Sir John Paston to John Paston

LETTER LXVII.

This Letter has no Direction, but it is written either To John
Paston Esquier or Margaret Paston.

LYKE it yow to weete y^t not in y^e most happy season
     ffor me it is so ffortunyd y^t wher as my Lorde off
¹ Norffolke yist’daye beying in goode heele thys nyght dyed
abowte mydnyght wherffor it is ffor alle y^t lovyd hym to doo
and helpe nowe that that maye be to hys honoure and weell
to hys Sowele. And it is soo y^t thys contre is nott weell
p’veyd off Clothe off Golde ffor the Coveryng ffor hys bodye
and herse wherffor eu’y man helpyng to hys power I putte the
² Cowncell off my Lorde in cowmffort y^t I hoped to gete one
ffor that daye if it weer so y^t it be nott broken or putt to
other use.

     Wherffor please it yow to sende me worde iff it be so y^t ye
have or kan kom by the Clothe off Tyssywe y^t I bowte ffor
our ffaders tombe and I undretake it shall be saffyd ageyn
ffor yowe on hurt at my perell I deeme herby to gete greet
thanke and greet assystence in tyme to come and that owther
Syme or Mother Brown maye deliu’ it me to morow by vij off
y^e clokke.

     It’m as ffor other means I have sente my servaunt Richard
Toring to London whyche I hope shall brynge me goode
tydyngs ageyn and w^t in iiij dayes I hope to see yowe.

     Wretyn on wednysdaye xvij daye off Janyver A^o. E. iiij^ti xv^o.

                                                                       ³ John Paston, K.

            8 ¾ by 5 ¼.

 Framlingham,
                 Wednesday, 17th of January,
                 1475, 15 E. IV.

     This Letter shews us, how anxious our Ancestors were, that every due mark of
Distinction, according to his rank, should be paid to the Corpse of a Nobleman. They
seemed moreover to think every attention of that sort not only for the honour of the de-
ceased, but likewise conducive to the future happiness of his Soul.

     In this enlightened age we smile at the superstitious part of this eager concern for
external parade; but I own, I think that all Persons of Rank and Fortune should be
borne to the Grave with those Marks of Honour and Distinction, which were due to their
Rank in the Community, in which they lived; and not sent to the family Vault
(according to the present fashion of the times) unmourned and unattended.

     Subordination, in every Government, is necessary for the well being of the whole; and
that this should be effectually preserved, those dignisied Distinctions, which modern
manners seem too much to neglect, are absolutely necessary.

     ¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, &c. was retained by Edward IV. to serve him
in his wars in France, in 1473; he married Elizabeth, Daughter of John Talbot, first
Earl of Shrewsbury, and died suddenly at his Castle of Framlingham, on the 17th of
January, 1475, 15 E. IV. and was buried in the Abbey Church of Thetford, in Norfolk.

     He left an only Daughter and Heir, Anne, married in her early age to Richard Plan-
tagenet, Duke of York, who dying without issue, the great Possessions and Honours of
this noble Family came to Sir John Howard, Knight, Lord Howard, whose Mother
was a Sister and Coheir of Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.

     ² Those Officers of the Duke’s Household, who composed his Council were in attend-
ance at Framlingham, or they could not so immediately have been called together, as his
death was so very sudden.

     ³ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

LETTER LXVII.

This Letter has no Direction, but it is written either To John
Paston, Esquire, or Margaret Paston.

LIKE it you to weet, that not in the most happy season
     for me, it is so fortuned, that whereas my Lord of
¹ Norfolk, yesterday being in good health, this night died about
midnight, wherefore it is for all that loved him to do and
help now that, that may be to his honour, and weal to his
Soul; and it is so, that this Country is not well purveyed
of Cloth of Gold for the covering for his Body and Herse;
wherefore every man helping to his power, I put the ² Council
of my Lord in comfort, that I hoped to get one for that day,
if it were so that it be not broken, or put to other use;
wherefore please it you to send me word if it be so, that ye
have, or can come by the Cloth of Tissue, that I bought for
our Father’s Tomb, and I undertake it shall be saved again
for you unhurt at my peril; I deem hereby to get great thanks,
and great assistance in time to come; and that either Sym or
Mother Brown may deliver it me to-morrow by seven of the
clock.

