Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER XLIV.

Tho my Ryth worschopffull Hossebond John Paston in hast.

   RYTHE Worchepfwl hosbond I reco’mawnd me onto
     yow plesyth yow to wete y^t on thorisday last was yer wer
browt unto yis towne many Prevy Selis and on of hem was
īdosyd to yow and to Hastynggys and to fyve or sexe odyr
Gētylmen and anodyr was sēt ōto yowr sone and īdosyd to hym
selfe alone and asynyd wythiñe wyth ye Kynggys howyn hand
and so wer bwt fewe y^t wer sēt as it was told me and also ye^r wer
mor specyal termys Ī hys yē wern Ī oderys I sey a copy of yoo
y^t wer sēt ōto odyr Gētylmē ye ītent of ye wrytyng was y^t yey
sshuwlde be wyth ye Kyngg at Leycest’ ye x day of May wyth as
many p’sonys desensebylly arayid as yey myte acordyng to her
degre and y^t yey schwld bryng wyth hem for her expēsys for ij
monythis.

     As for ye lettyr y^t was īdosyd to yow and to odyr it was
delyveryd to Welyā Yelvyrton for yer aperyd no mor of ye
remwlawnt.

     Hastynggys is forthe īto Yorke schyr I prey yow y^t ye
vowchesaf to send word ī hast how ye wyl y^t yor Sone be
demenyd herin. Men thynk her y^t ben yowr wel wyllerys y^t
ye may no lesse do yan to send hym forthe. As for hys de-
menyng swn ye departyd ī god feythe it hath byn ryth good and
lowly and delygent īn ovyr sythe of yowre servawntys and odyr
thuggys ye whche I hope ye wold abe plesyd wyth and ye had
be at hom. I hope he wyl be well demenyd to plese yow
heraftyrward. He desyryd Alblaster to bemene to yow for hym
and was ryte hevy of hys ‘demenyng to yow as I sent yow word
also be Alblaster how I dede to hym aftyr y^t ye wer go and I
beseche yow hartyly y^t ye wochesaf to be hys god fadyr for I
hope he is schastysyd and wil be y^e worher heraftyr.

     As for alle odyr tynggys at horn I hope y^t I and odyr schal do
howr part yer īne as wel as we may, bwt as for mony it comyth
bwt slowly and God have yow ī hys kepyng and sē yow good
sped ī alle yowr matteris.

     Wretyn ī hast at Norwece on y^e Sonday next befor’ y^e
1 Assencyon day.

Ser I wold be ryte glad to he swmme gode tydynggys
fro yow.

                                                                    Be yours,

                                                                              [ILL] M. P.

          11 ½ by 4 ¾.

              Paper Mark,
       Bull’s Head and Star.
               Pl. VIII. N^o 2.
      Part of the Paper Mark is cut off.

 Norwich,
               Sunday, 29 April,
               1459, 37 H. VI.

     We see in this Letter the method of raising men was by sending a Letter under the
Privy Seal, and sometimes signed by the King himself, commanding the attendance of
the persons named, at a certain time and place, with men, &c. according to their degree.

     These Privy Seals seem to have been issued in April, 1459, when the King, &c. were
at Coventry, raising an army to oppose the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury.
And if J. Paston’s Son herein mentioned was his eldest, he might then be about 18 or 20
years of age.

¹ In 1459, 37 Hen. VI. Whitsunday was the 13th of May; Ascension-day the 3d
of May; the Sunday before, the 29th of April; and the Thursday before that, the 26th.
These dates will agree with the time mentioned in the Privy Seals for their attendance.

 ² Autograph, Pl. II. N^o 25.

        LETTER XLIV.

              To my right worshipful Husband John Paston, in haste.

   RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me unto you,
     pleaseth you to weet, that on Thursday last was, there
were brought unto this town many Privy Seals, and one of
them was indorsed to you, and to Hastyngs, and to five or six
other Gentlemen; and another was sent unto your Son, and
indorsed to himself alone, and assigned (signed) within with
the King’s own hand; and so were but few that were sent, as
it was told me; and also, there were more special terms in his
than were in others; I saw a Copy of those that were sent
unto other Gentlemen; the intent of the writing was, that
they should be with the King at Leicester the 10th day of
May, with as many persons defensibly arrayed, as they might
according to their degree, and that they should bring with them
for their expences for two months.

     As for the Letter that was indorsed to you, and to others,
it was delivered to William Yelverton, for there appeared no
more of the remulaunt (remaining).

     Hastyngs is forth into Yorkshire; I pray you that ye vouch-
safe to send word in haste, how ye will that your Son be de-
meaned herein. Men think here, that be your well willers,
that ye may no less do than to send him forth.

     As for his demeaning since ye departed, in good faith, it
hath been right good, and lowly, and diligent, in oversight
of your servants, and other things, the which I hope ye would
have been pleased with, and ye had been at home; I hope he
will be well demeaned to please you hereafterward.

     He desired Alblaster to bemoan to you for him; and was
right heavy of his demeaning to you, as I sent you word
also by Alblaster, how I did to him after that ye were gone;
and I beseech you heartily, that ye vouchsafe to be his good
Father, for I hope he is chastised, and will be the worthier
hereafter.

