Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER LXXVII.

     To my ryght welbelouyd brother
     John Paston esqer beyng at Cast' or
     to John Dawbeney y^re be this lett'
     d'd.

RYGHT welbelouyd brother J comand me to yow letyng
     yow wete y^t I haue wagyd for to helpe yow and Dawbe-
ney to kepe y^e place at Castr iiij wel assuryd and trew men to
do al manr of thyng what y^t they be desyryd to do in saue gard
or enforcyng of y^e seyd place and mor ouyr they be prouyd men
and connyng in the werr and in fetys of armys and they kan
wele schote bothe gonnys and crossebowes and amende and
strynge them and devyse bolwerkys or any thyngs that scholde
be a strenkthe to y^e place and they wol as nede is kepe wecche
and warde they be sadde and wel advysed men sauyng on of
yem whyche is balled and callyd Wyll'm Peny whyche is as
goode a man as gothe on the erthe sauyng a lytyll he wol as I
understand be a lytel copschotyn but yit he is no brawler but ful
of cortesye meche uppon Jam^s Halman the other iij be named
Peryn Sale John Chapman Rob't Iakys Son sauyng y^t as yit they
haue non harneyse Comyn but when it komyth it schall be sent
to yow and in the meane whyle I pray yow and Dawbeney to
p'uey them some also a cople of beddys they most nedys have
whyche I pray you by the help of my modre to p'uey for them
tyl y^t I Com home to yow ye schall fynde them gentylmanly
Comfortable felawes and that they wol and dare abyde he ther
takelyng and if ye understond y^t and assawte schold be towardys
I sende yow thes men becawse y^t men of y^e contre ther about
yow scholde be frayed for fer of losse of ther goods wherfor if
ther wer any suche thyng towards J wolde ye take of men of the
contre but few and that they wer well assuryd men for ellys they
myght discorage alle th eremenant and affor any wryghtyng fro
the Kyng he hathe promysyd y^t y^s schall come non ^I and if ther
do his unwarys yowr answer may be thys how the Kyng hathe
seyd and so to delay them tyll J may hause worde and I schall
sone p'uey a remedy. J understond y^t ye haue ben w^t my lorde
of Norfolke now of late what ze haue don I wete not we se y^t
he shal be her ageyn thys daye. Mor ouyr I trow Iohn Alforde
schall not longe abyde w^t my lorde J schall sende yow tydyng of
other thyngys in haste w^t the grace of god who &c. wretyn on
Wednysday nexte befor Seynt Martyn.

                                                                            ⁴ John Paston.

     I fer y^t Dawbeney is not alther best storyd to Contenew how-
sold longe lete hym send me worde in hast and J wyll releve
hym to my power and or longe to I hope to be w^t yow.

     R'ger Ree is scheryff of Norfolke and he schall be good jnow
the xchet' J am not yit apertaynyd of.

     Also y^t thes men be at y^e begynnyng entretyd as corteysly
as ye can.

     Also J pray yow to sende me my ^z flowr be y^e next massan-
ger y^t comyth.

     Also as for my lorde Fytz Wat' oblygacion J know non suche
in myn adward as yit.

     Also y^e obligacion of the bishop of Norwychys oblgacion J
neu^r sye it y^t J remebre wherfor J wolde and prey my modre to
loke it up.

     Also as for the ³ byble y^t the Mast^r hath I wend the utt^r most
pryse had not passyd v m'rk and so I trowc he wyl geue it wet J
pray yow.

     Also as for syr Wyll'm Barber and syr Wyll'm Falyate I
wolde if they kan P'uey for them selfe folfayne be dyschargyd
of them.

                        11?  by 17.

                         Paper Mark,

                 Bull's Head and Star.

                          Pl. x. No 1.

     This Letter informs us of the preparations for the defence of Caister, and gives us a
very minute account of the several merits of the four warlike men sent down to be useful
when it should be attacked.

     ¹ I do not understand this sentence, perhaps it means, "unless they take him unex-
pectedly."

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. No 9

     The Original Letter is written upon a whole sheet of paper, of which a quarter was cut
away before the Letter was finished, so that the bottom part of it is only half the
width of the upper.

     ² This may mean Flour for household use; or it may signify his Flower, his device or
cognizance.

