information, and to be advised, and to commune with Master Greenfield, &c. 1 The two chief judges 1 and master Lyttelton are awaiting upon the king, for the king is purposed into Gloucestershire, &c. It is said that my Lord Chancellors shall be here on Saturday or on Monday next coming, as the masters of the Chancery say. I write to you this because ye said to me if ye wist that my Lord Chancellor should be here, then would ye come hither, and else would ye not come here this term. As touching Rysing he hath his day, utas purificationis (9th February), but I have that way that his presence is recondite for all this term. LETTER CCXXIII.—(XVIII. vol. i. p. 279.) This curious letter, informing us of the state of the monastery of St. Augustine, in Canterbury, founded in 605, and in which Christianity was first preached by St Augustine, during the reign of Ethelbert, King of Kent, was written by Henry Berry, a religious there, and a relation of Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of Sir William Paston, the judge, and the daughter of Sir Edmund Berry, about 1463 or 1464, as Abbot James Sevenoke died in 1463, and was succeeded by William Selling, who continued abbot till 1480. The letter is both pathetic and artful; the latter part from this mark *(see p. 176) to the subscription is crossed ont, but not so entirely as to hinder me from decyphering it as here given. The character at the beginning of this letter I have often met with, and particularly at the beginning of letters written by ecclesiastics. It has some religious meaning I believe; I am apt to think it stands for I.H.S. and in this particular letter, considering the form of the initial R, I suppose the whole to mean Jesu Maria. To my right worshipful cousin, John Paston, Esq., be this letter delivered. RIGHT Worshipful and reverend cousin, I recommend me unto you with all mine heart as your faithful kinsman and orator, desiring to hear of the good prosperity and welfare of your worshipful mother my lady and cousin, with your wife, Sir John Paston, your brethren William and Clement, with all your sons and daughters, to whom I beseech you heartily that may be recommended. God of his high mercy preserve you all unto his mercy and grace, and save you from all adversity. Worshipful cousin, my special writing and 1 John Markham, Chief Justice of the King's Bench in 1462. Robert Danby, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in 1462. 2 Thomas Lyttelton, the famous lawyer, was created a serjeant in 1453, and appointed a judge of the Common Pleas in 1467; he died in 1481, aged 79. 3 George Neville, now Bishop of Exeter, but soon after the writing of this letter translated to York. heart's desire before rehearsed, nature naturally What though I be put far out of conceit and sight, The Wherefore now late died the abbot of our monastery, and left us in great debt; the bringer hereof is my special friend. oldest brother in our place never heard nor saw our church in that misery that (it) is now; we have cast the perils amongst us, 4 Clement Paston, brother to John Paston. 5 This relates to the disputes concerning Sir John Fastolf's will. 6 We have cast may here signify either that we have considered the perils, or that we have divided them amongst us. and there is none other help, but every brother that hath any worshipful kin or friends, every man to do his part to the welfare, and succour, and relief of our monastery. Therefore worshipful cousin, I, a brother of that worshipful monastery wherein begun the faith of all this land, meekly beseecheth you in the reverence of Almighty God, to render help, and succour us in our great necessity; for in London lieth to wad (pawn) many rich jewels of ours, with other great debts, which my brother will inform you of. Pleaseth your goodness, for God's sake, and all the saints of Heaven, and at my simple request, to have compassion upon us, ye having due surety both in obligations and pledges. In the reverence of Almighty God do your alms and charity; it shall cause you to be Canterbury, 28th of January, 1463 or 1464. 3 or 4 E. IV. prayed for, and all your kin as long as the church standeth; and by this means, I trust to Almighty God,to see my cousin William, or Clement, to be steward of our lands, and so to have an interest in Kent, to the worship of God and you all, which ever have you in his keeping. Amen. Written at Canterbury in haste the 28th day of January. Also I beseech you show the bringer of this letter some humanity and worship, that when he cometh home he may report as he findeth. *This is the cause every while they put my kin in my beard, saying, I am come of lords, knights, and ladies. I would they were in your danger 1000 marks (6667. 13s. 4d.) that they might know you, &c. By your cousin and beadman, Sony zyr LETTER CCXXIV.