Richard Calle to John Paston

LETTER XXXVI.

              To my Right Reverent And
              my moost wurschipful maystre
              my maystre John Paston

RIGHT wurshipfull and my mooste reuerent mastre I re-
     comaunde me unto yo^r goode maystreship like you to
witte that on ¹childremasse daye there were moche people at
Norwich at the Shire be cauce it was noyced in the shire that the
undresheriff had a writte to make a newe aleccon wherfore the
people was greved be cauce they had labored so often seying to
the sheriff that he had the writte And pleynly he shulde not A
wey unto the tyme the writte were redd the sheriff answerd and
seyd that he had no writte nor west who had it heruppon the
people peacyd and stilled unto the tyme the shire was doone and
aft^r that doone the people called uppon h[SYM] kylle h[SYM] heede h[SYM]
And so John Dam w^t helpe of other gate h[SYM] out of the schire-
hows And w^t moche labo^r brought hym unto ² Sporyer rowe and
ther the people mett a yenst h[SYM] And so they a voided h[SYM] unto
An hows and kept fast the dore unto the tyme the meyer was
sent fore And the Sherif to strenght h[SYM] and to convey hē A wey
or ell he had be slayne Wherfor diu^rs of the thrifty men came to
me desiryng that I shulde writte unto yo^r maistreship to lete you
haue undrestandyng of the gidyng of the people For they be full
sory of this trowble and that it plese you to sende hē yo^r advice
how they shal be gided and rwled For they were p’posed to A
gathered an C or CC of the thriftyest men and to haue come up
to the kyng to lete the kyng haue undrestandyng of ther mok-
kyng And also the people fere hē sore of you and mastre Berney
be cauce ye come not home plese you that ye remembr the bill
I sent you at Hallowmesse for the place and londs at Boyton
weche Cheseman had in his ferme for v mark ther wol no man
haue it above ³ xlvj^s viij^d for Alblastre and I haue do as moche
therto as we can but we can not go A bove that And yet we can
not lete it so for this yere w^t owte they haue it for v or vj yere I
wrote to your mastreship herof but I had non Answre Wherfor
I beseche you that I may haue an Answere of this be Tlwelthe for
and we have an Answre of this be that tyme we shull enfeffe hē
w^t all, etc. my right wurshipfull and my moost reuerent maistre
almyghty Jhu p’serve you and send you the victorye of yo^r el-
myes as I truste to Almyghty Ihu ye shall wretē at Norwich on
Seyn Thom’ Daye aft^r Cristemasse Daye.

                                                                 yo^r pore s^rvāt and bedman

                                                                              ⁴ R. Call.

     We see here a terrible instance of the ungovernable spirit of a multitude raised against
the chief officer of the county for a supposed offence, for it does not appear that the
Sheriff had secreted or delayed the writ; if he had done so, it is a treatment he might
have expected in such unsettled and sanguinary times. Even in this modern age of re-
finement we see election disputes conducted with an animosity, by the friends of the dif-
ferent candidates, which in their cool and dispassionate moments they are themselves
shocked at and ashamed of.

 J. Paston, from the contents of this letter, appears to have been a man of consequence
and respect in the county.

     ¹ Childermas day is the 28th of December, and the day of the week on which it fell
was reckoned an unfortunate day throughout the following year to begin any undertaking,
&c. The same superstition at this time reigns in many places, and amongst many persons
even above the vulgar.

 ² Spurrier Row was what is now called the White Lyon Lane, and leads from the Castle
Ditches to the Market-place; it took its name from the shops of those who sold saddles,
bridles, spurs, &c. &c.

³ It appears by this, that the rents of lands were at this time declining, owing most
probably to the unsettled state of the nation.

⁴ He afterwards married Margery, the daughter of J. Paston. The date of this Letter
is uncertain, but most probably towards the latter part of the reign of Henry VI.

Autograph. Pl. XVIII. N^o 9.

12 by 6 ?

   Paper Mark
       a Pair of Sheers.
         Pl. XXII. N^o 18.

           Norwich,

          St. Thomas Becket,
          29 Dec. between 1450 and 1460.
          29 and 39 H. VI.

LETTER XXXVI.

To my right reverend and most worshipful Master, my Master,
John Paston.

RIGHT worshipful and my most reverend master, I re-
     commend me unto your good mastership, like you to weet
that on ¹Childermas day there were much people at Norwich at
the shire (the county court), because it was noised in the shire,
that the Under-sheriff had a writ to make a new election, where-
fore the people was grieved because they had laboured so often,
saying to the Sheriff that he had the writ, and plainly he should
not away unto the time the writ were read. The Sheriff an-
swered and said, that he had no writ, nor wist who had it: here-
upon the people peaced (became peaceable), and stilled unto the
time the shire was done, and after that done, the people called
upon him, “kill him, head him,” and so John Damme with
help of others, gat him out of the shire-house, and with much
labour brought him into ² Spurrier row, and there the people
met against him, and so they avoided him (withdrew him for
safety) into an house, and kept fast the door unto the time the
Mayor was sent for, and the Sheriff, to strengthen him, and to
convey him away, or else he had been slain; wherefore divers
of the thrifty men came to me, desiring that I should write unto
your mastership, to let you have understanding of the guiding
of the people, for they be full sorry of this trouble; and that it
please you to send them your advice how they shall be guided
and ruled, for they were purposed to have gathered an hundred
or two hundred of the thriftiest men, and to have come up to
the King, to let the King have understanding of their mocking.

