Margaret Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXXIX.

      I Grete zow wel and send zow godds blyssyng and my letyng
          zow wete y^t on Thurysday last was my mod^r and I wer w^t
my lord of ¹Norwych and desyerd hy y^t he woold no mor do
in y^e mater towscheyng zow^r syst^r tyl y^t ze and my brother and
other y^t wern executors to zow^r fad^r mythe beyn her to ged^r for
they had y^e rule of her as weel as I and he syde playnly y^t he
had be requeryd so ofty for to exameyn her y^t he mythe not nor
woold no longar delay yt and schargyd me in peyn of Cursyg y^t
sche schuld not be deferred but y^e she xuld a per beforn hy y^t
nexte day and J sayd pleynly y^t J woold nowd^r bring her nor
Send har and y^t he sayd y^t he woold send for her hy sylfe and
schargyd y^t she schuld be at her lyberte to cue wā he sent for her
and he seyd be hys trowthe y^t he woold be as fory for her and
sche ded not welle as he wold be and sche were ryth ner of hys
kyn bothe for my mod ys sake and myn and other of her frendds
for he woost welle y^t her demenyng had stekyd soor at ou^r harts
my mod^r and J in formyd hy y^t we kowd neu^r ond^rstond be her
sayyyng be no language y^t eu^r sche had to hy y^t neyther of hē
wer bownd to other but y^t they schese bothe yⁿ he seyd y^t
he woold sey to her as wele as he kowde before that he exameynd
her and so y^t was told me be dyu^rse p^rsones y^t he ded as welle and
as Pleynly as sche had be rythe ner to hy wych wer to long to
wrythe at thys tyme he afty y^e xalle wete and hoo wer laberers
ther in y^e zschanseler was not so gylty her in as J wend he had
ben On Fryday the bysschope he sent for her be Ascheseld and
other y^t arn rythe fory of her demenyng. And y^e byschop seyd
to her ryth pleynly and put her in r' mēberawns how she was
born wat kyn and frendds y^t sche had and and xuld haue mo yf sche
wer rulyd and gydyd aftyr hem and yf she ded not war rebuke
and schame and los yt xuld be to her yf sche wer not gydyd be
thē and cause of forsakyg of her for any good or helpe or kown-
fort y^t sche xuld haue of he and seyd y^t he had hard se y^t sche
loued schecheor y^t her frend wer not plesyd w^t y^t sche xuld haue
and therfor he had her be ryth weel avsyd how sche ded and
seyd y^t he woold undrstand ye woords y^t sche had seyd to hy
wheyther y^t mad mat?mony or not and sche r'hesyd war sche
had seyd and seyd y^f thoo wordds mad yt not suber she seyd
boldly y^t sche wold make yt suerher or ya sche went thens for
sche seyd sche thowgth in her Conschens sche was bownd wat
so eu^r y^e wordds wern thes leud wordds greueth me and her
grandā as myche as alle y^e remnawnte and yā y^e bysschop and
the schawnseler bothe seyd y^t ther was neyther J ner no frend
of hers wold reseyue and yā Calle was exameynd ap^rte be hy
sylfe y^t her wordds and hys acordyd and the tyme and wher y^t
xuld a be don and yā y^e byschop fayd y^t he supposyd y^t ther
xuld be fownd other thynggs ageyns hy y^t mythe cause y^e lettyng
ther of and ther for he say he wold not be to hasty to geue sen-
tens ther upon and sayd y^t he wold geue oure day tyl y^e Wedns-
day or Thursday aftyr Mykylmes and so yt tys delayyd they
woold an had her wyl prformyd in haste but y^e byschope seyd
he woold non other wyse yā he had seyd J was w^t my mod^r at
her plase whā sche was exameynd and wā J hard sey what her
demenyg was J schargyd my s^runts y^t sche xuld not be r'seyued in
my hows I had zeue hir warnyg sche mythe a be war a for yf sche
had a be g'syows and J sent to on or ij mor y^t they xuld not
r'seyue her uf sche cā sche was browthe a geyn to my place for
to a be r'seyued and S^r Jamys tolde thē yt browthe her y^t J had
schargyd hē alle and sche xuld not be r'seyued and soo my lord
of Norwych hath set her at Roger bests to be ther tyle y^e day
befor say' god knowyth fule euel ageyn hys wyle and hys wyvys
yf they durst do otehr wyse J ā sory y^t they arn a cummyrd w^t her
but zet J ā bett^r payed y^t sche isther for y^e whyle ya^t sche had ben
in other place be cause of y^e sadnes and good dysposysion of hys
sylfe and hys wyfe for sche xal not be sou'd ther to pleaye y^e
br?thele J pray zow and r'quer zow yt y^t take yt not pensyly for
J wot wele yt gothe ryth ner zxowr hart and so dothe yt to myn
and to other but r'mēbyr zow and so do J y^t we haue lost of her
but a brethele and set yt y^e les to hart for and sche had be good
w^rso eu^r sche had be yt xuld not aben as it is for and he wer
ded at theys owyr she xuld neu^r be at myn hart as sche was as for
y' devors yt ze wr'te to me of J supose wat ze ment but J scharge
zow upon my blyssyng y^t ze do not ner cause non other to do y^t
xuld offend god and zou^r conschens for and z^e do or cause for to
be do god wul take vengawns ther upon ye xuld pur zou^r sylfe
and other in gret joprte for wettyt wele sche xal ful for r'pent
her leudnes her sftyr and J pray god sche mute soo. J pray zow
for myn hard ys hese be ze of a good Cownfort in alle thynggs
J trust god xal helpe ryth wele and I pray God so do in alle ou^r
maters J wuld ze toke hed yf ther weher any labor mad in y^e kort
of Cawntrybery for the leud mater forsayd. But yf the ³ Duke
be purveyd for he and hys wyse kowsel xalle lefe thys cutre y^t
is told me y^t he seythe y^t he wul not spar to do y^t he is purposyd
for no duke in Yoglond god helpe at nede.