     Item, as for other means, I have sent my servant Richard
Toring to London, which I hope shall bring me good tidings
again, and within four days I hope to see you.

     Written on Wednesday the 17th day of January, in the 15th
year of Edward IV.

                                                   ³ JOHN PASTON, Knight.

    8 ? by 5 ?.

 Framlingham,
                 Wednesday, 17th of January,
                 1475, 15 E. IV.

     This Letter shews us, how anxious our Ancestors were, that every due mark of
Distinction, according to his rank, should be paid to the Corpse of a Nobleman. They
seemed moreover to think every attention of that sort not only for the honour of the de-
ceased, but likewise conducive to the future happiness of his Soul.

     In this enlightened age we smile at the superstitious part of this eager concern for
external parade; but I own, I think that all Persons of Rank and Fortune should be
borne to the Grave with those Marks of Honour and Distinction, which were due to their
Rank in the Community, in which they lived; and not sent to the family Vault
(according to the present fashion of the times) unmourned and unattended.

     Subordination, in every Government, is necessary for the well being of the whole; and
that this should be effectually preserved, those dignisied Distinctions, which modern
manners seem too much to neglect, are absolutely necessary.

     ¹ John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, &c. was retained by Edward IV. to serve him
in his wars in France, in 1473; he married Elizabeth, Daughter of John Talbot, first
Earl of Shrewsbury, and died suddenly at his Castle of Framlingham, on the 17th of
January, 1475, 15 E. IV. and was buried in the Abbey Church of Thetford, in Norfolk.

     He left an only Daughter and Heir, Anne, married in her early age to Richard Plan-
tagenet, Duke of York, who dying without issue, the great Possessions and Honours of
this noble Family came to Sir John Howard, Knight, Lord Howard, whose Mother
was a Sister and Coheir of Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.

     ² Those Officers of the Duke’s Household, who composed his Council were in attend-
ance at Framlingham, or they could not so immediately have been called together, as his
death was so very sudden.

     ³ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

881

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

LYKE it yow to weete, that not in the most happy season
             ffor me, it is so ffortunyd, that wher as my Lorde off
             Norffolke, yisterdaye beying in goode heele, thys nyght
dyed abowte mydnyght, wherffor it is ffor alle that lovyd hym
to doo and helpe nowe that, that maye be to hys honoure, and
weell to hys sowele. And it is soo, that thys contre is nott
weell purveyd off clothe off golde ffor the coveryng ffor hys
bodye and herse; wherffor every man helpyng to hys power, I
putte the cowncell off my lorde in cowmffort, that I hoped to
gete one ffor that daye, if it weer so that it be nott broken, or
putt to other use.

     Wherffor please it yow to sende me worde iff it be so, that
ye have, or kan kom by the clothe off tyssywe that I bowte ffor
our ffaders tombe, and I undretake it shall be saffyd ageyn ffor
yowe on hurt at my perell; I deeme herby to gete greet thanke,
and greet assystence in tyme to come; and that owther Syme
or Mother Brown maye deliver it me to morow by vij. off the
clokke.

    Item, as ffor other means, I have sente my servaunt Richard
Toring to London, whyche I hope shall brynge me goode tyd-
yngs ageyn, and with in iiij. dayes I hope to see yowe.

     Wretyn on Wednysdaye, xvij. daye off Janyver, anno E.
iiij^ti xv^o.

                                                                       JOHN PASTON, K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 186.] This letter is not addressed, but must have been intended
for the writer’s brother John, or else, as Fenn suggests, for his mother, Margaret. Sir
John, however, ends by saying, ‘Within four days I hope to see you’; and it appears
by next letter that he was actually with his brother at Norwich within three days,
whereas he paid no visit to his mother, who seems to have been living, as she had done
for some time, at Mautby. This letter must have been written from Framlingham,
whither Sir John had doubtless gone to petition the Duke of Norfolk about Caister.

1476
JAN. 17

1476
JAN. 17