Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XX.

To Mestresse Margret
     Paston at Norwyche be
     thys delyv^ryd

PLEASE it yow to weete y^t I receyvyd a lett^r from yow
wretyn y^e Sat^rdaye next byfor Candelmesse for answer
wheroff lyke it yow to weete y^t as for the bokys y^t weer S^r
Jam^s god haue hys sowle I thynke best that they be styll
w^t yow tyll y^t I speke w^t yow my selfe my mynde is now
nott most uppon boks It’m as for xx li y^t ye sey y^t yowr
plate lythe for it is so y^t I fownde my oncle Will’m no
sewerte therfor as Playter and my brother Iohn bothe
cowde enforme yow it wos non desyryd of me ner the tolde

me nott y^t any suche pledge laye for it but y^t ye hadd dys-
chargyd me of xx li and chevyshyd it and y^t ye sholde
repaye it in hast wherin I woll do as ye woll and as it
pleasyth yow to sende me wetyng I’m I ame sory y^t ye be
no bett^r payd of y^e xx li y^t I had of yowe whyche ye sholde
haue receyvyd ageyn of my londs in Flegge if the markett
be nott goode yit I hope jt shall be bett^r neu^rthe lesse my
wylle is that ye sholde have yowr holl xx li ageyn and not
lose j^d Wherfor if it be so y^t ye be mysse servyd ther I
beseche yow of pacyence tyll the begynnyng of the next
yeer and if aught be behynd ye shall receyve uppe the
remenaunt then for as god helpe me I wolde be sory y^t ye
lost moor for me I haue putte yow to cost charge and losse
I nowge god thanke yow of it thoughe ye lose no mor
Wherfor jff Sporle woode sprynge any sylu^r or golde it is
my wjll y^t fyrst of alle yebe yowr owne payer off all y^t is be
                                                                                   xx
hynde and next thatt to paye myn oncle Will’m vij vj li
xiij^s iiij^d and besyd that xvj li lost uppon the chevyshaunce
     xx                             xx
of iiij li and so I owe viij ij li xiij^s iiij Wherfor I beseche yow
to make hast in repayment herof as fast as it wolle growe as
my Trust is in yowe Jt’m wher it pleasyd yow to weete of
myn heele and amendyng I thank godde I ame in goode
case, and as goode a full hooll bothe of the fevr agwe of myn
je myn legge and myn heele Saff y^t I ame tendre of all theese
and wer nott goode rewle full like to feell off ache off them
ryght soone neu^rthelesse god thanke yow of your large
profre wheroff I wolde be ryght gladde if I myght for
trobles and other labor that I have takyn on me nowe in to
Fraunce warde for the goode spede of me and y^t Jorneye I
beseche yow of your preyers and remembrance and thatt
Jorney w^t godds grace ons doon I p’pose verrely w^t godds
grace therafter to daunce atenda˜nce most abowt yowr plesur
and ease and w^t godds grace soone upon Est^rne er euyr I
goo forthe I hope to se yow and fecche your blessygn No
moor at thys tyme but Ihe have yow in hys kepyng Wretyn
at Calys the xxij daye of Feu^rer A^o E iiij^ti xiiij^o

                                                      Your Sone,

                                                                    JOHN PASTON, Kt.

11½ by 7½.

    This being Sir John Paston’s letter, in answer to that from his mother,
dated 29th of January, I have thought it worth inserting, not only as
there are but few letters in this collection which have their answers preserved,
but as it lets us into the nature of money transactions, more particularly than
many of the others on that subject.

     We feel ourselves interested likewise in the account of his health; and the
dutiful attention which he ensures to his mother, places him in the reader’s
good opinion, who cannot avoid wishing his French expedition may be suc-
cessful, and that he may return and pay that attendance upon his mother
which he promises.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 9.

LETTER XX.

To Mistress Margaret Paston, at Norwich, be this delivered.

PLEASE it you to weet that I received a letter from you,
written the Saturday next before Candlemas; for answer
whereof, like it you to weet, that as for the books that were
Sir James?s, God have his soul! I think best that they be
still with you, till that I speak with you myself. My mind
is not now most upon books.

     Item, as for 20l. that ye say that your plate lieth for, it is
so, that I found my uncle William no surety therefore, as
Playters and my brother John both could inform you; it was
never desired of me, nor they told me not that any such
pledge lay for it, but that ye had discharged me of 20l. and
chevised it, and that ye should repay it in haste; wherein
I will do as ye will, and as it pleaseth you to send me
weeting.

     Item, I am sorry that ye be no better paid of the 20l.
that I had of you, which ye should have received again of
my lands in Flegg, if the market be not good yet, I hope it
shall be better; nevertheless my will is, that ye should have
your whole 20l. again, and not lose one penny. Wherefore
if it be so that ye be misserved there, I beseech you of pa-
tience till the beginning of the next year, and if aught be
behind, ye shall receive up the remanent then, for as God
help me, I would be sorry that ye lost more for me; I have
put you to cost, charge, and loss enough, God thank you
of it, though ye lose no more. Wherefore, if Sporle Wood
spring any silver or gold, it is my will that first of all
ye be your own payer of all that is behind; and next that,
to pay mine uncle William seven score and six pounds, 13s.
and 4d. and beside that, 16l. lost upon the chevisance of
fourscore pounds; and so I owe eight score and two
pounds, 13s. and 4d. wherefore I beseech you to make
haste in repayment hereof as fast as it will grow, as my trust
is in you.

