John Paston to Sir John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
John Paston to Sir John Paston
Reference
Add. 34889, f. 94
Date
[September] 1469
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 732; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 98
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (1st transcript)

LETTER XCVIII.

 

Caystr yelded

J. P.

 

RYGHT werchepfull Sr I recomand me on to yow. And as
    for the serteynte of the delyurance of Castr John Chapman
can tell yow how yt we wer enforsyd therto as well as mysylf
As for Iohn Chapman and hys iij felaws I haue p'ueyd that they
be payid ache of them xls wt the mony yt they had of yow and
Dawbeney And yt is J now for the seson that they haue don
yow seruys J pray yow geue them ther thank for by my trowthe
they haue as well deseruyd it as eny men yt eur bare lyue but as
for mony ye ned not to geue hem wt owt ye wyll for they be
plesyd wt ther wagys Wryttyll promysyd me to send yow the
serteynte of the apoyntement we wer sor lak of vetayl gone-
poundyr menys herts lak of of suerte of rescwe dreuyn therto to
take apoyntement if ye wyll yt I come to yow send me woord
and I shall peruey me for to tery wt yow a ii or iij dayis by my
trowthe the rewardyng of syche folkys as hathe ben wt me
dwryg the sege hathe putt me in gret danger for the monye God
prserue yow and J pray yow be of good cher tyll J spek wt yow
and J trust to God to ese yor hert in some thynggys.

 

                                                                                              J. Paston.

                       8 ? by 4 ?

 

    On reading this Letter no one can with-hold the praise due to John paston as a brave
soldier, and a kind and generous master, and at the same time wishing that he and his
companions had been able to have kept possession of Caister ; the noble manner in which
he speaks of his companions, interest us both in his and their favour ; these are the same
four soldiers that his brother Sir John had so particularly recommended to him in his
Letter dated November 9, 1468.

    Autograph. PI. IV. No 12.

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (2nd transcript)

LETTER XCVIII.

 

Caister yielded. J. P.

 

To Sir John Paston, Knight.

 

      RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me unto you, and
          as for the certainty of the deliverance of Caister, John
Chapman can tell you how that we were enforced thereto, as
well as myself ; as for John Chapman and his three fellows, I
have purveyed that they be paid each of them forty shillings,
with the money that they had of you and Dawbeney ; and that
is enough for the season that they have done you service ; I pray
you give them their thank, for by my troth they have as well
deserved it as any men that over bear life, but as for money ye
need not to give them without ye will, for they be pleased with
their wages.

    Writtil promised me to send you the certainty of the appoint-
ments, we were sore lack of victuals ( and ) gunpowder, men's hearts
lack of surety of rescue ( were ) driven thereto to take appointment;.

    If ye will that I come to you, send me word, and I shall purvey
me for to tarry with you a two or three days ; by my troth the
rewarding of such folks as hath been with me during the siege,
hath put me in great danger for the money ; God preserve you,
and I pray you be of good cheer till I speak with you, and I trust
to God to ease your heart in some things.

 

                                                                                   JOHN PASTON.

    September, 1469. 9 E. IV.

 

    On reading this Letter no one can with-hold the praise due to John paston as a brave
soldier, and a kind and generous master, and at the same time wishing that he and his
companions had been able to have kept possession of Caister ; the noble manner in which
he speaks of his companions, interest us both in his and their favour ; these are the same
four soldiers that his brother Sir John had so particularly recommended to him in his
Letter dated November 9, 1468.

    Autograph. PI. IV. No 12.

Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'

 

732

 

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON2

 

Caystr yelded.—J. P.

 

RYGHT werchepfull sir, I recomand me on to yow.
     And as for the serteynte of the delyverance of Caster,
     John Chapman can tell yow how that we wer enforsyd
therto, as wel as mysylf. As for John Chapman and his iij.

felaws, I have purveyd that they be payid ache of them xls.,
with the mony that they had of yow and Dawbeney; and that
is inow for the seson that they have don yow servys. I pray
yow geve them ther thank, for by my trowthe they have as
well deservyd it as eny men that ever bare lyve; but as for
mony, ye ned not to geve hem with owt ye wyll, for they be
plesyd with ther wagys. Wryttyll promysyd me to send yow
the serteynte of the apoyntement. We wer sor1 lak of vetayl,
gonepowdyr, menys herts, lak of suerte of rescwe, drevyn ther-
to to take apoyntement.

     If ye wyll that I come to yow, send me woord, and I shall
pervey me for to tery with yow a ij. or iij. dayis. By my
trowthe, the rewardyng of syche folkys as hathe ben with me
dwryng the sege hathe putt me in gret danger for the monye.
God preserve yow, and I pray yow be of good cher tyll I
spek with yow, and I trust to God to ese your hert in some
thynggys.

                                                                              J. PASTON.

 

    2 [From Fenn, iv. 410.]

 1 sor. So the word stands in Fenn, and ‘sore’ in the copy in modern spelling; but
I suspect a misreading of ‘for.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SEPT.]

 

 

 

1469
SEPT. 26