Margaret Paston to John Paston

Add. 34889, f. 28

27 May 1465

Gairdner, Vol IV, item 584; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 54

LETTER LIV.

    To my ryght wyrshypfull
    Husbond Iohn Paston be
    thys belyv'yd in haste.

RYGHT Wyrshypfull Husbonde I recomaunde me to you
please it you to wyte that I have send to M John Smyth
and to M Stephyn to have A vyse for the Church of Drayton
and they send me word that ther moste be had a Comyssion from
the Byshop to calle in the person 1 Flowredew and that most be
proclaymyd in the Church of Drayton iij tymes by a ² Deen and
after that yff he appyre not wt i vj monthys after the fyrst p'cla-
macion that then he for to be depryvyd and the patron to p'sent
whom he luste and ells your p'sentacyon ys not sufficyant and I
have so p'veyd yt a Comyssyon ys hadde and shal be srvyd as
hastely as it may be As for Iohn Rysyng I have sent to hym to
wyte the cause that he ys not broght up to london and he sayth
that he Callyd uppon the Shyrff that he myght be had up for
Com to hys awnswer and the Shyrff told hym that he wold not
bryng hym up at hys owny Coste and Iohn Andres seyd that he
wold not have hym up and so he ys styll in p'son at Jpswych
and so shall he be but yf ye canne fynde the beter mene for to
have hym oute J have sent to hym xiijs iiijd to help hym sylf
ther wt he payth for hys borde wykely xxd and hopton and
Smyth be ther styll allso and they have money ynogh wher som
evr that they have it Rysyng dymeth that they have Confort of
the other p'ty and I send you A Copy of the Warant that they
wer A restyd by &c. I spake not wt my moder syn Ryc' Calle
broght me the lettr from you tochyng her mater for I myght
have no lesor when I speke wt her at leysure I wyll remember her
in that mater acordyng to your wrytyng and as for your ten'nts
of Drayton as I canne understond by hem they be ryght gode
and trew hertyd to you to ther powers and full fayn wold that
ye had it A yen in peasse for they had as leffe al most be ten'nts
to the Devell as to the Duke except Wyll Herne Pers at Sloth
and on Knott of the same Towner for they be not gode all your
ten'nts at Haylesdon and Drayton except thes iij be ryght glad
that we err ther A mongs hem and so be many other of our old-
nebers ad Frends and but yf he com hom by ³ Wensday or
Thursday in Wytson Wyke I p'pose me to ssee you in secrete
wyse by ⁴ Trynyte Sonday but yf ye send to me contr'y co-
maundement er that tyme and I p'y you send me yeur Avyse how
ye wyll that We doo A yenst the next Shyr whych shulbe the
Monday next after Trynyte Sonday as for Callyng uppon the
Replevyn that the bests of Drayton wer delyv'yd by. It' Ric'
Calle told me that ye lypzeate and I send you a letter by Henr
Wylton ys man wherin I wrote M' Phylyp ys name and in the
same lett^r I wrote to you for Wyll Lumnor. I p'y you send me
word yf ye have it and the Blysshyd Trynyte have you in hys
kypyng Wryten the Monday next after ⁵ Assencyon Day.

By yours

⁶ M. P.

12 by 8 1/2.

The beginning of this Letter is curious, as it furnishes us with an account of the pro-
cess to dispossess a Parson of his Church; what Flowerdew had done to incur deprivation
does not appear.

¹ John Flowerdew was instituted to the Rectory of Drayton on the 15th of March,
1461, on the presentation of John Paston, Esq. and Thomas Howes, Clerk.

At the time that this and the foregoing Letter was written, there was a dispute between
the Executors of Sir John Fastolf, and the Duke of Suffolk, concerning these Estates at
Drayton, Hellesdon, &c.

² This means the Rural Dean, who had a district of ten Churches, in the Country,
wherein he exercised a jurisdiction of great advantage to ecclesiastical discipline, and the
sentences of superior ecclesiastical Courts were to be executed by him.

³ 5th or 6th June. ⁴ 9th of June. ⁵ 23d of May.

⁶ Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

LETTER LIV.

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

RIGHT worshipful Husband, I recommend me to you;
please it you to weet that I have sent to Master John
Smyth and to Master Stephen to have advice for the Church of
Drayton; and they send me word that there must be had a
Commission from the Bishop to call in the Parson. ¹ Flowerdew,
and that must be proclaimed in the Church of Drayton three
times by a ² Dean, and after that if he appear not within six
months after the first Proclamation, that then he to be deprived,
and the Patron to present whom he lust (lists), and else your
presentation is not sufficient. And I have so purveyed that a
Commission is had, and shall be served as hastily as it may be.

As for John Rysing I have sent to him to weet the cause that
he is not brought up to London, and he faith that he called upon
the Sheriff that the might be had up for (to) come to his answer,
and the Sheriff told him, that he would not bring him up at his
own cost; and John Andrews said that he would not have him
up, and so he is still in prison at Ipswich; and so shall he be but
if (unless) ye can find the better mean for to have him out; I have
sent to him 13s. 4d. to keep himself therewith, he payeth for his
board weekly twenty-pence; and Hopton and Smith be there
still also, and they have money enough, that wheresoever they have
it; Rysing seemeth that they have comfort of the other party;
and I send you the Copy of the Warrant that they were arrested
by, &c.

I spake not with my Mother since Richard Calle brought me
the Letter from you touching her matter, for I might have no
leisure; when I speak with her at leisure I will remember her in
that matter according to your writing; and as for your Tenants
of Drayton, as I can understand by them, they be right good
and true hearted to you to their powers, and full fain would that ye
had it again in peace, for they had as leffe (lief) almost be
Tenants to the Devil as to the Duke, except Will. Herne, Perse
at Sloth, and one Knott of the same Town, for they be not good.