     Item, where [as] it pleaseth you to weet of mine health
and amending; I thank God I am in good case, and as good
as full whole both of the fever, ague of mine eye, mine leg,
and mine heel, save that I am tender of all these; and were
not good rule, full like to feel of each of them right soon;
nevertheless, God thank you of your large proffer, whereof
I would be right glad that I might, for troubles and other
labour that I have taken on me now into France ward; for
the good speed of me, and that journey, I beseech you of
your prayers and remembrance; and that journey, with
God?s grace, once done, I purpose verily, with God?s grace,
thereafter to dance attendance most about your pleasure
and ease: with God?s grace, soon upon Easter, ere ever I
go forth, I hope to see you, and fetch your blessing. No
more at this time, but Jesus have you in his keeping.
Written at Calais the 22d day of February, in the 14th year
of Edward IV.

                                                         Your Son,

                                                               JOHN PASTON, Kt.

                  Calais,
         Wednesday, 22d Feb.
            1474-5. 14 E. iv.

    This being Sir John Paston?s letter, in answer to that from his mother,
dated 29th of January, I have thought it worth inserting, not only as
there are but few letters in this collection which have their answers preserved,
but as it lets us into the nature of money transactions, more particularly than
many of the others on that subject.

     We feel ourselves interested likewise in the account of his health; and the
dutiful attention which he ensures to his mother, places him in the reader?s
good opinion, who cannot avoid wishing his French expedition may be suc-
cessful, and that he may return and pay that attendance upon his mother
which he promises.

     Autograph, Pl. iv. No. 9.

865

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To Mestresse Margret Paston, at Norwyche, be thys delyveryd.

PLEASE it yow to weete that I receyvyd a letter from
            yow, wretyn the Saterdaye next byffor Candelmesse;
            for answer wheroff, lyke it yow to weete, that as for
the bokys that weer Sir James (God have hys sowle!), I
thynke best that they be styll with yow, tyll that I speke with
yow my selffe. My mynde is now nott most uppon bokes.

     Item, as for xxli. that ye sey that yowr plate lythe for, it is
so, that I fownde my oncle William no sewerte therffor, as
Playter and my brother John bothe cowde enfforme yow; it
was never desyryd of me, ner the tolde me nott that any
suche pledge laye for it, but that ye hadd dyschargyd me of
xxli. and chevysshyd it, and that ye sholde repaye it in hast;
wherin I woll do as ye woll, and as it pleasyth yow to sende
me wetyng.

     Item, I ame sory that ye be no better payd off the xxli.
that I had off yowe, whyche ye sholde have receyvyd ageyn off
my londes in Flegge. Iff the markett be nott goode yit, I
hope it shall be better; never the lesse my wylle is that ye
sholde have yowr holl xxli. ageyn, and not lose jd. Wherffor
if it be so that ye be mysse servyd ther, I beseche yow off
pacyence tyll the begynnyng of the next yeer, and iff aught be
behynd, ye shall receyve uppe the remenaunt then, for, as God
helpe me, I wolde be sory that ye lost moor for me; I have
pytte yow to cost, charge, and losse i nowge, God thanke yow
of it, thoughe ye lose no more. Wherffor iff Sporle woode
sprynge any sylver or golde, it is my wyll that fyrst of alle ye
be yowr owne payer off all that is be hynde; and next thatt,
to paye myn oncle William vij^xx vjli. xiijs. iiijd. and besyd that,
xvjli. lost uppon the chevysshaunce of iiij^xx.li.; and so I owe
viij^xx. ijli. xiijs. iiijd. Wherffor I beseche yow to make hast in
repayment heroff as fast as it wolle growe, as my trust is in
yowe.

     Item, wher it pleasyd yow to weete of myn heele and
amendyng; I thanke Godde I ame in goode case, and as
goode a full hooll, bothe off the fevre, agwe off myn ie, myn
legge, and myn heele, saff that I ame tendre off all theese;
and were nott goode rewle, full like to feell off iche off them
ryght soone; neverthelesse, God thanke yow off yowr large
profre, wheroff I wolde be ryght gladde iff I myght, for
trobles and other labor that I have takyn on me nowe in to
Fraunce warde; for the goode spede off me, and that jorneye,
I beseche yow of yowr preyeres and remembrance; and thatt
jorney, with Goddes grace, ones doon, I purpose verrely, with
Goddes grace, therafftre to daunce atendaunce most abowt
yowr plesure and ease: and with Goddes grace, soone uppon
Esterne, er evyr I goo forthe, I hope to se yow, and fecche
your blessynge. No moor at thys tyme, but Jesus have yow
in Hys kepyng.

     Wretyn at Caleys, the xxij. daye of Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti
xiiij^o.                                     Yowr Sone,

                                                                                JOHN PASTON, K.

     On the back of the preceding letter is written in another hand, as follows:—

     Memorandum, that Syr John Paston owthe to William Paston, acordyng
to the endenture made be twex them,—

                                                                                                    viij^xxijli. xiijs. iiijd.

     Wheroff payable the firste day of Octobre for Townsend, C. marke.
Item , the xxvj. day off Novembre,—                                                    iiij^xxxvjli

¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

FEB. 22

1475
FEB. 22