To Ser John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Jesus
Ryght welbelovyd son, I gret yow well, and send yow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng yow wete þat I marveyle þat I have had no wrytyng from yow sethyn ye sent me þe lettyr þat ye sent me be for þe Kynges comyng to Norwych; in þe whyche lettyr ye wrot to me þat ye shuld a wretyn azeyn to me or ye shuld de part owt of London. It ys so þat yowyr hunkyll William hath do payd to my cosyn Robard Clere but iiijxx. li. of þe C li. and he wol no mor pay but yf he hath delyveraunc of my plegges, þe wych was leyd to plegg for xxti li. ; þe wych ben bettyr. I wot well, be cause of þe good well þat 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, þat yf he wold a delyveryd them, he myth an had þe 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 þe plegge in hys possessyon, tyll I have word from yow how ye ar agreyd with yowyr hunkyll for þe payment of þe seyd mony: I wen veryly þat ye have fownd hym swerte for alle, and yff ye have soo do, I wold ye shuld wryt to yowyr hunkyll therfor, þat I myth have my plegges ageyn, for I war loth þat they shuld com in hys fyngyers.
Item, as for Sporyl wood, be ffor þe Kynges comyng into Norffolk, I myth an had chapmen to abowtyd a gret for xijxx. mark, and now ther wol no man by yt a gret, bycause of þe gret good þat þe pepyll ys leyd to for þe 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 cuntre, yt cannot be sold above x d. or xj d; þat ys þe 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 Pecok but iij li.; and he seth þat be than þat þe owt chargys be boryn, and þe repracion of þe myll at Wyntyrton, we ar lyke to have but lytyll mor mony besyd þe barly. Malt ys sold her but for xiij d. and whet ij_s._ or xxvj_d._ at thys time, and otys xijd. Ther ys non owtlod suffyrd to goo owth of thys cuntre as yet; þe Kyng hath comaundyd þat ther shuld non gon owth of thys lond. I fer me þat we shall have ryth a straung ward; God a mendyd, whan Hys wyll ys. I thank yow for þe flakons þat 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 þat ye had on yowyr hey and yowyr lege; and yff God wol nowt suffyr yow to have helth, thank Hym therof, and takyt passhently, and com hom a geyn to me, and we shall lyve to geddyr, as God 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., and than I wold trost þat ye shuld do þe bettyr.
As for þe bokys þat ye desyryd to have of Syr Jamys, þe best of alle and þe fayrest ys cleymyd; ner yt ys not in hys inventory. I shall a say to get yt for yow, and I may; þe prys of þe todyr bokys, besyd that, ys xx s. vj d. þe wych I send yow a byll of. Yf ye lyk be þe 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. God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Mawdby, on þe Sattyrday nex be forn þe Purificacion of owyr Lady, þe xiiij. yer of Kyng Edward þe iiijt.
Yowyr Modyr.
Anno xiiijo.
To Ser John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Jesus
Ryght welbelovyd son, I gret yow well, and send yow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng yow wete þat I marveyle þat I have had no wrytyng from yow sethyn ye sent me þe lettyr þat ye sent me be for þe Kynges comyng to Norwych; in þe whyche lettyr ye wrot to me þat ye shuld a wretyn azeyn to me or ye shuld de part owt of London. It ys so þat yowyr hunkyll William hath do payd to my cosyn Robard Clere but iiijxx. li. of þe C li. and he wol no mor pay but yf he hath delyveraunc of my plegges, þe wych was leyd to plegg for xxti li. ; þe wych ben bettyr. I wot well, be cause of þe good well þat 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, þat yf he wold a delyveryd them, he myth an had þe 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 þe plegge in hys possessyon, tyll I have word from yow how ye ar agreyd with yowyr hunkyll for þe payment of þe seyd mony: I wen veryly þat ye have fownd hym swerte for alle, and yff ye have soo do, I wold ye shuld wryt to yowyr hunkyll therfor, þat I myth have my plegges ageyn, for I war loth þat they shuld com in hys fyngyers.
Item, as for Sporyl wood, be ffor þe Kynges comyng into Norffolk, I myth an had chapmen to abowtyd a gret for xijxx. mark, and now ther wol no man by yt a gret, bycause of þe gret good þat þe pepyll ys leyd to for þe 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 cuntre, yt cannot be sold above x d. or xj d; þat ys þe 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 Pecok but iij li.; and he seth þat be than þat þe owt chargys be boryn, and þe repracion of þe myll at Wyntyrton, we ar lyke to have but lytyll mor mony besyd þe barly. Malt ys sold her but for xiij d. and whet ij_s._ or xxvj_d._ at thys time, and otys xijd. Ther ys non owtlod suffyrd to goo owth of thys cuntre as yet; þe Kyng hath comaundyd þat ther shuld non gon owth of thys lond. I fer me þat we shall have ryth a straung ward; God a mendyd, whan Hys wyll ys. I thank yow for þe flakons þat 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 þat ye had on yowyr hey and yowyr lege; and yff God wol nowt suffyr yow to have helth, thank Hym therof, and takyt passhently, and com hom a geyn to me, and we shall lyve to geddyr, as God 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., and than I wold trost þat ye shuld do þe bettyr.
