William Worcester to Margaret Paston

LETTER LXXI.

    To my Ryght Worshypfull
    Maistras Margyt Paston wedowe

      RYGHT worchypfull Maistras aftyr dew recomendacon
          please your gode maistrashyp to wete that J comyned
late wyth your entier welbelouyd son S^r John Paston of the fun-

dacon of my maister Fastolf Collage myght ben at Cambrygge
yn case hyt shall nat bee at Castre nether at seynt Benetts be-
cause that uniu^rsyte lyeth neere the cuntree of Norff and Suff. for
albe it my lord of Wynchestr ys disposed to found a Collage yn
Oxford for my seyd maister to be prayd for yhyt wyth moch
lesse Cost he myght make som othyr memorialle also yn Cam-

brygge And y^t weere of ij Clerkys iij or iiij scolers founded at
leest wyth the value of gode benefices and ryche p^rsonages that
myght be purschased the Adoowsons wyth moch lesse goodes
then lordshyppes or maners may And I fonde your son well
disposed to meofe and excyte my seyd lord Also now the Crist-
misse weke next before the feest att london my lord Wynchester
called me to hym yn p'sence of S^r John and desyrid hym effectu-
ally to be my gode wyller and maister wold hafe no wordes re-
hersed on my behalf And he seyd full welle wold Jhu Maistras
that my gode maist^r that was som tyme your husbond yn my seyd
maist^r Fastolf lyfe dayes as he shewed to me their coude hafe
founded yn hys hert to hafe trusted and lovyd me as my maister
Fastolf dyd And that he wold not hafe geven credence to the
malycouse c'tryved talys that Frere Br'kley W. Barker and othyrs
ymagyned ontruly savyng your reu^rence of me And now ye may
opynly ondrestand the sothe and your son S^r John also And yhyt
for all that J put neuyr my maister Fastolf lyfelode yn trouble
for alle the vnkyndnesse and cevetuse that was shewed me As I
hafe declared to the berer heroff that I know ye trust welle to whom
yn thys ye may gefe credence at thys tyme god amend J Russe.

    I wold he had ben at Irlad for one Day ys sake.

                                                                                  Yo^r

                                                                                                          W. W.

    And I thank you hertly for my pore woman she shuld Com to
you at your comaundm't late or rathe but for gelosye and mys-
demyng of peple that hafe me yn greete awayt And ye know
welle maistras better ys afrende vnknow then knowen the world
ys to mysdemyng and redy to make dyvysyon and debate that

comyth of an envyouse disposicon And J am ryght glad that
Castr ys and shall be at your comaundment and yowres yn esp?-
ialle A ryche Juelle yt ys at neede for all the cuntre yn tyme of
werre And my maist^r F. wold rather he had nevyr bylded yt
then hyt shuld be yn the goun'nce of eny sovereyn that wole op-
presse the Cuntree And I fynde the Relygyoux of seynt Benetts
full vnkynde toke Away a Chambre the elder Abbot had put me
yn possessyon for my solace when I myzt com thedr and desport
me And toke that chambre to Maist^r Iohn Smyth that S^r Thomas
Howys seyd to me was none holsom counceller yn the reforma-
con of the last testam't made but ij executo's to hase the rule
allone J wold he had nevyr medled of yt that councell made
moch trouble I pray you kepe thys lett^r close to your sylf as I
trust you and S^r Jamys and also yn R. Toly that I vndrestand
hym close and just I had no tyme to speke w^tyn now late when
I was but one day at Norwych W. B'rker sclaundred me yn cer-
teyn mat's of gode to the some of v^c m'rk that Reynold Har-
neys shuld kepe and take me half wold Ihu Brker had seyd true
hyt myzt hafe do me moch gode And maistras as I dar desyre
you I p'y you rec'maund me to my best maistras your moder
Agnes for she fauorued me and dyd me grete cherytee to be the
better disposed to hyr son Maist^r Iohn And by my soule yt made
me the hertyer to safe the lyfelode from trouble or from claymes
as I support me to alle the world I put nevyr maner ne lyfelode
of my Maist^r Fastolf yn trouble ne entitled no crettur to na place
and ye may speke wyth hyr herof when ye be allone.

    The various matter treated of in this Letter gives it a claim to be inserted in this col-
lection, especially as it discovers the characters and views of many persons mentioned in
this work.

    It has no date, nor can we clearly ascertain how long after 1466 it must have been
written; 'tis probable not a great while.

