John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XLVIII.

To my ryght worchepfull Brodyr S^r. John Paston knyght.

RYGHT worchepfull S^r. I recomand me to yow letyng
     yow wet y^t yo^r desyer as for the Knyghts of the ¹ Shyer
was an īpossoybyl to be browghta bowght ffor my Lord of ² Norff
and my Lord of ³ Suff wer agreid i mor then a fortnyght go to
have S^r. Rob^t Wyngfeld and S^r. Rychard Harcort and that
knew I not tyll it was fryday last past I had sent or I rod to
Framlynh’m to warne as many of yo^r frends to be at Norwyche
as thys monday to serve yo^r entent as I koud, but when I cam
to Framlyñh’m and knew the apo[SYM]tmēt that was taken for the ij
Knyghts I sent warn[SYM]g ayen to as many I myght to tery at
hom and yet ther cam to Norwyche thys day as many as ther
costs dreave to IXs. Id. ob. payid and reknyd by Pekok and
R. Capron and yet they dyd but brak ther fest and depertyd
And I thankyd hem in yo^r name and told them that ye wold
have noo voyse as thys day for ye supposyd not to be in Inglond
when the perlement shold be And so they cam not at the
sherhous for if they had it was thought by syche as be yo^r
frends her that yo^r adu’sarys wold have reportyd y^t ye had mad

labor to have ben on’ and y^t ye koud not bry[SYM]g yo^r p’pose
abowght.

     I sent to Yermowthe and they have p’mysyd also to Doctor
Aleyn and John Russe to be mor then iij wekys goo.

     Jamys Arblast’ hathe wretyn a lett’ to the bayle of Maldon in
Essex to have yow a Bergeys ther howe Iwde shall sped let hym
tell yow when ye spek to gedyr.

     Syr I have ben twyis at Framl[SYM]gh’m sythe yo^r dep’tyng but
now the last tyme the ⁴ Consayll was ther, I sye yow lettyr
whyche was bettyr then well endyghtyd R C. was net at Fram-
l[SYM]gh’m when the Consayll was ther but I took myn owne avyse
and delyu’erd it to the consayll w^r a p’poeysion ther w^t as well as
I kowd spek it, and my wordys wer well takyn but yo^r lett a
thousand fold bettyr when they had red it they shewyd it to my
⁵ Lady aftyr that my Lady had sen it I spok w^t my Lady
offr[SYM]g to my Lord and her your seruyse and besyd y^t ye to do
my Lord a ⁶ plesur and hyr a bettyr so as ye myght depert w^t
ought eny some specyfyid. She wold not tell in that mater but
remyttyd me ayen to the consayll for she seyd and she speke in it
tyll my Lord and the consayll wer agreed they wold ley the
wyght of all the mater on hyr whyche shold be reportyd to hyr
shame but thys she promyseid to be helpyng so it wer fyrst
mevyd by the consayll, then I went to the consayll and offyrd
befor them yo^r servyse to my Lord and to do hym a plesure

for y^e haveīg ayen of yo^r place and londys in Cast’ xl^li not
spek[SYM]g of yo^r stuff nor thyng ellys, so they answerd me yo^r
offyr was more then resonabyll and if the mater wer thers
they seyd they wyst what conscyence wold dryve hem to they
seyd they wold meve my Lord w^t it and so they dyd, but then
the tempest aros and he gave hem syche an answer that non of
hem all wold tell it me, but when I axid an answer of hem they
seyd and som Lordys or gretter men mevyd my Lord w^tit the
     (kepe consaile)
mater wer your and w^t thys answer I depertyd but S^r. W.
Brandon Sothewell Tymp’ley Herry Wentworthe, W. Gornay
and all other of consayll undyrstand that ye have wronge inso.
myche that they mevyd me that ye shold take a recompence
of other lond to the valew but they wold not avowe the
offyr for I anserd hem that if y^ey had ryght they wold have
ofred no recompence dyscovyr not thys but in my reason and
my Lord ⁷ Chamb’leyn wold send my Lady a Lett’ w^t some
p’uy tokyn betwyx theym and allso to meve my Lord of Norff’
when he comyth to the p’lement serteynly Cast’ is yours.

