Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER LXXXVI.

To y^e Ryght worshyfull Mestresse Margret Paston be thys delyu’yd.

PLEASE it yow to weet y^t I have ben heer at London a xiiij
      nyght wheroff the ffyrst iiij dayes I was in suche ffeer off
the Syknesse and also ffownde my chambr and stuffe nott so
clene as I demyd whyche troblyd me soor and as I tolde yow at
my dep’tyng I was nott weell monyed ffor I hadde nott paste
x marke wheroff I dep’tyd xl^s to be delyu’yd off my olde
bedfelawe and then I rode be yonde Donstaple and ther spake w^t
on off my cheffe Witnessis whyche p’mysed me to take labor
and to gete me wryghtyngs towchyng thys mat’ bytwyen me
and y^e Duke of ¹ Suff’ and I rewardyd hym xx^s and then as I
informyd yow I payed v m’rke incontynent uppon my comyng
hyddr to replegge owte my Gowne off Velwett and other Geer.

     And then I hopyd to have borowyd some off Townesend and
he hath ffoodyd ne fforthe evyrsynys and in effecte I cowde
have at y^e most and at y^e sonest yist’daye xx^s. wherffor I beseche
yow to p’veye me C^s and also to wryght to Pekok y^t he p’veye
me as moche C^s whyche I supose y^t he hathe gaddryd at Paston
and other placs by thys tyme, ffor w^t owte I have thys x li.
as God helpe me I ffer I shalle doo butt litell goode in noo
mat’ nor yitt I woote nott howe to come home but iff I have it.

     This Geer hathe troblyd me so y^t itt hathe made me moor
than halffe seke as God helpe me.

     It’ I undrestande y^t myn Oncle Willm hathe made labor to
yexchet’ and y^t he hathe bothe a Wrytte off essend clowsyth
extract and also a sup’cedeas. I have wretyn to y^e Exchet’ ther
in off myn entent, iff myn Oncle hadde hys Wyll in that yitt
sholde he be neu’ the nerre the londe butt in effecte he shold
have thys advantage whyche is behovefull ffor a weyke mater,
to have a colour or a clooke or a botrase.

     But on tywesdaye I was w^t y^e Bysshop off  ² Hely whyche
shewyth hymselffe goode and worshypfull and he seyde y^t he
sholde sende to myn Oncle Will’m y^t he sholde nott procede in
no suche mat’ till y^t he speke w^t hym and moor ovyr y^t he sholde
cawse hym to be heer hastelye, in whyche mat’ is no remedy
as nowe but iff it wer soo y^t y^e Exchetor iff he be entretyd to
sytte by myn Oncle Will’m whyche p’case he shall nott, y^t iff
my brother John and Lomnor have knowleche off the daye and
they myght be ther Lomnor can geve evydence i now in that
mater w^t owte y^e boke, and mor ovyr y^t they see bothe the lett’
and the other Noote y^t I sente to y^e Exchetor and w^t helpe off
the Exchetor all myght be as beste is and iff my brother and
Lomnor take labor her in I shall recōpence ther costs.

     Wretyn in haste w^t schort advisement on the ffrydaye next
Seynt Symonds and Jude A^o. E. iiij^ti. xix^o.

      Late my brother John se thys bille for he knoweth mor off
thys mater.

                                                                    John Paston, K.

         12 by 8 ½.
         Paper Mark,
        A Faggon, or
            Chalice.
        Pl. XII. N^o 20.

  London,
                 Friday, 29th of October,
                 1479, 19 E. IV.

This is the last Letter from Sir John Paston (Pl. IV. N^o 9.) who died on the 15th of
November following, but whether of the Sickness, (which he seems in this Letter so
much to fear) I cannot discover. He here complains of sickness of body, and seems to
have likewise much uneasiness of mind.—The Lands at Caister, Hellesdon, &c. were a
constant trouble to him from the Claims of the Duke of Norfolk, Suffolk, &c.

     ¹ John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

     ² John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, &c.

LETTER LXXXVI.

To the right worshipful Mistress Margaret Paston, be this delivered.

PLEASE it you to weet, that I have been here at London a
      fortnight, whereof the first four days I was in such fear of
the Sickness, and also found my Chamber and Stuff not so clean
as I deemed, which troubled me sore; and as I told you at my
departing, I was not well monied, for I had not past ten Marks
(6l. 13s. 4d) whereof I departed 40s. to be delivered of my old
Bedfellow; and then I rode beyond Dunstable, and there speak
with one of my Witnesses, which promised me to take labour,
and to get me writings touching this matter, between me and
the Duke of ¹ Suffolk, and I rewarded him (with) 20s. and
then, as I informed you, I paid five Marks (3l. 6s. 8d.) in-
continent (immediately) upon my coming here to repledge out
my Gown of Velvet and other Geer; and then I hoped to have
borrowed some of Townshend, and he hath fooded (come) not
forth ever since, and in effect I could have at the most, and at the
soonest yesterday 20s. wherefore I beseech you to purvey me an
100s. and also to write to Peacock, that he purvey me as much,
100s. which I suppose that he hath gathered at Paston and other
Places, by this time; for without I have this 10l. as God help
me, I fear I shall do but little good in no matter, nor yet I
wote not how to come home, but if (unless) I have it.

     This Geer hath troubled me so, that it hath made me more
than half sick, as God help me.

