John Paston to Sir John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
You may need to log in to continue. Access the full document and its details.
Title
John Paston to Sir John Paston
Reference
Add. 34889, f. 98
Date
December 1469
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 740; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 100
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume IV' (1st transcript)

LETTER C.

 

    To Mastr Syr Iohn
    Paston Knyght.

 

      RYGHT worchepfull Syr J recomand me to you &c. Jt is
          so yt thys day ther Cam A good felaw to me whyche may
not be dyscou'yd and let me wet that my lord of Norff Consayll
hathe this Crystmas gotyn the two wydows whows husbands
wer slayn at ye sege of Castr and have hem bowndyn in a gret
some yt they shall swe a peel ayenst me and syche as wer ther
wt me wtin the plase and they be bownd also yt they shall relese
no man wtin the apell namyd tyll syche tyme as my lord of
Norff wyll lycence them. Itm, the cawse is thys as it is told
me by dyvrs that ye mede no mor eswte to my Lord for yorself
then ye do, and therfor they do ye wors to me for yor sake.

    Jt' as for my Comyg up to london so good help me and J may
chese J Com not ther for argent me fawlt wtout apell or an Jnkyr
of som specyall mater of yor cawso it. It' J pray yow remebyr
Caleys for J am put out of wagys in thys Contre It' J pray yow
send me some tydygs how the world gothe ad Confortandu sto-
macu Jt' ye must puruey anewe Atorny in thys Contre as for
me for or maters and clamore is to gret and our purse and wytte
to slendyr but J wyle Rubbe on as long as J maye bothe wt myn
owne and other menys yt wyle do for me tyll better pese be
Wretyn thys Stardaye at Norwyche.

                                                                                                   J. P.
           11 ? by 8.

          Paper Mark,

    Bullis head and Star.

        Pl. XXII. No 13.

 

    Two men having been killed during the siege at Caister, the Duke of Norfolk's
counsel instigate their widows to lodge an appeal for the murder against John Paston
and others. An appeal is an accusation of a murderer by a person who had interest
in the person killed, as the wife had interest in the life of her husband, and must be
brought within a year and day after the fact committed; and in this appeal of death
the King cannot pardonn the Defendant.

    The latter part of this Letter contains Latin', French, and English, by which we may
judge how liberally J. Paston had been educated. He seems likewise in good spirits,
though threatened with this appeal.

    Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 21.

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

LETTER C.

 

To Master Sir John Paston, Knight.

 

      RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, &c. it is
           so that this day there came a good fellow to me which
may not be discovered, and let me weet that my Lord of Nor-
folk's counasel hath this Christmas gotten the two widows, whose
husbands were slain at the siege of Caister, to have them bound
in a great sum that they shall sue an appeal against me and such
as were there with me within the place, and they be bound also
that they shall release no man within the appeal named till such
time as my Lord of Norfolk will license them.

    Item, the cause is this; as it is told me be divers, that ye
make no more suit to my Lord for yourself then ye do, and
therefore they do the worse to me for your sake.

    Item, as for my coming up to London, so God help me,
and (if) I may choose I come not there for, argent me faut,
without an appeal or an Inkyr (q ? inquiry) of some special matters
sof your cause it. Item, I pray your remember Calais, for I am
put out of wages in this country.

    Item, I pray you send me some tidings how the world goeth
ad confortandum stomachum.

    Item, ye must purvey a new Attorney in this country, as for
me, for our matters and clamour is too great, and our purse and
wit too slender; but I will rub on as long as I may both with
mine own and other means that will do for me till better peace
be. Written this Saturday at Norwich.

                                                                                   JOHN PASTON.

    Saturday,
        December of January,
        1469. 9 E. IV.

 

    Two men having been killed during the siege at Caister, the Duke of Norfolk's
counsel instigate their widows to lodge an appeal for the murder against John Paston
and others. An appeal is an accusation of a murderer by a person who had interest
in the person killed, as the wife had interest in the life of her husband, and must be
brought within a year and day after the fact committed; and in this appeal of death
the King cannot pardonn the Defendant.

    The latter part of this Letter contains Latin', French, and English, by which we may
judge how liberally J. Paston had been educated. He seems likewise in good spirits,
though threatened with this appeal.

    Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 21.

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

 

740

 

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON1

 

To Master Syr John Paston, Knyght.

RYGHT worchepfull syr, I recomand me to you, &c. It
     is so that thys day ther cam a good felaw to me, whyche
     may not be dyscoveryd, and let me wet that my Lord
of Norff. consayll hathe this Crystmas gotyn the two wydows,
whows husbands wer slayn at the sege of Caster, and have hem
bowndyn in a gret some that they shall swe a peel ayenst me
and syche as wer ther with me within the plase, and they be
bownd also that they shall relese no man within the apell
namyd tyll syche tyme as my Lord of Norff. wyll lycence
them.

     Item, the cawse is thys, as it is told me by dyvers, that ye
meke no more swte to my Lord for yourself than ye do, and
therfor they do the wors to me for your sake.

     Item, as for my comyng up to London, so God help me,
and I may chese, I com not ther, for argent me fawlt, without
apell or an inkyr [inquiry?] of som specyall mater of your
cawse it. Item, I pray yow remembyr Caleys, for I am put
out of wagys in thys contre.

     Item, I pray yow send me some tydyngs how the world
gothe ad confortandum stomacum.

     Item, ye must purvey anewe atorny in thys contre. As for
me, for our maters and clamore is to gret, and our purse and
wytte to slendyr, but I wyle rubbe on as long as I maye bothe
with myn owne, and other menys that wyle do for me tyll
better pese be.

     Wretyn thys Saturdaye, at Norwcyche.                      J. P.

 

     1 [From Fenn, iv. 416.] It appears by the contents that this letter was written
about Christmas after the siege of Caister. An appeal of murder was a process sued
by the nearest relative of a person killed. It was quite independent of any prosecution
for murder by the Crown, and no royal pardon was of any avail against it; but the
appeal had to be brought within a year and a day of the fact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1469
DEC.