The Paston Letters Volume V Part 65

926

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[311-1]

_To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston._

[Sidenote: 1478 / FEB. 3]

Ryght worchepfull modyr, aftyr all dwtes of humble recomendacyon, in as humble wyse as I can, I beseche yow of your dayly blyssyng. Pleasyt yow to wett that at my being now at London, lyek as ye gave me in comandment, I mevyd to Mastyr Pykenham and to Jamys Hubart for ther being at Norwyche now thys Lent, that ye myght have ther avyses in syche maters as ye let me have understandyng of. And as for Mastyr Pykenham, he is now Juge of the Archys, and also he hathe an other offyce, whyche is callyd _Auditor Causarum_, and hys besyness is so gret in bothe thes offyces that he can not tell the season when that he shall have leyser to come in to Norffolk. But I left not tyll I had gotyn Jamys Hubbart and hym togedyrs, and then I told theym your intent; and then Mastyr Pykenham told Jamys and me hys intent, and he preyed Jamys that he shold in no wyse fayle to be with yow thys Lent. Not withstandyng it was no grete nede to prey hym myche; for he told Doctore Pykenham that there was no gentyl woman in Inglond of so lytyll aqueyntance as he had with yow, that he wold be glader to be servyse on to; and myche the glader, for he purposeth fro hensforthe duryng hys lyff to be a Norffolk man, and to lye with in ii. myle of Loddon, whyche is but viij. or x. myle at the most fro Mautby. And in conclusyon he hathe appoyntyd to awayte on yow at Norwyche the weeke nexte aftyr Mydlent Sonday, all the hole weke, if nede be, all other maters leyd apart.

Also I comend with my brodyr Sir John at London of syche maters as ye wold have amendyd in the bylle that he sent on to yow, and he stake not gretly at it.

Also, modyr, I herd whyle I was in London wher was a goodly yong woman to mary, whyche was doughter to one Seff, a merser, and she shall have CC_li._ in money to hyr maryage, and xx. mark by yer of lond aftyr the dyssease of a steppe modyr of hyrs, whyche is upon l. yer of age; and or I departyd ought of London, I spak with some of the maydys frendys, and have gotyn ther good wyllys to have hyr maryd to my brodyr Edmund.

Notwithstandyng, those frendys of the maydys that I comond with avysyd me to get the good wyll of one Sturmyn, whyche is in Mastyr Pykenhamys danger[312-1] so myche that he is glad to please hym; and so I mevyd thys mater to Mastyr Pykenham. And incontinent he sent for Sturmyn, and desyred hys good wyll for my brodyr Edmund, and he grantyd hym hys good wylle, so that he koud get the good wyll of the remenaunt that wer executours to Seff, as well as the seyd Sturmyn was; and thusferforthe is the mater. Wherfor, modyr, we must beseche yow to helpe us forward with a lettyr fro yow to Mastyr Pykenham to remembyr hym for to handyll well and dylygently thys mater now thys Lent; and for I am aqueyntyd with your condycyons of old that ye reke not who endytyth more lettres than ye, ther for I have drawyn a note to yowr secretarys hand, Freir Perse, whyche lettre we must prey yow to send us by the berer herof, and I trust it shall not be longe fro Mastyr Pykenham.

Your doughter of Sweynsthorpp and hyr sojornaunt E. Paston recomandyth hem to yow in ther most humble wyse, lowly besechyng yow of your blyssyng; and as for my brodyr, Edmund Sweynsthorpe, for none intrete that hys ostas your doughtyr, nor I koud intrete hym, myght not kepe hym, but that he wold have bene at home with you at Mautby on Sonday last past at nyght; and as he was departyng fro hens, had we word fro Frenshes wyf that, G.o.d yeld yow, modyr, ye had govyn hym leve to dysporte hym her with us for a vij. or viij. dayes; and so the drevyll lost hys thank of us, and yet abode nevyr the lesse.

