Vn-to my ryght welbelouyd Voluntyn ^John ^Paston, squyer, be @is bill + delyuered, &c. Ryght reuerent and wurschypfull and my ryght welebeloued Voluntyne, I recommande me vn-to yowe full hertely, desyring to here of yowr welefare, whech I beseche Almyghty God long for to preserve vn-to hys plesure and \owr hertys desyre. And yf it please \owe to here of my welefare, I am not in good heele of body ner of herte, nor schall be tyll I here from yowe; For @er wottys no creature what peyn @at I endure, And for to be deede I dare it not dyscure. And my lady my moder hath labored @e mater to my fadure full delygently, but sche can no more gete @en \e knowe of, for @e whech God knowyth I am full sory. But yf that \e loffe me, as I tryste verely that \e do, \e will not leffe me @erfor; for if @at \e hade not halfe @e lyvelode @at \e hafe, for to do @e grettyst labure @at any woman on lyve myght, I wold not forsake \owe. And yf \e commande me to kepe me true where-euer I go Iwyse I will do all my myght \owe to love and neuer no mo. And yf my freendys say @at I do amys, @ei schal not me let so for to do, Myn herte me byddys euer more to love \owe Truly ouer all erthely thing. And yf @ei be neuer so wroth, I tryst it schall be bettur in tyme commyng. No more to yowe at this tyme, but the Holy Trinite* hafe \owe in kepyng. And I besech \owe @at this bill be not seyn of non erthely creature safe only \our-selfe, &c. And thys lettur was jndyte at %^Topcroft wyth full heuy herte, &c. Be \our own ^M. ^B. To my ryght welebelouyd cosyn ^John ^Paston, swyere, be this lettur + delyueryd, &c. Ryght wurschypffull and welebelouyd Volentyne, in my moste vmble wyse I recommande me vn-to yowe, &c. And hertely I thanke yowe for @e letture whech that \e sende me be ^John ^Bekurton, wherby I vndyrstonde and knowe @at \e be purposyd to com to %^Topcroft in schorte tyme, and wyth-owte any erand or mater but only to hafe a conclusyon of @e mater betwyx my fadur and \owe. I wolde be most glad of any creature on lyve so @at the mater myght growe to effect. And ther as \e say, and \e com and fynde @e mater no more toward @en \e dyd afortyme \e wold no more put my fadur and my lady my moder to no cost ner besenesse for @at cause a good wyle afture, weche causyth myn herte to be full hevy; and yf @at \e com and the mater take to non effecte, @en schuld I be meche more sory and full of heuynesse. And as for my-selfe, I hafe don and vndyrstond in the mater @at I can or may, as Good knowyth. And I lete yowe pleynly vndyrstond @at my fader wyll no more money parte wyth-all in that behalfe but an c li. and l marke, whech is ryght far fro the acomplyshment of \owr desyre. Wherfor, yf @at \e cowde be content wyth @at good and my por persone, I wold be @e meryest mayden on grounde. And yf \e thynke not \owr-selfe so satysfyed, or @at \e myght hafe mech more good, as I hafe vndyrstonde be \owe afor, good, trewe, and lovyng Volentyne, @at \e take no such labure vppon \owe as to com more for @at mater; but let it passe, and neuer more to be spokyn of, as I may be \owr trewe louer and bedewoman duryng my lyfe. No more vn-to yowe at thys tyme, but Almyghty ^Iesus preserve \owe bothe body and sowle, &c. Be \our Voluntyne ^Mergery ^Brews To my right worshipful master ^John ^Paston, in haste. Right reuer[e]nt and worshipfull ser, in my moste vmble vice I recomaunde me vnto yow as lowly as I can, &c. Plese yow to wete ^John ^Howes, ^Alexander ^Qwharteyn, ^John ^Fille, wyth the parson and the newe myller of %^Marlyngforth, haue goten ^Thom at %^Welles carte of %^Estetodenham, fermor to myn vncle ^William ^Paston, ^Herry ^Herby of %^Meelton %^Magna, fermour and baly to my seide vncle, ^Richard ^Barkers carte of the seide towne of %^Meelton, late fermour and yette is in daunger to my seide vncle, and ^William ^Smythes carte of %^Brandon iuxta %^Bernham %^Broom, late fermour and baly and also in daunger to my seide vncle, on Monday and Twesday last past caryed awey from %^Merlyngforth in-to the place at Seint ^Edmondes in %^Norwich xij of your greete plankes, of the weche they made vj loodes, beryng a-bowte the seide cartes bowes and gleves for feere of takyng a-wey. Ser, as for your tenauntes of %^Marlyngforth, they wythholde her catell and hem-selfe bothe from the coorte and come not wythin the lordship nor make noon attornment, exept ^Thom ^Davy and ^John ^Water, weche absentyng of the tenauntes is to them a greet hurt and los for lak of sedyng of ther londes wyth ther wynter corn; besechyng you for Godes sake to remembre som remedy for them. My Lady ^Caltorp hath ben at %^Geppeswich on pilgry-mache, and came homward be my lady of %^Norffolk, and ther was moche cominicacion of your mater be-twix you and myn vncle, seyng to my Lady ^Caltorp ye nede not a go to %^London, ye myght haue had an ende at home, rememberyng to my seid Lady ^Caltorp of the mocion that he made towchyng the maner of %^Sporle, promyttyng to my lady to a-bide @at and to write and seale as largely as any man wol desire hym; and at hes departyng from my lady he was not mery, what the cauce was I wot not. My Lady ^Calthorp desireth me to write to yow to haue ende, for he intendes largely to haue a peace wyth you, as he seth, but truste hym not to moche for he is not goode. My mother in lawe thynketh longe she here no word from you. She is in goode heele, blissed be God, and al your babees also. I mervel I here no word from you, weche greveth me ful evele. I sent you a letter be ^Brasiour sone of %^Norwiche, wher-of I here no word. No more to you at this tyme, but Almyghty ^Jesu haue you in hes blissed kepyng. Wreten at %^Norwich on Allowmes Day at nyght. Be yowre seruaunt and bedewoman ^Margery ^Paston Ser, I prey you if ye tary longe at %^London @at it wil plese [you] to send for me, for I thynke longe sen I lay in your armes. To my ryght wurchupfull mayster ^John ^Paston, esquyer, be this letter delyuerd + in hast. Myne owyn swete hert, jn my most humyl wyse I recomaund me on-to you, desyryng hertly to here of youre welfar, the wheche I beseche Allemyghty God preserue and kepe to his pleser and youre hertys desyer. Sere, the cause of my wrytyng to you at this tyme: on Friday att nyght last past come ^Alexander ^Wharton, ^John ^Hous, and ^John ^Fylle, wyth ij good cartys well mannyd and horsyd wyth hem, to %^Marlyngford, and there at @e maner of %^Marlyngford and at the mille lodyn bothe cartys wyth mestlyon and whete, and betymys on Saturday in the mornyng they departyd fro %^Marlyngford towardys %^Bongey, as it is seyd; for the seyd cartys come fro %^Bongey, as I soppose by the sendyng of ^Bryon, for he goth hastyly ouer @e se, as it is seyd, and as I suppose he wyll haue the mestlyon ouer wyth hym, for the most part of the cart loodys was mestlyon, &c. Item, ser, on Saturday last past I spacke wyth my cosyn ^Gornay, and he seyd if I wold goo to my lady of %^Norffolk and besech hyr good grace to be youre good and gracyous lady, she wold so be; for he seyd that on word of a woman shuld do more than the wordys of xx men, yiffe I coude rewyll my tonge and speke non harme of myn vnkyll. And if ye comaund me for to do, I trist I shuld sey nothyng to my ladys displesure, but to youre profyt; for me thynkyth by the wordys of them, and of youre good fermore of %^Oxned, that they wyll sone drawe to an ende; for he cursyth the tyme that euer he come in the ferme of %^Oxned, for he seyth @at he wotyth well that he shall haue a grette losse, and yet he wyll not be aknowyn wheder he hathe payd or nought; but whan he seth his tyme he wyll sey trowth. I vnderstond by my seyd cosyn ^Gornay that my lady is nere wery of hyr parte, and he seyth my lady shal come on pylgremage in-to this towne, but he knowyth not wheder afore Cristmes or aftyr; and if I wold thanne gete my Lady ^Calthorpe, my moder in lawe, and my moder and my-selfe, and come before my lady besychyng hyr to be youre good and gracyous lady, he thynkyth ye shull haue an ende, for fayne she wold be redde of it, wyth hyr onowre sauyd, but yette money she wold haue. Nomore to you at this tyme, butte I mervell sore that I haue no letter from you. I prey God preserve you and send me good tydyngys from you, and spede you well in youre materys. And as for me, I haue gotyn me anothyr logyn felawe; the ferst letter of hyr name is Mastras ^Byschoppe. She recomaundyth hyr to you by the same tokyn that ye wold haue had a tokyn to my mayster ^Bryon. Att %^Norwych the Sonday next after the fest of All Seyntys. Be yowre seruaunt and bedewoman ^Margery ^Paston To my mastyr ^John ^Paston be this delyvird. Ryght reuerent and wortschepfull syre, jn my most vmbill weysse I recomaunde me to you, desyryng to here of your welfare, the wytche I beseche God to preserve to his plesur and to your hartys desyir. Syr, I thank you for the venyson that ye sent me. And youre schepe is seylyd owte of @e havene as this daye. Syr, I send you be my brodyr ^Wyllem your stomachere of damaske. As for youre teppet of velvet, it is not here; ^An seythe that ye put yt jn your casket at %^London. Syr, your chyldryn be jn goode helle, bellsside be God. Syr, I prey you sende me the gowild that I spak to you of be the nexst man that comythe to norwytche. Syr, your mast that laye at %^Yermowythe is letyn to a scheppe of %^Hull for xiij s. iiij d.; and if ther fawyll ony hurt ther-to ye schall have a new mast ther-for. No mor to you at this tyme, but Almyty God have you in his kepyng. Wretyn at %^Castyr %^Hawill the xxj daye of Janeuer jn the furst yere of Kyng ^Harry the vijth. Be your seruaunt ^Margery ^Paston I prey God no ladyis no more ovyr-com you that ye geve no lenggar respyt jn your materys. To my rygth wurchypful maystyr Syr ^John ^Paston, knyth, @is lettyr be + delyveryd in hast. Rygth reuerent and worchypfull syr, in @e most owmble wyse I recomand me vn-to yow, desyryng to here of yowre welfare, @e qwech ^God long contynew. Syr, myn brodyr ^Wyllyam recomawnd hym on-to yow, and as for @e lettyr @at \e sent on-to hym, he hath schewyd my lord @e entent @er-off and he thynkyth hym-self @at it is no part of hys dute* to have any part of @e fysch ore any mony @at schuld grow @er-of. Never @e lasse my lord, acordyng as yowre desyre was in @e letter, had qwestyond ^John a ^Lowe of thys fych, a-for @e comyng of ^John ^Danyel, what he had doon wyth-all, and he aunswerd as for @e nedyre chavyll @er-of he had put it in sewrte* and leyd it in a howse be-cawse yowre debyte* seasyd it to my lordys vse tyll it myth be vndyrstond wedyre @e propyrte* ware in @e Kyng or in my lord. And so my lord held hym well content it schud be so, in so moch as @e Kyng and my lord have comawndyd ^John a ^Lowe @at thys forsayd chavyll schuld be browth vp to @e Kyng in all goodly hast. Fardermore my brodyr ^Wyllyam perseyvyd be yowre wrytyng @at ye cowd make @e remnawnth of @e fych worth iiij li. to my lord. My lord wold \e schuld not trobyll yowre-self no more wyth-all be-cawse he thynkyth @at @e propyrte* is not in hym. And also an odyre, my brodyre ^Wyllyam heryth sey in @e corte @at @e Kyng and my lord be content @at @e remenavnt of @e fych be to @e vse of them of @e cuntre*, @e wech \e schall here @e more serteyn @er-of here-after. Also my broder ^Wyllyam seyth @at my lord wyllyd yow @at \e schuld send @e retorne of @e comyscion as hastyly as \e can, and mervell @at \e hath not sent it vp or thys. As tovardys @e brekyng vp of @e parlement, many lykelywoodys @er be @at it schuld contynew no wyle, and thes be they. My lord @e Archebyschop of %^Yorke departyd as \ysterday, and my lord of %^Northethomyrlond schall goo as on Fryday, and also all schuch folkys as schall goo in-to %^Breten schall be at %^Portysmowth on Satyrday cum forthnyth, and @e Munday after on see bord, at wech seassun @e Kyng intentyd to be @er to take @e mustyrs. And as for thos jantylmen that toke schippyng to a gon over in-to %^Breten vp-on a fortnyth a-goo, @at is to sey Syr ^Richard ^Egecum @e cowntrollere, Syr ^Roberd ^Clyfford, Syr ^John ^Trobylvyll, and ^Johon ^Motton, sariant porter, be a-ryvyd a-geyn vp-on @e cost of %^Yngland, save all-only Syr ^Richard ^Egecum wech londyd in %^Breten and @er was in a towne callyd %^Morleys, wech a-non vp-on hys comyng was besegyd wyth @e Frenchmen, and so skapyd hardly wyth hys lyff; @e wech towne @e Frenchemen have gotyn, and also @e towne callyd %^Breest, how-be-it @e castell holdyth as we here say. And @er be apoyntyd serteyn captens as thys seasun, wech be Lord ^Bruke, Syr ^John ^Cheney, Syr ^John of %^Arundell, Syr ^John ^Becham, Syr ^John ^Gray, myn broder ^Awdley, myn vnkyll Syr ^Gylberd ^Debnam, and ^Thomas ^Stafford and many odyr knytys and esqwyrys. And, syr, I thanke yow for @e lettyr @at \e sent me. Also, syr, I have fulfyllyd myn pylgremage, thanke-it be God. Also, syr, we vndyrstond @at it is anactyd of euery x merke of mevable goodys xxd. to @e Kyng, be-syd @e tennyth of euery mannys londys. And, syr, my brodyre ^Heydon schall send yow @e serteyn of all odyre thyngys grawntyd at thys parlement, for he hath cawsed ^John ^Danyell to tery all thys day for hys letter, be-cawse he was wyth @e Kyng at %^Westmestre @at he myth not entend to wryth it tyl nyth. Also, syr, Master ^Calthorp hath payd j c merke to @e Kyng. Also, syr, I have delyuerd @e x li. to Master ^Hawes and reseywyd of hym @e oblygacion. Also I have delyuerd @e xxti merke to ^Edmund ^Dorman be my brodyr ^Heydons comawndment. No more to yow at thys tyme, but God and @e Holy Trinyte* have yow in here kepyng; and myn syster ^Anne wyth all @e company recomawnd hem on-to yow. Wretyn at %^London @e x day of Februare. Be yowre seruaunt ^Margery ^Paston To his worchypfull [[m]]oder ^Margaret ^Paston, [[d]]wellyng in %^Mawtby, [[b]]e + @is letter delyveryd in hast. Rytgh reverent and worchypfull moder, I recomavnd me on-to yowre good moderchypp, besechyng yow to geve me yowre dayly benedyiccyon, desyeryng hartyly to heere of yowre prosperyte*, whych God preserve to hys plesure and to yowre hartys desyyre, &c. I marvel soore that yow sent me noo word of the letter wych I sent to yow by Master ^Wylliam ^Brown at Ester. I sent yow word that tym that I xold send yow myn exspenses partyculerely, but as at thys tym the berare here-of had a letter sodenly that he xold com hom, and there-fore I kowd have noo leysure to send them yow on that wys; and there-fore I xall wryt to yow in thys letter the hool som of my exspenses sythyns I was wyth yow tyll Ester last paste, and also the reseytys, rekenyng the xx s. that I had of yow to %^Oxon. wardys, wyth the Buschopys fyndyng. The hool som of reseytys ys v li. xvij s. vj d., and the holl som of exspenses ys vj li. v s. v d. ob. qua.; and that comth over the reseytys in my exspenses I have borowd of Master ^Edmund, and yt drawyth to viij s., and yet I recon non exspenses sythyns Ester; but as fore them they be not grete. And there-fore I besech yow to send me mony by Syre ^Richard ^Cotman, brynger of thys letter, ore ellys by the next masenger that yow kan have to me. I besech yow that he that I sent by thys letter to yow may have good schere yf he bryng yt hym-selfe, as he telth me that he woll, fore he ys a good lover of myn. Master ^Edmund ^Alyard recomavnd hym specyaly to yow, and to all my brodyrn and systyrs and to all yowre howsold, and I besech yow that I may be recomavndyt to all them also, and specyaly to my brodyre ^John @e yonger. No more to yow at thys tym, but Allmythy ^Iesus have yow in hys kepyng, amen. Wretyn at %^Oxonforth on Seynt ^Dunstonys Day and @e xix day of May. By yowre soun and scolere ^Walter ^Paston To hys ryth reverend broder Ser ^John ^Paston at %^Caster %^Hall in %^Norfolk. After all dw reverens and recomendacions, likyth yt yow to vnderstond that I reseyvyd a letter fro my broder ^John wher-by I vnderstod that my moder and yow wold know what @e costys of my procedyng schold be. I sent a letter to my broder ^John certyfyyng my costys and @e causys why that I wold procede; but as I have sent word to my moder I purpose to tary now tyll yt be Mychylmas, for yf I tary tyll than sum of my costys schall be payyd for. I supposed whan that I sent @e letter to my broder ^John that @e ^Qwenys broder schold have procedyd at Mydsomer, but he woll tary now tyll Michylmas; but, as I send word to my moder, I wold be inceptor be-for Mydsomer, and ther-for I besechyd her to send me sum mony, fore yt woll be sum cost to me, but not mych. And, Syr, I besech yow to send me word what answer ye have of @e Buschopp of %^Wynchester for that mater whyche ye spak to hym of for me whan I was wyth yow at %^London. I thowth fore to have had word ther-of or thys tym. I wold yt wold com, for owr fyndyng of @e Buschopp of %^Norwych begynnyth to be slake in payment. And yf ye know not whath thys term menyth, 'inceptor', Master ^Edmund, that was my rewlere at %^Oxforth, berar her-of, kan tell yow, or ellys any oder gradwat. Also I pray yow send me word what ys do wyth @e hors I left at %^Totnam, and whyder @e man be content that I had yt of or nat. ^Iesu preserve yow to hys pleswr and to yowr most hartys desyyr. Wretyn at %^Oxforth @e Saturday next after Ascensyon of Owr Lord. ^Walter ^Paston To hys ryth trusty and hartyly belovyd broder ^John ^Paston, abydyng at @e + Georg at Powlys Qwharfe in %^London, be @is letter delyueryd. Rygth worchypfull and hartyly belovyd broder, I recomaund me on-to yow, desyeryng feythfoly to here of yowr prosperyte*, qwhych God preserve; thankyng yow of dyverse letterys that yow sent me. In the last letter that yow sent to me ye wryt that yow schold have wryt in the letter that yow sent by Master ^Brown how that I schold send yow word what tym that I schold procede; but there was non such wrytyng in that letter. The letter is yet to schew, and yf yow com to %^Oxon. ye schal see the letter, and all the leterys that yow sent me sythynnys I cam to %^Oxon. And also Master ^Brown had that sam tym mysch mony in a bage, so that he durst nat bryng yt wyth hym, and that sam letter was in that sam bage, and he had for-gete to take owt the letter, and he sent all to-geder by %^London; so that yt was @e next day after that I was maad bachylere ore than @e letter cam, and so @e fawt was not in me. And yf ye wyl know what day I was maad baschylere, I was maad on Fryday was sevynyth, and I mad my fest on the Munday after. I was promysyd venyson a-geyn my fest of my Lady ^Harcort and of a-noder man to, but I was deseyvyd of both; but my gestys hewld them plesyd wyth such mete as they had, blyssyd be God, hoo have yow in hys kepyng, amen. Wretyn at %^Oxon. on the Wedenys-day next after Seynt ^Peter. ^W. ^Paston [[$v]]ltima $voluntas ^Walteri ^Paston, $clerici. In Dei nomine, amen. Ego ^Walterus ^Paston, clericus, in bona et sana memoria existens, condo testamentum meum apud %^Norwicum xviijo die mensis Augusti in hunc modum. In primis lego animam meam Deo ^Omnipotenti, Beate ^Marie, et omnibus sanctis, et corpus meum ad sepeliendum in ecclesia Sancti ^Petri de %^Hundegate coram ymagine Sancti ^Johannis Baptiste. Item, lego summo altari prefate ecclesie iij s. iiij d. Item, lego reparacioni ecclesie supradicte ij s. vj d. Item, Fratri ^Johanni ^Somerton, bachalaureo, v s. Item, lego Magistro ^Edmundo vnam togam penulatam cum manicis de mynkys. Item, lego ^Roberto ^Wulff vnam togam viridem cum chamelet. Item, lego ^Roberto ^Holand, filio spirituali, togam meam curtam. Item, lego Magistro ^Roberto ^Hollar vnam togam penulatam cum gray. Item, lego ^Johanni ^Parkere mantellum meum rubeum. Item, lego Magistro ^Roberto ^Hollere vnum puluinar vocatum le bolstar. Item, lego Magistro ^Edmundo ^Alyard vnum puluinar. Item, lego ^Ricardo ^Richardson vnam togam penulatam ad manus cum menyver. Item, volo quod residuum bonorum meorum in %^Oxonia sit ad vsum Magistri ^Edmundi ^Alyard, sic quod soluat principali ^Johanni ^Skelton et ^Thome ^Coco. Item, volo quod oues mee quas habet ^Willelmus ^Bataly senior in villa de %^Mawteby diuidantur equaliter inter fratrem meum ^Edmundum ^Paston et sororem meam ^Annam ^Yeluerton et sororem meam ^Margeriam ^Paston vxorem fratris mei ^Johannis ^Paston. Item, lego terras et tenementa manerij mei de %^Cressyngham, si possum dare, fratri meo ^Johanni ^Paston, armigero, sibi et heredibus suis, sub condicione ista quod si contingat fratrem meum predictum ^Johannem paston esse heredem patris mei quod nullo modo habeat terras et tenementa predicta, sed quod frater meus ^Edmundus ^Paston habeat terras et tenementa predicta sibi et suis heredibus. Residuum vero bonorum non legatorum lego et do disposicioni executorum meorum vt et ipsi fideliter disponant pro anima mea. Huius autem testamenti mei executores condo per presentes fratrem meum ^Johannem ^Paston, armigerum, pro ista patria et Magistrum ^Edmundum ^Alyard pro bonis meis remanentibus %^Oxonie. Sount duez a mon sir ^Will ^Bardolf de sez gages en lez lyuere*s a + %^Caleys de mon treshonnure* sir le Count de %^Warrewyk, capitayn + illeoqes, jusqes al iiijte iour de fevrier l' an de Roy ^Henri Sysme tierce + ccccxiij li. xvj s. x d. qa. To my weel beloued ^John ^Staynford of Furnyvales Inne. @e instruccion to comune of to ^John ^Robynson of %^Carleton bysyde %^Snayth. T[[o]] enquerre and wyte whether @e stoon may be sawed or nought, and whether it wille chippe or chynne or affraye with frost or weder or water. Al-so @at euery pece of @e stoon be iij foote longe and @at xv tunne tygh[[t]] of @e stoon be euery stoon weel bedded in-to @e walle and a foote thikke @at it ryse in heighte a foote in @e walle, and x stones of @e stoon must be ij foote brood and at @e leste a foote and an half thikke. A stoon wil drawe @e wighte of a pipe, as I suppose. @o grete stones and nought @e smallere stones shuld be sawed so @at euery pece sawed shuld holde @e seid lengthe of iij foote and @e seid brede of ij foote, and to be, after it is sawed, half a