Margaret Paston to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 122

25 November 1455

Gairdner, Vol III, item 306; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 64

LETTER LXIV.

         To my Right Wurshipfull
         husbonde John Paston be
         this deliv?d in hast.

RIGHT Wurshipfull Husbonde I recomaunde me unto
you plesith you to witte that myn Avnte ¹ Mondeforthe
hath desiryd me to write to you besechyng you that ye wol
wochesafe to chevesshe for her At london xx^ti marke for to be
payed to Mastre Ponyngs outher on saterday or sonday weche
schalbe seint Andrwes Daye in discharchyng of them that be
bounden to Mastre Ponyngs of the seide xx^ti marke for the
wardeship of her doughter the weche xx^ti marke she hath delyver’
to me in golde for you to have at yo^r Comyng home for she dare
not Aventure her money to be brought up to london for feere of
robbyng for it is seide heere that there goothe many thesys be
twyx this and london weche causeth her to beseche you to con-
tent the seide money in dischargyng of the matre And of them
that be bounden For she wolde for no goude that the day were
broken And she thankyth you hertely for the greet labo^r and be-
synesse that ye have had in that matre and in all others touchyng
her and hers Wherfore she seithe she is ever bounden to be yo^r
² bedwoman and ever wolle be whyle she levethe my Cosyn her
sone and hese wife recomaundethe them unto you besechyng you
that ye woll weche safe to be her goode mastre As ye have ben
A fore tyme For they be enformed that Danyell is comen to
Rysyng castell And hes men make her bost that her mastre shal
be A yene At Brayston w^tinne shorte tyme Ferthermore As for
the matre that my sone wrote to me for the Boxe wheron wreten
Falce carte Sproute that J shulde enquer of Will’m Wurcestr’
wher it were the seide Williā was not at home sen that I had hes
letter but As sone as he comethe home I shall enquere of hym

And sende you an Answer As towchyng for yo^r ³ leveryes ther
can noon be gete here of that coloure that ye wulde have of
nouther murrey nor blwe nor goode russets undrenethe iij^s the
yerde at the lowest p’ce and yet is ther not j nough of on clothe
and coloure to s^rve you And as for to be pvrveid in Suff it wul
not be purveide nought now A yenst this tyme w^t oute they had
had Warnyng At Michelmesse as I am enformed and the blissed
trenyte have you in his kepyng Wreten at Norweche on seint
Kateryn Day.

Be yo^r

⁴ Margaret
Paston.

11 ? by 7 ?.

      Norwich, 25th of November,
            1455, or 1460.
            34 or 39 H. VI.

The statute of wardship was destructive to many noble and ancient Families in this
kingdom, whose heirs were ruined by improper matches and neglected education, it was
therefore wisely abolished by the 12 Ch. II.

We are here informed that robberies on the road (at least towards London) were at
this time frequent.

¹ Osbert Moundford, Esq. of Hockwold, married Elizabeth, Daughter of John Ber-
ney, Esq. and by her had Mary, their Daughter and sole heir, who married Sir William
Tindale, Knight of the Bath.

² A Beadsman or Beadswoman, was a person employed in praying, though generally
in praying for another.

³ A very ingenious and learned Friend of mine has suggested to me that the honour-
able and ancient families of this land were formerly guided in the colours of their live-
ries by the metals and colours in which their arms were blazoned; his suggestion is
here verified, for the arms of Paston were, argent, six Fleurs de Lys azure, and a chief
indented or: if therefore russet or grey may be equivalent to argent, the murrey and
blue are the identical or and azure of the arms.

³ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 20.

N. B. St. Andrew?s day fell on a Sunday, in the years 1455 and 1460; this Letter
was therefore most probably written in one of these years.

LETTER LXIV.

To my right worshipful Husband John Paston, be this
delivered in haste.

RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me unto you,
pleaseth you to weet, that mine Aunt ¹ Moundford hath
desired me to write to you, beseeching you that ye will vouch-
safe to chevise (provide) for her at London twenty marks
(13l. 6s. 8d.) for to be paid to Master Ponyngs, either on Satur-
day or Sunday, which shall be Saint Andrew’s day, in discharg-
ing of them that be bounden to Master Ponyngs of the said
twenty marks for the Wardship of her daughter, the which
twenty marks she hath delivered to me in gold for you to have
at your coming home, for she dare not adventure her money to
be brought up to London for fear of robbing, for it is said here
that there goeth many thieves betwixt this and London, which
causeth her to beseech you to content the said money in discharg-
ing of the matter, and of them that be bounden, for she would
for no good that the day were broken; and she thanketh you
heartily for the great labour and business that ye have had in
that matter, and in all others touching her and hers, wherefore
she faith she is ever bounden to be your ² Beadswoman, and ever
will be while she liveth.

My Cousin, her son, and his wife recommendeth them unto
you, beseeching you that ye will vouchsafe to be their good
Master, as ye have been afore time; for they be informed
that Daniel is come to Rising Castle, and his men make their
boast that their Master shall be again at Brayston within short
time.