Your doughtyr sendyth yow part of syche poore stuff as I sent hyr fro London, besechyng yow to take it in gree, though it be lytyll plente that she sendyth yow. But as for datys, I wyll sey trowthe, ye have not so many by ij. pownd as wer ment on to yow, for she thynkys at thys season datys ryght good mete. What so ever it menyth, I prey G.o.d send us good tydynges, Whom I beseche to preserve yow and yours, and so send yow your myst desyred joye.

At Sweynsthorp, on Ashe Wednysday.

Your sone and humble servaunt,

J. PASTON.

Modyr, pleasit yow to remember that ye had need to be at Norwyche v. or vj. dayes befor that Jamys Hubbart and your consayll shall be ther with yow, for to look up your evydence and all other thynges redy. Also if ye thynk that thys bylle that I send yow herwith be good i now to send to Doctore Pykenham, ye may close up the same, and send it sealyd to me ayen, and I shall convey it forthe to hym.

[Footnote 311-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter appears from the contents to have been written after John Paston's marriage, at a time when his wife was staying at Swainsthorpe. He also apologises to his mother for his wife having detained two pounds out of a certain quant.i.ty of dates that he himself had sent to her from London by way of Swainsthorpe, as Margery thought them 'at this season right good meat,' apparently referring to her approaching confinement.]

[Footnote 312-1: _i.e._ in his debt.]

927

WILLIAM BOTONER TO SIR JOHN PASTON[313-1]

_To the Ryght worshypfull sir, Sir John Paston ch'l'r logged at the signe of the George next to Poulys Wharf; or to lefe thys letter at a barbourys house ovyr the seyd George to delyver it to Sir John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1478 / MARCH 1]

Plese yor G.o.de masterschyp to wete that I herd thys day how a man wend that a jugement ys pa.s.sed ayenst your entent yn the ende of the last terme (hyt was not of verray certeyn tolde me, but as a dreme) yn the kynges Chauncerye. I coude gefe none aunswer therto. I prai G.o.d alle be well; hyt wold ease som of your frendes hertys yff they coude understand ony G.o.de comfort. Sir, as for Robert,[314-1] I wold pray and requyre your maistershep that he may for his lernyng be abydyng with your cousyn of Lincoln Inne, as yt was promysed, and to be occupyed under drede of displesir under subjecion, wyth erly rysyng accustomed, for slouth ys the moder and norysher of all vices. He hath cost me moch goode and labour, and now he ys uppon hys makyng by vertues governance, or undoyng to the contrarye, and yn especyalle to be not conversant ne neere amongis women, as I was kept froo her [_their_] company x.x.x. yeres or ony suche were of my councelle, I thank G.o.d of yt. Sir, and ye write to me as ye l.u.s.t, let no name be wythynne wryt whens yt com, and that yt be sent by sure comer to delyver yt me, for yt ys better brent then founde.

Also your discrecion ought not loth (to take the cost and labour wolle not be gret, nether importune) for to send a man of purpose to my lord of [_sic_] Bysshop Waltham and to hys councell lerned, ye wete to whom, for redy serch to be made for the bill of half lefe of paper quant.i.te of my hand I faythfully delyvered to Master T. Danvers for to ovyrsee, of the fyrst appoyntment ye wote off, that ye desyre so hertly to see as of othyr manyfolde wrytyngis belongyng to yow and to me. Yt ys seyd yne a vers: _Gutta cavat lapidem non vi set sepe cadendo_, &c.; to a slow man or a foryetefull or lothfull man must be importune callyng allway uppon hym tille he hafe hys entent, for now thys vacacion to spede or nevyr shall stand in yow no stede. I can no ferther then the walle.

