I wot well, be cause of the good well that he owyt to me, as ye know, he wold ben in possessyon therof. My cosyn, Robard Cler, was her with me thys weke, and told me, that yf he wold a delyveryd them, he myth an had the seyd xx_li._; but he seyd he wold nowt, tyll he had spokyn with me; be my trowth I fynd hym ryght kyndly dysposyd to yow, and to me bothe; and so I have desyryd hym to kepe styll the plegge in hys possessyon, tyll I have word from yow how ye ar agreyd with yowyr hunkyll for the payment of the seyd mony: I wen veryly that ye have fownd hym swerte for alle, and yff ye have soo do, I wold ye shuld wryt to yowyr hunkyll therfor, that I myth have my plegges ageyn, for I war loth that they shuld com in hys fyngyers.

Item, as for Sporyl wood, be ffor the Kynges comyng into Norffolk, I myth an had chapmen to abowtyd [_have bought it_] a gret [_in whole_]

for xij^xx. [_twelve score_] mark, and now ther wol no man by yt a gret, bycause of the gret good that the pepyll ys leyd to for the Kyng; werfor we ar a bowth to retaylyt as well as we may, and as well as yt can be browth too; and I send yow word how we shall do as astely as I may. As for yowyr barly in thys c.u.n.tre, yt cannot be sold above x_d._ or xj_d._; that ys the gretest prys of barly her, and but yt be at a bettyr prys, I purpose for to do yt malt. And as for mony, I cowd not get yet of Pec.o.k but iij_li._; and he seth that be than that the owt chargys be boryn, and the repracion of the myll at Wyntyrton, we ar lyke to have but lytyll mor mony besyd the barly. Malt ys sold her but for xiij_d._ and whet ij_s._ or xxvj_d._ at thys time, and otys xij_d._ Ther ys non owtlod suffyrd to goo owth of thys c.u.n.tre as yet; the Kyng hath comaundyd that ther shuld non gon owth of thys lond. I fer me that we shall have ryth a straung ward [_world_]; G.o.d a mendyd, whan Hys wyll ys. I thank yow for the flakons that ye sent me; they be ryght good, and plesyth me ryght well: I shall be as good an huswyff for yow as I can, and as I wold be for myselff. Send me word how ye doo of yowyr syknes that ye had on yowyr hey [_eye_] and yowyr lege; and yff G.o.d wol nowt suffyr yow to have helth, thank Hym therof, and takyt pa.s.shently, and com hom a geyn to me, and we shall lyve to geddyr, as G.o.d woll geve us grase to do; and as I have seyd to yow beffor thys, I wold ye war delyveryd of my mastres A. H.,[223-1] and than I wold trost that ye shuld do the bettyr.

As for the bokys that ye desyryd to have of Syr Jamys,[223-2] the best of alle and the fayrest ys cleymyd; ner yt ys not in hys inventory.

I shall a say to get yt for yow, and I may; the prys of the todyr bokys, besyd that, ys xx_s._ vj_d._ the wych I send yow a byll of. Yf ye lyk be the prys of them, and ye wol have them, send me word. And also I pray yow send me an ansswere of thys lettyr, be cause I thynk long seth I hard from yow. G.o.d have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn at Mawdby, on the Sattyrday nex be forn the Purificacion of owyr Lady, the xiiij. yer of Kyng Edward the iiij^{t}.

Yowyr Modyr.

_Endorsed_--Anno xiiij^{o}.

[Footnote 221-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[Footnote 221-2: _See_ p. 220, Note 2.]

[Footnote 223-1: Anne Haulte.]

[Footnote 223-2: Sir James Gloys.]

