William Lomnor to John Paston

LETTER LXI.

To the ryght Worchypfull
      John Paston Sqyycr yn haste.

MY Mast^r Paston I recomaunde me to yow preyyng god to
haue m^rcy on my mast^r yo^r brothe’ sowle to whom ye ar
heyre and also to my Mestres yo^r gr’untdam Wherfore be
thavyse of my mast^r yo^r carful mode^r yo^r brothe^r Ed˜ on
Sunday next before sent Andrew rod to Marlyngforth and
before alle the ten’ntez examynid on James Kepe^r the’ for
Will Paston wher he was the weke next before Sent An-
drew and the’ he seyd that he was not at Marlingforth from
the Monday onto the Thorday at evyn and soo the’ was
no man ther but yo^r brothers man at the tyme of his decese
so be that yo^r brothe^r dyyd sesid and yo^r brothe^r bad yo^r
man kepe possession to yo^r behesse and warned the ten’ntez
to pay noo man til ye hadde spoke them so mesemyth yat
ys a remyttir to yo^r old taylyd titell Comon with yo^r co˜cell
fory^r at aft^rnoon he was at Oxned to onderstande how they
had doo And Peris kepyd yo^r brothe’s possession at that
tyme and yo^r Uncle his man was not the’ but he assyned
anothe^r pore man to be y’ wheche^r that co˜tynued the pos-
session of W Paston or not be reme˜brid &c. And aft^r the
decese &c. W. Paston sent the man yat kepyd possession
to fore to ent^r and kepe possession wheche was noo wa-
rent be that poyntment for ye stande at yo^r lib’te as for ony
apoyntment or combnycacon hadde before and soo men
seme it wer good for yow to stande at large til ye her mor
yf ye myght haue my lord Chamberleyn god fau^r and lord-
ship it wer ryght expedyent as for my lord of Ely dele not
wyth hym be owr auyse for he woll meue for trete and els
be displesid yo^r brothe^r Ed’ sent to John Wymond and he
sent word he wolle be a mene of trete but wold take noo
p^rte and as I sopose yat was be Heydons avyse for yo^r Uncle
sent to me to be with hym and also the same man rodd to
Heydon and Wymondh’m &c the breng^r of this lett^r can tell
for he was with yo^r brothe^r E. at these placez Fery^r my mastr’
yo^r mod^r gretyth yow well and sendyth yow her blessyng
req’ryng yow to come once of that her alsone as ye may
And yo^r broth^r E comaundid hym to yow and he doth hys
dylygens and p^rte for yow full well and saddely yn many
behalvys and hath brought my maistr’ yo^r wife to Topcrofte
on Friday last and they far all well ther And he yntendith
to see my Mast^r fitz Wa’ whech lythe at Freton ner long
Stratton And god be yo^r gide yn all yo^r mat’s and brenge
yow sone home Wretyn at Norwyche on Sonday at nyght
next before sent Andrew and delyu’d on Monday next be
the mornyn.

                                                                Be yo^r W LOMNER

    11½ by 8¼.

              Paper Mark,
            A Mermaid, or
      Figure riding on a Fish.
            Pl. xxxii. No. 2.3

     The first part of this letter informs us of the steps taken by J. Paston’s
friends to secure the possession of Sir John Paston’s manors and estates to
him, against the endeavours of his uncle William, who was using every mean
to obtain possession of many of them.

     William Lord Hastyngs was Lord Chamberlain, and John Morton Bishop
of Ely, at this time.

     William Lomner, the writer of this letter, possessed a family estate at Man-
nington, where he built a hall embattled castlewise, according to a license
obtained from the king; he was on very friendly terms with the Pastons, and
died in 1494, leaving a son William, who succeeded him.

     Autograph, Pl. xxix. No. 10.

LETTER LXI.

To the Right Worshipful John Paston, Esq. in haste.

MY Master Paston, I recommend me to you, praying God
to have mercy on my master your brother’s soul, to whom
ye are heir, and also to my mistress your grandam; where-
fore by the advice of my mistress your careful mother, your
brother Edmund, on Sunday next before Saint Andrew,
rode to Marlingford, and before all the tenants examined
one James, keeper there for William Paston, where he was
the week next before Saint Andrew, and there he said, that
he was not at Marlingford from the Monday unto the Thurs-
day at even, and so there was no man there but your bro-
ther’s man at the time of his decease; so by that your bro-
ther died seized; and your brother Edmund bad your man
keep possession to your behest, and warned the tenants to
pay no man, till you had spoken [to] them; so meseemeth
that is a remitter to the old tailed title: commune with
your counsel. Further, at afternoon he was at Oxnead, to
understand how they had done; and Perys kept your bro-
ther’s possession at that time, and your uncle’s man was not
there, but he assigned another poor man to be there, whe-
ther that continued the possession of W. Paston or not be
remembered, &c.

