William Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XXX.

To my most special
      good father S^r John
      Pasto˜ Knyght.

AFT^r most humbyl wyse of recomandacion Jn my most lo-
vyngly wyse I beseche yow of y^r dayly blyssyng showyng
yow y^t I am at S^r John Fortescu place be cause they swet
so sor at Cambryg. Also I shew yow y^t M Thomas Clark
ys desessyd hows sowle god haue m^rcy Also I beseche
yow that ye wol se a remedy for the comun of snaylwel for
the bayly of Snaylwel and on of y^r fermors war w^t my tutor
and me and shevyd me y^t all the Comun shuld a be takyn
away butt for M Cotto˜ and the vecur of fordan Hom I be-
seche yow to thank fro Pamsborow be y^r most humbyl
s^ruant.

                                                                       WILLM PASTON.

           Paper Mark,
         Hand and Star.
       Pl. xxxiii. No. 10.
          Part only remains.

     Seal, A Lamb, surmounted by a W. Pl. xxxiv. No. 11.

     I have given this Letter to show the dutiful address of a young man to his
father; he was then a student at Cambridge, where lads were sent at an earlier
age than at this time, the University being then considered as more of a school,
where strict discipline was observed, and where the modes of study then in use
were kept up and enforced.

     The sweating sickness is said to have made its first appearance here amongst
    Henry VIIth’s army, when he landed at Milford Haven in 1485, and raged in
London during the autumn. It several times afterwards prevailed in this king-
dom, but the particular year in which it visited Cambridge does not appear; it
must have been between 1491 and 1495, during which years this letter must
have been written.

     William Paston, the son of Sir John and Dame Margery Paston, was born
in 1479 or 1480. He married Bridget, the daughter of Sir Henry Heydon,
about 1505. He was twice high sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, the first time
in 1518, when he was knighted, and again in 1529. In 1532, Sir William was
in the number of those noblemen and gentlemen, who attended King Henry

VIII. to his interview with Francis I. King of France, at Calais. Sir William
died at Paston, where he was buried on the 26th September, 1554.

 Autograph, Pl. xxxi. No. 23.

     The device on his seal is a lamb, surmounted by a W. perhaps a rebus for
William, that is Willamb. It might be intended for an emblem of innocence.

LETTER XXX.

To my most special Good Father, Sir John Paston, Kt.

AFTER most humble wise of recommendation, in my most
loving wise, I beseech you of your daily blessing, showing
you that I am at Sir John Fortescue’s Place, because they
sweat so sore at Cambridge.

     Also, I show you that Master Thomas Clark is deceased,
[on] whose soul God have mercy.

     Also, I beseech you that ye will see a remedy for the
Common of Snailwell, for the bailiff of Snailwell and one of
the farmers, was with my tutor and me, and showed me
that all the common should be taken away, but for Master
Cotton and the Vicar of Fordham, whom I beseech you to
thank. From Pamsborough, by your most humble servant,

                                                                     WILLIAM PASTON.

              Pamsborough,
Qy. Potesborne, in Hertfordshire.
        Between 1491 and 1495.
             7 and 11 H. vii.

     I have given this Letter to show the dutiful address of a young man to his
father; he was then a student at Cambridge, where lads were sent at an earlier
age than at this time, the University being then considered as more of a school,
where strict discipline was observed, and where the modes of study then in use
were kept up and enforced.

     The sweating sickness is said to have made its first appearance here amongst
    Henry VIIth’s army, when he landed at Milford Haven in 1485, and raged in
London during the autumn. It several times afterwards prevailed in this king-
dom, but the particular year in which it visited Cambridge does not appear; it
must have been between 1491 and 1495, during which years this letter must
have been written.

     William Paston, the son of Sir John and Dame Margery Paston, was born
in 1479 or 1480. He married Bridget, the daughter of Sir Henry Heydon,
about 1505. He was twice high sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, the first time
in 1518, when he was knighted, and again in 1529. In 1532, Sir William was
in the number of those noblemen and gentlemen, who attended King Henry

VIII. to his interview with Francis I. King of France, at Calais. Sir William
died at Paston, where he was buried on the 26th September, 1554.

 Autograph, Pl. xxxi. No. 23.

     The device on his seal is a lamb, surmounted by a W. perhaps a rebus for
William, that is Willamb. It might be intended for an emblem of innocence.

1062

WILLIAM PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To my most special good father, Ser John Paston, Knyght.

AFTER most humbyl wyse of recommandacion, in my
     most lovyngly wyse, I beseche yow of your dayly
     blyssyng, showyng yow that I am at Ser John Fortescu
place, be cause they swet so sor at Cambryge. Also I shew
yow that Mr. Thomas Clark ys desessyd, hows sowle God
have mercy.

     Also, I beseche yow that ye wol se a remedy for the comun
of Snaylwel, for the Bayly of Snaylwel and on of your fermors
war with my tutor and me, and sheuyd me that all the comun
shuld a be takyn away butt for Mr. Cotton and the Vecur of
Fordan,² hom I beseche yow to thank. Fro Pamsborow.³

                               Be your most humbyl servaunt,

                                                                              WILLIAM PASTON.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Fenn says, I cannot tell on what grounds, that this
letter must have been written between 1491 and 1495. At the earlier of these dates
the writer could not have been more than twelve years old, but as lads were sent to
the university at a much earlier age in those days than in ours, even the earlier of
these dates is not impossible. The style of the letter, however, is not boyish, and I
should have been inclined to place it a year or two later even than Fenn’s latest date,
but that there is no clear evidence to go by. The sweating sickness was prevalent in
England at different times during the reign of Henry VII.; and there is no particular
record of its visiting Cambridge.

     ² Fordham in Cambridgeshire, north of Newmarket. Snailwell lies between.

     ³ Punsborne, near Hatfield, in Hertfordshire.

About
1495 (?)