came home again never merrier, and said to his wife that he would go say a little devotion in his garden, and then he would dine;1 and forthwith he felt a fainting in his leg, and syyd (sit) down; this was at nine of the clock, and he was dead ere noon.

My cousin Clere prays you that ye let no man see her letter, which is ensealed under my seal. I pray you that you will pay your brother William for four ounces and an half of silk as he paid, which he sent me by Wil

LETTER LVIII.-(XLIV. vol. iii. p. 187.)

Though this letter, like many others in this collection, contains no matter of consequence, yet as it furnishes us with an instance of careful attention in the wife to her husband's affairs, and shows her anxious desire to have everything in readiness against his expected return, I think it will be agreeable to many of my

readers.

To my right worshipful master, John Paston, be this delivered in haste.

RIGHT worshipful husband, I recommend me to you, praying you to weet that I have spoke with Newman for his place, and I am thorough with him therefor, but he would not let it in no wise less than five marks (31. 68. 8d.). I told him that sekerly (certainly) ye should not know but that I hired it of him for three pounds. I said as for the noble (68. 8d.) I should pay it of mine own purse that ye should no knowledge have thereof; and this day I have had in two cartful of hay, and your stable shall be made I hope this next week. I could not get no grant of him to have the warehouse; he saith if he may in any wise forbear it hereafter, ye shall have it, but he will not grant it in no covenant. He math granted me the house betwixt the vowte vault) and the warehouse, and that he said he granted not you.

4

And as for the chamber that ye assigned to nine uncle, God hath purveyed (provided) or him as his will is; he passed to God on Monday last past, at eleven of the clock beFore noon, and Sir John Heveningham passed

By this account it appears that the hour of diner was between nine and ten o'clock in the forenoon. 2 [More probably slid, for fell.]

3 Newman's Place must have been a house of some onsequence in the city of Norwich at this time, as ne rent then set upon it was equivalent to a modern ne of between sixty and eighty pounds a-year; and here being when she hired it no stable ready fitted p, shows how few horses were then kept in cities, &c.

to God on Tuesday last past, whose souls both God assoil! his sickness took him on Tuesday at nine of the clock before noon, and by two afternoon he was dead.

I have begun your inventory, that should have been made ere this time if I had been well at ease; I hope to make an end thereof and of other things by this next week, and be in that other place if God send me health. I must do purvey for much stuff3 ere I come there, for there is neither boards nor other stuff that must needs be had ere we come there; and Richard hath gathered but little money since he came from you. I have sent John Norwood this day to Gresham, Besingham, and Matlaske, to get as much money as he may. The blessed Trinity have you in his keeping. Written at Norwich, on the Utas day of Peter and Paul.

6

Yours,

MARGARET PASTON.

Norwich, Friday, 6th of July,
1453. 31 H. VI.

4 Philip Berney, whose death was mentioned in the preceding letter, was brother to Margaret Maultby, the mother of Margaret Paston.

5 This must here mean household stuff, and I should suppose that the boards required were those used for long tables, forms, &c.

6 The octave, or eighth day following the festival.

LETTER LIX.-(XLV. vol. iii. p. 189.)

The exact date of this letter cannot be ascertained, it was, however, most probably previously to 1454, as Elizabeth Paston's brother, in his letter to Lord Grey, tells him, "there is, and hath been divers times, late communications of marriages with divers gentlemen not determined as yet, &c." Sir William Oldhall was a gentleman of large property in the county of Norfolk, and had been already married to, or afterwards did marry, Mary, daughter of William Lord Willoughby of Eresby, by whom he left an only daughter and heir, Mary. The marriage here proposed never took effect. I have dated this letter in 1453, though doubtfully. [This letter also displays a curious picture of the diplomatic manner in which marriages, even among persons of only moderate rank were conducted. The brother labours that Sir W. Oldhall shall have his sister: the sister prayeth him to bring it to a good conclusion, so "that it xall be bothe for hyr worchup and prfyt," and the mother is content "if ye can thynke that hys lond standyt cler."]