—(XLV. vol. iv. p. 159.) This letter was written at a time when Edward, having confiscated many of the estates of the Lancastrians, and granted them to those of his own party, was by mildness and affability endeavouring to become , popular. To my right worshipful master, John Paston, the elder, Esq. PLEASE your mastership to weet that the assize' hold this day at Thetford; and as for any new assize that ye spoke of there is none, nor none there saving one for a man about Brunham. I spake with Herward, and I asked him if there was any great day at Bury, and he said there was but a small day, and as for any assizes there were none but old; and he told me that Debenham and the under-sheriff were fallen out; Debenham bare the sheriff on hand that he had do (caused to be) indicted an hundred men since he came into his office, and the sheriff told him that the king's books William Calthorpe was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. appeared whether it was so or not, and he told Debenham that he could indict an hundred at one time when ye were indicted, and named you the cause of their breaking. There was a man killed now late in Suffolk, and he that did it was one of Debenham's men, and Herward told me that the sheriff said to him he would do Debenham a shrewd turn and (if) he could. Item, it was told me at Norwich that Master Berney should have been here with a great fellowship, and it is not so, nor no man heareth of his coming, nor here is but little people neither, there were not so few this three years, as men say. Item, Herward asked me where John Gayne was, and I asked why, and he said there is a ན 1 capias out against him upon the condemnation, and the sheriff hath it, he bade me give him warning; it is returnable xv Pasche. Item, they say here that the king was on Monday at Waltham. Item, Nicholas Colman hath brought home your fardel: it is at Norwich. Item, there be no more judges here but Sir Pers Ardern.3 Written at Thetford, the Wednesday the last day of February. Item, Wymondham is here, and was at the Shire-house this day, and the king's livery about his neck, and there stood by the judge 1 Query, as to this word, it being not perfect in the original? ? Quinzieme Pasche, the fifteenth day after Easter. 3 Sir Peter Ardern, knight, was Chief Baron of the Exchequer, &c. This was either some coloured ribbon, or, most probably, a collar with the king's device. Collars were at this time generally worn by persons of consequence, and by the fashion and form of them the rank of the wearer was intended to be ascertained; they were usually formed of SS, having on the centre before, a rose or some other device, and were made either of gold or silver, according to the rank, while a letter of the king's was read; the effect was, as it was told me, that the king wills that justice be had, and that all risers against the peace and oppressors of the people be chastised, letting them weet that he was late in Cambridgeshire, and that there such as had offended asked grace, which they had, saving such as were rulers, whom he will somewhat be punished,5 proposing to be in this country about Easter. Your Servant, JOHN PAMPYNGE. the last day of February, dignity, or fortune of the wearer. By an act "For Reformation of Excess of Apparel," passed in the 24 H. VIII. 1532, ch. 13, it was enacted, "that no man, unless he be a knight, wear any collar of gold, named a collar of SS." This collar, therefore, from that time became the distinguishing badge of knighthood. [We give, as an illustration, a badge or collar worn by the friends of Richard, drawn by the late C. Stothard from an effigy of Ralph, second Earl of Westmoreland, in Brancepeth church, Durham. 5 [Fenn has see punished. The original is as above given, and means that he wills they be somewhat punished.] VOL. I. N To my right reverend and worshipful father, John Paston, dwelling in Caister, be this delivered. RIGHT reverend and worshipful father, I recommend me unto you, beseeching you lowly of your blessing, desiring to hear of your welfare and prosperity, the which I pray God preserve unto his pleasance, and to your heart's desire; beseeching you to have me excused that ye had no writing from me since that I departed from you, for so God me help, I sent you a letter to London anon (soon) after Candlemas by a man of my lord's; and he forgot to deliver it to you, so he brought to me the letter again; and since that time I could get no messenger till now. As for tidings such as we have here I send you. My lord and my lady' are in good hele (health), blessed be God, and my lord hath great labour and cost here in Wales for to take diverse gentlemen here which were consenting and helping unto the Duke of Somerset's going; and they were appealed (accused) of other certain points of treason; and this matter, and because the king sent my lord word to keep this country, is (the) cause that my lord tarrieth here thus long; and now the king hath given my lord power whether he will do execution upon these gentlemen or pardon them, whether that him list (pleaseth), and as far forth as I can understand yet, they shall have grace, and as soon as these men be come in my lord is purposed to come to London, which I suppose shall be within this fortnight; the men's names that be impeached are these, John Hanmer, and William his son, Roger Puleston, and Edward of Madoc, these be men of worship that shall come in. The commons in Lancashire and Cheshire were up to the number of 10,000 or more, but now they be down again; and one or two of them was headed in Chester as on Saturday last past. Thomas Daniel is here in Cheshire, but I wot not in what place; he hath sent three or four letters to Sir John Howard, since my lord came hither. And other tidings have we none here but that I suppose ye have heard before; I suppose verily that it shall be so nigh Easter ere ever my lord come to London, that I shall not move (to) come home to you before Easter; wherefore I beseech you that ye will vouchsafe that one of your men may send a bill to mine uncle Clement, or to some other man, who that ye will, in your name, that they may deliver me the money that I am behind of the quarter since Christmas; and for the next quarter, in part of that sum that it pleased you to grant me by the year; for by my truth the fellowship have not so much money as we wend (thought) to have had by right much; for my lord hath had great costs since he came hither. Wherefore I beseech you that I may have this money at Easter, for I have borrowed money that I must pay again after Easter. And I pray Almighty God have you keeping. Written in the castle of the Holt, in Wales, the first day of March. LETTER CCXXVI.