William Paston, Junior, to John Paston

LETTER XXII.

To his Worchepfull Broder John Paston be thys delyu’ed in hast.

   RYGHT reu’erēt and worchepfull Broder after all dewtes
     of recomēdacōn I recomaūde me to yow desyryng to her’
of yo^r p’sp’ite and welfare, whych I p’y God long to cōtynew
to hys plesore, and to yo^r herts desyr, letyng yow wete that I
receyved a Lett’ from yow, in the whyche lett’ was viij^d,
w^t y^e whyche I schuld bye a peyer of slyppers.

     Ferthermor certyfying yow as for y^e xiij^s iiij^d, whyche ye
sende by a Jentylmañys man, for my borde, cawlyd Thomas
Newton, was delyu’ed to myn hostes, and soo to my Creancer,
M’ Thomas Stevēson, and he hertely recomēded hym to yow.

     Also ye sende me worde in the lett’ of xij^{li 1} fyggs and vi[ILL]
reysons, I have them not delyu’ed, but I dowte not I shal
have for Alwedyr tolde me of them and he seyde y^t they came
aftyr in an other barge.

     And as for the Yong Jentylwomā, I wol certyfye yow how
I fryste felle in Qweyntaīce w^t hyr, hir ffader is dede, ther
be ij systers of them y^e elder is just weddyd, at the whych
weddyng I was w^t myn hostes, and also desyryd by y^e Jentyl-
mā hym selfe cawlyd Wyllm Swanne whos dewllynge is in Eton.
So it fortuned that myn’ hostes reportyd on me odyrwyse than
I was wordy, so that hyr moder comau’dyd hyr to make me
good chere, and soo in good feythe sche ded; sche is not a
bydynge ther sche is now hyr dwellyng is in London. But hyr
moder and sche cō to a place of hyrs v myle from Eton were y^e
weddyng was, for because it was nye to y^e Jentylmā whych
weddyd hyr Dowtyr. And on monday next comynge y^t is to
sey y^{e 2} fyrst monday of clene Lente, hyr moder and sche wyl
goo to y^e pardon at Schene, and soo forthe to London and ther
to abyde in a place of hyrs in Bowe Chyrche yerde, and if it
plese yow to inquere of hyr, hyr modyrs name is Mestres.
Alborow y^e name of the Dowtyr is ³ Margarete Alborow the
age of hyr is be all lykelyod xviij or xix ycre at y^e fertheste,
and as for the mony and plate it is redy when soo eu’ sche
were weddyd, but as for the lyvelod I trow not tyll aft’ hyr
modyrs desese, but I can not telle yow for very certeyn, but
yow may know by inqueryng, And as for hyr bewte juge yow
that when ye see hyr yf so be that ye take y^e laubore and specialy
beolde hyr handys for and if it be as it is tolde me sche is
dysposyd to be thyke.

     And as for my comynge from Eton I lake no thynge but
wersysyynge whyche I troste to have w^t a lytyll cōtynuāce.

     Q^r. Q^o. nō valet mora valet mora, unde dî |o| Arbore iā videas
exemplū. uō die possūt Omīa supleri. sz tū illa mora.

     And thes too v’se afore seyde be of myn own makyng.

     No more to yow at thys tyme but God have yow in hys kepyng.

     Wretyn at Eton the even of Seynt Mathy the Apostyll in
haste w^t the hande of yo^r broder.

                                                                 ⁴ William Paston, Juni.

            11 by 7.

             Eton,
             Wednesday, 13d of February,
             1467-8, 7 E. IV.

     ¹ These were for his subsistence in Lent.

     ² In 1468, the first Sunday in Lent fell on the 28th of February, which agrees
with the date, St. Mathias being on the 24th of February. Sheen, is now called Rich-
mond, so named by Henry VII.

     ³ He is very particular in his account of his Mistress’s fortune, person, age, &c. his
own age was at this time I suppose about 18 or 20, a time of life when he might have
been better employed than in learning to make verses: of these here given, I can make
nothing.

     ⁴ A Younger Son, of John Paston, Esquire, by Margaret, Daughter of John
Mawteby, Esquire, and brother of Sir John Paston, Knight. PI. v. N^o 13.

End of the First Volume.

LETTER XXII.

To his Worshipful Brother, John Paston, be this delivered in haste.

   RIGHT reverend and worshipful Brother, after all duties
     of recommendation, I recommend me to you, desiring
to hear of your prosperity and welfare, which I pray God long
to continue to his pleasure, and to your heart’s desire; letting
you weet that I received a letter from you, in the which Let-
ter was 8d. with the which I should buy a pair of Slippers.

     Farthermore certifying you as for the 13s. 4d. which ye sent
by a Gentleman’s man, for my board, called Thomas Newton,
was delivered to mine Hostess, and so to my Creansor (Creditor)
Mr. Thomas Stevenson; and he heartily recommended him to
you; also ye sent me word in the Letter of 12lb. of ¹ Figgs
and 8lb. of Raisins, I have them not delivered, but I doubt not,
I shall have, for Alweder told me of them, and he said, that
they came after in another Barge.

     And as for the young Gentlewoman, I will certify you how I
first fell in acquaintance with her; her father is dead, there be
two Sisters of them, the elder is just wedded; at which wedding.
I was with mine Hostess, and also desired by the Gentleman
himself, called William Swan, whose dwelling is in Eton. So it
fortuned that mine Hostess reported on me otherwise than I was
worthy; so that her Mother commanded her to make me good
Cheer; and so in good faith she did; she is not abiding where
she is now, her dwelling is in London; but her Mother and she
came to a place of hers five miles from Eton, where the wedding
was, for because it was nigh to the Gentleman, which wedded
her Daughter; and on Monday next coming, that is to say, the
² first Monday of clean Lent, her Mother and she will go to the
Pardon at Sheene, and so forth to London, and there to abide in
a place of hers in Bow Church-Yard; and if it please you to
enquire of her, her Mother’s name is Mistress Alborow, the
name of the Daughter is ³ Margaret Alborow, the age of her is,
by all likelyhood, 18 or 19 years at the farthest; and as for the
money and plate it is ready whensoever she were wedded; but
as for the Livelihood, I trow (I believe), not till after her Mother’s

decease, but I cannot tell you for very certain, but you may know
by enquiring.