         111/2 by 17. A whole Sheet.

                      Paper Mark,
             Bull's Head and Strar,
                    Pl. XXII. No. 13.

    We find by the conversation here given us between the Bishop of Norwich, Agnes
Paston, and Margaret Paston, that a contract of Marriage had been made between Mar-
gery Paston, the daughter of the latter , and Richard Calle, and that her family wished to
have a hearing in the Bishop's court, either to disprove it, if proved, to set it aside.
The young Lady's behaviour, and the account which both she and Richard Calle give
of the contract seem to sentence could be pronounced; thought he seemed to wish to have
it in his power to adjust the matter to the satisfaction of the family.

    The expressions of Margaret Paston respecting her daughter must be read with some
allowance; we must construe some of them as words of passion and resentment, arising
from her avowale of her intentions to fulfil the contract, &c.

    ¹ Walter Lyhert was promoted to the see of Norwich in 1446, and continued Bishop
till his death in 1472; he was a Prelate of great wisdom and of a friendly disposition,
ever ready to compose differences and conciliate friends.

    ² Dr. John Saresson, otherwise Wigenhale, was chancellor to the Bishop from 1435 to
1471, and had other church preferment in the Diocese.

    ³ This I suppose relates to the Duke of Norsolk; the other Duke most probably means
eiter the Duke of Clarence or of Suffolk.

    On the back of the Letter in an ancient hand is written, " A Lre to Sr. Io. Paston
"from his mother , touching the good will between hir daughter Margery P. and Ric.
" Call, who were after maryed together."

    It seems from this memorandum that the contract of marriage was proved and con-
firmed, and that in consequence of it a marriage took place between the parties.

LETTER  LXXXXIX.

To Sir John Paston, Knight.

I Greet you well, and send you God's blessing and mine, letting
     you weet that on Thursday last was, my mother and I were
with my Lord of ¹Norwich, and desired him that he would no
more do in the matter touching your sister, till that ye and my
brother and others that were Executors to your father might be
here together, for they had the rule of her as well as I ; and he
said plainly that he had been required so often to examine her,
that he might not, nor would no longer delay it, and charged'
me in pain of cursing that she should not be deferred, but that
she should appear before him the next day; and I said plainly that
I would neither bring her nor send her; and then he said that he
would send for her himself; and charged that she should be at
her liberty to come when he sent for her; and he said by his
troth that he would be as sorry for her, and(if) she did not well.
as he would be and (if) she were right near Of his kin, both
for my mother's fake, and mine, and other of her friends, for
he wist well that her demeaning had sticked fore at our hearts.

