John, Prior of Norwich, to - - Medieval Family Life

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Title

John, Prior of Norwich, to -

Reference

Add. 27446, f. 63

Date

1487

Library / Archive

Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)

Gairdner, Vol VI, item 1013; Fenn, Vol V, Henry VII item 3

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (1st transcript)

LETTER III.

RIGHT Worchupfull Serys We Recomaunde us all unto
you in oure most herty wyse And it is so that longe and
many yerys ther hath ben hangyng agrete variaunce and a
growge bitwix Annes Paston deceassed late the wyf of
Will’m Paston Justic And Will’m Paston now lyvyng and
Clement Paston deceassid ther sones one the oone p’te And
John Paston the sone of the seide Will’m Paston Justic
And of the seide Annes his wif also deceassid And ser John
Paston Knyght deceassed And John Paston yet lyvyng
sones to the seide John deceassid on the other p’te And
now the seide variaunce contynueth betwix the seide Will’m
and John that now is lyuyng of and upon the right title and
possessioun of the Maners of Sporle Woodhall Pagraue
Cressyngh’m Swaynesthorp And Est Bekh’m all on this
Cuntr of Norff. likith it you to wete that the seide Wil-
liam Paston Justic in his lyve was a speciall lover and
frende to our Monastery and for singuler loue and trust that
he hadde to be Remembred amonge us after hys deceasse
Not with stondyng he deyed at london yet he bequest his
body to be beryed and is beryed in the chapell of our lady
with Jnne oure Monastery And the seide William Paston
Justice oftyn and many tymes in his pleyn lyfe the seide
Annes beyng p’sent he shewed unto the Priour of our Mo-
nastery that was than called Dawn John Heverlonde And
to Dawn John Molett that was P’our after to Dawn John
Fornsett Doctour of Devynyte Dawn Richerd Walsh’m our
Sexten And to Dawn John Wechyngh’m And to many
dyu˜se other that were of his acquentaunce and that he
had trust unto to breke his mynde for the wele of his soule
that were thanne olde Fadirs of our Monastery and arn
now decessed that it was his verry last will that ought
of the seide Maners schuld be p’petually Jmmortaysed a
s^rteyn londe or Annuyte of suche valewe that eu˜y suche
Monke that syngith the last messe in the seide Chapell
wher the body of the seide Will’m Paston light beryed
schuld haue that day that he songe Messe ther iiij^d to pray
for the soules of the seide Will’m and of Annes his wif and
for ther Auncetrys Kynred consanguynyte Affynyte and
frends and for all cristen soules And ou^r that a s^rteyn su˜me
of money yerly to be payed to haue the obytt of the seide
Will’m And Annes yerly kept w^t dirige and masse in the
seide Chapell And it is so that many yers aftir the decesse of
the seide Will’m Justice ther wer many men lyuyng bothe of
olde brethern of ours afore rehersyd And of other that
cowde aborn witnesse in this mater And that knewe the
mynde of the seide William Paston Justic that it was his last
will of whiche men many now be deceassed And no m’veill
for it is vpon a xliij yere past sithen the seide Will’m Justic
deyed And also the seide Annes that was hys wif lyued
more thanne xxx wynt^r aftir hir husbonde And was in sin-
guler trust with her husbonde And one of his Executours
and wele knowen in the Cuntre A woman of v’tuos lyuyng
and disposicon and of goode discrecoun and Conscience And
knewe hir husbonds mynde and last will as wele as ony
lyung creatur She witnessed alway that it was hire husbonds
last will to haue this p’petuall messe and called on it all the
dayes of hir lyfe and also atte her Decesse And sche seide
that it was the will of her husbonde that the Annuyte
schulde go oute of the seide Manor of Swaynesthorp the
seide John Paston decessed wolde haue hadde it g’unted
owte of the seide maner of Cressyngh’m And Sume of the
Executours wolde haue hadde the seide messe to a con-
xx
tynued but for the t’me of iiij yere And wolde haue
made writyng accordyng but the seide Annes wolde not
ther of but Seide alway that it was the last will of hir
husbonde to haue the messe made p’petuall And the Exe-
cutours schewid to us that they wolde se the wyll prfourmed
And ther upon the Executours be ther comon Assent lefte
a Cofre w^t a grete substaunce of money of the goods of the
seide Will’m Justic to be kepte with Jnne our Monastery
and tolde and schewed to us that the seide gode schuld
never be dep^rtid nor hadde oute of our place till we wer
made sure of the seide Annuyte And duryng all the season
that the seide Cofer w^t the goods was with ynne our Monas-
tery it was alway schewid to us that the seide Annuyte
schulde be mortaysed in p’petyyte and duryng all that sea-
son that the seide Cofer was in our place we hadde money
yerly yoven us to pray for his soule and to kepe his obit
whene by menyes devysed w^t oute the knowleche of the
seide Annes or of ony of our brethern all the goods that
was in the zeide Cofre was Conveyed oute of our Monastery
And aft^r that dede don ther was no more money yoven
us nowther to kepe the seide obit ner to pray for the soule
of the seide Will’m As be the seide Executo^rs sauyng that
the seide Annes duryng her lyve yaff us of hir owne Cost
yerly to remembr the Soule And that y^t hath be don sithen
hath be don of our owne devocon and this many yerys ther
hath no thing be youen us Notwithstondyng of our own
devocon we haue rehersid his name in oure bede rolle eu^ry
Sonday And now it is informed us that as wele the seide
Will’m as the seide John hath putt all the title and int^rest
as wele in and of all the seide Maners londes and tene-
mentys as of the seide goods in the awarde And Jugement of
the Right Reu’ent Fader in god my lord of Ely Chaunceler
of Inglond Ser Reynold Bray Knyght And in you tweyne
And in asmoche as ze be of our Cuntre and speciall frends
to our Monastery And longest acqueyntyd w^t you that
makith one and all my brethren the more bolde to schewe this
our mater And int’est unto you beseching yowbothe to tendre
the mater And to schewe it bothe to my lorde of Ely And to
S^r Reynolde Bray y^t atte suche tyme as ze haue the Examy-
nacon of the title of theire seide maners that ze will vouche
saff of yo^r charite to schewe this mater and our int’est in
this behalf And of the seide Annuyte And how that we
aught of Right to haue a graunt of it oute of the seide
Maners And in this mat^r we hertily pray yow to take re-
membraunce And speciall labo^r so that we may trust that
it schall not askape your hands nowe that the mater is putte
in yowe. And all our Monastery schall pray for you And
also rewarde you to your plesur. And over that ze schall
do her in suche a goode dede that god schall rewarde you
Wretyn in our Monastery the day of the secunde
yer of the regne of Kyng Herry y^e vij^th.