fote or lesse on thikkenesse; and thenne @o brode sawed stones shulde euere stonde in @e werk betwen @e seid weel bedded stonys @at shuld rise but a fote in @e walle and ben ankered iche of hem with other; and @is werk shal be strong j-nowe, as werkmen seyn, and drawe but litill cariage. I wold haue swiche stoon a xxti tunne tight caried to %^Moneslee in %^Norffolk, betwen %^Crowmere and %^Bromholm and but a myle fro %^Bromholm. To reporte plein answere of this bylle writen and how sone I myght haue the seid stoon caried to %^Monesle* a-forn seid, and for what price. @is werk is for a myll. p[er] ^W. ^Paston Do writen ij copies of @is note in papier wyde writen, and gete a copie of @e + writte in @e Eschekyr ageyn yow. Right worthy and worshepefull ser, I recomaunde me to yow and thank yow for @e good, trew, and diligent labour ye haue hadde for @e matier betwen @e Priour of %^Bromholm and his commoigne apostata ^John ^Wortes, @at namyth hym-self ^Paston and affermith hym vntrewely to be my cousyn. God defende @at any of my pouere kyn shuld be of swych gouernaunce as he is of. Maister ^John ^Ixworth told me @at he hadde lettres fro a frend of yowres in @e court of %^Rome @at is of @e seyd Prioures counseill in @is mater as ye be, whos name I knowe nought, specifyeng @at @e seyd ^John ^Wortes, $aduersarius $Prioris, $desperat $in $causa $et $co+ ncordiam $querit. It is told me sithen @at @e seyd ^John ^Wortes is in @e c[[ourt]] of %^Rome sacred a bysshop of %^Irland, $videlicet $episcopus %^Corcag+ ensis ; wherby it is seyd here @at his pretense of his title to @e priourie of %^Bromholm is adnulled and voide in yowr lawe. @e seyd ^John ^Wortes and a contre*ma[[n]] of myn in @e seyd court, Maister ^John ^Vrry, haue sent me lettres wher-of I send yow copies and a trewe instruccion of @e seyd matier closed with @is bille, @e whiche lettres and @e matier ther-of me semyth meruaillous and straunge. A prest of %^Norffolk @at spak with yow in Jull or August last passed told me @at he yede with yow to @e cardinales hous Trikaricensis to espie if any swych processe were sued ageyn me as @e seyd lettres specifien, and @at ye told @e same prest at alle tymes @er was @an no swich processe sued ne had; @e which relacion I trust and beleue bettre @an @e seyd lettres. I haue, by aduys of counseill, in makyng a procuracie $ad $agendum $defendendum $prouocandum $et $appellandum to yow and @e seyd Maister ^John ^Vrry and @e ^Wynsolaw de ^Swysco, and also a general appelle @e engrossyng of wych @e messager of this bill myght nought abide; @e which procuracie and appelle I shal sende to yowr persone $tantumodo with moneye onward on trust. My wille is ye haue @e chief gouernaunce of @is matier and @at @is article be counseill; wher-vpo[[n]] I prey yow hertily to be saddely auysed in @ese matieres and, as nede is, so to gouerne hem by yowr wysdam @at @e seyd Prioures estat and honeste*, and myn also, to yowr worshepe be saued, and @at in alle hast resonable ye lyke to sende me rede* lettres of alle @e seyd matier and @e circumstances ther-of, and whou ye wil I be gouerned in @is mater. I was neuere somouned ne neuer hadde tydynges of @is matier but by seyd lettres and other fleyng tales @at I haue herd sithen, ne neuere hadde to do more with @e seyd ^John ^Wortes @an is specified in @e seyd instruccion. Al-myghty God haue yow in his gouernaunce. Writen at %^London @e v day of Nouembre. Yowre frend and vnknowen Right worthy and worshepefull ser, I recomaunde [me] to yow, preyeng yow to wite @at I haue resceyued yowr goodly lettres makyng mencion @at Ser ^John ^Paston $vt $asserit hath optyned me condempnyd to hym in ccc marcz and cs. and @at @e same ^John, atte reuerence of yowr right worthy persone, hath cesed of his sute of certeins processes ageyns me vp-on @e seyd condempnacion, takyng continuance of @e same matier vn-to Cristemasse next comyng; by whiche lettres ye conseille me to make ende with @e seyd ^John $ne $deterius $inde $contingat. I send yow closed with this bille copie of vn frendly lettre @at @e seyd ^John hath sent to me late touchant @e same matier. @e seyd Priour hath sent also to yow and to Mayster ^Will ^Swan, which longe tyme hath be his procuratour, a procuracie for my persone and v marcz of moneye onward. Wher-vp in @e seyd Prioures name and in myn owyn also I prey yow hertily to sette al these matieres in continuaunce vn-to yowr comyng in-to %^Ingeland, and be-cause ye arn her beneficed, owr cuntre*man, and of worshepe and cunnyng worthyly endowed, @e seyd Priour, his brether, and I also willen gladdely in these matieres be treted by yow; and if @is mesure be accepted and we may haue knowyng here ther-of, it shal cause @e attemptacion of diuerses matieres a-geyn summe frendes of @e seyd ^John to cese. And if @is continuance be refused I prey yow with al my power @at of yowr wysdom and good discrecion ye wille in @e seyd Prioures name and myn defenden @e seyd sutes, and alle other @at @e seyd ^John sueth a-geyn @e seyd Priour and me, in yowr best maner, and to be of owr counseill in @ese matieres; and as ye lyke resonablely to write to vs so we wil be gouerned in yowr rewarde and al other circumstaunces of @e same matieres. I conceyve by yowr seyd lettres @at @e grete of @e matier conteigned in @e same ye haue of @e informacion and assercion of @e seyd ^John, and as he hath enformed yow I wot weel ye trewely writen; but I hope and trust verrayly @e matier of his informacion is vntrewe. @e Priour of %^Bromholm sued a-geyn @e seyd ^John and other in %^Ingeland a wryt of $premunire $facias, and I was ther-in of @e same Prioures conseill, as @e lawe of %^Ingelond and myn office willen, and more I haue nought hadde to do with @e seyd ^John; and I can nought beleue @at in @is cas @e same ^John myght by yowr lawe any swich sute haue ageyn me as yowr lettre specifieth, Also ^Will, @e prest specified in yowr [lettre], told me @at he, after @at ye told hym of @is matier lyke as ye wr[i]te, he comuned with Maister ^Will ^Swan, and he told @e seyd prest @er [was] no processe in @e courte ageyn me in no maner. a mez treshonnure*s meistres ^William ^Worstede, ^John ^Longham, et meistre ^Piers ^Shelton soit donne*. Right worthy and worshepefull seres and maistres, I recomand me to yow and thank yow with al my herte of @e gret tendrenesse ye lyke to haue of @e saluacion of my symple honeste*, preyng yow euermore of yowr good continuance. I haue, after @e aduys of yowr lettre, doon dwely examyned @e jnstrument by @e wysest I coude fynde here, and in especial by on Maister ^Robert ^Sutton, a courtezane of @e court of %^Rome, @e which is @e chief and most chier man with my lord of %^Gloucestre and his matier in @e seyd court for my lady his wyff. And here aunswere is @at al @is processe, @ough it were in dede proceded as @e instrument specifieth, is not suffisant in @e lawe of Holy Cherche, and @at hem semyth by @e sight of @e instrument and by @e defautes [[@at]] ye espied in @e same and other, and in maner by @e knowelech of @e notarie, @at @e processe in gret part ther-of is fal[[se and vn]]trewe. I haue taken aduys of Maister ^Robert ^Bruus, chaunceller with my lord of %^Cantirbury, and Maister ^Nicholl ^Billesdon, cha[[unceller]] of my lord of %^Wynchestre, and Maister ^John ^Blodwelle, a weel lerned man holden and a suffisant courtezan of @e seyd court; and alle @ese acorden to @e seyd Maister ^Robert ^Sutton. Nought with-stondyng @at I herde neuere of @is matier no maner lykly ne credible euidence vn-to @at I sey yowr lettre and @e jnstrument, yet I made an appell and a procuracie and also a prouocacion at %^London longe beforn Cristemasse by @e a[[duys]] of Maister ^Dauid ^Aprys, Maister ^Symond ^Kempston, and Maister ^James ^Cole, and sent al @is with an jnstruccion of al @e matier to my procuratours to %^Rome by yowr frere my maister suppriour, and gaff hym gold @at he was content. and ouermore now here by aduys I make @is day a newe apelle and a newe procuracie, and vp-on @is alle @e seyd worthy men here seyn and informe me pleynly I haue no maner cause in lawe ne in conscience to drede aught in @is matier. Myn aduersarie is become bysshop of %^Cork in %^Irland, and ther arn ij other persones prouided to @e same bysshopriche yet lyuyng beforn my seyd aduersarie; and by this acceptacion of @is bysshopriche he hath pryued hym-self of @e title @at he claymed in %^Bromholm, and so adnulled @e ground of his processe a-geyn me. And also @e tyme of his greuaunce pretendid and @e tyme of his sute he was apostata, and I trowe is yet, and so vnable to sue any swich processe. I purpose me to come homward be %^London to lerne more in @is matier if I may. I prey @e Holy Trinite*, lord of yowr cherche and of alle @e werl+ d, delyuere me of my iij aduersaries, of @is cursed bysshop for %^Bromholm, ^Aslak for %^Sprouston, and ^Julian ^Herberd for %^Thornham. I haue nought trespassed a-geyn noon of these iij, God knowith, and yet I am foule and noysyngly vexed with hem to my gret vnease, and al for my lordes and frendes matieres and nought for myn owyn. I wot not whether it were best in any sermon or other audience in yowr cherche or elles-where to declare ought of @is matier in stoppyng of @e noyse @at renneth in @is case. I submitte me and alle @is matier to yowr good discrecion, and euere gremercy God and ye, who euere haue yow and me in his gracious gouernaunce. I suppose to se yow on Palme Sunday. Writen at %^Leycestre @e Friday @e thredde wyke of Lente. Alle @e seyd lerned men telle me trewely @er is nother perill ne doute in @e takyng doun of @e instrument and @e bille to no creature, which jnstrument and bille I send yow a-geyn by @e berare of this, which I prey yow to kepe as pryue* as ye may. I haue preyed my maister ^Hamond to write yow tydyngges and smale lesynges among. Yowr man, ^W. ^Paston Be it remembred @at where, on @e nyght next biforn @e feste of @e Circumcision of owre Lord Jesu @e [secunde] yeer of @e regne of Kyng ^Henry @e Sexte, certeyns maffaisours, felons and brekeres of @e Kynges peas vnknowyn, to @e noumbre of iiijxx and more by estimacion, of malice and jmaginacion forn-thowght felonowsly @e dwellyng place of ^John ^Grys of %^Wyghton in %^Wyghton in @e shyre of %^Norffolk brokyn, and wyth carpenteres axes @e yates and @e dores of @e seyd place hewen, and @e seyd ^John ^Grys and hys sone and a seruaunt man of hese by here bodyes tokyn and fro @e seyd dwellyng place by @e space of a myle to a peyre galwes ledden, @ere hem for to have hangyd; and by-cause hem fayled ropes convenient to here felonowse purpos @e seyd ^John ^Grys, hese sone, and hys man @ere felonowsely slowen and mordered in @e most orrible wyse @at euer was herd spoken of in @at cuntre*. Wher-vp-on ^Walter ^Aslak, purposyng and jmaginyng to putte ^William ^Paston in drede and intollerable fere to be slayn and mordered in @e seyd forme wyth force and ageyn @e Kynges peas, on @e shyre day of %^Norffolk halden at %^Norwiche @e xxviij day of August in @e seyd secunde yeer, beyng @ere @anne a grete congregacion of poeple by-cause of @e seyd shyre, in hese owne persone and by ^Richard ^Kyllyngworth, @at tyme hese seruaunt, to @e seyd ^William ^Paston swiche and so many manaces of deth and dismembryng maden and puttyn by certeyns Englishe billes rymed in partye, and vp-on @e yates of @e priorie of @e Trinite* chirche of %^Norwiche and on @e yates of @e chyrche of @e Freres Menures of %^Norwiche and @e yates of @e same cite* called %^Nedeham yates and %^Westewyk yates, and in othre places wyth-inne @e seyd cite*, by @e seyd ^Walter and ^Richard sette, makyng mension and beryng @is vndyrstondyng @at @e seyd ^William and hese clerkes and seruauntes schuld be slayn and mordered in lyke fourme as @e seyd ^John ^Grys in @e seyd fourme was slayn and mordered; conteynyng also @ese too wordes in Latyn, '$et $cetera', by whiche wordes commvnely it was vndyrstandyn @at @e forgeers and makers of @e seyd billes jmagyned to @e seyd ^William, hese clerkes, and seruauntz more malice and harm @an in @e seyd billes was expressed; wherfore @e seyd ^William, hese seyd clerkes, and seruauntz by longe tyme aftyr were in gret and intollerable drede and fere by @e seyd maffaisours and felons to be slayn and mordered, wherfore @e seyd ^William, hese clerkes, and seruauntz ne durst not at here fredom nothyr goon ne ryde. Wher-vp-on @e seyd ^William for hese owyn persone affermyd a pleynt of trespas ageyn @e seyd ^Walter and ^Richard. Processe contynued @er-vp-on til @e seyd ^Walter and ^Richard were founden gilty of @e seyd trespas by an jnquisicion @er-of takyn in dwe and lawefull fourme, by whiche jnquisicion @e damages of @e seyd ^William for @e seyd trespas were taxed to cxx li.; aftyr whiche pleynte affermyd, and tofore ony plee vp-on @e seyd pleynt pleded, @e seyd ^Walter and ^William by ^Thomas ^Erpyngham, knyght, a myghty and a gret supportour of @e seyd ^Walter in alle @ese matiers and circumstaunces @er-of ageyn @e seyd ^William, were induced to trete in @e same matier in @e fourme @at folwith; @at is to seyne @at @e seyd ^William schuld sue forth @e seyd pleynt and @e execucion @er-of at hese owne will, and @e seyd ^Walter schuld defende hymself in @e seyd pleynt at hese owne will, except @at he schuld no benefice take by noon proteccion ne wrytte of $corpus $cum $causa ne of no lordes lettres vp-on @e seyd sute. And what-so-euer fortunyd in @e seyd pleynt, @e proces, execucion, or @e sute @er-of, @e seyd ^Walter and ^William schuld stonde and obeye to @e ordinaunce of certeyns persones by @e seyd ^William and ^Walter arbitratores @at tyme named, if @ei myghten accordyn; and ellys of a noounpier also @at same tyme named of all @e seyd trespas, pleynt, and sute and all @e circumstaunces @er-of, so @at @e seyd arbitrement and ordinaunce of @e seyd arbitratores, or ellys of @e seyd nounpier, were made wythinne xl dayes next folwyng aftyr @e jugement yeven in @e seyd pleynt. And aftyrward, @e Thursday next biforn Pentecost @e thrydde yeer of @e regne of @e seyd Kyng, at %^London in @e presence of @e right excellent high and myghty prynce @e Duc of %^Gloucestre, and by hese commaundement, atte sute and instaunce of @e seyd ^Thomas ^Erpyngham it was accordyd bytwen @e seyd ^William and ^Walter @at @ei schuld stande and obeye to @e ordinaunce and award of all @e seyd matiers of tweyne of @ese iiij persones: ^William ^Phelip, knyght, ^Henry ^Inglose, knyght, ^Oliuer ^Groos, and ^Thomas ^Derham chosen on @e partye of @e seyd ^William ^Paston; and tweyne of @ese iiij persones: ^Symond ^Felbrygge, knyght, ^Bryan ^Stapilton, knyght, ^Roberd ^Clyfton, knyght, and ^John of ^Berneye of %^Redeham chosen on @e partie of @e seyd ^Water, and elles @e decree and iugement of a nounpier to be chosen by @e same arbitrores. @e whiche ^William ^Phelip, ^Bryan ^Stapilton, ^Roberd ^Clyfton, ^Oliuer ^Groos, ^John of ^Berneye, and ^Thomas ^Derham takyng vp-on hem @e charge of @e makyng of @e seyd award and ordinaunce by @e assent of @e seyd ^Thomas ^Erpyngham, @e Fryday next aftyr @e feste of @e Assumpcion of Owre Lady in @e seyd thrydde yeer, at %^Norwiche tokyn ensurauns of @e seyd ^William and ^Walter by here feyth and here trowthez to stonde and obeye to here ordinaunce of alle @e seyd matiers; and @e same day biforn noon maden here full ordinaunce and arbitrement of alle @e same matiers in @e chyrche of @e Greye Frerys at %^Norwich, and aftyrward, vp-on @e same award and ordinaunce mad, hadden a commvnicacion @er-of wyth @e seyd ^Thomas ^Erpyngham, and aftyr @e same commvnicacion @e same day aftyr noon @e same ordinaunce and award wretyn was red byforn @e seyd arbitrores and @e seyd ^Walter and ^William, and examyned, agreed, and assented, and by @e seales of @e same vj arbitrores and @e seyd ^Walter and ^William was affermed and ensealed and left in @e handes of @e seyd Ser ^Bryan, saueliche to be kept in pleyn remembraunce of @e seyd award and ordinaunce, @e whiche award and ordinaunce @e seyd ^William was at all tymes redy to obeye and parfourme on-to @e seyd feste of Michelmesse @at @e seyd ^Walter to holde or parfourme @e seyd award pleynly refused. And where @e seyd ^Walter, by iugement of @e Chaunceller of %^Inglond @e xvj day of Jull @e seyd thrydde yeer, was remytted to @e Kynges prison at %^Norwich by-cause of @e seyd sute, the seyd ^Walter yede at large owt of warde fro @e seyd xvj day of Jull to @e seyd day of @e makyng of @e seyd arbitrement and award, and fro @at day in-to Michelmesse @anne next aftyr, @e seyd ^William @at meene tyme euermore supposyng @at @e seyd ^Walter wold have holde and parfourmyd @e seyd ordinaunce, arbitrement, and award. And at @e comyng of @e right high and myghty prynce @e Duc of %^Norffolk fro hys castell of %^Framyngham to @e cetie of %^Norwyche aftyr @e seyd day of @e makyng of @is arbitrement and ordinaunce, and tofore @e feste of Michelmesse @an next folwyng, @e seyd ^Walter by hese sotill and vngoodly enformacion caused @e seyd Duke to be hevy lord to @e seyd ^William, where @e seyd ^William @e tyme of @e seyd enformacion was, wyth Ser ^John ^Jermy, knyght, and othre of @e counseill of @e seyd Duk of %^Norffolk in hys lordshipes in %^Norffolk and %^Suffolk @anne to hym falle by @e deth of @e right worthy and noble lady hys modyr, occupied abowte @e dwe seruice of wryttes of $diem $clausit $extremum aftyr @e deth of @e seyd lady; and where as @e seyd ^William ^Paston, by assignement and commaundement of @e seyd Duk of %^Norffolk at hese fyrst passage ouer @e see in-to %^Normandye in @e Kynges tyme ^Henry @e Fyfte, was @e styward of @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk of all hese lordshipes in %^Norffolk and %^Suffolk fro hys seyd passage vn-to @e seyd feste of Michelmesse. [And ouer @at as sergeaunt of lawe, thow he be vnworthy, withholdyn wyth @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk all @e tyme @at he was sergeaunt bifore @e same feste of Michelmesse. And all be it @at @e fees and @e wages of @e seyd ^William for hys seyd seruice vnpayed draweth a gret somme to his pouere degree, jf @e seyd Duk of %^Norffolk lyked of hys noble and plentifous grace to graunte to @e seyd ^William in right ony part of @e fauour of hese good lordship, @e seyd ^William wold euere be hys pouere and trewe bedeman and euere in hys herte thenke all hys seyd seruice and all @e seruice @at euere he dede to @e seyd [Duke] of %^Norffolk plentefousely weell rewardyd.] And where @e seyd ^Walter @e tyme of @e seyd trespas and of @e seyd bylles makyng ne longe tofore, ne neuer aftyr biforn @e seyd comyng of @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk to %^Norwich, ne no tyme hangyng @e seyd sute, ne @e tyme of makyng of @e seyd arbitrement and ordinaunce, neuer was seruaunt to @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk at fees ne at wages, ne wythhaldyn in hese seruice, ne to hym sued to be supported by hese high lordship in @is seyd matier, to @e knowleche of @e seyd ^William ne to no commvne knowleche in @e shyres of %^Norffolk, %^Suffolk, ne %^Norwiche; the sute @at @e seyd ^Walter made for supportacion in @is seyd matier was be @e meene of @e seyd ^Thomas ^Erpyngham to @e seyd Duk of %^Gloucestre, by whose reule and commaundement @e seyd arbitrement and award was mad in @e fourme aforn seyd. And not with-stondyng @e seyd trespas and greuaunce by @e seyd ^Walter doon to @e seyd ^William, ne @at @e seyd ^William ne is not satisfied of @e seyd cxx li. ne no peny @er-of, and hath absteyned hym of al maner of execucion, sewyng of godes or catelles @at by force of @e seyd processe or ony othyr he myght have had ageyn @e seyd ^Walter or hese borwes, ne @at @e seyd ^William hath suffred @e seyd ^Walter to gon at large by long tyme whan he myght haue had hys body in warde in lawefull fourme, the seyd ^Walter be billes in @e too last parlementz holden at %^Westminster and at %^Leycestre, and at diuers tymes in diuers other maneres hath noysed and skaundered @e seyd ^William vngoodly and othyr wyse @an othyr gentilnesse or trowthe wolde, and ouermore caused @e seyd ^William orribly to be manassed of hys deth, betyng, and dismembryng of hys persone by certeyns seruauntz of @e Lordes ^Fitz-wauter and othre persones and by ferefull and ouere felle lettres and sondes, wherfore @e seyd ^William nothyr hese frendes ne hese seruauntz in hys companye at here fredam sithen @e seyd parlement at %^Leycestre durst not, ne yet ne dar not, rydyn ne goo abowte swyche occupacion as he arn vsed and disposed, to here grete and importable drede and vexacion in here spirites and gret harme and damage and losse of here pouere goodes. [Ouermore @e seyd ^Walter hath sued, and yet rigerously sueth, a wrytte of $decies $tantum ageyns x persones of @e seyd jnquisicion and ij of @e seruauntz of @e seyd ^William and iiij othre persones, supposyng by hese seyd sute hem to have taken of @e seyd ^William in hys seyd sute lxij li. and more of moneye; the whiche sute of $decies $tantum @e seyd ^Walter betwyx God and hym knowith verraly is vntrewe. And also @e seyd ^Walter hath sued and yet pursuyth ^Adam ^Aubre*, on of @e seyd jnquisicion, in @e court of @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk of hys manoir of %^Fornsete by cause and occasion of @e seyd matiers, in whiche sute in @e seyd court it is proceded ageyn @e seyd ^Adam in other maner @anne othyr lawe, conscience, or good feyth wolde.] Ouermore @e seyd ^William, atte commaundement of @e seyd Duc of %^Norffolk, hath submytted hym to stonde to @e ordinaunce of diuers persones of alle @e seyd matiers: ones at %^Leycestre @e Wednesday next biforn Palme Soneday @e iiij yeer of @e regne of @e seyd Kyng, a-nothyr tyme atte %^Reed %^Clyf in Aprill @e same iiij yeer, aftyr @e fourme of certey+ ns billes endented @er-of made; the whiche submission wyth alle @e circumstaunces @er-of @e seyd ^William