     If ye mysse to be Burgeys of Maldon and my Lord Chamb’-
leyn wyll ye may be in a nother plase ther be a doseyn townys
in Inglond that chesse no bergeys whyche ought to do and ye
may be set in for on’ of those townys and ye be frendyd.
Also in no wyse forget not in all hast to get some goodly ryng
pryse of xx^s or som praty flowyr of the same pryse and not undyr
to geve to Jane Rodon for she hathe ben the most specyall
laborer in yo^r mater and hathe promysyd hyr good wyll foorthe

and she doeth all w^t hyr mastresse And my Lord Chamberleyn
wyll he may cause my Lord of Norff’ to com up soner to the
p’lement then he shold do and then he may apoynt w^thym for
yow or y^{e 8} ferm corn be gadryd. I profyrd but xl^li and if
my Lord Chamberleyn profyr my Lady the remeñnt I can
thynk it shall be taken my Lady must have somwhat to bye hyr
⁹ Kovercheff besyd my Lord a Soper y^t I payd for wher all
the consayll was at Framlygh’m ij^s iij^d and my costs at Fram-
lygh’m twyis lyīg ther by viij dayis w^t IX^s l^d ob. for costs of
y² contre at Norwyche drawyth abowght xx^s I trowe more by
our Lady if it be lesse stand to your harmys and sic remanet
v^li xiij^s iiij^d.

     I axe no more gods of you sor all the servyse y^t I shall do yow
whyll the world standyth but a ¹⁰ Gosshawke if eny of my
Lord Chamb’leyns men or yours goo to Kaleys or if eny be to
get in London that is a mewyd hawk for she may make yow
sporte when ye com into Inglond a doseyn yer hens, and to
call upon yow owyrly nyghtly dayly dyner soper for thys
hawk I pray noo more but my brodyr E. J. Pamp[SYM]g Thyrston
I. Myryel W. Pyttte T. Plattyng Jwde lityll Jak Mastyr Boton’
and W. Wood to boote to whyche persons I prey yow to
comand me and if all thes lyst to spek to yow of thys mater
when S^r. George Browne W. Knyvett R. Hyd or eny folk of

                                                                                             worchepp

worchepp and of my aqweyntanse be in yo^r compeny so y^e
they may helpe forthe for all is lytyll i nowe and ye be not u y
well wyll[SYM]g, I shall so p’uey for hem and ever ye com to Norwyche
and they w^tyow that they shall have as deynte vytayll and as
gret ¹¹ plente therof for 1^d as they shall have of the tresorer of
Caleys for XV^d. And ye p’aventure a Pye of Wymondh’m to
boote, now thynk on me good Lord for if I have not an
Hawke I shall wax fatt for default of labor and ded for de-
fault of company by my trowthe no more but I pray God
send you all your desyrs and me my mwyd Gosshawk in hast
or rather y^en fayle a Sowyr Hawke ther is a Grosser dwell[SYM]g
ryght ou’ayenst the well w^t ij boketts a lytyll fro Seynt Elens
hathe evyr Hawkys to sell.

     Wretyn at Norwyche the xxj day of September A^o. E iiij^ti xij^o.

                                                                                       ¹² J. P.

     Rather then faylle a Tarsell provyd wyli occupy the tyme tyll
I com to Caleys.

11 ? by 8 ?.

             Paper Mark,
             Wheels, &c.
              Pl. x. N^o 9.

Norwich, Monday, 21st of September,
               1472, 12 E. IV.

     ¹ For the County of Norfolk.

     ² John Mowbray.

³ John de la Pole.

⁴ We have here a curious description of the Council of a great man, and find it com-
posed of Gentlemen of family and fortune. Matters respecting the property of their
Lord come before them, they debate upon the subject, an I deliver their opinion; but it
that opinion differed from that of the great man we find he took the liberty of adopting
his own.

 ⁵ Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.

     ⁶ Make him a present.

⁷ William, Lord Hastings.

⁸ Corn paid in part of Rent.

     ⁹ A Head Dress.

