The Abbot of Langley to Sir John Paston

LETTER XLII.

     To ye ryght worcheppful
     Sere Iohn Paston Knyght be
     Vis delyu'ed.

RYGHT worchepful Ser and tendyrly belouyd in our lorde
     god I comend me to you Sendyng you knowyng that I
dede your erand to my Broy^r the persoon of Blofeeld on Wed-
nyfdaye was seuenyght after y^e undyrstandyng y^t I had of you
and from you be yis brynger whech man I felte ryght wele and
fauorabelye dysposyd to you ward and more fauorable wole be
yan to ony oy^r Jentylman levand. the wylle of y^e dede p^rformyd
and his Confcyens sauyd. And more yinges seyd fauorabely
for yow which J entytelyd in a scrowe to a certyfyed to your
feruanut Calle yf he had Come as ye sent me woord he sculd
ado And xuld as ye behestyd me abrowte me our ferme for
¹ Heylesdon which not don Causeth me to wryte Prayng your

Iantylnesse yat I sent no more y'fore For it is unpayed for ye
zeer afore the halwemesse yat my Mayster Fastolf deyed And
for the fame zer yat he deyed in And sythen for ij zer and v^s
unpayed of a zer And Come Myhelmesse nexte xal be anoyer
zer unpayed yus is iiij zer unpayed and v^s And at Myhelmesse
next xal be v zer and v^s This yus kepte from holy chirche yat
is holy Chirchez good may not be wtoute grete prelle of soule
Wher y^e parelle is god knowt J pray god amend it And geve
hem grace y^t haus his goods so to dyspose them yat yei and y^e
dede both may be oute of prelle And the Tynyte haue you in
his mercyful kepyng Wretyn at langle on Soneday at Euyn
late next after Seynt lohne daye Decollacon.

                                                       Be pour welewplland

                                                         Abbot of langelepe.

        12 by 5 3/4

    We see in this Letter the hold which the Clergy had on the Laity for any omissions in
payment of what was due to the Church; the danger of Sir john Paston's soul is gently
touched upon, and the fears for the peace of that of Sir John Fastolf is ingeniously intro-
duced. From the account in this Letter the arrears were of so considerable standing that
Sir John Paston's memory seemed to want a little refreshing, and the Bringer of this
Letter appears to have received his instructions accordingly.

   The Abbey of Langley was founded in the time of Richard I. about the year 1198.
Nicholas occurs Abbot in 1428 and 1463, and Nicholas Wamerton in 1467 and 1474; it
was most probably the first Nicholas, who was the writer of this Letter, as Wamerton can
scarcely be supposed to have been the Abbot so early as 1428, unless he lived to a very
old age.

    Autograph.     PI. XXIV. No 3.

LETTER XLII.

        To the right worshipful Sir John Paston, knight, be this delivered.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, and tenderly beloved in our Lord
     God, I commend me to you, sending you knowing
(knowledge) that I did your errand to my brother the parson of
Blofield on Wednesday was sevnight after the understanding that

I had of you and from you by this bringer, which man I felt
right well and favourably disposed to you ward, and more favour-
ably will be than to any other gentleman living, the will of the
dead performed, and his conscience saved, and more things said
favourably for you, which i entitled in a scroll to have certified
to your servant Calle, if he had come, as ye sent me word he
should have done, and should as ye behested (promised) me,
have brought me our ferm for Hellosdon, which not done,
causeth me to write, praying your gentleness that I send no more

herefore, for it is unpaid for the year afore the Hallowmas
that my master Fastolf died, and for the same year that he died
in, and since for two years, and five shillings unpaid of a year,
and come Michaelmas next shall be another year unpaid, thus
is four years unpaid and five shillings, and at Michaelmas next
shall be five years and five shillings.

    This thus kept from Holy Church, that is Holy Church's
good may not be without great peril of foul; where the peril is
God knoweth, I pray God amend it, and give them grace that
have his goods so to dispose them, that they and the dead both
may be out of peril, and the Trinity have you in his merciful
keeping. Written at Langley, on Sunday at even late, next
after Saint John's day (the) Decollation, (29th of August)

                                                       By you well -willing,
                                                      ABBOT OF LANGLEY.

Langley,
        Sunday, 4th of September.
        1463. 3 E. IV.

    We see in this Letter the hold which the Clergy had on the Laity for any omissions in
payment of what was due to the Church; the danger of Sir john Paston's soul is gently
touched upon, and the fears for the peace of that of Sir John Fastolf is ingeniously intro-
duced. From the account in this Letter the arrears were of so considerable standing that
Sir John Paston's memory seemed to want a little refreshing, and the Bringer of this
Letter appears to have received his instructions accordingly.

   The Abbey of Langley was founded in the time of Richard I. about the year 1198.
Nicholas occurs Abbot in 1428 and 1463, and Nicholas Wamerton in 1467 and 1474; it
was most probably the first Nicholas, who was the writer of this Letter, as Wamerton can
scarcely be supposed to have been the Abbot so early as 1428, unless he lived to a very
old age.

    Autograph.     PI. XXIV. No 3.

549

THE ABBOT OF LANGLEY TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To the ryght worcheppful Sere John Paston, Knyght,
be this delyvered.

     RYGHT worchepful ser, and tendyrly belovyd in our
         Lord God, I comend me to you, sendyng you know-
         yng that I dede your erand to my brother, the persoon
of Blofeeld, on Wednysdaye was sevenyght, after the undyr-
standyng that I had of you and from you be this brynger;
whech man I felte ryght wele and favorabelye dysposyd to you
ward, and more favorable wole be than to ony other jentylman
levand, the wylle of the dede performyd, and his conscyens
savyd; and more thinges seyd favorabely for yow which I
entytelyd in a scrowe to a’ certyfyed to your servaunt Calle,
yf he had come, as ye sent me woord he sculd ado, and xuld,
as ye behestyd me, abrowte me our ferme for Heylesdon,
which not don, causeth me to wryte, prayng your jantylnesse
that I send no more therfore, for it is unpayed for the zeer
afore the Halwemesse that my Mayster Fastolf deyed, and for
the same zer that he deyed in, and sythen for ij. zer, and vs.
unpayed of a zer, and come Myhelmesse nexte xal be another
zer unpayed. Thus is iiij. zer unpayed and vs., and at
Myhelmesse next xal be v. zer and vs.

     This thus kepte from Holy Chirche that is Holy Chirchez
good, may not be withoute grete parelle of soule; wher the
parelle is God knoweth, I pray God amend it, and geve hem
grace that have his goods so to dyspose them, that thei and
the dede both may be oute of parelle. And the Trynyte have
you in His mercyful kepyng. Wretyn at Langle, on Soneday,
at evyn late, next after Seynt Johne Daye Decollacion.²

                                                                     Be your welewylland,

                                                                   ABBOT OF LANGELEYE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 146.] The date of this letter is clear, from the statement
it contains as to the length of time which has elapsed since the decease of Sir John
Fastolf.

     ² The Decollation of St. John the Baptist was observed on the 29th August.

1463
SEPT. 4