To my ryth worchepfull husbond, Jon Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryth worchepfull husbonde, I recomand me to yow. Plesyth it yow to weet þat I receyvyd yowyr letter þat ye sent me by Nycolas Colmankwode
on Sonday last past. And as for the mater þat ye desyiryd me to breke of to my cosyn Rokwode, it fortunyd so þat he came to me on Sonday to dyner sone aftyr þat I had yowyr letter; and when we had dynyd, I mevyd to hym ther of in covert termys, as Playter shall informe yow eraftyr. And as I thowt by hym, and so ded Playter also by the langwage þat he had to us, þat he wold be as feythfull as he kowd or myte be to þat good Lorde þat ye wrot of, and to yow also, in ony thynge þat he kowde or myte do in case wer þat he wer set in offyse, so þat he myth owte do; and ther to he seyd he wolde be bownde in a m li and he was so myche worthe.
As for the todyr þat ye desyiryd I scholde meve to of the same mater, me semyth he is to yonge to take ony swhyche thyngys up on hym; and also I knowe veryly þat he scholl never love feythfully the todyr man þat ye desyiryd þat he schuld do, for when he remembryth the tyme þat is paste, and ther for I spak not to hym ther-of.
Thys day was holde a gret day at Okyll befor the undyr schreve and the undyr exchetor, for the mater of Syr Jon Fastolfys londys; and ther was my cosyn Rookwod and my cosyn Jon Berney of Redham, and dyvers odyr jentylmen and thryfty men of the contre; and the mater is well sped aftyr your intent (blyssyd be God!) as ye schall have knowlage of in hast.
I suppose Playter schall be with yow on Sonday or on Monday next comyng, if he may. Ye have many good prayers of the poer pepyl þat God schuld sped yow at thys Parlement, for they leve in hope þat ye schold helpe to set a wey þat they myte leve in better pese in thys contre thane they have do befor, and þat wollys schold be purveyd for, þat they schuld not go owt of thys lond as it hathe be suffryd to do be for, and thane schall the poer pepyll more leve bettyr thane they have do by her ocwpacion ther in.
Thomas Bone hathe salde all yowyr wole her for xx d. a stone, and goode swerte fownd to yow ther for, to be payid a Myhellmas next comyng; and it is solde ryth well aftyr þat the wole was, for the moste part was ryte febyll. Item, ther be bowt for yow iij. horse at Seynt Feythys feyer, and all be trotterys, ryth fayir horse, God save hem, and they be well kepyd. Item, your myllys at Heylysdon be late [_let_] for xij. marke, and the myller to fynde the reparacion; and Rychard Calle hathe let all yowyr londys at Caster; but as for Mawtby londys, they be not let yet. Wylliam Whyte hathe payid me a geyne thys daye hys x._li._, and I have mad hym a qwetans ther of, be cause I had not hys oblygacion.
Ther is gret talkyng in thys contre of the desyir of my Lorde of York22. The pepyll reporte full worchepfully of my Lord of Warwyk. They have no fer her but þat he and othyr scholde schewe to gret favor to hem þat have be rewyllers of thys contre be for tyme.
I have done all yowyr erandys to Syr Thomas Howes þat ye wrote to me for. I ame rythe glade þat ye have sped welle in yowyr materys be twyx Syr Fylyp Wentworthe and yow, and so I pray God ye may do in all othyr materys to hys plesans. As for the wrytyngys þat ye desyirid þat Playter schulde sende yow, Rychard Call[/!RichardCal ntold me þat they wer at Herry Barborys, at the Tempyll gate.
The mayir and the mayires sent hedyr her dynerys thys day, and Jon Dame came with hem, and they dynyd her. I am beholde to hem, for they have sent to me dyvers tymys sythe ye yed hense. The meyr seyth þat ther is no jentylman in Northefolk þat he woll do more for than he wole for yow, if it laye in hys poer to do for yow. J. Perse is stylle in prisone, but he wolle not confese more thane he ded when ye wer at home. Edmond Brome was with me, and tolde me þat Perse sent for hym for to come spek with hym, and he tolde me þat he was with hym and examynyd hym, but he wold not be a knowe to hym þat he hade no knowlage wher no goode was of hys masterys more thane he hade knowlageyd to yow. He tolde me þat he sent for hym to desyir hym to labor to yow and to me for hym if ye had be at home; and he tolde me þat he seyd to hym ayen þat he wold never labor for hym as a gentleman but he myth know þat he wer trwe to hys mastyr, thow it lay in hys power to do ryth myche for hym. I suppose it schulde do none harme thow the seyd Perse wer remevyd ferther. I pray to Gode yeve grace þat the trowthe may be knowe, and þat the dede may have part of hys owne goode. And the blissyd Trinyté have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn in hast at Heylysden the Tuesday next aftyr Seynt Lwke.
