John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXXVII

SYR pleysth it to undyrstand that J conceyue by yor lettyr
whyche yt ye fent me by Jwde yt ye haue herd of R.C.
labor whyche he makyth by our ungracyous sustyrs assent but
wher as they wryet that they haue my good wyll ther in fauyg
yor reurence yey falsly lye of it for they neuer spake to me of yt
mater ner non othyr body in thername louell axyd me onys a
qwestyon whedyr y^t I understood how it was betwyx R C and
my sustyr J can thynk yt it was by Callys menys for when J
axyd hym whedyr C desyird hym to meue me y^t qwestyon or
not he wold haue gotyn it aweye by humys and by hays but I
wold not so be answeryd Wherfor at y^e left he told me yt hys
oldeft sone desyird hym to spere whedyr y^t R C wes fwyr of hyr
or nowt for he feyd y^t he knew a good maryage for hyr but J
wot he lyeyd for he is hole w^t R Cale in yt mater wherfor to y^e
entent y^t he nor they sholl pyck no comfort of me J answerd
hym yt and my fadyr whom god asoyle wer a lyue and had con-
sentyd ther to and my modyr and ye bothe he shold neur haue
my good wyll for to makje my sustyr to selle kandyll and mus-
tard in Framl[ILL]gh'm and y^us wythe mor whyche wer to longe to
wryet to you we deprtyd and wher as it plesythe you in yo^r
lettyr to crye me mercy for yt ye sent me not fyche ger as I sent
yow mony for J crye yow mercy y^t I was so lewde to encomber
yow w^t eny so sympyll a mater Confyder[ILL]g the grette maters
and weyghty y^t ye haue to doo but need Compellyd me for in
thys Contre is no syche stuffe as I sent to yow for also wher as
it plesyth yow to send to Rychard Calle to delyuer me monye so
god help me J wyll non axe hym for my sylfe nor non had J of
hym nor of non othyr man but of myne owne fyne ye depertyd
but y^t lytyll y^t I myght forbere of myne owne I haue delyuryd
to Dawbeney for howsold and pay it for yow in menys wagys
and ther for who eur sendys yow word y^t I haue spent yow eny
mony syne ye went hens they musty geue yow an othyr Rek-
n[ILL]g fau[ILL]g in met and drynk for I eete lyek an horse of p'pose to
eete yow owte at the dorys but y^t nedythe not for ye com not
w^tin them wherfor so god help me the felaushep her thynkys y^t
ye haue forgetyn us alle wherfor and eny th[ILL]g be ille rewlyd
when ye come home wyet it yor selfe for defawt of oursyght.
Also I undyrstand for v'ry seteyn and it is sent me so woord owt
of my lordys howse that thys pentcost is my lordys consell at
Framl[ILL]gh'm and they p'pose thys week and the next to hold
Coortys her at Castr and at all othyr manrs y^t wer S^r John F.
and p'chasyd of Yelurton and of syr T.H. whom god asoyle and
how that my demen[ILL]g sholbe it is to late to send to yow for
auyse wherfor and J do well J axe no thank and if I do ille J
pray yow leythe the defawt on ou^r lytyll wyte but J p'pose to use
the fryst poynt of hawk[ILL]g to hold fast and J maye but so god
help me and they myght pulle downe y^e howse on our hedys J
wyet hem not whyche J trust to god to help hem from For by
god that bowght me the beft Erle in Jnglond wold not dele so
w^t my lord and my lady as ye do wtowt mak[ILL]g of some menys
to them so god help me whoso eu^r auyse yow to do so he is not
yo^r frend and I may J trust to God to se yow abowght Mydsom
or befor. For in good feythe J wene ye p'pose yow y^t it shall be
Estern er ye Come hom for all yo' serv'nts her wen that ye p'pose
ne more to dele wt them but to leue hem her in ostage to my
lord of Norfolk Also syr J pray yow prvey what Jne y^t my bro-
dyr Edmund shall be in for he losythe sore hys tyme her J pro-
myse yow J pray yow send me word by the next messenger y^t
Comyth and I shall eythyr send hym or bryg hym up wt me to
London.