By JOHN P’or off Northwith
And the Co’vent.

       Paper Mark.
      French Arms and t.
       Pl. xii. No. 21.
         11½ by 16¾.

^* Something appears to be omitted here.

It does not appear to what two gentlemen of the county of Norfolk this
letter was addressed; but it is printed to show the spirit of devotion of the time,
when lands were given, and annuities granted, to found perpetual prayers for
the souls of the deceased.

The story of the Coffer is a curious one, and shows the readiness of the sur-
vivor to defraud the church of the bequests of his ancestor. The circumstances
of it have been thus related. John Paston, the son of Sir William, the Judge,
procured leave to place a Coffer of his own in the same room in which that
containing the goods of his family were deposited, and to which having at all
times free access, he by degrees privately took out and conveyed away the
valuable treasure contained in the pledged one.

The truth of the story, as to the goods being taken, is confirmed by this
letter; whether John Paston committed this fraud, or any other person, must
be left to the judgment of the reader.

John Haverlond was Prior from 1436 to 1453, when he died, and was suc-
ceeded by John Molet, who died in 1471. The Prior by whom this letter is
signed was John Bonwell, who was confirmed in 1480, and died in 1488. Judge
Paston was buried in 1444, Agnes his widow in 1479. John Alcock, Bishop
of Ely, was for a few months in this year Lord Chancellor; he resigned in the
same year.

Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 7.

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

LETTER III.

