Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER LXIX.

    To my ryght wyrshypfull
    mayster Sr Iohn Paston
    knyzt be thys letter
    delyvryd in bast.

I Grytte you well and send you God ys blessyng and myn de-
syryng you to send me werd how that ye spede in your
maters For I thynk ryght leng tyll I here tydyngys from you
and in alwyse J avyse you for to be ware that ye kepe wysly
your wrytyngys that ben of Charge that it com not in her
handys that may hurt you herafter your fader wham god assole
in hys trobyll seson set more by hys wrytyngys and evydens
 

than he dede by any of hys moveabell godys. remember that yf
the wer had from you ye kowd neur gyte no moo such as the be
for your parte &c. Jt' J wold ye shold take hyde that yf any
processe Com owte a yenst me or a yenst any of tho that wer
endyted a fore the Coroner that J myght haue knowlych therof
and to p'vey a remedy therfor. It' as for your fader ys wyll J
wold ye shold take ryght gode Counsell therin as J am en-
formyd it may be prevyd thogh no man take no charge thys
twelfmo'th ye may haue a letter of mynystracyon to such as ye
wyll and mynyster godys and take no charge. I avyse you
that ye in no wyse take no charge therof tyll ye know more
than ye doo yet for ye may verely knowe by that your Unkell
Will seyd to you and to me, that thay wyll lay the charge uppon
you and me for moo' thyngys then ys exprest in your fader ys
wyll the whych shud be to grete for you or me to bere but as
for me I will not be to hesty to take it uppon me J ensure you,
and at the reverens of god spede your maters so thys terme that
we may be in rest herafter and lette not for no labo'r for the
season and remember the grete cost and charge that we haue had
hedyr toward and thynk verely it may not lenge endur ye know

what ye left when ye wer last at hom and wyte it verely therys
no mor in thys Countray to bere owte no charge w^t Jawyse you
to enquer wysely yf ye canne gyte any more ther as ye be for
els by my feth I feer els it will not be well w^t ous and send me
word in hast hough ye doo and whether ye haue your laste dedys
that ye fayled for playnly they er not in thys Contrey it ys told
me in Consell that Ric Calle hath nyer conqueryd your uncle
Will w^t fayre promyse twochyng hys lyflode and other thyngs
the whych shold p^rvayll hym gretly as he sayth be ware of hym
and of hys felowe be myn auyse God sende you gode spede in all
your maters Wryten at Caster the moreu next after Symon and
Iude wher as J wold not be at thys tyme but for your sake So.
mot I ches.

                                                               By your moder.

                      12 by 6.

    This Letter is endorsed in an ancient hand, as follows, "A very good Lre moving
Sir J. P. to be carefull for his wrytings and evidence and how much his ffather did esteme
of them."

    The disputes concerning Sir John Fastolf's Will being undetermined at John Paston's
death, his widow was fearful lest, by taking the management of his affairs, she should
bring both herself and her Son into trouble; the therefore cautions him against inter-fering.

    Her admonitions to Sir John respecting his attention to his writings and evidences, shew
us the value our ancestors set upon their title-deeds, &c.

The whole Letter is replete, with good advice to a young man just become his own
Master, by the death of his Father, and convinces us that the Writer knew mankind,
and wished her Son to profit by her experience.

    N. B. The date may be later than I have placed it, but the reasons for giving the
Letter remain the same.

    Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

LETTER LXIX.

To my right worshipful Master, Sir John Paston, Knight, be this
Letter delivered in haste.

I Greet you well, and send you God's blessing and mine,
desiring you to send me word how that ye speed in your
matters, for I think right long till I hear tidings from you; and
in alwyse (by all means) I advise you for to beware that ye keep
wisely your writings that be of charge, that it (they) come not
in their hands that may hurt you hereafter; your Father, whom
God assoil ! in has trouble's season, set more by his writings and

evidence than he did by any of his moveable goods; remember,
that if they were had from you, ye could never get no more
such as they be for your part, &c.

    Item, I would ye should take heed that if any Process come
out against me, or against any of those that were indicted afore
the Coroner, that I might have knowledge thereof, and to pur-
vey a remedy therefore.