—(XLVI. vol. iv. p. 165.) Though this letter contains nothing very interesting, yet as it mentions the commission of the peace, and gives some account of a law process, I have thought proper to present it to the reader. It mentions likewise the offensive and defensive armour, &c., then in use; and concludes with some very serious and pressing advice to J. Paston to conclude his own intricate business relative to Sir John Fastolf's property, &c. To my right worshipful master, John Paston the oldest, be this delivered in haste. Jenney were put out of the commission of the peace, and that my brother William Lumor 2 [So Fenn; but we think moue is mowe, be able. 3 In 1464, Easter Sunday fell on the 25th March. were set in his stead, for me thinketh it were right necessary that there were such a man in that county that oweth you good will, and I know verily he oweth you right good will: he was with me at Caister but late. If there be made any labour for Doctor Allen to be justice of the peace, I pray you for God's sake let it be letted if ye may, for he will take too much upon him if he were; I would not that he were remembered of your part, but if (unless) he be spoken of of other parts; he is right great with Master Philip Lypzate and the bailiff of Cossey. If it please you to weet that Wykes did arrest one William Dylmyn of Norwich, as Pampynge can inform you of, for certain harness which he delivered him at Newcastle for to carry to Yarmouth by water, and there to deliver it to him again, which harness he kept still, and may not be delivered; and now there is come down an habeas corpus for him, and (he) must appear at the common place on Friday next coming; wherefore if it pleased you that there might be taken an action in Wykes's name of trespass, under such form as there may be a capias awarded against his coming; for after that he was arrested he did (caused) Daubeney to be arrested for maintaining; and as for the harness, Wykes delivered it to him the 10th day of January, the 2nd year of King Edward IV. (1462), in Pilgrim-street, at Newcastle; imprimis a pair (of) briganders, a salet [light helmet and visor], a boar-spear, a bow, eighteen arrows, two pair (of) pauldrons (shoulder-pieces), á standard of mail, a pair (of) sleeves of plate, to the value of five marks (37. 68. 8d.) And at the reverence of God sloth not your matters now, and make an end of them; either purvey you to make them or to mar them in haste, for this is too horrible a cost and trouble that ye have and have had for to endure any while, and it is great heaviness to your friends and well-willers and great joy and comfort to your enemies. My Lord of Norwich said to me that he would not abide the sorrow and trouble that ye have abiden to win all Sir John Fastolf's good. God be your speed in all your matters. Written at Heylesdon the 13th day of May. I think right long to hear tidings till I have tidings from you. LETTER CCXXVII.-(XLVII. vol. iv. p. 169.) No one can read this letter without feeling concern for the displeasure that Sir John had occasioned his mother by his improper departure; she tenderly blames his conduct, gives him the advice of a kind, affectionate Her account of Jane Walsham's and sensible parent, and at the same time is anxious to hear of his welfare. regard for Wykes is natural and pleasing, and interests the reader in her behalf. The whole letter is written in a clear and easy style, and shows the maternal affection of the writer for her son. Paston, be this delivered in haste. To my well-beloved son, Sir John IGREET you well, and send you God's blessing and mine, letting you weet that I have received a letter from you the which ye delivered to Master Roger at Lynn, whereby I conceive that ye think ye did not well that departed hence without my knowledge, wherefore I let you weet I was right evil paid with you; your father thought, and thinketh yet, that I was assented to your departing, and that hath caused me to have great heaviness; 1 [Maintenance. See Letter cxxiii. p. 103.] 2 [Appayed-content.] ye I hope he will be your good father hereafter if ye demean you well, and do as ye ought to do to him; and I charge you upon my blessing that in anything touching your father that should be (to) his worship, profit, or avail, that ye do your devoir and diligent labour to the furtherance therein as ye will have my good will, and that shall cause your father to be better father to you. It was told me ye sent him a letter to London; what the intent thereof was I wot not, but though he take it but lightly, I would ye should not spare to write to him again as |