John Wymondham to John Paston

LETTER LX.

    To my Worchipful
    Cosyn Iohn Paston.

RYGTH Worchipful Cosyn I comaunde me to yow And
    forasmoch as y^' was a child ded at Asteles and on other
lik to be ded in the same Place What tyme y^t I rode oute aboute
my litil livelod my lady and I bothe thoughte pite on my mastres
yo^r wif to se her abide y^' and desirid here to com to my pore hous
on to soch tyme as ye shuld a be othirwise avised wyche if it
plese yow I am right Wel apaied Sythen I undirstande be my
lady y^t ye desire to knowe whedyr y^t I shulde abide her stille or
nowe as to y^t I have non other place y^t I wold abide at and my
lady seith how she is avised to ende hir lis bere Also she seith
how ye desire to have a stabil w^t inne my plas and as to y^t afeith
S^r I have none but y^t must nedis f^rve for my wode as for a
chambre ye shal have on for yor men al red and as touching a
stabil Sr Iohn Sp' ham and I have gote yow on y^' yo^r hors stode
the last tyme ye were in this town and an hows to ley Jnne hey
and straw and cost yow not but making of a rak and a mageo
and more to yo^r ease y^' than here And yf ye wyl y^t it be made
redy for yow send werd be the bring^r of this lett^r And Cosyn as
towching to paiment I can not sey how ye shal be pleasid wt my
pore fare but aftir y^t ye arn com home andarn aqweintid y^' wyth
we shal so acorde as shal be plesir to us bother W^t the g'ce of god
Which have in his blissid gove^runce and send yow yo^r mod' is
blissing Wreten at Norwich on Seint Maryn is even.

                                            Yo^r poer Cosyn and ffrend
                                                                                  J. Drmonuham.

And how y^t ev^r ye do hold up yo^r
manship.

        8 ? by 6 ?.
        Paper Mark.
        Part of a Bull.
        Pl XXVII. N^o 14.

    John Wymondham, Esq. the Writer of this Letter, married Margery, the Daughter
of Sir Robert Clifton, Knight, of Dncer, in Norsolk, and widow of Sor Edward
Hastings, of Elsing, Knight; he therefore calls her " My Lady. " He died in 1475.

    He purchased the Manor and Estate at Felbrigg, of the Trustees of Sir Simon Fel-
brigg, where he had resided; but once in his absence sir John Felbrigg made a forceable
entry, and dragging out his Lady be the hair of her head, (who had locked herself up in
a Chamber to keep possession), got into possession, and retained it till Wymondham
obtained the King 's order to Thomas Montgomery, Esq. High sheriff of the County, to
put him again into possession. The dispute was then settled with sir John Felbrigg, and
upon Wymondham's paying to him 200 Marks (133l.6s. 8d.) he released all claims, &c.

This Letter seems to have been written during the time that he was dispossessed of Fel-
brigg, and which must have been either before the year 1461 or 1466, those being the
years in which Sir Thomas Montgomery was Sheriff of Norfolk, and as J. Paston at this
time seems to have been under misfortunes, it was probably near the latter year. I have
therefore ventured, though doubtfully, to date the Letter in 1465.

    Autograph. Pl XXIV. No 7.

    This Letter is curious, as it acquaints us with the ordinary and plain manners of the
time.

LETTER LX.

To my worshipful Cousin, John Paston.

RIGHT worshipful Cousin, I commend me to you, and
for as much as there was a child dead at Astley's, and
another like to be dead in the same place, what time that I rode
out about my little livelihood, my Lady and I both thought Pity
on my mistress your wife to see her abide there, and desires her
to come to my poor house unto such time as ye should a be (have
been) otherwise avised (Provided) with which if it please you I am
right well apayed (contented).

    Sythen (since) I understand by my Lady that ye desire to Know
whether that I should abide her still or not; as to that , I have
none other place that I would abide at; and my Lady faith how
she is advised to end her life here; also she faith how ye desire
to have a Stable within my place; and as to that, a faith Sir I
have none but that must needs serve for my wood; Sir a
Chamber ye shall have one for your men all ready; and as
touching a stable Sir John Sparham and I have gotten you one
there, (where) your horse stood the last time ye were in this town,

and an house to lay in hay and straw, and cost you not (nothing)
but making of a rack and a manger, and more to your ease there
than here ; and if ye will that it be made ready for you, send
word by the bringer of this Letter. And, Cousin, as touching to
payment, I cannot say how ye shall be pleased with my poor
fare, but after that ye are come home and are acquainted there-
with, we shall so accord as shall be pleasure to us both, with the
grace of God , which have (you) in his blessed governance, and
send you your Mother's blessing.

