R C V C to John Paston the Eldest

Add. 34888, f. 219

?1463

Gairdner, Vol IV, item 550; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 37

LETTER XXXVII.

To my Worch'ppefull Mastr
Mastr Paston ye heldest.

RYTH worchepfull Mastr I Recomend me on to zowr Mastr-
chepe and of on mat^t at reverens of God take hede for in
trowth I her meche talkyng y'of and y^t is both in Norsfolk suf-
folk and Norwyche among halle men of Worchepe as welle yt
love zow as od^r and y^t is of my mast^r zowr Son Syr Ion causse
he is So at home and no nod wyse fet for sume sey y^t ze and he
both stond howth of y^e kyngs good gras and sume sey y^t ze
kepe hym at home for negard chepe and wyll no thyng war up
on hym and so heche man sey is auyse as it plese hem to talke
And I haue hanqqerryd and seyd y^e most cause is inp'ty for
cause ze har so meche howte y^t he is y^e rather at home for ye
Saue gard of the Costs But at y^e referens of god excheuyg of
eomon langage Se y^t he may worchepfull be set for heyd^r in ye
kyngs servyse or in Maryache For as for towchyg y^e lady ^I Cha
berle yt matr is don for I spade wt ye prson y'of and I hard be
hym yt yat matr wyll not pre No more but God spede zow as
well in all maters as I wold ze xuld do J be seche zow yt yis letr
be kept secrete.

Be zow bede man

R. C. V. C.

Paper Mark,

Hand and Flower.

PI. XXVII. No 11.

This Letter contains nothing by which we can exactly six the date, though it must
have been written between 1462 and 1465, as it appears from it that J. Paston's son had
been knighted. The hint of him and his son being out of the King's good grace, would
six it about 1465, as in 1466 J. Paston was committed to the Fleet, and died the same
year.

The exact date, however, is immaterial, the character of the father being the object of
the reader's notice.

I This Lady Chamberlayne was Anne, daughter and sole heir of Sir Robert Herling,
kinght, by Jane, daughter and heir of John Gonvile, Esq. She married to her first hus-
band Sir William Chamberlayne, Knight of the Garter, a renowned and valiant foldier,

who died in 1462. She was at this time his widow, and inherited from her father a very
considerable fortune.

The afterwards married Sir Robert Wingfield, and after his decease she became the wise
of John Lord Scroop of Bolton.

By the name of Lady Scroop she founded and endowed a Fellowship in the College of
Gonville and Caius at Cambridge, originally founded by an Ancestor of her Ladyship's.

She was born in 1426, and was alive in 1502.

At the time this letter was writing she must have been nearly forty years old, when Sir
John Paston could not have been much above twenty.

² Autograph. PI. xxv. No 15.

LETTER XXXVII.

To my worshipful Master. Master Paston the eldest.

RIGHT worshipful Master, I recommend me unto your
Mastership, and of one matter at reverence of God take
heed, for in truth I hear much talking thereof, and that is both
in Norsolk, Suffolk, and Norwich among all men of worship, as
well that love you as others, and that is of my master, your son
Sir John, because he is so at home, and none other wise set for
( provided for ). Some say that ye and he both stand out of the
King's good grace, and some say that ye keep him at home for
negardchepe ( niggardship, covetousness ), and will no thing ware
( spend ) upon him, and so each man say his advice as it please
him to talk ; and I have enquired, and said the most cause is in
part, for cause ye are so much out, that he is the rather at home
for the safeguard of the coasts. But at the reverence of God for
eschewing of common language, see that he may worshipfully
best for ( provided for ) , either in the King's service, or in mar-
riage ; for as for touching the Lady I Chamberlayne that matter
is done for, I spake with the parson thereof, and I heard by him,
that that matrer will not pre. (q. will not succeed.)

No more but God speed you as well in all matters, as I would
ye should do, I beseech you that this letter by kept secr et

By your beadsman,

² R. C. V. C.

Between

1462 and 1465.

2 and 5 E. IV.

This Letter contains nothing by which we can exactly six the date, though it must
have been written between 1462 and 1465, as it appears from it that J. Paston's son had
been knighted. The hint of him and his son being out of the King's good grace, would
six it about 1465, as in 1466 J. Paston was committed to the Fleet, and died the same
year.

The exact date, however, is immaterial, the character of the father being the object of
the reader's notice.

I This Lady Chamberlayne was Anne, daughter and sole heir of Sir Robert Herling,
kinght, by Jane, daughter and heir of John Gonvile, Esq. She married to her first hus-
band Sir William Chamberlayne, Knight of the Garter, a renowned and valiant foldier,

who died in 1462. She was at this time his widow, and inherited from her father a very
considerable fortune.

The afterwards married Sir Robert Wingfield, and after his decease she became the wise
of John Lord Scroop of Bolton.

By the name of Lady Scroop she founded and endowed a Fellowship in the College of
Gonville and Caius at Cambridge, originally founded by an Ancestor of her Ladyship's.

She was born in 1426, and was alive in 1502.

At the time this letter was writing she must have been nearly forty years old, when Sir
John Paston could not have been much above twenty.

² Autograph. PI. xxv. No 15.

550

R. C. V. C. TO JOHN PASTON THE ELDEST¹

To my worcheppefull master, Master Paston the heldest.

     RYTH worchepfull master, I recommend me on to zowr
         masterchepe. And of on mater at reverens of God
         take hede, for in trowth I her meche talkyng therof,
and that is both in Norffolk, Suffolk, and Norwyche, among
halle men of worchepe, as welle that love zow as oder, and
that is of my master, your son, Syr Jon, causse he is so at
home, and no noderwyse set for. Summe sey that ze and he
both stond howth of the Kyngs good gras, and summe sey
that ze kepe hym at home for negard chepe, and wyll no
thyng ware [spend] up on hym; and so heche man sey is avyse
as it plese hem to talke. And I have hanqwerryd [inquired],
and seyd the most cause is inparty for cause ze har so meche
howte, that he is the rather at home for the save gard of the
costs. But at the referens of God, excheuyng of common
langage, se that he may worchepfull be set for, heyder in the
Kyngs servyse, or in maryache; for as towchyng the Lady
Chaberlen² that mater is don, for I spake with the parson
therof, and I hard be hym that that mater wyll not pre
[proceed?].

No more, but God spede zow as well in all maters, as
I wold ze xuld do, I be seche zow that this leter be kept
secrete.

Be zow[r] bede man,

R. C. V. C.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 128.] In the preceding letter Sir John Paston seems to have
been at home; in Letter 552, we find that he had left home without leave. It is very
probable, therefore, that the present letter was written in the interval between them,
seeing that the writer complains of Sir John being kept at home.

² This Lady Chamberlayne was Anne, daughter and sole heir of Sir Robert
Herling, Knight, by Jane, daughter and heir of John Gonvile, Esq. Her first
husband was Sir William Chamberlayne, Knight of the Garter, a renowned and
valiant soldier, who died in 1462. She was at this time his widow, and inherited from
her father a very considerable fortune.

She afterwards married Sir Robert Wingfield, and after his decease she became the
wife of John, Lord Scroop of Bolton.

By the name of Lady Scroop she founded and endowed a Fellowship in the
College of Gonville and Caius at Cambridge, originally founded by an ancestor of her
Ladyship’s.

She was born in 1426, and was alive in 1502.

At the time this letter was written she must have been nearly forty years old,
when Sir John Paston could not have been much above twenty.—F.

1463(?)