Margaret Paston to John Paston

                                                      LETTER IX.

             To my Worchepful hoshonde
             Ion Pastu ys lett' be delyu'
            in hast.

    RYTH Worchepful husbond I Recomawnd me to yow
plesys yow to wete yt I am desyrid be Sr John Tatrsale to
wryte to yow for a Comyssion or a noyr in t'myn' for to be sent
down in to ys cutre to sit uppo y^e p'son of snoryng an don soche
as was Cause of Thom's Denyssys dethe and for many and gret
horebyl robryys and as for y^e costs y^er of y^e cuntre wele pay yer-
for y^ey be for aferd but y^e seyd dethe be chastysyd and ye seyd
robryys y^ey ar aferde yt mo folks xal be s'uyd in lyke wyse as
for y^e prest and vj of hese me y^t be takyn yey be delyu^r yt to
Twer and iiij b' w^t he of ye cutreys Cost for to be sent wt to ye
Kyng nad yf y^ey be browt vp at y^e reveres of god do yowr p'te
y^t y^ey schape not but y^t y^ey may haue y^e Jugemet of ye lawe
and as y^ey haue des'uyd and be Comytyt to p'son not to deprte
tyl y^ey be inqueryd of her foreseyd robery be soche a comyssion
y^t ye ca get y^t y^e Keng and ye lords may hondyrstode wat rewle
y^ey haue be of not hondely for ye mod'rys and y^e robbryys but
as wele for ye gret insurrexsin y^t y^ey wer lyke amade wtin ye
shyre y^e preests of astyr y^ey be streytely take hede at be Roberd
Harmerer and hodr so y^t y^e seyde p'stys may hue no thyg out of
y^er owne ne of hodyr menys but y^ey be rassakyt and y^e plase ys
watchyd bothe day and nyth y^e pstys thynk ryth longe tyl they
tydynggs fro yow at y^e reueres of god be ware hou ye goo
and ryde for y^t ys told me y^t ye thret of he yt be nowty fela-
wys y^t hathe be inclynyg to the yt hathe be your hold adu'sarys
The blyssyd trenyte haue yow in hys kepyng Wrety in hast ye
Sat^rday nex be fore set Margarete.

Be yours,

                                                                                                        M.P.

 11 1/2 by 3 1/2.

   This and some of the foregoing Letters, are very curious, as they afford a striking
picture of the times, and display the misfortunes ever attendant on the people at large,
when of violent a convulsion happens in the government of a Kingdom.  

  Murders, Robberies, and acts of extortion cannot then be prevented even in times that
boast of refinement in laws, manners, and arts; in the ferocious period here reviewed, they
must have been proportionably terrible.

    Autograph. Pl. II. No 25. Seal, a Fleur de Lys. Pl. XXIII. No 7.

 LETTER IX.

To my worshipful Hushand John Paston, this Letter be
delivered in haste.

RIGHT worshipful Husband, I recommend me to you,
please it you to weet that I am desired by Sir John Tater-
salle to write to you for a commission, or an Oyer and Terminer,
for to be sent down into this country to fit upon the Parson of
Snoring, and on such as was cause of Thomas Denys' death,
and for many and great horrible Robberies; and as for the costs
thereof the country will pay therefore, for they be fore afraid but
(unless) the said death be chastised, and the said Robberies, they
are afraid that more folks shall be served in like wise. As for the
Priest and six of his men that be taken, they be delivered to
Twyer, and four be with them of the Country's cost, for to be
sent with to the King; and if they be brought up at the reve-
rence of God, do your part that they escape not, but that they
may have the judgment of the law, and as they have deserved,
and be committed to Prison, not to depart till they be enquired
of their foresaid obbery by such a commission that ye can get,
that the King and the Lords may understand what rule they have
been of, not only for the Murders and the Robberies, but as well
for the great infurrection that they were like a made ( to have
made) within the Shire. The Priests of Caister they be straitly
ake heed at by Robert Harmerer and other, so that the said
Priests may have nothing out of their own nor of other mens,
but they be ransacked, and the place is watched both by day and
night; the Priests think right long till they (have) tidings from
you. At the reverence of God beware how ye go and ride, for
it is told me that ye be threatened of them that be naughty fel-
lows, that hath been inclining to them, that hath been your old
Adversaries.

    The blessed Trinity have you in his keeping. Written in
haste, the Saturday next before Saint Margaret.

                                               By your,

                                                                        MARGARET PASTON.

 Saturday,

        18th of July, 1461.

            I E. IV.

   This and some of the foregoing Letters, are very curious, as they afford a striking
picture of the times, and display the misfortunes ever attendant on the people at large,
when of violent a convulsion happens in the government of a Kingdom.  

   Murders, Robberies, and acts of extortion cannot then be prevented even in times that
boast of refinement in laws, manners, and arts; in the ferocious period here reviewed, they
must have been proportionably terrible.

    Autograph. Pl. II. No 25. Seal, a Fleur de Lys. Pl. XXIII. No 7.

472

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my worchepful hosbonde, Jon Pastun, this letter be
delyvered in hast.

RYTH worchepful husbond, I recomawnd me to yow.
     Plesyt yow to wete that I am desyrid be Sir John
     Tatersale to wryte to yow for a comyssion or a noyr
in termyner [oyer and terminer]² for to be sent down in to this
cuntre to sit uppon the parson of Snoryng, and on soche as
was cause of Thomas Denyssys dethe, and for many and gret
horebyl robryys; and as for the costs ther of the cuntre wele
pay therfor, for they be sor aferd but [i.e. unless] the seyd
dethe be chastysed, and the seyd robryys, they ar aferde that
mo folks xal be servyd in lyke wyse.

     As for the prest and vj. of hese men that be takyn, they
be delyveryt to Twer [Twyer], and iiij. be with hem of the
cuntreys cost, for to be sent with to the Kyng; and yf they
be browt up at the reverens of God, do yowr parte that they
schape not, but that they may have the jugement of the lawe,
and as they have deservyd, and be comytyt to prison, not to
departe tyl they be inqueryd of her forseyd robery be soche a
comyssion that ye can get, that the Keng and the Lords may
hondyrstonde wat rewle they have be of, not hondely for the
moderys and the robbryys, but as wele for the gret insurrexsin
that they were lyke amade within the shyre. The preests of
Castyr they be streytely take hede at be Roberd Harmerer and
hoder, so that the seyde prestys may have no thyng out of
ther owne, ne of hodyr menys, but they be rassakyt, and the
plase ys watchyd bothe day and nyth. The prestys thynk ryth
longe tyl they tydynggs fro yow. At the reverens of God, be
ware hou ye goo and ryde, for that ys told me that ye thret of
hem that be nowty felawys that hathe be inclynyng to them,
that hathe be your hold adversarys.

     The blyssyd Trenyte have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn
in hast, the Saturday nex be fore Sent Margarete.

                                             Be yours,                                M. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 30.] The date of this letter is certain, as it refers to the murder
of Thomas Denys.

     ² See vol. ii. p. 161, Note 3.

JULY 18

1461
JULY 18