Be yowyrs,
M. P.
To my ryth worchepfull husbond, Jon Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryth worchepfull husbonde, I recomand me to yow. Plesyth it yow to weet þat I receyvyd yowyr letter þat ye sent me by Nycolas Colmankwode
on Sonday last past. And as for the mater þat ye desyiryd me to breke of to my cosyn Rokwode, it fortunyd so þat he came to me on Sonday to dyner sone aftyr þat I had yowyr letter; and when we had dynyd, I mevyd to hym ther of in covert termys, as Playter shall informe yow eraftyr. And as I thowt by hym, and so ded Playter also by the langwage þat he had to us, þat he wold be as feythfull as he kowd or myte be to þat good Lorde þat ye wrot of, and to yow also, in ony thynge þat he kowde or myte do in case wer þat he wer set in offyse, so þat he myth owte do; and ther to he seyd he wolde be bownde in a m li and he was so myche worthe.
As for the todyr þat ye desyiryd I scholde meve to of the same mater, me semyth he is to yonge to take ony swhyche thyngys up on hym; and also I knowe veryly þat he scholl never love feythfully the todyr man þat ye desyiryd þat he schuld do, for when he remembryth the tyme þat is paste, and ther for I spak not to hym ther-of.
Thys day was holde a gret day at Okyll befor the undyr schreve and the undyr exchetor, for the mater of Syr Jon Fastolfys londys; and ther was my cosyn Rookwod and my cosyn Jon Berney of Redham, and dyvers odyr jentylmen and thryfty men of the contre; and the mater is well sped aftyr your intent (blyssyd be God!) as ye schall have knowlage of in hast.
I suppose Playter schall be with yow on Sonday or on Monday next comyng, if he may. Ye have many good prayers of the poer pepyl þat God schuld sped yow at thys Parlement, for they leve in hope þat ye schold helpe to set a wey þat they myte leve in better pese in thys contre thane they have do befor, and þat wollys schold be purveyd for, þat they schuld not go owt of thys lond as it hathe be suffryd to do be for, and thane schall the poer pepyll more leve bettyr thane they have do by her ocwpacion ther in.
Thomas Bone hathe salde all yowyr wole her for xx d. a stone, and goode swerte fownd to yow ther for, to be payid a Myhellmas next comyng; and it is solde ryth well aftyr þat the wole was, for the moste part was ryte febyll. Item, ther be bowt for yow iij. horse at Seynt Feythys feyer, and all be trotterys, ryth fayir horse, God save hem, and they be well kepyd. Item, your myllys at Heylysdon be late [_let_] for xij. marke, and the myller to fynde the reparacion; and Rychard Calle hathe let all yowyr londys at Caster; but as for Mawtby londys, they be not let yet. Wylliam Whyte hathe payid me a geyne thys daye hys x._li._, and I have mad hym a qwetans ther of, be cause I had not hys oblygacion.
Ther is gret talkyng in thys contre of the desyir of my Lorde of York22. The pepyll reporte full worchepfully of my Lord of Warwyk. They have no fer her but þat he and othyr scholde schewe to gret favor to hem þat have be rewyllers of thys contre be for tyme.
I have done all yowyr erandys to Syr Thomas Howes þat ye wrote to me for. I ame rythe glade þat ye have sped welle in yowyr materys be twyx Syr Fylyp Wentworthe and yow, and so I pray God ye may do in all othyr materys to hys plesans. As for the wrytyngys þat ye desyirid þat Playter schulde sende yow, Rychard Call[/!Richar Call[/!RichardCal ntold me þat they wer at Herry Barborys, at the Tempyll gate.