    My mother and I informed him that we could never under-
stand by her saying, by no language that ever she had to him,
that neither of them were bound to other, but that they might
choose both; then he said that he would say to her as well as he
could, before that he examined her; and so it was told me by
divers persons that he did as well and as plainly as (if) she had
been right near to him, which were too long to write at this
time, hereafter ye shall weet, and who were labourers therein;
the ²Chancellor was not so guilty therein as I wend (thought)
he had been.

    On Friday the Bishop sent for her by Ashsield and other that
are right sorry of her demeaning, and the Bishop said to her right
plainly, and put her in remembrance how she was born what
kin and friends that she had, and should have more if she were
ruled and guided after them; and if she did not, what rebuke,
and shame, and lose should be to her, if she were not guided by
them,and cause of forsaking of her for any good, or help, or
comfort that she should have of them; and said that he had heard
say, that she loved such one that her friends were not pleased
with that she should have, and therefore he bad her be right well
advised how she did; and said that he would understand the
words that she had said to him, whether it made matrimony or
not, and she rehearsed what she had said, and said, if those words
made it not sure, she said boldly, that she would make it surer
ere than she went thence, for she said she thought in her con-
science she was bound whatsoever the words were; these lewd
words grieveth me and her grandam as much as all the rema-
nent; and then the Bishop and the Chancellor both said that
there was neither I nor no friend of hers would receive (her).

    And then Calle was examined apart by himself, that her words
and his accorded, and the time, and where it should have been
done; and then the Bishop said that he supposed that there should
be found other things against him that might cause the letting
thereof, and therefore he said he would not be too hasty to give
sentence thereupon, and said that he would give over day till the
Wednesday or Thursday after Michaelmas, and so it is delayed;
they would have had her will performed in haste, but the Bishop
said he would none otherwise than he had said.

    I was with my Mother at her place when she was examined,
and when I heard say what her demeaning was, I charged my
Servants that she should not be received in mine house; I had
given her warning, she might have been ware afore, if she had
been gracious; and I sent to one or two more that they should not
receive her if she came; she was brought again to my place for
to have been received, and Sir James told them that brought her,
that I had charged them all, and she should not be received; and
so my Lord of Norwich hath set her at Roger Best's, to be there
till the day before said, God knoweth full evil against his will
and his wife's, if they durst do otherwise; I am sorry that they
are acumyred (cumbered, or troubled) with her, but yet I am
better paid (satisfied) that she is there for the while, than she
had been in other place, because of the sadness (seriousness) and
good disposition of himself and his wife, for she shall not be
sou'd (suffered, q?) there to play the brothel; I pray you and
require you that ye take it not pensily (heavily) for I wot well it
goeth right near your heart, and so doth it to mine and to others,
but remember you, and so do I , that we have lost of her but a
brethel (a frail one), and set it the less to heart, for and (if) she
had been good wheresoever she had been, it should not have been
as it is, for and(if) he were dead at this hour, she should never
be at mine heart as she was; as for the divorce that ye write to
me of, I suppose what ye ment, but i charge you upon my
blessing that ye do not, nor cause none other to do, that should
offend God and your conscience, for and (if) ye do, or cause for
to be done, God will take vengeance thereupon, and ye should
put yourself and other s in great jeopardy, for wot it well, she shall
full fore repent her lewdnes hereaster, and I pray God she
might; so I pray you for mine heart's ease be ye of a good com-
fort in all things; I trust God shall help right well, and I pray
God so do in all our matters; I would ye took heed if there
were any labour made in the court of Canterbury for the lewd
matter aforsaid.

    But if the ³Duke be purvcyed for, he and his wise counsel
shall leave this country; it is told me that he saith that he will
not spare to do that he id purposed, for no Duke in England.
God help at need.

    Norwich,

        Before Michaelmas,

        1469. 9 E. IV.

