Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER XLIV.

To my most houorabl and Tendre Modre Margrete Paston be
thys Lett’ d’d.

MOST worschypfull and kynde Moodre I comande me
     to yow and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng and
remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my ¹ pardon
as y^e berer heroff can informe yow for cōffort wheroffe I have
been the marier thys Crystmesse, and have been parte theroff
w^t S^r. Geroge ² Browen and w^t my Lady myn Aunte hys
wyffe, and be ffor ³ twelthe I come to my Lorde ⁴ Arche-
bysshope wher I have hadde as greete cheer and ben as wel-
kom as I cowde devyse and iff I hadde ben in sewerte y^t
Castr weer hadde ageyn I wolde have comen homewards thys
daye.

     (Here follow directions about Caister and a hope that it might
be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come
home and put his lands and houses into order.) And I beseche
yow to remembr my brother to doo hys deveyr thatt I maye
have agayn my ⁵ stuffe, my bookes and Vestmēts and my
beddyng how so evyr he doo thoghe I scholde gyffe xx^ti Scutes

by hys advyse to my Lady Brandon or som? other goode
felawe.

     As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, saffe y^t the Kyng
hath kept a ryall Crystmesse and now they seye y^t hastelye he
woll northe and some seye y^t he woll into Walys and some seye
y^t he woll into the West Contre, As ffor Qween ⁶ Margrett
I underston? y^t sche is remevyd from Wyndesor to Walyngfforthe
nyghe to Ewhelme my Lady of Suff? place in Oxenforthe
schyre.

     And men seye y^t the Lorde Ryu?se schyppyd on Crystmesse
evyn in to Portyngale warde I am not serteyn.

     Also the schalle be a convocacōn off the Clergye in all haste
whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a Dyme and an
halffe some seye. I beseche God sende yow goode heele and
greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij. Wretyn
att the Moor the viij daye off Janeu? A^o. E. iiij xj.

                                          By yowr Soone,

 ⁷ John Paston, K.

12 by 10 ½.

Tuesday,             

 8th of January, 1471,
              11 E. IV.

     ¹ For joining the Friends of Henry VI. in order to his restoration.

     ² Sir George Browne, Knight, of Beechworth Castle, in Surry.

     ³ Twelfth day, 6th of January.

⁴ George Neville, Archbishop of York.

     ⁵ These were what had been taken at Caister, I suppose.

     ⁶ Margaret, Queen of Henry VI. was taken after the Battle of Tewkesbury, and con-
tinued a Prisoner till 1475, when she was ransomed by her Father, for 50,000 crowns,
which he borrowed of Lewis XI. King of France,

⁷ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

LETTER XLIV.

To my most honourable and Tender Mother Margaret Paston,
be this Letter delivered.

MOST Worshipful and kind Mother, I commend me to
     you, and beseech you of your daily blessing and re-
membrance. Please it you to weet, that I have my ¹ Pardon,
as the Bearer hereof can inform you, for comfort whereof
I have been the merrier this Christmas; and have been part
thereof with Sir George ² Browne, and with my Lady mine
Aunt his wife; and before ³ Twelfth I came to my Lord
⁴ Archbishop, where I have had as great Cheer, and been as
welcome as I can devise; and if I had been in surety that
Caister were had again, I would have come home this day.

     (Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might
be had again by the latter end of the term, when he would come
home, and put his lands and houses into order.)  And I beseech
you to remember my Brother to do his devyr (endeavour) that I
may have again my ⁵ stuff, my books, and vestments, and my
Bedding howsoever he do, though I should give 20^ty Scutas

by his advice to my Lady Brandon, or some other good
Fellow.

     As for any tidings there be none here, save that the King
hath kept a royal Christmas; and now they say, that hastily he
will North, and some say, that he will into Wales, and some
say, that he will into the West Country. As for Queen
⁶ Margaret, I understand that she is removed from Windsor to
Wallingford, nigh to Ewelm, my Lady of Suffolk’s Place in
Oxfordshire.

     And men say, that the Lord Rivers shipped on Christmas
Even into (unto) Portugal ward; I am not certain.

     Also there shall be a Convocation of the Clergy in all haste,
which men deem, will avail the King, a Dyme (Tenth) and
an half, some say. I beseech God send you good health and
greater joy in one year then ye have had these seven. Written
at the Moor the 8th day of January, in the 11th of Edward IV.

 By your Son,

                                                      ⁷ JOHN PASTON, Knight.

12 by 10 ½.

Tuesday,             

 8th of January, 1471,
              11 E. IV.

¹ For joining the Friends of Henry VI. in order to his restoration.

     ² Sir George Browne, Knight, of Beechworth Castle, in Surry.

     ³ Twelfth day, 6th of January.

⁴ George Neville, Archbishop of York.

     ⁵ These were what had been taken at Caister, I suppose.

     ⁶ Margaret, Queen of Henry VI. was taken after the Battle of Tewkesbury, and con-
tinued a Prisoner till 1475, when she was ransomed by her Father, for 50,000 crowns,
which he borrowed of Lewis XI. King of France,

⁷ Autograph. Pl. IV. N^o 9.

795

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON²

To my most honorabl and tendre modre, Margrete
Paston, be thys letter delivered.

MOST worschypfull and kynde moodre, I comande me
     to yow, and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng
     and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I
have my pardon,³ as the berer heroff can informe yow, for
comffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Crystmesse, and
have been parte theroff with Sir George Browen,¹ and with my
Lady myn aunte, hys wyffe,² and be ffor Twelthe³ I come to
my Lorde Archebysshope,⁴ wher I have hadde as greete cheer,
and ben as welkom as I cowde devyse; and iff I hadde ben in
sewerte that Castr weer hadde ageyn, I wolde have comen
homewards thys daye.⁵

. . . . . . . .

     And I beseche yow to remembr my brother to doo hys
deveyr thatt I maye have agayn my stuffe, my bookes and
vestments, and my beddyng, how so evyr he doo, thoghe I
scholde gyffe xx^ti scutes by hys advyse to my Lady Brandon,
or some other goode felawe.

     As for any tydynges ther be noon heer, saffe that the Kyng
hath kept a ryall Crystmesse; and now they seye that hastelye
he woll northe, and some seye that he woll into Walys, and
some seye that he woll into the West Contre. As ffor Qween
Margrett, I understond that sche is remevyd from Wyndesor
to Walyngfforthe, nyghe to Ewhelme, my Lady of Suffolk
Place in Oxenforthe schyre.

     And men seye that the Lorde Ryverse schyppyd on Cryst-
messe evyn in to Portyngale warde; I am not serteyn.

     Also the schalle be a convocacion off the Clergye in all
haste, whyche men deeme will avayle the Kynge a dyme and
an halffe, some seye. I beseche God sende yow goode heele
and greater joye in on year then ye have hadde thys vij.

     Wretyn att the Moor the viij. daye off Janever, A^o E.
iiij. xj.

                                     By yowr soone,               JOHN PASTON, K

                          ² [From Fenn, ii. 86.]

     ³ His pardon passed the Great Seal on the 21st December 1471. Pardon Roll
11 Edward IV., m. 25.

¹ Sir George Browne, Knight, of Betchworth Castle, in Surrey.—F.

     ² Elizabeth Paston, formerly married to Robert Poynings.

     ³ Twelfth day, 6th of January.—F.

     ⁴ George Neville, Archbishop of York.—F.

     ⁵ Here follow directions about Caister, and a hope that it might be had again by
the latter end of the term, when he would come home, and put his lands and houses
into order.—F.

1472
JAN. 8

1472
JAN. 8