Margaret Paston to John Paston

                                              LETTER LI.

    To my rytz Wurchepfull
    Maystr Ion Paston in hast.

RYT wurschipfull hosbond I r'comand me to zu desyng her-
tyly to her of zr Wellfar pryig zu to wete y^t I spoken wt
¹ Strawngs Wyf of y^e mattr y^t ze spoken to me of And sche seyth
pleynly to me be her feyth y^t sche knew nevr non seche n' nevr
herd of non scheche and told to me in lyk wyse as sche had seyd
to Jamys Gloys And sche seyd to me if sche kowd jnq'r of any
oy^r y^t sche yinght xuld have knowleche of any seche sche
xuld wetyn of hem and letyne me have knowleche y'of. And jf
ze soppose y^t any oy^r be jn yis contr' y^t ye thync xuld have
knowleche of yis forseyd matr. yf ye wyll send me word ther of
I xall do my p't ther in Also I have ben att Sweyngsthorp and
spoken w^t kokett and he seyth yt he woll don lyche as ye bad me
yt I xuld sey to hym for to don And I have spokyn w^t y^e
Sexteyn and seyd to hym as ye bad me that I xuld don and he
axid m ryt feythfully hw ye sped jn z^r mat'ys I teld hym y^t ze
haddyn fayr be hests and I seyd I hopyd yt ze xuld don rytz well
y'jn And he seyd he supposyd y^{t 2} D. wold don for zu but he seyd
he was no hasty laborer jn non mat^r he seyd be hys feyth he wost
qher a man was y^t laboryd to hym for amatr ryth along tym and
alwey he be hestyd y^t he wold labor itt effectualy, but qhyll he
sewyd to hym he kowd nevr have r'medy of his matr and than
qhan he yowth y^t he xuld no remedy have to sew to hym he spak
w^{t 3} Fynys y^t is now Spek^r of y^e parlment and p'yid hym y^t he
wold don for hym in his mat^r and zaf hym areward And W^tjnne
ryth short tym aft^r his matr was sped and y^e seyd ⁴ Sexteyn and
oy^r folkys y^t ben yowr ryth wele willers have kownselyd me yt I
xuld kownsell z^u to maken oy^r menys yan ye have made to
other folks y^t wold spede y^r mat'ys bett^r yan they have don
yatt he have spoken to y'of be for this tym Sondery folks have
seyd to me that they yynk veryly but if ye have my lord of
⁵ Suffolk's godelorchyp qhyll ye werd is as itt is ye kan nevr
leven jn pese w^t owth ye have his godelordchep therfor I p'y
y^u w^t all myn herth yt ye wyll don yowr p't to have hys gode-
lordschep and his love jn ese of all the mat'is that ye have to don
and jn esyng of myng hert also For be my trowth j am afferd
ellys bothen of these mat'y the qhyche ye have jn hand now
and of other that ben not don to yett but if he wyl don for zu
and be y^r godelord I pray yow hertylye send me werd how ze
don and how ye speden jn zr mat'ys and j p'y yu as for seche
thygs as Iamys hath abyll of y^t jmay have hem as hastyly as ze
may and y^t ze wyll vowchesave to bey apese of blak bukram for
to lyn w^ta gown for me I xuld bey me amurrey gown to gon
in this som^r and leyn in koler the Satyn y^t ze zeve me for an
hodde and I kan gettyn non gode bokeram in y^is town to lyn it
wt The holy t'nyte have yow in his kepyng and send z^u helth
and good spede in all yowr mat is Wretyn att Norwyche on ye
Fryday nexst aft^{r 6} Crowchemesse day.

                                                         Yowrys
                                                                       ⁷ m. p.

11 by 11 1/2
    Paper Mark,
    A Globe and Cross.
    Pl. XXVI. No 3.

The exact year when this Letter was written cannot be determined, but it must have
been during J. Paston's troubles in the latter part of his life, between 1464 and 1466.

   ¹ The very ancient and respectable Family of Strange of L'Estrange, of Hunstanton,
in Norfolk, failing in the male line about twenty years ago, the ample possessions of that
House are now divided between the Families of Astley and Styleman, whose Mothers
were Sisters to Sir Thomas and Sir Henry L'Estrange, Baronets.

   ² Perhaps this may mean John Damme, a person often mentioned in these Letters, and
who was Member of Parliament for the City of Norwich, in 1451.

   ³ It does no appear what relation this Fynes was to Sir Richard Fynes, who married
Joan, Daughter and heir of Lord Dacre of the South, by which title in her right the was
summoned to Parliament in 1459.

    The Reward given to Fynes seems previous to his being elected Speaker of the
Parliament.