RIGHT worshipful Sirs, We recommend us all unto you in
our most hearty wise, and it is so that long and many years
there hath been hanging a great variance and a grudge be-
twix Annes [Agnes] Paston deceased, late the wife of Wil-
liam Paston, Justice, and William Paston now living, and
Clement Paston deceased, their sons, on the one part, and
John Paston, the son of the said William Paston, Justice,
and of the said Annes his wife, also deceased, and Sir John
Paston, knight, deceased, and John Paston yet living, sons
to the said John deceased, on the other part. And now
the said variance continueth betwixt the said William and
John that now is living, of and upon the right, title, and
possession of the manors of Sporle, Woodhall, Palgrave,
Cressingham, Swainsthorp, and East Beckham, all in this
country of Norfolk.

Liketh it you to weet that the said William Paston, Justice,
in his life was a special lover and friend to our Monastery;
and for singular love and trust that he had to be remem-
bered among us after his decease, notwithstanding he died
at London, yet he bequested his body to be buried, and [it]
is buried in the chapel of Our Lady within our monastery.
And the said William Paston, Justice, often and many
times in his pleyne [full, actual] life, the said Annes
being present, he showed unto the Prior of our Monastery
that was then, called Don John Haverland, and to Don
John Molett, that was Prior after; to Don John Fornsett,
Doctor of Divinity, Don Richard Walsham our Sexton, and to
Don John Witchingham, and to many divers other that were
of his acquaintance, and that he had trust unto to break his
mind for the weal of his soul, that were then old fathers of
our monastery, and arn [are] now deceased; that it was his
very last will, that out of the said manors should be perpe-
tually immortised a certain land, or annuity of such value,
that every such monk that singeth the last mass in the said
chapel, where the body of the said William Paston lyeth
buried, should have that day that he sung mass there 4d. to
pray for the souls of the said William, and of Annes his
wife, and for the ancestors, kindred, consanguinity, affinity,
and friends, and for all Christian souls; and over that a cer-
tain sum of money yearly to be paid, to have the obit of the
said William and Annes yearly kept with Dirige and Mass in
the said chapel.

And it is so that many years after the decease of the said
William [the] Justice, there were many men living both of
old brethren of ours afore rehearsed, and of other that could
aborn [have born] witness in this matter, and that knew the
mind of the said William Paston, and that it was his last
will; of which men, many now be deceased; and no marvel,
for it is upon a 43 year past since the said William [the]
Justice, died; and also the said Annes that was his wife
lived more than 30 winters after her husband, and was in
singular trust with her husband, and one of his executors,
and well known in this country, a woman of virtuous living
and disposition, and of good discretion and conscience, and
knew her husband’s mind and last will, as well as any living
creature.

She witnessed alway that it was her husband’s last will
to have this perpetual mass, and called on it all the days of
her life, and also at her decease; and she said that it was the
will of her husband that the annuity should go out of the
said manor of Swainsthorp. The said John Paston deceased
would have had it granted out of the said manor of Cres-
singham; and some of the Executors would have had the
said mass to have continued but for the term of fourscore
years, and would have made writing according; but the said
Annes would not thereof, but said alway, that it was the last
will of her husband, to have the mass made perpetual, and the
Executors showed to us, that they would see the will per-
formed; and thereupon the Executors by their common assent
left a Coffer with a great substance of money of the goods of
the said William [the] Justice, to be kept within our monas-
tery, and told and showed to us, that the said good should
never be departed nor had out of our place till we were made
sure of the said annuity; and during all the season that the
said coffer with the goods was within our monastery, it was
always showed to us that the said annuity should be mortized
in perpetuity, and during all that season that the said coffer
was in our place, we had money yearly given us to pray
for his soul and to keep his obit; when by means devised
without the knowledge of the said Annes, or of any of our
brethren, all the good that was in the said coffer was con-
veyed out of our monastery, and after that deed done, there
was no more money given us, neither to keep the said obit,
nor to pray for the soul of the said William, as by the said
Executors,^* saving that the said Agnes, during her life, gave
us of her own costs yearly to remember the soul, and that
that hath been done since, hath been done of our own devo-
tion; and this many years there hath no thing been given
us, notwithstanding of our own devotion we have rehearsed
his name in our bead-roll every Sunday; and now it is in-
formed us, that as well the said William as the said John
hath put all their title and interest, as well in and of all the
said manors, lands, and tenements, as of the said goods, in
the award and judgment of the Right Reverend Father in
God my Lord of Ely, Chancellor of England, Sir Reynold
Bray, Knight, and in you twain; and in as much as ye be
of our country, and special friends to our monastery, and
longest acquainted with you, that maketh me and all my
brethren the more bold to show this our matter and interest
unto you; beseeching you both to tender the matter, and
to show it both to my Lord of Ely and to Sir Reynold Bray,
that at such time as ye have the examination of the title of
these said manors, that ye will vouchsafe of your charity to
show this matter, and our interest in this behalf, and of the
said annuity, and how that we ought of right to have a grant
of it out of the said manors.