This letter be delivered to John Paston dwelling in the Inner Inn of the Temple at London, in haste.

I GREET you well, and let you weet that this day I was with my daughter your wife, and she was in good heel (health) at the making of this letter, thanked be God! and she let your sister and me weet of a letter which ye sent her, that ye have been laboured to for Sir William Oldhall to have your sister, and desiring in the said letter to have an answer in short time how she will be demeaned in this matter.

Your sister recommendeth her to you, and thanketh you heartily that ye will remember her, and let her have knowledge thereof, and prayeth you that ye will do your endeavour to bring it to a good conclusion, for she saith to me that she trusteth that ye will do so that it

shall be both for her worship and profit; and, as for me, if ye can think that his land standeth clear, inasmuch as I feel your sister wellwilled thereto, I hold me well content.

And as for the obligation of the parson of Marlingford, which I sent you by John Newman, I pray you let it be sued; and as for the parson and Lyndesey they be accorded; and God have you in keeping, and send you his blessing and mine. Written at Norwich on Pulver Wednesday.

Norwich,

By your mother,

Ash Wednesday, 6 March,
1453-4. 32 H. VI.

AGNES PASTON.

LETTER LX.—(XLVI. vol. iii. p. 193.)

This letter, from a lover to the brother of his mistress, seems dictated by good sense, and a proper regard for the lady; it shows his anxious wish that all preliminaries should be settled to the satisfaction of the lady's friends, and hints at his own impatience for a speedy conclusion in the following expressive words, "as to my conceythe ye dayys be waxyn wonderly longe in a schorte tyme." On the back of the letter is written, in an ancient hand, "A l're somewhat touchyng a mariage yt should have been between the wth in named John Clopton and Elizabeth Paston sole daughter to Willm Paston, justice. Sed non cept effe'm." John Clopton, Esq., was one of those convicted on suspicion of receiving letters from Queen Margaret, with Sir Thomas Todenham, &c., before the Earl of Worcester, in Feb. 1461, when all of them, except Clopton, were beheaded. He married Alice, sister to Sir Robert Darcy, of Malden in Essex, and was alive in 1488. - His father, Sir William Clopton, had estates at Long Melford, &c. in Suffolk. [But this projected marriage, though evincing more warmth of affection than was usually displayed, did not take place, and was probably broken off on pecuniary matters.]

Unto (my) right reverend Sir, and my good master, John Paston.

RIGHT worthy and worshipful sir, and my right good master, I recommend me unto you, thanking you evermore of your great gentleness and good masterhood showed unto me at all times, and specially now to my heart's ease, which on my part cannot be rewarded,

but my simple service is ever ready at your commandment; furthermore, as for the matter that ye weet of, I have laboured so to my father that your intent as for the jointure shall be fulfilled; and, Sir, I beseech you since I do my part to fulfil your will, that

ye will show me your good masterhood in her chamber 1 as my full trust is, insomuch that it shall nought hurt you nor none of yours, and the profit thereof shall be unto the avail of my mistress your sister, and to me, and to none other creature.

And also my mistress your mother shall not be charged with her board after the day of the marriage, but I to discharge her of her person; and to ease me that hath her chamber may be none contradiction.

And, Sir, I am ready, and always will to perform that I have said unto you, &c.

2

Furthermore liketh you to weet, I was on Thursday last past at Cavendish, to deliver an estate to Wentworth in the land that was my brother Cavendish's, as I told you when I was last with you, and there I spake with Crane, and he besought me that I would send over to my mistress your mother for his excuse, for he might not be with her at this time; but on the Saturday in Easter week he will not fail to be with her, so he coun

selled me that I and my brother Denston3 should meet with him there, and so without your better advice I and my brother purpose us to be with you there at that time, for the sooner the lever (better for) me, for, as to my conceit the days be waxen wonderly (wonderfully) long in a short time, wherefore I beseech you send me your advice how ye will have me ruled, &c.

No more I write to you at this present time, but beseeching you to recommend (me) in the lowliest wise, and the Trinity preserve you body and soul.

