Sir Thomas Brews

LETTER XXXIX.

A Determi˜ac˜on of S^r Tho Brews how much he would gyve
w^th his Daughter M’gery in mariage.

M^d to let my Cosyn Margaret Paston ondyrstand that for a
Jonter to be mad in Sweynsthorp in hand and for a Jontare
of no more but X mark ought of Sp˜h˜m I wylle dep’t w^t CC
Mark in hand and to giue theym ther boord free as for ij or
iij yer in serteyn or ellys CCC Mark w^t ought ther boord
payable by L mark yerly tyll the some of CCC Mark be full
payed.

     It’ I wyll geve CCCC Mark payable L li in hand at the
day of Maryage and L li yerly tyll the some of CCCC Mark
be full payed upon thes Condycyons folowi˜g Wher of on
Condycyon is thys that I wyll lend my Cosyn John Paston
xx
vj li besyd hys maryage money to pledge ought the Maner
of Sweynsthorp So that he may fynd syche a frend as wyll
                                           xx
paye me a yen the seyd vj li by XX Mark a yer so that it
be not payed of the maryage money nor of the p’pre goods
of my seyd Cosyn John.

     Or ellys an other Condycyon is thys if it be so that my
seyd Cosyn John may be suffred fro the day of hys maryage
to my doughter to take the hole p’fites of the Maner of
Sp˜h’m besyde the Maner of Sweynsthorp for terme of ther
two lyves and the longest of theym leveng zet wyll I be
agreable to dep’t w^t the seyd CCC Mark payable ayen in
forme aboue seyd (and to geve theym ther boord for a yer or
two) And if thes or eny of the Conclussyons may be takyn I
am agreable to make the bargayn swer or ellys No more to
be spekyn of.

       8? by 12.

             Paper Mark,
        Bull?s Head and Star.
          Pl. xxxii. No. 4.

    We have here the terms proposed by each party for a settlement on the
marriage of John Paston with Margery Brews, with some further proposals of
Sir Thomas Brews?s on certain conditions to be performed by the Pastons.
These propositions were in contemplation during the months of February and
March, 1476-7.

    N. B. The words ?and to geve theym ther boord for a yer or two” are
struck cross with a pen in the original, as if Sir Thomas thought that too much
to be complied with under these conditions.

LETTER XXXIX.

A Determination of Sir Thomas Brews how much he would give
with his Daughter Margery in Marriage.

MEMORANDUM, To let my Cousin Margaret Paston under-
stand, that for a jointure to be made in Swainsthorp in
hand, and for a jointure of no more but 10 marks (6l. 13s.
4d.) out of Sparham, I will depart with 200 marks (133l. 6s.
8d.) in hand, and to give them their board free as for two or
three years in certain, or else 300 marks (200l.) without
their board, payable by 50 marks (33l. 6s. 8d.) yearly, till
the sum of 300 marks be full paid.

     Item, I will give 400 marks (266l. 13s. 4d.) payable 50l.
in hand at the day of marriage, and 50l. yearly, till the sum
of 400 marks be full paid, upon these conditions following.

     Whereof one condition is this,

     That I will lend my Cousin John Paston sixscore pounds,
besides his marriage money, to pledge out the manor of
Swainsthorp, so that [on condition] he may find such a friend
as will pay me again the said sixscore pounds by 20 marks
(13l. 6s. 8d.) a year, so that it be not paid of the marriage
money, nor of the proper goods of my said cousin John.

     Or else, another condition is this,

     If it be so that my said Cousin John may be suffered, from
the day of his marriage to my daughter, to take the whole
profits of the manor of Sparham, besides the manor of
Swainsthorp, for term of their two lives, and the longest
of them living, yet will I be agreeable to depart with the
said 400 marks (266l. 13s. 4d.) payable again in form above-
said (and to give them their board for a year or two).

     And if these or any of the conclusions may be taken, I
am agreeable to make the bargain sure, or else no more to
be spoken of.

    March, 1476-7.
        17 E. iv.

    We have here the terms proposed by each party for a settlement on the
marriage of John Paston with Margery Brews, with some further proposals of
Sir Thomas Brews?s on certain conditions to be performed by the Pastons.
These propositions were in contemplation during the months of February and
March, 1476-7.

    N. B. The words ?and to geve theym ther boord for a yer or two” are
struck cross with a pen in the original, as if Sir Thomas thought that too much
to be complied with under these conditions.

905

SIR THOMAS BREWS²

MEMORANDUM.—To let my cosyn, Margaret
     Paston, ondyrstand that for a jontor to be mad in
     Sweynsthorp in hand, and for a jontore of no more
but x. mark ought of Sparham, I wylle depart with CC. mark
in hand, and to give theym ther boord free as for ij. or iij.
yer in serteyn, or ellys CCC. mark with ought ther boord,
payable by 1. mark yerly tyll the some of CCC. mark be full
payed.

     Item, I wyll geve CCCC. mark, payable lli., in hand at
the day of maryage, and lli. yerly tyll the some of CCCC.
mark be full payed upon thes condycyons folowing.

     Wher of on condycyon is thys, that I wyll lend my cosyn
John Paston vj^xxli., besyd hys maryage money, to pledge
ought the maner of Sweynsthorpe, so that he may fynd syche
a frend as wyll pay me a yen the seyd vj^xxli. by xx. mark a
yer, so that it be not payed of the maryage money, nor of the
propre goodes of my seyd cosyn John.

     Or ellys, an other condycyon is thys, if it be so that my
seyd cosyn John may be suffred, fro the day of hys maryage
to my doughter, to take the hole profites of the maner of
Sparham, besyde the maner of Sweynsthorpe, for terme of ther
two lyves, and the longest of theym leveing, yet wyll I be agre-
able to depart with the seyd CCC. mark, payable ayen in forme
above seyd [and to geve theym ther boord for a yer or two].¹

     And if thes or eny of the conclusyons may be takyn, I am
agreable to make the bargayn swer, or ellys no more to be
spokyn of.

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This paper was evidently drawn up about the same
time as the last letter. It is a draft in John Paston’s handwriting, but is evidently
written as in the name of Sir Thomas Brews. It is endorsed in a more modern
hand: ‘A determinacion of Sir Tho. Brews how much he would gyve with his
daughter Margery in mariage.’

     ¹ These words are crossed out with the pen.

1477

1477