Thomas Playters to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 177

May 1461

Gairdner, Vol III, item 452; Fenn, Vol IV, Edward IV item 1

LETTER J.

    To my rigth revrent and worchipfull
    Iohn Paston Esquyer or to my maytres
    his Wyf.

AFTER my most spial recomendacon lyke yor maisterchip
wete that the matr for you and my maistrez yor moder
ayens Powtrell and Tanfeld hath ben called uppon as dylygently
and as hastely this t'me as it mygth be And al way dayes yeven
hem by the co't to answer and than the' toke smale excepcons and
trifeled forth the Cot And al wey excused them by cause the bylle
is long and his Councell had no leyfr. to se it And they p'yed
heryng of the testamet. of my maistr yor E fader and therof made
a noyt matr. and argued it to putte hem fro it be cause they had
emprled to us by fore and than Hyllyngworth to dryve it over
this t'me allegged varians be twyx the bille and the testamet that
Iohn Damme was named in the testamet. Ioh Daw me Jn which
cas now the cot must have sight of the said testamet where fore ye
must send it up the begynnyng of the next t'me or ell we schall
haue no sped in the matr And therfor maistres if my maistr be
not cum hom and ye haue not the sayd testamet. jn yor kepyng
that than it plese you to speke un to my maistres yor 2 moder jn
lawe for the seyd testamet that I mygth redely haue it here and
that it be sealed in a box and sent to me and I schall kepe it safe
wt godds g'ce And as for tytyngs in good feyth we haue non
seve the ¹ Erle of Wylchir is hed is sette on London brigge.
Maystr Will'm is reden hom to my maistrs ponyngs and as for
maistr Ponyngs hymself sche letteth as thow sche wyst not where
he were. A Gentylman that kam fro York told me my maistr
was heyl and mery and rode to mete the 4 kyng Comyng fro
Mydlam castell 5 Berwyk is full of Scottys. And we loke be
lyklyhod aftr anoyr batayll now be twyx skotts and us. And I
p'y Jhu haue you jn his blyssed kepyng.

Yo^r.

Chomas Plapter.

11 1/2 by 5 1/4.

Paper Mark,
Bull's Head and Star.

Pl. x. No 1.

We have here a most curious account of the difficulties started, and the delays craved,
in a suit at law, and we might easily mistake this for a modern Letter from a Solicitor to
his Client. It shews us likewise that the difference of manners above three hundred years
ago and at present, is not so great as we are too apt to think it.

¹ Sir William Paston, the Judge, who died in 1444.

² Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of the Judge.

³ James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, was taken at the battle of Towton,
sought on Palm Sunday, the 29th of March, 1461, and soon afterwards beheaded. He
had been twice Lord High Treasurer.

⁴ This shews that the king was not yet returned out of Yorkshire to London since the
battle of Towton.

⁵ Henry VI. and his Queen after the battle escaped to Berwick, and from thence re-
tired to Edinburgh.

⁶ Autograph. PI. V. No 14. For some account of him see Vol. I. Letter II. P. 225.
Note 7.

LETTER I.

To my right reverend and worshipful John Paston, Esquire, or to
my Mistress his wife.

AFTER my most special recommendation, like your master-
ship ( to ) weet that the matter for you and my mistress your
Mother against Powtrell and Tanfield hath been called upon,
as diligently, and as hastily, this term as it might be, and alway
days given them by the Court to answer ; and then they took
small exceptions the bill is long, and his Counsel had no leisure to
see it ; and they prayed hearing of the Testament of my master
your x Father, and thereof made another matter, and argued it
to put them from it, because they had emparled to us ( craved
respite of us ) before ; and then Hillingworth to drive it over this
term, alledged variance betwixt the Bill and the Testament,
( namely ) that John Damme was named in the Testament Joh

Dawme, in which case now the Court must have sight of the
said Testament, wherefore ye must send it up the beginning of
the next Term, or else we shall have no speed in the matter.
And therefore Mistress, if my Master be not come home, and
ye have not the said Testament in your keeping, that then it
please you to speak unto my Mistress your 2 Mother-in-law for
the said Testament, that I might readily have it here, and that
it be sealed in a box and sent to me, and I shall keep it safe with
God's grace.

