Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

837

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON²

To my ryght wyrshypful moodre, Margret Paston.

RYGHT wyrshypfull and my ryght tendre modre, I
     recommaunde me to yow, besechyng yow of yowr
     dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weet that I herde
not from yow off longe tyme, whyche cawsythe me to be
ryght hevye; ner at the last tyme that I sende to yow in
wryghtyng I hadde from yowr selffe noo wryghtyng ner
answer ageyne, saff by Playter one tyme and by my brother
one other tyme; whyche answer off Playter was noo thyng
acordyng but contraryaunt to other wryghtyng more comfort-
able that he hadde sent me nott longe byffore that on yowr
behalve, as he wrott, whyche God amende. Neverthelesse to
my more hevynesse, I herde seye that ye sholde have been
passhyng hevy for my sake, and in cheffe for that I was lyke
to late goo the maner off Sporle, wherin I was pytte in comfort
to have had relyffe by the meanes off yow; and syns it was
tolde me that iff I leete it goo that ye wold therfore dys-
avauntage me more lond in tyme to come, off syche as by
poscybylyte myght come to mee of yowris. Uppon whyche
corage my grauntdame¹ and myn oncle² togedre gaffe me an
answer on hyr part moche lyke, and so my fadre, God have
hys sowle, leffte me scant xlli. londe in reste, and ye leffe me
as pleasythe yow, and my grauntdame at hyr plesur; thus
may I have lyttel hope off the worlde. Neverthelesse I be-
seche yow to be my good moodre, how so ever ye do with
yowr londe; for I feell weell that iff I have one losse I am
lyffe [q. like ?] therfor to have three. But as for Sporle, it
shall nott goo iff I maye, ner by my wyll; and iff ther hadde
been performed me as largelye as was promysed me by Playter,
I were sewre it sholde nott have goon, nor yit sholde nat goo.
Neverthelesse iff ye and all my frendys and yowris in Norffolk
myght have lende me so moche monye and to have takyn it
uppe in v. yere, I suppose they sholde peraventure have ben
payed ageyn in a yer or ij. iff I had solde any woode. Never-
thelesse, plese yow to weet that I have provyd my fadres wyll
and testement, wherin I maye nowt dele on to the tyme that
all the executoris have reffused; wherffor ther most be sende
sitatacions (sic) to yow and alle other that weer namyd my
fadris executoris. Wherin iff ye list not to take admynystra-
cion, as I woot well ye woll nott off olde, ye most than make
a proctor that must, on yowr behalve, byffor my Lorde of
Canterbury, with a sufficiaunt warant and autoryte, undre a
notarys syngne ther in the corte, reffuse to take admynestra-
cion. And this instrument and aultoryte I beseche yow maye
be redy and att London by the fyrst daye of the terme; and
iff yow be not aqueynted with none suche at London, iff it
please yowe to take and avowe for your proctor and sende
hym auctoryte, on [one] Master John Halsnothe whyche was a
clerke off Master Robert Centis³ and was so trusty to my
fadre, God have hys sowle, and to sende me a letter off yowre
wylle ther in, I undertake that he shall not do but as ye sende
me worde. Plese it yow to gyff credence to Juddy herin.
No more to you att thys tyme, but Jhesu have yow in Hys
kepyng. Wretyn att Caleys, the last daye saff one off Julle.—
Yowr sone,                                                                   J. P., K.

     ² [Add. 34,889, f. 125.] This letter appears to be of the year 1473, as in that
year Sir John Paston writes on the 5th July that he hopes to be in Calais within a
month (No. 836). Later in the year (22 Nov.) he writes that the citations here
referred to were not ready (No. 842, p. 199). The date is further confirmed by
what is said of the manor of Sporle (comp. pp. 181, 182).

     ¹ Agnes Paston.

     ² William Paston.

     ³ Robert Kent, who had been John Paston the father’s proctor in the Court of
Archers. See vol. iv. pp. 243, 244.