   ⁴ The Sacrist of Sexton of the Priory of Norwich, was the officer who had the care of
the Secra, or Holy Things, as the Church Plate, Copes, &c. he was likewise Secretary,
Auditor, and Chancellor of the Convent, and had a Subsacrist or Deputy to perform
the servile parts of his office. In 1444 Brother Richard de Walsham was appointed
Sacrist.

   ⁵ John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

   ⁶ Crouchmass day, or the Invention of the Cross, was on the 3d of May.

   ⁷ Autograph. Pl. II. No. 25.

LETTERS LI.

              To my right worshipful Master John Paston, in haste.

RIGHT worshipful Husband, I recommend me to you,
desiring heartily to hear of your welfare, praying you to
weet, that I have spoken with 1 Strange's wife of the matter
that ye spoken to me of, and she saith plainly to me by her faith,
that she knew never none such nor never heard of none, such,
and (she) told to me in like wise as she had said to James Gloys,
and she said to me is she could enquire of any other that she
thought should have knowledge of any such, she should weten
of them, and letten me have knowledge thereof; and if ye
suppose that any other be in this Country that ye think should
have knowledge of this foresaid matter, if ye will send me word
thereof, I shall do my part therein.

    Also I have been at Swainsthorp and spoken with Cocket, and
he saith that he will do like as ye bad me that I should say to
him for to do. And I have spoken with the Sexteyn (Sexton)
and said to him as ye bad me that I should do, and he asked me
right faithfully how ye sped in your matters.

    I told him that ye had fair behests, and I said, I hoped that
ye should do right well therein; and he said he supposed that
2 D would do for you; but he faith he was no hasty labourer
in none matter, he said by his faith he wist where a man was that
laboured to him for a mater right a long time, and always he
behested that he would labour it effectually; but while he sued to
him he could never have remedy of his matter, and then when
he thought that he should no remedy have to sue to him, he spake
with 3 Fynes that is now Speaker of the Parliament, and prayed
him that he would do for him in his matter, and gave him a
reward; and within right short time after his matter was sped;
and, the said ⁴ Sexteyn and other folks that be your right well-
willers have counselled me that I should counsel you to make
other means than ye have made to folks, that would speed
your matters better than they have done that ye have spoken to
thereof before this time. Sundry folks have said to me, that they
think verily but if (unless) ye have my Lord of 5 Suffolk's good
Lordship while the werd (world) is as it is, ye can never live
in peace without ye have his good lordship; therefore I pray
you with all mine heart, that ye will do your part to have his
good lordship and his love in ease of all those matters that ye
have to do, and in easing of mine heart also, for by my truth I
am afraid else, both of these matters the which ye have in hand
now, and of other that be not done to yet, but if (unless) he will
do for you and be your good Lord. I pray you heartily send me
word how ye do, and how ye speed in your matters; and I pray
you as for such things as James hath a bill of, that I may have
them as hastily as ye may; and that ye will vouchsase to buy a
piece of black buckram for to line with a gown for me, I should
buy me a murrey gown to go in this Summer, and lay in the col-
lar the satin that ye gave me for an hood; and I can get none
good buckram in this town to line it with. The Holy Trinity
have you in his keeping, and send you health and good speed in
all your matters.

    Written at Norwich, on the Friday next after ⁶ Crouchmas day.

Yours.
                           ⁷ MARGARET PASTON.

    Norwich, Friday,
        May, between 1464 and 1466.
        4 and 6 E. IV.

The exact year when this Letter was written cannot be determined, but it must have
been during J. Paston's troubles in the latter part of his life, between 1464 and 1466.

   ¹ The very ancient and respectable Family of Strange of L'Estrange, of Hunstanton,
in Norfolk, failing in the male line about twenty years ago, the ample possessions of that
House are now divided between the Families of Astley and Styleman, whose Mothers
were Sisters to Sir Thomas and Sir Henry L'Estrange, Baronets.

   ² Perhaps this may mean John Damme, a person often mentioned in these Letters, and
who was Member of Parliament for the City of Norwich, in 1451.

    ³ It does no appear what relation this Fynes was to Sir Richard Fynes, who married
Joan, Daughter and heir of Lord Dacre of the South, by which title in her right the was
summoned to Parliament in 1459.

    The Reward given to Fynes seems previous to his being elected Speaker of the
Parliament.

    ⁴ The Sacrist of Sexton of the Priory of Norwich, was the officer who had the care of
the Secra, or Holy Things, as the Church Plate, Copes, &c. he was likewise Secretary,
Auditor, and Chancellor of the Convent, and had a Subsacrist or Deputy to perform
the servile parts of his office. In 1444 Brother Richard de Walsham was appointed
Sacrist.

