moved to him thereof in covert terms, as Playters shall inform you hereafter; and as I thought by him, and so did Playters also, by the language that he had to us, that he would be as faithful as he could or might be to that good lord that ye wrote of, and to you also, in anything that he could or might do, in case were that he were set in office so that he might aught do, and thereto he said he would be bound in 1000l., and (if) he was so much worth. As for the other that ye desired I should move to of the same matter, me seemeth he is too young to take any such things upon him, and also I know verily that he shall never love faithfully the other man that ye desired that he should do, for when he remembereth the time that is past; and therefore I spake not to him thereof. This day was holden a great day at Okyll (Acle) before the under-sheriff and the underescheator for the matter of Sir John Fastolf's lands, and there was my cousin Rookwood, and my cousin John Berney of Reedham, and divers other gentlemen and thrifty men of the country, and the matter is well sped after your intent, blessed be God! as ye shall have knowledge of in haste. I ye suppose Playters shall be with you on Sunday or on Monday next coming if he may; ye have many good prayers of the poor people that God should speed you at this parliament, for they live in hope that should help to set a way that they might live in better peace in this country than they have done before, and that wools should be purveyed for that they should not go out of this land, as it hath been suffered to do before, and then shall the poor people more live better than they have done by their occupation therein. Thomas Bone hath sold all your wool here for 20d. a stone, and good surety found to you therefore to be paid at Michaelmas next coming, and it is sold right well after that, (because) the wool was for the most part right feeble. Item, there be bought for you three horses at St. Faith's fair, and all be trotters, right [At that, i.e. price, as we say now.] [Near Norwich. There is still a considerable fair at this place, but chiefly for lean cattle.] fair horses, God save them, and they be well keeped. Item, your mills at Heylesdon be let for twelve marks (87.) and the miller to find the reparation; and Richard Calle hath let all your lands at Caister; but as for Maultby lands they be not let yet. William White hath paid me again this day his 107., and I have made him an acquittance thereof because I had not his obligation. There is great talking in this country of the desire of my Lord of York, the people report full worshipfully of my Lord of Warwick, they have no fear here but that he and other should show too great favour to them that have been rulers of this country before time. I have done all your errands to Sir Thomas Howes that ye wrote to me for; I am right glad that ye have sped well in your matters betwixt Sir Philip Wentworth and you, and so I pray God ye may do in all other matters to his pleasance. As for the writings that ye desired that Playters should send you, Richard Calle told me that they were at Harry Barber's, at the Temple Gate. The mayor and the mayoress sent hither their dinners this day, and John Damme came with them, and they dined here; I am beholden to them for they have sent to me divers times since ye yed (went) hence; the mayor saith that there is no gentleman in Norfolk that he would do more for than he would for you, if it lay in his power to do for you. J. Perse is still in prison, but he will not 3 George Nevile became Archbishop of York in 1464, and died in 1476. 4 As the exact date of the year of this letter cannot be ascertained, we cannot determine who this mayor of Norwich was, though it must have been either John Gilbert, Thomas Ellis, or John Chytock. John Damme had been the recorder, and might perhaps be so now. [This is a curious trait-the mayor and mayoress of Norwich send their own dinners to a gentleman's house where they go to dine; nor is it noticed as anything out of the common course; indeed, "they have sent to me divers times" may imply that they sent dinners.] 5 What offence Perse had committed does not appear, nor can I understand the expression "that the dede may have part of hys own goode." An ingenious friend suggested the following explanation: might not Perse have murdered some one and secreted confess more than he did when ye were at home. Edmund Brome was with me, and told me that Perse sent for him for to come speak with him, and he told me that he was with him and examined him, but he would not be a knowe (acknowledge) to him, that he had no knowledge where no goods was of his master's more than he had knowledged to you; he told me that he sent for him to desire him to labour to you and to me for him if ye had been at home; and he told me that he said to him again that he would never labour for him but (unless) he might know that he were true to his master, though it lay LETTER CCXXXIII.