John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER    XXXIV.

To my Mastyr S^r. John Paston knyght be thys delyu’yd.

RYGHT worchepfull S^r. I recomand me to yow thank[SYM]g
     yow most hertly of yo^r gret cost whyche ye dyd on
me at my last beīg w^t yow at London whyche to my power
I wyll recompence yow w^t the best servyse that lythe in me
to do for your plesure whyll my wytts be my owne.

     Syr as for the mater of ¹ Cast’ it hathe be meuyd to my

Ladys good Grace by the Byshope of  ² Wynchest’ as well as
he kowd imagyn to sey it conseder[SYM]g the lytyll leyser that he
had w^t hyr and he told me that he had ryght an agreabyll
answer of hyr but what hys answer was he wold not tell me
then I axyd hym what answer I should send yow in as myche
as ye mad me a solysyter to hys Lordship for that mater then
he bad me that undyr consayll I shold send you woord that hyr
answer was more to your plesure than to the contrary whych
ye shall have more pleyn knowlage of thys next terme att
whyche tyme bothe my Lord and she shall be at London.

     The Byshop cam to ³ Framlyngham on wednysday at nyght
and on thursday by x of the clok befor noon my yong Lady
was krystend and namyd ⁴ Anne the Byshop crystend it and
was Godfader bothe And w^t in ij owyrs and lesse aftyr the
crysten[SYM]g was do, my Lord of Wynchest’ departyd towards
Walth’m.  (Then follows the substance of a conversation between
the Lady of Norfolk and Thomas Davers, wherein she promises
to be a Friend to Sir John Paston concerning Caister; but J.
Davers swore J. Paston not to mention her good will to any
person except to Sir John.) And I let you pleynly weet I am
not the man I was, ffor I was never so roughe in my Mastyrs
conseyt as I am now and y^t he told me hymselff before Rychard
                                                                                                 Sothewell

Sothewell Tymp’ley S^r. W. Brandon and twenty more, so that
they y^t lowryd nowgh laughe upon me, no moor but god look.
Wretyn at Framl[SYM]gh’m the fryday next aftyr y^t I depertyd
fro yow, thys day my Lord is towardys ⁵ Walsyngh’m and
comandyd me to ou’take hym to morow at y^e ferthest.

                                                                                          ⁶ J. P.

13 ? by 6?.

           Part of the Paper Mark,
                  the Letter G.
               Pl. XII. N^o 18.
           N. B. The upper Part is cut off.

Framlingham,
                 Friday, 1470,
                 10 E. IV.

     Under the Direction of this Letter is written in a hand of the time “A x^o,” which
I suppose means the 10 E. IV. and accordingly I have so dated this Letter, though had it
not been for this memorandum I should have placed it after that of Sir John Paston to
John Paston, Esq. dated 3d of February, 1472, 12 E. IV. and to which I refer the
Reader, as likewise to the Letter dated between 8 and 9, November 1472, 12 E. IV.
N^o LI. and L.

     ¹ The Estate and the Hall at Caister, were part of the possessions of Sir John Fastolf,
knight. John Paston, Father of Sir John, was one of his executors; by which means
the Pastons got into possession of this Seat, &c. The right of possessing it was disputed
both by the Duke of Norfolk, and by King Edward IV. the former in 1469, laying a
regular Slege to it; the Pastons had at last quiet possession.

     ² William de Wainfleet, or Patten, was a firm Adherent to the House of Lancaster;
and notwithstanding that continued Bishop of Winchester from 1447 to 1486.

     ³ Framlingham Castle, in Suffok, the then magnificent Seat of the Duke of Norfolk.

     ⁴ Anne, Daughter and Heir of John Mowbray, the last Duke of Norfolk, of that name.
She was married in 1477 (being quite a Child) to Richard Duke of York, second Son of
Edward IV. who on this marriage was created Duke of Norfolk, &c.

     This innocent Prince was supposed to be murdered in the Tower, with his Brother
King Edward V. in 1483, aged about 9 years. The Lady Anne, his Dachess, died I
believe before him. The Dukedom of Norfolk was in 1483 conferred on the Family of
Howard.          

     ⁵ To visit our Lady of Walsingham I suppose.           

     ⁶ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

                                                   LETTER    XXXIV.

To my Master, Sir John Paston, knight, be this delivered.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, thanking
     you most heartily of your great cost, which ye did on me
at my last being with you at London; which to my power, I
will recompence you with the best service that lyeth in me to do
for your pleasure, while my wits be my own.

     Sir, as for the matter of ¹ Caister, it hath been moved to my

Lady’s good Grace by the Bishop of ² Winchester, as well as
he could imagine to say it, considering the little leisure that
he had with her; and he told me, that he had right an agreeable
answer of her; but what his answer was, he would not tell me;
then I asked him what answer I should send you, in as much
as ye made me a Solicitor to his Lordship for that matter; then
lie bad me, that, under counsel, I should send you word, that
her answer was more to your pleasure than to the contrary ;
which ye shall have more plain knowledge of this next term,
at which time both my Lord and she shall be at London.