               Written at Norwich, on Saint Martin' Even.

                                Your poor Cousin and Friend
                                                                            JOHN WYMONDHAM.

    And how that ever ye do,
    hold up your manship.

        Norwich,
        10 th of November, 1465.
        5 E.IV.

John Wymondham, Esq. the Writer of this Letter, married Margery, the Daughter
of Sir Robert Clifton, Knight, of Dncer, in Norsolk, and widow of Sor Edward
Hastings, of Elsing, Knight; he therefore calls her " My Lady. " He died in 1475.

    He purchased the Manor and Estate at Felbrigg, of the Trustees of Sir Simon Fel-
brigg, where he had resided; but once in his absence sir John Felbrigg made a forceable
entry, and dragging out his Lady be the hair of her head, (who had locked herself up in
a Chamber to keep possession), got into possession, and retained it till Wymondham
obtained the King 's order to Thomas Montgomery, Esq. High sheriff of the County, to
put him again into possession. The dispute was then settled with sir John Felbrigg, and
upon Wymondham's paying to him 200 Marks (133l.6s. 8d.) he released all claims, &c.

This Letter seems to have been written during the time that he was dispossessed of Fel-
brigg, and which must have been either before the year 1461 or 1466, those being the
years in which Sir Thomas Montgomery was Sheriff of Norfolk, and as J. Paston at this
time seems to have been under misfortunes, it was probably near the latter year. I have
therefore ventured, though doubtfully, to date the Letter in 1465.

    Autograph. Pl XXIV. No 7.

    This Letter is curious, as it acquaints us with the ordinary and plain manners of the
time.

619

JOHN WYMONDHAM TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my worchipful cosyn, John Paston.

      RYGTH worchipful cosyn, I comaunde me to yow. And
          forasmoch as ther was a child ded at Asteles, and on
         other lik to be ded in the same place, what tyme that
I rode oute aboute my litil livelod, my lady and I bothe
thoughte pite on my mastres your wif to se her abide ther,
and desirid here to com to my pore hous on to soch tyme as ye
shuld a be othirwise avised, wyche, if it plese yow, I am right
wel apaied.

     Sythen, I undirstande be my lady that ye desire to knowe
whedyr that I shulde abide here stille or nowe [or no]. As to
that, I have non other place that I wold abide at, and my lady
seith how she is avised to ende hir lif here. Also she seith
how ye desire to have a stabil with inne my plas; and as to
that, afeith, sir, I have none, but that must nedis serve for my
wode. As for a chambre, ye shall have on for your men al
redy, and as touching a stabil, Sir John Sparham and I have
gote yow on ther [where] your hors stode the last tyme ye
were in this town, and an hows to ley inne hey and straw, and
cost yow not but making of a rak and a mangeour, and more
to your ease there than here; and yf ye wyl that it be made
redy for yow, send werd be the bringer of this letter. And,
cosyn, as towching to paiment, I can not sey how ye shal be
pleasid with my pore fare, but aftir that ye arn com home, and
arn aqweintid there with, we shal so acorde as shal be plesir to
us bothe, with the grace of God, which have [you] in His
blissid governaunce, and send yow your moderis blissing.

     Wreten at Norwich, on Seint Martyn is Even.

Your poer cosyn and ffrend,

                                                                                    J. WYMONDHAM.

And how that ever ye do, hold up your manship.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 240.] As to the date of this letter, we can only reproduce
what is said of it by Sir John Fenn: ‘John Wymondham, Esq., the writer of this
letter, married Margery, the daughter of Sir Robert Clifton, Knight, of Denver, in
Norfolk, and widow of Sir Edward Hastings, of Elsing, Knight. He therefore calls
her “My Lady.” He died in 1475.

     ’He purchased the manor and estate at Felbrigg, of the trustees of Sir Simon
Felbrigg, where he had resided; but once in his absence Sir John Felbrigg made a
forcible entry, and dragging out his Lady by the hair of her head, who had locked
herself up in a chamber to keep possession, got into possession, and retained it till
Wymondham obtained the King’s order to Thomas Montgomery, Esq., High Sheriff
of the county, to put him again into possession. The dispute was then settled with
Sir John Felbrigg, and upon Wymondham’s paying to him 200 marks [£133:6:8]
he released his claims, &c.

     ’This letter seems to have been written during the time that he was dispossessed
of Felbrigg, and which must have been either before the year 1461 or 1466, those
being the years in which Sir Thomas Montgomery was Sheriff of Norfolk, and as
J. Paston at this time seems to have been under misfortunes, it was probably near
the latter year. I have therefore ventured, though doubtfully, to date the letter in
1465.’

1465(?)
NOV. 10

1465(?)
NOV. 10