Margery Brews to John Paston

  • Medieval Family Life
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Title
Margery Brews to John Paston
Reference
Add. 43490, f. 24
Date
February 1477
Library / Archive
  • The British Library
Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
Gairdner, Vol V, item 898; Fenn, Vol II, Edward IV item 73
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (1st transcript)

LETTER LXXIII.

 

To my Ryght Welebelovyd Cosyn John Paston Swyer be this
                                         Lett’ delyu’yd, &c.

 

RYGHT wurschypfull and welebelovyd Volentyne in my
      moste umble wyse I recōmande me un to yowe, &c. and
hertely I thanke yowe for ye Lettur whech that ye sende me be
John Bekarton wherby I undyrstonde and knowe yt ye be
purposyd to com’ to Topcroft in schorte tyme and wtowte any
erand or mat’ but only to hafe a conclusyon of ye mat’ betwyx
my fadr and yowe I wolde be most glad of any creatur on lyve
so yat the mat’ myght growe to effect And ther as ye say and
ye com’ and fynde ye mat’ no mor’ towards you yen ye dyd
afortyme ye wold no mor’ put my fadr and my Lady my modr
to no cost ner besenesse for yt cause a good wyle aftur weche
causyth myn’ herte to be full hevy and yf yt ye com’ and the
mater take to non’ effecte yen schuld I be meche mor sory and
full of hevynesse.

     And as for my selfe I hafe don’ and undyrstond in the mat’ yt
I can or may as good knowyth And I let yowe pleynly undyr-
stond yt my fadr wyll no mor money parte wt all in that behalfe
but an Cli and I marke whech is ryght far fro the Acomplysh-
ment of yowr desyre.

     Wherfore yf yt ye cowde be content wt yt good and my por
p’sone I wold be ye meryest mayden on grounde And yf ye
thynke not yowr selffe so satysfyed or yt ye myght hafe mech mor
good as I hafe undyrstonde be yowe afor good trewe and lovyng
volentyne yt ye take no such labur uppon yowe as to com’ mor’
for yt mat’. But let is passe and neu’ mor’ to be spokyn of
as I may be yowr trewe lou’ and bedewoma’ duryng my
lyfe.

     No more un to yowe at thys tyme but Almyghty J’h’s p’s’ve
yowe bothe body and sowle, &c.

                                                              Be yor. Voluntyne,

                                                                               Margery Brews.

           11 ¾ by 5 ½.

Topcroft, 1476-7.

 

     J. Paston seems by this Letter to have answered the last, but not to her satisfaction,
respecting his being content to take her with the fortune her father proposed to give on
her marriage. She acknowledges the pleasure it would give her to find that he would
marry her with the fortune her father had fixed, and with great sensibility requests him,
if he cannot acquiesce, not to come to Topcrost, but to let matters remain as they were.

     The Letter, at the same time that it acknowledges her regard for J. Paston, shews
that she had a proper attention to her own consequence, and her father?s determination.
Pl. VI. No 27.
Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (2nd transcript)

LETTER LXXIII.

 

To my Right Well beloved Cousin John Paston, Esquire, be this
                                      Letter delivered, &c.

 

RIGHT worshipful and well beloved Valentine, in my
     most humble wise, I recommend me unto you, &c. And
heartily I thank you for the Letter, which that ye send me by
John Beckerton, whereby I understand and know, that ye be
purposed to come to Topcroft in short time, and without any
errand or matter, but only to have a conclusion of the mat-
ter betwixt my father and you; I would be most glad of any
Creature alive, so that the matter might grow to effect. And
thereas (whereas) ye say, and (if) ye come and find the mat-
ter no more towards you than ye did aforetime, ye would
no more put my father and my Lady my Mother to no cost
nor business, for that cause a good while after, which causeth
my heart to be full heavy; and if that ye come, and the matter
take to none effect, then should I be much more sorry, and full
of heaviness.

    And as for myself I have done, and understand in the matter
that I can or may, as God knoweth; and I let you plainly
understand, that my father will no more money part withal in
that behalf, but an 100l. and 50 marks (33l. 6s. 8d.) which is
right far from the accomplishment of your desire.

     Wherefore, if that ye could be content with that Good, and
my poor Person, I would be the merriest maiden on ground;
and if ye think not yourself so satisfied, or that ye might have
much more Good, as I have understood by you afore; good,
true, and loving Valentine, that ye take no such labour upon
you, as to come more for that matter, But let (what) is, pass,
and never more to be spoken of, as I may be your true Lover
and Beadwoman during my life.

     No more unto you at this time, but Almighty Jesu preserve
you both body and soul, &c.

                                                    By your Valentine,

                                                                MARGERY BREWS.

       

  11 ? by 5 ?.

Topcroft, 1476-7.

 

 

 

     J. Paston seems by this Letter to have answered the last, but not to her satisfaction,
respecting his being content to take her with the fortune her father proposed to give on
her marriage. She acknowledges the pleasure it would give her to find that he would
marry her with the fortune her father had fixed, and with great sensibility requests him,
if he cannot acquiesce, not to come to Topcrost, but to let matters remain as they were.

     The Letter, at the same time that it acknowledges her regard for J. Paston, shews
that she had a proper attention to her own consequence, and her father?s determination.
Pl. VI. No 27.
Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'

898

 

MARGERY BREWS TO JOHN PASTON1

To my ryght welebelovyd cosyn, John Paston,
Swyer, be this letter delyveryd, &c.

 

RYGHT wurschypfull and welebelovyd Volentyne, in my
     moste umble wyse, I recommande me un to yowe, &c.
     And hertely I thanke yowe for the lettur whech that
ye sende me be John Bekarton, wherby I undyrstonde and
knowe, that ye be purposyd to come to Topcroft in schorte
tyme, and withowte any erand or mater, but only to hafe a
conclusyon of the mater betwyx my fader and yowe; I wolde
be most glad of any creatur on lyve, so that the mater myght
growe to effect. And ther as ye say, and ye come and fynde
the mater no more towards you then ye dyd afortyme, ye wold
no more put my fader and my lady my moder to no cost ner
besenesse, for that cause, a good wyle aftur, wech causyth
myne herte to be full hevy; and yf that ye come, and the
mater take to none effecte, then schuld I be meche mor sory
and full of hevynesse.

     And as for my selfe, I hafe done and undyrstond in the
mater that I can or may, as Good knowyth; and I let yowe
pleynly undyrstond, that my fader wyll no mor money parte
with all in that behalfe, but an Cli. and l. marke, whech is
ryght far fro the acomplyshment of yowr desyre.

     Wherfore, yf that ye cowde be content with that good, and
my por persone, I wold be the meryest mayden on grounde;
and yf ye thynke not yowr selffe so satysfyed, or that ye myght
hafe mech mor good, as I hafe undyrstonde be yowe afor;
good, trewe, and lovyng volentyne, that ye take no such labur
uppon yowe, as to come more for that mater, but let is [it?]
passe, and never more to be spokyn of, as I may be yowr trewe
lover and bedewoman duryng my lyfe.

    No more un to yowe at thys tyme, but Almyghty Jesus
preserve yowe, bothe body and sowle, &c.

                                             Be your Voluntyne,

                                                                         MARGERY BREWS.

1 [From Fenn, ii. 214.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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