Item, Sir, I comyned wyth Doctor Yotton at Camebrygge late, because there ys no dyvyne service seyd yn the free chapelle at C.,[314-2] that he wold hafe a grete concience yn yt, and to depart wyth an honest preste called Sir John Brykkys that ys now duellyng wyth a ryzt lovyng kynnesman of yowres; the seyd Doctor gevyng me to aunsuer he wold comyn wyth yow by Pasch,[314-3] and the rather wyth your G.o.de wylle wold depart to such one ye owe affeccion unto. Sir, I wold, as I dar tak uppon me to owen your affeccion to the seyd John Brickys, that he may wyth more help of your cellary hafe the better to lyve and serfe G.o.d there to abyde and do yow service also. I mene faythfullye, and soo I pray yow take yt; to remembre a thyng in seson ys gretely to commend, and of a spedy avantage. The blessed Trinite be wyth yow. Wret the fyrst day of Marche.

Your

W. BOTONERE.

To J. P. c.[315-1] at London.

Item, I had foryete to hafe remembred your maystershyp to hafe a bille to your baylly Pec.o.k for to delyver my fermour of Tyrkbye C. or ii C.

lawre and a.s.she, and than to plant yn my tenement at Thyrkbye, or foras many ye l.u.s.t; for I lost the last waraunt that ye wrote me truly, and so I was not served.

Item, yff ye wryte to me, hyt hath nede to be by a sure comer, for I had levyr a letter be brent then lost _ne forte videant Romani_ ... and at reverence of Jhesu that my Robert lose no tyme, nether be idelle, for doubt of ymaginacions and temptacions. I trust wyth your princ.i.p.ale help to be wyth the worshypfull gentleman that made promysse to yow, &c.

[Footnote 313-1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 152.] This letter would seem to be of the year 1478. It will be seen by No. 925 that in the beginning of that year Sir John Paston wished to arrange with Dr.

Yotton to get a priest to sing in Caister.]

[Footnote 314-1: Is this Robert, son of Sir John's brother Edmund, who is mentioned in Margaret Paston's will? The will, dated 4th February 1482, will be found printed in the next volume.]

[Footnote 314-2: Caister.]

[Footnote 314-3: Easter.]

[Footnote 315-1: John Paston, Chevalier.]

[[Footnote 314-1, Gairdner's addition: This suggestion is quite a mistake.--See 'my Robert' in the PS., p. 315.]]

928

CONSTANCE REYNFORTH TO SIR JOHN PASTON[315-2]

_[To Sir] John Paston, Chevalier, be this byll delyveryd in hast._

[Sidenote: 1478 / MARCH 21]

Ryth reverent and worchepful ser, I recomend me on to yowr masterschep, effectually desyryng to here of yowr welfare and contynual prosperite; and if it ples yow to here of my pour estat, I was in good hele at the makyng of this sympyll byll. Towchyng the cause of my wrytyng to yowr masterschep is, for as moche as I poyntyd with yow to a be with yow be the day that ye asynyd me of, the wheche, with outh yowr good supportacyon, I con not well have myn entent, withouth it ple yow to send oon of yowr men to me, and I psal provyd a letter in myn unkyll name, the wheche he psall delyver to my cosyn as he were myn unkyll masagear, and be this mene I wyll come at yowr request; for my cosyn wold I psuld not depart with hym, with outh it were to myn unkyll servyse; hoys and all others I refuse for yowres, yf my sympul servyse may be to yowr plesure. And of an answer herof I beseke yow be the brynger of my byll, and I wyll conforme me to yowr en tente, be the grace of Good, the Wheche mot preserve yow at all oures.

Wretyn at Cobham, the xxj. day of Marche.

By yowr woman and sevnt,

CONSTANS REYNFORTH.

[Footnote 315-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The writer of this letter was Sir John Paston's mistress, by whom he left a natural daughter. The date is ascertained by an endors.e.m.e.nt in Sir John's own hand, 'Custaunce Raynford, anno xviij^{o}.']

929

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[316-1]

_To John Paston, Esquier, ande to Osberne Berney, and to everyche off them, be thys letter delyveryd._

[Sidenote: 1478 / MAY 5]