hath be at alle tymes redy to obeye. The cause why @e seyd ^Walter by @e seyd Englyshe bylles and in othyr fourme putte and sette @e seyd ^William and hese seyd clerkes and seruauntz in drede and fere intollerable to be slayn and mordered, and to hem trespaced in @e fourme aforn seyd, was onely for as moche as @e seyd ^William was wyth @e Priour of %^Norwich of counseill in hese trewe defence ageyn @e entent of @e seyd ^Walter in a sute @at he made ageyn @e seyd Priour of a voweson of @e chyrche of %^Sprouston in @e counte* of %^Norffolk, wher-to @e seyd ^Walter hath nothyr title suffisaunt ne right in no maner wyse by ony matier by hym declared byforn thys tyme. Thys scrowe is mad only for @e jnformacion of @e worthy and worshepfull lordes @e arbitrores, sauyng euere to @e maker @e benefice resonably to adde and amenuse, &c., his ignoraunce in swiche occupacion and defaute of leyser also tendrely considered. My ryghte worthy and worshepeful lord, I recomaunde me to yow. And for as meche as I conseyue verrayly @at ye arn vicar general in %^Inggelo+ nd of @e worthy prelate @e Abbot of %^Clunie, and have hys powre in many grete articles, and among other in p[ro]fession of monkes in %^Inggelond of @e seyd ordere. And in my cuntre*, but a myle fro @e place where I was born, is @e povre hous of %^Bromholm of @e same ordre, in wheche arn diuers vertuous yongge men, monkes clad and vn-professyd, @at have abedyn @ere [[wythow]]t abbyte ix or x yeere, and be lenger delaye of here profession many inconuenientez arn lyke to falle. And also @e Priour of [[@e seyd hous]] hath resigned in-to yowre worthy handes by certeins notables and resonables causes, as it apperyth by an instrument and a symple lettre vnder @e comune seal of @e seyd hous of %^Bromholm which @e berare of this hath redy to shewe yow. Wher-vp-on I prey yow wyt al my herte, and as I euere may do yow seruice, @at it lyke to yowr grace to graunte of yowr charite* by yowre worthy lettres to @e Priour of %^Thetford in %^Norffolk, of @e seyde ordre of %^Clunye, autorite* and powere as yowr ministre and depute*, to professe in dwe forme @e seyd monkes of %^Bromholm vn-professed; and @at it lyke yow ouermore to accepte and admitte @e seyd resygnacion by yowr seyd autorite* and powere wyth @e fauour of yowr good lordshepe, in confort and consolacion of yowre pouere prestes @e monkes of @e seyd hous of %^Bromholm; and ther-vp to graunte yowr worthy lettres wittenessyng @e same acceptacion and admyssion of @e seyd resignacion, and al yowr seid lettres to delyuere to my clerk, to wham I prey yow to gyve feith and credence touchant @is matier, and to delyuere hym in alle @e hast resonable. And I am yowr man and euere will be, by @e grace of God, which euere haue yow in his kepyng. Writen at %^Norwich @e of Aprill. Yowres, ^William ^Paston Pur faire holsom drynk of ale, Recipe sauge, auence, rose maryn, tyme, chopped right smal, and put @is and a newe leyd hennes ey in a bage and hange it in @e barell. Item, clowys, maces, and spikenard grounden and put in a bagge and hangen in @e barell. And nota @at @e ey of @e henne shal kepe @e ale fro sourynge. Par ^Sibill ^Boys. ^Paston recomaund hym to your good lordeship, willyng with all his herte to doo yow seruise to his symple power. And as touchyng @e maner of %^Walsham he seyth @at at your comaundement he wille be redy to shewe yow and preve @at @e seid maner and all @e vesture and crop @er-of @is yeer by trewe title in lawe and conscience is his owen, trewly bowth and in gret partye payed for, and @at ^John ^Roys never hadde non estate in @e seid maner but oonly occupied it by suffraunce of @e seid ^Paston and other feffe*s in @e seid maner, and @at by @e bargayn of @e seid maner @'estate @at @e seid ^Roys shuld have hadde in @e seid maner and in stoor ther-of shul have be condicionel to be voide and nought for defaute of payement, and @at @e seid ^John ^Roys ne kept not his dayes of @e payementz, &c., and @at @e seid ^Will ^Paston, in @e lyve of @e seid ^John ^Roys, for defaut[[e]] of payment entred in @e seid maner with @e seid crop and @e vesture of @is yeer @er-of @an @er-vpon, and @at @e seid ^John ^Roys never at noo tyme payed to @e seid ^John ^Baxtere sith @e seid bargeyn, nether for @e seid bargayn ne for @e dette he aught to hym, more @anne an c and xl marcz, wher-of he borwed ageyn of @e seid ^John ^Baxtere xl li. and over @at he oweth; and beforn @e seid bargeyn aught by his obligacion to @e seid ^John ^Baxtere of trewe dette of mony borwed other xl li., and hath hadde and taken @e profitz of @e seid maner by iij hool yeer beforn his deth to @e value of xxx li. and more, and he receyved in his seid bargayn of @e seid ^John ^Baxtere xl marcz worth of stoor, the which iiijxx li. of dette and xxx li. of @e profitz of @e seid maner and xl marcz worth of stoor maketh @e somme of cxxxvj li. xiij s. iiij d. Wher-of, thogh @e lawe wille it not, were abated, if conscience required it, cxl marcz payed by @e seid ^John ^Roys and x li. for @e value of @e seid crop ouer @e value of @e verray ferme of the seid maner for @is yeer; yet remaigneth dwe to @e executoures of @e seid ^John ^Baxter liij li. vj s. viij d., and all @e title and interesse of @e seid ^John ^Roys, his heires and assignes, in @e seid maner lawfully and in conscience extincted and adnulled. Wher-vpon @e seid ^Paston lowly besecheth your good lordeship @at if it may be preved @is mater be trewe @at ye wille not be displesed @ogh he desire to have his fre disposicion of @e seid maner. To @e worthy and worshepfull ser, ^John ^Berneye of %^Redham:+ $litera $^Willelmi $^Paston + $copia $statu$facture $^Margerie $nuper $vxori $^Johannis $^Mauteby <#L 1> @is note is not made to @'entent @at dedes acordyng ther-to shuld be engrossed with-oute more comunicacion and sadde aduys of alle @e feffe*s to-gedere, or elles counseill by here comune assignement. Ferther- more @e note of @e condicion of @e reseruacion of the rent is not yet noted. Sciant presentes et futuri quod nos ^Simon ^Felbrygge, miles, ^Oliuerus ^Groos, armiger, ^Johannes ^Berneye de %^Redham, armiger, ^Willelmus ^Paston de %^Paston, ^Thomas ^Stodhagh, ^Rogerus ^Taillour de %^Stafford %^Bernyngham, et ^Thomas ^Newport de %^Runham, iuxta effectum et formam vltimarum voluntatum ^Roberti ^Mawteby de %^Mawteby, armigeri, et ^Johannis de %^Mawteby filij sui, iam defunctorum, dimisimus, liberauimus, assignauimus, et hac presenti carta nostra tripartita et indentata con+ firmauimus / ^Margerie que fuit vxor predicti ^Johannis ^Mawteby duas partes maneriorum, &c., ac reuercionem, &c., que nos prefati ^Simon, ^Oliuerus, ^Willelmus, ^Thomas ^Stodhagh, ^Rogerus, et ^Thomas ^Newport, vna cum ^Milone ^Stapilton, milite, ^Willelmo ^Argenten, milite, ^Johanne ^Heuenyngham, milite, ^Johanne ^Carbonell, milite, ^Willelmo ^Calthorpe, milite, ^Johanne ^Boys, armigero, et ^Willelmo ^Caston, armigero, iam de+ functis, / nuper habuimus ex dono, feoffamento, remissione, et relaxacione predicti ^Roberti ^Mawteby, prout in quibusdam cartis et scriptis inde confectis plenius continetur, habendas et tenendas predictas duas partes ac reuercionem, &c., prefate ^Margerie et assignatis suis ad totam vitam suam de nobis et heredibus nostris, reddendo inde nobis et heredibus nostris annuatim legalis monete %^Anglie ad festa Pasche et Sancti ^Michaelis equis porcionibus, faciendi gracia inde et reddendi pro nobis et heredibus nostris, capitalibus dominis feodorum illorum, reddita et seruicia inde debita et consueta. Ita quod predicte due partes, &c., ac reuercio, &c., post mortem predicte ^Margerie integre remaneant ^Margarete, filie predictorum ^Johannis ^Mawteby et ^Margerie, et heredibus de corpore eiusdem ^Margarete exeuntibus; videlicet quod si eadem ^Margareta sine herede de corpore suo exeunte obierit, aut si ipsa aut heredes sui predicti donum aut talliam predictam, in forma predicta factam per feoffamentum scriptum siue factum aut alio modo, discontinuarint aut discontinuari fecerint, quod tunc due partes, &c., integre remaneant ^Petro ^Mawteby, filio predicti ^Roberti ^Mawteby et avunculo supradicte ^Margarete, et heredibus de corpore predicti ^Petri legitime exeuntibus, sub certis forma et condicionibus subsequentibus: videlicet quod si idem ^Petrus sine herede de corpore suo exeunte obierit, aut si ipse aut heredes sui predicti discontinuauerint, &c., quod tunc predicte, &c., integre remaneant ^Thome ^Mawteby, fratri predicti ^Petri, et heredibus de corpore suo legitime exeuntibus, tenende, &c., vt supra, reddendo et faciendo, &c., vt supra, sub forma et condicionibus subsequentibus: videlicet quod si predictus ^Thomas obierit sine herede de corpore suo legitime exeunte, aut si ipse aut heredes sui, &c., discontinuauerint, &c., quod tunc predicte, &c., integre remaneant Alianore que fuit vxor predicti ^Roberti, habende et tenende sibi et assignatis suis de nobis, &c., ad terminum vite sue. faciendo et reddendo vt supra. Et quod ex tunc predicte, &c., post mortem predicte Alianore integre remaneant heredibus de corpore Alianore que fuit vxor predicti ^Willelmi ^Calthorpe, sororis predicti ^Roberti ^Mawteby, legitime exeuntibus. Et si nullus fuerit heres de corpore predicte Alianore que fuit vxor predicti ^Willelmi ^Calthorpe legitime exiens, aut si aliquis huiusmodi heres de corpore eiusdem Alianore legitime exiens donum, &c., discontinuauerit, &c., quod tunc predicte, &c., ad nos prefatos ^Simonem, ^Oliuerum, ^Johannem ^Berneye, ^Willelmum ^Paston, ^Thomam ^Stodhagh, ^Rogerum ^Taillour, et ^Thomam ^Newport et heredes nostros integre reuertantur ad faciendam inde et debite exequendam predictam vltimam voluntatem predicti ^Roberti ^Mawteby. In cuius rei testimonium duabus partibus presentis carte indentate nos prefati ^Simon, &c., sigilla nostra apposuimus, tercie vero parti eiusdem carte penes nos et heredes nostros remanenti predicti ^Johannes ^Mawteby, ^Edwardus ^Mawteby, ^Petrus ^Mawteby, ^Thomas ^Mawteby, ^Alianora que fuit vxor predicti ^Roberti ^Mawteby, et ^Willelmus ^Calthorpe, armiger, consanguineus et heres predicte ^Alianore que fuit vxor ^Willelmi ^Calthorpe de corpore eiusdem ^Alianore legitime exiens, sigilla sua apposuerunt hijs testibus, &c., data, &c. To the ryght wursheful syr and my good frende ^Phylyp ^Berney, esquier Ryght wurshefull ser, I recummend me to yow and prey you to wete @at ye and oder arn enfeoffed in the maner of %^Estbecham to myn oeps; and thervpon I haue in yowre name and otherys take an accion a-yens ^John ^Maryete of %^Crowmer, wherfore I prey you that \e make no releasse therof to no man til I speke wyth yow; and God haue yow in hys kepyng. Wrete at %^London the xxij day of Octobre. Youres, ^Wyllyam ^Paston Hec sunt hostilmenta et vtensilia domus, bona et catalla, que ^Willelmus ^Paston, in indentura presentibus annexa nominatus, tradidit et dimisit ^Willelmo ^Joye, in eadem indentura nominato, secundum formam eiusdem indenture ex communi assensu eorundem ^Willelmi et ^Willelmi per ^Robertum ^Gynne, ^Johannem ^Albon de %^Paston, et alios appreciata, assignata, et specificata modo subsequenti, videlicet: tres equi precij quinque marcarum; quatuor vacce quelibet precij vij s. vj d.; vna juuenca brendit precij v s.; vnus tauriculus precij iiij s.; vna juvencula dowet precij iij s.; due sues quelibet precij iij s. iiij d.; tres porculi quilibet precij xvj d.; tres porcelli quilibet precij xij d.; quatuor alij porcelli quil+ ibet precij viij d.; vna carecta precij vj s. viij d.; apparatus carecte, videlicet vna sella, vnum par des stroppys, duo paria dez trayses precij ij s.; due caruce cum lez hokys et stappilles, vnum par rotarum, due herpice precij v s.; quatuor paria dez trayses ad aratrum precij viij d.; due furse fimose precij vj d.; vna vanga precij iij d.; vnus tribulus precij iij d. Hec sunt blada et alia hostilmenta et vtensilia domus, bona et catalla, per predictum ^Willelmum ^Paston predicto ^Willelmo ^Joye secundum formam dicte indenture similiter dimissa et non appreciata, videlicet: sex quarteria frumenti; xxv quarteria ordei; viij quarteria auenarum; quidam tassus pisarum in fine australi antique grangie mesuagij predicti, qui est altitudinis iij virgarum et iij quarteriorum vnius virge, et quidam alius tassus vescarum in boriali fine eiusdem grangie, altitudinis iij virgarum et j quarterij vnius virge, qui quidem duo tassi fuerunt vesture xij acrarum et dimidij et dimidij rode terre; iij vasa vocata kelerys; j gilyngfat; iiij stondes pro seruicia; j stonde in coquina; ij patelle cum ligaminibus ferreis; j parua patella cum ligamine ferreo; j magna olla ennea; alia olla ennea minor; j parua olla ennea; j tabula; j par des trostelles; j longum hostium iacens in boteria; j par des trostelles; j trow; ij bolles; j morter; j thede; j temse; j mashsterell; j tankard cum ligamine ferreo; j bultyngpoke; j magna trow pro farina; j cista pro farina; j fleshoke; j tripes ferreum; j veru ferreum; j aundern; j par de tongys; j lachgres ennea; j securis; j magnum lauacrum pendens; j kynderkyn; ij soos leeke; j par de belwes; j magnum planke super mensam coquine; j chargour; iij perapsides; iij disci; iij sauserys de pewter; iij perapsides; iij disci; j magnus discus; vj sissorij; iij ciphi de ligno; j chayer; duo longa scanna; j scannum mediocre longitudinis; ij scanna vocata buffetstoles; ij bankare; j gladius; ij ferra vocata aplates; j chirne; j chyrnyngstaf; j curta falx; j candelabrum ferreum; j paruum salerium; ij beryngsceppes; vnum par dez pepyrquerns; ij vteri; j cadus cum vergous; j parua cista in boteria; j selura supra seruisiam; j metesetell; j pykforke; iij longe bordclothys; j towayll; j san[ap]] et j walet pro autumpno; j lucerna; ij vomerj et ij cultri que ponderant xvij li. et di.; j carectula, anglice a carre; j sunvectorium; ij noui rowmtrees et j curtum lignum in le carthows; ij veteres bige; j par rotarum ferratarum; ij kemell cum hopys ferreis; j frena; j peluis; viij sacci; iiij longa ligna fraxinora in pistrina; j fetyrlok. In Dei nomine, amen. Ego ^Willelmus ^Paston de %^Paston, sane mentis et memorie, condo testamentum meum in hunc modum. In primis, lego animam meam Omnipotenti Deo, Beate ^Marie, et omnibus sanctis, et corpus meum sepeliendum ad finem australem altaris in capella Beate ^Marie in fine orientali ecclesie cathedralis Sancte Trinitatis %^Norwici. et si contingat corpus meum ibidem sepeliri, lego cuilibet monacho sacerdoti ecclesie predicte qui singulis diebus aliqua septimana per septem annos proximo sequentes post mortem meam missam de Spiritu Sancto in capella predicta tempore celebracionis summe misse in eadem ecclesia decantauerit, ad exorandum in eadem missa de Spiritu Sancto et in alijs diuinis per ipsum diebus illis factis pro anima mea et animabus vxoris mee, patrum, matrum, et omnium consanguineorum et benefactorum nostrorum, et omnium quorum debitores sumus, et omnium per nos iniuriam paciencium, et eorum omnium pro quibus Deo est deprecandum, et omnium fidelium defunctorum, septem denarios. Item, lego ^Roberto nunc priori ecclesie Sancti ^Andree de %^Bromholm quadraginta solidos; et cuilibet monacho eiusdem ecclesie conuentus de %^Bromholm sex solidos et octo denarios; et executoribus testamenti ^Ricardi ^Causton nuper vicarij ecclesie de %^Paston viginti solidos; et executoribus testamenti Ade nuper vicarij ecclesie de %^Bakton sex solidos et octo denarios, ita quod remittant et relaxent in consciencijs suis animabus predictis si que per earum aliquam sibi debita fuerint. Et si hoc remittere et relaxare recusauerint, de predictis legatis nihil habeant, sed in omnibus que sibi per animas predictas vel earum aliquam deberi racionabiliter aut euidenter, in consciencia vel aliter, iuxta discrecionem executorum meorum aut maioris partis eorundem, probauerint aut verificauerint, sibi satisfaciant executores mei. Residuum vero bonorum meorum omnium non legatorum do et lego ^Agneti vxori mee, ^Johanni filio meo, ^Willelmo ^Bakton, et ^Johanni ^Damme de %^Sustede, quos ordino et constituo executores huius testamenti mei, vt ipsi inde disponant pro[ut] in iustis consciencijs suis magis viderint Deo placere et animabus predictis prodesse. In cuius rei testimonium presentibus sigillum meum apposui. Datum decimo die Januarij anno regni regis ^Henrici Sexti post conquestum vicesimo secundo. Huius autem testamenti mei venerabilem in ^Christo patrem et dominum Dominum ^Willelmum Lincolniensem episcopum ordino et constituo superuisorem. ((Extracts from last Will:)) ... Ita quod eadem maneria de %^Oxenede, %^Marlyngforde, %^Stanstede, et %^Horwelbury, et terre et tenementa que fuerunt ^Roberti ^Salle, ^Willelmi ^Clopton et ^Francisse, seu alicuius eorum, cum pertinencijs, post mortem prefate ^Agnetis remaneant heredibus de corpore meo et corpore predicte ^Agnetis exeuntibus. Et predicta manerium de %^Shipdene et parcella manerij de %^Latymers ac dicta mesuagia, molendinum, terre et tenementa nuper ^Clementis ^Paston et ^Hugonis atte ^Fen, seu alicuius eorum, cum pertinencijs, post mortem predicte ^Agnetis ad predictas personas feoffatas seu feoffandas, heredes et assignatos suos reuertantur, ad perficiendam inde hanc vltimam voluntatem meam. Et si nullus extiterit heres de corpore meo et corpore predicte ^Agnetis exiens, quod tunc post mortem eiusdem ^Agnetis predictum manerium de %^Oxenede et dicta terre et tenementa nuper predictorum ^Roberti ^Salle, ^Willelmi ^Clopton et ^Francisse, seu vnius eorum, cum pertinencijs, ad predictos feoffatos et heredes suos similiter reuertantur, ad perficiendam inde hanc vltimam voluntatem meam. Et quod predicta maneria de %^Marlyngford, %^Stanstede, et %^Horwelbury, cum pertinencijs, remaneant rectis heredibus ^Edmundi ^Barry, militis, patris predicte ^Agnetis, imperpetuum. Item, volo quod predicte persone vt predicitur, feoffate seu feoffande, heredes seu assignati sui, paciantur et permittant ^Robertum ^Clere, armigerum, ^Edmundum ^Clere, armigerum, ^Johannem ^Pagraue, armigerum, ^Willelmum ^Bakton de %^Bakton, et ^Johannem ^Damme de %^Sustede, vel duos eorum per communem assensum eorum quinque, predictum manerium de %^Snaylwell et predicta alia terras et tenementa in %^Snaylwell in toto, per communem estimacionem, ad valenciam quadraginta marcarum per annum occupare et exitus et proficua inde percipere et habere a festo Sancti ^Michaelis proximo sequenti post mortem meam vsque ^Edmundus filius meus iam etatis xviij annorum peruenerit ad etatem xxj annorum.... Et de eisdem exitibus et proficuis predicto ^Edmundo filio meo, quousque ad dictam etatem xxj annorum peruenerit, racionabiles victum, vestitum, apparatum, et sustentacionem, iuxta gradus sui exigenciam sic quod non superbiat, inueniant, et eum tam ad artis dialectice per dimidium annum, iuris ciuilis per vnum annum, ac iuris regni %^Anglie postea ad sufficienciam, si fieri poterit, sub sana tutela prouidenter ponant et ipsum in eisdem continuare et residere faciant prout eisdem melius visum fuerit ipsum ^Edmundum in hac parte sapere et intelligere et sibi in futurum prodesse; et domos, muros, edificia, et clausuras in eodem manerio nostro existencia racionabiliter reparari faciant, et redditus et seruicia et alia onera inde debita soluant, et hoc quod de eisdem exitibus et proficuis ad dictam etatem dicti ^Edmundi remanserit iuxta sanas consciencias suas eidem ^Edmundo satisfaciant tempore quo ipse iuxta hanc voluntatem meam statum de eodem manerio receperit et habuerit. Item, volo quod predicte persone prout predicitur, feoffate seu f[[eoffande]], heredes seu assignati sui paciantur et permittant predictos ^Robertum ^Clere, ^Edmundum ^Clere, ^Johannem ^Pagraue, ^Willelmum ^Bakton, et ^Johannem ^Damme, vel duos eorum per communem assensum eorum quinque, predictum manerium de %^Beauchamp et %^Hollewelhalle et dicta alia mesuagia, terras, tenementa, tofta, clausuras, redditus et seruicia quondam ^Ricardi ^Doket, ^Willelmi ^Thuxton, ^Johannis ^Patgris senioris, ^Johannis ^Whynne, et ^Eustachij ^Rows, seu aliquorum vel alicuius eorum, in %^Wymondham, %^Carleton, %^Bonnewell, %^Estodenham, et alijs villis adiacentibus, per communem estimacionem ad valenciam xxv marcarum [[...]] et proficua inde percipere et habere a predicto festo Sancti ^Michaelis vsque ^Willelmus filius meus iam etatis vij annorum peruenerit ad etatem xviij annorum, et quod ijdem ^Robertus ^Clere, ^Edmundus ^Clere, ^Johannes ^Pagraue, ^Willelmus ^Bakton, et ^Johannes ^Damme, vel dicti duo eorum, quinque marcas annuatim prouenientes de eisdem exitibus et proficuis per octo annos proximo sequentes predictum festum Sancti ^Michaelis, per discrecionem [[...]] predicte ^Agnetis annuatim distribuant inter pauperes et debiles predictos et [pro] missis, oracionibus, et suffragijs celebrandis [[...]] in forma predicta et de eisdem exitibus et proficuis predicto ^Willelmo filio meo vsque ad dictam etatem xviij annorum [[...]] statum et sustentacionem iuxta gradus sui exigenciam, sic quod non superbiat, inueniant et tribuant [[...]] scolas ponant et ibidem [[...]] reside+ re faciant prout predicitur de predicto filio meo ^Edmundo, et domos, muros, et clausuras [[...]] repararent et redditus et seruicia et alia onera inde soluant et de residuo dictorum exituum et proficuorum dicto ^Willelmo filio meo satisfaciant [[...]] statum de eisdem manerio, terris, et tenementis iuxta hanc voluntatem meam [[...]] heredes seu assignati sui paciantur et permittant predictam ^Agnetem [[...]] %^West %^Somerton, %^Hennesby, %^Martham, et %^Wynterton, tam illa que fuerunt [[...]] de %^Reston in toto per communem estimacionem ad valenciam xxv marcarum [[...]] gaudere a predicto festo Sancti ^Michaelis vsque ^Clemens filius meus [[...]] xviij annorum, et quod eadem ^Agnes de eisdem exitibus et proficuis predicto ^Clementi ^Paston [[...]] xviij annorum, et ^Elizabeth filie mee quousque maritetur, racionabiles victum, vestitum [[...]] exigenciam, sic