     And also the people fear them sore of you, and of Master
Berney, because ye come not home.

     Please you that ye remember the bill I sent you at Hallowmas
for the place and lands at Beighton which Cheeseman had in his
farm for five marks (3l. 6s. 8d.) there will no man have it above
³ forty-six shillings and eight pence, for Alblaster and I have
done as much thereto as we can, but we cannot go above that,
and yet we cannot let it so for this year, without they have it for
five or six years; I wrote to your mastership hereof, but I had
none answer, wherefore I beseech you that I may have answer
of this by Twelfth (6 January) for and (if) we have an answer
of this by that time we shall enfeoff him with all, &c.

     My right worshipful and my most reverend master, Almighty
Jesu preserve you and send you the victory of your enemies, as
I trust to Almighty Jesu ye shall.

     Written at Norwich on St. Thomas’s day after Christmas
day.

                                         Your poor Servant and Beadsman,

                                                                   ⁴ RICHARD CALL.

     We see here a terrible instance of the ungovernable spirit of a multitude raised against
the chief officer of the county for a supposed offence, for it does not appear that the
Sheriff had secreted or delayed the writ; if he had done so, it is a treatment he might
have expected in such unsettled and sanguinary times. Even in this modern age of re-
finement we see election disputes conducted with an animosity, by the friends of the dif-
ferent candidates, which in their cool and dispassionate moments they are themselves
shocked at and ashamed of.

 J. Paston, from the contents of this letter, appears to have been a man of consequence
and respect in the county.

     ¹ Childermas day is the 28th of December, and the day of the week on which it fell
was reckoned an unfortunate day throughout the following year to begin any undertaking,
&c. The same superstition at this time reigns in many places, and amongst many persons
even above the vulgar.

     ² Spurrier Row was what is now called the White Lyon Lane, and leads from the Castle
Ditches to the Market-place; it took its name from the shops of those who sold saddles,
bridles, spurs, &c. &c.

     ³ It appears by this, that the rents of lands were at this time declining, owing most
probably to the unsettled state of the nation.

     ⁴ He afterwards married Margery, the daughter of J. Paston. The date of this Letter
is uncertain, but most probably towards the latter part of the reign of Henry VI.

Autograph. Pl. XVIII. N^o 9.

   Paper Mark
       a Pair of Sheers.
         Pl. XXII. N^o 18.

          Norwich,

          St. Thomas Becket,
          29 Dec. between 1450 and 1460.
          29 and 39 H. VI.

498

RICHARD CALLE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right reverent and my moost wurschipful
maystre, my Maystre John Paston.

RIGHT wurshipfull and my mooste reverent mastre, I
     recomaunde me unto your goode maystreship. Like
     you to witte that on Childremasse daye² there were
moche people at Norwich at the shire, be cauce it was noyced
in the shire that the Undresheriff had a writte to make a newe
aleccion; wherfore the people was greved be cauce they had
labored so often, seying to the Sheriff that he had the writte,
and pleynly he shulde not a wey unto the tyme the writte were
redd. The Sheriff³ answerd, and seyd that he had no writte,
nor west who had it. Heruppon the people peacyd, and stilled
unto the tyme the shire was doone, and after that doone, the
people called uppon hym, ‘Kylle hym! Heede [behead] hym!’
And so John Dam, with helpe of other, gate hym out of the
schire-hows, and with moche labour brought hym unto Sporyer
Rowe;⁴ and ther the people mett a yenst hym, and so they a
voided hym unto an hows, and kept fast the dore unto the
tyme the meyer was sent fore, and the Sherif, to strenght hym,
and to convey hem a wey, or ell he had be slayne. Wherfor
divers of the thrifty men came to me, desiryng that I shulde
writte unto your maistreship to lete you have undrestandyng
of the gidyng of the people, for they be full sory of this
trowble; and that it plese you to sende hem your advice how
they shal be gided and rwled, for they were purposed to a
gathered an c. or cc. of the thriftyest men, and to have come
up to the Kyng to lete the Kyng have undrestandyng of ther
mokkyng. And also the people fere hem sore of you and
Mastre Berney,⁵ be cauce ye come not home.

Plese you that ye remembr the bill I sent you at Hallow-
messe for the place and londs at Boyton weche Cheseman had
in his ferme for v. mark. Ther wol no man have it above
xlvj^s. viij^d., for Alblastre and I have do as moche therto as we
can, but we can not go a bove that. And yet we can not lete
it so for this yere, with owte they have it for v. or vj. yere. I
wrote to your mastreship herof, but I had non answre; wherfor
I beseche you that I may have an answere of this be Tlwelthe,
for and we have an answre of this be that tyme, we shall enfeffe
hem with all, &c.

     My right wurshipfull and my moost reverent maistre,
Almyghty Jesu preserve you, and send you the victorye of
your elmyes, as I truste to Almyghty Jesu ye shall. Wreten
at Norwich on Seyn Thomas daye after Cristemasse daye.

Your pore servant and bedman,                                      R. CALL.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 150.] The contents of this letter clearly refer to the matter
alluded to in the postscript of the preceding letter of Margaret Paston, so that the date
must be the same.                ² 28th December.                ³ Sir Thomas Montgomery.

     ⁴ Spurrier Row, as I am informed by Mr. L’Estrange, was what is now called
London Street.                                  ⁵ John Berney of Witchingham.

1461
DEC. 29

1461
DEC. 29