Margery Paston to John Paston - Medieval Family Life

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Title

Margery Paston to John Paston

Reference

Add. 27446, f. 52

Date

[3] November 1482

Library / Archive

Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)

Gairdner, Vol VI, item 983; Fenn, Vol V, Edward IV item 69

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (1st transcript)

LETTER LXIX.

To my ryght Wurchupfull
Mayst^r John Paston Esquyer
be this lett^r delyuerd in hast

MYNE owyn Swete hert Jn my most humylwyse I Reco-
maund me on to you desyryng hertly to her of your Welfar
the wheche I beseche alle myghty god p’s^rue and kepe to
his pies’ and your herts desyer Ser the Cause of my Wrytyng
to you at thys tyme on Friday att nyght last past Come
Alexand’ Wharten Iohn Hous and Iohn Fille w^t ij good
carts well mannyd and horsyd w^t hem to Marlyngford And
ther at y^e Man^r of Marlyngford and at the mille lodyn bothe
carts w^t mest lyon and Whete and betymys on Saturday i˜
the Mornyng they departyd fro Marlyngford towards Bongey
as it is seyd for the seyd carts come fro Bongey as I soppose
by the sendynge of Bryon for he goth hastyly ou^r y^e se as
it is seyd And as I suppose he wyll haue the Mest lyon ou^r
w^t hym for the most part of the cart loods was Mest lyon
&c It’m Ser on Saturday last past I spacke w^t my Cosyn
Gornay And he seyd if I wold goo to my lady of Norff. and
besech hyr good g’ce to be your good and Gracyous lady she
wold so be for he seyd that on Word of a Woman shuld do
mor than the Words of xx men yiffe I coude Rewyll my
tonge and speke non herme of myn Vnkyll And if ye
Comaund me so for to do I Trist J shuld sey nothynge to
my ladys displesur but to your p’fyt for me thynkyth by the
Words of them and of your good fermor of Oxned that they
will sone drawe to an ende for he Cursyth the tyme that ev^r
he Come i? the ferme of Oxned for he seyth y^t he wotyth
Well that he shall haue a grette losse And yet he wyll not
be a knowyn whed^r he hathe payd or nought but whan he
seth his tyme he wyll sey trowth I understond by my seyd
Cosyn Gornay that my lady is ner wery of hyr p^rte and he
seyth my lady shal Come on Pylgremage i? to this towne
but he know^t not whed^r afor Cristmes or aftyr and if I wold
thanne gete my lady Calthorpe my moder i? lawe and my
moder and myselfe and come befor my lady besechyng hyr
to be your good and gracyous lady he thynkyth ye shull
haue an ende for fayne she wold be Redde of it w^t hyr onner
sauyd but yette money she wold haue No mor to you at
thys tyme butte I mervell sor that I haue no lett^r from you
but I prey god p?serve you and send me good tydyngs from
you and spede you well in your maters And as for me I
haue gotyn me anothyr logyn felawe the ferst lett^r of hyr
name is Mastras Byscheppe she Recomaundyth hyr to you
by the same tokyn that ye wold haue had a toky? to my
Mayst^r Bryon att Norwych the Sonday next aft^r the fest of
all Seynts.

Be yowr srwnt and b^edewo?n
MARGERY PASTON.

12 by 6¾.

This letter continues the account of transactions occasioned by the same
dispute between the uncle and the nephew.

It appears here that the Duchess of Norfolk favoured the uncle, and had
some concern in the dispute herself.

The same affectionate regard for her husband, which dictated the preceding
letter, directs the pen of the dutiful wife in this.

Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume V' (2nd transcript)

LETTER LXIX.

To my Right Worshipful Master, John Paston, Esq. be this
letter delivered in haste.

MINE own sweet heart, in my most humble wise, I recom-
mend me unto you, desiring heartily to hear of your welfare,
the which I beseech Almighty God preserve and keep to
his pleasure and your heart’s desire.

Sir, the cause of my writing to you at this time, on Friday
at night last past came Alexander Wharton, John Howse,
and John Fille, with two good carts well manned and horsed
with them to Marlingford, and there at the manor of Mar-
lingford and at the mill loaded both carts with mestlyon
[mesling] and wheat, and betimes on Saturday in the morning
they departed from Marlingford towards Bungay, as it is
said; for the said carts came from Bungay, as I suppose, by
the sending of Bryon, for he goeth hastily over the sea, as
it is said, and as I suppose he will have the mestlyon over
with him, for the most part of the cart loads was mestlyon,
&c.