     Item, I understand that my Uncle William hath made labour
to the Escheator, and that he hath both a Writ of essend:
closeth extr; and also a Supersedeas. I have written to the
Escheator therein of mine intent, if my Uncle had his will in
that, yet should he be never the nearer the Land, but in effect
he should have the advantage, which is behoveful for a weak
matter to have a colour, or a cloak, or a buttress; but on Tues-
day I was with the Bishop of  ² Ely, who sheweth himself
good and worshipful; and he said that he should send to mine
Uncle William, that he should not proceed in no such matter,
till that he speak with him; and moreover that he should cause
him to be here hastily; in which matter is no remedy as now,
but if (unless) it were so, that the Escheator, if he be entreated
to sit by mine Uncle William, which per case he shall not, that
if my brother John and Lomnor- have knowledge of the day,
and they might be there; Lomnor can give evidence enough in
that matter without the book; and moreover that they see both
the letter and the other note, that I sent to the Escheator, and
with help of the Escheator all might be as best is; and if my
brother and Lomnor take labour herein, I shall recompence their
costs.

     Written in haste with short advisement on the Friday next
Saint Simon and Jude, in the 19th year of Edward IV.

    Let my brother John see this bill, for he knoweth more of
the matter.

                                                              JOHN PASTON, Knight.

12 by 8 ?.
         Paper Mark,
        A Faggon, or
            Chalice.
        Pl. XII. N^o 20.

  London,
                 Friday, 29th of October,
                 1479, 19 E. IV.

This is the last Letter from Sir John Paston (Pl. IV. N^o 9.) who died on the 15th of
November following, but whether of the Sickness, (which he seems in this Letter so
much to fear) I cannot discover. He here complains of sickness of body, and seems to
have likewise much uneasiness of mind.—The Lands at Caister, Hellesdon, &c. were a
constant trouble to him from the Claims of the Duke of Norfolk, Suffolk, &c.

     ¹ John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

     ² John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, &c.

956

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON ¹

To the ryght worshypfull mestresse, Margret Paston,
be thys delyveryd.

    PLEASE it yow to weet, that I have ben heer at London a
        xiiij. nyght, wheroff the ffyrst iiij. dayes I was in suche
        ffeer off the syknesse, and also ffownde my chambr and
stuffe nott so clene as I demyd, whyche troblyd me soor; and
as I tolde yow at my departyng, I was nott weell monyed, ffor I
hadde nott paste x. marke, wheroff I departyd xls. to be
delyveryd off my olde bedfelawe; and then I rode be yonde
Donstaple, and ther spake with on off my cheffe witnessis,
whyche promysed me to take labor, and to gete me wryghtyngs
towchyng thys mater bytwyen me and the Duke of Suffolk,²
and I rewardyd hym xxs.; and then, as I informyd yow, I
payed v. marke incontynent uppon my comyng hyddr to
replegge owte my gowne off velwett and other geer.

     And then I hopyd to have borowyd some off Townesend,
and he hath ffoodyd me³ fforthe evyrsynys, and in effecte I
cowde have at the most, and at the sonest yisterdaye xxs.
wherffor I beseche yow to purveye me Cs. and also to wryght
to Pekok, that he purveye me as moche, Cs. whyche I
supose that he hathe gaddryd at Paston and other places, by
thys tyme; ffor with owte I have thys xli., as God helpe me,
I ffer I shalle doo butt litell goode in noo mater, nor yitt I
woote nott howe to come home, but iff I have it.

     This geer hathe troblyd me so, that itt hathe made me
moor than halffe seke, as God helpe me.

     Item, I undrestande that myn oncle William hathe made
labor to th’ Exchetor, and that he hathe bothe a wrytte off
essend. clowsyth extr.; and also a supercedeas. I have wretyn
to the Exchetor ther in off myn entent, iff myn oncle hadde
hys wyll in that, yitt sholde he be never the nerre the londe,
butt in effecte he shold have thys advantage, whyche is
behovefull ffor a weyke mater to have a colour, or a clooke,
or a botrase.

     But on Tywesdaye I was with the Bysshop off Hely,¹
whyche shewyth hymselffe goode and worshypfull; and he
seyde that he sholde sende to myn oncle William, that he
sholde nott procede in no suche mater, till that he speke with
hym; and moor ovyr that he sholde cawse hym to be heer
hastelye; in whyche mater is no remedy as nowe, but iff it
wer soo, that the Exchetor, iff he be entretyd to sytte by myn
oncle William, whyche percase he shall nott, that iff my brother
John and Lomnor have knowleche off the daye, and they
myght be ther; Lomnor can geve evydence i now in that
mater with owte the boke; and mor ovyr that they see bothe
the letter and the other noote, that I sente to the Exchetor,
and with helpe off the Exchetor all myght be as beste is; and
iff my brother and Lomnor take labor her in, I shal recompence
ther costs.

     Wretyn in haste with schort advisement on the Frydaye
next Seynt Symonds and Jude, anno E. iiij^ti xix^o.

     Late my brother John se thys bille, for he knoweth mor
off thys mater.

                                                                           JOHN PASTON, K.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 276.]            ² John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.—F.

     ³ Fenn reads ‘ffoodyd ne,’ and in the modern copy ‘fooded not forth,’ of which
some fanciful explanations are suggested in a footnote. The true reading ought
certainly to be ‘me’ and not ‘ne,’ the meaning evidently being ‘he has put me off
ever since.’ ‘To fode out with words’ is an expression which, as Halliwell informs
us, occurs in Skelton, Harrington, etc.

¹ John Morton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and Cardinal.

1479
OCT. 29

1479
OCT. 29