John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXXI.

        To master syr
        John Paston.

SYR I pray yow recomand me to my lord Scalys good lord-
     shep and to let hym weet y^t in lyek wyse as hys lordshep
gaue me in comandemet J haue enqweryd what y^e gentyllmanys
answer was that my lord of Norff. sent to to awayte up on hym
at the kygs Comyg in tothys Contre. hys answer was to my lord
of Norsolk's messenger that he had promysyd my lord Scalys
to awayte up on hym at the same seson and in as myche as he
had promysyd my lord Scalys he wold not false hys promesse
for no man on lyue J fond the menys that the seyd gentylemanys
wyse mevyd hyr husbend w^t the same mater as thow she had
axyd hym of hyr awne hed and he told hyr that he had geuyn
thys answer thys gentylman is S^r W. ^I Calthorp but I pray
yow tell my lord Scalys that ye undyrstand not who it is for he
preyid me to be secret ther in. J pray w^t all my hart hye yow
hom in hast for we thyk longe tyll ye coome And I pray yow
send me woord whedyr ye shall be mad a ² crysten man or ye
Com home or nowt And if so be y^t ye send eny man hom
hastely J pray yow send me an ³ hat and a bonet by ye same
man and let hym bryg the hat upon hys hid for mysfacyonyg
of it J haue ned to bothe for I may not ryd nor goo owt at y^e
doorys w^t non y^e I haue they be so lewde a murry bonet and a
blak or a tawny hat and god send yow yo^r desyr Wretyn at Cast'
the viij day of Apryll.

                                                               Yo^{r
                                                                            4} J. Pasion.

             11 1/2 by 4 1/4.

     Edward IV. came into Norsolk in the spring of the year, in 1469. We see the desire
which noblemen had to be honourably attended on such occasions, and the interest they
employed to procure a respectable retinue when they came to meet their sovereign. John
Paston in this case applied to the Lady to find out her Husband's intentions, and it ap-
pears that his application was successful.

     ¹ Sir William Calthorpe, Knight, had been High Sheriff of Norsolk and Suffolk, both
in this and the preceding reiga, and died very old in 1494. His second wise was
Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, Knight, of Ingham.

     ² If this mean that Sir John Paston was now to be christened it appears somewhat
extraordinary, and what else it can mean I know not, unless we may infer from this
expression an entrance into some religious society.

     ³ We have here a proof of the early introduction of hats ; and J. Paston's care that his
might not be put out of shape, is worthy a beau of the present age.

     ⁴ Autograph. PI. IV. No 12.

LETTER LXXXI.

To Master Sir John Paston.

SIR, I pray you recommend me to my Lord Scales's good
     lordship, and to let him weet, that, in like wise as his lord-
ship gave me in commandment, I have enquired what the gen-
man's answer was that my Lord of Norsolk sent to await upon
him at the King's coming into this country ; his answer was to
my Lord of Norfolk's messenger, that he had promised my Lord
Scales to await upon him at the same season, and in as much as
he had promised my Lord Scales, he would not false his promise
for no man on live ( alive ). I found the means that the said gen-
tleman's wife moved her Husband with the same matter as
though she had asked him of her own head, and he told he that
he had given this answer ; this gentleman is Sir William ^ICal-
thorpe, but I pray you tell my Lord Scales that ye understand
not who it is, for he prayed me to be secret therein.

     I pray with all my heart hie you home in haste, for we think
long till ye come ; and I pray you send me word whether ye
shall be made a ² Christian man ere ye come home or not ; and if
so be that ye send any man home hastily, I pray you send me an
³ Hat and a Bonnet by the same man, and let him bring the hat
upon his head for ( fear of ) misfashioning of it ; I have need to
both, for I may not ride nor go out at the doors with none that
I have, they be so lewd ( shabby ) , a murrey bonnet, and a black
or a tawny hat, and God send you your desire ; written at
Caister, the 7th day of April

                                                              Your

                                                                                    ⁴ JOHN PASTON.

     Caister, Friday, 7th of April,

           1469. 9 E. IV.

     Edward IV. came into Norsolk in the spring of the year, in 1469. We see the desire
which noblemen had to be honourably attended on such occasions, and the interest they
employed to procure a respectable retinue when they came to meet their sovereign. John
Paston in this case applied to the Lady to find out her Husband's intentions, and it ap-
pears that his application was successful.

     ¹ Sir William Calthorpe, Knight, had been High Sheriff of Norsolk and Suffolk, both
in this and the preceding reiga, and died very old in 1494. His second wise was
Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, Knight, of Ingham.

     ² If this mean that Sir John Paston was now to be christened it appears somewhat
extraordinary, and what else it can mean I know not, unless we may infer from this
expression an entrance into some religious society.

     ³ We have here a proof of the early introduction of hats ; and J. Paston's care that his
might not be put out of shape, is worthy a beau of the present age.

     ⁴ Autograph. PI. IV. No 12.

705

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To Master Syr John Paston.

SYR, I pray yow recomand me to my Lord Scalys good
     lordshep, and to let hym weet that, in lyek wyse as hys
     Lordshep gave me in comandement, I have enqweryd
what the gentyllmanys answer was that my Lord of Norffolk
sent to to awayte up on hym at the Kyngs comyng in to thys
contre. Hys answer was to my Lord of Norfolks messenger,
that he had promysyd my Lord Scalys to awayte up on hym at
the same seson, and in as myche as he had promysyd my Lord
Scalys, he wold not false hys promesse for no man on lyve. I
fond the menys that the seyd gentylemanys wyfe mevyd hyr
husbend with the same mater as thow she had axyd hym of hyr
awne hed, and he told hyr that he had gevyn thys answer.
Thys gentylman is Sir William Calthorp;² but I pray yow tell
my Lord Scalys that ye undyrstand not who it is, for he preyid
me to be secret ther in.

     I pray with all my hart, hye yow horn in hast, for we
thynk longe tyll ye coome. And I pray yow send me woord
whedyr ye shall be mad a Crysten man or ye com home, or
nowt; and if so be that ye send eny man horn hastly, I pray
yow send me an hat and a bonet by the same man, and let hym
bryng the hat upon hys hid for mysfacyonyng of it. I have
ned to bothe, for I may not ryd nor goo owt at the doorys
with non that I have, they be so lewde [shabby]. A murry
bonet, and a blak or a tawny hat. And God send yow your
desyr. Wretyn at Caster, the viij. day of Apryll.

                                                                            Your J. PASTON.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 318.] For the date of this letter see preliminary note to the
last (p. 14, Note 1).

     ² Sir William Calthorpe, Knight, had been High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk,
both in this and the preceding reign, and died very old in 1494. His second wife
was Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir Miles Stapleton, Knight, of Ingham.—F.

APRIL 7

1469
APRIL 7