-(LIII. vol. iv. p. 201.) I have given this letter as containing not only the whole process of a replevin, but likewise to show the dis agreeable situation the tenants of the lands and manors were put into when the landlords and lords of manors disagreed. Drayton and Heylesdon had been the manors of Sir John Fastolf, and were now by his death in the possession of John Paston, as one of his executors and trustees; this letter therefore must have been written after Sir John's decease. A replevin is a writ (Replegiare de averiis) brought by one whose cattle are distrained or put in pound upon any cause by another, upon surety given to the sheriff to pursue or answer the action at law. To my right worshipful husband, John Paston, be this delivered in haste. PLEASE it you to weet that on Saturday last your servants Naunton, Wykes, and others were at Drayton, and there took a distress for the rent and farm that was to pay, to the number of seventy-seven neat (beasts), and so brought them home to Heylesdon, and put them in the pin-fold, and so kept them still there from the said Saturday morning unto Monday three at clock at afternoon. First on the same Saturday the tenants followed upon, and desired to have their cattle again: and I answered them if they would do pay such dewts (debts or dues) as they ought for to pay to you, that then they should have their cattle delivered again; or else if they were not a power his goods, which he refuses to acknowledge, but part of which, if they had been discovered, would have been disposed of for the benefit of the soul of the deceased, in procuring masses, &c., to be sung for him, so that in fact by these means the dead might be said to have part of his own goods? This explanation will appear perhaps far-fetched, but it is adduced solely with a hope that it might prove a clue to a discovery of the real meaning of this passage. [A murderer Perse could not have been from the terms in which they speak of him, and the way in which he seeks for assistance. But he might have been servant to some one who had died, and have been suspected of secreting his master's goods.] (were not able) to pay ready money, that then they to find sufficient surety to pay the money at such a day as they might agree with me, and thereto to be bounden to you by obligation; and that they said they durst not for to take upon them for to be bounden, and as for money they had none for to pay at that time, and therefore I kept still the beasts. Harleston was at Norwich, and sent for the tenants the said Saturday at afternoon, and there, by the means of the bailiff of Cossey, put the tenants in such fear, saying that if they would pay such debts, or else for to be bounden to pay, that then they would put them out of such lands as they held bondly of the lordship, and so to distrain them and trouble them that they should be weary of their part; and that put them (in) such fear that they durst neither pay nor be bounden. And on the Sunday at even-song time Harleston came to me to Heylesdon, desiring me that I would deliver again the said distress; and as for such distresses as they had taken here of your tenants (they) should be delivered again in like form; and I said I would not deliver them so, and I told him that I would deliver them as is written afore and otherwise not, and otherwise I would not deliver them but by the form of law. And other communication was had between us at that time of divers matters which were too long to write at this time, but ye shall have knowledge thereof in haste. And on Monday next after at nine at clock there came Pynchemore to Heylesdon with a replevin, which was made in Harleston's name as under-steward of the duchy, saying that the beasts were taken upon the duchy fee, wherefore he desired me to make him livery of the said beasts so taken; and I said I would not deliver them unto the time that I had examined the tenants of the truth, and so I sent thither Wykes with Pynchemore to understand what they would say; and the tenants said that there was taken none upon the duchy at their knowledge, save only Pyrse Waryn the younger, and Paynter, said that their cattle was taken upon the duchy, which they cannot prove by none record save only by their own saying; and so we would not obey that replevin and so they departed; and at three at clock at afternoon Pynchemore came to Heylesdon again with two men which brought with them a replevin from the sheriff, whose names be John Witherley and Robert Ranson, which required me by the same replevin to make them delivery of the said beasts taken at Drayton; and so I, seeing the sheriff's replevin and under his seal, bade my men deliver them, and so they were delivered. And as for all other matters that ye have written to (me) of, I will speed me to send you an answer as hastily as I may, for I may no leisure have to write no more to you this time. The blessed Trinity have you in his keeping. Written at Heylesdon the 20th day of May LETTER CCXXXIV.