Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER CVI.

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

RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you de-
     siring heartily to hear of your welfare, praying you to
weet that it was told me this week that there is a fair place to
sell in Saint Laurence’s parish, and standeth near the church,
and by the water side, the which place Topps hath to sell, Pyte
a Lyster (a Dyer) bought it of Topps, and now for default of
payment Topps hath entered again therein, and shall sell it in
haste as it is told me, the said Lyster dwelleth therein at this
time, but he shall out, for he is held right a poor man; I sup-
pose if ye like to buy it, when ye come home ye shall mow (be
able to) have it of Topps as good cheap or better than another
should.

     As for tidings we have none good in this country, I pray God
send us good; it was told me that Richard Southwell hath
entered in the manor of (Holm) Hale, the which is the Lady
¹ Boys’s, and keepeth it with strength with such another Fellow-
ship as hath been at Brayston, and wasteth and despoileth all that
there is; and the Lady Boys, as it is told me, is to London to
complain to the King, and to the Lords thereof; it seemeth it
was not for nought that he held with Charles and his Fellowship.

     I pray you that ye will vouchsafe to speak to James Gloys to
buy the Unguentum Album that I spake to him for; and that ye
will remember your fair Daughter’s Girdle.

     I hope ye shall be at home so soon that I will write no more
tidings to you. The blessed Trinity have you in his keeping,
and send you good speed in all that ye will speed well in.
Written at Norwich on the Ascension day.

                                    Yours

                                                   ² MARGARET PASTON.

       Norwich, May
             H. VI. Date uncertain.

 We have in this Letter an instance of force used in entering into possession of Manors
and Estates, a very common method of proceeding in those violent and unsettled times.

¹ Sibilla, daughter and heir of Sir Robert Ylley, and widow of Sir Roger Boys,
Knight; she was alive after 1450.

    ² Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 25.

LETTER CVI.

         To my Rygth Worshipfull
         hosbond Iohn Paston be y^is
         delyverid in hast.

RYGTH Wurchipfull hosbond I recōmawnd me to yow
     desyrīg hertyly to her of yo^r Welfar preying yow to wete
that itt was told me y^is weke that y’ is Afayr plase to sell in seynt
laveransis parysch and stant ner the chirche and by y^e Water syde
y^e whiche place toppis hath to sell Pyte Alyster bowgth itt of
toppis and now for defawt of paymēt toppis hath enterid ayen
y’inne And shall selle itt in hast as it it is told me the seyd lyster
dwellyth y’inne at y^is tym but he shall owte for he is hald rygth
apore man I suppose if ye lyke to bye itt when ye com hom ye
shall mowe have itt of toppis Als godechepe or better than
Anoy^r shuld Als for tydyngs we have none gode in y^is Contr’ I
p’y god send us gode jtt was told me that Rychard sowthwell
hath enterid in y^e maner of hale y^e whiche is y^e lady ¹ Boysys
and kepyth itt w^t strength w^t seche Another felashep as hath be
att Brayston and wastyth and dispoylyth all y^t y’is And y^e lady
Boys as it is told me is to london to compleyn to y^e kyng and to
y^e lordys ther of jtt semyth it was not for nowgth y^t he held w^t
Charlys and his Felashep I prey yow y^t ye wol vowchesawf to
speke to Jamys Gloys to bye y^e Ungwentū Albū y^t I spake to
hym for And y^t ye woll remembr yo^r. fayr dowgteris gyrdyl I
hope ye shull be at hom so sone that I woll do wryte nomor
tydyngs to yow The blyssid t’nyte have yow in his kepīg And
send yow gode spede in all y^t ye woll spede well inne Wretyn
at Norwyche on y^e Ascencon day

                                                                    Yours

                                                                                          ² M. P.

      Norwich, May
             H. VI. Date uncertain.

       11 ½ by 6 ½.

     We have in this Letter an instance of force used in entering into possession of Manors
and Estates, a very common method of proceeding in those violent and unsettled times.

¹ Sibilla, daughter and heir of Sir Robert Ylley, and widow of Sir Roger Boys,
Knight; she was alive after 1450.

    ² Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 25.

197

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON²

To my rygth worshipfull hosbond, John Paston,
be this delyverid in hast.

      RYGTH wurchipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow,
          desyring hertyly to her of your welfar, preying yow to
          wete that itt was told me this weke that ther is afayr
plase to sell in Seynt Laueransis parysch, and stant ner the
chirche, and by the water syde, the whiche place Toppis hath
to sell. Pyte alyster [a dyer] bowgth itt of Toppis and now,
for defawt of payment, Toppis hath enterid ayen therinne, and
shall selle itt in hast, as it is told me. The seyd lyster dwellyth
therinne at this tym, but he shall owte, for he is hald rygth
apore man. I suppose if ye lyke to bye itt when ye com hom,
ye shall mowe have itt of Toppis als godechepe or better than
another shuld. Als for tydyngs, we have none gode in this
contre; I pray God send us gode. Itt was told me that
Rychard Sowthwell hath enterid in the maner of Hale,¹ the
whiche is the Lady Boysys,² and kepyth itt with strength with
seche another felashep as hath be att Brayston, and wastyth and
dispoylyth all that theris; and the Lady Boys, as it is told me,
is to London to compleyn to the Kyng and to the Lordys
ther of. Itt semyth it was not for nowgth that he held with
Charlys and his felashep. I prey yow that ye wol vowchesawf
to speke to Jamys Gloys to bye the Ungwentum Album that
I spake to hym for; and that ye woll remembr your fayr
dowgteris gyrdyl. I hope ye shull be at hom so sone that I
woll do wryte nomor tydyngs to yow. The blyssid Trinyte
have yow in his keping, and send yow gode spede in all that ye
woll spede well inne. Wretyn at Norwyche on the Asencion
day.                                              Yours,                        M. P.

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 424.] Reference is made in this letter to the forcible entry of
Daniel into Brayston in 1450, and, from the terms of the allusion, that event must
have been pretty recent. The date of this letter, however, cannot be earlier than 1451,
as Lady Boys must have been a widow at the time, and she only became so in
December 1450.—See Letter 162, p. 198.

     ¹ Holm Hale.

     ² Sibilla, daughter and heir of Sir Robert Ylley, and widow of Sir Roger Boys,
Knight. She was alive after 1450.—F.

1451
[JUNE 3]

1451
[JUNE 3]