William Paston to John Kyng

LETTER LXV.

To John Kynge Fermo^r of my
      Man^r of Harwelbury in Kelsall
      be Royston be this delyu^rd

JOHN KYNG I grete yow hartely well And J understond as
well by my frende Syr Will’m Storar as by Ric Browne
that as well my Kynnesman S^r John Paston that dede is as
my Kynnesman John Paston that now liveth have ben w^t
yow and govin yow many grete thretis for that y^e acordyng
to the trowth tolde unto them that ye ocupyed my Man^r of
Harwelbury be my leese and be my ryght And further more
J understand notw^tstondyng the seyde grete thretis that ye
lyke a full trewe harty frende have delyd and fastely abe-
dyn in my tytill and wolde not retorne to none of them
Wherfor I hartely thank yow and further more to corage
yow in yow^r fast dealyng J schew onto yow that I have
ryght bothe in law and in concience Wherby I p’myse yow
on my Feythe to defende yow and save yow harmeles for
the occupacion of the londe or any thynge that ye schall
doo in my titill a gaynst hym And it schulde cost me as
moche as the man^r is worth And also another tyme to doo
as moche for yow And it ly in my powre yf ye haue ony
mat^r to doo ther as I may doo for yow And also I here say
by my said frende Syr Will’m Storar and by Ric Brown that
ye ar of suche substaunce and of suche trust and suche favor
in the Contre ther that it lithe in yow^r powre to do a goode
turne for yow^r frende Wretyn at London the xxiiij day of
Februar.

                                                        Be WILLIAM PASTON.

6 by 5¾.

 This letter so fully explains itself, that nothing I can add can throw any
additional light upon it. The manor of Harwelbury, the estate of his mother
Agnes Paston, was in the parish of Harfield near Kelsall by Royston, in
Hertfordshire.

     Autograph, Pl. ii. No. 21.

LETTER LXV.

To John Kyng, Farmer of my Manor of Harwelbury in Kel-
sall by Royston, be this delivered.

JOHN KYNG, I greet you heartily well, and I understand as
well by my friend Sir William Storar as by Richard Browne,
that as well my kinsman Sir John Paston that dead is, as
my kinsman John Paston that now liveth, have been with
you, and given you many great threats, for that ye, accord-
ing to the truth, told unto them, that ye occupied my
manor of Harwelbury by my lease, and by my right; and
furthermore I understand, notwithstanding the said great
threats, that ye, like a full, true, hearty friend, have dealed,
and fastly abiden on my title, and would not retourn [attourn]
to none of them; wherefore I heartily thank you, and fur-
ther more to courage [encourage] you in your fast dealing,
I shew unto you that I have right both in law and in con-
science, whereby I promise you on my faith to defend you
and save you harmless for the occupation of the land, or
any thing that ye shall do on my title against him, and [if]
it should cost me as much as the manor is worth, and also
another time to do as much for you, and [if] it lie in my
power, if ye have any matter to do there as I may do for
you.

     And also I hear say, by my said friend Sir William Storar
and by Richard Browne, that ye are of such substance, and
of such trust, and such favour, in the country there, that it
lieth in your power to do a good turn for your friend.

     Written at London, the 24th day of February.

                                                             By WILLIAM PASTON.

            London,
Thursday, 24th February,
      1479-80. 19 E. iv.

   This letter so fully explains itself, that nothing I can add can throw any
additional light upon it. The manor of Harwelbury, the estate of his mother
Agnes Paston, was in the parish of Harfield near Kelsall by Royston, in
Hertfordshire.

     Autograph, Pl. ii. No. 21.

970

WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN KYNG²

To John Kynge, Fermour of my Maner of Hartwelbury,
in Kelsall, besides Royston, be this delyverd.

       JOHN KYNG, I grete yow hartely well; and I under-
            stond as well by my frende, Syr William Storar, as by
            Ric. Browne, that as well my kynnesman Syr John
Paston that dede is, as my kynnesman John Paston that now
leveth, have ben with yow, and yovyn yow many grete thretis,
for that ye acordyng to the trowth, tolde unto them that ye
ocupyed my maner of Harwelbury be my leese, and be my
ryght. And further more I understond, notwithstondyng the
seyde grete thretis, that ye, lyke a full trewe, harty frende,
have delyd and fastely abedyn in my tytill, and wolde not
retorne to none of them. Wherfor I hartely thank yow; and
furthar more to corage yow in yowr fast dealyng, I schew
onto yow that I have ryght bothe in law and in concience,
wherby I promyse yow on my feythe to defende yow and save
yow harmeles for the occupacion of the londe, or any thynge
that ye schall doo in my titill a gaynst hym, and it schulde
cost me as moche as the maner is worth, and also another
tyme to doo as moche for yow, and it ly in my powre, yf ye
have ony mater to doo ther as I may doo for yow.

     And, also, I here say, by my seid frende, Syr William
Storar, and by Ric. Brown, that ye ar of suche substaunce,
and of suche trust, and suche favor in the contre ther, that it
lithe in yowr powre to do a goode turne for yowr frende.

     Wretyn at London, the xxiiij^ti day of Februari.

                                                             Be WILLIAM PASTON.

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] It is scarcely necessary to point out that this letter
was probably written within a year after Sir John Paston’s death.

1480
FEB. 24

1480
FEB. 24