Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER XXXIII.

To John Paston Esq’er
     beyng at the Syngne of
     the George at Powles Wharfe

I RECOMAUNDE me to yow letyng yow weete y^t I had re-
ceyvyd yowr lett^r wretyn the next daye aft^r mydsom^r for
                                                                            c
answer wherof I thynke y^t to be bownde in v m’rke I thynke
it is to moche wher as J felt by yow ye sholde have w^t y^e
                                 c
gentylwoman but iiij Neu^rthelesse I agree but ye shall
undrestande y^t J wyll not be bownde for yow y^t ye shall
make hyr Joyntour past xx li by yer w^tin a sertayne daye
lymyted be it j yer or ij y^t is y^e largest y^t ye maye p^rforme
For as for the man^r of Sparh’m my moodr and ye acorde
notte in yowr sayngs she wyll nowght graunte yow ther in
whylse she levyth saff as she seythe to me she hathe
grauntyd yow x m’rke by yeer tyll xl li be payed y^t is but vj
yeer and aftr hyr dyscease she woll agree w^t goode will so
y^t it maye be yowr proferment y^t ye sholde have y^t man^r in
Joynt^r w^t yowr wyfe to y^e leng^r lyver of yow bothe payng x
m’rke by yeer Soo or as she wyll y^t it shall be therfor
as for l m’rke Joynt^r I pray yow bynde me in no suche
clawse butt iff it be for xx li by a resonable daye and xx
m’rke aftr the dyssease off my moodr take example at Derby
It’m ye make yow sywerer than J deme yow bee For I deme
y^t her Frendes wyll nott be Content w^t bedyngfelds sywerte
nor yowrs J deme thys mat^r will ocopy leng^r leyser than ye
deme for It’m I remembr thatt thys mony y^t she sholde have
is nott redy but in the handes of Marchaunts of the Estaple
whyche at a prove ye shall fynde p^r case be slakke payers y^t
ye myght be deseyvyd ther by I knowe dyverse have lost
mony er they cowde gete ther dywtes owte of the staple
God spede yow and sende yow y^t ye wolde have J sende
yow y^e obligacon her w^t acordyng to yowr desyr and a lett^r
to bedyngfelde thankyng hym for yow and mor ou^r letyng
hym know of myn entent opyn it and close it ageyn if ye
lyst. It’ wher I tolde yow y^t the gowne clothe of olde
chamlett I wolde have it hoome For my sust^r Anne ye for
gate it I praye yow sende it home by the next masseng^r
and a lett^r w^r it of suche tydyngs as ye knowe It’m blissed
be god I have Castr at my will god holde it bett^r than it
doone her to foor No moor but Wretyn the next daye aftr
Seynt Petr A^o Eiiij^ti xvj^o

                                                                           J PASTON K

     11½ by 8½.

                  Paper Mark.
        The Dog and Porridge-pot.
               Pl. xxxii. No. O.

    The name of the lady is not mentioned for whom J. Paston was now in
treaty with her friends; it might be Mistress Fitzwalter’s sister. The marriage
never took effect; but the terms proposed by Sir John, who disapproved of
those then in agitation, let us into the modes of settlements, and are therefore
curious.

     The Merchants of the Staple were those who carried and deposited their
goods at particular places, appointed for the sale of them, and were incorpo-
rated by statutes, under which they borrowed money on particular security.
Sir John seems to doubt the goodness of their security, and gives his reasons
for it.

     On the back of the Letter, in an ancient hand, is written, ?Caister is gotten
agayn.”

     The recovery of Caister had been the great object of the Pastons ever since
the Duke of Norfolk had obliged them, by a regular siege, to surrender it to
him in 1469.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 9. Seal, a Fleur-de-lys, surrounded by nine others,
Pl. xiv. No. 23.

LETTER XXXIII.

To John Paston, Esquire, being at the Sign of the George, at
Paul?s Wharf.

I RECOMMEND me to you, letting you weet that I have re-
ceived your letter, written the next day after Midsummer;
for answer whereof, I think that to be bound in 500 marks
(333l. 6s. 8d.), I think it is too much; whereas I felt by you,
ye should have with the gentlewoman but 400 marks
(266l. 13s. 4d.), nevertheless I agree; but ye shall under-
stand that I will not be bound for you that ye shall make
her jointure past 20l. by year, within a certain day limited,
be it one year or two, that is the largest that ye may
perform; for as for the manor of Sparham, my mother and
ye accord not in your sayings; she will nought grant you
therein while she liveth, save as she saith to me, she hath
granted you 10 marks (6l. 13s. 4d.) by year till 40l. be paid,
that is but six years; and after her decease she will agree
with good will, so that it may be your profferment, that ye
should have that manor in jointure with your wife to the
longer liver of you both, paying 10 marks (6l. 13s. 4d.) by
year, so , or as she will that it shall be; therefore
as for 50 marks (33l. 6s. 8d.) jointure, I pray you bind me
in no such clause; but if it be for 20l. by a reasonable day,
and 20 marks (13l. 6s. 8d.) after the decease of my mother.
Take example at Derby.