[[he hath delyveraunc of my plegges _spelling unchanged_]]

864

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[223-3]

_To hys brother John Paston, or to hy[s] oncle William Paston, in Werwyk Lane, or to Edmond Paston, at the George, at Powlys Wharfe, to deliver any of them._

[Sidenote: 1475 / FEB. 5]

Ryght worshypffull, I recomaunde me on to yow, letyng yow weete that I thynke longe that I heer nott from yow syns Crystmesse, ner have no serteyn knowleche whether that Towneshend hathe performyd hys promysse or nott, ner off my brother Johnys beyng at London, ner off my Lord or Lady off Norfolkes comyng to London, at whoys comyng sholde be the cheffe labor and sewte that I or or any for me sholde labor. It was soo, G.o.d thanke you bothe, that iche off yow, at my last beyng with yow, grauntyd me to take labor uppon yow; and iche off yow, for the havyng ageyn off my place in Castre. Now is it soo, that wher my verry purpose was to have comyn to London now with the Master of the Rollys[224-1] and Sir Thomas Mongomere, demyng to fynde the Kyng at the Parlement; and also that my Lorde and Lady off Norfolk sholde nott by lyklyhod fayle to be theer also: wherffor me thoght the tyme was convenyent; but it happyd so that suche tydynges come hyddre off the Frenshe Kynges hasty comyng in to thees marchys of Pykardye, whyche cawsyd my Lordes Depute and Cownsell heer to desyr and charge me soo streyghtly, that in noo wyse I maye, tyll I heer other tydynges, departe from hense. Notwithstondyng the Marchall and Counsell heer have wretyne to my Lorde Lywe tenant for me, and moor over desyryd bothe the Master of the Rollys and Sir T.

Mongomere to remembre my materes bothe to the Kynge and to my lorde, in so moche that, iff the season be convenyent, both the seyd Master and Syr T. Mongomere wille labore bothe the Kynge and my lorde to entrete my Lorde off Norffolk, my lady hys wyff, and ther consell, to do for me all that reason wyll; of whoys good willes and labor her in I ame better ensuryd off, than I kan for lakke of leyser at thys tyme wryght yowe wetyng off; wherffor I praye yow and iche of yow, iff the season be convenyent, to take the labor, that theese jentyllmen maye do for me, and to my proffyght, like as I feelle them dysposyd to doo; and moore over I have somwhatt informyd them bothe ther in; and also that I maye hastyly heer from yow, and iff it come to that any mony most be gevyn to my Lorde or Lady off Norffolk ffor a plesyr herffor, I woll, uppon as I heer from yow, come to yow in alle hast possible, all thynges leyde a parte.

Item, iff any letter be requesyth to be hadde, in lyke forme as oonys ther was from the Kyng to my Lorde off Norffolk, Sir T. Montgomere will by your advyces opteyne yow suche one off yowr entents to my proffyghte in the premyssys, and by thys my wryghtyng I bynde me to repaye yowe, iff any suche letter or wryghtyng be opteynyd, what so ever it coste. No more for lakke off leysor.

Wretyn at Caleys, the v. day of Feverer, Anno E. iiij. xiiij^{o}.

As for tydynges heer, my masteris th'emba.s.satores, Sir T. Mongomere, and the Master of the Rollys, kom streyght from the Duke at hys a.s.sege at Nywysse, whyche wyll nott yitt be wone.

Yowr JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 223-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[Footnote 224-1: John Morton, afterwards Bishop of Ely.]

[[labor and sewte that I or or any for me _text unchanged: printed at mid-line_]]

865

SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[225-1]

_To Mestresse Margret Paston, at Norwyche, be thys delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1475 / FEB. 22]

Please it yow to weete that I receyvyd a letter from yow, wretyn the Saterdaye next byffor Candelmesse; for answer wheroff, lyke it yow to weete, that as for the bokys that weer Sir James (G.o.d have hys sowle!), I thynke best that they be styll with yow, tyll that I speke with yow my selffe. My mynde is now nott most uppon bokes.

Item, as for xx_li._ that ye sey that yowr plate lythe for, it is so, that I fownde my oncle William no sewerte therffor, as Playter and my brother John bothe cowde enfforme yow; it was never desyryd of me, ner the tolde me nott that any suche pledge laye for it, but that ye hadd dyschargyd me of xx_li._ and chevysshyd it, and that ye sholde repaye it in hast; wherin I woll do as ye woll, and as it pleasyth yow to sende me wetyng.

