in London,
and my lady hys wyff also; for I assarteyn yow that C. mark
wyll do more now in ther neede then ye shall peraventure do
with CC. marks in tyme comyng, and thys season be not takyn.
And alweys fynd the meane that my Lady of Suffolk and Syr
R. Chamberleyn may be yowr gwydes in thys mater, for as for
my lord, he nedyth not to be mevyd with it tyll it shold be as
good as redy to the sealyng.

Syr, lyeketh yow also to remember that I told yow that
Mastyr Yotton³ had, as I cam last towardes London, desyred
me, by a lettre of attorney wryttyn with hys owne hand, to se
th’enprowment of syche profytes as ar growing of hys chapell
in Caster that ye gave hym; and at syche season as I told
yow of it, ye sayd on to me that ye wold asay to make a
bargayn with hym, so that ye myght have a prest to syng in
Caster. Syr, me thynkes ye can not have so good a season
to meve hym with it as now thys Parlement tyme, for now I
thynk he shalbe awaytyng on the Quene; and also if ye myght
compone with hym or he wyst what the valew wer, it wer the
better, and I have promysed hym to send hym woord thys
terme of the verry valew of it, and also syche mony as I cowd
gader of it. Wherfor, syr, I prey yow that by the next
messenger that ye can get to Pekok that ye wyll send hym
woord to paye me for the lond in xxx. acres, as it hathe ben
answerd before tym.

And as for tydynges here, we have none, but we wold
fayne here of all your royalte at London, as of the maryage of
my Lord of York,¹ and other Parlement mater; and so I prey
yow that I may doo when ye have leyser.

Syr, I prey yow that Whetley may have knowlage that my
broder Yelverton hathe promysed me to take hym xld.; he
owyth me by reason of his fermore at Caster more then that.

And, syr, as for my huswyff, I am fayne to carry hyr to se
hyr fadyr and hyr frendes now thys wynter, for I trow she
wyll be ought of facyon in somer. And so in my progresse
fro my fadyr Brews on to Mawtby, I took Master Playter in
my wey, at whoys hows I wrot thys bylle, the xxj. day of
January, anno E. iiij^ti xvij^o. And I beseche God to preserve
yow and yours.

Yowr, J. PASTON.

Endorsed by Sir John Paston, ‘J. P., anno xvij^o.’

² [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

³ Dr. Yotton was the Queen’s chaplain.—F.

¹ Richard, Duke of York, second son to King Henry IV., married Ann, daughter
and heir of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, 15th January 1477-78.—F.

1478
JAN. 21