Furthermore, as for the matter that my son wrote to me for
the box whereon was written False Carte Sproute that I should
enquire of William Worcester where it were; the said William
was not at home since that I had his letter, but as soon as he
cometh home I shall enquire of him, and send you an answer.

As touching for your ³ Liveries, there can none be gotten
here of that colour that ye would have of, neither murrey, nor
blue, nor good russet, underneath 3s. the yard, at the lowest
price, and yet is there not enough of one cloth and colour to
serve you; and as for to be purveyed in Suffolk, it will not be
purveyed not now against the time, without they had had warn-
ing at Michaelmas, as I am informed: and the blessed Trinity
have you in his keeping. Written at Norwich, on Saint Ka-
therine’s day.

By Your,

⁴ MARGARET PASTON.

11 ? by 7 ?.

      Norwich, 25th of November,
            1455, or 1460.
            34 or 39 H. VI.

The statute of wardship was destructive to many noble and ancient Families in this
kingdom, whose heirs were ruined by improper matches and neglected education, it was
therefore wisely abolished by the 12 Ch. II.

We are here informed that robberies on the road (at least towards London) were at
this time frequent.

¹ Osbert Moundford, Esq. of Hockwold, married Elizabeth, Daughter of John Ber-
ney, Esq. and by her had Mary, their Daughter and sole heir, who married Sir William
Tindale, Knight of the Bath.

² A Beadsman or Beadswoman, was a person employed in praying, though generally
in praying for another.

³ A very ingenious and learned Friend of mine has suggested to me that the honour-
able and ancient families of this land were formerly guided in the colours of their live-
ries by the metals and colours in which their arms were blazoned; his suggestion is
here verified, for the arms of Paston were, argent, six Fleurs de Lys azure, and a chief
indented or: if therefore russet or grey may be equivalent to argent, the murrey and
blue are the identical or and azure of the arms.

³ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 20.

N. B. St. Andrew?s day fell on a Sunday, in the years 1455 and 1460; this Letter
was therefore most probably written in one of these years.

306

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right wurshipfull husbonde, John Paston,
be this delivered, in hast.

   RIGHT wurshipfull husbonde, I recomaunde me unto
     you. Plesith you to witte that myn aunt Monde-
     forthe² hath desiryd me to write to you, besechyng
you that ye wol wochesafe to chevesshe for her at London xx^ti
marke for to be payed to Mastre Ponyngs, outher on Saterday
or Sonday, weche schalbe Seint Andrwes Daye, in discharch-
yng of them that be bounden to Mastre Ponyngs of the s[ei]de
xx^ti marke for the wardeship of her doughter, the weche xx^ti
marke she hath delyvered to me in golde for you to have at
your comyn home, for she dare not aventure her money to be
brought up to London for feere of robbyng; for it is seide
heere that there goothe many thefys be twyx this and London,
weche causeth her to beseche you to content the seide money
in dischargyng of the matre, and of them that be bounden,
for she wolde for no goude that the day were broken. And
she thankyth you hertely for the greet labour and besynesse
that ye have had in that matre, and in all others touchyng her

and hers, wherfore she seithe she is ever bounden to be your
bed-woman, and ever wolle be whyle she levethe.

My cosyn, her sone, and hese wife recomaundethe them
unto you, besechyng you that ye woll weche safe to be her
goode mastre, as ye have ben a fore tyme; for they be enformed
that Danyell is comen to Rysyng Castell, and hes men make
her bost that her mastre shal be a yene at Brayston withinne
shorte tyme.

Ferthermore, as for the matre that my sone wrote to me
for the boxe wheron wreten Falce Carte Sproute that I shulde
enquer of William Wurcestre wher it were, the seide William
was not at home sen that I had hes letter; but as sone as
he comethe home, I shall enquere of hym, and sende you an
answer.

As towchyng for your leveryes, ther can noon be gete here
of that coloure that ye wulde have of, nouther murrey, nor
blwe, nor goode russets, undrenethe iijs. the yerde at the lowest
price, and yet is ther not j nough of on clothe and coloure to
serve you. And as for to be purveid in Suffolk, it wul not be
purveide nought now a yenst this tyme, with oute they had
had warnyng at Michelmesse, as I am enformed. And the
blissed Trenyte have you in his kepyng.

Wreten at Norweche, on Seint Kateryn Day.

Be your,

MARGARET PASTON.

¹ [From Fenn, iii. 252.] St. Andrew’s day fell on Sunday in 1455 and 1460.
This letter must be written in one of these two years, and the probabilities are greatly
in favour of the former, as John Paston and William Worcester were not on good
terms after the death of Sir John Fastolf.

² Osbert Moundford, Esq. of Hockwold, married Elizabeth, daughter of John
Berney, Esq., and by her had Mary, their daughter and sole heir, who married Sir
William Tindale, Knight of the Bath.

NOV. 25

1455
NOV. 25