As for þe bokys þat ye desyryd to have of Syr Jamys, þe best of alle and þe fayrest ys cleymyd; ner yt ys not in hys inventory. I shall a say to get yt for yow, and I may; þe prys of þe todyr bokys, besyd that, ys xx s. vj d. þe wych I send yow a byll of. Yf ye lyk be þe 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. God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Mawdby, on þe Sattyrday nex be forn þe Purificacion of owyr Lady, þe xiiij. yer of Kyng Edward þe iiijt.
Yowyr Modyr.
Anno xiiijo.
To Ser John Paston, Knyght, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Jesus
Ryght welbelovyd son, I gret yow well, and send yow Goddes blyssyng and myn, letyng yow wete þat I marveyle þat I have had no wrytyng from yow sethyn ye sent me þe lettyr þat ye sent me be for þe Kynges comyng to Norwych; in þe whyche lettyr ye wrot to me þat ye shuld a wretyn azeyn to me or ye shuld de part owt of London. It ys so þat yowyr hunkyll William hath do payd to my cosyn Robard Clere but iiijxx. li. of þe C li. and he wol no mor pay but yf he hath delyveraunc of my plegges, þe wych was leyd to plegg for xxti li. ; þe wych ben bettyr. I wot well, be cause of þe good well þat 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, þat yf he wold a delyveryd them, he myth an had þe 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 þe plegge in hys possessyon, tyll I have word from yow how ye ar agreyd with yowyr hunkyll for þe payment of þe seyd mony: I wen veryly þat ye have fownd hym swerte for alle, and yff ye have soo do, I wold ye shuld wryt to yowyr hunkyll therfor, þat I myth have my plegges ageyn, for I war loth þat they shuld com in hys fyngyers.
Item, as for Sporyl wood, be ffor þe Kynges comyng into Norffolk, I myth an had chapmen to abowtyd a gret for xijxx. mark, and now ther wol no man by yt a gret, bycause of þe gret good þat þe pepyll ys leyd to for þe 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 cuntre, yt cannot be sold above x d. or xj d; þat ys þe 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 Pecok but iij li.; and he seth þat be than þat þe owt chargys be boryn, and þe repracion of þe myll at Wyntyrton, we ar lyke to have but lytyll mor mony besyd þe barly. Malt ys sold her but for xiij d. and whet ij_s._ or xxvj_d._ at thys time, and otys xijd. Ther ys non owtlod suffyrd to goo owth of thys cuntre as yet; þe Kyng hath comaundyd þat ther shuld non gon owth of thys lond. I fer me þat we shall have ryth a straung ward; God a mendyd, whan Hys wyll ys. I thank yow for þe flakons þat 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 þat ye had on yowyr hey and yowyr lege; and yff God wol nowt suffyr yow to have helth, thank Hym therof, and takyt passhently, and com hom a geyn to me, and we shall lyve to geddyr, as God 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., and than I wold trost þat ye shuld do þe bettyr.
As for þe bokys þat ye desyryd to have of Syr Jamys, þe best of alle and þe fayrest ys cleymyd; ner yt ys not in hys inventory. I shall a say to get yt for yow, and I may; þe prys of þe todyr bokys, besyd that, ys xx s. vj d. þe wych I send yow a byll of. Yf ye lyk be þe 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. God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Mawdby, on þe Sattyrday nex be forn þe Purificacion of owyr Lady, þe xiiij. yer of Kyng Edward þe iiijt.
Yowyr Modyr.
Anno xiiijo.
To Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delivered in haste.
Jesus
Right welbelovyd son, I great you well, and send you Goddes blessing and [mine/my], letyng you wait þat I marveyle þat I have had no wrytyng from you sethyn you sent me þe lettyr þat you sent me be for þe King's coming to Norwich; in þe which lettyr you wrot to me þat you should a written azeyn to me or you should de part out of London. It is so þat yowyr hunkyll William has do paid to my cousin Robard Clear but iiijxx. li. of þe C li. and he wol no more pay but unless he has delyveraunc of my plegges, þe wych was leyd to plegg for xxti li. ; þe wych [be/been] bettyr. I wot well, be cause of þe good well þat he owyt to me, as you know, he would [be/been] in possessyon thereof. My cousin, Robard Cler, was her with me thys weke, and told me, þat yf he would a delivered them, he myth an had þe said xx li. ; but he said he would nowt, until he had spokyn with me; be my truth I fynd him right kyndly dysposyd to you, and to me both; and so I have desired him to keep styll þe plegge in his possessyon, until I have word from you how you ar agreyd with yowyr hunkyll for þe payment of þe said money: I wen veryly þat you have fownd him swerte for all, and yff you have soo do, I would you should written to yowyr hunkyll therefore, þat I myth have my plegges again, for I war loth þat they should come in his fyngyers.