JULY 30

1473

JULY 30

1473

JULY 30

LXXXVIII

A.D. 1473, 30 July

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON

Add. 34,889, f. 125]

     This letter (No. 1058 in the Appendix, where the date is printed 31st July
instead of 30th), appears to be of the year 1473, as in that year Sir John
Paston writes on the 5th July that he hopes to be in Calais within a month
(No. 727). Later in the year (22 Nov.) he writes that the citations here
referred to were not ready (No. 730, p. 102 in Vol. III.). The date is further
confirmed by what is said of the manor of Sporle (comp. Vol. III., pp. 85, 86).

To my ryght wyrshypful moodre, Margret Paston.

RYGHT wyrshypfull and my ryght tendre
     modre, I recommaunde me to yow,
     besechyng yow of yowr dayly blessyng.
     Please it yow to weet that I herde not
from yow off longe tyme, whyche cawsythe me to
be ryght hevye; ner at the last tyme that I sende
to yow in wryghtyng I hadde from yowr selffe
noo wryghtyng ner answer ageyne, saff by Playter
one tyme and by my brother one other tyme;
whyche answer off Playter was noo thyng acordyng
but contraryaunt to other wryghtyng more comfort-
able that he hadde sent me nott longe byffore that
on yowr behalve, as he wrott, whyche God amende.
Neverthelesse to my more hevynesse, I herde seye
that ye sholde have been passhyng hevy for my sake,
and in cheffe for that I was lyke to late goo the
maner off Sporle, wherin I was pytte in comfort to
have had relyffe by the meanes off yow; and syns it
was tolde me that iff I leete it goo that ye wold ther-
fore dysavauntage me more lond in tyme to come,
off syche as by poscybylyte myght come to mee of
yowris. Uppon whyche corage my grauntdame¹ and
myn oncle² togedre gaffe me an answer on hyr part
moche lyke, and so my fadre, God have hys sowle,
leffte me scant xlli. londe in reste, and ye leffe me as
pleasythe yow, and my grauntdame at hyr plesur;
thus may I have lyttel hope off the worlde. Never-
thelesse I beseche yow to be my good moodre, how so
ever ye do with yowr londe; for I feell weell that iff
I have one losse I am lyffe [q. like?] therfor to have
three. But as for Sporle, it shall nott goo iff I maye,
ner by my wyll; and iff ther hadde been performed
me as largelye as was promysed me by Playter, I
were sewre it sholde nott have goon, nor yit sholde
nat goo. Neverthelesse iff ye and all my frendys and
yowris in Norffolk myght have lende me so moche
monye and to have takyn it uppe in v. yere, I suppose
they sholde peraventure have ben payed ageyn in a
yer or ij. iff I had solde any woode. Neverthelesse,
plese yow to weet that I have provyd my fadres wyll
and testement, wherin I maye nowt dele on to the
tyme that all the executoris have reffused; wherffor
ther most be sende sitatacions (sic) to yow and alle
other that weer namyd my fadris executoris. Wherin
iff ye list not to take admynystracion, as I woot well
ye woll nott off olde, ye most than make a proctor
that must, on yowr behalve, byffor my Lorde of
Canterbury, with a sufficiaunt warant and autoryte,
undre a notarys syngne ther in the corte, reffuse to
take admynestracion. And this instrument and
aultoryte I beseche yow maye be redy and att Lon-
don by the fyrst daye of the terme; and iff yow be
not aqueynted with none suche at London, iff it please
yowe to take and avowe for your proctor and sende
hym auctoryte, on [one] Master John Halsnothe
whyche was a clerke off Master Robert Centis¹ and
was so trusty to my fadre, God have hys sowle, and
to sende me a letter off yowre wylle ther in, I under-
take that he shall not do but as ye sende me worde.
Plese it yow to gyff credence to Juddy herin. No
more to you att thys tyme, but Jhesu have yow in
Hys kepyng. Wretyn att Caleys, the last daye saff
one off Julle.—Yowr sone,     J. P., K.

             ¹ Agnes Paston.                      ² William Paston.

     ¹ Robert Kent, who had been John Paston the father’s proctor in the
Court of Archers. See vol. ii. pp. 279, 280.