To my ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, I recomand me to you. Please it you to wyte that I was at Haylesden uppon Thersday laste passyd, and sey the place ther, and in gode feyth ther wyll no cryatur thynke how fowle and orubelly it ys arayed but yf they sey it. Ther comyth moch pepyll dayly to wonder ther uppon, both of Norwych and of other placys, and they speke shamfully therof. The Duck had be beter then a ml.li. that it had never be don; and ye have the more gode wyll of the pepyll that it ys so foylle don. And they made youre tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton, with other, to help to breke down the wallys of the place and the logge both, God knowyth full evyll ayenst ther wyllys, but that they derst no notherwysse don for ferre. I have spoken with your tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton both, and putte hem in comfort as well as I canne. The Duck ys men rensackyd the church, and bare a way all the gode that was lefte ther, both of ours and of the tenaunts, and lefte not so moch but that they stode uppon the hey awter, and ransackyd the images, and toke a way such as they myght fynd, and put a way the parson owte of the church till they had don, and ransackyd every mans hous in the towne v. or vj. tymys. And the chyff maysters of robbyng was the Baylly of Ey, the Baylly of Stradbroke, Thomas Slyford, and Porter; and Slyford was the chyff robber of the cherch, and he hath most of the robbery next the Baylly of Ey. And as for lede, bras, pewter, yren, dorys, gatys, and other stuffe of the hous, men of Coshay and Causton have it, and that thay myght not cary, thay have hewen it a sonder in the most dysspytuose wyse. Yf it myght be, I wold som men of wyrshop myght be send from the Kyng to see how it ys both ther and at the logge, or than any snowys com, that they may make report of the troth, ellys it shall not mo be seyn so playnly as it may now.
And at the reverens of God, spyde your maters nowe, for it ys to orybell a cost and trobell that we have now dayly, and most have tyll it be other wyse; and your men dar not goo abowte to geder uppe your lyfflode, and we kype here dayly more than xxx. persons for savacyon of us and the place, for, in very trowght, and the place had not be kypyd strong, the Duck had come hether. Arblaster thynketh verely that Hugh a Fen may do moch in your maters, and he thynkyth that he wole do for you faythfully, yf ye wyll, &c.
At the reverens of God, yf any wyrshypfull and profetabile mene may be take yn your maters, for sake it not in eschuyng of our trobell and gret costs and charges that we have, and may growe here after. It ys thoght here that yf my Lord of Norffolk wolld take uppon hym for you, and that he may have a comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes as hath be don to you and other in thys contray, that then all the contray wyll a wayte uppon hym, and serve your entent; for the pepyll lovyth and dredyth hym more then any other lord except the Kyng and my Lord of Warwyk, &c.
God have you in Hys kypyng, and send ous gode tydyngs from you. Wryten in haste, uppon the Sonday Seynt Symon and Jude ys Evyn.
By yours,
M. P.
To my ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, I recomand me to you. Please it you to wyte that I was at Haylesden uppon Thersday laste passyd, and sey the place ther, and in gode feyth ther wyll no cryatur thynke how fowle and orubelly it ys arayed but yf they sey it. Ther comyth moch pepyll dayly to wonder ther uppon, both of Norwych and of other placys, and they speke shamfully therof. The Duck had be beter then a ml.li. that it had never be don; and ye have the more gode wyll of the pepyll that it ys so foylle don. And they made youre tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton, with other, to help to breke down the wallys of the place and the logge both, God knowyth full evyll ayenst ther wyllys, but that they derst no notherwysse don for ferre. I have spoken with your tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton both, and putte hem in comfort as well as I canne. The Duck ys men rensackyd the church, and bare a way all the gode that was lefte ther, both of ours and of the tenaunts, and lefte not so moch but that they stode uppon the hey awter, and ransackyd the images, and toke a way such as they myght fynd, and put a way the parson owte of the church till they had don, and ransackyd every mans hous in the towne v. or vj. tymys. And the chyff maysters of robbyng was the Baylly of Ey, the Baylly of Stradbroke, Thomas Slyford, and Porter; and Slyford was the chyff robber of the cherch, and he hath most of the robbery next the Baylly of Ey. And as for lede, bras, pewter, yren, dorys, gatys, and other stuffe of the hous, men of Coshay and Causton have it, and that thay myght not cary, thay have hewen it a sonder in the most dysspytuose wyse. Yf it myght be, I wold som men of wyrshop myght be send from the Kyng to see how it ys both ther and at the logge, or than any snowys com, that they may make report of the troth, ellys it shall not mo be seyn so playnly as it may now.