     And after the decease, &c. W. Paston sent the man, that
kept possession tofore, to enter and keep possession, which
was no warrant by that appointment, for ye stand at your
liberty as for any appointment or communication had before,
and so men seem it were good for you to stand at large, till
ye hear more; if ye might have my Lord Chamberlain’s
good favour and lordship, it were right expedient; as for my
Lord of Ely, deal not with him by our advice, for he will
move for treaty, and else be displeased. Your brother Ed-
mund sent to John Wymondham, and he sent word he
would be a mean of treaty, but would take no part, and as
I suppose that was by Heydon’s advice, for your uncle sent
to me to be with him, and also the same man rode to Hey-
don and Wymondham, &c. the bringer of this letter can
tell, for he was with your brother Edmund at these places.

     Further, my mistress your mother greeteth you well, and
sendeth you her blessing, requiring you to come once of
that here, as soon as ye may: and your brother Edmund
commended him to you, and he doth his diligence and part
for you full well and sadly [seriously] in many behalves; and
hath brought my mistress your wife to Topcroft on Friday
last, and they fare all well there; and he intendeth to see
my master Fitzwalter, which lyeth at Freton, near Long
Stratton, &c. and God be your guide in all matters, and
bring you soon home.

     Written at Norwich on Sunday at night next before Saint
Andrew, and delivered on Monday next by the morning,

                                                               By your

                                                                       WILLIAM LOMNER.

                  Norwich,
      Sunday, 28th November,
              1479. 19 E. iv.

   The first part of this letter informs us of the steps taken by J. Paston’s
friends to secure the possession of Sir John Paston’s manors and estates to
him, against the endeavours of his uncle William, who was using every mean
to obtain possession of many of them.

     William Lord Hastyngs was Lord Chamberlain, and John Morton Bishop
of Ely, at this time.

     William Lomner, the writer of this letter, possessed a family estate at Man-
nington, where he built a hall embattled castlewise, according to a license
obtained from the king; he was on very friendly terms with the Pastons, and
died in 1494, leaving a son William, who succeeded him.

     Autograph, Pl. xxix. No. 10.

963

WILLIAM LOMNOR TO JOHN PASTON¹

To the ryght worchypfull John Paston, Squyer, yn haste.

   MY Master Paston, I recomaunde me to yow, preyyng
     God to have mercy on my master your brother
     sowle, to whom ye ar heyre, and also to my mastras
your grauntdam. Wherfore be th’avyse of my mastras your
carful moder, your brothere Edmund, on Sunday next before
Sent Andrew, rod to Marlyngforth, and before alle the
tenauntez, examynid on James, kepere ther for Will. Paston,
where he was the weke next before Sent Andrew, and there
he seyd that he was not at Marlingforth from the Monday
unto the Thorday at evyn, and soo there was no man there
but your brothers man at the tyme of his decese; so be that
your brothere dyyd sesid, and your brothere E. bad your man
kepe possession to your behoffe, and warned the tenauntez to
pay noo man, til ye hadde spoke them. So mesemyth that
ys a remyttir to your old taylyd titell; comon with your con-
cell. Forther, at afternoon he was at Oxned to understande
how they had doo, and Peris kepyd your brotheres possession
at that tyme; and your oncle his man was not there, but he
assyned anothere pore man to be ther. Whethere that con-
tynuid the possession of W. Paston or not be remembrid, &c.

     And after the decese, &c., W. Paston sent the man that
kepyd possession to fore to entre and kepe possession, wheche
was noo warent be tha poyntment, for ye stande at your liberte
as for ony apoyntment or comunycacion hadde before, and
soo men seme it wer good for yow to stande at large til ye
here more; yf ye myght have my Lord Chamberleyns good
faver and lordship, it were ryght expedyent. As for my
Lord of Ely, dele not wyth hym be owr avyse, for he woll
move for trete, and elles be displesid. Your brother Edmund
sent to John Wymond, and he sent word he wolle be a mene
of trete, but wold take noo parte, and as I sopose that was be
Heydons avyse; for your uncle sent to me to be with hym,
and also the same man rodd to Heydon and Wymondham,
&c. The brenger of this letter can tell, for he was with
your brothere E. at these placez.

     Forther, my mastras your moder gretyth yow well, and
sendyth yow her blessyng, requiryng yow to come oute of
that here [air] alsone as ye may; and your brothere E.
comaundid hym to yow, and he doth hys dylygens, and parte
for yow full well and saddely yn many behalvys, and hath
brought my maistras your wife to Topcrofte on Friday last,
and they fare all well there; and he yntendith to see my
Master Fitz Water, whech lythe at Freton, ner Long
Stratton. And God be your gide yn all your maters, and
brenge yow sone home.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, on Sonday at nyght next before
Sent Andrew, and delyverd on Monday next be the morwyn.

                                        Be your,                      W. LOMNOUR.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is apparent from the contents that this letter was
written shortly after the decease of Sir John Paston in November 1479.

NOV. 28

1479
NOV. 28

1479
NOV. 28