The mayir and the mayires sent hedyr her dynerys thys day, and Jon Dame came with hem, and they dynyd her. I am beholde to hem, for they have sent to me dyvers tymys sythe ye yed hense. The meyr seyth þat ther is no jentylman in Northefolk þat he woll do more for than he wole for yow, if it laye in hys poer to do for yow. J. Perse is stylle in prisone, but he wolle not confese more thane he ded when ye wer at home. Edmond Brome was with me, and tolde me þat Perse sent for hym for to come spek with hym, and he tolde me þat he was with hym and examynyd hym, but he wold not be a knowe to hym þat he hade no knowlage wher no goode was of hys masterys more thane he hade knowlageyd to yow. He tolde me þat he sent for hym to desyir hym to labor to yow and to me for hym if ye had be at home; and he tolde me þat he seyd to hym ayen þat he wold never labor for hym as a gentleman but he myth know þat he wer trwe to hys mastyr, thow it lay in hys power to do ryth myche for hym. I suppose it schulde do none harme thow the seyd Perse wer remevyd ferther. I pray to Gode yeve grace þat the trowthe may be knowe, and þat the dede may have part of hys owne goode. And the blissyd Trinyté have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn in hast at Heylysden the Tuesday next aftyr Seynt Lwke.
Be yowyrs,
M. P.
To my ryth worchepfull husbond, Jon Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryth worchepfull husbonde, I recomand me to yow. Plesyth it yow to weet þat I receyvyd yowyr letter þat ye sent me by Nycolas Colmankwode
on Sonday last past. And as for the mater þat ye desyiryd me to breke of to my cosyn Rokwode, it fortunyd so þat he came to me on Sonday to dyner sone aftyr þat I had yowyr letter; and when we had dynyd, I mevyd to hym ther of in covert termys, as Playter shall informe yow eraftyr. And as I thowt by hym, and so ded Playter also by the langwage þat he had to us, þat he wold be as feythfull as he kowd or myte be to þat good Lorde þat ye wrot of, and to yow also, in ony thynge þat he kowde or myte do in case wer þat he wer set in offyse, so þat he myth owte do; and ther to he seyd he wolde be bownde in a m li and he was so myche worthe.
As for the todyr þat ye desyiryd I scholde meve to of the same mater, me semyth he is to yonge to take ony swhyche thyngys up on hym; and also I knowe veryly þat he scholl never love feythfully the todyr man þat ye desyiryd þat he schuld do, for when he remembryth the tyme þat is paste, and ther for I spak not to hym ther-of.
Thys day was holde a gret day at Okyll befor the undyr schreve and the undyr exchetor, for the mater of Syr Jon Fastolfys londys; and ther was my cosyn Rookwod and my cosyn Jon Berney of Redham, and dyvers odyr jentylmen and thryfty men of the contre; and the mater is well sped aftyr your intent (blyssyd be God!) as ye schall have knowlage of in hast.
I suppose Playter schall be with yow on Sonday or on Monday next comyng, if he may. Ye have many good prayers of the poer pepyl þat God schuld sped yow at thys Parlement, for they leve in hope þat ye schold helpe to set a wey þat they myte leve in better pese in thys contre thane they have do befor, and þat wollys schold be purveyd for, þat they schuld not go owt of thys lond as it hathe be suffryd to do be for, and thane schall the poer pepyll more leve bettyr thane they have do by her ocwpacion ther in.
Thomas Bone hathe salde all yowyr wole her for xx d. a stone, and goode swerte fownd to yow ther for, to be payid a Myhellmas next comyng; and it is solde ryth well aftyr þat the wole was, for the moste part was ryte febyll. Item, ther be bowt for yow iij. horse at Seynt Feythys feyer, and all be trotterys, ryth fayir horse, God save hem, and they be well kepyd. Item, your myllys at Heylysdon be late [_let_] for xij. marke, and the myller to fynde the reparacion; and Rychard Calle hathe let all yowyr londys at Caster; but as for Mawtby londys, they be not let yet. Wylliam Whyte hathe payid me a geyne thys daye hys x._li._, and I have mad hym a qwetans ther of, be cause I had not hys oblygacion.
Ther is gret talkyng in thys contre of the desyir of my Lorde of York22. The pepyll reporte full worchepfully of my Lord of Warwyk. They have no fer her but þat he and othyr scholde schewe to gret favor to hem þat have be rewyllers of thys contre be for tyme.
I have done all yowyr erandys to Syr Thomas Howes þat ye wrote to me for. I ame rythe glade þat ye have sped welle in yowyr materys be twyx Syr Fylyp Wentworthe and yow, and so I pray God ye may do in all othyr materys to hys plesans. As for the wrytyngys þat ye desyirid þat Playter schulde sende yow, Rychard Call[/!RichardCal ntold me þat they wer at Herry Barborys, at the Tempyll gate.