    Also Syr we pore sanz deners of Castr have brook iij or iij
stelle bowys wherfor we beseche yow and ther be eny maker of
steele bowys in London whyche is v^rry k[ILL]n[ILL]g y^t ye wyll send
me woord and I shall send yow the bowys yt be broken, whyche
be yo^r owne greet bowe and Roberd Jacksonys bowe and Iohon
Pamp[ILL]gs bowe thes iij have kast so many calvys y^t they shall nev^r
cast qwarellys tyll they be new mad I praye yow fynd the menys
that my Lord have some resonable meane profyrd so yt he and
my lady may undyrstand that ye desyr to have hys good lordshep
I promyse yow it shall do yow ease and yor tenuts bothe and God
preserve.

                                                                                               J.P

13 ? by 6

    On the back of this letter is written, " pro marritag. intr Ricm Call & Margram
"Pafton."

"A pleasaunt lre to Sir J.Paston, from his brother J.Pafton, wherin the stoutness of
"Sir John is somwhat declared."

    The stoutness, or rather family pride, both of Sir John Paston and his brother, are
discovered in this Letter, in the behaviour of the one to the Duke of Norfolk, and in the
disdain which the other shewed to the idea of his filter's marriage with a perfon in trade.

    Richard Calle has been often mentioned in the course of these Letters, and he seems to
have been a confidential friend of the family. This however seems in the opinion of
J. Paston by no means to have been sufficient to have authorised his pretensions to become
the husband of his sister.

    We here see the origin of the Duke of Norfolk's claim to Caifter to have arisen from
his supposed purchase of it from two of Sir Jaohm Faftolf's Executors; this claim he pur-
sued, and in a few months after the writing of this Letter, beseiged the place in form,
having been, I presume, refused a peaceable entry by John paston, who defended it for
his brother, and in which defence Dawbeney and others lost their lives.
The Letter is curious, and written in such an easy and familiar style as greatly to
interest the reader in its contents.

    Autograph. Pl.xxv. No 21.

LETTER LXXXVII.

To Sir John Paston, Knight.

SIR, pleaseth it to understand, that I conceive, by your Letter
which that ye sent me my Jude, that ye have heard of
Richard Calle's labour which he maketh by our ungracious
sister's assent, but whereas they write that they have my good
will therein, saving your reverence, they falsly lie of it, for they
never spake to me of that matter, nor none other body in their
name. Lovell asked me once a question, whether that I under-
stood how it was betwixt R^d Calle and my sister; I can think
that it was by Calle's means, for when I asked him whether
Calle desired him to move me that question or not, he would have
gotten it away by hums and by haas, but I would not so be an-
swered; wherefore at the last he told me that his eldest son
desired him to spere(inquire)whether that Richard Calle were
sure of her or not, for he said that he knew a good marriage for
her, but I wot he lied, for he is whole with Richard Colle in that
matter; wherefore to that intent that he nor they should pick no
comfort of me, I answered him, that and (if) my Father, whom
God assoil! were alive, and had consented thereto, and my
Mother, and ye both, he should never have my good will
for to make my sister to sell candle and mustard in Framlingham,
and thus, with more which were too long to write to you, we
departed.

    And whereas it pleaseth you in your Letter to cry me mercy,
for that ye sent me not such geer as I sent you money for; I cry
you mercy that I was so lewd (troublesome) to encumber you
with any so simple a matter, considering the great matters and
weighty that ye have to do; but need compelled me, for in this
country is no such stuff as I sent to you for.

    Also, whereas it pleaseth you to send to Richard Calee to de-
liver me money, so God help me, I will none ask him for myself,
nor nonr had I of him, nor of none other man but of mine own
since ye departed, but that little that I might forbear(spare) of
mine own, I have delivered to Dawbeney for household, and
paid it for you in men's wages, and therefore whoever sendeth
you word that I have spent you any money since ye went hence,
they must give you another reckoning, saving in meat and drink,
for I eat like an horse, of purpose to eat you out at the doors,
but that needeth not for you come not within them, wherefore,
so God help me, the fellowship here thinks that ye have for-
gotten us all, wherefore and(if) any thing be ill ruled when ye
come home wyet (blame) it yourself for default of oversight.