All your Tenants at Hellesdon and Drayton, except these three,

be right glad that we are there amongst them, and so be many
others of our old neighbours and Friends; and but if (unless) ye
come home by 3 Wednesday or Thursday in Whitsun week, I
purpose me to see you in secret wife by 4 Trinity Sunday, but if
(unless) ye send to me contrary commandment ere that time; and
I pray you send me your advice how ye will that we do against
the next shire, which shall be the Monday next after Trinity
Sunday, as for calling upon the Replevin that the beasts of Dray-
ton were delivered by.

Item, Richard Calle told me that ye desired to have Master
Philip's name, and his name is Philip Lypzate, and I sent you
a Letter by Henry Wilton's man, wherein I wrote Master
Philip's name; and in the same Letter I wrote to you for Will.
Lumnor; I pray you send me word if ye have it, and the blessed
Trinity have you in his keeping. Written the Monday next
after 5 Assension Day.

By yours

⁶ MARGARET PASTON.

Monday, 27th of May,
1465. 5 E. IV.

The beginning of this Letter is curious, as it furnishes us with an account of the pro-
cess to dispossess a Parson of his Church; what Flowerdew had done to incur deprivation
does not appear.

¹ John Flowerdew was instituted to the Rectory of Drayton on the 15th of March,
1461, on the presentation of John Paston, Esq. and Thomas Howes, Clerk.

At the time that this and the foregoing Letter was written, there was a dispute between
the Executors of Sir John Fastolf, and the Duke of Suffolk, concerning these Estates at
Drayton, Hellesdon, &c.

² This means the Rural Dean, who had a district of ten Churches, in the Country,
wherein he exercised a jurisdiction of great advantage to ecclesiastical discipline, and the
sentences of superior ecclesiastical Courts were to be executed by him.

³ 5th or 6th June. ⁴ 9th of June. ⁵ 23d of May.

⁶ Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

584

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght wyrshypfull husbond, John Paston,
be thys delyveryd in haste.

RYGHT wyrshypfull husbonde, I recomaunde me to you.
Please it you to wyte that I have send to Master
John Smyth and to Master Stephyn to have a vyse
for the church of Drayton; and they send me word that ther
moste be had a comyssion from the Byshop to calle in the
person Flowredew,² and that most be proclaymyd in the church
of Drayton iij. tymes by a Deen,³ and after that yff he appyre
not with in vj. monthys after the fyrst proclamacion, that then
he for to be depryvyd, and the patron to present whom he
luste, and ells your presentacyon ys not sufficyant. And I
have so purveyd that a comyssyon ys hadde, and shal be servyd
as hastely as it may be.

As for John Rysyng, I have sent to hym to wyte the cause
that he ys not broght up to London, and he sayth that he
callyd uppon the Shyrff that he myght be had up for [to] com
to hys awnswer, and the Shyrff told hym that he wold not
bryng hym up at hys owyn coste; and John Andres seyd that
he wold not have hym up, and so he ys styll in prison at
Ipswych; and so shall he be but yf ye canne fynde the beter
mene for to have hym oute. I have sent to hym xiij^s. iiij^d. to
help hym sylf ther with; he payth for hys borde wykely xx^d.
And Hopton and Smyth be ther styll allso, and they have
money ynogh, wher som ever that they have it. Rysyng
dymeth that they have confort of the other party; and I send
you a copy of the warant that they wer a restyd by, &c.

I spake not with my moder syn Rychard Calle broght me
the letter from you tochyng her mater, for I myght have no
lesor. While I speke with her at leysure I wyll remember her
in that mater, acordyng to your wrytyng. And as for your
tenants of Drayton, as I canne understond by hem, they be
ryght gode and trew hertyd to you to ther powers, and full
fayn wold that ye had it a yen in peasse, for they had as leffe
al most be tenants to the Devell as to the Duke, except Wyll.
Herne, Pers at Sloth, and on Knott of the same towne, for
they be not gode.

All your tenants at Haylesdon and Drayton, except thes
iij., be ryght glad that we err ther a mongs hem, and so
be many other of our olde nebers and frends; and but yf
[unless] ye com hom by Wensday or Thursday¹ in Wytson
wyke, I purpose me to ssee you in secrete wyse by Trynyte
Sonday,² but yf [unless] ye send to me contrary comaunde-
ment er that tyme; and I pray you send me yeur avyse how
ye wyll that we doo a yenst the next shyr, whych shulbe the
Monday next after Trynyte Sonday, as for callyng uppon the
replevyn that the bests of Drayton wer delyveryd by.

Item, Richard Calle told me that ye desyryd to have
Master Phylyp ys name, and hys name ys Phylyp Lypzeate,
and I send you a letter³ by Henre Wylton ys man, wherin I
wrote Master Phylyp ys name; and in the same letter I wrote to
you for Wyll. Lumnor. I pray you send me word yf ye have
it. And the Blysshyd Trynyte have you in Hys kypyng.
Wryten the Monday next after Assencyon Day.⁴

By yours, M. P.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 206.] What is said here about the tenants of Hellesden and
Drayton, and about Master Philip Lipyate, leaves no doubt that this letter was written
in 1465. It contains, moreover, a distinct reference to Letter 582.

² John Flowerdew was instituted to the Rectory of Drayton on the 15th of March
1461, on the presentation of John Paston, Esq., and Thomas Howes, Clerk.?F.

³ This means the Rural Dean, who had a district of ten churches in the country,
wherein he exercised a jurisdiction of great advantage to ecclesiastical discipline, and
the sentences of superior Ecclesiastical Courts were to be executed by him.?F.

¹ 5th or 6th of June. ² 9th of June.

³ No. 582. ⁴ 23rd of May.

1465
MAY 27