     ¹⁰ From the anxiety here expressed for an Hawk, we may judge of the attention which
was paid to the Diversion of Hawking.

A mewed Goshawk, was a large short-winged Hawk, that had changed his feathers
once or more;—a Soar Hawk, was one who began to prey for himself;—a Tiercel
Hawk, was the female of the Goshawk kind;—it appears too, that a Grosser, or Dealer
in Foreign Fruits, &c. sold Hawks.

     ¹¹ The Attendance on the wars in France, and in our Garrisons there, must have
been very expensive by this account of the difference in the price of Provisions at Calais
and at Norwich.

¹² Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

LETTER XLVIII.

To my right worshipful Brother Sir John Paston, Knight.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, letting you
     weet, that your desire, as for the Knights of the ¹ Shire,
was an impossible (thing) to be brought about; for my Lord of
² Norfolk and my Lord of ³ Suffolk, were agreed, more than a
fortnight ago, to have Sir Robert Wyngfield, and Sir Richard
Harcourt, and that knew I not till Friday last past. I had sent,
ere I went to Framlingham, to warn as many of your friends, to
be at Norwich, as this Monday, to serve your intent, as I could;
but when I came to Framlingham, and knew the appointment
that was taken for the two Knights, I sent warning again to as
many as I might, to tarry at home; and yet there came to
Norwich this day as many as their costs drew to 9s. 1d. ?.
paid and reckoned by Peacock and R. Capron; and yet they
did but break their fasts and departed; and I thanked them in
your name, and told them that ye would have no voice as this
day, for ye supposed not to be in England when the Parliament
should be; and so they came not at the Shire-house, for if they
had, it was thought by such as be your friends here, that
your Adversaries would have reported, that ye had made labour

to have been one, and that ye could not bring your purpose
about.

     I sent to Yarmouth, and they have promised also to Doctor
Aleyn and John Russe to be (Burgesses) more then three weeks ago.

     James Arblaster hath written a Letter to the Bailiff of Mal-
don, in Essex, to have you a Burgess there, how Jude shall
speed, let him tell you, when ye speak together.

     Sir, I have been twice at Framlingham, since your departing,
but now the last time the ⁴ Council was there; I saw your
Letter which was better than well endited. R. C. was not at
Framlingham when the Council was there, but I took my own
advice, and delivered it to the Council with a proposition there-
with, as well as I could speak it; and my words were well
taken, but your Letter a thousand sold better; when they had
read it, they shewed it to my ⁵ Lady; after that my Lady had
seen it, I speak with my Lady, offering to my Lord and her
your service, and besides that, ye to do my Lord a ⁶ pleasure
and her a better, so as ye might depart without any sum speci-
fied; she would not tell in that matter, but remitted me again
to the Council, for she said, and she spoke in it, till my Lord
and the Council were agreed, they would lay the weight of all
the matter on her, which should be reported to her shame; but
this she promised to be helping, so it were first moved by the
Council; then I went to the Council, and offered before them
your service to my Lord, and to do him a pleasure, for the

having again of your Place, and Lands in Caister 40l. not
speaking of your Stuff nor thing else; so they answered me
your offer was more than reasonable, and if the matter were
theirs, they said, they wist (knew) what Conscience would
drive them to, they said, they would move my Lord with it,
and so they did; but then the Tempest arose, and he gave them
such an answer, that none of them all would tell it me; but
when I asked an answer of them they said; ?And (if) some
?Lords or greater men moved my Lord with it, the matter were
?yours?; (keep counsel) and with this answer I departed, but Sir
W. Brandon, Southwell, Tymperley, Harry Wentworth, W.
Gorney, and all other of council understand that ye have wrong;
in so much that they moved me that ye should take a recom-
pence of other land to the value, but they would not avow the
offer; for I answered them, if they had right they would have
offered no recompence; discover not this, but in my reason,
and (if) my Lord ⁷ Chamberlain would send my Lady a Letter
with some privy token between them, and also to move my
Lord of Norfolk when he cometh to the Parliament, certainly
Caister is yours.