And in this matter we heartily pray you to take remem-
brance, and special labour, so that we may trust that it shall
not escape your hands, now that the matter is put in you;
and all our monastery shall pray for you, and also reward
you to your pleasure: and, over that, ye shall do herein such
a good deed that God shall reward you. Written in our
monastery, the . . . . day of . . . . . . the 2d year of the reign
of King Harry the vij^th.

By JOHN, Prior of Norwich,
and the Convent.

Norwich.
1486. 2 H. vii.

^* Something appears to be omitted here.

The truth of the story, as to the goods being taken, is confirmed by this
letter; whether John Paston committed this fraud, or any other person, must
be left to the judgment of the reader.

Autograph, Pl. xxx. No. 7.

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

1013

JOHN, PRIOR OF NORWICH, TO ——²

     RIGHT worchupfull serys, we recomaunde us all unto
         you in oure most herty wyse. And it is so that
        longe and many yerys ther hath ben hangyng a grete
variaunce and a growge bitwix Annes Paston deceassed, late
the wyff of William Paston, Justice, and William Paston now
lyvyng, and Clement Paston deceassid, ther sones, one the
oone parte, and John Paston, the sone of the seide William
Paston, Justice, and of the seide Annes his wiff, also deceassid,
and Ser John Paston, Knyght, deceassed, and John Paston yet
lyvyng, sones to the seide John deceassid, on the othir parte.
And now the seide variaunce contynueth betwixe the seide
William and John that now is lyvyng of and upon the right,
title, and possessioun of the maners of Sporle, Woodhall,
Pagrave, Cressyngham, Swaynesthorpe, and Est Bekham, all
[in] this cuntre of Norffolk.

Likith it you to wete that the seide William Paston,
Justice, in his lyve was a speciall lover and frende to our
monastery, and for synguler love and trust that he hadde to
be remembred amonge us after hys deceasse, not with stond-
yng h[e de]yed at London, yet he bequest his body to be
beryed, and is beryed in the chapell of Our Lady with inne
oure monastery. [And] the seide William Paston, Justice,
oftyn and many tymes in his pleyn lyfe, the seide Annes beyng
present, he shewed unto the Priour of our monastery that was
than, called Dawn John Heverlonde,¹ and to Dawn John
Molett,² that was Priour after, to Dawn John Fornsett,
Doctour of Devynyte, Dawn Richerd Walsham, our sexten,
and to Dawn John Wechyngham, and to many dyverse other
that were of his acqueyntaunce, and that he had trust unto to
breke his mynde for the wele of his soule, that were thanne
olde fadirs of our monastery, and arn now decessed, that it
was his verry last will that ought of the seide maners schuld
be perpetually immortaysed a serteyn londe, or annuyte of
suche valewe, that every suche monke that syngith the last
messe in the seide chapell, wher the body of the seide William
Paston light beryed, schuld have that day that he songe messe
ther iiijd. to pray for the soules of the seide William, and of
Annes his wif, and for ther auncetrys, kynred, consanguynyte,
affynyte, and frendes, and for all Cristen soules; and over
that, a serteyn summe of money yerly to be payed to have
the obytt of the seide William and Annes zerly kept with
dirige and masse in the seide chapell.