    Also, I understand for very certain, and it is sent me so word
out of my Lord's house, that this Pentecost(Whitsuntide) is my
Lord's Counsel at Framlingham, and they purpose this week and
the next to hold courts here at Caister, and at all other manors
that were Sir John Fastolf's, purchased of Yelverton and of Sir
Thomas Howys, whom God assoil, and how that my demeaning
shall be, it is too late to send to you for advice, wherefore, and
(if) I do well I ask no thank, and if I do ill, I pray you lay the
default on over little wit, but I purpose to use the first point of
hawking, to hold fast and (if) I may; but so God help me, and
(if) they might pull down the house on our heads, I wyet (blame)
them not, which I trust to God to keep them from; for by God
that bought me, the best Earl in England would not deal so
with my lord and my lady as ye do, without making of some
means to them, so God help me, whosoever advise you to do so,
he is not your friend; and I may, I trust to God to see you
about Midsummer or before, for in good faith I ween ye pur-
pose you that it shall be Easter ere yr come home, for all your
servants here ween that ye purpose no more to deal with them,
but to leave them here in hostage to my Lord of Norfolk.

    Also, Sir, I prat you purvey what Inn that my brother
Edmund shall be in, for he loseth sore his time here I promise
you; I pray you send me word by the next messenger that
cometh, and I shall either send him or bring him up with me to
London.

    Also, Sir, we poor fans deniers (moneyless men) of Caister
have broken three or four steel bows, wherefore we beseech you
and there be any maker of steel-bows in London which is very
cunning, that ye will send me word, and I shall send you the
bows that be broken, which be your own great bow, and Robert
Jackson's bow, and John Pamping's bow; these three have cast
so many calvys, that they shall never cast quarrels(square-headed
arrows) till they be new made.
I pray you find the means that my Lord may have some rea-
sonable mean prossered, so that he and my Lady may understand
that ye desire to have his good Lordship; I promise you it shall
do you ease and your tenants both, and God preserve (you).

                                                                         JOHN PASTON.

Caister, Whitsuntide,
    May, 1469. 9E. IV.
    whitsunday was on the 21 ft May, in 1469.

    On the back of this letter is written, " pro marritag. intr Ricm Call & Margram
"Pafton."

    "A pleasaunt lre to Sir J.Paston, from his brother J.Pafton, wherin the stoutness of
"Sir John is somwhat declared."

    The stoutness, or rather family pride, both of Sir John Paston and his brother, are
discovered in this Letter, in the behaviour of the one to the Duke of Norfolk, and in the
disdain which the other shewed to the idea of his filter's marriage with a perfon in trade.

    Richard Calle has been often mentioned in the course of these Letters, and he seems to
have been a confidential friend of the family. This however seems in the opinion of
J. Paston by no means to have been sufficient to have authorised his pretensions to become
the husband of his sister.

    We here see the origin of the Duke of Norfolk's claim to Caifter to have arisen from
his supposed purchase of it from two of Sir Jaohm Faftolf's Executors; this claim he pur-
sued, and in a few months after the writing of this Letter, beseiged the place in form,
having been, I presume, refused a peaceable entry by John paston, who defended it for
his brother, and in which defence Dawbeney and others lost their lives.
The Letter is curious, and written in such an easy and familiar style as greatly to
interest the reader in its contents.

    Autograph. Pl.xxv. No 21.

710

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

SYR, plesyth it to undyrstand, that I conceyve, by your
     lettyr whyche that ye sent me by Jwde, that ye have
     herd of R. C.² labor whyche he makyth by our un-
gracyous sustyrs³ assent; but wher as they wryet that they
have my good wyll ther in, savyng your reverence, they falsly
lye of it, for they never spake to me of that mater, ner non
othyr body in ther name. Lovell axyd me onys a qwestyon
whedyr that I undyrstood how it was betwyx R. C. and my
suster. I can thynk that it was by Callys menys, for when I
axyd hym whedyr C. desyird hym to meve me that qwestyon
or not, he wold have gotyn it aweye by humys and by hays,
but I wold not so be answeryd; wherfor at the lest he told
me that hys oldest sone desyird hym to spere [inquire] whedyr
that R. C. wes swyr of hyr or nowt, for he seyd that he knew
a good maryage for hyr, but I wot he lyeyd, for he is hole
with R. Cale in that mater. Wherfor to the entent that he
nor they sholl pyck no comfort of me, I answerd hym, that
and my fadyr, whom God asoyle, wer a lyve, and had con-
sentyd ther to, and my modyr, and ye bothe, he shold never
have my good wyll for to make my sustyr to selle kandyll and
mustard in Framlyngham; and thus, wythe mor whyche wer
to longe to wryet to you, we departyd.