     If ye miss to be Burgess of Maldon, and my Lord Chamber-
lain will, ye may be in another place; there be a dozen Towns
in England that choose no Burgess, which ought to do it, ye
may be set in for one of those Towns and (if) ye be friended.
Also in any wise forget not in all haste to get some goodly ring
(at the) price of 20s. or some pretty Flower of the same price,
and not under, to give to Jane Rodon; for she hath been the
most special labourer in your matter, and hath promised her

good will forth (in future); and she doth all with her Mistress.
And (if) my Lord Chamberlain will, he may cause my Lord
of Norfolk to come up sooner to the Parliament than he should
do, and then he may appoint with him for you, ere the ³ farm
corn be gathered. I profered but 40l. and if my Lord Chamber-
lain profer my Lady the remanent, I can think it shall be taken;
my Lady must have somewhat to buy her a ⁹ Coverchief besides
my Lord.

     A supper that I paid for, where all the Council was at
Framlingham 2s. 3d. and my costs at Framlingham twice lying
there by eight days, with 9s. 1d. ?. for costs of the Country at.
Norwich draweth about 20s. I trow more. By our Lady if it.
be less stand to your harms, and sic remanet 5l. 13s. 4d.

     I ask no more good of you for all the service, that I shall do
you while the world standeth, but a ¹⁰ Goss Hawk, if any of
my Lord Chamberlain?s men or yours go to Calais, or if any be
to get in London, that is, a mewed Hawk, for she may make
you sport when ye come into England a dozen years hence; and
to call upon you hourly, nightly, daily, dinner, supper, for this
Hawk, I pray no more but my brother (Edmund), J. Pampyng,
Thyrston, J. Myryel, W. Pitt, T. Platting, Jude, little Jack,
Master Botoner and W. Wood to boot, to which Persons I pray
you to commend me, and if all these list (be disposed) to speak to
you of this matter when Sir George Browne, W. Knyvet, R. Hyde,

or any folk of worship and of my acquaintance be in your
company, so that they may help forth, (for all is little enough,
and (if) ye be not very well willing) I shall so purvey for
them, and ever ye come to Norwich, and they with you, that
they shall have as dainty victuals and as great ¹¹ plenty thereof
for 1d. as they shall have of the Treasurer of Calais for 15d.
and ye peradventure, a Pye of Wymondham to boot; now
think on me good Lord, for if I have not an Hawk, I shall wax
fat for default of labour, and dead for default of company by my
truth. No more but I pray God send you all your desires, and
me my mewed Goss Hawk in haste, or rather then fail, a
Soar Hawk, there is a Grosser dwelling right over against the
Well with two Buckets a little from Saint Helen?s hath ever
Hawks to sell.

     Writtten at Norwich the 21st day of September, in the 12th
year of Ed. IV.

                                                                 ¹² JOHN PASTON.

     Rather then fail a Tarssel proved will occupy the time till I
come to Calais.

11 ? by 8 ?.

             Paper Mark,
             Wheels, &c.
              Pl. x. N^o 9.

Norwich, Monday, 21st of September,
               1472, 12 E. IV.

     ¹ For the County of Norfolk.

     ² John Mowbray.

³ John de la Pole.

⁴ We have here a curious description of the Council of a great man, and find it com-
posed of Gentlemen of family and fortune. Matters respecting the property of their
Lord come before them, they debate upon the subject, an I deliver their opinion; but it
that opinion differed from that of the great man we find he took the liberty of adopting
his own.

 ⁵ Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.

     ⁶ Make him a present.

⁷ William, Lord Hastings.

⁸ Corn paid in part of Rent.

     ⁹ A Head Dress.

     ¹⁰ From the anxiety here expressed for an Hawk, we may judge of the attention which
was paid to the Diversion of Hawking.

A mewed Goshawk, was a large short-winged Hawk, that had changed his feathers
once or more;—a Soar Hawk, was one who began to prey for himself;—a Tiercel
Hawk, was the female of the Goshawk kind;—it appears too, that a Grosser, or Dealer
in Foreign Fruits, &c. sold Hawks.