And it is so that many yeres aftir the decesse of the
seide William, Justice, ther were many men lyvyng bothe of
olde brethern of oures afore rehersyd, and of other that cowde
aborne witnesse in this mater, and that knewe the mynde of
the seide William Paston, Justice, that it was his last will, of
whiche men many now be deceassed; and no merveill, for it is
upon a xliij. yere past sithen the seide William, Justice, deyed.
And also the seide Annes that was hys wif lyved more thanne
xxx. wynter aftir hir husbonde, and was in singuler trust with
her husbonde, and one of his executours, and wele knowen in
this cuntre, a woman of vertuos lyvyng and disposicion, and
of goode discrecioun and conscience, and knewe hir husbondes
mynde and last will as wele as ony lyvyng creature; she
witnessed alway that it was hire husbondes last will to have
this perpetuall messe, and called on it all the dayes of hir lyfe,
and also atte her decesse; and sche seide that [it] was the will
of her husbonde that the annuyte schulde go oute of the seide
maner of Swaynesthorpe. The seide John Paston decessed
wolde have hadde it graunted owte of the seide maner of
Cressyngham; and summe of the executours wolde have
hadde the seide messe to a contynued but for the terme of
iiij^xx. yere, and wolde have made writyng accordyng; but the
seide Annes wolde not ther of, but seide alway that it was the
last will of hir husbonde to have the messe made perpetuall,
and the executours schewid to us that they wolde se the wyll
perfourmed; and ther upon the executours, be ther comon
assent, lefte a cofre with a grete substaunce of money of the
goodes of the seide William, Justice, to be kepte with inne
our monastery, and tolde and schewed to us that the seide
gode schuld never be departid nor hadde oute of our place
till we wer made sure of the seide annuyte. And duryng all
that season that the seide cofer with the goodes was with ynne
our monastery, it was alway schewid to us that the seide
annuyte schulde be mortaysed in perpetuyte, and duryng all
that season that the seid cofer was in our place, we hadde
money yerly yoven us to pray for his soule to kepe [his
obytt]¹; and be menys devysed with oute the knowleche of
the seide Annes, or of ony of our brethern, all the goode that
was in the seide cofre was conveyed oute of our monastery,
and after that dede done, ther was no more money yoven us,
nowther to kepe the seide obit, ner to pray for the soull of
the seide William, as be the seide executours, savyng that the
seide Annes, duryng her lyve, yaff us of hir owne cost yerly to
remembre the soule, and that that hath be done sythen, hath
be don of our owne devocion, and this many zerys ther hath
no thing be yoven us, notwithstondyng of our own devocion
we have rehersid his name in oure bede rolle every Sonday.

And now it is informed us that as wele the seide William
as the seide John hath putt all ther title and interest, as wele
in and of all the seide maners, londes, and tenementys as of
the seide goodes in the awarde and jugement of the Right
Reverend Fader in God, my Lord of Ely,¹ Chaunceler of
Inglond, Ser Reynold Bray, Knyght, and in you tweyne.
And in asmoche as ze be of our cuntre and speciall frendes
to our monastery, and longest acqueyntyd with you, that
makith me and all my brethren the more bolde to schewe
this our mater and interest unto you, beseching yow bothe to
tendre the mater, and to schewe it bothe to my Lorde of Ely
and to Ser Reynolde Bray, that atte suche tyme as ze have the
examynacion of the title of theise seide maners, that ze will
vouche saff of your charite to schewe this mater and our
interest in this behalf, and of the seide annuyte, and how
that we aught of right to have a graunt of it oute of the
seide maners.

And in this mater we hertily pray yow to take remem-
braunce and speciall labour, so that we may trust that it
schall not askape your handes, nowe that the mater is putte
in yowe; and all our monastery schall pray for you, and also
rewarde you to your plesur, and over that, ze schall do her in
suche a goode dede that God schall rewarde you.

Wretyn in our monastery, the ——² day of ——,² the
secunde yer of the regne of Kyng Herry the vij^th.

By JOHN, Prior off Northwich
and the Covent.

² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The writer of this letter was John Bonwell, who
was made Prior of Norwich in 1480, and died in 1488. As it is actually dated
in the second year of Henry VII., it must have been written either after the 22nd
August in 1486 or before that date in 1487. Most probably it is of the latter year.
It is endorsed in a contemporaneous hand—’Billa Prioris Norwic’ pro missa perpetue
fundanda.’ One or two words are now lost by the decay of the paper, which seem to
have been visible in the text when Fenn copied the MS. for his fifth volume.

¹ John Haverland was Prior of Norwich from 1436 to 1453.

² Prior from 1453 to 1471.

¹ The writing is here blurred and indistinct, being written on an erasure.

¹ John Alcock. ² Blanks in MS.

1487