     The Bishop came to ³ Framlingham on Wednesday at night,
and on Thursday by 10 of the clock before noon, my young
Lady was christened, and named  ⁴  Anne; the Bishop christened
it, and was Godfather both; and within two hours and less
after the Christening was do, my Lord of Winchester departed
towards Waltham.  (Then follows the substance of a conversa-
tion, between the Lady of Norfolk and Thomas Davers, wherein
she promises to be a Friend to Sir John Paston concerning Cais-
ter, but T. Davers swore J. Paston not to mention her good
will to any person, except to Sir John,) And let you plainly
weet, I am not the man I was; for I was never so rough in my
Master’s conceit as I am now, and that lie told me himself before

Richard Southwell, Tymperley, Sir W. Brandon, and twenty
more, so that they that loved not, laugh upon me; no more but
god look (Query, Good Luck.)

     Written at Framlingham the Friday next after that I departed
from you. This day my Lord is toward ⁵ Walsingham, and
commanded me to overtake him to-morrow at the farthest.

                                                                                 ⁶ J. PASTON.

13 ? by 6?.

           Part of the Paper Mark,
                  the Letter G.
               Pl. XII. N^o 18.
           N. B. The upper Part is cut off.

Framlingham,
                 Friday, 1470,
                 10 E. IV.

     Under the Direction of this Letter is written in a hand of the time “A x^o,” which
I suppose means the 10 E. IV. and accordingly I have so dated this Letter, though had it
not been for this memorandum I should have placed it after that of Sir John Paston to
John Paston, Esq. dated 3d of February, 1472, 12 E. IV. and to which I refer the
Reader, as likewise to the Letter dated between 8 and 9, November 1472, 12 E. IV.
N^o LI. and L.

     ¹ The Estate and the Hall at Caister, were part of the possessions of Sir John Fastolf,
knight. John Paston, Father of Sir John, was one of his executors; by which means
the Pastons got into possession of this Seat, &c. The right of possessing it was disputed
both by the Duke of Norfolk, and by King Edward IV. the former in 1469, laying a
regular Slege to it; the Pastons had at last quiet possession.

     ² William de Wainfleet, or Patten, was a firm Adherent to the House of Lancaster;
and notwithstanding that continued Bishop of Winchester from 1447 to 1486.

     ³ Framlingham Castle, in Suffok, the then magnificent Seat of the Duke of Norfolk.

     ⁴ Anne, Daughter and Heir of John Mowbray, the last Duke of Norfolk, of that name.
She was married in 1477 (being quite a Child) to Richard Duke of York, second Son of
Edward IV. who on this marriage was created Duke of Norfolk, &c.

     This innocent Prince was supposed to be murdered in the Tower, with his Brother
King Edward V. in 1483, aged about 9 years. The Lady Anne, his Dachess, died I
believe before him. The Dukedom of Norfolk was in 1483 conferred on the Family of
Howard.          

     ⁵ To visit our Lady of Walsingham I suppose.          

     ⁶ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

823

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To my Mastyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd.

RYGHT worchepfull Syr, I recomand me to yow, thank-
     yng yow most hertly of your gret cost, whyche ye dyd
     on me at my last being with yow at London; whyche
to my power I wyll recompence yow with the best servyse
that lythe in me to do for your plesure, whyll my wytts be my
owne.

     Syr, as for the mater of Caster, it hathe be mevyd to my
Ladys good grace by the Byshope of Wynchester, as well as he
kowd imagyn to sey it, consederyng the lytyll leyser that he
had with hyr; and he told me that he had ryght an agreabyll
answer of hyr, but what hys answer was, he wold not tell me.
Then I axyd hym what answer I should send yow, in as myche
as ye mad me a solysyter to hys Lordship for that mater; then
he bad me that undyr consayll I shold send you woord that hyr
answer was more to your plesure than to the contrary, whych
ye shall have more pleyn knowlage of thys next terme, att
whyche tyme bothe my Lord and she shall be at London.

     The Byshop cam to Framlyngham on Wednysday at nyght,
and on Thursday by x. of the clok befor noon, my yong Lady
was krystend, and namyd Anne. The Byshop crystend it and
was godfader bothe, and with in ij. owyrs and lesse aftyr the
crystenyng was do, my Lord of Wynchester departyd towards
Waltham.² . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And I let you pleynly weet, I am not the man I was, ffor I was
never so roughe in my mastyrs conseyt as I am now, and that
he told me hymselff before Rychard Sothewell, Tymperley, Sir
W. Brandon, and twenty more, so that they that lowryd, nowgh¹
laughe upon me; no moor, but god look.

     Wretyn at Framlyngham, the Fryday next aftyr that I
depertyd fro yow. Thys day my Lord is towardys Walsyng-
ham, and comandyd me to overtake hym to morow at the
ferthest.

                                                                                                      J. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 42.] Fenn informs us that this letter is dated on the back in a
contemporaneous handwriting, ‘Anno x^o.,’ which seems to mean 10 Edw. IV. This
date however, is certainly erroneous; for in the inquisitions taken on the death of the
Duke of Norfolk, Anne, Lady Mowbray, his daughter and heir, was found to have
been four years old on the 10th December 1476. She was born, therefore, on the 10th
December 1472.

     ² Then follows the substance of a conversation between the Lady of Norfolk and
Thomas Davers, wherein she promises to be a friend to Sir John Paston concerning
Caister; but J. Davers swore J. Paston not to mention her goodwill to any person,
except to Sir John.—F.

     ¹ In the modern version Fenn reads, ‘so that they that loved not, laugh upon me.’

1472
DEC. 18

1472
DEC. 18