Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER XVII.

To John Paston sqwyer
      Be thys delyu^red in hast.

IHS

     I GRET yow well and send yow godds blyssyng And myn
letyng yow wet y^t my Cosyn Robard Clere was her w^t me
thys weke and told me y^t he was nowt payd of the mony y^t
                                                                                               xx
ye know y^t was Borowd of hys modyr and of hym but iiij li
y^e xx li y^t my pleggs ly for ys on payd he seyd y^t he was
desyryd to delyv^re my pleggs and to have be payd y^e xx li
but he wold not tyll he had spokyn w^t me because of y^e
p’mys y^t he had mad to me befor y^t he shuld not delyu^r
them to non w^towt my assent I seyd to hym y^t I suppose
veryly y^t yowyr brodyr hys a greyd w^t yowyr hunkyll y^t he
shuld paye all the hole for I suppose he hath a swerte for
all y^t and more I wold undyrstond how y^t ys And how y^t
my seyd Cosyn shall be content for I war loth to lese my
pleggs I wot y^t well yowyr good hunkyll wold ben in
possessyon w^t good well but J wol not soo J wold y^t ye
shuld speke w^t yowyr hunkyll ther jn And send me word in
a hast what he seet I marvyll be my trowth y^t J had no
wrytyng fro yowyr brodyr er he departyd fro london as he
p’mysyd in the last lettyr y^t he sent me the Wych was
wretyn be for the Kyngs comyng to Norwych I went veryly
to have hard from hym at thys tyme I wold ye shuld send
hym word of yowyr hunkyls delyng in this seyd mater And
send me an answer ther of recomaund me to yowyr
grauntd’m I wold she war her in Norff. as well at es as
evyr J sy hyr And as lytyll rewlyd be hyr son as evyr she
was and than J wold hope y^t we alle shuld for the bettyr
for hyr. y^t ys told me y^t yowyr hunkyll hath mad gret menys
and larg p’fyrs to John Bakton to make a relesse to hym
of Oxinhed Whedyr y^t be don or nowt J wot nowt yet but
I shall wot in hast yf I may I wold ye shuld spekyn w^t my
lord of Norwych And A say to get a lysen of hym y^t I may
have y^e sacrement her in the Chapell because y^t ys far to
y^e Chyrche And I am sekly and y^e prson ys oftyn owt for all
man^r of casweltes of me and myn J wold hauyt grauntyd yf
J myth send me word yf ye her ony tydyngs from yowyr
brodyr how he doth of hyr seknes And in odyr thyngs as
farforth as ye know as astely as ye may I thynk long tyl I
her from hym for dyu’s causys god kepe yow Wretyn on
hast at Mawdby on y^e Satyrday next be for Candelmes Day
send me An Ansswer of thys lettyr in hast and odyr
tydyngs &c.

    The first part of this and the following Letter, both written on the same
day, states a money transaction between Margaret Paston, Sir John Paston, the
Cleres, and her brother William, not much indeed to his credit, who wanted to get
his sister’s pledges into his possession, and retain them, as they are said to have
been worth more than the money taken upon them. William Paston, by what
follows, appears to have had an improper ascendancy over his mother Agnes,
and to be at this time endeavouring to get possession of Oxnead.

     What is meant by the money (silver, I presume, he was paid in,) being
rusty, I do not exactly understand,—unless it means stained and can-
kered, probably from the quantity of alloy.

     Seal, a Fleur-de-lis, Pl. xiv. No. 4.

     On the top of this and the following Letter IHS are placed. This shows
the piety of the writer, and intimates her invocation to Jesus.

     The use of IHS, and of the word Emanuel, prefixed to Letters, was com-
mon at this period, and for some time after.

LETTER XVII.

To John Paston, Esq. be this delivered in haste.

IHS

     I GREET you well, and send you God’s blessing and mine,
letting you weet that my cousin Robert Clere was here with
me this week, and told me that he was not paid of the
money, that ye know that was borrowed of his mother and
of him, but fourscore pounds; the 20l. that my pledges lie
for is unpaid: he said that he was desired to deliver my
pledges, and to have been paid the 20l.; but he would not,
till he had spoken with me, because of the promise that he
had made to me before, that he should not deliver them to
none without my assent. I said to him that I suppose
verily that your brother is agreed with your uncle, that he
should pay all the whole, for I suppose he hath a surety
for all that and more; I would understand how it is, and
how that my said cousin shall be content, for I were loath
to lose my pledges; I wot it well your good uncle would be
in possession with good will, but I would not so: I would
that ye should speak with your uncle therein, and send me
word in haste what he said.

     I marvel, by my troth, that I had no writing from your
brother, ere he departed from London, as he promised in
the last letter that he sent me, the which was written
before the King’s coming to Norwich; I weend [thought]
verily to have heard from him at this time: I would ye
should send him word of your uncle’s dealing in this said
matter, and send me an answer thereof.

     Recommend me to your grandam; I would she were here
in Norfolk, as well at ease as ever I saw her, and as little
ruled by her son as ever she was; and then I would hope
that we all should fare the better for her. It is told me
that your uncle hath made great means and large proffers
to John Bacton, to make a release to him of Oxnead; whe-
ther it be done or not, I wot not yet, but I shall wot in
haste, if I may.