     ¹¹ The Attendance on the wars in France, and in our Garrisons there, must have
been very expensive by this account of the difference in the price of Provisions at Calais
and at Norwich.

¹² Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

809

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght worchepfull brodyr, Sir John Paston, Knyght.

RYGHT worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, letyng
     yow wet that your desyer as for the Knyghts of the
     Shyer was an impossoybyl to be browght abowght;
ffor my Lord of Norffolk and my Lord of Suffolk wer agreid
i mor then a fortnyght go to have Sir Robert Wyngfeld, and
Sir Rychard Harcort, and that knew I not tyll it was Fryday
last past. I had sent or I rod to Framlynham, to warne as
many of your frends to be at Norwyche as thys Monday, to
serve your entent as I koud; but when I cam to Framlynham,
and knew the apoyntment that was taken for the ij. knyghts, I
sent warnyng ayen to as many I myght to tery at hom; and
yet ther cam to Norwyche thys day as many as ther costs
dreave to ixs. id. ob., payid and reknyd by Pekok and R.
Capron, and yet they dyd but brak ther fest and depertyd.
 

And I thankyd hem in your name, and told them that ye wold
have noo voyse as thys day, for ye supposyd not to be in
Inglond when the Perlement shold be, and so they cam not at
the sherhous [shire-house]; for if they had, it was thought by
syche as be your frends here, that your adversarys wold have
reportyd that ye had mad labor to have ben one, and that ye
koud not bryng your purpose abowght.

     I sent to Yermowthe, and they have promysyd also to
Doctor Aleyn and John Russe to be mor then iij. wekys
goo.

     Jamys Arblaster hathe wretyn a lettyr to the Bayle of
Maldon, in Essex, to have yow a bergeys ther; howe Jwde
shall sped, let hym tell yow, when ye spek to gedyr.

     Syr, I have ben twyis at Framlyngham sythe your departyng,
but now, the last time the consayll was ther, I sye [saw] yow
lettyr whyche was bettyr then well endyghtyd. R. C.¹ was
not at Framlyngham when the consayll was ther, but I took
myn owne avyse, and delyvered it to the consayll with a pro-
pocysion ther with, as well as I kowd spek it, and my wordys
wer well takyn, but your lett[yr] a thousand fold bettyr.
When they had red it, they shewd it to my Lady.² Aftyr
that my Lady had sen it, I spok with my Lady offryng to my
Lord and her your servyse, and besyd that, ye to do my Lord
a plesur³ and hyr a bettyr, so as ye myght depert wyth ought
eny some specyfyid. She wold not tell in that mater, but
remyttyd me ayen to the consayll, for she seyd, and she speke
in it, tyll my Lord and the consayll wer agreed, they wold ley
the wyght [blame] of all the mater on hyr, whyche shold be
reportyd to hyr shame; but thys she promyseid to be helpyng,
so it wer fyrst mevyd by the consayll. Then I went to the
consayll, and offyrd befor them your servyse to my Lord, and
to do hym a plesure, for the haveing ayen of your place and
londys in Caster, xlli. not spekyng of your stuff nor thyng
ellys. So they answerd me your offyr was more then reson-
abyll; and if the mater wer thers, they seyd, they wyst what
conscyence wold dryve hem to. They seyd they wold meve
my Lord with it, and so they dyd, but then the tempest aros,
and he gave hem syche an answer that non of hem all wold tell
it me; but when I axid an answer of them, they seyd, and [if]
som Lordys or gretter men mevyd my Lord with it, the mater
wer your (kepe consaile), and with thys answer I depertyd.
But Syr W. Brandon, Sothewell, Tymperley, Herry Went-
worthe, W. Gornay, and all other of consayll, undyrstand that
ye have wronge, insomyche that they mevyd me that ye shold
take a recompence of other lond to the valew; but they wold
not avowe the offyr, for I anserd hem that if they had ryght
they wold have ofred no recompence. Dyscovyr not thys, but
in my reason, and [i.e. if] my Lord Chamberleyn¹ wold send
my Lady a letter with some privy tokyn betwyx theym, and
allso to meve my Lord of Norffolk when he comyth to the
Parlement, serteynly Caster is yours.

