Margaret Paston to John Paston

578

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght worchepfull hosbond, Jon Paston,
be this deliveryd in hast.

RIGHT worchepfull hosbond, I recomand me to you.
         Please you to wet that I send you a copy of the deed
         that Jon Edmonds of Taveram sent to me, be the
menys of Dorlet. He told Dorlet that he had suche a deed
as he supposyd, that wold don ease in prevyng of the tytyll
that the Duk of Suffolk cleymythe in Drayton; for the same
deed that he sent me, the seale of armys is lyke onto the copy
that I send you, and noo thyng leke to the Duk of Suffolks
auncesters.

    Item, the seyd Edmond seythe, yf he may fynd any other
thyng that may do yow ease in that mater he wolle do hys
part therin.

     Item, Jon Russe sent me word that Barker and Herry
Porter told hym in councell that the Duk of Suffolk hathe
bowght one Brytyeff ryghte, the wyche makythe a cleyme on
to Heylysdon, and the seyd Duke is proposyd to entere within
shorte tyme after Esterne, for in so moche the seyd Russe felle
be the seyd Barber and Porter that all the feffees wolle make a
relees on to the Duk and helpe hym that they can in to her
power, for to have hys good lorchep.

     Item, yf it please you, me thynkythe it war ryght nesses-
sary that ye send word howe that ye wolle your old malte be
purveyed for; for and any hote weder come affter that it hathe
leyne this wynter season, it shall be but lost but yf [unless] it
be sold be tymys, for as for the pryse [price] here, it is sore
falle. I have sold a C. comb of malt that came fro Guton, to
Jamys Golbeter, clenefyed, and strek met, and non inmet (?),
for ijs. ijd., the comb, and to be payed at Mydsomer and
Lammes.

     Item, ther be dyvers of your tenantrys at Mauteby that
had gret ned for to be reparyd, at [? but] the tenaunts be so
por that they ar not a power to repare hem; wherfor yf leke
you, I wold that the marche that Bryge had myght be kept in
your owne hand this yer, that the tenaunts myght have ruschis
to repare with her howsys. And also ther is wynfall wod at the
maner that is of noo gret valewe, that myght helpe hem with
toward toward the reparacion, yf it leke you to late hem have
it that hathe most need therof. I have spoke with Borges
that he shuld heyne [raise] the price of the mershe, or ellis
I told hym that he shuld no lenger have it, for ye myght
[have]¹ other fermors therto that wold geve therfor as it
was late befor, and yf he wold geve therfor as moche as
another man wold, ye wold that he shuld have it befor any
other man; and he seyd he shuld geve me answer be a forte-
nyght after Esterne. I can get non other fermor therto yet.

     Item, I understand be Jon Pampyng that ye wolle not that
your sone be take in to your hows, nor holpe be you, tylle
suche tyme of yere as he was put owt therof, the wiche shall
be abowght Seynt Thomas messe.¹ For Gods sake, sir, a
pety on hym; remembre yow it hathe bed a long season syn
he had owt of yow to helpe hym with, and he hathe obeyed
hym to yow and wolle do at all tymis, and wolle do that he
can or may to have your good faderood. And at the rever-
ence of God be ye hys good fader, and have a faderly hert to
hym; and I hope he shall ever knowe hymselff the better here
after, and be the more ware to exchewe suche thyngs as shuld
dysplease you, and for to take hed at that shuld please you.
Pecoke shalle telle you be mothe of more thyngs than I may
write to you at this tyme. The blyssyd Trinite have you in
Hys kepyng. Wretyn at Caster in hast, the Monday next
after Palme Sonday.                                      Your M. P.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The claims laid by the Duke of Suffolk to Drayton
and Hellesden occupy a prominent place in this correspondence during the year 1465,
and I do not find them alluded to in any letter of an earlier date. Moreover, the
purchase by virtue of which the Duke laid claim to the latter manor, which is
reported here as a secret, is mentioned again as a piece of news in a letter un-
doubtedly written on the 10th May 1465. There can be little doubt therefore that
this letter is of the same year. The apostyle, or set of marginal notes appended, is in
the handwriting of John Paston.

     ¹ Omitted in MS.

        ¹ This might be the translation of St. Thomas the Martyr, 7th July, or St.
Thomas Apostle’s Day, 21st December; but most probably it means the day of St.
Thomas à Becket, 29th December.

APRIL 8

Carte
Drayton.

1465
APRIL 8

Heylisdon,
Brythyeve,
Barker,
Porter.

Bracium.

Sirpi pro
repara-
sione de
Mautby.

Burgoys,
Mareshs,
Mauteby.

1465
APRIL 8
Pro recu-
peratione
Johannis
Paston.