     I would ye should speak with my Lord of Norwich, and
assay to get a license of him, that I may have the Sacra-
ment here in the chapel, because it is far to the church, and
I am sickly, and the parson is often out: for all manner of
casualties of me and mine, I would have it granted, if I
might.

     Send me word if you hear any tidings from your brother,
how he doth of his sickness, and in other things, as far
forth as you know, as hastily as ye may. I think long till
I hear from him, for divers causes. God keep you.

     Written on haste at Mawteby, on the Saturday next
before Candlemas day. Send me an answer of this letter
in haste, and other tidings, &c.

     My cousin Robert told me that there was more than 7l.
of the money that was paid him that was right on [quite]
rusty, and he could not have it changed: he was ungoodly
[unhandsomely] served therein.

                                         By your Mother,

                                                                MARGARET PASTON.

             Mawteby,
      Saturday, 29th Jan.
         1474. 14 E. IV.

  The first part of this and the following Letter, both written on the same
day, states a money transaction between Margaret Paston, Sir John Paston, the
Cleres, and her brother William, not much indeed to his credit, who wanted to get
his sister’s pledges into his possession, and retain them, as they are said to have
been worth more than the money taken upon them. William Paston, by what
follows, appears to have had an improper ascendancy over his mother Agnes,
and to be at this time endeavouring to get possession of Oxnead.

     What is meant by the money (silver, I presume, he was paid in,) being
rusty, I do not exactly understand,—unless it means stained and can-
kered, probably from the quantity of alloy.

     Seal, a Fleur-de-lis, Pl. xiv. No. 4.

     On the top of this and the following Letter IHS are placed. This shows
the piety of the writer, and intimates her invocation to Jesus.

     The use of IHS, and of the word Emanuel, prefixed to Letters, was com-
mon at this period, and for some time after.

862

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To John Paston, Sqwyer, be thys delyveryd in hast.

Jh’s.²

I GRET yow well, and send yow Goddes blyssyng and
              myn, letyng yow wet that my cosyn Robard Clere was
              her with me thys weke, and told me that he was nowt
payd of the mony that ye know that was borowd of hys modyr
and of hym, but iiij^xx. li. The xxli. that my plegges ly for ys
on payd. He seyd that he was desyryd to delyvere my plegges,
and to have be payd the xxli.; but he wold not, tyll he had
spokyn with me, because of the promys that he had mad to
me befor that he shuld not delyver them to non withowt my
assent. I seyd to hym that I suppose veryly that yowyr
brodyr hys a greyd with yowyr hunkyll that he shuld paye all
the hole, for I suppose he hath a swerte for ale that and more.
I wold undyrstond how yt ys, and how that my seyd cosyn
shall be content, for I war loth to lese my plegges; I wot yt
well, yowyr good hunkyll wold ben in possessyon with good
well, but I wol not soo. I wold that ye shuld speke with
yowyr hunkyll ther in, and send me word in hast what he
seet [saith].

     I marvyll, be my trowth, that I had no wrytyng fro yowyr
brodyr, er he departyd fro London, as he promysyd in the last
lettyr that he sent me, the wych was wretyn be for the Kynges
comyng to Norwych; I went [expected] veryly to have hard
from hym ar[ere] thys tyme. I wold ye shuld send hym word
of yowyr hunkyles delyng in thys seyd mater, and send me an
ansswer ther off.

     Recomaund me to yowyr grauntdam. I wold she war her
in Norffolk, as well at es as evyr I sy hyr, and as lytyll rewlyd
be hyr son as evyr she was, and than I wold hope that we alle
shuld far the bettyr for hyr. Yt ys told me that yowyr
hunkyll hath mad gret menys and larg profyrs to John
Bakton to make a relesse to hym of Oxinhed. Whedyr that
be don or nowt, I wot nowt yet, but I shall wot in hast, yf
I may.

     I wold ye shuld spekyn with my Lord of Norwych, and
a say to get a lysen of hym to that I may have the sacrement
her in the chapell, because yt ys far to the chyrche, and I am
sekly, and the parson ys oftyn owt. For all maner of casweltes
of me and myn, I wold havyt grauntyd, yf I myth.

     Send me word yf ye her ony tydynges from yowyr brodyr
how he doth of hys seknes, and in odyr thynges, as farforth as
ye know, as astely as ye may. I thynk long tyll I her from
hym for dyvers causys. God kepe yow.

     Wretyn in hast at Mawdby, on the Satyrday next be for
Candelmes Day.

     Send me an ansswer of thys lettyr in hast, and odyr
tydynges, &c.

                                                                    Be yowyr modyr.

     My cosyn Robard told me that ther was mor than vijli. of
the mony that was payd hym that was ryght on rysty, and he
cowd nowt havyt chaungyd. He was on goodly servyd ther in.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was evidently written on the same day
as that immediately following.

     ² This is the customary contraction of the name Jesus, which was frequently
written at the head of a letter.

1475
JAN. 29

1475
JAN. 29