    Item, as for your Father's will, I would ye should take right
good counsel therein, as I am informed it may be proved,
though no man take no charge this twelvemonth; ye may have
a Letter of administration to such as ye will, and administer the
goods and take no charge; I advise you that ye in no wise take
no charge thereof till ye know more than ye do yet, for ye may
verily know by that your Uncle William said to your and to me,
that they will lay the charge upon you and me for more things
than is expressed in your Father's will, the which should be too
great for you or me to bear, but as for me I will not be too hasty
to take it upon me I assure you; and at the reverence of God
speed your matters so this term, that we may be in rest hereafter,
and let not for no labour for the season, and remember the great cost
and charge that we have had hithertoward, and think verily it
may not long endure; ye know what ye left when ye were last at

home, and weet it verily, there is no more in this country to
bear out no charge with. I advise you to enquire wisely if ye can
get any more there as (where) ye be, for else by my faith, I
fear else it will not be well with us; and send me word in haste
how ye do, and whether ye have your last deeds that ye failed,
for plainly they are not in this country; it is told me in counsel
that Richard Calle hath nigher conquered your Uncle William
with fair promise, touching his livelihood and other things, the
which should prevail him greatly as he saith; beware of him and
of his Fellow by mine advice. God send you good speed in all
your matters. Written at Caister, the morrow next after Symon
and Jude, where as I would not be at this time but for your sake,
so might I choose.

                                   By your Mother

                                                          MARGARET PASTON.

Caifter, Wednesday,
       29th of October, 1466.
       6 E. IV.

    This Letter is endorsed in an ancient hand, as follows, "A very good Lre moving
Sir J. P. to be carefull for his wrytings and evidence and how much his ffather did esteme
of them."

    The disputes concerning Sir John Fastolf's Will being undetermined at John Paston's
death, his widow was fearful lest, by taking the management of his affairs, she should
bring both herself and her Son into trouble; the therefore cautions him against inter-fering.

    Her admonitions to Sir John respecting his attention to his writings and evidences, shew
us the value our ancestors set upon their title-deeds, &c.

The whole Letter is replete, with good advice to a young man just become his own
Master, by the death of his Father, and convinces us that the Writer knew mankind,
and wished her Son to profit by her experience.

    N. B. The date may be later than I have placed it, but the reasons for giving the
Letter remain the same.

    Autograph. Pl. II. No 25.

649

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON³

To my ryght wyrshypfull mayster, Sir John Paston,
Knyzt, be thys letter delyveryd in hast.

I GRYTTE you well, and send you God ys blessyng and
     myn, desyryng you to send me werd how that ye spede
     in youre maters, for I thynk ryght leng tyll I here
tydyngys from you; and in alwyse I avyse you for to be ware
that ye kepe wysly your wrytyngys that ben of charge, that it
com not in her [their] handys that may hurt you herafter.
Your fader, wham God assole, in hys trobyll seson set more
by hys wrytyngys and evydens than he dede by any of
hys moveabell godys. Remember that yf the wer had from
you, ye kowd never gyte no moo such as the be for your
parte, &c.

     Item, I wold ye shold take hyde that yf any processe com
owte a yenst me, or a yenst any of tho that wer endyted a fore
the coroner, that I myght have knowlych therof, and to purvey
a remedy therfor.

     Item, as for your fader ys wyll, I wold ye shold take ryght
gode counsell therin, as I am enformyd it may be prevyd, thogh
no man take no charge thys twelfmonth. Ye may have a letter
of mynystracyon to such as ye wyll, and mynyster the godys
and take no charge. I avyse you that ye in no wyse take no
charge therof tyll ye know more than ye doo yet; for ye may
verely knowe by that your unkell Will. seyd to you and to me,
that thay wyll lay the charge uppon you and me for moo thyngys
then ys exprest in your fader ys wyll, the whych shud be to
grete for you or me to bere; but as for me, I will not be to
hesty to take it uppon me, I ensure you.

     And at the reverens of God, spede your maters so thys
terme, that we may be in rest herafter, and lette not for no
labour for the season, and remember the grete cost and charge
that we have had hedyr toward, and thynk verely it may not
lenge endur. Ye know what ye left when ye wer last at hom,
and wyte it verely ther ys no mor in thys countray to bere owte
no charge with. I awyse you enquer wysely yf ye canne gyte
any more ther as ye be, for els by my feth I feer els it will not
be well with ous; and send me word in hast hough ye doo,
and whether ye have your laste dedys that ye fayled, for playnly
they er not in thys contrey. It ys told me in consell that Ric.
Calle hath nyer conqueryd your uncle Will. with fayre promyse
twochyng hys lyflode and other thyngs, the whych shold pre-
vayll hym gretly, as he sayth. Be ware of hym and of hys
felowe be myn avyse. God sende you gode spede in all your
maters.

     Wryten at Caster, the moreu next after Symon and Jude,
wher as I wold not be at thys tyme but for your sake, so mot
I ches.                                                               By your Moder.

     ³ [From Fenn, iv. 272.] The date of this letter is shown by the contents to be
shortly after John Paston the father’s death, probably in the same year.

1466
OCT. 29

1466
OCT. 29