Item, as for Sporle, be ffor þe King's coming into Norfolk, I myth an had chapmen to have bought it a great for twelve score marks, 240 marks, and now there wol no man by yt a great, bycause of þe great good þat þe pepyll is leyd to for þe King; werfor we ar a both to retaylyt as well as we may, and as well as yt can be browth too; and I send you word how we shall do as astely as I may. As for yowyr barley in thys cuntre, yt cannot be sold above ten d. or xj d; þat is þe gretest prys of barley her, and but yt be at a bettyr prys, I purpose for to do yt malt. And as for money, I cowd not get yet of Pecok but three li.; and he seth þat be than þat þe out chargys be boryn, and þe repracion of þe myll at Winterton, we ar like to have but lytyll more money besyd þe barley. Malt is sold her but for xiij d. and whet two_s._ or xxvj_d._ at thys time, and otys xijd. There is no owtlod suffyrd to goo owth of thys cuntre as yet; þe King has comaundyd þat there should no gone owth of thys land. I far me þat we shall have right a straung world; God a mendyd, whan His wyll is. I thank you for þe flakons þat you sent me; they be right good, and plesyth me right well: I shall be as good an huswyff for you as I can, and as I would be for myselff. Send me word how you do of yowyr syknes þat you had on yowyr eye and yowyr lege; and yff God wol nowt suffyr you to have helth, thank Him thereof, and takyt passhently, and come hom a geyn to me, and we shall life to geddyr, as God will geve us grase to do; and as I have said to you beffor thys, I would you war delivered of my mastres A. H., and than I would trust þat you should do þe bettyr.
As for þe bokys þat you desired to have of Syr Jamys, þe best of all and þe fayrest is cleymyd; nor yt is not in his inventory. I shall a say to get yt for you, and I may; þe prys of þe todyr bokys, besyd that, is xx s. vj d. þe wych I send you a bill of. Yf you lyk be þe prys of them, and you wol have them, send me word. And also I pray you send me an ansswere of thys lettyr, be cause I thynk long seth I hard from you. God have you in His keeping.
Written at Mautby, on þe Sattyrday nex be forn þe Purificacion of owyr Lady, þe xiiij. yer of King Edward þe iiijt.
Yowyr Modyr.
Anno xiiijo.
To Sir John Paston, Knight. Deliver this quickly,
Jesus
My much-loved son, my best wishes to you. I send you God's blessings and mine, to let you know that I am surprised that I haven't had a letter from you since you sent the letter about the King coming to Norwich; in that letter you said that you would write again to me soon, before you left London. Your uncle William has paid to my cousin Robert Clere only £80 of the £100 and he won't pay any more until he has delivery of my securities, which were agreed at £20, though worth more. I know, because of the goodwill he owes to me, he wants to have these.
My cousin Robert Clere was here with me this week and told me that he could have had the other £20 but said he wouldn't until he had spoken with me. Truthfully, I find him well disposed to you, and also to me, so I have asked him to keep the securities in his possession, until I have word from you that you have agreed with your uncle about the payment of the said money. I know you have found him guarantees for all, and if you have done so, I'd like you to write to your uncle, so that I can have my securities back again, as I'd rather he didn't have them in his hands.
Now, as for Sporle Wood, before the King's coming to Norfolk, merchants would have bought the greater part of it for £160 pounds, and now no-one will buy most of it because of the large sums that the people are being charged by the King. So we are about to sell it as best we can, and for as much as can be obtained, and will let you know how we get on as quickly as I can.
As for your barley in this part of the world, it can't be sold above 10d or 11d; that's the best price for barley here and unless we get a better price, I intend to malt it. As for money, I could only get £3 from Peacock; he says that with the extra charges and the repair of the mill at Winterton we will have little money except for that from the barley. Malt is sold here for just 13d and wheat 2s or 26d at the moment and oats for 12d. There is no extra to be exported from the area yet; the King has instructed that there should be none sent. I fear that the world will be very strange; may God make it better when he chooses to.
Thank you for the large flasks you sent me; they are very good and I'm pleased with them; I shall be as good a housewife for you as I can, as good as I would be for myself. Send me word on how you are managing with your sickness – your eye and your leg problems. If God doesn't want you to regain health, thank him for it and accept it patiently, and come home again to me and we will live together as God will give us grace to do. And as I have said to you previously, I wish that you would be free of mistress AH, and then I think you would be better off.
As for the books you wanted from Sir James, the best of them has been asked for, but he doesn't have it. I shall try to get it for you if I can. The price of the other books is 20s and 6d; I enclose the bill. If you're agreeable to the price and want them, let me know. Also please send a reply to this letter, because it is so long since I heard from you. God have you in his keeping.
Written at Mautby on the Saturday before the Purification of our Lady, the 14th year of King Edward the Fourth.
Your mother,
Margaret Paston