quod non superbiant, et de eisdem exitibus et proficuis nutriatur honeste [[...]] filiam predictam ^Elizabeth prout statui suo conuenit, ac inueniat et ponat predictum ^Clementem [[...]] scolas grammaticales quam alias et ceteras erudiciones prout predicitur de predictis fratribus suis; et domos, muros, clausuras, et edificia in eisdem mesuagijs, terris, et tenementis existencia racionabiliter reparari faciat et redditus et seruicia et alia onera inde debita soluat ac annuatim quousque [[...]] ^Clemens filius meus ad dictam etatem xviij annorum [peruenerit] distribuat manu propria in elemosinis iuxta discrecionem suam inter magis pauperes et debiles creaturas, in honore quinque principalium vulnerum et passionis Domini Nostri ^Jesu ^Christi et quinque gaudiorum Beate ^Marie Virginis et Matris eius, pro animabus predictis, quinque marcas. Et de hoc quod de eisdem exitibus et proficuis ad dictam etatem predicti ^Clementis filij mei remanserit, satisfaciat eadem ^Agnes iuxta sanam conscienciam suam eidem ^Clementi tempore quo ipse iuxta hanc voluntatem meam statum de eisdem manerio, mesuagijs, terris, et tenementis de predictis personis feoffatis siue feoffandis receperit; et quod dicte persone feoffate seu feoffande, heredes seu assignati sui, infra xl dies proximo sequentes postquam ipsi post festum Sancti ^Michaelis proximum post mortem meam per ^Johannem ^Paston filium meum primogenitum racionabiliter fuerint requisiti, per facta sua tripartita et indentata dimittent, liberent, et assignent predicto ^Johanni ^Paston, iam etatis xx annorum et amplius, predictum manerium de %^Gresham cum pertinencijs, habendum eidem ^Johanni ad totam vitam suam; ita quod si contingat predictum ^Johannem ^Paston aliquem exitum vel heredem de corpore ^Margarete nunc vxoris sue procreare, quod tunc idem manerium cum pertinencijs post mortem eiusdem ^Johannis remaneat dicte vxori sue, tenendum sibi ad terminum vite eiusdem vxoris. Et si predictus ^Johannes ^Paston nullum exitum vel heredem de corpore dicte vxoris sue procreauerit, tunc immediate post mortem eiusdem ^Johannis idem manerium cum pertinencijs heredibus masculis de corpore meo exeuntibus integre remaneat.... ((Provision for many contingencies follows.)) Item, volo quod predicta ^Elizabeth filia mea habeat ducentas libras legalis monete ad maritagium suum si ipsa per auisamentum predicte ^Agnetis et executorum meorum maritetur, prouiso semper quod eadem ^Elizabeth pari sexu et etate in bona et competenti consanguinitatis linea maritata sit, et per maritagium illud habeat statum sufficientem et securum in lege sibi et viro suo et heredibus de corporibus suis exeuntibus, si fieri poterit, seu saltem ad totam vitam suam, in terris et tenementis valoris quadraginta librarum per annum ad minus. Et si eadem ^Elizabeth antequam maritata fuerit obierit, quod tunc dicte pecunie summa pro maritagio eius limitata in solucione debitorum que me debere contingat et in reformacione et satisfactione mesprisionum et extorcionum, si quas fecerim, et pro animabus predictis fideliter distribuatur per discrecionem predicte ^Agnetis et executorum meorum. In cuius rei testimonium ego prefatus ^Willelmus ^Paston presentibus sigillum meum apposui. Datum vicesimo primo die Januarij anno regni regis ^Henrici Sexti post conquestum vicesimo secundo. Probata fuerunt predicta testamentum et vltima voluntas coram nobis ^Alexandro ^Prowet, decretorum inceptore, ac reuerendissimi in ^Christo patris et domini Domini ^Johannis, permissione diuina %^Cantuariensis archiepiscopi, commissario generali, &c., vicesimo quarto die mensis Nouembris anno Domini millesimo ccccmo xliiijto .... To myn most reuerent and [[w]]urchepful broder ^Jon ^Paston. To myn most reuerent and wurchepful brodur. I recummend me hartely to \ow, desiryng speciali to here of \owre wellefare and prosperite*, qweche Almyty God contenu to \owre gosteli hele and bodili welfare: and if it plese \owre goode brodorod to here of myn wellefare, at @e makyng of @is bylle I was in good hele. And if it leke \owre good brodorod to remembre @e letter @at I sent to \ow of @e noyse @at was telde of \ow, @at \e schuld a be on of @e capetayns of @e ryserse in %^Norfolk, and how @at j scholere of %^Cambryg, qweche is parsone of %^Welle, schuld an vtteryd ferthere to \owre grete schalndyr, besechyng \ow to vndyrstond @at @e seyde parsone of %^Welle was sone @at tyme at %^Lundon, were he harde sey of j swyre of ij c. marc be \ere @at \e and Master ^Thomas ^Wellys wolde sewe @e seyd parsone %^Welle for \owre schalndyr. And the seyde parsone come to %^Cambryg sothyn, and hathe pekyd a qwarell to on Mastyr ^Recheforthe, a knythys sone of %^Norfolke, and seyd to ^Rychefor[the] @at he had be cause that \e schuld sewe hym. And the seyd parsone %^Welle thretyd ^Rycheferthe @at wat some euer @at \e causyd parson ^Welle to lese be \owre sewtys, @at ^Rycheforthe schul lese @e same to @e parson of %^Welle. Were-fore thys jentylman ^Rycheforthe taket grete thowt, and pray me to wrythe to \ow @at ye wulde sese \owre suthe tylle @e tyme @at \e wulde asyne @at I mythe speke wythe \ow, and odyr sundry haue speke wyth \ow of @e same mater; for yt ware pithe* @at ^Rycheforthe chuld haue ony hurthe there-by. I beseche \ow holde me excusyd thow I wryt[[h]] no better to \ow at thys tyme, for in good feyth I had no leysere. @e bry[n]ggar of thys letter can telle \ow @e same. God haue \ow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at %^Cambryg on Fryday senyth nexste be-fore Mydsomer Euyn. In case \e come be %^Cambryg I schal telle \ow mo of it. I am sory I may wrythe no bettyr at @is tyme, but I trvst \e wyl be pacient. Be \owre pore broder ^W. ^Paston Memoorandum @at ho hath affeccion to lerne @is langage must first considre viij thinggis qweche byn full nessessarij to knowe to come to @e tru profescion of @is langage = Frist, because it is not sownid as it [is] wretyn \e must considre @at this lettre s sondit neuer but qwan it stondit be-fore j of @is v letteris qweche ben callid wowellys, @at is to say a,e,i,o,v, and neuer @is letter sownit but in cas. The ij rewle is @is @at @ere byn many wordis wretyn at the last ynd with an z, and oder with j s. Qwan ony word with j z, than @e vowel be-fore @e sey[d] z sownit long, example as buuez, venez, alez, portez, priez, amez. Item, alle @e wordis qwech jnd with @is letter s, @e wowell be-fore @e s is schort, as bonnes, belles, mauuaises, rouges, blanches, verdes, noires, sanguines, blues, grises, gaunes. Item, @ere is a deferens be-twyn @e writyng of @is word il and jlz, for il seruit fore @e singlere now[m]ber and ilz for the plure noumbre, and @e z sownit neuer, neithere the l, but be-fore j vowell; example as il est moun bon amy; here @e l sownyt be-cause of @e e qweche folowyt; example of jlz, ilz mayment bien la leur bonne mercy; here sownyt of ilz but only j mayment, &c. This z neuer sownit, and @e I sownit not be-cause an m folowyt here; and this is a general rewle. Item, were two ar iij vowellis come to-geder @e vowell jn @e myddis is set a-side and is ne@[er] wretyn neithere sownyd, example as jayme; @at is as muche as je ayme, quantum breuyus tantum melyus. Item, were ony verbe of plurell noumbre endit w[ith] an n and t, the n sown[i]th not; example as jayme, tu aymes, jl ayme, nous amons, vous amez, jlz ayment; this ayment sownit as aymet, and all suche oder. Item, as in Latyn distjnccion is be -twix @e femynyn gender and @e masculyne gender, so is jn this langgage; were-fore rith nessessary it is to knowe @e pronons and @e declinacionis of @e verbis jn @e maner here- after folowyng: je or moy tu il nous vous ilz I thow he w[e] \e thei Ces choses sount nostres The th[i]nggis byn owres et lez autres choses sount vostres and @e oder thinggis byn \owr Ce cheval est moun et la cell est tenne @is horse is myn and @e sadil is thyn Ce jument est mon et la veel tien This mare is myn and @e calfe thyn Cest escriptori est nostre et tout taunt This pener is owre and all aswell caniuet poinson forchettes et plumes penk[n]yf boitkyn cheris and pennes sount vostrez a faire du tout vostre frank volunte* be \owris to do with all \owre fre wylle Tiell vn ad faith moy tort et je luy null Such on hath don me wrong and I hym non Je reporth moy du tout a deu qui congnoist tout I reporth me of all to God qwich knowit all Cest chastell est moun Ce mansyun est tenne This castell is myn @is howse is thyn Je ayme bien ma dame et mieulx moun seur I loue wyll myn lady and better myn lord myen teyne syene nostre vostre loure myn thyn hys howre \owre thers je dor tu veiles il song songere I slep thow wakyst he dremyth to dreme nous petrons vous courres ils saylent we walk \e renne they lepe ainsi sumus nous toutz seruiz solonc plesere thus be we all seruyd after plesansse je suy tu es il et nous sumus uous estez ils sont I am thow art he is we are \e are thei arn je estoie tu estoies il estoit nous estoioms uous estiez ilz estient I was thow were he was we were \e were they were je serroi tu serres il serra nous serrons uous serrez il sarront I chal be thow chall be he chall b[e] we chall be \e chall be thei chall be I chuld be thow schuldyst be he schul be je sarroi tu serrois il sarroit nous serrons vous serrez ilz sarroient we schull be \e schull be thei schuld [be] jeusse este* tu eussez este* il vst este* I schuld haue be thow schuldist haue be, &c. nous vissomus este* vous eusses este* ilz vessent este* we schuld haue be \e schuld haue be thei shul haue b[e] je veul tu veulez il veult I wyll thow wylte he wyll nous voilleimus uous voilez jlz voilent we wyll \e wyll they wyll je vouldrai tu vuldres il vouldra I schall wyll thow schalt he chall wyll nous voldroms uous vouldres ilz vouldrunt we schall will \e schall wyll thei schall je vouldroi tu voul[d]rois il vouldroit I wold thow woldist he wolde nous vouldroms uous vouldroies ilz vuldroient we wolde \e wulde thei wulde Je confie in du qe tout serra bien I trust jn God @at all schall be wyll et qe nous aueroms bones nouelles dez totes nous ame*z and @at we schall haue good tidinggis of all howre frindis et qe la miere serra ben garde* et nous enme*z discounfite*z and @at @e ce schall be wylle kepth and owre enmis disconfith To hys wurchypfull brodyr ^Jon ^Paston. Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande [me] to \ow; and as for tedyng, myn lord of %^\Orke hathe take myn lord of %^Exsater jn-to hys a-warde. The Duke of %^Somerset js styll jn preson, jn werse case than he was. Syr ^Jon ^Fastolf recomande hym to \ow, &c. He wyll ryde jn-to %^Norfolke ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at %^Caster, and ^Skrop wyth hym. He saythe \e are the hartyest kynysman and frynd @at he knowyt. He wulde haue \ow at %^Mawdeby dwellyng. I had gret chere of ^Byllyng be @e way, and he told me jn cownsayle wathe he sayd to ^Ledam. ^Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to ^Pry[s]othe jn @e schere howse of \ow, and ^Byllyng consallyd hym to leve and tolde ^Ledam \e and he were no felawys, and sayd to ^Ledam, 'Yt is the gyse of \owre contre*-men to spend alle the good they haue on men and leuery gownys and hors and harnes, and so ber yt owth for j wylle, and at the laste they arn but beggarys; and so wyll \e do. I wylde \e schull do wyll, be-cause \e are a felaw jn Grays In, were I [[t]]o was a felaw. As for ^Paston, he ys a swyre of wurchyp, and of gret lyuelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good at onys, but he sparyt \erely c mark or j c li. He may do hys ennemy a scherewd turne and neuer fare the warse jn hys howsholde, ner the lesse men a-bowthe hym. \e may not do so, but if yt be for j sesun. I consayll \ow not to contenu long as \e do. I wulle consalle \ow to seke reste wyt ^Paston. And I thankkyd ^Byllyng on \owre behalfe. God haue \ow in hys kepyng. Be \owre pore brodyr ^Wyllyam ^Paston Meche odyr thyng I can telle and I had lesur. Recomande me to myn suster ^Margeth [and] myn cosyn ^Elyzabet ^Clyre, I pray \ow. To myn rith wurchipfull broder ^Jon ^Paston be @is delyueryd. Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande me to \ow, desiryng to here of \owre willefare. ^Byllyng @e seriant hathe byn in his contre*, and he come to %^Lundon @is weke. He sent for me and ast me how I fard. I tolde hym here is pestelens, and sayd I farid @e better. He was in good hele, for it was noysyd @at he was ded. A toke me to him and ast how myn suster dede, and I anssweryd wyll, neuer better. He seyd he was wyth the Lord ^Gray, and they talkyd of j jantilman qweche is ward to myn lord, I remembre he sayd it was ^Harry ^Gray that thei talkyd of. And myn lord sayd, 'I was besy wyth-jn @is fewe days to a maryd hym to a jantyll-woman jn %^Norfolke that schall haue iiij c marc. to hyr mariage, and now a wyll not be me, for iiij c marc. wulde do me hese and now he wulde haue his mariage mony hym-self; and there-fore', quoth he, 'he schall mary hym- self for me.' @is wurdys had myn lord to ^Byllyng, as he tollde me. He vnderstod @at myn lord laboryd for his owne a-vayle, and consaylyd to byd here be wyse. And I thankkyd hym for hys good consayll. I sent \ow an ansswere of \owre letter of Ser ^Jon ^Fastolf comyng hom, as he told me hem-self. Neuer the lesse he bode lenger than he sayd hym- self he schull a do. He tolde me he schulde make j ende be-twix ^Skrop and myn suster wulle he is in %^Norfolke. Many wulde it schulde not preue, for thei say it is an onlykkely mariage. In casse ^Cressener be talkyd of ony more, he is countyd a jantylmanly man and a wurchepfull. \e know ho is most wurchipfull better than I. At the reuerens of Good, drawe to summe conclusyun, it is time. Myn lord Chanselere come not here sone I come to %^Lundun, nere myn lord of %^Jorke. Myn lord of %^Cantirbury hathe receyued hys crosse, and I was wyth hym in the Kynggys chamer qwan he mad hys homage. I tolde ^Harry ^Wylton @e demenyng betwix the Kyng and hym; it ware to long to wrythe. As for the prist @at dede areste me, I can not vnderstond @at it is @e pryste @at \e mene. Here is gret pestelens. I purpose to fle in-to the contre*. Myn lord of %^Oxforthe is come a-\en fro the se and he hath geth hym lytyll thank in this countre*. Muche more thyng I wulde wrythe to \ow, but I lak lysore. ^Harry ^Wylton sey the Kyng. Myn lord of %^Ely hathe do hys fewthe*. God haue \ow in hys blyssyd kepyng, Wretyn at %^Lundon on the Fryday be-fore Owre Ladys Day the Natyuite* in gret hast. I pray recomand me to myn suster and to myn cosyn ^Clere. Be \owre brod[er] ^W. ^Paston To his rythe worchypffull and harthy wellebelouyd suster ^Margere* ^Paston, dwellyng jn %^Norwyche. Rythe harthely well belouyd suster, I recomand me, &c.; and I haue receyued \owre letteres. And as fore myn nevewes, they lerne rythe well bothe, and there gownys and there gere schall be mad for hem acordyng to @e enthenthe of \owre letter, and all oder thynggys that behouyth on-to here profythe harddely to myn powere. And suster, God \elde \ow for \owre labore fore me for gaderyng of myn mony. And I pray as sone as \e receyuyth, send it heder be some trusty man, and @at it plese to calle @ere-on, &c. Myn suster and myn broder recomand hem to \ow bothe, and I may say to \ow in counsayll sche is op-on poyn of mariage so @at moder and myn broder sett frendely and stedfastely there-on, leke as I wothe well \e wolld and it lay in \ow as it dothe jn hem, &c. I pray \ow do \owre parthe to kall there-on. It were to long to wrythe on-to \ow all @e maner of demenyng of @is mater, and there-for I haue spoke to ^Wyllyam ^Worsetere and to ^Wethewell to tell it \ow holly as it is. I wothe ryth well \ow[r] good labore may do moche; and send me word how \e here as hastely as \e may. Item, ^Howard spak of a mariage be-twex his sone and myn nece ^Margere* \owre dothere. It were well do suche materes were nawthe sclawfully laboryd; it is wurchypffull, &c. Send me word. And God haue \ow in his kepyng. Wretyn at %^London on Sent ^Lawrens Day in hast. Be \owre brodyre ^Wyllya[m] ^Paston Item, [i] send \ow a letter directyd to ^Wollysby. I pray \ow lethe it be delyuered hym as hastely as \e may, and if \e come to @is contre* I am leke to se \ow and we schall make ryth mery, I trust. To myn master ^Jon ^Paston in %^Norffolk. Rythe willbelouyd broder, I recomand me to \ow, sertefyeng \ow @at on Friday last was, in @e mornyng, ^Wurceter and I were come to %^London be viij of @e clok; and we spak wyth myn lord Chancelere, and I fund hym well dysposyd in all thyng, and \e schall fynd hym ryth profytabyll to \ow, &c. And he desyryd me to wrythe \ow a letter in hys name and put trust in \ow in gaderyng of @e good togeder; and pray \ow to do so and haue all his good owthe of euery place of his, his awne place, qwere so euer they were, and ley it secretly were as \e thowth best at \owre assynement, &c., tyll @at he speke wyth \ow hym-selff; and he seyd \e schulld haue all lawfull fauore. I purpose to ryde to hym @is day fore wrythis of $diem $clawsit $extremum, and I sopose \e schall haue a letter sent from hym-selff to \ow. As fore the good of %^Powlis, it is safe j-now; and @is day we haue grant to haue @e good owthe of %^Barmunsey wyth- owthe avyse of any man sauyng ^Worseter, ^Plomer, and I myn-selff, and no body schall know of it but we thre. Myn lord Tresorere spekyth fayre, but \et many avyse me to put no trost in hym. There is laboryd many menys to intytill @e Kyng in his good. ^Sothewell is eschetore, and he is rythe good and will disposyd. Myn lord of %^Exsater cleymyth tytill in myn master plase, wyth @e aportynantys, in %^Sothewerk, and ueryly had purposyd to haue entrid; and his consayll were wyth us, and spak wyth ^Wurseter and me, and now afterward they haue sent vs word that they wold meve myn lord to sue be menys of @e lawe, &c. I haue spoke wyth myn lord of %^Canterbury and Master ^Jon ^Stokys, and I fynd hem rythe will disposyd bothe,&c. Item, to-morow are @e nexst day \e schall haue a-noder letter, for be that tyme we schall know more than we do now. Myn lord Chancelere wold @at myn master schulld be beryed wurchyply, and c mark almes done fore hym; but @is day I schall holly know his enthent. Master ^Jon ^Stokys hathe @e same consaythe and almes geuyng. ^Harry ^Fenyngley is nat in this towne, nere @e Lord ^Bechamp. Item, we haue gethe men of @e speretuall law wyth-haldyn wyth vs, qwat casse some euer hap. We haue Master ^Roberd ^Kenthe. But in any wyse haue all @e good there togedyre, and tary for no lettyng thow \e schuld do it be day a lythe opynly; for it is myn lord Chancelere full in- thenthe that \e schuld do so. As for ^Wyllyam ^Worceter, he trustythe veryly \e wold do for hym and for his avayll in reson, and I dowthe natt and he may ueryly and feythe- fully vnderstand \ow so disposyd to hym ward \e schall fynd hym feytheffull to \ow in leke wysse. I vnderstand by hym he will neuer haue oder master but his old master, and to myn consaythe it were pete* but iff he schull stand in suche casse be myn master that he schuld neuer nede seruyce, co[n]se[de]ryng how myn master trusted hym and @e long \erys that he hathe be wyth hym in, and many schrew jornay fore his sake, &c. I wrythe \ow no more, be-cawse \e schall [haue] a-noder letter wretyn to-morow. Wretyn at %^Lundon @e xij day of Nouembre in hast. Be ^William ^Paston An jmage off Owre Lady wyth ij awngellis sensyng gilthe viij xx vnc. vz xiij li. and iiij vnc. Item, a crosse wyth a fott lx vnc. gilthe in to cassys gilt viij xx and xvij vnc. vz xiiij li. and ix vnc. Item, an jmage off Sent ^Jon Vangelist gilthe weyng vij xx x vnc. vz xij li. vj vnc. Item, an jmage of Sent ^Jon Baptist gilthe wyth @e lamb lviij vnc. vz iiij li. x vnc. Item, an jmage off Sent ^Jamis wyth his staff gilthe weyng xxxvj vnc. vz iij li. Item, an jmage off Owre Lady gilthe wyth a crowne and a lely weyng iij xx vj vnc. vz v li. vj vnc. Item, an jmage off Sent ^Denys gilthe weyng l vnc. vz iiij li. ij vnc. Item, an jmage off Owre Sauyowre gilt wyth his crosse, his diademe, and his fane v xx xj vnc. vz ix li. iij vnc. Summa vnc. xl xx viij vnc. Summa lxvij lib. iiij vnc. Sum in markis cj mark ij vnc. di. Memorandum j lib. continet xij vnc. j marc. continet viij vnc. to his right worshipfull brother ^John ^Paston [[be @i]]s lettre delyuered. After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wete that we cam to %^London vppon the Tewysday by non nexst after oure departour fro %^Norwich, and sent oure men to jnquyre after my lord Chaunceler and Maister ^John ^Stokys and ^Malmesbury. And as for my lord Chaunceler, he was departed fro %^London and was redyn to @e Kyng ij dayes or we were come to %^London; and as we vnderstand he hasted hym to @e Kyng by-cause of my Lord ^Ryuers takyng at %^Sandwyche, &c. And as for Maister ^John ^Stokys, he was at %^Mortelak, wheder we yede and spak wyth hym, and fond by hym by the begynnyng that he had ben labored a-yens you, but by whom we coude not knowyn for he wold not telle; but he sayd he was spoken to by on whiche he coude not remembre @at he schuld take good heed vppon the probat of my maisters wyll how his londys schuld be gyded by-cause there was a thyng ensealed as his wyll which was forged after my maisters decesse, &c. But or we had thus moche of his confessyon we were resonably well jn credens wyth hym; but it was long or we coude fynd hym feythfully dysposed in oure conceytys. and whan we had hym resonably after oure entent, we enfourmyd hym of ^Yeluerton nedeles wastyng of my maister godys and the mystrust that he had jn hem hom my maister most erthely trustyd, and how his desyre was synglerly to have had the kepyng of %^Castre and all stuffe wyth-jnne it, and there to have lodged hym-self; and also hou he dede meve my Lady ^Hevenyngham, &c. Wherfore he avyseth you, for ony wrytyng or citacion that cometh fro my lord of Caunterbury or fro hym, that ye