Sir Robert Williamson to Agnes Paston

LETTER XIV.

            To my right rev^rent mastras
            Agnes Paston be yis l’re
            delyv^ryd in haste.

RYGH w^rchepful mastres I recomaund me un to yow
     thankyng yow of y^e gret chere y^t ze made me ye last
tyme y^t I was w^t zow mastres in alle zo^r godys and ocupacyons
y^t lyth in my simpil power to do in wurd wil and dede I have do
my dylygens and my power y’to so I be savyd be fore god and
have owyn to yo^r p^rson ryght herty love for ye qwych I am
ryght ille aqwyt And it be as I und^rstande y^t for it is do me to
wete y^t I am swid w^t mor of my p^ryshchons For a reskuse
makyng up on ye offycers of ye shrewys And I take god to
record y^t it is wrongfully do on to us And ye gret fray y^t y^e mad
in ye tyme of masse it ravyched my witts and mad me ful hevyly
dysposyd I p’y Ihu gef hem g’ce to repent hem y’ of y^t y^e y^t
caused it may stand owt of p^rel of soule Maystras at ye rev^rens
of god and as evyr I may do s^rvyce y^t may be plesyng on to yow
send me justyly wurd be ye bryng^r of y^is bylle ho ze wil y^t I be
gydyd for it is told me y^t if I be take I may no oy^r remedy
hav[SYM] but streyth to p’son For ye whiche I have sold awaye xx³
wurth of Stuffe and ye reswd of my stuff I have put it in swier
hande For trwly I wil not abyde ye jop^rte of ye swth I have
levir to go as far as my Fet may ber me nevir ye less as ze
komand me to do so it be not to my gret hurt I wil fulfille it
Nomor to zow at y^is tyme but god send yow y^t g’ce y^t ze may
kome to his blyss Wreten at bromholm in gret haste.

                                                    Be yo^r

                                                           Sr. Robert Williamson.

      This letter contains a curious fact. It appears by it that the Sheriff?s Officers had ar-
rested a Person in the Church during Mass, and that the Priest and some of the Congre-
gation had rescued him, for which a suit was commenced against them. This shews the
power of the Sheriff at this time, when even a Church, during the time of divine service,
could not protect a person against whom his Process had been issued. A Murderer or
Robber might have claimed sanctuary, but a poor Debtor seems to have had no such pri-
vilege.

   Autograph Pl. XVIII. N^o 4.

   11 ¼ by 4 ½

   No certain date.
   After 1444. 23 H. VI.

  LETTER XIV.

To my right reverend Mistress, Agnes Paston, be this Letter
delivered in haste.

RIGHT worshipful Mistress, I recommend me unto you
     thanking you of the great cheer that ye made me the last
time that I was with you; Mistress, in all your goods and occu-
pations that lyeth in my simple power to do in word, will, and
deed, I have do [done] my diligence and my power thereto, so
I be saved before God; and have owen to your person right
hearty love, for the which I am right ill acquit [requited] and
[if] it be as I understand it, for it is do [done] me to weet, that
I am sued with more of my Parishioners, for a rescue making
upon the officers of the Sheriff; and I take God to record that
it is wrongfully do [done] unto us. And the great fray that they
made in the time of Mass, it ravished my wits, and made me
full heavily disposed; I pray Jesu give them grace to repent
them thereof, that they that caused it may stand out of peril
of soul.

     Mistress, at the reverence of God, and as ever I may do ser-
vice that may be pleasing unto you, send me justly word, by the
bringer of this bill, how ye will that I be guided; for it is told
me that, if I be taken, I may no other remedy havyn [have]
but straight to prison; for the which I have sold away 20s.
worth of Stuff, and the residue of my stuff I have put it in
sure hand, for truly I will not abide the jeopardy of the swth
[suit,] I have levir [had better] to go as far as my feet
may bear me; nevertheless as ye command me to do, so it be
not to my great hurt, I will fulfill it. No more to you at this
time, but God send you that grace, that ye may come to his bliss.
Written at Bromholm, in great haste.

                                        By Your,

                                                   SIR ROBERT WILLIAMSON.

This letter contains a curious fact. It appears by it that the Sheriff?s Officers had ar-
rested a Person in the Church during Mass, and that the Priest and some of the Congre-
gation had rescued him, for which a suit was commenced against them. This shews the
power of the Sheriff at this time, when even a Church, during the time of divine service,
could not protect a person against whom his Process had been issued. A Murderer or
Robber might have claimed sanctuary, but a poor Debtor seems to have had no such pri-
vilege.

     Autograph Pl. XVIII. N^o 4.

     11 ¼ by 4 ½

     No certain date.
     After 1444. 23 H. VI.

503

SIR ROBERT WILLIAMSON TO AGNES PASTON²

To my right reverent mastras, Agnes Paston,
be this lettre delyveryd in haste.

RYGH wurchepful mastres, I recomaund me un to yow,
     thankyng yow of the gret chere that ze made me
     the last tyme that I was with zow. Mastres, in alle
zour godys and ocupacyons that lyth in my simpil power to
do in wurd, wil and dede, I have do my dylygens and my
power therto, so I be savyd be fore God, and have owyn to
your person ryght herty love; for the qwych I am ryght ille
aqwyt, and it be as I understande yt; for it is do me to wete
that I am swid with mor of my paryshchons for a reskuse
makyng up on the offycers of the shrewys [sheriff], and I
take God to record that it is wrongfully do on to us. And
the gret fray that the [they] mad in the tyme of masse it
ravyched my witts and mad me ful hevyly dysposyd. I pray
Jesu gef hem grace to repent hem therof that the [they] that
caused it may stand out of perel of soule.

     Maystras, at the reverens of God, and as evyr I may do
servyce that may be plesyng on to yow, send me justyly wurd
be the brynger of this bylle ho ze wil that I be gydyd; for it
is told me that if I be take I may no other remedy havyn but
streyth to prison. For the whiche I have sold away xxs. wurth
of stuffe; and the reswd [residue] of my stuff, I have put it in
swier hande, for trwly I wil not abyde the joparte of the swth,
—I have levir to go as far as my fet may ber me. Nevir the
less as ze komand me to do, so it be not to my gret hurt, I
wil fulfille it. Nomor to zow at this tyme, but God send yow
that grace that ze may kome to His blyss.

     Wreten at Bromholm in gret haste,

                  Be your                         Sir ROBERT WILLYAMSON.

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 48.] The writer of this letter was Vicar of Paston from 1460
to 1464, and as he dates from Bromholm, which is in the immediate neighbourhood
of Paston, we may presume that it was written during the time he held that benefice.

1460-4

1460-4