 William Wainfleet, the founder of Magdalen College, in Oxford, was at this time
Bishop of Winchester, his partiality for this University is therefore easily to be account-
ed or.

    Autograph. P1. II. N^o 24.

                        9 by 3 1/2

LETTER LXXI.

To my right worshipful Mistress, Margaret Paston, Widow.

     RIGHT worshipful Mistress, after due recommendation,
        please your good mistresship to weet that I communed late
with your entirely well-beloved son, Sir John Paston, if the
foundation of my Master Fastolf's College might be at Cam-
bridge, in case it shall not be at Caister, neither at Saint Benet's,
because that University lieth near the country of Norfolk and
Suffolk; for all be it, my Lord of Winchester is disposed to
found a College in Oxford for my said Master to be prayed for,
yet with much less cost he might make some other memorial
also in Cambridge, and (if) it were of two Clerke and three or
four scholars, founded at least with the value of good Benefices
and rich Parsonages, that might be purchased the advowsons,
with much less goods than Lordships or manors may; and I
found your son well disposed to move and excite my said Lord.

Also now the Christmas week next before the feast at London,
my Lord Winchester called me to him in presence of Sir John,
and desired him effectually to be my good willer; and Master
would have no words rehearsed on my behalf, and he said, full
well would Jesu, Mistress, that my good Master that was some
time your Husband, in my said Master Fastolf's life days, as he
shewed to me, then could have found in his heart to have trusted
and loved me as my Master Fastolf did, and that he would not
have given credence to the maliciously contrived tales that Friar
Brackley, W. Barker and other imagined untruly, saving your
reverence, of me. And now ye may openly understand the soothe,
and your son Sir John also; and yet for all that I put never my
Master Fastolf's livelihood in trouble, for all the unkindness and
covetousness that was shewed me, as I have declared to the bearer
hereof, that I know ye trust well, to whom in this ye may give
credence at this time.

    God amend J. Russ, I would he had been at Ireland for one
day's sake.

                                              Your

                                                          WILLIAM WORCESTER.

    And I thank you heartily for my poor woman, she should come
to you at your commandment the or rathe (early), but for jea-
lousy or misdeeming or people that have me in great await (that
mean to do me mischief); and ye know well, Mistress, better is a
friend unknown than know; the world is so misdeeming and
ready to make division and debate that cometh of an envious dis-

position. And I am right glad that Caister is and shall be at your
commandment, and yours in especial, a rich jewel it is at need
for all the country in time of war; and my Master Fastolf would
rather he had never builded it, than it should be in the gover-
nance of any sovereign that will oppress the country. And I find
the religious of Saint Benet's full unkind took away a chamber
the elder Abbot had put me in possession for my solace, when I
might come thither and desport me, and took that chamber to
Master John Smyth, that Sir Thomas Howys said to me, was
none wholesome counseller in the reformation of the last testa-
ment made but two Executors to have the rule alone, I would he
had never meddled of it, that counsel made much trouble; I pray
you keep this Letter close to yourself, as I trust you and Sir
James, and also in R. Toly, that I understand him close and just.

    I had no time to speak within now late, when I was but one
day at Norwich, W. Barker slandered me in certain matters of
good to the sum of 500 marks (333l. 6s. 8d.) that Reynold Har-
neys should keep and take one half; would Jesu Barker had said
true, it might have done me much good; and mistress as I dare
desire you, I pray you recommend me to my best Mistress, your
Mother Agnes, for she favoured me and did me great charity,
to be the better disposed to her Son Master John, and by my soul
it made me the heartier to save the livelihood from trouble or
from claims, as I report me to all the world, I put never manor
nor livelihood of my Master Fastolf's in trouble, nor entitled no
creature to no place, and ye may speak to her hereof when yo
be alone.

The various matter treated of in this Letter gives it a claim to be inserted in this col-
lection, especially as it discovers the characters and views of many persons mentioned in
this work.

    It has no date, nor can we clearly ascertain how long after 1466 it must have been
written; 'tis probable not a great while.

 William Wainfleet, the founder of Magdalen College, in Oxford, was at this time
Bishop of Winchester, his partiality for this University is therefore easily to be account-
ed or.

    Autograph. P1. II. N^o 24.

                        After 1466. 6 E. IV.

681

WILLIAM WORCESTER TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my ryght worshypfull maistras, Margyt Paston,
wedowe.