your-self kepe the goodys stylle and lete hym a-lone for the purvyans of all suche wrytyngys or cytacions. We assked hym that, if ^Yeluerton wold not be refourmed, wheder for the dyscharge of all your concyens a mene mygth be found to a-voyde hym owte of the testament. And he sayd if he be fals to the dede it is a cause resonable, and per-jure* is a-no@er cause; and if ye woll Maister ^Stokys com to %^Norwiche for the probat, &c., he woll com hym-self or make a comyssyon to o@er persones as ye woll assigne, or ell as many as woll take charge wyth you to make a proxi,be it to me or to sum o@er,and send it hym and ye wyll ther-wyth, and it schall be proved by that mene. And all the fauour @at may be don for you schall be don. And to your bargeyn he woll owe and do all the fauour that he may wyth trouthe, and it schall not nede no wytnesse to youre bargeyn wyth- oute ther be a contradiccion; and if ther be a contradiccion iij or iiij wytnesse is j-now. And he hath no conceyte in ^Yeluerton as now, and also but lytyll jn ^Fenyngley for the seruyce that he oweth to my lord Tresorer, and o@er causes whiche we expresse not for cause of long wrytyng. And he avysed vs to go speke wyth my Lord Chaunceler and Lord ^Beauchamp to wete wheder they woll take ony charge or not, and to lete hym have knoweletch of ther dysposycion. And he geveth you leve wyth a-no@er executour, or wyth youre owyn clerk, to mynystre and geve almesse at his perill. And if he schuld com heder he had lever to com thes Fastegong tyde or after Esterne than jn Lenton, but jn Lenton he schall com if ye thynk it expedyent. And ther-for send vs word as ye woll we desyre hym jn that poynt if it lyke you. Item, ser, ^William ^Worceter was com to %^London ij dayes or we were com, but we can not aspye openly that he maketh ony labour, nor prevely nouther, be no maner of harkenyng nor be no maner of talkyng; for I, ^Playter, have comonyd wyth hym and he seyth rygth not, savyng that he woll be rewarded for his long trewe seruice of my maisters good and lyke as my maister promyssed hym by his lyffe. And euer more whan I sey vn-to hym that it may not be gaynseyd but as touchyng to al my maister lond jn %^Norffolk and %^Suffolk it is his wyll and suffycyant prove ther-vppon that ye schuld have it, &c., and than he answereth and prayeth me no more to speke of that mater for he vnderstand no[[...]] covenaunt, &c.; and more can I not gete of hym. But for God I fele by hym jn my conceyte that he may help to save and gete a ml marc or to ml marc which wyth-oute his help may not be saved, as he seyth. And to fele hym wheder he lyed or seyd soth, I asked hym wheder he wold take that which mygth not be saved wyth-owte his help for his reward, and he sayd ya, wyth good wyll; and therfor wey ye all, &c. Item, Ser ^Phelyp ^Wentworth acte is passed the Kyng, whiche I doute not mygth not a be with-oute my lord Chaunceler good wyll and assent; and ^William ^Worceter sueth to have a copy therof, whiche he mygth have had of me if he had lyst, &c. Item, ser, I ^Playter speke wyth Maister ^Yeluerton, and he taketh it gretely to dysplesour that it was noysed that he and ^William ^Wayte schuld have labored to an endyted Maister ^Th. ^Howys; for he seyth for ony anger he wold not do so, and if he mygth wete that ^W. ^Wayte labored it he schuld neuer do hym seruice. And as touchyng to the provokyng that my Lady ^Hevenyngham schuld sewe forth for %^Castre, he seyth he neuer thougth it, but the sendyng to my seyd lady was by a man of his, and [a]-no@er of Fenyngley, to wete if sche hard ony tydyngys fro %^Coventre*, and no o@er maner of langage. How be it I vnderstand he woll not be straunge to falle jn wyth you a-geyn, and also that he woll not hurte you jn your bargeyn if ye coude be frendely dysposed to hym ward as ye have ben; for wyth-oute a frendelyhood of your parte hym semeth he schuld not gretely help you jn your bargeyn, so I fele hym. He leueth sum-qwhat a-loffe, and not vtterly malycyous a-yens you. The cyrcumstans of oure talkyng were to long to wryte, and ther-for I expresse the substauns as I conceyve, &c. As for my lord ^Fortescu, we comond wyth hym seuerally, and for to wryte all thyng of oure comonyng it were to long; but jn conclusyon we vnderstand his good lordschip to you wardys, and all his fauour wyth trouth, for that is his seyng. I desyred ^William ^Jeney to calle vppon the maters jn lawe for the ward, &c., and he avyseth me to leve this terme and to take avysement a-yens the nexst terme, &c., and also I thynk it so best whyll my lord Chaunceler hath take it jn rewle, &c., to whom we purpose to ryde and comon wyth jn all maters, &c. As for tydyngys, my Lord ^Ryuers was brought to %^Caleys and by-for the lordys wyth viij xx torches, and there my lord of %^Salesbury reheted hym, callyng hym knaves son that he schuld be so rude to calle hym and these o@er lordys traytours, for they schull be found the Kyngys treue liege men whan he schuld be found a traytour, &c. And my lord of %^Warrewyk reheted hym and seyd that his fader was but a squyer and broute vp wyth Kyng ^Herry the vte, and sethen hym-self made by maryage and also made lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche langage of lordys beyng of the Kyngys blood. And my lord of %^Marche reheted hym jn lyke wyse, and Ser ^Antony was reheted for his langage of all iij lordys jn lyke wyse. Item, the Kyng cometh to %^London ward, and as it is seyd rereth the pepyll as he com; but @is is certayn, ther be comyssyons made jn-to dyuers schyres that euery man be redy jn his best aray to com whan the Kyng send for hem. $plus $jn $tergo. Item, my Lord ^Roos is com fro %^Gynes. No more, but we pray to ^Jesu have you jn his most mercyfull kepyng, amen. Wretyn at %^London the Monday next after Seynt ^Powle Day. \wre broder ^Willyam ^Paston ^Thomas ^Playter Item, send us heder a letter be-tymys, @at it may be he[re] be that tyme we come a-\en, for to-morwe we ryde toward myn lord Chancelere. Lethe us haue a letter be that we come a-\en, and that will [be] v days fore he is at %^Leyseter. \eluerton wold be glad to fall in to \ow be soposyng, for Master ^Markam hathe sayd playnneley j-now to hym. [[t]]o hys rythe wurchyp[[ffull]] broder ^Jon ^Paston, [[dwell]]yng at %^Caster. Broder, I comand me to \ow, certhefieng \ow that Playter is redyn to %^Lundon ward @is day a-bowthe ij after non, and he taryed here and schulde abedyn styll till he had had an horse @at Master ^Thomas ^Howys schuld haue lent hym; and so I thowthe he schuld haue taried to long, and so he hathe bowthe on of myn hors. And iff it nede he schall send \ow word be his man fro %^Lundon how he felythe @e disposycyun off men there, &c., and he schall send his man hom be %^Newmarket wey. And I haue jnfurmyd hym acording after @e ententhe of \owre letter. I spak @is day wyth ^Bokkyng. He had but few wurdys, but I felt be hym he was rythe euyll disposyd to @e parson and \ow; but couerthe langgage he had. I wene he be assentid to @e fyndyng of @is offyce takyn at %^Bokynham, and ^Recheman schall bryng \ow @e namys of @e men that mad @e verdythe on Soneday nexst comyng. I pray send to myn broder ^Clement fermore of %^Somerton fore mony fore myn broder ^Clement for to haue sent to hym to %^Lundon. I schuld haue done it qwan I was at %^Caster-myn moder desyryd me, and I sent a letter after to @e parson and prayed hym to receyue it, &c. Item, I prayd @e parson to wrythe a letter in his name to myn suster ^Ponynggys, as \e and I comunyd onys to-geder, cownsellyng here to take good auyse be-fore sche sold here wood at %^Wrenham, and he schuld knowe ther-by weder ^Ponynggys were in %^Kent are nat, &c. I vnderstond that this ^Bokkyng and ^Worceter haue grett trust in there awne lewd consaythe, wathe some euer it menythe, &c. ^Bokkyng told me @is day that he stood as well in consaythe wyth myn master ^Fastolff iiij days be-fore he dyed as any man in %^Englond. I sayd I soposyd nay, nere iij \ere before he dyed. I told hym that I had hard dyueres talkyngys of hym as men sayd, qweche I soposyd schuld nat easly be browthe a-bowthe; and he swore that he talkyd neuer wyth no man in no mater @at schuld be a-\en \ow, &c. It is he @at makythe ^William ^Wurceter so froward as he is. I wold \e had a witnesse of ^Roberd ^Ingglows, thow he wittnessyd no more but @at myn master had his witthe, be-cawse he was so lathe wyth myn master ^Fastolff. ^Worceter sayd at %^Caster it schuld be nessessary for \ow to haue goode witnesse, as he saythe it schuld go streythe wyth \ow wythe-owt \owre wittnesse were rythe sofycyent. Myn cosyn ^Berney can tell \ow, &c. Item, remembre to make @e parson to make an jnstrument up-on his sayyng; I funde hym rythe good qwan I spak wyth hym at %^Caster. And remembre @e newe euydens. Item, ^Arblaster and I spakk to-geder. I felle hym rythe feythefully disposyd to \ow ward, and he schall mow do myche good and he go to %^Lundon, fore he can labore will a-monge lordys. He and I comunyd to- geder of myn Lord ^Awbre*. Lethe hym tell \ow qwat it was, for he will speke wyth \ow to-morow. It is full nessessary to make \ow strong be lord-chep and be oder menys. Myn Lord ^Awbry hathe weddit @e Duke of %^Bokyngham dowter, and he was lathe wyth Master ^Fastolff before he dyed, and he is gret wyth @e Qwene. Gode haue \ow in his kepeng. Wretyn at %^Norwyche @e secund day of May. $omnya $pro $pecunya $facta $sunt. Be \owre broder ^W. ^Paston 164 To my maister ^John ^Paston jn hast. Please you to knowe and wete of suche tydyngys as my lady of %^York hath by a lettre of credens vnder the signe manuel of oure souerayn lord Kyng ^Edward, whiche lettre cam vn-to oure sayd lady this same day, Esterne Evyn, at xj clok, and was sene and red be me, ^William ^Paston. Fyrst, oure souerayn lord hath wonne the feld, and vppon the Munday next after Palme Sunday he was resseyued in-to %^York with gret solempnyte* and processyonz. And the maire and comons of the said cite* mad ther menys to haue grace be Lord ^Montagu and Lord ^Barenars, whiche be-for the Kyngys comyng in-to @e said cite* desyred hym of grace for @e said cyte*, whiche graunted hem grace. On the Kyngys parte is slayn Lord ^Fitzwater, and Lord ^Scrop sore hurt. ^John ^Stafford. ^Horne of %^Kent, ben ded, and ^Vmfrey ^Stafford, ^William ^Hastyngys, mad knyghtys, with o@er; ^Blont is knygth, &c. Vn the contrary part is ded Lord ^Clyfford, Lord ^Nevyle, Lord ^Welles, Lord ^Wyllouby, ^Antony Lord ^Scales, Lord ^Harry and be supposyng @e Erle of %^Northumberland, ^Andrew ^Trollop with many o@er gentyll and comons to @e nombre of xx ml. Item, Kyng ^Herry, the Qwen, the Prince, Duk of %^Somerset, Duke of %^Exceter, Lord ^Roos, ben fledde in-to %^Scottelond, and they ben chased and folwed, &c. We send no er vn-to you be-cause we had non cer[teyn tyd]yngys tyl now; for vn-to @is day %^London was as sory cite* as mygth, and be-cause ^Spordauns had no certeyn tydyngys we thougth ye schuld take them a worthe tyl more certayn. Item, %^Thorp %^Waterfeld is yoldyn, as ^Spordauns can telle you. And ^Jesu spede you. We pray you that this tydyngys my moder may knowe. Be \owre broder ^W. ^Paston ^Th. ^Playter Comes %^Northumbr' Comes %^Deuon' Dominus de ^Beamundo Dominus de ^Clifford Dominus de ^Neuyll Dominus de ^Dacre Dominus ^Henricus de %^Bokyngham Dominus de ^Welles Dominus de ^Scalis ^Antony ^Reuers Dominus de ^Welluyby Dominus de ^Malley ^Radulfus ^Bigot, miles Millites Sir ^Rauff ^Gray Sir ^Richard ^Percy Sir ^Harry ^Belyngham Sir ^Andrew ^Trollop With xxviij ml nomberd by harraldys To myn wurchipfull broder ^Jon ^Paston. Ryththe wurchipfull broder, I recomand [me] to \ow. Lekit it \ow to wethe ^Jon off ^Dam is come to towne and purposit hym to tary here a day are ij, are lengar, I can thynk, and he be desyryd; were-fore I pray \ow, and as I haue a-fore @is tyme desiryd \ow @e same, that suche materis as hathe be comunyd now lathe be-twyx myn moder, \ow, and hym may take some good conclucyon be-twyx owre-selff here at hom. And jn myn consayt. sauyng \ow[r] better avyse, it were so most conuenyent and wurchipfull for us all and comforthe to all owre fryndis. And for @is ententhe I wold tary here the lengare, for I wold be as glad as any man a-lyue that suche an ende mythe be take be-twix vs that jche off us all schuld jnyoy pe wylleffare off odyr, qweche I trust wyth \owre good help schall be rythe wyll. And I dowthe nat myn mastyr ^Markam wyll be will plesyd thus. I haue tydyngys from %^London, and a-monge odyr tydyngys I haue knowlage that ^Cirstofre ^Hanson is passid to God on Saterday last past at ij off clok after mydnythe. It is good to take hede there-to, &c. Item, I sent to \ow to haue had \owre auyse qwat menys were best to make for @e mater towchyng @e Lord ^Scrop, qwere-jn I had an answere; but me thowthe it was nat to @e poynthe. I sopose, and I purposyd to make the labore that \e sent me word I schuld do towchyng me, I can thynk I schuld sone be answerid, sonare than he. I must send some answere to hym were-jn I wold have \owre consayll,for he desirid @e same and I wold not he schold thynk that he were for-gotyn be us. Be \owre pore broder ^William ^Paston I can thynk and he were here he wold be a feythfull frynd to \ow; but and so were that \e thowthe @at it were for to labore for any oder man, me thynkit it were for \ow to remembre myn nevew that were somewat lykly, and there-to wold I be glad to help and lene to @e toder. For as for me, I know so moche that sche will non haue but iff he haue, ar be leke to haue, meche more lond than I haue; and iff I knewe @e contrary it schuld nat be left for @e labore, but I wold nat be in a folis paradyce. And \e be myn good brodir I trust thow to do rythe will, &c. To my right worshipfull nevew Sir ^John ^Paston, knyght. Myn suster, ^Arblaster, and I haue apoyntyd @at we schall kepe non howsold @is terme but go to borde, were-fore we auyse \ow to puruay for us a logynge nere a-bowt myn lord Chanselere @at be honest, for ^Arblaster will non oder. Item, as for \ow, we auyse \ow jn any wyse gete \owr chamer assynyd wyth-in myn lordys place, and gete chamer a-lone iff \e may, @at ^Arblaster and I may haue a bed ther-in \iff it fortune us to be late there wyth \ow. Item, take hed to gete suyrte*s for @e pore men @at come up, and @at @ey may be sent hom a-\en forthe-wyth wyth-owt taryyng; and take auyse so @at @e proses may so go forthe @at @ey may be qwett at @e nexst assysys. Take auyse off ^Townysend. As for ^\Eluerton, fynd @e menys @at he speke nat wyth myn lord till we come. Iff any labore be mad to myn lord to asyne men to here @e mater jndefferently make labore to myn lord @at tho men be nat namyd till we come, for we can jnffurme hym soche as be parciall be there dedys here- affore qweche parauenture myn lord wold thynk were jndefferent j-now till he be jnfurmyd. It may be answerid be myn lord @at he will nat prosede no ferthar in @e mater till ^Arblaster comyng and myn, for we can best jnfurme @e mater. Item, send a letter to ^Rychard ^Kall and to Ser ^Jamys ^Gloys to come up to %^London in any wyse, for there is no man can do in dyuers materys @at they can do jn answeryng suche mater as ^\Eluerton wyll ley a-\ens \ow; and also @ey can best mak @e bill @at \e schuld put a-\ens hem, and ther- for remembre. Item, wrythe a letter to myn suster for @e c mark for myn Lady %^Soffolk, for we haue no uerry dyrect answer off her weder sche wyll send it ar nat. Item, speke to \owr atorney in @e Kyngys Benche @at he take hed to all maner jndytamentys, both old and new, and to all oder materys @at hangyng there. Item, do ^Pampyng comyn wyth owr sperituall concell suche mater as nedyn there, and haue newe wretyn @e attestacion @at lakkyn. @e same man @at wrott @e oder may wrythe that. For ^\Eluerton mad gret auawnt @at \e schuld be hyndrid in that. Wrythe a letter to myn nevew ^Jon \onger to come up to preue @e wyll. Speke wyth Ser ^Gilberd ^Debenham qwill he is in cownt to leue uper %^Cotton. Item, ^\Eluerton, ^Howys, and ^Worceter make meche @at we haue put hem owt off possesscyon off the lond, qweche @ey say is contrary to myn lord Chanseler comandement. And jn trowth Ser ^Jamys and ^Call meche spokyn to @e tenantys in myn lordys name, fore ^\Eluerton thynkyt @at he may now breke @e trete*; qwer-for take auyse here-in off Master ^Tresham and off Master ^Staueley, and jnfurme myn lord how myn broder qwas all-way in possescion till he was put owt for @e mater off bondage, and how \e fynd @e colage, and qwat an hurt it were to \ow in noyse of contre* iff any oder man schuld now receyue any proffitys off @e londys. They will labore @at jndeferent men schuld receyue, and @at wer nat good; myn lord may say @at he will end @e mater, but as for @e possescyon he will nat put \ow owt. Labor @is in all hast possible. I pray yow send me an answere of all such thynges as requirith an answere in this contre*, for ^Arblaster purposith to be wyth yow on Sonday sevenyght, and I purpose to be wyth yow ij dayes afore. To my right worshupfull suster ^Margaret ^Paston. Right worshupfull sustir, I recomaunde me to you, prayng you to vndir- stonde the Priour of %^Bromeholme hath sent ayen to me for xx li., and my cosyn ^William ^Whyte desired me to wryte to you for the rewarde that was offird hym to his churche, and xx li. of my brothirs goodys to be lent hym vpon sufficient suertee and by a yeeris ende payd ayen. He hath and may doo for you, and for my nevewe Sir ^John, in many thynges, and is his kynnesman; and it were a gode frendely dede and no jopardy nor hurt. The Abbot of %^Wymoundham hath sent to me too tymes. Frendship may not hang by the wynde, nor for faire eyne, but causis must be shewid. Men wene that I hadd your coffers and my brothirs and Maistir ^Fastolff in myne awarde, and that ye wote wele, &c. Sende your avise to my nevewe Sir ^John by the next messynger. Ye sent to me oonys for the same mater, but I may not leene my money to defende othir men is causis. Your discrecion thenkith that it were no reason. I haue tolde them your saying, and as it is s[o] that ye may not come to the coffers but all be togedir, therfor ye must sende to my nevewe and to ^Arblastir hou ye will haue this answerd; for the Abbot will be heere on Monday at the sene, and labour must bee desirid the next terme. Hit nedis nat to put you in remembraunce of my mater touchyng my fadirs soule, my modir, and me. And God kepe you. Wreton at %^Norwich the vijth day of Aprill. I haue tolde thes folkis, as ye haue seide to me all-weys, that your will is gode but that ye may not come theretoo withoute th'assent of all your felowes. Item, I pray you remembre the obligacion that ^Wix hath, and that I may haue my money of the parsone of %^Maudeby. By your brothir ^William ^Paston This bill endentid made the xv day of August the xth yer of King ^Edwarde @e iiijte betwixt ^William ^Paston, esquyer, on @e ton partie and ^Thomas ^Vyall of %^Norwich, payntur, witnessith @at @e saide ^Thomas ^Vyall hath borowid of @e saide ^William ^Paston v li. of lawfull mony, vpon plege of j par of corall bedys with xxj gaudys of siluer and gilte weyng vj vnc. with @e lace and @e knopp, xx siluer sponys weyng xvj vnc., j standyng pes of siluer with a couer weyng x vnc., a large maseer parcell gilt weyng, @e tymber and all, xv vnc., j maser siluer and gilt weyng viij vnc., a maser weyng vij vnc. dj. and j quarter and a mase[r] with @e fote broken, not weyde. And the saide ^Thomas ^Vyall byndith hym-silff, his eyres and executours to pay to @e saide ^William ^Paston the saide v li. of lawfull mony at @e fest of @e Natiuite* of Our Lorde next commyng affter @e date of this present writyng. In witnesse wher-of @e parties beforsaide enterchaungeably haue set to ther seallys. Writen @e day and yer above saide. ^Wyl[ia]m ^Paston This jndenture had ^William ^Paston of ^William ^Bride, quinere, at such tyme as he delyuerd hym ^Viallys plegys and ressayuyd of hym v li. @e last day of September in @e presens of ^William ^Paston, ^Richard ^Lynsted, ^Gererd ^Bowen, ^John ^Clargenet, ^Richard ^Lee, ^Thomas ^Martyn, ^Richard ^Halle, ^George ^Venabuls. This bille jndented made @e xxiiij day of Octobre the xiiij yer of @e regne of Kyng ^E. @e iiijte witnesse that ^William ^Paston, squyer, hath delyuered and leyde vn-to plegge to ^Elizabeth ^Clere of %^Ormesby thise parcelles folwyng, that is to wete: a standyng coppe gylt wyth a cover ther-to plumyd weyng=xxiiij vnc. & di. ; a standyng cuppe couered gylt weyng xxxvj vnc., a-no@er standyng cuppe couered gylt of=xv vnc. iij quart. & di.;a gobelet couered gylt of xiiij vnc. j quart. & di.; a-no@er gobelet couered gylt of xij vnc. & jd. weyte; a-no@er gobelet gylt of vij vnc.; a standyng white pece wyth a couer wyth-ought a knoppe of=xxij vnc.; a salt wyth a pale couered of xiiij vnc. & j quart.; a round salt couered of xix vnc. j quart. & di.; a round salt oncouered of viij vnc.; a bason of xxxv vnc. & j qrt.; an ewer to @e same of xv vnc. & di. quart. ; j ewer of xiiij vnc. & di. quart.; vi siluer spones wyth oke cornes and long stalkes of v vnc, & di. & di. quart.; vj syluer spones wyth square scharp knoppes of v vnc. iij quart. j d. weyte; a spone for grene gynger of iij quart. & ij d. weight; which summa in all is xijxx & x vnc. & iiij d. weyte. Vppon whiche plegges the sayd ^Elizabeth hath delyuered to @e said ^William xl li., to be payed a-yen wythought delay by @e fest of Cristemes next folwyng @e date her-of. And if it be not payed by @e said fest of Cristemes, than @e said ^William by @is present graunteth that @e said ^Elizabeth schall selle al @e said plate for hir repayment, or kepe it to hir owen vse at hir plesure. In witnes of whiche @e said ^William to @is jndenture hath sette to his seale, remaynyng wyth @e said ^Elizabeth. Yoven @e day and yer a-bove. This jndentur mad the xxiiij day of Octobre the xiiijth yer of the