     Item, ye make you surer than I deem you be, for I deem
that her friends will not be content with Bedingfeld?s surety

nor your?s; I deem this matter will occupy longer leisure
than ye deem for. Item, I remember that this money that
she should have is not ready, but in the hands of Merchants
of the Staple, which at a proof ye shall find per case so
slack payers, that ye might be deceived thereby; I know
divers have lost money ere they could get their dywtes
[dues] out of the Staple. God speed you, and send you
that ye would have.

     I send you the obligation herewith, according to your
desire, and a letter to Bedingfeld, thanking him for you,
and moreover letting him know of mine intent; open it, and
close it again, if ye list.

     Item, where [as] I told you that the gown cloth of old
camblet, I would have it home for my sister Ann, ye for-
got it; I pray you send it home by the next messenger, and
a letter with it of such tidings as ye know.

     Item, blessed be God, I have Caister at my will; God
hold it better than it [has] done heretofore. No more,
but written the next day after Saint Peter, in the 16th of
Edward IV.

                                                                JOHN PASTON, Kt.

         Sunday, 30th June.
            1476.   16 E. iv.

    The name of the lady is not mentioned for whom J. Paston was now in
treaty with her friends; it might be Mistress Fitzwalter?s sister. The marriage
never took effect; but the terms proposed by Sir John, who disapproved of
those then in agitation, let us into the modes of settlements, and are therefore
curious.

     The Merchants of the Staple were those who carried and deposited their
goods at particular places, appointed for the sale of them, and were incorpo-
rated by statutes, under which they borrowed money on particular security.
Sir John seems to doubt the goodness of their security, and gives his reasons
for it.

     On the back of the Letter, in an ancient hand, is written, ?Caister is gotten
agayn.?

     The recovery of Caister had been the great object of the Pastons ever since
the Duke of Norfolk had obliged them, by a regular siege, to surrender it to
him in 1469.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 9. Seal, a Fleur-de-lys, surrounded by nine others,
Pl. xiv. No. 23.

892

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To John Paston, Esquier, beyng at the Syngne of the
George, at Powles Wharffe.

I RECOMAUNDE me to yow, letyng yow weete that I
     hav receyvyd yowr letter, wretyn the next daye aftre
     Mydsomer; for answer wheroff I thynke that to be
bownde in v^c. [500] marke, I thynke it is to moche, where as
I felt by yow ye sholde have with the gentylwoman but iiij^c
[400]; neverthelesse I agree. But ye shall undrestande that
I wyll not be bownde for yow that ye shall make hyr joyntour
past xxli. by yer, within a sertayne daye lymyted; be it j. yere
or ij., that is the largest that ye maye performe. For as for
the maner of Sparham, my moodre and ye acorde notte in
yowr saynges; she wyll nowght graunte yow ther in, whylse
she levyth, saff, as she seythe to me, she hathe grauntyd yow
x. marke by yeer tyll xlli. be payed, that is but vj. yeer; and
aftre hyr dyscease she woll agree with goode will, so that it
maye be yowr proferment, that ye sholde have that maner in
joynture with yowr wyffe to the lenger lyver off yow bothe,
payng x. marke by yeer, soo or th . . . as she wyll that
it shall be. Therfore, as for 1. marke joynture, I pray yow
bynde me in no suche clawse, butt iff it be for xxli. by a reson-
able daye, and xx. marke aftre the dyssease off my moodre.
Take example at Derby.

     Item, ye make yow sywerer than I deme yow bee, for I
deme that her frendes wyll nott be content with Bedyngfeldes
sywerte, nor yowres. I deme thys mater will ocopy lenger
leyser than ye deme for.

     Item, I remembre thatt thys mony that she sholde have is
nott redy, but in the handes of marchauntes of the Estaple,
whyche at a prove ye shall fynde per case so slakke payeres,
that ye myght be deseyvyd ther by. I knowe dyverse have
lost mony er they cowde gete ther dywtes owte off the Staple.
God spede yow, and sende yow that ye wolde have.

     I sende yow the obligacion here with acordyng to yowr
desyr, and a letter to Bedyngfelde, thankyng hym for yow,
and more over letyng hym know of myn entent. Opyn it,
and close it ageyn, if ye lyst.

     Item, where I tolde yow that the gowne clothe off olde
chamlott, I wolde have it hoome for my suster Anne; ye for
gate it. I praye yow sende it home by the next massenger,
and a letter with it of suche tydynges as ye knowe.

     Item, blissed be God, I have Castre at my will. God holde
it better than it doone her to foore.

     No moore, but wretyn the next daye aftre Seynt Petre,
anno E. iiij^ti xvj^o.                                                  J. PASTON, K.

¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

JUNE 30

1476
JUNE 30