—(LIV. vol. iv. p. 207.) The beginning of this letter is curious, at it furnishes us with an account of the process to dispossess a parson of his church; what Flowerdew had done to incur deprivation does not appear. John Flowerdew was instituted to the rectory of Drayton on the 15th of March, 1461, on the presentation of Johu Paston, Esq. and Thomas Howes, clerk. At the time that this and the foregoing letter was written, there was a dispute between the executors of Sir John Fastolf and the Duke of Suffolk concerning these estates at Drayton, Heylesdon, &c. To my right worshipful husband, John Paston, be this delivered in haste. RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you; please it you to weet that I have sent to Master John Smyth and to Master Stephen to have advice for the church of Drayton; and they send me word that there must be had a commission from the bishop to call in the Parson Flowerdew, and that must be proclaimed in the church of Drayton three times by a dean, and after that if he appear not within six months after the first proclamation, that then he for to be deprived, and the patron to present whom he lust (lists), and else your presentation is not sufficient. And I have so purveyed that a commission is had, and shall be served as hastily as it may be. As for John Rysing I have sent to him to 1 This means the rural dean. weet the cause that he is not brought up to London, and he saith that he called upon the sheriff that he might be had up for (to) come to his answer, and the sheriff told him that he would not bring him up at his own cost; and John Andrews said that he would not have him up, and so he is still in prison at Ipswich, and so shall he be but if (unless) ye can find the better mean for to have him out; I have sent to him 13s. 4d. to help himself therewith, he payeth for his board weekly twenty-pence; and Hopton and Smith be there still also, and they have money enough wheresoever that they have it; Rysing deemeth that they have comfort of the other party; and I send you the copy of the warrant that they were arrested by, &c. I spake not with my mother since Richard Calle brought me the letter from you touching her matter, for I might have no leisure ; when I speak with her at leisure I will remember her in that matter according to your writing; and as for your tenants of Drayton, as I can understand by them, they be right good and true-hearted to you to their powers, and full fain would that ye had it again in peace, for they had as leffe (lief) almost be tenants to the devil as to the Duke, except Will. Herne, Piers at Sloth, and one Knott of the same town, for they be not good. All your tenants at Heylesdon and Drayton, except these three, be right glad that we are there amongst them, and so be many others of our old neighbours and friends; and but if (unless) ye come home by Wednesday or Thursday' in Whitsun week, I purpose me to see you in secret wise by Trinity Sunday but if (unless) ye send to me contrary commandment ere that time; and I pray you send me your advice how ye will that we do against the next shire, which shall be the Monday next after Trinity Sunday, as for calling upon the replevin that the beasts of Drayton were delivered by. Item, Richard Calle told me that ye desired to have Master Philip's name, and his name is Philip Lypzate, and I sent you a letter by Henry Wilton's man wherein I wrote Master Philip's name; and in the same letter I wrote to you for Will. Lumnor; I pray you send me word if ye have it, and the blessed Trinity have you in his keeping. Written the Monday next after Ascension day.3 By yours, MARGARET PASTON. Monday, 27th of May, 1465. 5 E. IV. LETTER CCXXXV.-(LV. vol. iv. p. 213.) This and the following letter, giving an account of the proceedings of the Duke of Suffolk's men at Heylesdon, of their attempts there, and of the steps taken by those in possession to oppose them, exhibit a true picture of the times, when the numerous fellowships of the great men, sometimes with and sometimes without the knowledge of their lords, attacked the smaller fellowships of their inferior neighbours, either on a pretence of having some title to their estates, or under colour of having warrants to apprehend them on civil suits, or on prosecutions for felonies, &c. To my master, John PLEASETH it your mastership to weet of the rule and disposition of the M-—— Philip * and the bailiff of Cossey, with others of my Lord of Suffolk's men, on Monday last past at afternoon (who) were at Heylesdon with the number of three hundred men for to have entered, notwithstanding they said they came not for to enter, but without doubt and (if) they had been strong enough for us they would have entered, and that we understand now; but we knowing of their coming, and purveyed so for them, that we were strong enough; we had sixty men within the place, and guns, and such ordnance, so that if they had set upon us they had been destroyed; and there my mistress 5 was within, and my Paston, in haste. master Sir John, and (he) hath gotten him as great worship for that day as any gentleman might do, and so is it reported of the party and in all Norwich; and my Lord of Norwich sent thither Master John Salett and Master John Bulleman for to treat, and so they did; and the duke's men said they had a warrant for to attach John Daubeney, Wykes, Calle, Hunworth, and Blickling, and other, which they would have, and my master Sir John answered them and said that they were not within, and though we had been they should not have had them; and so they desired one of our men, and so Naunton stood by my mistress and asked them whom they would have, and said if they would have which case the subsequent interpolation of who becomes unnecessary.] 