Margaret Paston to John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
Margaret Paston to John Paston
Reference
Add. 34888, f. 66
Date
16 April 1451
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol II, item 187; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 19
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume III' (1st transcript)

LETTER XIX.

     To my right wurchepfull
     howsbond John Paston.

RIGHT wurchepfull howsbond I recomand me to yow
     p’yng yow to wete that the prson of Oxened told me that
Wymdh’m told hym that Sweynnysthorp is hold of the kyng
be the thred p’t or the fourt p’t of a knyt fye and ho so eur had
the manr of Sweynsthorp he shuld fynde an armyd man in
tyme of Werre in the Castell of Norwhic xl days to his owyn
Cost and that ye shuld pay xxxs to the kyng yerly owth of the
seyd manr and it is fond also that yor fadr shuld a died seysyd
and that ye shuld a entyryd ther in as heyr aftr yor fadr dysseys
and that ye shuld be now up on the age of xxx wyntr.

     The Trinite have yow in hys kep[SYM]g, wreten at Norwhic the
friday next a fore seynt George.

                                                                               Yowrs,

                                                                                    M. Paston.

 

     I have given this Letter as mentioning a tenure by Petit Sergeanty; these tenures
were abolished by a statute in the reign of Charles II. but the honorary services by
Grand Sergeanty are still continued.

     This Letter must have been written about 1450, as John Paston was born about 1420,
Swainsthorpe is in the County of Norfolk.

Autograph. Pl. II. No 20.

    8 ½ by 7 ½

       Norwich,
            Friday, April
            About 1450. 28 H. VI.

              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 XIX.

 

To my right worshipful husband, John Paston.

 

RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you,
     praying you to weet that the parson of Oxnead told me
that Wyndham told him that Swainsthorp is held of the King
by the third part or the fourth part of a Knight’s fee, and
whosoever had the manor of Swainsthorp he should find an
armed man, in time of war in the Castle of Norwich, forty days
to his own cost, and that ye should pay 30s. to the King yearly
out of the said manor, and it is found also that your father
should have died seised, and that ye should have entered therein
as heir after your father’s decease, and that ye should be now
upon the age of 30 winters.

     The Trinity have you in his keeping; written at Norwich,
the Friday next afore Saint George.

                                               Yours,

                                                       MARGARET PASTON.

 

      I have given this Letter as mentioning a tenure by Petit Sergeanty; these tenures
were abolished by a statute in the reign of Charles II. but the honorary services by
Grand Sergeanty are still continued.

     This Letter must have been written about 1450, as John Paston was born about 1420,
Swainsthorpe is in the County of Norfolk.

Autograph. Pl. II. No 20.

 

    8 ½ by 7 ½

    Norwich,
            Friday, April
            About 1450. 28 H. VI.

              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'

187

 

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON1

 

To my right wurchepfull howsbond, John Paston.

 

RIGHT wurchepfull howsbond, I recomand me to yow,
     prayng yow to wete that the Parson of Oxened2 told
     me that Wyndham told hym that Sweynnysthorp3 is
hold of the Kyng be the therd part or the fourt part of a
knyt fye, and ho so ever had the maner of Sweynsthorp, he
shuld fynde an armyd man, in tyme of werre in the castell of
Norwhic, xl. days to his owyn cost, and that ye shuld pay
xxxs. to the Kyng yerly owth of the seyd maner; and it is
fond also that your fader shuld a died seysyd, and that ye
shuld a entyryd ther in as heyr after your fader dysseys, and
that ye shuld be now up on the age of xxx. wynter.

     The Trinite have yow in hys kepyng. Wreten at Nor-
whic, the Friday next a fore Seynt George.—Yowrs,

                                                                                     M. PASTON.

 

     1 [From Fenn, iii. 84.] The date of this letter depends upon the age of John
Paston, who, in November 1444, was found to be twenty-three years old. As he
is now ‘upon the age of thirty winters,’ this letter was probably written in 1451.

     2 His name was Laurence Baldewar.

     3 In 1444, according to Blomefield (Hist. of Norf. iv. 40), a rent-charge out of
the manor of Swainsthorp was settled by John and Agnes Paston, the eldest son and
the widow of William Paston, the Justice, to find a priest to sing for the soul of the
said William in the chapel of our Lady the Great in Norwich Cathedral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1451
APRIL 16