    We find by the conversation here given us between the Bishop of Norwich, Agnes
Paston, and Margaret Paston, that a contract of Marriage had been made between Mar-
gery Paston, the daughter of the latter , and Richard Calle, and that her family wished to
have a hearing in the Bishop's court, either to disprove it, if proved, to set it aside.
The young Lady's behaviour, and the account which both she and Richard Calle give
of the contract seem to sentence could be pronounced; thought he seemed to wish to have
it in his power to adjust the matter to the satisfaction of the family.

    The expressions of Margaret Paston respecting her daughter must be read with some
allowance; we must construe some of them as words of passion and resentment, arising
from her avowale of her intentions to fulfil the contract, &c.

    ¹ Walter Lyhert was promoted to the see of Norwich in 1446, and continued Bishop
till his death in 1472; he was a Prelate of great wisdom and of a friendly disposition,
ever ready to compose differences and conciliate friends.

    ² Dr. John Saresson, otherwise Wigenhale, was chancellor to the Bishop from 1435 to
1471, and had other church preferment in the Diocese.

    ³ This I suppose relates to the Duke of Norsolk; the other Duke most probably means
eiter the Duke of Clarence or of Suffolk.

    On the back of the Letter in an ancient hand is written, " A Lre to Sr. Io. Paston
"from his mother , touching the good will between hir daughter Margery P. and Ric.
" Call, who were after maryed together."

    It seems from this memorandum that the contract of marriage was proved and con-
firmed, and that in consequence of it a marriage took place between the parties.

721

MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

I GRETE zow wel, and send zow Godds blyssyng and myn,
     letyng zow wete that on Thurysday last was my moder
     and I wer with my Lord of Norwych,³ and desyerd hym
that he woold no mor do in the mater towscheyng zowr syster,
tyl that ze and my brother and other that wern executors to
zowr fader mythe beyn her to geder, for they had the rule of
her as weel as I; and he sayde playnly that he had be requeryd
so oftyn for to exameyn her, that he mythe not nor woold no
longar delay yt, and schargyd me, in peyn of cursyng, that sche
schuld not be deferred, but that she xuld a per beforn hym the
nexte day; and I sayd pleynly that I woold nowder bryng her
nor send her; and than he sayd that he woold send for her
hym sylfe, and schargyd that she schuld be at her lyberte to
cume wan he sent for her; and he seyd be hys trowthe that he
woold be as sory for her and [if] sche ded not welle, as he wold
be and sche wer ryth ner of hys kyn, bothe for my moder ys
sake and myn, and other of her frendds, for he woost welle
that her demenyng had stekyd soor at our harts.

     My moder and I in formyd hym that we kowd never
onderstond be her sayyng, be no language that ever sche had
to hym, that neyther of hem wer bownd to other, but that they
myth schese bothe. Than he seyd that he woold sey to her as
wele as he kowde, before that he exameynd her; and so that
was told me be dyverse persones that he ded as welle and as
pleynly as sche had be rythe ner to hym, wych wer to long to
wrythe at thys tyme: her aftyr ye xalle wete, and hoo wer
laberers ther in. The schanseler¹ was not so gylty her in as I
wend he had ben.

     On Fryday the Bysschope he sent for her be Asschefeld
and other that arn ryth sory of her demenyng. And the
Bysschop seyd to her ryth pleynly, and put her in remem-
berawns how she was born, wat kyn and frendds that sche had,
and xuld have mo yf sche wer rulyd and gydyd aftyr hem;
and yf she ded not, wat rebuke, and schame, and los yt xuld
be to her, yf sche wer not gydyd be them, and cause of for-
sakyng of her for any good, or helpe, or kownfort that sche
xuld have of hem; and seyd that he had hard sey, that sche
loved schecheon [such one] that her frend[es] wer not plesyd
with that sche xuld have, and therfor he had her be ryth weel
avysyd how sche ded, and seyd that he woold undyrstand the
woords that sche had seyd to hym, wheyther that mad matri-
mony or not. And sche rehersyd wat sche had seyd, and seyd,
yf thoo wordds mad yt not suher, she seyd boldly that sche
wold make that suerher or than sche went thens, for sche seyd
sche thowgthe in her conschens sche was bownd, wat so ever the
wordds wern. Thes leud wordds greveth me and her grandam
as myche as alle the remnawnte. And than the Bysschop and
the Schawnseler bothe seyd that ther was neyther I ner no
frend of hers wold reseyve [her].