     ³ This must mean some MS. Copy, for at this time there was only one printed Edition
of the Bible, which would have sold even then for a much greater sum than is here men-
tioned.

     I mean, "Biblia Latina. Mogunt. per J. Fust and P. Schoiffer 1462."

LETTER LXXVII.

To my right well-beloved Brother, John Paston, Esquire, being at
Caister, or to John Dawbeney there, be this Letter delivered.

RIGHT well-beloved Brother, I commend me to you, let-
     ting you weet that I have waged for to help you and
Dawbeney to keep the place at Caister, four well assured and true
men to do all manner of thing what that they be desired to do
in safe-guard, or inforcing (strengthening) of the said place; and
moreover they by proved men, and cunning (expert) in the war,
and in feats of arms, and they can well shoot both Guns and
Crossbows, and amend and string them, and devise bulwarks, or
any things that should be a strength to the place, and they will
as need is, keep watch and ward, they be sad (serious) and well
advised men, saving one of them, which is balled (bald), and
called William Peny, which is as good a man as goeth on the
earth, saving a little, he will, as I understand, be a little cop-
schotyn (bigh crested), but yet he is no brawler, but full of cour-
tesy, much upon (much like) James Halman; the other three be
named Peryn Sale, John Chapman, Robert Jack's Son (Jackson),
saving that as yet they have none harness come, but when it
cometh it shall be sent to your, and in the mean whille I pray
you and Dawbeney to purvey them some.

     Also, a couple of beds they must needs have, which I pray
you by the help of my Mother to purvey for them, till that I
come home to you; ye shall find them gentlemanly, comfortable
fellows, and that they will and dare abide by their taking, and if
ye understand that any assault should be towards, I send you
these men, because that men of the country there about you
should be frayed (frightened) for fear of loss of their goods;
wherefore if there were any such thing towards, I would ye took
of men of the country but few, and that they were well assured
men, for else they might discourage all the remanent.

     And as for any writing from the King, he hath promised that
there shall come none, Iand if there do his unwarys (with his
privity), your answer may be this, how the King hath said, and
so to delay them till I may have word, and I shall soon purvey
a remedy.

     I understand that ye have been with my Lord of Norfolk now
of late, what ye have done I wot not; we say that he shall be
here again this day. Moreover, I trow John Alford shall not
long abide with my Lord; I shall send you tidings of other
things in haste, with the grace of God, who, &c. Written on
Wednesday next before Saint Martin.

                                                                       ⁴ JOHN PASTON.

     I fear that Dawbeney is not all there (altogether) best stored to
continue household long; let him send me word in haste, and I
will relieve him to my power, and ere long too I hope to be
with you.

     Roger Ree is Sheriff of Norfolk, and he shall be good enough.
The Escheator I am not yet ascertained of.

     Also, that these men be at the beginning entreated as cour-
teously as ye can.

     Also, I pray you to send me my ^z Flower by the next messen-
ger that cometh.

     Also, as for my Lord Fitzwalter's obligation I know none such
in mine adward as yet.

     Also, the obligation of the Bishop of Norwich's obligation, I
never sew it that I remember, wherefore I would, and pray my
Mother to look it up.

     Also, as for the 3Bible that the Master hath, I wend the
utmost price had not past five Marks (3l. 6s. 8d.) and so I trow
he will give it, weet I pray you.

     Also, as for Sir William Barber and Sir William Falgate, I
would, if they can purvey for themselves, full fain be discharged
of them.

     London,

          Wednesday, 9th November,

          1468. 8 E. IV.

     This Letter informs us of the preparations for the defence of Caister, and gives us a
very minute account of the several merits of the four warlike men sent down to be useful
when it should be attacked.

     ¹ I do not understand this sentence, perhaps it means, "unless they take him unex-
pectedly."

     ⁴ Autograph. Pl. IV. No 9.

     The Original Letter is written upon a whole sheet of paper, of which a quarter was cut
away before the Letter was finished, so that the bottom part of it is only half the
width of the upper.

     ² This may mean Flour for household use; or it may signify his Flower, his device or
cognizance.

     ³ This must mean some MS. Copy, for at this time there was only one printed Edition
of the Bible, which would have sold even then for a much greater sum than is here men-
tioned.

     I mean, "Biblia Latina. Mogunt. per J. Fust and P. Schoiffer 1462."