reigne of Kyng E. @e iiijth witnessith that ^William ^Paston, squyer, hath deliuered and laide to plege to ^Elizabeth ^Clere of %^Ormesby these parcellys folowyng, that is to wete: a standyng cupp couered gilte weyng=xxiiij vnc. & dj. a-noder standyng cupp couered gilt of=xxxvj vnc. a-noder standyng cupp couered gilte of=xv vnc. iij quart. & dj. a goblet couered gilte of=xiiij vnc. j quart. di. a-noder goblet couered gilte of=xij vnc. & j d. a-noder goblet gilte of=vij vnc. a standyng white pes couered wythout knopp=xxij vnc. a salte wyth a pale couered of=xiiij vnc. j quart. a rownde salte couered of=xix vnc. j quart. & dj. a rownde salte vncouered of=viij vnc. a basyn of=xxxv vnc. j quart. an ewer to @e same of=xv vnc. & di. quart. an ewer of=xiiij vnc. & dj. quart. vj siluer sponys wyth oke cornys and long stalkys of=v vnc. & dj. di. quart. vj siluer sponys wyth square sharpe knoppis of=v vnc. iij quart. & j d. a spone for grengynger of=iij quart. & ij d weight which summa in all is=xijxx x vnc. iiij d weight Vpon which plegys the saide ^Elizabeth hath deliuered the said ^William xl li., to be paide ayen wythout delay by the fest of Cristenmas next folowyng the date herof. And if it be not paide by the saide fest of Cristen- mas, than the saide ^William by these presentz grauntith @at the saide ^Elizabeth shall sell all @e saide plate for hir repayment, or kepe it to hir own vse at hir pleasur. In witnesse of which ^Robert ^Clere, by @e commandement of the saide ^Elizabeth his moder, hath to this jndenture set to his seel, remaynyng wyth the saide ^William. Yoven the day and yer above. [[To]] my rig[[ht]] worshipfull neview ^[[J]]ohn ^Paston, knyghte, be this [[lettr]]e deliuered in hast. ... worshipfull neview, I recommaund me to you. And, ser. I pray you ... @at there was none obstacle ner lettinge @at ye found in me to ... saue me harmeles at whiche tyme it was thought aswel ... ^Johns by obligacioun was not jnow to saue me harm ... n the meane seasoune for as youre reasoun will give ...ght fell of yow but goode. And if the caas so fill @at ...ys will take it on them than I to bere the losse wherup- po...ound to me to saue me harmeles. And for asmuche ...m by obligacioun of statute merchaunt for you the... in myne oune kepinge for my discharge and after a...estorid me ageyn at this Michelmas and m... till Candilmas and me thinke it is ... con... I shuld hange still ... as I did at @e begynn... obligaciouns paiable at... will kepe still the ... or sufficient and @at ... as wold pay at th... wyth me @an thus n... jndenture wherby ... for be cawse @at ye w ... experyens. Also I wold auyse you ... my lord of %^Norffolk. Also nevew, @er is onne Fr... but hym-silf and his wif and ... wherfore I haue writin to ... in this matier and I trust ... And I pray yow @at I may ha... squyere and there heierez for euer. And also more-ouer the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, by this presentes graunten that thei schall, by theire wrygtyng suffycient or othere-wyse, make notyse and yeve knowleche of thes seid graunte, bargeyne, and sale to all the seid now feffe*s and to all othere persones hauyng estate or interest in the seid maneres, londes, and tenementes or in ony parcell of them, requiryng them to stonde and be feffe*s therof to the vse of the seid ^Maister ^John ^Morton, ^William ^Paston, ^Thomas ^Playter and ^Thomas ^Louell and to there heierez in forme aboueseid wyth-owte ony reles, estate, feffement, or ony graunte of rent charge or annuyte* of them or of ony of them a-for thys mad ar had are here-after desyryng to be had or made to ar by them or to ony othere contrarie to this presentes. And also the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, by thes presentes graunten that thei or one of them schall delyuere to the seid ^William ^Paston a bill of all the names of them that now at @is present tyme haue estate and be enfeffed in the seid maneres, londes, and tenementes wyth @e aporty- nances, wythowte frawde or deseyte, be-for the fest of Mydsomer nexst comyng, specyfyyng in @e seid bill @at @ey stand jnffeffid from hens forth to such jntent as is specifyed in @is jndentur and yff it happyn the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, to fayle of payment of the seid somme of c and xiiij li. in forme afore seid to be payed or ony parcell therof at the seid daye of payment, the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, by this presentes graunten that then the seid ^Maister ^John ^Morton, ^William ^Paston, ^Thomas ^Playtere, and ^Thomas ^Louell schall from thense forthe haue and take th'issuez and profytez of the seid maneres, londes, and tenementes wyth @e aportena[n]ces to theire owne vsee, and that thei nor ony of theym schall not be vexed, troboled, nor interupted to take and perceyue ony of the seid issues and profytes of the seid maneres, londes, and tenementes, rentes and ser- ui[c]es wyth @e aportynances after any suche defaute of payment made by the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, nor by ony of them, nor by ony othere person or persons for them or ony of them in there names; and that then the seid ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, schall delyuere ore cause to be delyuered to the seid ^William ^Paston all maner of chartours, evidenc[e]z, monymentes, rolles of accomptes and courte rolles concernyng onely the seid londes and tenementes, rentes and seru[ic]es wyth @e aportenances, or ony parcell therof which the same ^John ^Paston, knyght, and ^John ^Paston, squyere, haue or eythere of them hath, or ony man to there usee hathe, and of all suche evidencez and wryghtynges concernyng as well the seid maneres, londes, and tenementes. The names of the maners of ^Agnes ^Pastons and ^William ^Paston in %^Norffolk, how thai shulde be taken hede to this haruest anno xvijo. And a copy of the same send to ^Richard ^Lynstede the xxij day of August anno xvijo per Bacheler ^Water. %^Paston maner=Se that the fermour jn his corn on my moders fe, seale doris and distrayne, and put in a newe fermour. %^Wodemyl=Distrayne. %^Latymers=Gadir the rente. %^Sewardbys=Gadir the rente. %^Trunche=Distrayne on @e grounde after it is fellid while it lieth on my moders fe. %^Spriggeis=Gader the rente. %^Knapton fe= %^Crowmer=%^Gadir the rente. %^Owstronde=Distrayne. %^Rowton=Distrayne and arest the fermour. %#Riston=Lete ^Lynstedis brother gader the rente. %^Oxned maner=Se the fermour in his croppe and after seale doris and distrayne, and lete hym not renne in dette as other fermours did. %^Oxned mylle=Se the fermour in hiss croppe and after seall doris and distrayne and lete hym not renne in dette as other fer- mours did. %^Caster %^Cleres=Aske the ferme. %^Holkhams tenement=Aske the ferme. The mersh in %^Caster=Aske the ferme. %^Caster %^Bardolf=Aske the ferme a[nd] rent. %^Caster %^Clere rentis=Distrayne tenauntis %^Holh[a]m rent= %^Ormysby myn fe= %^Somerton=Se that he jn his corn and seall doris and distrayne till he fynde suerty. %^Thirn=Aske the ferme. %^Sowth %^Walsham= %^Haluyr\at= %^Todenham=Aske the rente and areste ^Smyth. %^Cokfeldis=%^Aske the rente. %^Apawys=Se he jn his corn and seall doris and distrayne. %^Marlyngfor[d] maner=Sele doris and distrayne. %^Marlyngford mylle=Seale doris and distrayne. %^Merlyngforde tenauntis=Distrayne. %^Melton=Se the croppe jnned and seale doris and distrayne. %^Bonwell=Aske rente. %^Carleton=Aske rente. %^Thuxstons=Aske rente. %^Lynghall $nuper ^Dokkyngis=Asks rente fro Mich. xvj till xvijo and distrayne. %^Bulmans $nuper ^Dokkyngis=Aske rente fro Mich. xvjo til xvijo and exorte ^Martyn to kepe the ferme still, and if he woll not praye hym to gete a-noder. %^Yeaxham $nuper ^Dokkyngis=Aske rente fro Mich. xvjo till xvijo and gete a newe fermour, and increse the rente and make a new terrar and rentall. %^Styberd $nuper ^Dokkyngis=Aske rent fro Mich. xvo till Mich. xvijo and distrayne, and allowe no dewty of ^Dokkyngis in abatyng my rente. %^Tymbilthorp $nuper ^Dokkyngis Aske rente fro Mich. xvo till Mich. xvijo and distrayne, and allowe noo dewty of ^Dokkyngis in abatyng my rente. These maners that ar trahid take gode hede that ye be in gode suertye of them this haruest tyme. Parsonage of %^Oxnede made xxxj julij Ao xviijo E. iiijti. The comodytys off the parsonage and the valew off the benyfyce off %^Oxned [[Euer]]y new parson off %^Oxned, whan he is jnst[it]ute and jnducte, at the first [[e]]ntre* in-to the chyrch and benefyce off %^Oxned must off awncyent custom long contynued with-in the dyosesse of %^Norwych pay to the Byschopp of %^Norwych for the first frutes off the seyd benefyce xiiij marke; for wyche xiiij merke, iff the new parson be wytty and haue fauour a-bowt the Byschops offycers, he schall haue days off paiment to pay the seid xiiij marke in xiiij yere, that is a marke a yere till it be payd, so that he can fynd suffycyent men to be bownd to @e Bischopp be obligacion to kepe his days off payment. And the Chyrch is but litill and is resonable plesaunt and reparyd ... dwellyng place of the parsonage is a-yoynyng to the ...d well howsyd and reparyd, hall, chamberys, barn, doffhowse, and all howsys off offyce. And it hath a doffhows worth a yere=xiiij s. iiij d. And it hath ij large gardens with frute, and is yonyng to the place and chyrch-yard, wher-off the frute is worth yerly-xxvj s. viij d. And ther longith to the seid parsonage in frelond, arable, pasture, and medowe a-yonyng to the seid parsonage xxxijti acre or more, wher-off euery acre is worth ij s. to latyn-iij li. iiij d. And ^William ^Paston, justice, qwan he cam fyrst to dwell in the maner of %^Oxned paid to the parson that was than for the corne growyng on the parsonage londys, and for the tythyngys ondely but in corn whan it was jnned in-to the barn-xxiiij li. And the same yere the parson had all the awterage and oder profytys be-syde @e seyd xxiiij li. It is yerly worth, as the world goth now-x li. And it is butt an esy cure to kepe, for @er ar natt past xxti persons to be yerly howselyd. The parsonage stant be a fresch ryuer syde. And ther is a good markett town callyd %^Alysham with-in ij myle off the parsonage. And the cyte* off %^Norwych is with-in vj myle off the parsonage. And the see is with-in x myle off the parsonage. And if a parson cam now and warre presentyd, institute, and inducte, he shuld haue by the lawe all the cropp that is now growyng @at was eryd and sowyn off the old parsons cost, growyng on the parsonage landys now, as his own good, and all the tyth off all maner graynys off @e maner londys and tenantys londys towardys his chargys off the fyrst frutes; and if it ware jnnyd it war, @is crop now growyng, worth his first frutes. He @at hath @is benefice, and he were a pore man, myght haue lycens to haue a seruice be-side. The Beshop oght not to haue @e valew of @is cropp for @e arreragys of @e fyrst fruttys @at Ser ^Thomas ^Euerard, last parson of %^Oxned, oght to @e Bysshop whan he died; for @e said Ser ^Thomas ^Euera[r]d was bond to @e Bisshop in an obligacion for @e said frutys, and @e said Ser ^Thomas ^Euerard, for to defraude @e Bysshop and oder men @at he owid mony to gaff a-way his gooddys to serten persons, qwech persons toke a-way @e said goodys, and also durrys and wyndois of @e said parsonage, and it is though[t] @at both @e Bysshop and @e patron myght take accions a-gayns @e said persons. The copy of a lettre to Master ^Nicholas ^Goldewell, broder to @e Busshopp of %^Norwich, ixo Octobris Ao xviijo E. iiijti, by Ser ^William ^Vbgate, vicar of %^Castre. Ryght wurchupfull sere, I recomaund me hartely on-to you. Plese it you to be remembryd how that I spacke on-to you on the Soneday for a lytill benyfe[s] of the cherch of %^Oxned, where-to my moder had presentyd a clerke of hyrse, whech presentacyon was delyuerd to Mayster ^John ^Bulman, mi lord depute*, wyth-in @e tyme lymytid be @e law. Sere, I vnderstond this clerke is not admyttyd nor can nat be amyttyd be no labor @at he can make, where-in I vnderstond that my moder is in wrongjd for cause off nown amyttans, where-fore, sere, I desyre \ow to be @e mene to myn lord that the seyd clerke may haue in premys @at @at @e lawe requyrith. For who be it that the benyfys is small and of lytill valew, yet myn moder wolde be full loth to lose here ryght. \owr wysdam demyt @e same, and I can nat conceyue qwat @e delay off @e mater schuld auantage myn lord; and, sere, such dyreccion as shall ples \ow to take in @is mater, @at it lyst \ow to schew yt wyth \ow[r] good and favorabil auyse to Ser ^Will ^Vpgat, veker off %^Castre, brynger of @is por byll. And I pray Owr Lord send \ow mech wyrchyp an as wellto far \e as I wold myn-selff. Wretyn at %^Norwich @e ix day of Octobre. Be hym @at is jowr to his power, ^Will ^Paston To @e ryth wyrchipffill and honorabbill sir, Mayster ^Nicolas ^Goldewell The copy of a lettre to ^William ^Pope of %^Bacton @e xvij day of Octobre Ao xviijo E. iiijti, by ^William ^Dam of %^Rughton. Welbelouyd, I grete you welle, letyng you wete that I may nott be att the court att %^Paston on Monday next comyng, nor no man for me, nor I will haue no court kepte @ere @at day. Where-fore I pray you that ye wille warne all the tenontys to kepe here day att %^Paston, for @e court schall be ther suyrly on Friday next comyng, and warne euery man to bryng theder his rent and his ferme, for I will be there att the seyd court my-selfe. And I pray you that ye wyll warne all the tenontys of %^Bakton to-morow opynly in @e chyrch of @e seyd court to be kept on Friday next comyng and warne all oder tenantys off %^Swaffeld, %^Monysley, %^Edyngthorp, %^Wytton. Wretyn at %^Norwych @is Saterday after Sent ^Edward @e day off Octobyr. Be ^Will ^Paston Erandys to %^Merlyngford @e xviij day of Januar Ao xviijo, wer-off a copy was [[d]]elyuerid ... Sent ^Edmundys @e same d[[ay]]. Do ^Gerald of %^Marlingford com to me, and know were he ys be-come; in qwa[[t]] place he hydyt hym he dothe but distroyh hym-selff. Do on ^Steward of %^Colton, a tenaunte of %^Marlingford, com to me. Do Sir ^John ^Chapman, parson of Oure Ladys chyrche, send hider the bill of rekenyng of ^Richard ^Hervy shewyng what stokke was deliuered be ^Richard ^Hervy to ^Harry ^Hervy. And also a bill what costys @at ^Richard ^H[[ervy...]] of at that tyme Do ^John ^Brigg com to me and bryng me suyrte* for hys dette, and know qwat wey @e parson off %^Melton takyt wyth hym. Do @e pars[[on]] off %^Melton come to me to %^Norwych, for tell [[h]]ym [[@at]] and he come nat hastely he schall nat fynd me here. Item, pray @e parson off %^Melton to call vp-on @e parteculer tenantys off %^Melton @at haue had parteculer fermys fro Michelmas xvij till Michelmas xviij to pay @ere fermys. Memorandum, the day @at the lapse went out, which is such day vj monethes as the seid parson died, was on Tewesday, Our Lady Day the Natiuite*, the viijte day of Septembre last past, anno xviijo. The day of vj monethes affter Our seide Lady Day the Natiuite* was on Seint ^Matheus Day the Apostell last past, whiche was the xxiiij day of Februare; and so I deme eythere the Bisshoppe of %^Norwiche hath presented or els it is in the gifft of my lord Cardinall nowe. Inquere this mater, for the Bisshoppe of %^Norwich lyth in %^London, and shall doo till Our Ladys Day this Lenton, as it is said here. My moder deliuered Sir ^William ^Holle his presentacion the xiij day of August anno xviijo, which was nere a monethe or the day of the vj monethes went out and past; wherfore the Bisshoppe ought to present my moders clarke. Neuerthelesse the Bisshoppys officeres aunsware this sayng @at if ij sondry persones deliuer ij sondrye presentacions for to diuerse clarkes to the Bisshoppes officeres for one benefice, @at than the seid partyes shuld sue to the Bisshop at ther cost to haue out an jnquerre* to inquere $de $vero $patrono, sayng forther-more @at if they sue nat out this jnquerre* with affect and @at the lapse fall, @an it is lefull for the Bisshop to present. And it is told me @at the lawe is this, that the Bisshop, be his office without any sute of the parties, shall call an jnquerre* afore hym to inquere $de $vero $patrono, and he shall assign them a day to bryng in a verdett. And he shall warne bothe partyes to be ther-at, and he shall amytte his clarke @at is founde patron. \et the Bisshopp vseth nat to do this but there as bothe partyes that present are myghty to sue @e Bisshoppe if he did them any wrong, and where as ther is a doubtable mater; but in this case the prest @at... my moder is but a simple felowe and he is $appostata, fore he was somtyme a White Frere, and of simple repetacion and of litill substans, as my moder can tell; wherfore bisshoppys vse nat in suche litill casys to take so streyte an jnquerre*, and specyally where as one hath contynued patron with- out interupcion so long as my moder hath don, for she hath contynued more than l wyntere. Wherfore I pray you shewe my cousyn ^Louell this bill and fynde som meanes to jntrete the Bisshopp by the meane of ^James ^Hobard, which is grete with the Bisshop and is nowe Redere of %^Lyncoln %^Inne this Lent. And late my lady speke to ^James ^Hobard in the mater if it please my moder. There is a prest callid Sire... which is thought by the tenauntes of %^Oxned a metely man to be parson there, the most thyng @at I dowte bi-cause Sire ^William ^Holle, whom my moder presented, is ronne away. If the Bisshop will nat present my moders clarke in here title, @an I wold that the labour myght be made to the Bisshopp @at he myght present my moders clarke, suche on as she will name, in his one title. ^Richard ^Lee, like as \e may vnderstand be this writing, where as I vnderstod @at the Bisshopp myght haue kept the benefice but vj monethes after the @atrons vj monethes ware worn out, now I vnderstand the con- trary; for I vnderstand he may kepe it a twelm... and [[a]] day... if ...... by law... fall...Also, Richar......gner here-of is ... s...nd ^Reede ... of the consistore* in %^Norwich ... hath a broder in the Towre is master of the mynt vnder ^Brice, called ^Bartilmew ^Rede, and a-nothere broder is a goold-smyth dwellyng in the %^Chepe side called ... ^Reede; and he is eyther loged with on of these his breder or els at the Jor[[ge in]] Lumbard Strete, ore els at @e Cok and @e Bell at %^B[[e]]linges Gate, a brue hous, for @e sei[[d]] gold-smyth hath m[[ari]]ed a bruewif and kepeth @e brue hou[[s]]. And he can good skylle to helpe in this mat[[er]] of the benefice of %^Oxned. Also, ^Richard ^Lee, who so euer sh[[all...be]]nefice of %^Oxned \e muste tell hym he must pay xiiij marc. to the frutes, and therfore shall he haue [[da]]yes of payment to pay a marc a \er if he [[may...]] And also, Richard, at the makyng of this letter I wend to haue ben sure of a prest, and now I am nat... fore if it please my moder me thynke it ware well don Ser ^William ^Storour had it, for I can non ge[[t]]e \et @at setteth billis vpon Powlys dorre par auentur wold be glad to... it and wold be glad also to... my lady and my moder for it for a season. I can no more sey, but purvay a mean to the Bisshop @at som mon may be put in by my moders title. Thys bille jndentyd mad @e vij day of Julij Ao r.r. E.iiijti xixo be-twyx ^William ^Paston and ^Jeffrey ^Hunt on @e ton partie and ^John ^Davy and ^Alice hys wyf, late @e wyf of ^John ^Gyggys of %^Burnham, on @e oder partie, witneseth @at @e seyd ^William ^Paston and ^Jeffrey ^Hunt, by @e handys of @e seyd ^Jeffrey ^Hunt, hath delyuered to @e seyd ^John ^Davy and ^Alice hys wyf, be @e presept of @e seyd ^William ^Paston, a rounde salt couered parcell gylt as @e borderys, weying xix vnc. j quarter di., and also vj syluer sponys, square sharp knoppys weying v vnc. iij quarter on peny weight, whiche seyd salt and sponys @e seyd ^John ^Davy and ^Alice hys wyf bynd them-self, @er heyrys, and executorys by thes presens to @e seyd ^William ^Paston and ^Jeffrey ^Hunt savely to kepe @e seyd salt and sponys to @e vse of @e seyd ^William ^Paston, and ferthermore to delyuer them a-geyn to @e possessyon and handys of @e seyd ^William ^Paston or ^Jeffrey ^Hunt bi-fore @e fest of Sent ^Feyth @e Virgyn next commyng after @e date of @is present bille jndentyd. In wetnesse where-of @e parties a-forn seyd alternatly haue sette @er seall @e day and \ere a-bove wretyn. A letter to ^Thomas ^Linst[[ed]] the ... day of Julij ao xix ^E. iiijti. To ^Thomas ^Lynsted. ^Thomas ^Lynsted, I gret \ow wele, and it is do me to vnderstond @at \e haue fellyd wood and fyrrys, and also ser, wer-off I wold be answerid, Jullis hath do mad fall \attys and @ei and @e wood @ere be broke up ageyn. @erfor I pray \ew fynd \e @e menys @at @e \ong spryng may be sauevyd and @e wood fensyd, and inquere ho broke @e jatys, and also late me be answeryd both for @e hold payment and @e new off wood sale. And God kepe \ew. Wretyn @e xj $die Julij. Be ^William ^Paston. If Jullis haue made a gate it is the better for the spring, and as for the key it is accorded bitwix hym and me @at it shall be lefft wyth the millare, @at insomoche as ye haue felled wood wyth-in ye may haue resorte to the key and deliuer it to the millare ageyn. <#T #TO ^HARRY ^WARYNS: DRAFT> <#N 106> <#D 14790719> <#L 0> A letter to ^Herry ^Waryns the xx day of Jule Ao xixo ^E.iiijti by ^John ^Ancell <#L 1>. ^Harry ^Waryns, I grete you well, and I thanke you for youre labour. And as for the tenauntez of %^Knapton, I vnderstand by youre writing that they take non oder consideracion to myn sendyng but that I call so fast on my fee, for cawse @ei thynke that I am aferd lest I shuld haue it no longere; and as for that I pray \ow tell them for there vngentilnes I woll haue myn fee off them and in @at maner and in non oder place, and forthermore I schall fynde @e mene that they shall paye it more hastely here-affter, And as for the money @at @ey offyre to pay at the fest