Written with my chancery hand in right great haste on the Friday before Palm Sunday.

Friday, 12 April, 1454,
32 H. VI.

Your
JOHN CLOPTON.

you got wh

NUMBER LXI.-(XLVII. vol. iii. p. 197.)

On the back of the above indenture, in a more modern hand, is written, "The marriage wthyn mentioned never toke effect, for the same Elizabeth was after first maryed to Rob' Ponyngs, arm., and then to St George Browne, knyght." I thought this draught of a marriage settlement too curious to be omitted.

Marriage Articles betwixt Agnes Paston, &c. on the one part and William Clopton, Esq. on the other part.

THIS indenture, made betwixt Agnes that was the wife of William Paston, John Paston her son, and John Damme, on the one part, and William Clopton,5 esquire, on the other part, witnesseth that accord is taken atwyn (between) the said parties, that John Clopton, son and heir of the said William Clopton, by the grace of God shall wed Elizabeth, the daughter of the said Agnes, for which mar

1 Perhaps it means some expenses for the accommodation of the bride. [We rather think he asks for Paston's intervention in his favour in her privacy.]

The Cavendishes and Cranes were respectable families in the county of Suffolk.

John Denston, Esq., of Denston in Suffolk, married Catherine, daughter of Sir William Clopton, and sister to John Clopton.

John Damme was a burgess in parliament for the city of Norwich, and likewise recorder.

The Cloptons were a family of consequence.

riage the said Agnes, &c. shall pay to the said John Clopton four hundred marks (2667. 13s. 4d.) in hand of lawful money of England, and over that (besides), if the said marriage be holden with the said Agnes, the said Agnes shall bear the costages thereof the day of the wedding, with such chambering 6 as shall be to the pleasure of the said Agnes: and the said William Clopton shall do [cause7] his feoffees make a lawful estate to the said William of lands, tenements, rents, and services to the yearly value of 401. over all charges borne,

6 This word is here used in a good sense, and probably means joyous entertainment and feastingbut it may mean certain expenses to be borne, or goods, &c., to be bought on this occasion. [The original is not chambering but "chaumb'yr" only, and there is little doubt, means furniture or decorations for the bride's chamber.]

7 [Fenn translates-take care that.]

LETTER LXII.—(XLVIII. vol. iii. p. 201.)

The contents of this letter show my Lord Scales to be a gentleman and a man of honour, it betrays nothing of the tyranny of an ancient baron, but breathes the sentiments of a friend. At the bottom, in a hand of the time, is written,-" Li't. ãē mich. xxxiijo." So that it fixes it to the 33rd of Henry VI.

To my right well-beloved friend John Paston, Esq.

ETTER LXIII.—(XVII. vol. i. p. 77.)

LETTER LXIV.—(XLIX. vol. iii. p. 203.)

We find about this time several alliances proposed to the family for their daughter Elizabeth, none of which as yet took place. This of Scroope seems to have been approved, not only by the young lady herself, but likewise by her mother and friends, though conditionally that a better could not be obtained. She afterwards married Robert Poynings, &c. [So yt his londe stande cleer"-this seems to have been the one thing needful in all the negotiations for marriage.]

To John Paston be this letter delivered.

LETTER LXV.—(L. vol. iii. p. 205.)

In several letters we have seen Agnes Paston in the character of an active woman, attentive to her children, and her own private affairs, but in this she appears to no great advantage as a mother, her treatment of a daughter, now a womau, seems harsh and unseemly, even for the age in which it happened, though then the parental authority was carried to very different lengths to what it is in these days. We have before seen in the articles under which the Earl of Warwick_took charge of the king's person, that he required, and had granted, a power to chastise his royal pupil. This same lady, in her directions to Master Greenfield (in letter cvii.), prays him to belash her son Clement well, "if he hath not done well, nor will not amend." These manners of the age therefore being considered, we shall be the less surprised at this now seemingly severe behaviour towards her daughter. Elizabeth Clere's reflections upon it do her credit, and assure us