Margaret Paston to John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
Margaret Paston to John Paston
Reference
Add. 34888, f. 64
Date
3 March 1451
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol II, item 180; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 71
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume III' (1st transcript)

LETTER LXXI.

          To my rith wr shepfull
          hosbond Ion Paston.

RITH worchipfull hosbond I recōmawnd me to yow prayīg
     you to wete that ther is a gret noyse in yis town yt my
lord of oxforth and yelvrton and ye ben endytid in Kent for
mayntenyng of ye 1 oyr detrmynr and Ion Dame is endytyd yer
also of treson be cawse yt he dede Heydon endytyn of Treson
for takyng down of ye quartr of the man And the pepyll yt ben
ayens Ser thomas Todenham and Heydon ben sore aferd be
cawse of yis noyse and of oyr langage that is had boye in yis town
and in ye contr’ yt yese seyd todenh’m and Heydon shuld ben as
well at ese and have as gr’tt rewill as evr they hadde Iamys
Gloys tellith me yt he hath sent yow word of Heydonys hors
and of oyr thyngs mor of whiche I was purposid to asent yow
word of The holy t’nyte have yow in kepyng Wretyn at Nor-
wiche the Weddenysday next after Seynt Mathy.

                                                                             Yowris,

                                                                                      2 M. P.

            8 ? by 3 ¾.

            Norwich,
         Wednesday, February,
  Between 1455 and 1460. 34 and 39 H. VI.

     This Letter shews the terrible effects of civil commotions to individuals, who rise or
fall as their party gains or loses any advantage.

     This Earl of Oxford and Sir Thomas Todenham were afterwards beheaded in the be-
ginning of the reign of Edward IV.

     1 A Commission of Oyer and Terminer is the largest of the five Commissions by which
our Judges of Assise now sit in their several Circuits. It was wont in former times to
be only in use upon some sudden outrage or insurrection in any place.

 

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

 
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume III' (2nd transcript)

LETTER LXXI.

 

To my right worshipful Husband John Paston.

 

RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you,
     praying you to weet that there is a great noise in this
town, that my Lord of Oxford and Yelverton and ye be endited
in Kent for maintaining of the 1 Oyer and Determiner, and John
Damme is indited there also of treason, because that he did
Heydon inditen of treason for taking down of the quarter of the
man; and the people that be against Sir Thomas Todenham,
and Heydon be sore afraid because of this noise, and of other
language that is had both ia this town and in the country, that
these said Todenham and Heydon should be as well at ease, and
have as great rule as ever they had.

     James Gloys telleth me, that he hath sent you word of Hey-
don’s horse (whores q?) and of other things, more of which I
was purposed to asent (have sent) you word of. The holy Tri-
nity have you in keeping. Written at Norwich, the Wednes-
day next after Saint Mathias.

                                           Yours,

                                                  2 MARGARET PASTON.

           8 ? by 3 ?.

            Norwich,
         Wednesday, February,
  Between 1455 and 1460. 34 and 39 H. VI.

 

     This Letter shews the terrible effects of civil commotions to individuals, who rise or
fall as their party gains or loses any advantage.

     This Earl of Oxford and Sir Thomas Todenham were afterwards beheaded in the be-
ginning of the reign of Edward IV.

     1 A Commission of Oyer and Terminer is the largest of the five Commissions by which
our Judges of Assise now sit in their several Circuits. It was wont in former times to
be only in use upon some sudden outrage or insurrection in any place.

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

 

Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume II'

180

 

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON2

 

To my rith wurshepfull hosbond, Jon Paston.

 

RITH worchipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow,
     praying you to wete that ther is a gret noyse in this
     town, that my Lord of Oxforth and Yelverton and ye
ben endytid in Kent for mayntenyng of the oyer determyner;
and Jon Dame is endytyd ther also of treson, be cawse that
he dede Heydon endytyn3 of treson for takyng down of the
quarter of the man. And the pepyll that ben ayens Ser
Thomas Todenham and Heydon ben sore aferd be cawse of
this noyse, and of other langage that is had bothe in this town
and in the contre, that these seyd Todenham and Heydon
shuld ben as well at ese, and have as grett rewill as ever they
hadde.

     Jamys Gloys tellith me that he hath sent yow word of
Heydonys hors and of other thyngs, mor of whiche I was
purposid to asent yow word of. The Holy Trinyte have yow
in kepyng. Wretyn at Norwiche, the Weddenysday next after
Seynt Mathy.1

                                                Yowris,                                 M. P.

 

     2 [From Fenn, iii. 288.] It will be seen that this letter contains a distinct
reference to the last which was written the day before it. Indeed, the information
contained in this letter is nearly all anticipated in that of Gloys.

     3 i.e. caused Heydon to be indicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH 3