John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXVI.

To S^r. John Paston knyght lodgyd at the George by Powlys
wherff in London.

AFTYR all dwtes of recomendacyon please it yow to
     undyrstand that I have spoken w^t my Lady sythe I
wrot to yow last, and she told me that the Kyng had no syche
woordys to my Lord for Cast’ as ye told me but she seyth
that the Kyng axid my Lord at hys dep’t[SYM]g fro Caleys how
he wold deele w^t Cast’ and my Lord answerd nevyr a woord.

    S^r. W. ¹ Brandon stood by and the Kyng axid hym what my
Lord wold do in that mater seyīg that he had comandyd hym
befor tyme to meve my Lord w^t that mater and S^r. W. Brandon
gave the Kyng to answer that he had doone so then the Kyng
axid S^r. W. B. what my Lordys answer was to hym and S^r. W.
B. told the Kyng that my Lords answer was that the Kyng shold
as soone have hys lyff as that place and then the Kyng axid
my Lord whedyr he seyd so or nought and my Lord seyd yee
and the Kyng seyd not o woord ayen but tornyd hys bak
and went hys wey, but my Lady told me and the Kyng had
spokyn any woord in the world aftyr that to my Lord, my
Lord wold not have seyd hym nay And I have gevyn my
Lady warn[SYM]g that I wyll do my Lord no more serveys, but
er we p’tyd she mad me to make hyr promess that I shold
let hyr have knowlege er I fastonyd myselff in eny other ser-
vysse and so I dep’tyd and sye hyr not syness, nor nought p’pose
to doo tyll I spek w^t yow.

     I prey yow bryng home some hattys w^t yow or and ye come
not hastyly send me on, &c. and I shall pay yow for it a Comb
¹ Otys when ye come home.

     My Modyr wold sayn have yow at Mawtby she rode thydyr
ought of Norwyche on sat’day last past to p’vey yo^r lodg[SYM]g redy
ayenst yo^r com[SYM]g.

     I have been ryght ³ seek ayen sythe I wroote to yow last and
thys same day have I ben pess[SYM]g seek it wyll not ought of
my stomak by no mean I am undon I may not ete halff I nough
when I have most hungyr I am so well dyettyd and yet it wyll
not be God send yow heele for have non iij dayes to gedyr do
the best I can.

     Wretyn at Norwyche the monday next be for Seynt ⁴ Simone
and Jude A^o. E. iiij xv^o.

                                                                                          ⁵ J. P.
             11 ½ by 7 ½.

Norwich,
               Monday, 23d of October,
               1475, 15 E. IV.

     This Letter records a most carious conversation between the King, the Duke of
Norfolk, and Sir William Brandon, relative to Caister.

     ¹ Sir William Brandon was father of Charles Brandon, afterwards created Duke of
Suffolk.

     ² In 1475, a Comb of Oats fold for 11d. we have therefore the value of a Hat in
this reign.

     ³ I have put in this account of his sickness, to show the sensible method prescribed
for his recovery, by dieting him, and debarring him from much victuals.

     ⁴ 28th of October.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

LETTER LXVI.

To Sir John Paston, Knight, lodging at the George, by Paul’s
Wharff, in London.

AFTER all duties of recommendation, please it you to
     understand, that I have spoken with my Lady since I
wrote to you last; and she told me that the King had no such
words to my Lord for Caister, as ye told me; but she saith, that
the King asked my Lord at his departing from Calais, how he
would deal with Caister, and my Lord answered never a word.

     Sir W. ¹ Brandon stood by, and the King asked him, what
my Lord would do in that matter; saying, that he had com-
manded him before time to move my Lord with that matter, and
Sir W. Brandon gave the King to answer, that he had done so;
then the King asked Sir W. B. what my Lord’s answer was
to him, and Sir W. B. told the King, that my Lord’s answer
was, that the King should as soon have his life as that place;
and then the King asked my Lord, whether he said so or not,
and my Lord said, yea. And the King said not one word
again, but turned his back, and went his way; but my Lady
told me, and (if) the King had spoken any word in the
world after that to my Lord, my Lord would not have said
him, nay.

     And I have given my Lady warning that I will do my Lord
no more service; but ere we parted, she made me to make
her (a) promise, that I should let her have knowledge ere I
fastened myself in any other service; and so I departed, and
see her not since, nor nought purpose to do, till I speak
with you.

