R L to John Paston

LETTER CVI.

    To bys worshipful Mastr
    Iohn Paston Esquier.

      RYGHT wurchupfull Ser J Comaund me to your good
          maysterchepe &c. plese it you to understond that Redford
desyryd me on your byhalfe y^t J Chuld good and Comon w^t the
woma that was the Fullars wyfe of South Wals'm whech woman
is now maryed to ohn Thom Styward dwellyng in the parysch
of Seynt Gyll in Norwych whech woman seyd to me that che
sewyd neu^r the pele butt that she was by Sotyle Crast brought
to the new in att Norwych And ther was maystr^r Southwell
and he entretyd hyr to be my lords wewe by the space of an hole
yer next folwyn and ther to he mad hyr to be bowne in an ob-
ligacyon And whan that yer was past he desyred hyr to be my
lords wedow anoyr yer And than she seyd that she had leur lose
yt that she had do than to lose that and meer and ther for she
seyd pleynly tha she wold no mor of that Matr and so she toke
hyr an husbond whech is ye seyd Thom Styward and she seyth
that it was full for ageyn hyr wylle that eur the matr went so
forforth for she had neur non avayle y'of butt it was sewyd to
hyr gret labor and losse for she had neur of my lords Councell
but berely hyr Costs to london no mor but god haue you in hys
kepyng Wretyn at Norwych the Monday next after the Fest of
Seynt luke.

      By your srvant

                                                                                                                   R. L.

              8 by 5.

    We here see the various artifices that had been made use of to bring forward this ap-
peal against the Pastons, and the pains that had been taken be those who seemed to have
been their friends to distress them by it.

    The endeavours used to induce the widow to put herself under the Duke of Norfolk's
protection, and to become his vassal, under the different titles of waive and widow, are
curious and throw some light upon the feudal system.

    I do not exactly understand the sense in which the word waive or waive is used here,
farther than it means to convey the idea of subjection.

    The widow, however, chose to be her own Mistress in the second year, and to take
another Husband.

    Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 11. I cannot discover the name of the Writer from his
Initials.

LETTER CVI.

To his worshipul Master, John Paston, Esquire.

      RIGHT worshipful Sir, I commend me to your good
          mastership, &c. Please it you to understand that Bedford
desired me, on your behalf, that I should go and commune with
the woman that was the fuller's wife at South Walsham, which
woman is now married to one Thomas Styward, dwelling in the
parish of Saint Giles, in Norwich, which women said to me that
she sued never the appeal, but that she was by subtile craft
brought to the New Inn at Norwich, and there was Master
Southwell, and he intreated her to be my Lord's wewe (waive)
by the space of an whole year next following, and thereto he
made her to be bound in an obligation; and when that year was
past, he desired her to be my Lord's widow another year; and
then she said that she had lever (rather) lose that that she had
done, than to lose that and more, and therefore she said plainly,
that she would no more of that matter, and so she took her an
husband, which is the said Thomas Styward; and she faith that
it was full sore against her will that ever the matter went so far
forth, for she had never none avail thereof, but it was sued to
her great labour and loss, for she had never of my Lord's conun-
sel but barely her costs to London. No more, but God have
you in his keeping. Written at Norwich, the Monday next
after the feast of Saint Luke.

                                             By your Servant

                                                                                                         R. L.

    Monday,
        22d of October, 1470,
        10 E. IV.

    We here see the various artifices that had been made use of to bring forward this ap-
peal against the Pastons, and the pains that had been taken be those who seemed to have
been their friends to distress them by it.

    The endeavours used to induce the widow to put herself under the Duke of Norfolk's
protection, and to become his vassal, under the different titles of waive and widow, are
curious and throw some light upon the feudal system.

    I do not exactly understand the sense in which the word waive or waive is used here,
farther than it means to convey the idea of subjection.

    The widow, however, chose to be her own Mistress in the second year, and to take
another Husband.

    Autograph. Pl. XXV. No 11. I cannot discover the name of the Writer from his
Initials.

783

R. L. TO JOHN PASTON¹

To hys worshipful master, John Paston, Esquier.

RYGHT wurchupfull ser, I comaund me to your good
     maysterchepe, &c. Plese it you to understond that
     Redford desyryd me on your byhalfe that I chuld goo
and comon with the woman that was the fullars wyfe of South
Walsham, whech woman is now maryed to on Thom Styward,
dwellyng in the parysch of Seynt Gyll in Norwych, whech
woman seyd to me that the sewyd never the pele, but that she
was by sotyle craft brought to the New In at Norwych, and
ther was Maystir Southwell, and he entretyd hyr to be my
Lords wewe [widow],² by the space of an hole yer next folwyn,
and therto he mad hyr to be bowne in an obligacyon. And
whan that yer was past he desyred hyr to be my Lords wedow
another yer; and than she seyd that she had lever lose that
that she had do, than to lose that and meer; and therfor she
seyd pleynly that she wold no mor of that mater. And so
she toke hyr an husbond, whech is the seyd Thom Styward;
and she seyth that it was full sor ageyn hyr wylle that ever the
mater went so forforth, for she had never non avayle therof,
butt it was sewyd to hyr gret labor and losse, for she had
never of my Lords councell, but berely hyr costs to London.
No mor, but God have you in Hys kepyng.

     Wretyn at Norwych, the Monday next after the Fest of
Seynt Luke.

                                       By your servant,                        R. L.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 440.] In the postscript to the preceding letter, Sir John Paston
intimates his belief that the two widows who had appealed his brother of the
murder of their husbands had married again, and that thereby the appeals were
abated. It appears by the present letter that this intelligence was correct as regards
one of them.

     ² The widow of a tenant in chivalry was called the Lord’s widow.

1471
OCT. 21