And as for tidings, in good faith we have none, save the Earl
of ³ Wiltshire's head is set on London Bridge.

Master William ( Paston ) is ridden him to my Mistress Poyn-
ings, and as for Master Poynings himself, she letteth as though
she wist not where he were.

A Gentleman that came from York told me my Master was
heyl ( bealthy ) and merry, and rode to meet the ⁴ King coming
from Middleham Castle.

⁵ Berwick is full of Scots, and we look by likelihood after
another battle now betwixt ( the ) Scots and us.

And I pray Jesu have you in his blessed keeping.

Your,

6 THOMAS PLAYTERS.

April, 146r.

1 E. IV.

We have here a most curious account of the difficulties started, and the delays craved,
in a suit at law, and we might easily mistake this for a modern Letter from a Solicitor to
his Client. It shews us likewise that the difference of manners above three hundred years
ago and at present, is not so great as we are too apt to think it.

¹ Sir William Paston, the Judge, who died in 1444.

² Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of the Judge.

³ James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, was taken at the battle of Towton,
sought on Palm Sunday, the 29th of March, 1461, and soon afterwards beheaded. He
had been twice Lord High Treasurer.

⁴ This shews that the king was not yet returned out of Yorkshire to London since the
battle of Towton.

⁵ Henry VI. and his Queen after the battle escaped to Berwick, and from thence re-
tired to Edinburgh.

⁶ Autograph. PI. V. No 14. For some account of him see Vol. I. Letter II. P. 225.
Note 7.

452

THOMAS PLAYTERS TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my rigth reverent and worchipfull John Paston, Esquyer,
or to my maytres his wyf.

AFTER my most special recommendacion, lyke your
maisterchip wete that the mater for you and my
maistrez, your moder, ayens Powtrell and Tanfeld
hath ben called uppon as dylygently and as hastely this terme
as it mygth be; and al way dayes yeven hem by the Court to
answer, and than thei toke smale excepcions, and trifeled forth
the Court, and al wey excused them by cause the bylle is long,
and his councell had no leysur to se it. And they prayed
heryng of the testament of my maister your fader,² and therof
made a nother mater, and argued it to putte hem fro it, be
cause they had emparled to us by fore; and than Hyllyng-
worth to dryve it over this terme, allegged varians be twyx
the bille and the testament that John Damme was named in
the testament John Dawme, in whiche cas now the Court
must have sigth of the said testament. Where fore ye must
send it up the begynnyng of the next terme, or elles we schall
have no sped in the mater. And therfor, Maistres, if my
maister be not cum hom, and ye have not the sayd testament
in your kepyng, that than it plese you to speke un to my
maistres, your moder in lawe,³ for the seyd testament, that I
mygth redely have it here, and that it be sealed in a box, and
sent to me, and I schall kepe it safe, with Godds grace.

And as for tytyngs, in good feyth we have non, seve the
Erle of Wylchir¹ is hed is sette on London Brigge.

Mayster William is reden hom to my Maistrs Ponyngs;
and as for Maister Ponyngs hymself, sche letteth as thow sche
wyst not where he were. A gentylman that kam fro York
told me my maister was heyl and mery, and rode to mete the
Kyng comyng fro Mydlam Castell.

Berwyk² is full of Scottys, and we loke be lyklyhod after
anoyther batayll now be twyx Skotts and us.

And I pray Jesu have you in His blyssed kepyng.

Your, THOMAS PLAYTER.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 2.] The reference to the Earl of Wiltshire’s head having been
set on London Bridge shows this letter to have been written not very long after the
battle of Towton. The exact date is probably about the beginning of May, as it
appears, by the Privy Seal dates in the Record Office, that Edward IV. was at
Middleham on the 6th of that month on his way southwards, having gone on to
Durham and Newcastle after the victory.

² William Paston, the Judge, who died in 1444.

³ Agnes Paston, the widow of the Judge.

¹ James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond.

² Henry vi. and his Queen after the battle escaped to Berwick, and from thence
retired to Edinburgh.—F.

1461
MAY