Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER IV,

        To my rygth wirchipfel
        bosbond Iobn Paston
        be yis delyverid in bast.

RYTH worshipfull hosbond I recomawnd me to yow de-
syryg hertyly to her of yor welfar p'ying yow yt ye woll
send me word in hast how ye be agreid wt Wychyngh'm and
Inglose for yt matr that ye spake to me of at yor deprtyng for if
j shuld p'vey oyr wood or hey it shuld be bowgth best chepe be
twixt yis and seynt Margretys messe as itt is told me As for
Applyard he com not yett to this town syn he com from london
I have sent to Sr Bryse to lete me have knowleche when he
comyth to town and he hath p'mysid yt I shall have knowleche
and when he comyth I shall do yor comawndemet My moder
bad me send yow word yt Waron Herman hath dayly fyshid
hyre water all yis yer and y'for she p'yith yow to do y'for while
 

ye be att london as ye thynk best. ^Ichyrche of Byrlyngh'm
was take and browte to y^e Castell yistrday be ye beshopys men
and all his godys ben syysid for y^t he owyth to ye boshop And
y^e seid Chirche seyth as for y^t he hath seyd of hem y^t he hath
appelyd befor y^is tyme he wool awow itt and abyd yerby and
seyth y^t he woll lappele on y^t hath mor nobelys yan they have
all y^t he hath spoke of yett and y^t shall Avayll y^e king mor yan
yey have all y^t he hath speke of yett but what he is he woll not
name tyll he know mor I trow but if y^t be the grett labor made
ayens hym he is lyke to have grett favor of hem y^t have be his
supportors Men thenk y^t have spoke w^t hym y^t he hopt to have
good helpe I p'y god that y^e trewth mote be knowyn I p'y
yow y^t ye woll vowchesaff to send me an oy^r sugo^r loss for my
old is do And also y^t ye well do make a gyrdill for yo^r dowgter
for she hath nede y'of The blyssid t'nyte have yow in his depyg
Wretyn at Norwyche I hast on y^e tewysday next befor seynt
Thom's day

        ² Paper is deynty.

                    Yours,
                                                                          3 m. p.

      8 1/2 by 9 1/2.

    I think this Letter was written about the beginning of Edward the Fourth's reign ; but
of that I cannot be certain, It shews Waryn Herman to be a troublesome neighbour
to his mother,

    ¹ Whom Church means to appeal, or for what offence, does not appear, though it
seems to be for some misdemeanor for which a fine would accrue to the King.

Norwich,
    ² " Paper is deynty," this, I believe, is the only letter in which a want of paper is
complained of. The Letter is written upon a piece nearly square, out of which a quarter
had been cut before the letter was written.

    ³ Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

                                   LETTER IV.

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

    RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you, de-
siring heartily to hear of your welfare, praying you that
ye will send me word in haste how ye be agreed with Wychin-
ham and Inglos, for that matter that ye spake to me of at your
departing, for if I should purvey either wood or hay it should
be bought best cheap betwixt this and Saint Margaret's Mass,
( 20 July ) as it is told me. As for Appleyard he come not yet
to this town since he come from London ; I have sent to Sir
Bryse to let me have knowledge when he cometh to town, and
he hath promised that I shall have knowledge, and when he
cometh I shall do your commandment. My Mother bad me
send you word that Waryn Herman hath daily fished her water
all this year, and therefore she prayeth you to do therefore, while
 

ye be at London, as ye think best. I church of Burlingham
was taken and brought to the Castle yesterday, by the Bishop's
men, and all his goods be seized for that he oweth to the Bishop ;
and the said Church faith, as for that he hath said of them that
he hath appealed before this time, he will avow it and abide
thereby ; and faith that he will appeal one that hath more nobles
than they have all, that he hath spoken of yet, and shall avail
the King more than they have all that he hath spoken of yet,
but what he is he will not name till he know more. I trow
but if ( unless ) there be the great labour made against him, he is
like to have great favour of them that have been his supporters ;
men think, that have spoken with him, that he hopeth to (have
good help ; I pray god that the truth might be known.

    I pray you that lye will vouchsafe to send me another sugar
loaf, for my old is done ; and also that ye will do make ( have
made ) a girdle for your Daughter, for she hath need thereof.
The blessed Trinity have you in his keeping.

    Written at Norwich, in haste, on the Tuesday next before
Saint Thomas's day.

        ² Paper is dainty.

                    Yours,
                                                                                   ³ MARGARET PASTON.

 Norwich,
     Tuesday, end of June or beginning of July,
     about 1461. 1 Ed. IV.

    I think this Letter was written about the beginning of Edward the Fourth's reign ; but
of that I cannot be certain, It shews Waryn Herman to be a troublesome neighbour
to his mother,

    ¹ Whom Church means to appeal, or for what offence, does not appear, though it
seems to be for some misdemeanor for which a fine would accrue to the King.

    ² " Paper is deynty," this, I believe, is the only letter in which a want of paper is
complained of. The Letter is written upon a piece nearly square, out of which a quarter
had been cut before the letter was written.

    ³ Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

216

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

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

       RYTH worshipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow,
           desyryng hertyly to her of your welfar, praying yow
           that ye woll send me word in hast how ye be agreid
with Wychyngham and Inglose² for that mater that ye spake
to me of at your departyng; for if I shuld purvey other wood
or hey, it shuld be bowgth best chepe be twixt this and Seynt
Margretys messe,³ as itt is told me. As for Applyard, he
com not yett to this town syn he com from London. I have
sent to Sir Bryse to lete me have knowleche when he comyth
to town, and he hath promysid that I shall have knowleche,
and when he comyth I shall do your commawndement. My
moder bad me send yow word that Waron Herman hath dayly
fyshid hyre water all this yer, and therfor she prayith yow to
do therfor while ye be att London as ye thynk best.

     Chyrche⁴ of Byrlyngham was toke and browte to the castell
yisterday be the Beshopys men, and all his godys ben seysid
for that he owyth to the Boshop. And the seid Chirche seyth
as for that he hath seyd of hem that he hath appelyd befor this
tyme, he woll awow itt and abyd therby; and seyth that he
woll appele one that hath mor nobelys than they have all that
he hath spoke of yett, and that shall avayll the King more
than they have all that he hath speke of yett; but what he is,
he woll not name tyll he know mor. I trow but if that be the
grett labour made ayens hym, he is lyke to have grett favour
of hem that have be his supportors. Men thenk that have
spoke with hym that he hopeth to have good helpe. I pray
God that the trewth mote be knowyn.

       I pray yow that ye woll vouchesaff to send me an other
sugor loff, for my old is do; and also that ye well do make
a gyrdill for your dowgter, for she hath nede therof. The
blyssid Trinyte have yow in his kepyng. Wretyn at Nor-
wyche in hast, on the Tewysday next befor Seynt Thomas
day.¹

         Paper is deynty.²                        Yours,                  M. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 14.] What is said in this letter about Church of Burlingham
clearly shows that it belongs to the same year as the last and the letters following.

     ² See p. 251.                 ³ 20th July.               ⁴ Roger Church.—See p. 263.

     ¹ Translation of St. Thomas, Apostle, 7th July.

     ² Fenn says that the letter is written upon a piece of paper nearly square, out of
which a quarter had been cut before the letter was written.

1452
JULY 4

1452
JULY 4