And at the reverens of God, spyde your maters nowe, for it ys to orybell a cost and trobell that we have now dayly, and most have tyll it be other wyse; and your men dar not goo abowte to geder uppe your lyfflode, and we kype here dayly more than xxx. persons for savacyon of us and the place, for, in very trowght, and the place had not be kypyd strong, the Duck had come hether. Arblaster thynketh verely that Hugh a Fen may do moch in your maters, and he thynkyth that he wole do for you faythfully, yf ye wyll, &c.
At the reverens of God, yf any wyrshypfull and profetabile mene may be take yn your maters, for sake it not in eschuyng of our trobell and gret costs and charges that we have, and may growe here after. It ys thoght here that yf my Lord of Norffolk wolld take uppon hym for you, and that he may have a comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes as hath be don to you and other in thys contray, that then all the contray wyll a wayte uppon hym, and serve your entent; for the pepyll lovyth and dredyth hym more then any other lord except the Kyng and my Lord of Warwyk, &c.
God have you in Hys kypyng, and send ous gode tydyngs from you. Wryten in haste, uppon the Sonday Seynt Symon and Jude ys Evyn.
By yours,
M. P.
To my ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.
Ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, I recomand me to you. Please it you to wyte that I was at Haylesden uppon Thersday laste passyd, and sey the place ther, and in gode feyth ther wyll no cryatur thynke how fowle and orubelly it ys arayed but yf they sey it. Ther comyth moch pepyll dayly to wonder ther uppon, both of Norwych and of other placys, and they speke shamfully therof. The Duck had be beter then a ml.li. that it had never be don; and ye have the more gode wyll of the pepyll that it ys so foylle don. And they made youre tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton, with other, to help to breke down the wallys of the place and the logge both, God knowyth full evyll ayenst ther wyllys, but that they derst no notherwysse don for ferre. I have spoken with your tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton both, and putte hem in comfort as well as I canne. The Duck ys men rensackyd the church, and bare a way all the gode that was lefte ther, both of ours and of the tenaunts, and lefte not so moch but that they stode uppon the hey awter, and ransackyd the images, and toke a way such as they myght fynd, and put a way the parson owte of the church till they had don, and ransackyd every mans hous in the towne v. or vj. tymys. And the chyff maysters of robbyng was the Baylly of Ey, the Baylly of Stradbroke, Thomas Slyford, and Porter; and Slyford was the chyff robber of the cherch, and he hath most of the robbery next the Baylly of Ey. And as for lede, bras, pewter, yren, dorys, gatys, and other stuffe of the hous, men of Coshay and Causton have it, and that thay myght not cary, thay have hewen it a sonder in the most dysspytuose wyse. Yf it myght be, I wold som men of wyrshop myght be send from the Kyng to see how it ys both ther and at the logge, or than any snowys com, that they may make report of the troth, ellys it shall not mo be seyn so playnly as it may now.
And at the reverens of God, spyde your maters nowe, for it ys to orybell a cost and trobell that we have now dayly, and most have tyll it be other wyse; and your men dar not goo abowte to geder uppe your lyfflode, and we kype here dayly more than xxx. persons for savacyon of us and the place, for, in very trowght, and the place had not be kypyd strong, the Duck had come hether. Arblaster thynketh verely that Hugh a Fen may do moch in your maters, and he thynkyth that he wole do for you faythfully, yf ye wyll, &c.
At the reverens of God, yf any wyrshypfull and profetabile mene may be take yn your maters, for sake it not in eschuyng of our trobell and gret costs and charges that we have, and may growe here after. It ys thoght here that yf my Lord of Norffolk wolld take uppon hym for you, and that he may have a comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes as hath be don to you and other in thys contray, that then all the contray wyll a wayte uppon hym, and serve your entent; for the pepyll lovyth and dredyth hym more then any other lord except the Kyng and my Lord of Warwyk, &c.
God have you in Hys kypyng, and send ous gode tydyngs from you. Wryten in haste, uppon the Sonday Seynt Symon and Jude ys Evyn.
By yours,
M. P.
To my right wyrshypfull husband, John Paston, be thys delivered in haste.