     If ye mysse to be burgeys of Maldon, and my Lord
Chamberleyn wyll, ye may be in a nother plase; ther be a
doseyn townys in Inglond that chesse no bergeys, whyche
ought to do, and ye may be set in for one of those townys,
and ye be frendyd. Also in no wyse forget not in all hast to
get some goodly ryng, pryse of xxs., or som praty flowyr of
the same pryse, and not undyr, to geve to Jane Rodon, for she
hathe ben the most specyall laborer in your mater, and hathe
promysyd hyr good wyll foorthe, and she doeth all with hyr
mastresse. And my Lord Chamberleyn wyll, he may cause
my Lord of Norffolk to com up soner to the Parlement then
he shold do, and then he may apoynt with hym for yow, or the
ferm corn² be gadryd. I profyrd but xlli., and if my Lord
Chamberleyn profyr my Lady the remenaunt, I can thynk it
shall be taken. My Lady must have somwhat to bye hyr
kovercheff³ besyd my Lord. A soper that I payd for, wher
all the consayll was at Framlyngham, ijs. iijd., and my costs at
Framlyngham twyis lying ther by viii. dayis, with ixs. id. ob.,
for costs of the contre at Norwyche drawyth abowght xxs., I
trowe more: by our Lady, i it be lesse, stand to your harmys,
and sic remanet vli. xiijs. iiid.

    I axe no more gods of you for all the servyse that I shall
do yow whyll the world standyth, but a gosshawke,¹ if eny of
my Lord Chamberleyns men or yours goo to Kaleys, or if eny
be to get in London; that is, a mewyd hawk, for she may
make yow sporte when ye com into Inglond a doseyn yer hens,
and to call upon yow owyrly, nyghtly, dayly, dyner, soper, for
thys hawk. I pray noo more but my brother E., J. Pampyng,
Thyrston, J. Myryel, W. Pytte, T. Plattyng Jwde, lityll Jak,
Mastyr Botoner, and W. Wood to boote, to whyche persons I
prey yow to comand me; and if all thes lyst to spek to yow of
thys mater when Sir George Browne, W. Knyvett, R. Hyd, or
eny folk of worchepp and of my aqweyntanse be in your com-
peny, so that they may helpe forthe, for all is lytyll i nowe, and
ye be not very well wyllyng, I shall so pervey for hem, and ever
ye com to Norwyche, and they with yow, that they shall have
as deynte vytayll and as gret plente therof for id. as they shall
have of the tresorer of Caleys for xvd., and ye, peraventure, a
pye of Wymondham to boote. Now thynk on me, good Lord,
for if I have not an hawke, I shall wax fatt for default of labor,
and ded for default of company by my trowthe. No more,
but I pray God send you all your desyrs, and me my mwyd
gosshawk in hast, or rather then fayle, a sowyr hawke. Ther
is a grosser dwellyng ryght over ayenst the well with ij. boketts
a lytyll fro Seynt Elens, hathe evyr hawkys to sell.

     Wretyn at Norwyche the xxj. day of September, Anno
E. iiij^ti xij^o.

                                                                                                            J. P.

     Rather then faylle, a tarsell provyd wyll occupy the tyme
tyll I com to Caleys.

¹ [From Fenn, ii. 102.]

    ¹ Richard Calle.

     ² Elizabeth, Duchess of Norfolk.     ³ Make him a present.—F.

¹ William, Lord Hastings.                ² Corn paid in part of rent.—F.

     ³ A head-dress, or handkerchief.—F.

¹ From the anxiety here expressed for a hawk, we may judge of the attention
which was paid to the diversion of hawking. Latham, in his book of Falconry, says
that a goshawk is the first and most esteemed kind of hawk; that a sore hawk is from
the first taking of her from the eyry till she hath mewed her feathers. The tassel, or
tiercel, is the male of the goshawk, so called because it is a tierce or third less than
the female; it appears here, that a ‘grosser,’ or dealer in foreign fruits, etc., sold hawks.
—F.

SEPT. 21

1472

SEPT. 21

1472

SEPT. 21