     I pray you bring home some Hats with you, or and (if)
ye come not hastily, send me one, &c. and I shall pay you for it
a Comb (of) ² Oats, when ye come home.

     My Mother would fain have you at Mawtby, she rode thither,
out of Norwich on Saturday last past, to purvey your lodging
ready against your coming.

     I have been right ³ sick again since I wrote to you last, and
this same day have I been passing sick; it will not out of my
stomach by no mean, I am undone I may not eat half enough,
when I have most hunger, I am so well dieted, and yet it will
not be. God send you heel (health,) for (I) have none three days
together, do the best I can.

     Written at Norwich, the Monday next before Saint ⁴ Simon
and Jude, in the 15th year of Edward IV.

                                                                   ⁵ JOHN PASTON.

11 ½ by 7 ½.

Norwich,
               Monday, 23d of October,
               1475, 15 E. IV.

     This Letter records a most carious conversation between the King, the Duke of
Norfolk, and Sir William Brandon, relative to Caister.

     ¹ Sir William Brandon was father of Charles Brandon, afterwards created Duke of
Suffolk.

     ² In 1475, a Comb of Oats fold for 11d. we have therefore the value of a Hat in
this reign.

     ³ I have put in this account of his sickness, to show the sensible method prescribed
for his recovery, by dieting him, and debarring him from much victuals.

     ⁴ 28th of October.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 12.

877

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON³

To Sir John Paston, Knyght, lodgyd at the
George, by Powlys Wherff, in London.

AFTYR all dwtes of recomendacyon, please it yow to
          undyrstand that I have spoken with my lady⁴ sythe I
          wrot to yow last; and she told me that the Kyng had
no syche woordys to my lord for Caster, as ye told me; but
she seyth that the Kyng axid my lord at hys departyng fro
Caleys, how he wold deele with Caster, and my lord answerd
nevyr a woord.

    Sir W. Brandon¹ stood by, and the Kyng axid hym what
my lord wold do in that mater; seying that he had comandyd
hym befor tyme to meve my lord with that mater, and Sir W.
Brandon gave the Kyng to answer that he had doone so; then
the Kyng axid Sir W. B. what my lordys answer was to hym,
and Sir W. B. told the Kyng that my lords answer was that
the Kyng shold as soone have hys lyff as that place; and
then the Kyng axid my lord whedyr he seyd so or nought, and
my lord seyd, yee. And the Kyng seyd not a woord ayen, but
tornyd hys bak, and went hys wey; but my lady told me, and
the Kyng had spokyn any woord in the world aftyr that to my
lord, my lord wold not have seyd hym nay. And I have
gevyn my lady warnyng that I wyll do my lord no more
serveys; but er we partyd, she mad me to make hyr promess
that I shold let hyr have knowlege er I fastonyd myselff in eny
other servysse; and so I departyd, and sye hyr not syness, nor
nought purpose to doo, tyll I spek with yow.

     I prey yow bryng home some hattys with yow, or and ye
come not hastyly, send me on, &c., and I shall pay yow for it
a comb otys² when ye come home.

     My modyr wold fayn have yow at Mawtby; she rode
thydyr ought of Norwyche on Saturday last past, to purvey
your lodgyng redy ayenst your comyng.

     I have been ryght seek ayen sythe I wroote to yow last, and
thys same day have I ben pessyng seek; it wyll not ought of
my stomak by no mean. I am undon. I may not ete halff i
nough, when I have most hungyr, I am so well dyettyd, and
yet it wyll not be. God send yow heele, for [I] have non iij.
dayes to gedyr, do the best I can.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, the Monday next be for Seynt
Simone and Jude,³ anno E. iiij. xv^o.

                                                                                         J. P.

     ¹ So in MS. Qu., the word ‘week’ omitted?

    ¹ Sir William Brandon was the grandfather of Henry VIII.’s favourite, Charles
Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Footnote 2 on p. 156, taken from Fenn, is wrong.
Charles Brandon’s father, who was slain at Bosworth, was another Sir William,
knighted by the Earl of Richmond before the battle.

     ² It is curious that John Paston has here reversed his initials.

    ² In 1475 a comb of oats sold for 11d.; we have therefore the value of a hat in
this reign.—F. In No. 871 the price of oats is given as 10d. a comb, but the markets
are considered to be bad.

     ³ [From Fenn, ii. 182.] 

    ³ 28th of October.

    ⁴ The Duchess of Norfolk.

OCT. 23

1475
OCT. 23