     As for all other things at home, I hope that I and others
shall do our part therein, as well as we may; but as for money
it cometh but slowly, and God have you in his keeping, and
send you good speed in all your matters.

     Written in haste at Norwich on the Sunday next before the
¹ Ascension-day.

Sir, I would be right glad to hear some good tidings
from you.

                                              By yours,

                                                       ² MARGARET PASTON.

11 ½ by 4 ¾.

              Paper Mark,
       Bull’s Head and Star.
               Pl. VIII. N^o 2.
      Part of the Paper Mark is cut off.

          Norwich,
               Sunday, 29 April,
               1459, 37 H. VI.

We see in this Letter the method of raising men was by sending a Letter under the
Privy Seal, and sometimes signed by the King himself, commanding the attendance of
the persons named, at a certain time and place, with men, &c. according to their degree.

     These Privy Seals seem to have been issued in April, 1459, when the King, &c. were
at Coventry, raising an army to oppose the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury.
And if J. Paston’s Son herein mentioned was his eldest, he might then be about 18 or 20
years of age.

¹ In 1459, 37 Hen. VI. Whitsunday was the 13th of May; Ascension-day the 3d
of May; the Sunday before, the 29th of April; and the Thursday before that, the 26th.
These dates will agree with the time mentioned in the Privy Seals for their attendance.

 ² Autograph, Pl. II. N^o 25.

377

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON²

Tho my ryth worschopfful hossebond, John Paston, in hast.

     RYTHE worchepfwl hosbond, I recommawnd me onto yow.
         Plesyth you to wete that on Thorisday last was ther
         wer browt unto this towne many Prevy Selis, and on
of hem was indosyd to yow, and to Hastynggs, and to fyve or
sexe odyr gentylmen; and anodyr was sent onto yowr sone,
and indosyd to hym selfe alone, and asynyd wythinne wyth
the Kynggys howyn hand, and so wer bwt fewe that wer sent,
as it was told me; and also ther wer mor specyal termys
in hys then wern in oderys. I sey a copy of thoo that wer
sent onto odyr gentylmen. The intent of the wrytyng was,
that they sshuwlde be wyth the Kyngg at Leycester the x. day
of May, wyth as many personys defensebylly arayid as they
myte acordyng to her degre, and that they schwld bryng wyth
hem for her expensys for ij. monythis. As for the lettyr
that was indosyd to yow and to odyr, it was delyveryd to
Welyam Yelvyrton, for ther aperyd no mor of the remwlawnt.
Hastynggs is forthe into Yorke schyr.

     I prey yow that ye vowchesaf to send word in hast how ye
wyl that yor sone be demenyd herin. Men thynk her, that
ben yowr wel wyllerys, that ye may no lesse do than to send
hym forthe. As for hys demenyng, swn ye departyd, in
god feythe, it hath ben ryth good, and lowly, and delygent
inn ovyr sythe of yowre servawntys, and odyr thinggys, the
whiche I hope ye wold abe plesyd wyth, and ye had be at
hom. I hope he wyl be well demenyd to plese yow heraftyr-
ward. He desyryd Alblaster to bemene¹ to yow for hym,
and was ryte hevy of hys demenyng to yow, as I sent yow
word also be Alblaster, how I dede to hym aftyr that ye wer
go; and I beseche yow hartyly that ye wochesaf to be hys god
fadyr, for I hope he is schastysyd, and wil be the worher
[worthier?] heraftyr.

     As for alle odyr tynggys at hom, I hope that I and odyr
schal do howr part ther inne, as wel as we may, bwt as for
mony it comyth bwt slowly. And God have yow in hys
kepyng, and sen yow good sped in alle yowr matteris.

     Wretyn in hast at Norwece, on the Sonday next before the
Assencyon Day.

     Ser, I wold be ryte glad to he [hear] swmme gode
tydynggys fro yow.

                                        Be yorys,                             M. P.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 174.] The only years during the married life of John and
Margaret Paston (except when their eldest son was a mere child), in which the
Sunday preceding Ascension Day fell some time before the 10th of May, were 1456
and 1459. In the former year the King could not either have been or have intended
to be at Leicester on the 10th of May. In 1459 the Privy Seals show that he was at
Northampton on the 14th, 18th, and 19th of May, and it is quite possible he may
have been at Leicester on the 10th. In 1464 Edward IV. was at Leicester in May,
and the Sunday before Ascension Day was the 6th of May; but it is not probable
this letter was written in that year, for two reasons. In the first place, Margaret
Paston could hardly have hoped for an answer from her husband—who may be
presumed to have been in London—in time to have sent his son to be at Leicester on
the 10th; secondly, Letter 375, which is evidently of the same year as this, would
probably have been signed ‘John Paston, K.’ (i.e. Knight).

 ¹ To be mean, i.e. to be a mediator. Fenn has not apprehended the phrase,
which he has modernised ‘to bemoan.’

APRIL 29

1459
APRIL 29