Margaret Paston to John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
Margaret Paston to John Paston
Reference
Add. 43490, f. 40
Date
March 1462
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol IV, item 510; Fenn, Vol II, Appendix Edward IV item 1
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (1st transcript)

LETTER I.

 

To my ryth worchepfull husbond John Paston be ys delyu’yd in hast.

 

PLESYTH yow to wete yt John Wellys and hys brodyr
     told me thys nyth yt the Kyng lay at Cambryge as yestyrs
nyth to Sandwyche ward for ther is gret dyvysyen be twyx the
Lordys and the Schypmen ther that causyth hym to goo thedyr
to se a remedye therfor.

     I thank God that John Paston yed non erstforthe for I trust
to God all schall be do er he comyth and it is told me that Syr
John Howard is lek to lese hys hed.

     If it plese yow to send to the seyd Wellys he schall send yow
mor tydyngys than I may wryt at thys tyme.

     God have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn in hast at Thet-
ford at xj of the clok in ye nyth the same day I dep’tyd fro
yow. I thank Pampyng of hys good wyll and them yt wer
cause of changyng of my hors for they ded me a bettyr torne
than I wend they had do and I schall aquyt them anothyr day
and I maye.

                                                                                 By you M. P.

            10 ½ by 4.

           Thetford,
            Before 1466,
            6 E. IV.

 

The tidings contained in this Letter, Margaret Paston (Pl. II. No 25.) thought of
sufficient consequcnce, as her Son appears to have been on his way to join these forces, to
send in a Letter to her husband, though she had left him only that day.

This Letter was written before 1466, for in that year her Husband, J. Paston,
died.
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (2nd transcript)

LETTER I.

 

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

 

PLEASETH you to weet, that John Welles and his brother
      told me this night, that the King lay at Cambridge as
yester night to Sandwich ward, for there is great division be-
twixt the Lords and the Shipmen there, that causeth him to go
thither, to see a remedy therefore.

     I thank God that John Paston went not sooner forth for I
trust to God all shall be done ere he cometh; and it is told me
that Sir John Howard is like to lose his head.

     If it please you to send to the said Welles, he shall send you
more tidings than I may write at this time.

     God have you in his keeping.

     Written in haste at Thetford, at 11 of the clock in the night
the same day I departed fro you.

     I thank Pampyng of his good will, and them that were (the)
cause of changing of my horse; for they did me a better turn
than I wend they had done, and I shall acquit them another day
and I may.

                                                            By your MARGARET PASTON.

         10 ½ by 4.

           Thetford,
            Before 1466,
            6 E. IV.

 

     The tidings contained in this Letter, Margaret Paston (Pl. II. No 25.) thought of
sufficient consequcnce, as her Son appears to have been on his way to join these forces, to
send in a Letter to her husband, though she had left him only that day.

     This Letter was written before 1466, for in that year her Husband, J. Paston,
died.
Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume IV'

510

 

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON1

 

To my ryth worchepfull husbond, John Paston,
be this delyveryd in hast.

 

PLESYTH yow to wete that John Wellys and his brodyr
     told me thys nyth that the Kyng lay at Cambryge as
     yestyrsnyth to Sandwyche ward, for ther is gret dy-
vysyen be twyx the Lordys and the schypmen ther, that causyth
hym to goo thedyr to se a remedye therfor.

     I thank God that John Paston yed non erst [went no earlier]
forthe, for I trust to God all schall be do er he comyth. And
it is told me that Syr John Howard is lek to lese hys hed.

     If it plese yow to send to the seyd Wellys, he schall send
yow mor tydyngys than I may wryt at thys tyme. God have
yow in Hys kepyng.

     Wretyn in hast at Thetford, at xj. of the clok in the nyth,
the same day I departyd fro yow.

     I thank Pampyng of hys good wyll, and them that wer
cause of changyng of my hors, for they ded me a bettyr torne
than I wend they had do, and I schall aquyt them anothyr day,
and I maye.

                                                  By yor                                         M. P.

 

     1 [From Fenn, ii. 288.] It appears by the dates of the Privy Seal writs that
Edward IV. was at Cambridge on the 2nd and 3rd March 1462, and this is probably
the visit alluded to, although we do not find that the King went on to Sandwich
afterwards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH