Margaret Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXXIV.

To the Ryght Worshypfull S^r John Paston, Knyght.

I Greet yow well and send yow Goddys blyssyng and m[SYM].
    latyng yow wete y^t I have sent yow be Whetele y^e Clothe
of Golde chargyng yow yat it be not solde to nō other use yā
to y^e p’rformyng ōf yowyr fadyrs toombe as ye send me worde
in wrytyng, yf ye sell yt to any othyr use by my trowthe I
shall neu’ trost yow wyll I leve.

     Remēbyr y^t yt coste me xx^ti marke y^e pleggyng owte of yt
and yf I wher not glad to se y^t made I wolde not dep’te from it.
Remēbyr yow what charge I have had w^t yow of late whyche
wyl not be for my ease y^is ij yer, whan ye may bett’ I trost
ye whyll remembyr yt.

     ¹ My Cosyn Cler’ dothe as meche coste at Bromhom as whylle
drawe an C li. upon y^e Deskys in y^e Quere and in othyr places,
and Heydon in lyke whyse and yf y^er shulde no thyng be don
for y^r fadyr yt wolde be to gret a schame for us alle and in chesse
to se hym lye as he dothe.

     Also as I und’stond y^t my Cosyn Robt Clere thynkyth gret
on kyndenesse in delyng wyth hym of Pecoke for certeyn pas-
ture y^t be grawntyd hym to have and Pecoke hath letyn it to
othyr suche as he lyste to lete yt to not w^tstondyng my Cosyn
hath leyd y^e pastur w^t hys Catell and Pecok hathe strenyd
them.

     I thynk thys delyng is not as yt shulde be. I wolde y^t iche
of yow shulde do for other and leve as Kynnysmen and
Frendys, for suche S’vawnts my make trobyll by twyxe yow,
wheche wher a ageynste cortesy so nyhe newbors as ye be, he
is a man of substance and worchyp and so wylle be takyn in
thys schyr and I wer lothe y^t ye shulde lese y^e good wylle
of suche as may do for yow.

     It’, wher as ye have begonne yo^r cleyme in Heylysdon and
Drayton. I p[SYM] God send yow good spede and foderance in yit.
Ye have as good a season as ye wulde wysche consyderyng y^t
yo^r Adu’sary standys not in best favyr w^t y^e Kynge.

     Also ye have y^e voyse in y^is Contre y^t ye may do as meche w^t
y Kyng as any Knygth y^t ys longyng to y^e Corte, yf yt be so
I pray God contynu yt, And also y^t ye shuld mary rygth nygth
of y^{e 2} Qwenys blood qwat sche ys we are not as certeyn
but yf yt be so y^t yowyr lond schuld come agayne by y^e reason
of yo^r maryage and to be sett in rest at y^e Reu’ence of God for
sake yt nowt yf ye can fynde in yo^r harte to love hyr so y^t
sche be suche on’ as ye can thynke to have Issu by or ellys
by my trowthe I had rather y^t ye neu’ maryd in yo^r lyffe.

     Also yf yowyr mater take not now to good effecte ye and all
yowyr frendys may repent them y^t ye began yo^r. cleyme w^t
owte y^t ye have take suche a suyr wey as may be to yo^r intent
for many incōvenyens y^t may falle ye^r of. God send yow good
spede in all yowyr maters.

     Wretyn at Mawteby y^e day aft’ Se[SYM]t ³ Austyn in May y^e xviij
yer of Kyng Edward y^e iiij^te.

                                                                          Be your Mother.

         12 by 10.

  Mawteby,
             Tuesday, 26th of May,
                1478, 18 E. IV.

The following is indorsed, ?Lrā Johi Paston mil. p. quā paret.” “Se fore in magno
favore Regis.”

     This Letter is in answer to that of Sir John Paston to his Mother (Pl. II. N^o 20.)
dated 13th of May, 1478, and shews the desire that she had that some Tomb should
be erected over her Husband’s Grave.

   ¹ William or Thomas Clere, they both died without issue, and were succeeded by
Robert their next brother, who was knighted in 1494, and died in 1529. The advice which
the gives her Son respecting his behaviour towards this Gentleman, shews her to be a
woman of sense and discernment.

    ² Some Lady of the Woodvile or Widvile family.

    ³ St. Augustine, 25th of May.

LETTER LXXXIV.

To the Right Worshipful Sir John Paston, Knight.

I Greet you well and send you God’s blessing and mine, letting
    you weet that I have sent you by Wheatley the Cloth of
Gold, charging you that it be not sold to none other use than to
the performing of your Father’s Tomb, as ye send me word in
writing; if ye sell it to any other use, by my truth, I shall never
trust you while I live.

     Remember that it cost me 20 marks (13s. 6s. 8d.) the pledg-
ing out of it, and if I were not glad to see that made, I
would not depart from it. Remember you what charge I have
had with you of late, which will not be for my ease this two
years; when ye may better, I trust ye will remember it.

     ¹ My Cousin Clere doth as much cost at Bromholm as will
draw an 100l. upon the Desks in the Choir, and in other places,
and Heydon in likewise, and if there should nothing be done
for your Father, it would be too great a shame for us all, and in
chief to see him lie as he doth.

     Also as I understand that my Cousin Robert Clere thinketh
great unkindness in dealing with him of Peacock, for certain
Pasture that ye granted him to have, and Peacock hath let it to
others, such as he list to let it to, notwithstanding my Cousin
hath laid the pasture with his Cattle, and Peacock hath distrain-
ed them. I think this dealing is not as it should be: I would
that each of you should do for (the) other, and live as Kins-
men and Friends; for such Servants may make trouble betwixt
you, which were against courtesy, so near neighbours as ye be.
He is a man of substance and worship, and so will be taken in
this shire; and I were loath that ye should lose the good will of
such as may do for you.

     Item, whereas ye have began your claim in Hellesdon and
Drayton, I pray God send you good speed and furtherance in it;

ye have as good a season as ye would wish, considering that
your Adversary stands not in best favour with the King.

     Also ye have the voice in this Country, that ye may do as
much with the King, as any Knight that is belonging to the
Court; if it be so, I pray God continue it; and also that ye
should marry right nigh of the ² Queen’s blood; what she is we
are not as certain, but if it be so, that your Land should come
again by the reason of your marriage, and to be set in rest,
at the reverence of God forsake it not, if ye can find in your
heart to love her, so that she be such one as ye can think to have
Issue by, or else by my truth, I had rather that ye never married
in your life.

    Also, if your matter take not now to good effect, ye and all
your Friends may repent them that ye began your claim, without
that ye have taken such a sure way, as may be to your intent,
for many inconveniencies that may fall thereof; God send you
good speed in all your matters.

     Written at Mawteby the day after Saint ³ Austin in May, the
18th year of King Edward the IVth.

                                                                             By your Mother.

12 by 10.

  Mawteby,
             Tuesday, 26th of May,
                1478, 18 E. IV.

The following is indorsed, ?Lrā Johi Paston mil. p. quā paret.” “Se fore in magno
favore Regis.”

     This Letter is in answer to that of Sir John Paston to his Mother (Pl. II. N^o 20.)
dated 13th of May, 1478, and shews the desire that she had that some Tomb should
be erected over her Husband’s Grave.

   ¹ William or Thomas Clere, they both died without issue, and were succeeded by
Robert their next brother, who was knighted in 1494, and died in 1529. The advice which
the gives her Son respecting his behaviour towards this Gentleman, shews her to be a
woman of sense and discernment.

    ² Some Lady of the Woodvile or Widvile family.

    ³ St. Augustine, 25th of May.

933

MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

To the ryght worshypfull Sir John Paston, Knyght.

      I GREET yow well and send yow Goddys blyssyng and
          myn, latyng yow wete that I have sent yow be Whetele
          the clothe of golde, chargyng yow that it be not solde to
none other use than to the performyng of yowyr fadyrs
toombe, as ye send me worde in wrytyng; yf ye sell yt to any
othyr use, by my trowthe, I shall never trost yow wyll I
leve.

     Remembyr that yt coste me xx^ti marke the pleggyng owte
of yt, and yf I wher not glad to se that made, I wolde not
departe from it. Remembyr yow what charge I have had with
yow of late, whyche wyl not be for my ease this ij. yer; whan
ye may better, I trost ye whyll remembyr yt.

     My cosyn Clere dothe as meche coste at Bromhom as whylle
drawe an Cli. upon the deskys in the quere, and in othyr places,
and Heydon in lyke whyse, and yf ther shulde no thyng be
don for yowyr fadyr, yt wolde be to gret a schame for us alle,
and in cheffe to se hym lye as he dothe.

     Also as I understond that my cosyn Robert Clere thynkyth
gret on kyndenesse in delyng wyth hym of Pecoke, for certeyn
pasture that ye¹ grawntyd hym to have, and Pecoke hath letyn
it to othyr, suche as he lyste to lete yt to, not withstondyng
my cosyn hath leyd the pastur with hys catell, and Pecok hathe
strenyd them.

     I thynk thys delyng is not as yt shulde be. I wolde that
iche of yow shulde do for other, and leve as kynnysmen and
frendys; for suche servawnts my make trobyll by twyxe yow,
wheche wher a ageynste cortesy, so nyhe newbors as ye be, he
is a man of substance and worchyp, and so wylle be takyn in
thys schyr; and I wer lothe that ye shulde lese the good wylle
of suche as may do for yow.

     Item, wher as ye have begonne your cleyme in Heylysdon
and Drayton, I pray God send yow good spede and foderance
in yit. Ye have as good a season as ye wulde wysche, con-
syderyng that yowyr adversary standys not in best favyr with
the Kynge.

     Also ye have the voyse in this contre, that ye may do as
meche with the Kyng, as any knygth that ys longyng to the
corte. Yf yt be so, I pray God contynu yt; and also that ye
shuld mary rygth nygth of the Qwenys blood; qwat sche ys
we are not as certeyn, but yf yt be so, that yowyr lond schuld
come agayne by the reason of yowyr maryage, and to be sett in
rest, at the reverence of God for sake yt nowt, yf ye can fynde
in yowyr harte to love hyr, so that sche be suche one as ye can
thynke to have issu by, or ellys, by my trowthe, I had rather
that ye never maryd in yowyr lyffe.

     Also, yf yowyr mater take not now to good effecte, ye and
all yowyr frendys may repent them that ye began yowyr cleyme,
with owte that ye have take suche a suyr wey, as may be to
yowyr intent, for many inconvenyens that may falle ther of.
God send yow good spede in all yowyr maters.

     Wretyn at Mawteby, the day after Seynt Austyn in May,
the xviij. yer of Kyng Edward the iiij^te.

                                                                     Be yowyr Modyr.

     ² [From Fenn, ii. 264.]

     ¹ Fenn’s literal text reads ‘that be grawntyd,’ which seems to be an error. In the
modern transcript it is ‘that ye granted.’

MAY 27

1478
MAY 27

1478
MAY 27