The mayir and the mayires sent hedyr her dynerys thys day, and Jon Dame came with hem, and they dynyd her. I am beholde to hem, for they have sent to me dyvers tymys sythe ye yed hense. The meyr seyth þat ther is no jentylman in Northefolk þat he woll do more for than he wole for yow, if it laye in hys poer to do for yow. J. Perse is stylle in prisone, but he wolle not confese more thane he ded when ye wer at home. Edmond Brome was with me, and tolde me þat Perse sent for hym for to come spek with hym, and he tolde me þat he was with hym and examynyd hym, but he wold not be a knowe to hym þat he hade no knowlage wher no goode was of hys masterys more thane he hade knowlageyd to yow. He tolde me þat he sent for hym to desyir hym to labor to yow and to me for hym if ye had be at home; and he tolde me þat he seyd to hym ayen þat he wold never labor for hym as a gentleman but he myth know þat he wer trwe to hys mastyr, thow it lay in hys power to do ryth myche for hym. I suppose it schulde do none harme thow the seyd Perse wer remevyd ferther. I pray to Gode yeve grace þat the trowthe may be knowe, and þat the dede may have part of hys owne goode. And the blissyd Trinyté have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn in hast at Heylysden the Tuesday next aftyr Seynt Lwke.
Be yowyrs,
M. P.
To my right worchepfull husband, Jon Paston, be thys delivered in haste.
Right worchepfull husbonde, I recomand me to you. Plesyth it you to weet þat I receyvyd yowyr letter þat you sent me by Nycolas Colmankwode
on Sonday last past. And as for the matter þat you desired me to breke of to my cousin Rokwode, it fortunyd so þat he came to me on Sonday to dinner soon aftyr þat I had yowyr letter; and when we had dynyd, I mevyd to him there of in covert termys, as Playter shall informe you eraftyr. And as I thowt by him, and so ded Playter also by the langwage þat he had to us, þat he would be as feythfull as he kowd or myte be to þat good Lorde þat you wrot of, and to you also, in [any/only] thynge þat he kowde or myte do in case wer þat he wer set in offyse, so þat he myth owte do; and there to he said he would be bownde in a m li and he was so myche worthe.
As for the todyr þat you desired I scholde meve to of the same matter, me semyth he is to yonge to take [any/only] swhyche thyngys up on him; and also I knowe veryly þat he scholl never love feythfully the todyr man þat you desired þat he schuld do, for when he remembryth the time þat is paste, and there for I spoke not to him there-of.
Thys day was hold a great day at Acle before the undyr schreve and the undyr exchetor, for the matter of Syr Jon Fastolfys londys; and there was my cousin Rookwod and my cousin Jon Berney of Reedham, and dyvers odyr jentylmen and thryfty men of the contre; and the matter is well sped aftyr your intent (blessed be God!) as you schall have knowlage of in haste.
I suppose Playter schall be with you on Sonday or on Monday next coming, if he may. You have many good prayers of the poer pepyl þat God schuld sped you at thys Parlement, for they leve in hope þat you schold helpe to set a wey þat they myte leve in better pese in thys contre thane they have do before, and þat wollys schold be purveyd for, þat they schuld not go out of thys land as it hathe be suffryd to do be for, and thane schall the poer pepyll more leve bettyr thane they have do by her ocwpacion there in.
Thomas Bone hathe salde all yowyr wole her for xx d. a stone, and good swerte fownd to you there for, to be payid a Myhellmas next coming; and it is solde right well aftyr þat the wole was, for the moste part was ryte febyll. Item, there be bowt for you three. horse at Saint Feythys feyer, and all be trotterys, right fayir horse, God save hem, and they be well kepyd. Item, your myllys at Hellesdon be late [_let_] for xij. marke, and the myller to fynde the reparacion; and Rychard Calle hathe let all yowyr londys at Caister-on-Sea; but as for Mautby londys, they be not let yet. Wylliam Whyte hathe payid me a geyne thys day his ten._li._, and I have mad him a qwetans there of, be cause I had not his oblygacion.
There is great talkyng in thys contre of the desyir of my Lorde of York22. The pepyll report full worchepfully of my Lord of Warwyk. They have no far her but þat he and othyr scholde schewe to great favor to hem þat have be rewyllers of thys contre be for time.
I have done all yowyr erandys to Syr Thomas Howes þat you wrote to me for. I ame rythe glade þat you have sped well in yowyr matters be twyx Syr Fylyp Wentworthe and you, and so I pray God you may do in all othyr matters to his plesans. As for the wrytyngys þat you desyirid þat Playter schulde send you, Rychard Call[/!RichardCal ntold me þat they wer at Herry Barborys, at the Tempyll gate.