Sir, on Saturday last past, I spake with my cousin Gor-
ney, and he said if I would go to my Lady of Norfolk and
beseech her good Grace to be your good and gracious lady,
she would so be, for, he said, that one word of a woman
should do more than the words of twenty men, if I would
rule my tongue, and speak none harm of mine uncle; and
if ye command me so for to do, I trust I shall say nothing
to my Lady’s displeasure, but to your profit; for me thinketh
by the words of them, and of your good farmer of Oxnead,
that they will soon draw to an end, for he curseth the time
that ever he came in the farm of Oxnead, for he saith that
he weeteth well that he shall have a great loss, and yet he
will not be aknowyn [let it be known] whether he hath paid
or not; but when he seeth his time, he will say truth.

I understand by my said cousin Gornay that my Lady is
near weary of her part; and he saith my Lady shall come
on pilgrimage into this town, but he knoweth not whether
afore Christmas or after, and if I would then get my Lady
Calthorpe, my mother-in-law, and my mother, and myself,
and come before my Lady, beseeching her to be your good
and gracious Lady, he thinketh ye shall have an end, for
fain she would be rid of it with her honour saved, but
yet money she would have. No more to you at this time,
but I marvel sore that I have no letter from you, but I pray
God preserve you and send me good tidings from you, and
speed you well in your matters. And as for me, I have
gotten me another lodging fellow, the first letter of her
name is Mistress Bishop; she recommendeth her to you by
the same token that ye would have had a token to my
Master Bryon.

At Norwich, the Sunday next after the feast of All Saints.

By your servant and beadswoman,
MARGERY PASTON.

              Norwich,
       Sunday, November,
        about 1482 or 1483.
           22 or 23 E. iv.

Autograph, Pl. xxix. No. 11.

This letter continues the account of transactions occasioned by the same
dispute between the uncle and the nephew.

It appears here that the Duchess of Norfolk favoured the uncle, and had
some concern in the dispute herself.

The same affectionate regard for her husband, which dictated the preceding
letter, directs the pen of the dutiful wife in this.

Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume VI'

983

MARGERY PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght wurchupfull mayster, John Paston, Esquyer,
be this letter delyverd in hast.

      MYNE owyn swete hert, in my most humylwyse, I
         recomaund me on to you, desyryng hertly to here
         of your welfar, the wheche I beseche Alle myghty
God preserve and kepe to His plesur, and your hertes desyer.

Ser, the cause of my wrytyng to you at this tyme: on
Friday att nyght last past come Alexander Wharton, John
Hous, and John Fille, with ij. good carts well mannyd and
horsyd with hem to Marlyngford, and there at the maner of
Malyngford and at the mille lodyn bothe cartes with mestlyon²
and whete, and betymys on Saturday, in the mornyng, they
departyd fro Marlyngford towardes Bongey, as it is seyd; for
the seyd cartes come fro Bongey, as I soppose, by the send-
ynge of Bryon, for he goth hastyly over the se, as it is seyd.
And as I suppose he wyll have the mestlyon over with hym, for
the most part of the cart loodes was mestlyon, &c.

Item, ser, on Saturday last past, I spacke with my cosyn
Gornay, and he seyd, if I wold goo to my Lady of Norffolk,
and beseche hyr good grace to be your good and gracyous
lady, she wold so be, for he seyd that one word of a woman
should do more than the wordes of xx. men, yiffe I coude
rewyll my tonge, and speke non harme of myn unkyll. And
if ye comaund me so for to do, I trist I shuld sey nothynge to
my ladys displesure, but to your profyt; for me thynkyth bi
the wordes of them and of your good fermore of Oxned, that
thei wyll sone drawe to an ende. For he cursyth the tyme
that ever he come in the ferme of Oxned, for he seyth that
he wotyth well that he shall have a grette losse, and yet he
wyll not be a knowyn wheder he hathe payd or nought; but
whan he sethe his tyme, he wyll sey trowth.

I understond by my seyd cosyn Gornay that my lady is
nere wery of hyr parte, and he seyth my lady shal come on
pylgremage in to this towne, but he knowth not wheder afore
Cristmes or aftyr; and if I wold thanne gete my Lady
Calthorpe, my moder in lawe, and my moder, and myselfe,
and come before my lady, besechyng hyr to be your good and
gracyous lady, he thynkyth ye shull have an ende; for fayne
she wold be redde of it with hyr onowr savyd, but yette money
she wold have.

No more to you at this tyme, butte I mervell sore that I
have no letter from you, but I prey God preserve you, and
send me good tydynges from you, and spede you well in your
materes. And as for me, I have gotyn me anothyr logyn
felawe, the ferst letter of hyr name is Mastras Byschoppe.
She recomaundyth hyr to you by the same tokyn that ye wold
have had a tokyn to my Mayster Bryon.

Att Norwych, the Sonday next after the Fest of All
Seyntes.

Be yowr servaunt and bedewoman,

MARGERY PASTON.

¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] For evidence of date, see preliminary note to last
letter.

² Mixed corn, commonly rye and wheat, which were most in demand to make
bread of.

NOV. [3]

1482(?)
NOV. [3]