691

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght welbelovyd brother, John Paston, Esqer, beyng at
Caster, or to John Dawbeney there, be this letter delyvered.

RYGHT welbelovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng
     yow wete that I have wagyd for to helpe yow and
     Dawbeney to kepe the place at Castr, iiij. wel assuryd
and trew men to do al maner of thyng what that they be desyryd
to do, in save gard or enforcyng of the seyd place; and mor
ovyr they be provyd men, and connyng in the werr, and in
fetys of armys, and they kan wele schote bothe gonnys and
crossebowes, and amende and strynge them, and devyse bol-
werkys, or any thyngs that scholde be a strenkthe to the place;
and they wol, as nede is, kepe wecche and warde. They be
sadde and wel advysed men, savyng on of them, whyche is
ballyd, and callyd Wylliam Peny, whyche is as goode a man as
gothe on the erthe, savyng a lytyll he wol, as I understand, be
a lytel copschotyn [high-crested], but yit he is no brawler, but
ful of cortesye, meche uppon James Halman; the other iij. be
named Peryn Sale, John Chapman, Robert Jakys Son, savyng
that as yit they have non harneyse comyn, but when it komyth
it schall be sent to yow, and in the meane whyle I pray yow
and Dawbeney to purvey them some.

     Also a cople of beddys they most nedys have, whyche I
pray yow by the help of my modre to purvey for them, tyl
that I com home to yow. Ye schall fynde them gentylmanly,
comfortable felawes, and that they wol and dare abyde be ther
takelyng; and if ye undrestond that any assawte schold be
towardys, I sende yow thes men, becawse that men of the
contre ther about yow scholde be frayed for fer of losse of ther
goods; wherfor if ther wer any suche thyng towards, I wolde
ye take of men of the contre but few, and that they wer well
assuryd men, for ellys they myght discorage alle the remenant.

     And asfor any wryghtyng fro the Kyng, he hathe promysyd
that there schall come non; and if ther do his unwarys [without
his knowledge], yowr answer may be thys, how the Kyng hathe
seyd, and so to delay them tyll I may have worde, and I schall
sone purvey a remedy.

     I understond that ye have ben with my Lorde of Norfolke
now of late. What ze have done I wete not; we se that he
shal be her ageyn thys daye. Mor ovyr, I trow John Alforde
schall not longe abyde with my Lorde; I schall sende yow
tydyng of other thyngys in haste, with the grace of God, who,
&c. Wretyn on Wednysday nexte befor Seynt Martyn.

                                                                      JOHN PASTON.

     I fer that Dawbeney is not alther best storyd to contenew
howsold longe; lete hym send me worde in hast, and I wyll
releve hym to my power, and or longe to I hope to be with
yow.

     Roger Ree is scheryff of Norfolke, and he schall be good
jnow. Th’excheter I am not yit assertaynyd of.

     Also, that thes men be at the begynnyng entretyd as cor-
teysly as ye can.

     Also, I pray yow to sende me my flowr¹ be the next mas-
sanger that comyth.

     Also, as for my Lorde Fytz Waters oblygacion, I know non
suche in myn adward as yit.

     Also, the obligacion of the Bisshop of Norwychys oblyga-
cion, I never sye it that I remembre; wherfor I wolde and prey
my modre to loke it up.

     Also, as for the Byble² that the master hath, I wend the
uttermost pryse had not passyd v. mark, and so I trowe he
wyl geve it: wet, I pray yow.

     Also, as for Syr Wylliam Barber and Syr Wylliam Falyate,
I wolde, if they kan purvey for them selfe, folfayne be dys-
chargyd of them.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 302.] The original of this letter, Fenn informs us, was written
upon a whole sheet of paper, of which a quarter was cut away before the letter was
finished, so that the bottom part of it was only half the width of the upper. Roger
Ree was made Sheriff of Norfolk in 1468, which fixes the date.

¹ This may mean flour for household use; or it may signify his flower, his device
or cognisance.—F.

     ² This must mean some MS. copy, for at this time there was only one printed
edition of the Bible, which would have sold even then for a much greater sum than
is here mentioned. I mean ‘Biblia Latina Mogunt. per J. Fust et P. Schoiffer,
1462.’—F.

1468
NOV. 9

1468
NOV. 9

1468
NOV. 9