     And as for her Beauty, judge you that, when you see her, if
so be that ye take the labour; and specially behold her hands,
for and if it be, as it is told me, she is disposed to be thick.

     And as for my coming from Eton, I lack nothing but versi-
fying, which I trust to have with a little continuance.

     Qr. Qo. non valet hora valet mora. unde dî |o| Arbore jam videas
exemplum. uno die possunt Omnia suppleri, sed turn ilia mora.

     And these two verses aforesaid be of mine own making.

     No more to you at this time, but God have you in his keeping.

     Written at Eton the even of Saint Mathias the Apostle in
haste, with the hand of your Brother.

                                             ⁴ WILLIAM PASTON, Junior.

           11 by 7.

         Eton,
             Wednesday, 13d of February,
             1467-8, 7 E. IV.

     ¹ These were for his subsistence in Lent.

     ² In 1468, the first Sunday in Lent fell on the 28th of February, which agrees
with the date, St. Mathias being on the 24th of February. Sheen, is now called Rich-
mond, so named by Henry VII.

     ³ He is very particular in his account of his Mistress’s fortune, person, age, &c. his

own age was at this time I suppose about 18 or 20, a time of life when he might have
been better employed than in learning to make verses: of these here given, I can make
nothing.

     ⁴ A Younger Son, of John Paston, Esquire, by Margaret, Daughter of John
Mawteby, Esquire, and brother of Sir John Paston, Knight. PI. v. N^o 13.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

942

WILLIAM PASTON, JUNIOR, TO JOHN PASTON²

To his worchepfull broder, John Paston, be thys
delyvered in hast.

     RYGHT reverent and worchepfull broder, after all dewtes
         of recomendacion, I recomaunde me to yow, desyryng
         to here of your prosperite and welfare, whych I pray
God long to contynew to Hys plesore, and to your herts
desyr; letyng yow wete that I receyved a letter from yow, in
the whyche letter was viijd. with the whyche I schuld bye a
peyer of slyppers.

     Ferthermor certyfying yow, as for the xiijs. iiijd. whyche
ye sende by a jentylmannys man, for my borde, cawlyd
Thomas Newton, was delyvered to myn hostes, and soo to
my creancer [creditor], Mr. Thomas Stevenson; and he
hertely recomended hym to yow.

     Also ye sende me worde in the letter of xijli. fyggs and
viijli. reysons. I have them not delyvered, but I dowte not I
shal have, for Alwedyr tolde me of them, and he seyde that
they came aftyr in an other barge.

     And as for the yong jentylwoman, I wol certyfye yow how
I fryste felle in qweyntaince with hyr. Hir ffader is dede;
ther be ij. systers of them; the elder is just weddyd; at the
whych weddyng I was with myn hostes, and also desyryd by
the jentylman hym selfe, cawlyd Wylliam Swanne, whos dwyll-
ynge is in Eton.

     So it fortuned that myne hostes reportyd on me odyrwyse
than I was wordy; so that hyr moder comaundyd hyr to
make me good chere, and soo in good feythe sche ded. Sche
is not a bydynge ther sche is now; hyr dwellyng is in London;
but hyr moder and sch come to a place of hyrs v. myle from
Eton, were the weddyng was, for because it was nye to the
jentylman whych weddyd hyr dowtyr. And on Monday next
comynge, that is to sey, the fyrst Monday of Clene Lente,
hyr moder and sche wyl goo to the pardon at Schene, and soo
forthe to London, and ther to abyde in a place of hyrs in Bowe
Chyrche Yerde; and if it plese yow to inquere of hyr, hyr
modyrs name is Mestres Alborow, the name of the dowtyr is
Margarete Alborow, the age of hyr is be all lykelyod xviij. or
xix. yere at the fertheste. And as for the mony and plate,
it is redy when soo ever sche were weddyd; but as for the
lyvelod, I trow not tyll after hyr modyrs desese, but I can not
telle yow, for very certeyn, but yow may know by inqueryng.
And as for hyr bewte, juge yow that when ye see hyr, yf so
be that ye take the laubore, and specialy beolde hyr handys,
for and if it be as it is tolde me, sche is dysposyd to be thyke.

     And as for my comynge from Eton, I lake no thynge
but wersyfyynge, whyche I troste to have with a lytyll con-
tynuance.

     Quæritur, Quomodo non valet hora, valet mora? Unde
dicitur?

Arbore jam videas exemplum. Non die possunt,
Omnia suppleri; sed tamen illa mora.¹

     And thes too verse afore seyde be of myn own makyng.

     No more to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys
kepyng.

     Wretyn at Eton the Even of Seynt Matthy the Apostyll
in haste, with the hande of your broder.

                                                                  WYLL’M PASTON, Jun^r.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 296.] This letter was written on the 23rd of February, and
the Monday following the date was the first Monday of Lent. These particulars
prove the letter to have been written in 1479, when William Paston was between
nineteen and twenty years of age.

     ¹ I am favoured by Lady Beatrice Pretyman with a facsimile of this Latin theme
and distich from the original MS. My reading of the contracted words differs from
that printed originally by Fenn.

FEB. 23

1479
FEB. 23