5 We have often seen Margaret Paston in the character of wife, mother, and friend, but this is the first time of her appearance as the governess of a fortress, for such this may now be called. Walter Lyhart, bishop of Norwich. him he would go with them, and so he did, and on the next day they carried him forth to my Lord of Suffolk to Claxton, through Norwich, and there we had found a remedy for him for to have let [hindered or stayed] him, and he would not, but needs go forth with them; but like a gentleman he was entreated amongst them. And Harleston desired at Heylesdon to speak with my master Sir John, and so he did, and said to him it were right well done that he rode to my Lord of Suffolk, and desired him in any wise that he should do so, and said that it was his duty so for to do, inasmuch as my lord was come to (the) country, and that he would ride with him and bring him to my lord; and he answered and said to him, when that he understood that my lord were his father's good lord and his, that then he would see his lordship, and else he had none errand to him; and so they departed; and then appointment was taken that they should send home their men, and we should send home ours; and now my Lord of Suffolk's men come from Claxton to Norwich, and face us and fray upon us thus daily; there fell upon me before Swaine's door twelve of his men, eight of them in harness, and there they would have mischieved me, and the sheriff letted (hindered) hem and other, and they make their avaunt were [wherever] that I may be gotten I should die, and so they lie in await for to mischief me, Daubeney, and Wykes; and so I dare not ride out alone without a man with me; and I understand there is coming an oyer (and) determiner to inquire of all riots, and my Lord of Suffolk and Yelverton be commissioners; and so they say as many of us as can be taken shall be indicted and hanged forthwith; and so the people here are dismayed with their rule, wherefore that it like you to send word how my mistress shall do at Heylesdon, and we in all other matters; and whether ye will that we fetch again the flock of Heylesdon, for they are now driven to Causton, and there go they on the heath; and my Lord of Suffolk will be at Drayton on Lammas day, and keep the court there, wherefore ye must seek a remedy for it or else it will not do well. 1 If Lord of Norfolk would come he my should make all well, for they fear him above all things, for it is noised here that my Lord of Norfolk hath taken party in this matter, and all the country is glad of it, saying that if he come they will wholly go with him. And me seemeth it were well done to move my lord in it though ye should give him the profits of Heylesdon and Drayton for the keeping, and some money beside; for ye must seek some other remedy than ye do, or else in my conceit it shall go to the devil and be destroyed, and that in right short time, and therefore at the reverence of God take some appointment with Master Yelverton, and such as ye think should most hurt. I beseech you to pardon me of my writing, for I have pity to see the tribulation that my mistress hath here, and all your friends, &c. Almighty Jesu preserve and keep you. Written the Wednesday next Saint Thomas's day (7th of July). Your poor servant and beadsman, Wednesday, 10th of July, 1465. LETTER CCXXXVI.—(LVI. vol. iv. p. 219.) Margaret Paston in this letter in some measure continues the narrative of the riotous proceedings at Heyles don and Norwich against her husband's servants and tenants by the retainers of the Duke of Suffolk; she pathetically complains of her troubles both of body and mind, and gives an alarming account of her bad state of health; appearing, however, under all her misfortunes, the careful, tender, and amiable wife. To my right worshipful husband, John Paston, in haste. RIGHT worshipful husband I recommend me to you, praying you heartily that ye will seek a mean that your servants may be in peace, for they be daily in fear of their lives; the Duke of Suffolk's men threaten daily Daubeney, Wykes, and Richard Calle, that wheresoever they may get them they shall die; and affrays 1 John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, whose favour, it appears here, must have been purchased at a high price. |