RYGHT worchypfull maistras, aftyr dew recomendacion,
     please your gode maistrasshyp to wete that I comyned
     late wyth your entier welbelovyd son, Sir John Paston,
of the fundacion of my Maister Fastolf Collage myght ben at
Cambrygge, yn case hyt shall nat bee at Castre, nether at Seynt
Benetts, because that Universyte lyeth neere the cuntree or
Norffolk and Suffolk; for albe it my Lord of Wynchestr ys
disposed to found a Collage yn Oxford for my seyd maister to
be prayd for, yhyt wyth moch lesse cost he myght make som
othyr memorialle also yn Cambrygge, and yt weere of ij. clerkys,
iij. or iiij. scolers, founded at leest wyth the value of gode
benefices and ryche parsonages, that myght be purschased the
advowsons, wyth moch lesse goodes then lordshyppes or maners
may; and I fonde your son well disposed to meofe and excyte
my seyd Lord. Also now the Cristmasse weke next before the
feest att London, my Lord Wynchester called me to hym yn
presence of Sir John, and desyrid hym effectually to be my
gode wyller; and maister wold hafe no wordes rehersed on my
behalf, and he seyd full welle. Wold Jesu, Maistras, that my
gode maister that was som tyme your husbond, yn my seyd
Maister Fastolf lyfe dayes, as he shewed to me, their coude hafe
founded yn hys hert to hafe trusted and lovyd me as my
Maister Fastolf dyd, and that he wold not hafe geven credence
to the malyciouse contryved talys that Frere Brakley, W.
Barker, and othyrs ymagyned ontruly, savyng your reverence,
of me. And now ye may opynly ondrestand the sothe, and
your son Sir John also; and yhyt for all that I put nevyr my
Maister Fastolf lyfelode yn trouble, for alle the unkyndnesse
and covetuse that was shewed me, as I hafe declared to the
berer heroff, that I know ye trust welle, to whom yn thys ye
may gefe credence at thys tyme.

     God amend J. Russe. I wold he had ben at Irland for one
day ys sake.

                                              Your,                                   W. W.

     And I thank you hertly for my pore woman, she shuld
com to you at your commaundment late or rathe, but for
gelosye and mysdemyng of peple that hafe me yn greete
awayt; and ye know welle, maistras, better ys afrende unknow
then knowen; the world ys to mysdemyng and redy to make
dyvysyon and debate that comyth of an envyouse disposicion.
And I am ryght glad that Castr ys and shall be at your
comaundment, and yowres yn especialle. A ryche juelle yt ys
at neede for all the cuntre yn tyme of werre; and my Maister F.
wold rather he had nevyr bylded yt then hyt shuld be yn the
gouvernaunce of eny sovereyn that wole oppresse the cuntree.
And I fynde the relygyoux of Seynt Benetts full unkynde toke
away a chambre, the elder Abbot had put me yn possessyon
for my solace, when I myzt com thedr and desport me, and
toke that chambre to Maister John Smyth, that Sir Thomas
Howys seyd to me, was none holsom counceller yn the refor-
macion of the last testament made but ij. executors to hafe the
rule allone. I wold he had nevyr medled of yt, that councell
made moch trouble. I pray you kepe thys letter close to your
sylf, as I trust you and Sir Jamys, and also yn R. Toly that I
undrestand hym close and just.

     I had no tyme to speke withyn now late, when I was but
one day at Norwych. W. Barker sclaundred me yn certeyn
maters of gode to the some of v^c. mark that Reynold Harneys
shuld kepe and take me half. Wold Jesu B[a]rker had seyd
true, hyt myzt hafe do me moch gode! And, Maistras, as I
dar desyre you, I pray you recomaund me to my best maistras,
your moder Agnes, for she favorued me and dyd me grete
cherytee, to be the better disposed to hyr son, Maister John,
and by my soule yt made me the hertyer to safe the lyfelode
fro trouble or from claymes, as I support me to alle the world,
I put nevyr maner ne lyfelode of my Maister Fastolf yn trouble,
ne entitled no crettur to na place, and ye may speke wyth hyr
herof when ye be allone.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 280.] It seems probable that this letter was written about the
beginning of the year 1468. As to the time of year, we may judge by one expression
that it was not very long after Christmas; and as the writer congratulates Margaret
Paston that Caister is to be at her command, we may with great probability suppose
the date to be about the same as that of the preceding document.

1468(?)

1468(?)

1468(?)