of Advincula Sancti ^Petri, receyue je yt off them and I shall assign one to receyve it a\en of yow. I fele be \owr wrytyng @ey will non sonnar pay it thow @er catell schuld dye for fawth off mete; wer-fore as for the deliuere* of the catell affor the mony be paid, I putt @at in your discresseon wheder ye will deliuer them or nay. As \e do I hold me content. Also, as for ^Thom[a]s ^Child, I vnderstand be \owr wrytyng he will nat seale the jndenture be-cawse @er is no some of mony sertayn ne days of payme[n]t sett in @e jndentur, and as for @at I will neyther sett some ner days after his will, and if he will nat seale that he shall neuer seale non for me. And at last I am sure he schall sell. I send \ow a-\en @e same jndentur @at \e sent me, @at \e may kepe it still as long as ^Thom[a]s ^Chyld abyde now at %^Paston, in auenture @e casse may hap @at he will sell yt her-after; and yff he be on departid , than send me both @e jnden- ture to %^London be some massenger. As for ^Waryn ^Kyng, wer I vnderstond be \owr wrytyn @at he seyth he delyuer[id] me all euydens, I vnderstond nat @at; and as for rentall I am suyr he deliuer[id] me non. And yff so be @at he can make @e rentall be hart, I wold he ded make on, for it war nessessare* for me, for I vnderstond be jow @at @er was no rent gaderid @is xv ar xvi \er for deffawth off a rentall, and reson yt is I had on. Call on @e Prior off %^Bromholm for @e xxx comb malt @at \e toke hym. Wretyn at %^Norton @e xix day off Jull. By ^W. ^Paston A letter to ^Robert ^Walsche of %^Colby @e ... day of Nouembre Ao xix I recomand me to jow, marvaylyng gretly @at I am nat payd off myn fe acordyng to @e promysse @at \e and ^Fouke of %^Knapton mad on-to me wan \e war wyth me at %^Norton. @is demeny[n]g off jow in brekyng \or promyss me thynk ys nat comendabyll. All thow @e tenantis lak vnder- standyng off such jnconuenyens as may jnseu @ere-by, I maruayll @e lasse for lak off conyng. As for jow, be @at knowlach @at I remembre off jow \e haue be so brokyn @at \e owth to vndersta[n]d mor @an they. I had a dystres and left yt for \owr sake. Such a dede awth to be consederyd be any dyscret man. As for @e tenantis, I haue sent to hem for myn fe and I fele rythe well, all thow @ey say yt nat, @ey delay yt indely for comyng off those persons that schuld com to @is awdyth, thynkyng par auentur yff @ey wold bid nat to pay me to do after ther comune demening, all thow @e sequell @er-off schuld insew to ther hurte. And yf y knew those persowns that schuld com to @is awdyt schuld be her wyth-in a day ar tweyn, yet wold I tary, all be @at I haue taryd @er comy[n]g @is halff \er, for I deme hem suche men as schall well vndyrstond myn titill good. Yff any man haue good tytyll I am suyr @at myn is god. I dar well juparde to take a dystres, wedyr they come a[r] nat, and so I wyll \e know. Wer-for, in so much as I left myn distress for jowr dysyr, se @at I be answerid off myn mony acordyng to myn ryth, ar else send me answer on ar oder, and lett me take @e auantage @at @e Kyng lawys will \eff me be dystress, qweche I haue delayd me thynk to long for any thank @at I haue. Wretyn at %^Norwich @e xxij Nouembre. T[[o m]]y Master ^Ros [[at]] %^Refham [[be @is lett]]re deliuerd. Master ^Ros, I recommand me to you as humbly as I can, thankyng you nat allonly for... which ben grete deynte* in this contre*, and for your brawne and your crane, but also for the... labour that ye toke for me in commyng hider to %^Wodnorton to your grete disese. For I vndirstonde be Master... @at was her with me agein yisterday @at ye cam home both colde and late and causid hym and his broder b[[oth to ab]]ide with you al nyght and made them ful goode chier, as he saith. Sir, your seruauntes ^Symond ^Gonnour and ^Mils, whan they cam last from you, tolde me @at ye desired me to com by you to %^Norwiche wardes, and @at if I wolde so do ye wolde ride forth to %^Norwich. And morouer, ser, I remembe[r] @at ye tolde me the last tyme @at I was with you at %^Refham @at ye wolde dispose your-silf affore this Cristenmas to take a journey to se my lady of %^Norffolk; which if ye will parfourme nowe I wolde be verrey glade to awaite vpon you and to accompany with you thider. And ye coude not take your journey thider in a better season, for ther is commyn hider to me a seruaunte of my lord of %^Bukynghams, which hath abiden her this iij or iiij dais and wil not departe hens till he haue me forth with hym to my lady of %^Norffolk for a serten mater touching my said lord of %^Bukyngham, which mater I trust if ye com I shal handill it so @at ye shal do both my lorde and hir a plesure. And ser, if ye wil take this journey I wi[[l awaite]] vpon you and com homewardes ageyn with you be my Lady ^Beaumont and my cousyn Ser ^William... jntende to take this journey I pray you to sende me aunswer by the brynger herof, for my lor[[des seruaunte and I purp]]ose to take our journey from hens on Monday in the mornyng and to ly at %^Norwiche that nyght, and vpo[[n Te]]wisday to ride forth to my lady of %^Norffolk. And, ser, I wil assay to com by you as I ride to %^Norwiche and I may b... doute of it, for my lordes seruaunte callith so sore vpon me to go forth and to lese no tyme. Also, ser, if so b[[e @at ^William ^Bar]]ker of %^Bloofeld be with you I wolde fayn speke with hym, wherfor I besiech you @at ye wil sende h... he shal not tary. Also, ser, I wolde pray you to convey me a lettre to ^Thomas ^Bettes of %^Ermyngham... Lord preserue you and my mastres your wif. Writen at %^Wodenorton the xxviij day of Nouembre. Be \owre owne seruaunt ^William ^Paston >l 0> To my Master ^Roos at %^Refeham be this deliuered. Mayster ^Roos, I recomaund me to \ew in myn most humbill maner. Syr, myn lady of %^Norffolk faryth welle and recomaund her to \ew, and gladly wold se \ew. We sped all myn Lord ^Bokyngham intent with hyr grace. Syr, @e delyueraunce was at %^Derham on Thursday, and here was Syr ^William ^Alyngton, ^Heydon, ^Fyncham, and many odyr, and I spake with ^Heydon for @e mater hangyng be-twyx \ew and hys fader, and I fownd hym ryth conformable to do \ew plesore and ryght reuerent in hys utteraunce, with all dew reueraunce acordyng. And, syr, he told me @at he was at %^Reffham, to seke after \ew and \e ware nat at hoom; and in conclusyon he told me @at @e mater was put in ^Townnysend and ^Fyncham. And, syr, he prayd me to wryte to \ew, and to meve \ew to send to them to a-poynt a day to here @e mater, @e soner @e leuer, and \e schal fynd hym resonable, as he seyth, and be glade to do \ew plesore; and he hym-self spake to ^Fyncham to be redy qwanne \e sent for hym. Me thynk at %^Norwich were good metyng, and yf @e comminicacion be had will I am here I wolle help @at I can. As \e wolle do here-inne send me knowlache be @e brynger here-of. Syr, I pray \ew send me knowlach yf ^William ^Barkare be com do hym com to me to %^Norwich on Munday. And Owre Lord preserue both \ew and myn masteras and all \owres, as welle fare \e as I wold do myn-self. Syr, myn lord of %^Ely, be @e menys of myn Lady %^Norffolk and myn lady ^Anne, and myn cosyn ^Southwell @at was masengere, sent me a $suppena to a-pere aforn @e Kyng in @e peyn of a ml li. be-fore Crystmes; and I wold nat be in @e case @at I was in to dayes, tyl I knw @e mater, nat for xx li. And myn lady of %^Norffolk wold nat dyscouer @e mater tyll I had wretyn and sent myn seruauntes to %^London; and qwan thei where gon, than myn Lady %^Norffolk told me @e mater and tornyd to a jape @at was ernest with me a-fore, &c. Written at %^Estdereham this day Seturday the xix day of Decembre. \owre seruant ^W. ^Paston mater tochyng %^Knapton for my fee. Master ^Thom[a]s ^Pasche off %^Wynsowr toke @e astat and retorne to @e Den and colage of %^Wynsowr $jnffra $Castrum. And on ^Holme, atornay off corte, is receyuor and was at stat takyn. ^Robert ^Walsch, off %^Colby, j myle and di. fro %^Blyklyng, is steward. Her folow reuys off %^Knapton: Fro Michelmas xvij till xviijo-^Martyn ^Smyth F[ro] Michelmas xviij till xixo-^Roberd ^Fuuk, his place bonde ^Fro Michelmas xix till xxo-^Thom[a]s ^Frank, his place fre. To ^John ^Kynge, fermour of my maner of %^Harwelbury in %^Kelsall be %^Royston, be this delyuerid. ^John ^Kyng, I grete yow hartely well, and I vnderstond, as well by my frende Syr ^William ^Storar as by ^Richard ^Browne, that as well my kynnes- man Syr ^John ^Paston that dede is as my kynnesman ^John ^Paston that now leveth have ben wyth yow and yovyn yow many grete thretis for that ye, acordyng to the trowth, tolde vn-to them that ye ocupyed my maner of %^Harwelbury be my leese and be my ryght. And furthermore I vnderstond, not wythstondyng the seyde grete thretis, that ye, lyke a full trwe, harty frende, have delyd and fastely a-bedyn in my tytill and wolde not retorne to none of them. Wherfor I hartely thank yow, and furthar-more to corage yow in yowr fast dealyng I schew on-to yow that I have ryght bothe in law and in concience, wher-by I promyse yow on my feythe to de-fende yow and save yow harmeles for the occupacion of the londe, or any thynge that ye schall doo in my titill a-gaynst hym, and it schulde cost me as moche as the maner is worth; and also a-nother tyme to doo asmoche for yow and it ly in my powre, yf ye have ony mater to doo ther, as I may doo for yow. And also I here say by my seid frende Syr ^William Storar and by ^Richard ^Brown that ye ar of suche substaunce and of suche trust and suche favor in the contre* ther that it lithe in yowr powre to do a goode turne for yowr frende. Wretyn at %^London the xxiiijti day of Februari. Be ^William ^Paston The manere of %^Stanstid is in the countie of %^Suffolk. The astate of this manere passid nat by the dede that the astate was taken by at %^Huntingfeld in %^Norffolk, for it was nat in that shire; but I clayme this manere by my modires gifft by anothire titill sufficient jnow in the lawe. This manere is but a myle from %^Cloptons, and nat fer fram %^Smalbrigge where your grace is now. This manere is nere vp-on the value of xx li. Oon ^John ^Barell is fermour of this manere. This same ^John ^Barell cam with me whan I com to youre grace in- continent afftur my modirs decesse, at whiche tyme the seid ^John ^Barell confessid afore ^Piers ^Roidon, ^Rumbold, and ^William ^Smyth, youre seruauntez, that he was prevy of myn astate of that manere in my modirs daies and that he herd my moder speke it in hir persown and that he retorned to me and at that same tyme he toke the ferm of me, wherupon your seid seruauntez sealid me a testimonia[[l]] in the presence of youre grace. Madam, this is the maner ye sent your seruaunte ^W. ^Smyth to, for to kepe the possession there, and after he had taried there a while he toke a promise of the fermour that he shuld paie noo mony to no bodie without comaundem[[ent]] from your grace, contrary to whiche promise, by the favour of som folkes that your grace can deme, he hath paide my nepueu a x li. er a xx li. Madame, I suppose itt shall nat nede to haue noo man to kepe posses- sion theire. I thinke, madame, itt is jnowgh if it pleased your grace to sende a seruaunte of yours thider and to shew vnto the fermour and tenauntes oponly your displeaser in alsmeche as he hath brokun his promise to your grace and also consedering afore your seruauntes he witnessid in his own persown myn astate and toke the ferme of me and retornd to me bothe in hir lif and affter hire decesse, and to shewe vnto hym that your grace will distreyn for itt and make hym to paie it ayen that he myght be put in suche a feere that he mygh[[t]] thinke that they of whom he hath his prevy comforth myght nat cowntur with your displeasure; and thus doon I trow he shulde contynue trew j-now heraffter. The manere of %^Harwellbury in the countie of %^Hertford, iiij myle from your manere of %^Weston %^Baldok and ij myle from %^Roiston. This manere passid nat by the astate @at was taken in %^Norffolk for itt is nat in the same shire. Of this manere he receyued no mony, for the fermours are trewe and herty j-now and fere nat his thretes. I nede no grete helpe there. This manere is worthe an viij li. In Dei nomine, amen. The vijth day of the moneth of September in the yere of our Lord God ml cccclxxxxvj I, ^William ^Paston of %^London, gentil- man, being of hooll mynde and in good memory, laude and praysing be vnto Almighti God, make and ordeigne this my present testament and last wille in maner and fourme folowing, that is to sey: Furst, I geue and bequeith my soule vnto my saide Lorde God, to our blessed Lady Sainte ^Marye Virgyne, and to all the holy companye of heven. And I will that my body be buried in the church of Blak Frerez in %^London at the north ende of the high altar there by my Lady ^Anne, late my wife. Also, I will that there be yeuen vnto the saide church of Blak Frires, where my saide body shall lye, to be praide for and for the place of my saide burying to haue a large stone vpon the saide Lady ^Anne and me, a conuenient rewarde by th'advise and discrecion of myne executours vnderwriten. Also, I will that all my dettes be wele and truely contente and paide. Also, I wille that xx li. in money be geven and disposed for my soule ans all Cristen soules in dedes of pitee and charitee the day of my saide burying, that is to sey emonges pouer people and prisoners within the citee of %^London and withoute. Also, I will that I haue a preste of honest conuersacion to synge bothe for me and for suche as I am chargid to do syng for at %^Cambrige, as my seruant ^Thomas ^Andrew can shew by the space of viij yeres. Also, I will that for euery wronge by me done in my life tyme a dewe recompence be made there-fore by th'enformacion of my saide seruante ^Thomas ^Andrew in that behalf. Also, I will that all my landes and tenementes, with th'appurtenances, be deuyded bytwene my ij doughters ^Agnes and ^Elizabeth, by the discresion of my executours vnderwritten and after th'enformacion of my saide seruaunte ^Thomas ^Andrew, to whome I haue shewid my entent and mynde in the same manye tymes and often, to haue to theym and to the heires of theire ij bodies lawfully begoten. Also, I wille that all the reuennuyes of my fee symple landes ouer and a-boue the reparacions and charges of the same that shalbe due at Mychel- mas next after ny deceasce be takyn of my tenauntes and fermours there by fauoure, and that the same reuenues go to the contentacion and pay- ment of my saide dettes assone as it can be conuenyently gadred and levied, &c. Also, I will that none of my tenantes nor fermers suche as be of grete age and fallith in pouerte* be in any wise vexid or t[r]oublid after my deceasce by my executours vnderwritten for no maner of olde dettes due vnto me before the day of my deces. Also, I will that nether my heires, executours, nor non other person for theim nor in theire names in any wise vex, sue, or trouble the saide ^Thomas ^Andrew my seruaunte after ny deceasce of or for any maner of rekenynges or other maters bitwene hym and ne in all my life tyme, but vtterly therof I discharge hym and will that he be therof acquyte and discharged in that behalue, as I haue shewid and declared in my life vn-to my doughter ^Elizabeth, Mastres ^Hide, Master ^Vrsewik, Archedecon of %^Richemonde, Master Doctor ^Myddelton, Master ^Thomas ^Madies, chapeleyn to my Lorde Cardinall, Master ^John ^Shaa, alderman of London, Master ^Reede, Master ^Cristofer ^Middelton, proctours of the Courte of %^Canterbury, and many other honorable folkis and to my seruauntes in my life tyme, consideryng that he hathe ben my trewe and feithfull seruant these xix yeres or more, in which seasone he hath had dyuers grete paynfull besynes and labours in my causis, by whose gode policie and meanes I haue purchased moche of my saide fe symple landes, which also canne geve best enformacion how all suche landes as I haue purchased stonden and what consciens is there-in, and howe euery thyng shalbe ordred. Also, I will that the churche of Saynte ^Petre in %^Wodenorton haue a hole vestymennt of the price of v merc. Also, I will that ^Elizabeth ^Crane be wele maried at my costis, or ellis by the menes of my doughters, vn-to suche a persoune as may dispende by yere xx merc, or ellis to a gode marchaunt or other craftisman. Item, I will that ^Cristofer ^Talbot be treuly contentid and paied of his yerely annuyte* of v merke by yere duryng his life. Item, I will that ^Thomas ^Dokkyng have surely his annuyte* of xl s. by yere duryng his life. Item, I wille that the bargayne of ^Adam ^Sowter be recompensid after th'enformacion had of my saide seruaunte ^Thomas ^Andrew. Also, I will that euery of my seruauntes be rewarded for theire good and diligent laboure and attendance had a-bowte me after the discresion of my executours vnderwritten, Also, I will that all suche of my godes moveable in Warwikes Inne and in my place callid %^Castre %^Clere in %^Norffolk and in my place in %^Norwiche be solde by the discresion of my executours tawarde and for the contentacion and payment of my saide dettes and performance of this my present will. Also, I will that the vicare of %^Fyncham be recompensid of his bargayne betwene hym and me after th'enformacion of the saide ^Thomas ^Andrewe. Item, I will that all my seruauntes suche as be behynde of theire wages and dueties be trewly content and paied. Also, I will that all other my godes not bequethid, this my will fulfilled, my dettes paied, and all my wronges recompensed by th'enformacion of the saide ^Thomas ^Andrew, be departid bytwixte my ij doughter beforesaide after the discresion of my saide executours. And also, for as moche as I haue not sufficient redy money and that my dettis cannot be redely levied. @erfore I will that money be made of all suche plate as I haue for the haste of contentacion of my dettes that I owe of my buriallis. And of this my present testament and laste will I make and ordeyne and constitute my executours the moste reuerend fadre in God my Lorde Cardinall, the right high and myghty prynces my Lady the Kynges modre, my Lorde ^Dawbeney, and Sir ^Edwarde ^Poynynges, knyght, my nevew, whome I hartely beseche in executyng and performyng this my laste will to do and dispose concernyng the same in euery thyng as they shall thynke best to the pleasure of Almyghty God and for the helthe of my sowle and all Cristen sowles. Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum coram domino apud %^Lamehith xxviijo die mensis Nouembris anno Domini millesimo cccco nonagesimo sexto, juramento ^Thome ^Andrew et ^Laurencij ^Canwike testium, quibus ^Thome et ^Lawrencio commissa fuit administracio per viam intestati pro eo et ex eo quod executores in suo testamento nominati ex certis causis legitimis refutarunt de bene et fideliter administrando eadem iuxta et secundum vires ipsius defuncti testamentum siue vltimam voluntatem, ac primo de soluendo es alienum in quo idem defunctus huiusmodi mortis sue tempore extitit obligatus, deinde legata in huiusmodi suo testamento contenta quatenus bona et debita &c, ad sancta &c. To hys worchepful brodyr ^John ^Paston be thys delyuered in hast. Ryght reuerent and worchepful brodyr, I recomaunde me on-to yow, desyrynge to here of yowre welfare and prosperite*, letynge yow wete that I haue reseuyd of ^Alwedyr a lettyr and a nobyll in gowlde @er-in. Ferthermore, my creansyr Mayster ^Thomas hertely recomaundyd hym to yow, and he praythe yow to send hym sum mony for my comons for he seythe ye be xxti s. in hys dette, for a monthe was to pay for whe[n] he had mony laste. Also I beseche yow to sende me a hose clothe, on for @e halydays of sum colore and a-nothyr for @e workyng days, how corse so euer it be it makyth no matyr; and a stomechere, and ij schyrtys, and a peyer of sclyppers. And if it lyke yow that I may come wyth ^Alwedyr be watyr and sporte me wyth yow at %^London a day or ij thys terme tyme, than \e may let all thys be tyl @e tyme that I come. And than I wol telle you when I schall be redy to come from %^Eton, by @e grace of God, whom haue yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn the Saturday next aftyr All Halown Day, wyth @e hand of your brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston To his worchepfull broder ^John ^Paston be thys delyuered in hast. Ryght reuerent and worchepfull broder, aftyr all dewte*s of recomendacion I recomaunde me on-to yow, desyryng to here of your prosperite* and welfare, whych I pray God long to contynew to hys plesore and to your hertys desyre; letyng yow wete that I receyued a letter from yow, in the wyche letter was viij d., wyth @e whyche I schuld bye a peyer of slyppers; ferthere-more certyfyyng yow as for @e xiij s. iiij d. whyche \e send by a jentylmannys man for my borde, cawlyd ^Thomas ^Newton, was delyuered to myn hostes, and soo to my creancere Master ^Thomas ^Steuenson; and he hertely recomended hym to yow. Also \e sende me worde in the letter of xij li. fyggys and viij li. reysons. I haue them nott delyuered, but I dowte not I schal haue, for ^Alwedyr tolde me of them and he seyde @at they came aftyr in an other barge. And as for @e yong jentylwoman, I wol certyfye yow how I fryste felle in qweyntauns wyth hyr. Hir fader is dede. Ther be ij systers of them, @e elde[[r...]] @e whych weddyng I was wyth myn hostes, and also desyryd by @e jentyl-man hym-selfe, cawlyd ^Wylliam ^Swanne, whos dwellynge is in %^Eton. So it fortuned that myn hostes reportyd on me odyrwyse than I was wordy, so @at hyr moder comaundyd hyr to make me good chere, and soo in good feythe sche ded. Sche is not a-bydynge ther sche ys now, hyr dwellyng is in %^London; but hyr moder and sche cam to a place of hyrs v myle from %^Eton, were @e weddyng was, for be-cause it was nye to @e jentylman whyche weddyd hyr dowtyr. And on Monday next comyng, @at is to say @e fyrst Monday of Clene Lent, hyr moder and sche wyl goo to @e pardon at %^Schene, and soo forthe to %^London, and there to a-byde in a place of hyrs in %^Bowe Chyrche-yerde. And if it plese yow to inquere of hyr, hyr modyrs name is Mestres ^Alborow. @e name of the dowtyr is ^Margarete ^Alborow, the age of hyr is be all lykelyod xviij or xix \ere at @e fertheste. And as for the mony and plate, it is redy when soo euer sche were weddyd; but as for the lyuelod, I trow not tyl after hyr modyrs desese, but I can not telle yow for very certeyn [[...]] but yow may know by inqueryng. And as for hyr bewte*, juge yow that when \e see hyr, yf so be that \e take @e laubore; and specialy beolde hyr handys, for and if it be as it is tolde me sche is dysposyd to be thyke. And as for my comynge from %^Eton, I lake no-thynge but wersyfyynge, whyche I troste to haue wyth a lytyll contynuance. Queritur: Quomodo non valet hora, valet mora? Vnde dicitur: Arbore iam videas exemplum. Non die possunt Omnia supleri; set tamen illa mora. And thes too verse a-fore seyde be of myn own makyng. No more to yow at thys tyme, but God haue yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at %^Eton the Euen of Seynt ^Mathy the Apostyll, in haste, wyth the hande of your broder ^Wylliam ^Paston To hys right worchepfull brodyr ^Edmunde ^Paston be thys lettyr delyueryd. Aftyr all dewte*s of recomendacion I recomaunde me on-to yow, letynge yow wett that here is closid in thys same byll the wyll of my fadyr, suche as my brodyr hathe, and he seyth that it is the very wyll of my fadyr and that he had it owt of the regestyr. And as for towchynge of my mater, I can haue non othe[r] ende than I had whan I departyd fro yow, sauynge that my brodyr hathe gotyn a pardon for @e alyenacion @at the Bochop of %^Wynchestyr alyenyd. And as for the estate that I schold haue in it, I can gete non but acordynge to my fadyrs wyll, whyche is to me and to my heyers malys as is specyfyed in the wyll. And as for my brodyrs wyll is non other but that I schuld haue %^Runham, whyche is viij li. a \ere $ad $minus, in recompense of the x merke owt of the maner of %^Sporle, so that I relessyd all my ryght that I haue in the maner of %^Sporle. And as towchynge yow in my brodyrs wyll, there is no-thyng; for I redde it ouer and woll wright it also, so that I woll haue the same for my copye that he wrote wyth hys owne hande. Also I beseche yow to recomaunde me hertely to my sustyr your wyff. No more to yow at thys tyme, but God haue yow in hys kepynge. Wretyn at %^London the xxij day of February, be yowre brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston ^Paston be thys [[...]]yuered. Syr, I recomaunde me on-to yow, latynge yow wete that, as for ^John ^Petyrsons mater, as \ett it is nott spedde. I spake on-to Mayster Secretory of it, and promysyd hym that \e badde me; and he aunswerd me that he wold nott geue yowe non cowmfortt in it for wynnyng of your money other than ye schuld fyend trew, and so he wold nott vndyrtake it thow \e wold spende abowt it c merke. And so vp-on thys aunswere I went on-to my lord and toke hym on of the byllys, and so he aunswerd me that at the fyrst worde the Kynge asched hym l li. And where as \e reqwere to haue it grauntyd wyth-owt fyne or fee, I wold \e had it wyth the payment of @e fyne or fee, for it schall nott coste past xx s. or iiij nobyls more than @e offerd to @e secretory; and also in nowthyr of those byllys ther is non clawse in it wherby it scholde be grauntyd wyth-owt fyne or fee, and thow ther were it is tolde me it profyte nott, they of the Chauncery woll nott lose ther dewte*s for Kynge nor other. And as for the generall lycens, I haue asked my lord of it, and he aunswerde me that he wott well ther schall be non grauntyd of a gode whyle, and it schall come fyrst to your handys, for I tolde hym how that \e were begylyd whan \e were at %^London. As for to speke wyth Mayster ^Schypton, or yet wyth my lorde Treserer, I cowd not brynge it a-bowt, for my lord entendyd to ryde the next morow aftyr the makynge of thys letter; but I aduysyd ^Edmond ^Dorman to speke wyth Mayster ^Shypton as he went homewarde. As for my lord Treserer, he was not wyth the Kyng of all the counsell tyme, @e whyche was endyd on the iijde day of Marche. And theder came my lorde of %^Northethomyrlond the fyrste day of Marche, and departyd the euen afore @e makyng of thys letter, and hathe endentyd wyth the Kynge for the kepynge owt of the Schottys and warrynge on them, and schall haue large money, I can nott telle @e some for certeyn. Also the[r] is an rover takyn at %^Brystowe, on ^Cowper as I wene, and he is lyke to be hanged, and he confessythe more of hys felawis. Also ^Edwarde ^Hecstowe of %^Douere is apechyd of treson of many straunge poyntys, and hys accusere and he were bothe afore the Kynge, and then they were takyn apert and he hym-sylfe confessyd it that hys accusere accusyd hym of, and many other thyngys more than he was accusyd of. And he had many lordys and gentylmen to aunswere for hys trowthe and hys demenynge afore-tyme, for as I hard sey bothe the Kynge in a maner, nor non of the tother lordys nor gentylmen, beleuyd not hys accuser tyl @at he confessyd it hym-selfe; and so he is in the Towre and lyke to be dede. As for the Kyngys comynge in-to the contre*, on Monday come fortenyght he woll lye at the Abbey of %^Stratteforde and so to %^Chelmnsford, @an to Syr ^Thomas ^Mongehombrey, @an to %^Heuenyngham, than to %^Colchestyr, @an to %^Ipswyche, @an to %^Bery, @an to Dame ^Anne ^Wyngfeldys, and soo to %^Norwyche; and there woll he be on Palme Sonday Euyn, and so tary there all Ester and @an to %^Walsyngham. Wher-fore \e had nede to warne ^Wylliam ^Gogyne and hys felawes to puruey them off wyne j-now, for euery man berythe me on hande that @e towne schalbe dronkyn drye as %^Yorke w[[as]] whan the Kynge was there. Syr, Mayster ^Sampson recomaunde hym on-to yow, and he hathe sende yow a rynge be ^Edmonde ^Dorman; and besydys that he requeryd me to wryte on-to yow @at it were best for yow to puruey yow of some gentyl-many[s] thynges ageyns the Kyngys comyng, for suere he woll brynge yow gestys j-now, and therfore puruey yow @er-aftyr. Also he sendythe yow worde that it is my lordys mende @at my syster, wyth all other godely folkys @er-abowte, scholde acompeny wyth Dame ^Elsebethe ^Calthrop, be-cawse there is noo grete lady ther-a-bowte, ageyns the Kyngys comynge, for my lorde hathe made grete boste of the fayre and goode gentylwomen of @e contre* and so the Kynge seyd he wolde see them sure. Syr, my lorde hathe sente on-to @e most part of the gentyl-men of %^Essex to wayte vp-on hym at %^Chelmnysford, where as he entendythe to mete wyth the Kynge, and @at they be well apoyntyd @at @e %^Lankeschere men may see @at ther be gentylmen of so grete sobestaunce @at @ei be able to bye alle %^Lankeschere. Men thynke that \e amonge yow wol doo @e same. Your contre* is gretely bostyd of, and also the jnabytours of @e same. I beseche yow to remembre my hors that ye promysyd me. God kepe yow. Wretyn at %^Schene in haste @e vijte day of Marche wyth the hande of your brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston To the Baly of %^Mawlteby. Mayster Baly, I recomaunde me on-to yow, praynge yow that ye woll sende me be ^Wylliam ^Kokkys, berer her-of, iiij nobylles in golde putt in to the same boxe that thys byll is in as thow it were euydens, for I haue tolde the masengere that he schulde brynge me nothynge butt euydens; for he is in a manere departyng owt of my seruyse, wherfore I wold nott he knew so myche of my counsell. And as for the remenaunte, I wollde \e schulde kepe it tyll I come my-selfe. And if ^Bayard be on-solde I pray yow late hym be made fatte ageyns the Kynge come in-to the contre*, what so euer I pay for the kepyng of hym. And I schall wete how goode a corser I schall be my-selfe at my comyng in-to the contre*, be the grace of God, who haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn at %^Henyngham be your ^Wylliam ^Paston To Syr ^John ^Paston be thys lettyr delyuered. Aftyr all dewe recomendacion, pleasyt yow to vndyrstonde that my lorde hathe ben wyth the Kynge in %^Wyndesour at Seynt ^Georgys Feste, and ther at the same feste were bothe @e jnbacetours of %^Breten and of %^Flaundyrs as well fro the Kynge of Romayns as fro the yonge Duke. But I can not schew yow @e certeyn whedyr we schall haue wyth them warre or pease. But I vndyrstonde for certeyn that all suche capeteyns as wente to @e see in Lente, @at is to sey Syr ^Charlys ^Somersett, Syr ^Richard ^Hawte, and Syr ^Wylliam ^Vampage, makythe them redy to goo to the see ageyn as schortely as they can, to what jntente I can not sey. Also, where as it was seyde that my lord ^Woddevyle and other schulde haue gone ouer in-to %^Breten to haue eyded the Duke of %^Breten, I can not tell of non suche eyd. Butt vp-on that seynge ther came many men to %^Sowthehamton, where it was seyd that he schulde haue takyn schyppyng to haue waytyd vpon hym ouer, and soo whan he was countyrmaundyd thos that resortyd thedyr to haue gon ouer wyth hym taryde there styll, in hope @at they schuld haue ben lycensyd to haue gone ouer, and whan they sey no lykeleod that they schuld haue lycens there was ij c of them that gete them in-to a %^Breten schyppe @e whyche was late come ouer wyth salte, and bad the mayster sett them a lond in %^Breten. And they had nott seylyd not paste vj legys butt they aspied a Frencheman, and the Frencheman mad ouer to them, and they ferde as thow they wolde not haue medylde wyth them, and all the Englysche-men went vndyr the hetchys soo that they schewyd no more but those that came to %^Sowthehamton wyth the schype, to cawse the Frenche-men to be the more gladder to medyll wyth them. And soo the Frencheman burdyd them, and then they that were vndyr the hetches came vp and soo toke @e Frencheman and caryed @e men, schyppe, and all in-to %^Breaten. Also ther was ther an jnbacetour fro the Kynge of Schottys who is now put in grete trobyll be hys son and other of the lordys of hys londe. Syr, as I came homewerde be %^London I spake there wyth ^Emonde ^Dormand, and he seyd that he had wretyn onto yow but he had non aunswere; wherfor he prayd me that if I knew ony man comynge towerdys %^Norwhyche and I wolde wrythe on-to yow @at he ferythe if ye see non other dyreccion that he schall be comittyd to @e Flete. Also he schewyd me that ^Herry ^Wyott wholde fynde the mene to haue yow condemnyd and recouer @e obligacion of xl li. ageyns yow. And soo he seythe he whote nott how to doo, for he is halfe dysmayd. He ferythe lesse that he schall neuer come home; but he intendythe to plede the obligacion fulfylyd at %^Norwyche, for he seythe ther is non other remedy to saue yow fro the condemnacion tyl that he herythe otherwyse from yow, whyche he thynkethe longe aftyr. Wretyn at %^Henyngham ye xiijte day of May wyth the hand of your brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston Right trusty and entierly beloued cousin, we grete you wele. Inasmoch as it hath liked God to sende vs good tidinges oute of %^Bretayn such as we dought not but that ye be desirous to vndrestonde, we wryte vnto you of them as thay be comen to oure knowlage, and as foloueth. The Lord ^Malpertuis, now late wyth vs in ambassade from oure dere cousine the Duchesse of %^Bretayne, shippid at oure porte of %^Dortmouth and arriued at Saynt ^Powle de Lyon in %^Bretayn on Palmesonday at iiij aftere noone, from whens he wrote vs the disposicion and the state of the countre* there, and of the landyng and the demeanyng of oure armee. We receiued his wrytyng on Monday last at evynsong tyme, and be-cause he was of %^Bretayn borne and favorable to that partie we ne gave such trust to his tidinges as was thought to vs surete* to wryte to you theruppon. This day aftre High Masse comyth vnto vs from oute of %^Bretayne forsaid, and wyth a new ambassade from oure said cousine, ^Fawcon, oon of oure pursiuantes, that ratifieth the newes of the seid Lord ^Malpertuis, which ben these. After the garysson of Frenshmen in the towne of %^Gyngham had certeinte* of the landyng of oure armee thei drwe downe the fabours of %^Gyngham and made thayme mete to defende a siege, but assone as thei vndirstode that oure seid armee jornayned towardes theim thei left the same %^Gyngham, where oure said armee arriued the Thursday next be-fore Palmesonday and was receiued wyth procession, logged and receiued, refreshed in the town iiij dayes; and goyng towardes the said Duchesse thei must passe to the castell and borugh of %^Monconter. In that castell was also a garnisson of Frenshemen, which incontinently vpon worde that oure said armee drwe towardes theym the Frenshmen did cast downe gret parte of the walles and fled from thens. In that castell and borugh oure seid armee kept thaire Estre. The castell of %^Chawson adioy[n]ing ner to the towne of Saynt ^Bryak was also garnisond wyth Frenshmen. That castell they set on fire and soo fled. And the townes of %^Henebone and %^Vannes were garnisond wyth Frenshmen, which breke downe the walles of the townes and putte themselff to fligth. Th'inhabitauntes a-bought %^Brest haue layd siege thereunto, and goten the base courte of the Frenshmen or the departyng of oure said pursiuaunt. The garnison of the towne of %^Concarnewe, which is oon of the grettest strenghes of all %^Bretayn, was besieged in like wyse and drevyn to that necessite* that thei wyth-in offerid, ar his said departyng, to avoyde the towne wyth staffe in hande. How that is takyn or what is more done sithens he cannot telle. Oure said cousine the Duchesse is in her citee of %^Raynes, and oure right trusti knyght and counselloure Sir ^Richard ^Eggecombe there also, hauyng cheeff rule a-bowte here. And the Marchall of %^Bretayn arredieth hym to joyne wyth them in all haste wyth a gode band of men. Mony noble men of that countree repaire to oure said armee to take their partie. These premisses in substaunce we haue be wryting aswell from the cheff capytaynes of oure said armee as from oure comptrollour forsaid, and that oure said armee, blessid be God, hath among theyme-self kepte such love and accorde that no maner of fray or debate hath bene bitwene theym sithens the tyme of thair departing out this oure reame. Youen vnder oure signed at oure castell of %^Hartford the xxij day of Aprill. Syr, thys js the copye of the lettyr that @e Kynge sente my lorde of %^Oxynford of tydynges owte of %^Breten. Be yowre brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston To hijs brodyr Syr ^John ^Paston. Syr, I recomaunde me on-to yow. And where as ye desyre that I schulde sende yow worde of suche tydyng as ^Phylyp ^Lewes and ^Wyndesor bryngythe fro the corte, they be come thens bothe; but we here of no tydyngys that they brynge but that yondyr folkys abyde stylle abowte @e place where as thys onhappy dede was done, and not wyth no grete nowmbyr, they sey not paste wyth v or vj c when they were moste. Howbeyt they haue made proclamacions in @e cuntrey to mete wyth oder of ther affynyte* as on Tuesday last past, as it aperythe in the copy of ther proclamacion heraftyr folowyng. Also they schew the Kynge intendythe to holde on hys jurney, and ^Phylyp ^Lewes is redyn ageyn to the Kyng, and schall brynge wyth hym money for all ther wagys that schall be in my lordys retynew, as yow and vj of Syr ^Wylliam ^Bolens seruauntys and od[[yr]]. Syr, Mastyr ^Clopton sye yowre lettyr, and a seythe he knew my lordys mende suche that he durste not meue hym wyth it. Ther was Syr ^Wylliam ^Say, but ^Clopton wolde not it schulde be knowen of non other but yourselfe. He sent my lorde be a seruaunt of hys xl li. to haue excusyid hym, and it wolde not be takyn; and @at I mervell of. Howbeyt he brake thus fer to my lorde: he asched hym how many he apoyntyd yow to brynge wyth yow, and he answerde hym xxti, and than he schewyd hym yowre chargys @at ye haue had. My lorde seyd ye myght haue men a-nowe, and ther wagys schalbe payd for. ^Clopton aunswerde how that it wolde coste yow large money besyde @er wagys to hors them and harnes them, and how that to sey the trowthe ye were not well at ese. Not wythstandynge all thys my lorde wyllyd that ye shulde come to hym to %^Cambryge on Tuesday at nyght, wyth as many as yee myght, and ye and he schulde do well j-now. Soo ^Clopton thyngyth that and ye brynge a dosen wyth yow it is suffycyent, howbeyt @at Syr ^Emonde ^Bedyngfeld, Syr ^Thomas ^Tyrell, and Syr ^Rychard ^Lewes haue ben wyth my lorde, and yche of them haue offyrde to mete wyth my lorde at %^Cambryge wyth xxx men apese of them. So I wolde not ye schulde be to ferre vndyr them. Wherfor I thynke best that ye puruey yow so as and ye schulde goo forthe yor-selfe, for I can perseue non othyr wyse. My bedfelawe ^Cornwaleys is maryed in the northe, and he came as yesternyght to my lorde, streyt owt of the contre*, and he scheythe non othyrwyse but as I haue wretyn here afore in thys lettyr. Ye schall haue for yor-self and for yche of your seruauntys horsyd and hernessyd xx s. in hande at %^Cambryge for a monthe. And I truste we schal haue done or xx days to an ende, wyth @e grace of God, who haue yow in kepynge. At %^Heny[n]gham. Be your brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston To be knowyn to all the Northe partys of %^England to euery lorde, knyght, esquyer, gentylman, and yeman, that they schalbe redy in ther defensable aray, jn the Est parte on Tuysday next comyng on %^Aldyrton %^More, and in the West parte on %^Gateley %^More the same day, vpon peyne of losyng of ther goodys and bodyes, for to geynsstonde suche persons as is abowtward for to dystroy owre suffereyn lorde the Kynge and the Comowns of %^Engelond for suche vnlawfull poyntys as Seynt ^Thomas of %^Cauntyrbery dyed for. And thys to be fulfyllyd and kept by euery ylke comenere apon peyn of dethe. And thys is in the name of Mayster ^Hobbe ^Hyrste, ^Robyn ^God-felaws brodyr he is, as I trow. To the ryght worchepfull Syr ^John ^Paston, knyght. Aftyr all dew recomendacion, lyke it yow to vndyrstond that Syr ^Herry ^Heydon schewyd me that it is agreyd be Syr ^Edmond ^Bedyngfeld that the mater betwyx hym and my brodyr ^Yeluerton schalbe comynd at %^Norwyche, and there a dyreccion to be takyn in the same mater mete for them bothe. Syr, @e Kyng sendythe ordynaunce dayly to @e see syde, and hys tentys and alys be a-makyng faste and many of them be made. And there is also grete prouysyon made be gentylmen @at scholde goo wythe hys grace for hors, harnes, tentys, halys, gardyuyans, cartys, and othyr thyngys that scholde serue them for thys jurney that the Kynge entendythe to take on hand, soo that be lykelyod hys grace wolbe goyng sone vpon Ester. And so I entende, aftyr that I here he[r]aftyr, to goo to %^Caleys to puruey me of harneys and suche thyngys as I schall nede besydes hors, vndyr that forme @at my costys schalbe payd fore. Syr, I am as yet no bettyr horsyd than I was whan I was wythe yow, nor I wote not where to haue none, for hors flesche is of suche a price here that my purce is schante able to bye on hors; wherfor I beseche yow to herkyn for some in yowre contre*. Syr, my cosyn ^John ^Heydon tolde me that @e Prior of %^Waburnes horse was rially amendyd, and that @e Abott of Seynt ^Benetys schewed hym ther was a bay hors off a parsons nygh onto Seynt ^Benetis and @at @e Abot wolde gete hym for my cosyn ^Heydon at a resonable price. Syr, my cosyn ^John ^Heydon woll geue me hys entrest in that hors if the Abot haue bowght hym, and so ye may lete @e Abot haue knowlege; and if he haue not bowght hym, I beseche yow sende to see hym, for I wote not how to do wyth-owt yowre help aswell in horsyng of me as in other thyngys. At the makyng of thys lettyr I canot acerteyn yow what parson it is that owythe thys hors. If I can know I wolle send yow worde in a bylle I sende to ^Thomas ^Jullys be the berer herof. Syr, as towardys my jurney to %^Caleys, the whyche I entende to haue tane at my laste beyng wyth yow, jt was so I was dysapoyntyd of ^Thomas ^Dey and an other man I scholde haue had be hys menys, as ye haue had knowlege of or now. And also I had went to haue had folkys a mette wyth me at %^Hedyngham whyche dednott. My lorde, seyng me dysesyd and also non otherwyse purueyd, wyllyd me in ony wyse to tary on-tyl hys comyng to %^London, and sent myn excuse to my Lorde ^Dawbeney vndyr thys forme, how that I was sore disesyd, notwythestondyng I was welewyllyd to haue come to fulfyll my promesse, but he cowde not sofyr me seyng me soo dysesyd. And so my Lord ^Dawbeney was sory of my dysese and content that I taryd. Syr, I beseche yow to holde me excusyd for kepyng of ^Thomas ^Lynsted, yowre seruaunt, and hym bothe. It is soo that he and I bothe haue ben in hande wyth my vnkyll for hys mater, and yet wee haue hym at noo good poynt, but I troste we schall haue. Syr, if I take thys jurney to %^Caleys I moste beseche yow to forbere hym lenger, and jf I goo not to %^Caleys, thow I be lothe to forbere hym yet I schall brynge hym wyth me schortly in-to %^Norfolke, ye to haue hym if ye lyste, wyth @e grace of God, who haue yow in kepyng. Wretyn at %^London @e xviij day of February wyth the hande of yowre pore brodyr ^Wylliam ^Paston To my most special good father Ser ^John ^Paston, knyght After most humbyl wyse of recommandacion, jn my most lovyngly wyse I beseche yow of your dayly blyssyng, showyng yow @at I am at Ser ^John ^Fortescu place be-cause they swet so sor at %^Cambryg. Also I shew yow @at Master ^Thomas ^Clark ys desessyd, hows sowle ^God haue mercy. Also, I beseche yow that ye wol se a remedy for the comun of %^Snaylwel, for the bayly of %^Snaylwel and on of your fermors war wyth my tutor and me and shevyd me @at all the comun shuld a be takyn a-way butt for Master ^Cotton and the vecur of %^Fordan, hom I beseche yow to thank Fro %^Pamsborow, be your most humbyl seruant. ^William ^Paston.