     And than Calle was exameynd aparte be hym sylfe, that her
wordds and hys acordyd, and the tyme, and wher yt xuld a be
don. And than the Bysschop sayd that he supposyd that ther
xuld be fownd other thynggs ageyns hym that mythe cause the
lettyng ther of; and ther for he say he wold not be to hasty to
geve sentens ther upon, and sayd that he wold geve overe day
tyl the Wednsday or Thursday aftyr Mykylmes, and so yt tys
delayyd. They woold an had her wyl performyd in haste,
but the Bysschope seyd he woold non other wyse than he had
seyd.

     I was with my moder at her plase whan sche was exameynd,
and wan I hard sey what her demenyng was, I schargyd my
servaunts that sche xuld not be reseyved in my hows. I had
zeve hir warnyng, sche mythe a be war a for, yf sche had a be
grasyows; and I sent to on or ij. mor that they xuld not
reseyve her yf sche cam; sche was browthe a geyn to my place
for to a be reseyved, and Sir Jamys¹ tolde them that browthe
her that I had schargyd hem alle and sche xuld not be reseyved;
and soo my Lord of Norwych hath set her at Roger Bests, to
be ther tyle the day befor sayd, God knowyth fule evel ageyn
hys wyle and hys wyvys, yf they durst do other wyse. I am
sory that they arn a cumyrd with her, but zet I am better
payed that sche isther for the whyle, that sche had ben in other
place be cause of the sadnes and good dysposysion of hys sylfe
and hys wyfe, for sche xal not be sou’d [suffered ?] ther to pleye
the brethele.² I pray zow and requer zow that ye take yt not
pensyly, for I wot wele yt gothe ryth ner zowr hart, and so
doth yt to myn and to other; but remembyr zow, and so do
I, that we have lost of her but a brethele,² and set yt the les to
hart, for and sche had be good, wherso ever sche had be, yt
xuld not aben as it is, for and he wer ded at thys owyr, she
xuld never be at myn hart as sche was. As for the devors
[divorce] that ze write to me of, I supose wat ze ment, but I
scharge zow upon my blyssyng that ze do not, ner cause non
other to do, that xuld offend God and zour conschens, for and
ze do, or cause for to be do, God wul take vengawns ther upon,
[and] ye xuld put zour sylfe and other in gret joparte; for
wettyt wele, sche xal ful sor repent her leudnes her aftyr, and
I pray God sche mute soo. I pray zow for myn hard ys hese
[heart’s ease], be ze of a good cownfort in alle thynggs; I trust
God xal helpe ryth wele, and I pray God so do in alle our
maters. I wuld ze toke hed yf ther weher any labor mad in
the kort of Cawntrybery for the leud mater forsayd.

     But yf [i.e. unless] the Duke¹ be purveyd for, he and hys
wyse kow[n]sel xalle lefe thys cuntre; yt is told me that he
seythe that he wul not spar to do that he is purposyd, for no
Duke in Ynglond. God helpe at nede.

     ² [From Fenn, iv. 358.] This letter has reference to the contract of marriage
between Richard Calle and Margery Paston in 1469. See No. 710, preceding. The
last paragraph seems to have reference to the propositions mentioned in the preceding
letter.                                                                             ³ Walter Lyhert.

 ¹ Fenn thinks this was Dr. John Saresson, otherwise Wigenhale, who, he tells us,
was Chancellor to the Bishop from 1435 to 1471, and had other Church preferment in
the Diocese. But I am a little doubtful whether he lived so long, as it does not appear
that he kept any other of his preferments to so late a date. We know that Dr. William
Pykenham was Chancellor in 1471.

¹ Sir James Gloys.

² Brethele or brethtlyng signified a worthless person.

 ¹ The Duke of Norfolk.

1469

1469

1469