Right wyrshypfull husband, I recomand me to you. Please it you to wyte that I was at Hellesdon uppon Thersday laste passed, and sey the place there, and in good faith there wyll no cryatur thynke how fowle and orubelly it is arayed but yf they sey it. There comyth moch pepyll dayly to wonder there uppon, both of Norwich and of other placys, and they speak shamfully thereof. The Duck had be beter then a thousand pounds. that it had never be done; and you have the more good wyll of the pepyll that it is so foylle done. And they made your tenauntys of Hellesdon and Drayton, with other, to help to breke down the wallys of the place and the logge both, God knows full evil ayenst there wyllys, but that they derst no notherwysse done for ferre. I have spoken with your tenauntys of Hellesdon and Drayton both, and putte hem in comfort as well as I canne. The Duck is men rensackyd the church, and bare a way all the good that was lefte there, both of ours and of the tenaunts, and lefte not so moch but that they stode uppon the hey awter, and ransackyd the images, and toke a way such as they might fynd, and put a way the parson owte of the church till they had done, and ransackyd every mans house in the towne v. or vj. tymys. And the chyff maysters of robbyng was the Baylly of Eye, the Baylly of Stradbroke, Thomas Slyford, and Porter; and Slyford was the chyff robber of the cherch, and he has most of the robbery next the Baylly of Eye. And as for lede, bras, pewter, yren, dorys, gatys, and other stuffe of the house, men of Costessey and Causton have it, and that thay might not cary, thay have hewen it a sonder in the most dysspytuose wise. Yf it might be, I would som men of wyrshop might be send from the King to see how it is both there and at the logge, or than any snowys come, that they may make report of the troth, ellys it shall not mo be say so playnly as it may now.
And at the reverens of God, spyde your maters now, for it is to orybell a cost and trobell that we have now dayly, and most have until it be other wise; and your men dar not goo abowte to geder uppe your lyfflode, and we kype [here/her] dayly more than 30 persons for savacyon of us and the place, for, in very trowght, and the place had not be kypyd strong, the Duck had come hether. Arblaster thinks verely that Hugh a Fen may do moch in your maters, and he thynkyth that he wole do for you faythfully, yf you wyll, etc..
At the reverens of God, yf any wyrshypfull and profetabile mene may be take in your maters, for sake it not in eschuyng of our trobell and great costs and charges that we have, and may grow [here/her] after. It is thoght [here/her] that yf my Lord of Norfolk willed take uppon him for you, and that he may have a comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes as has be done to you and other in thys contray, that then all the contray wyll a wayte uppon him, and serve your entent; for the pepyll lovyth and dredyth him more then any other lord except the King and my Lord of Warwyk, etc..
God have you in His kypyng, and send ous good tidings from you. Wryten in haste, uppon the Sonday Saint Symon and Jude is Evyn.
By yours,
M. P.
Dear Husband,
I was at Hellesdon last Thursday to see the place and no one seeing it would not think it a terrible sight. People come every day from Norwich and other places and they all say the same. The Duke will wish a thousand pounds that it hadn't been done and you have peoples' sympathy here. They made your tenants at Hellesdon and Drayton help break down the walls of the House and Lodge - against their wills - but they dare not refuse. I have comforted your tenants in Drayton and Hellesdon as best I can.
The Dukes' men ransacked the Church and took everything of value - both of ours and the tenants, leaving little, and they stood on the altar and ransacked the images and took away everything they could find. They threw the parson out of the church until they had finished, and ransacked all the local houses five or six times. The ringleaders were the Bailiff of Eye, the Bailiff of Stradbrooke, Thomas Sleaford - Sleaford was the chief thief in the church and he and the Bailfiff of Eye did most of the damage. As for the lead, brass, pewter, iron, doors, gates, and other stuff from the House, the men from Costessey and Cawston have taken it and what they couldn't carry they spitefully destroyed.
If it is possible, some good men need to go the King and tell him how it is both here and the Lodge - before the snows come - so they can report what is there - whilst it is still visible.
With God's reverence, hurry your affairs now, for it is a terrible cost and trouble we have every day and this will not change. Your men dare not go about their business and we are keeping 300 people for our defence - the Duke would never have attacked if we had as strong defence.
Arblaster thinks that Hugh Fenn may be of assistance and he would do so faithfully.
With God's reverence, if any good men take on your case - whatever the cost now and later. It is thought here that if Lord Norfolk took on your case, he may find out what riot and robbery has been done to you and others in this country. Then the whole country would listen to him and this will help us, for the people love and fear him my than any man other than the King and Lord Warwick.
God keep you. Send us some good news.
Written in haste on the Sunday of St Simon and St Jude