     And wher as it plesythe you in your lettyr to crye me
mercy for that ye sent me not syche ger as I sent yow mony
for, I crye yow mercy that I was so lewde [bold] to encomber
yow with eny so sympyll a mater, consyderyng the grette
maters and weyghty that ye have to doo; but need com-
pellyd me, for in thys contre is no syche stuffe as I sent to
yow for.

     Also, wher as it plesyth yow to send to Rychard Calle to
delyver me monye, so God help me, I wyll non axe hym for
my sylfe, nor non had I of hym, nor of non othyr man but of
myne owne, syne ye depertyd; but that lytyll that I myght
forbere of myne owne, I have delyveryd to Dawbeney for
howsold, and pay it for yow in menys wagys; and ther for
who ever sendys yow word that I have spent yow eny mony
syne ye went hens, they must geve yow an othyr reknyng,
savyng in met and drynk, for I eete lyek an horse, of purpose
to eete yow owte at the dorys. But that nedythe not, for ye
com not within them; wherfor, so God help me, the felaushep
her thynkys that ye have forgetyn us alle. Wherfor and eny
thyng be ille rewlyd when ye come home, wyet it [impute it to]
your selfe for defawt of oversyght.

     Also, I undyrstand for verry se[r]teyn, and it is sent me
so woord owt of my Lordys howse, that thys Pentcost is my
Lordys consell at Framlyngham, and they purpose thys week
and the next to hold coortys her at Caster, and at all othyr
maners that wer Sir John F.,¹ and purchasyd of Yelverton and
of Syr T. H.,² whom God asoyle, and how that my demenyng
sholbe, it is to late to send to yow for avyse; wherfor, and I
do well I axe no thank, and if I do ille, I pray yow leythe the
defawt on over lytyll wyte, but I purpose to use the fyrst
poynt of hawkyng, to hold fast and I maye; but so God help
me, and they myght pulle downe the howse on our hedys, I
wyet [blame] hem not, whyche I trust to God to help hem
from; for by God that bowght me, the best Erle in Inglond
wold not dele so with my Lord and my Lady as ye do, with-
owt makyng of some menys to them; so God help me, whoso
ever avyse yow to do so, he is not your frend. And I may,
I trust to God to se yow abowght Mydsomer or befor, for in
good feythe I wene ye purpose yow that it shall be Estern er
ye come hom, for all your servants her wen [here ween] that
ye purpose ne more to dele with them, but to leve hem her
[here] in ostage to my Lord of Norfolk.

     Also, syr, I pray yow purvey what Ine that my brodyr
Edmund shall be in, for he losythe sore hys tyme her, I
promyse yow; I pray yow send me word by the next messenger
that comyth, and I shall eythyr send hym or bryng hym up
with me to London.

     Also, syr, we pore sanz deners of Castr have brook iij. or
iiij. stelle bowys; wherfor we beseche yow, and ther be eny
maker of steele bowys in London whyche is very kunnyng,
that ye wyll send me woord, and I shall send yow the bowys
that be broken, whyche be your owne greet bowe, and Roberd
Jacksonys bowe, and Johon Pampyngs bowe; thes iij. have
kast so many calvys, that they shall never cast qwarellys¹ tyll
they be new mad.

     I praye yow fynd the menys that my Lord have some
resonable meane profyrd, so that he and my Lady may undyr-
stand that ye desyr to have hys good lordshep. I promyse
yow it shall do yow ease and your tenaunts bothe, and God
preserve.                                                                                J. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 344.] This letter appears by the contents to have been written
a little before Whitsuntide after the death of Sir Thomas Howes, and when the Duke
of Norfolk was preparing to make good a claim to the manor of Caister, which, as we
shall see, he regularly besieged and took in September 1469. The date is therefore
certain.

     ² Richard Calle’s                                                    ³ Margery Paston.

     ¹ Fastolf’s.                                       ² Sir Thomas Howes.

     ¹ See vol. ii. p. 101, Note 3.

1469
[MAY]

1469
[MAY]

1469
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