The mayir and the mayires sent hedyr her dynerys thys day, and Jon Dame came with hem, and they dynyd her. I am beholde to hem, for they have sent to me dyvers tymys sythe you yed hense. The meyr said þat there is no jentylman in Northefolk þat he will do more for than he wole for you, if it laye in his poer to do for you. J. Perse is stylle in prisone, but he will not confese more thane he ded when you wer at home. Edmond Brome was with me, and tolde me þat Perse sent for him for to come spek with him, and he tolde me þat he was with him and examynyd him, but he would not be a knowe to him þat he had no knowlage where no good was of his masterys more thane he had knowlageyd to you. He tolde me þat he sent for him to desyir him to labor to you and to me for him if you had be at home; and he tolde me þat he said to him ayen þat he would never labor for him as a gentleman unless he myth know þat he wer trwe to his mastyr, thow it lay in his power to do right myche for him. I suppose it schulde do none harme thow the said Perse wer remevyd ferther. I pray to Good you've grace þat the trowthe may be knowe, and þat the did may have part of his owne good. And the blissyd Trinyté have you in His keeping.
Written in haste at Hellesdon the Tuesday next aftyr Saint Lwke.
Be yowyrs,
M. P.
To my honoured and respected husband, John Paston, to be delivered as soon as possible.
Dearest husband, I send my best wishes to you and let you know that I received your letter that you send with Nicholas Colman last Sunday; regarding the matter you asked me to let my cousin Rookwood know about, he chanced to come on Sunday to dinner soon after I received your letter. After we had eaten I broached the subject with him in careful terms, as Playter will tell you later, and I thought, and Playter thought too, that from what he said he would be as faithful as he could or might be to that good Lord that you wrote about, and to you as well, in anything that he could or might do, if he were put in a position where he could do it; and so he said he would be bound up to 1,000 pounds, and he was worth that much.
As for the other part of the matter that you asked I should go on to, I think he is too young to take on such things, and I also know that he will never truly love the other man that you asked that he serve, when he remembers what has happened previously, and so I have not spoken to him about it.
Today was a great day at Acle in front of the Under Sheriff and the Under Escheator over the matter of Sir John Fastolf's land. My cousin Rookwood was there and my cousin John Berney of Reedham and various other gentlemen and worthy men of the county. The matter is going well as you wanted, blessed be God, as you'll soon know.
I suppose Playter will be with you next Sunday or Monday if he can. You have many prayers from poor people that God will help you in this Parliament, for they live in hope that you will help set a way that they can live in greater peace in this country than they have previously, and that the output of wool from the estates should be sold, that they should not go out of this land, as it has been necessary to do before, and then the poor people who rely on the this business will live better. Thomas Bone has sold all your wool here for 20 pence a stone and has found good guarantee for it to be paid for next Michaelmas, it sold well because the wool was for the most part very poor quality.
Three horses were bought for you at St Faith's Fair; they're all well-trained, very good horses, God save them, and they have been well kept.
Your mills at Hellesdon have been let for 12 marks, the miller to pay for repairs. Richard Calle has let all your lands at Caister, but the Mautby lands haven't been let yet. William White has paid me his ten pounds again today and I have given him a receipt as I have not had a document recording an agreement.
There is a lot of gossip around here of the ambition of my Lord of York; people speak well of my Lord of Warwick. They have no fear here except that he and others should show too great a favour to those that have previously been rulers around here.
I have done all your errands to Thomas Howes that you wrote to me about; I am pleased that things went well between Sir Philip Wentworth and you, and so I pray God that you do well in all other matters to his pleasure.
As for the writings that you wished that Playter should send to you, Richard Calle told me that they were at Harry Barber's, at the Temple Gate.
The Mayor and Mayoress came for their dinners today, and John Damme came with them, and they ate here. I am in their debt for they have been in touch many times since you left here; the Mayor says that there is no gentleman in Norfolk for whom he would do more than he would for you, if it were in his power to do it for you.
J Perse is still in prison, but he won't confess, any more than he did when you were at home. Edmund Brome was with me and told me that Perse sent for him to come and speak to him, and he told me that he was with him and questioned him, but he would not give him any more details and that he had no more knowledge where any of his master's goods were than he had told you. He told me he had sent for him to appeal to you and to me on his behalf if you were not at home, he said to him again that he would never appeal to anyone unless he was sure he knew that he was true to his master, even though it lay in his power to do much for him. I suppose it won't do any harm if the said Perse is released. I pray to God that the truth may be known, and he will learn from the experience. And the blessed Trinity look after you.
Written in haste, at Hellesdon, the first Tuesday after St Luke's Day.
By Yours,
Margaret Paston