    ⁵ John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

    ⁶ Crouchmass day, or the Invention of the Cross, was on the 3d of May.

    ⁷ Autograph. Pl. II. No. 25.

544

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my rytz wurchepfull mayster, Jon Paston, in hast.

RYT wurschipfull hosbond, I recommand me to zou,
     desyring hertyly to her of zour wellfar, praying zou
     to wete, that I [have] spoken with Strawngs wyf of
the matter that ze spoken to me of; and sche seyth pleynly to
me, be her feyth, that sche knew never non seche ne never
herd of non scheche, and told to me in lyk wyse as sche had
seyd to Jamys Gloys. And sche seyd to me if sche kowd
inquier of any other that sche thinght xuld have knowleche of
any seche, sche xuld wetyn of hem, and letyn me have know-
leche therof; and if ze soppose that any other be in this
contre that ye thync xuld have knowleche of this forseyd
mater, yf ye wyll send me word ther of, I xall do my part
ther in.

     Also I have ben att Sweyngsthorp and spoken with Kokett,
and he seyth that he woll don lyche as ye bad me that I xuld
sey to hym for to don. And I have spokyn with the sexteyn,
and seyd to hym as ye bad me that I xuld don, and he axid me
ryt feythfully hw ye sped in zour materys.

     I teld hym that ze haddyn fayr be hests, and I seyd I
hopyd that ze xuld don rytz well therin; and he seyd that he
supposyd that D.¹ wold don for zou; but he seyd he was
no hasty laborer in non mater. He seyd be hys feyth he wost
qher a man was that laboryd to hym for amater ryth along
tym, and alwey he be hestyd that he wold labor itt effectualy,
but qhyll he sewyd to hym that he kowd never have remedy
of his mater; and than qhan he thowth that he xuld no
remedy have to sew to hym, he spak with Fynys,² that is now
Speker of the Parlment, and prayid hym that he wold don for
hym in hys mater, and zaf hym areward; and withinne ryth
short tym after his mater was sped. And the seyd sexteyn³
and other folkys that ben yowr ryth wele willers have kown-
selyd me that I xuld kownsell zou to maken other menys than
ye have made to other folks, that wold spede your materys
better than they have don thatt ye have spoken to therof be
for this tym. Sondery folks have seyd to me that they thynk
veryly, but if [unless] ye have my Lord of Suffolks⁴ godelor-
chyp, qhyll the werd [world] is as itt is, ye kan never leven in
pese with owth ye have his godelordschep; therfor I pray that
with all myn herth, that ye wyll don yowr part to have his
godelordschep and his love in ese of all the materis that ye
have to don, and in esyng of myn hert also; for be my trowth
I am afferd ellys bothen of these materys the qhyche ye have
in hand now, and of other that ben not don to yett, but
if he wyl don for zou and be your godelord. I pray yow
hertylye send me werd how ze don, and how ye speden in
zour materys; and I pray you as for seche thyngs as Jamys
hath a byll of, that I may have hem as hastyly as ze may; and
that ze wyll vowchesave to bey apese of blak bukram for to
lyn with a gown for me, I xuld bey me amurrey gown to gon
in this somer, and leyn in the koler the satyn that ze zeve me
for an hodde; and I kan gettyn non gode bokeram in this
town to lyn it with. The Holy Trinyte have yow in His
kepyng, and send zou helth and good spede in all yowr
maters.

     Wretyn att Norwyche, on ye Fryday nexst after Crowche-
messe Day.¹

                                                       Yours,                                M. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 188.] Our reason for believing this letter to have been written
in the year 1463 will be seen in a footnote.

     ¹ Possibly John Damme.

     ² This looks like a mistake, for no Speaker of the name of Fynes is met with
during this period. The expression, however, suggests that the letter was written
about the beginning of a new Parliament, which could only have been that which
met on the 29th April 1463. On the following day the Commons elected John Say
as their Speaker, whose name Margaret Paston seems to have confounded with the
family name of William Fenys, Lord Say, the trusty friend of Edward IV. who
accompanied him into exile when he fled from his kingdom in 1470. It does not
appear, however, that John Say, the Speaker, was related to that family.

     ³ The Sacrist or Sexton of the Priory of Norwich was the officer who had the
care of Sacra, or Holy Things, as the Church Plate, Copes, etc.; he was likewise
Secretary, Auditor, and Chancellor of the Convent, and had a Sub-sacrist or Deputy
to perform the servile parts of his office. In 1444 Brother Richard de Walsham
was appointed Sacrist.—F.

     ⁴ John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.—F.

     ¹ Crouchmas Day, or the Invention of the Cross, was on the 3rd of May.—F.

MAY 6

1463
MAY 6

1463
MAY 6