Item, I ame sory that ye be no better payd off the xx_li._ that I had off yowe, whyche ye sholde have receyvyd ageyn off my londes in Flegge.

Iff the markett be nott goode yit, I hope it shall be better; never the lesse my wylle is that ye sholde have yowr holl xx_li._ ageyn, and not lose j_d._ Wherffor if it be so that ye be mysse servyd ther, I beseche yow off pacyence tyll the begynnyng of the next yeer, and iff aught be behynd, ye shall receyve uppe the remenaunt then, for, as G.o.d helpe me, I wolde be sory that ye lost moor for me; I have pytte yow to cost, charge, and losse i nowge, G.o.d thanke yow of it, thoughe ye lose no more. Wherffor iff Sporle woode sprynge any sylver or golde, it is my wyll that fyrst of alle ye be yowr owne payer off all that is be hynde; and next thatt, to paye myn oncle William vij^{xx}vj_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._ and besyd that, xvj_li._ lost uppon the chevysshaunce of iiij^xx._li._; and so I owe viij^{xx.}ij_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._ Wherffor I beseche yow to make hast in repayment heroff as fast as it wolle growe, as my trust is in yowe.

Item, wher it pleasyd yow to weete of myn heele and amendyng; I thanke G.o.dde I ame in goode case, and as goode a full hooll, bothe off the fevre, agwe off myn ie, myn legge, and myn heele, saff that I ame tendre off all theese; and were nott goode rewle, full like to feell off iche off them ryght soone; neverthelesse, G.o.d thanke yow off yowr large profre, wheroff I wolde be ryght gladde iff I myght, for trobles and other labor that I have takyn on me nowe in to Fraunce warde; for the goode spede off me, and that jorneye, I beseche yow of yowr preyeres and remembrance; and thatt jorney, with G.o.ddes grace, ones doon, I purpose verrely, with G.o.ddes grace, therafftre to daunce atendaunce most abowt yowr plesure and ease: and with G.o.ddes grace, soone uppon Esterne, er evyr I goo forthe, I hope to se yow, and fecche your blessynge. No moor at thys tyme, but Jesus have yow in Hys kepyng.

Wretyn at Caleys, the xxij. daye of Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti xiiij^{o}.

Yowr Sone,

JOHN PASTON, K.

_On the back of the preceding letter is written in another hand, as follows_:--

Memorandum, that Syr John Paston owthe to William Paston, acordyng to the endenture made be twex them,-- viij^{xx}ij_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._

Wheroff payable the firste day of Octobre for Townsend, C. marke.

Item, the xxvj. day off Novembre,-- iiij^{xx.}xvj_li._

[Footnote 225-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[[Item, the xxvj. day off Novembre,-- iiij^{xx.}xvj_li._ _final . missing or invisible_]]

866

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[227-1]

[Sidenote: 1475 / MARCH 5]

John Paston, I send yow G.o.dds blyssyng and myn, letyng yow wete, that I hadd non er thys lettyr than on Sent Matheus Evyn; yf I myth a had an ma.s.senger or thys tym I had sent yt yow. I con yow thank for the lettyr that ye sent to my cosyn Calthorpp and me of the tydyngs; I wold ye shuld do soo mor. As ye may remembyr that I spak to yow for the xx^ti_li._ for my cosyn Clere, spek to yowr hunkyll therof, and send me an answer therof in hast. And for the lycens that I spak to yow for, to have the Sacrement in my Chapell, yf ye cannot getyt of the Busshop of Norwych, getyt of the Busshop of Caunterbery, for that ys most swyr for all plase. G.o.d kepe yow.

Wretyn on Mydlent Sunday.

[Footnote 227-1: [From Fenn, ii. 178.] This letter was written on the back of Letter 861.]