LETTER CCCLXXXIX.-(XLI. vol. v. p. 177.) [ANOTHER letter from John Pympe to Sir John Paston about his horse. The writer begins by saying, "I have written to you three long letters, which as yet be answerless;" and shortly after says, "this is the fifth letter I have sent you." There is nothing else but a renewal of the request for Sir John's assistance in procuring a horse, and a repetition of what he considers a good horse ought to be. Dated March, 1477.] LETTER CCCXC.—(XLII. vol. v. p. 181.) [SIR JOHN PASTON in this letter writes rather a stern answer to the exorbitant demands of his brother John for his own advantageous settlement. He says, "Ye have now written again. You need not to pray me to do that might be to your profit and worship that I might do, oftener than once, or to let me weet thereof, for to my power I would do for you, and take as much pain for your weal, and remember it when per case ye should not think on it yourself. I would be as glad that one gave you a manor of 201. by the year as if he gave it to myself, by my troth. Item, where(as) ye think that I may with conscience recompense it again unto our stock of other lands that I have of that value in fee simple, it is so that Snailwell by my grandfather's will once, and by my father's will secondly, is entailed to the issue of my father's body. Item, as for Sporle 201. by year; I had thereof but twenty marks (131. 68. 8d.) by year, which twenty marks by year, and the ten marks (61. 13s. 4d.) over, I have endangered, as ye well know of that bargain; which, if it be not redeemed I must recompense some other manor of mine to one of my brethren for the said ten marks, and twenty marks that longeth to me, wherefore I keep the manor of Runham; then have I fee simple land, the manor of Winterton with Bastwick and Billys, which in all is not twenty marks by year, which is not to the value of the manor of Sparham. And as for Caister it were no convenient land to exchange for such a thing; nor it were not policy for me to set that manor in such case for all manner of haps. I need not to make this excuse to you, but that your mind is troubled; I pray you rejoice not yourself too much in hope to obtain a thing that all your friends may not ease you of, for if my mother were disposed to give me and any woman in England the best manor she hath to have it to me and my wife, and to the heirs of our two bodies begotten, I would not take it of her, by God. Stablish yourself upon a good ground, and grace shall follow; your matter is far spoken of, and blown wide, and if it prove no better I would it had never been spoken of. Also that matter noiseth me, that I am so unkind that I let (hinder) altogether. I think not a matter happy, nor well handled, nor politicly dealt with, when it can never be finished without an inconvenience, and to any such bargain I hope never to be condescending nor of counsel; if I were at the beginning of such a matter, I would have hoped to have made a better conclusion, if they mock you not. This matter is driven thus far forth without my counsel; I pray you make an end without my counsel: if it be well I would be glad, if it be otherwise it is pity. I pray you trouble me no more in this matter." There is no date to the letter, but it clearly belongs to this period.] LETTER CCCXCI.-(LXXVII.* vol. ii. p. 235.) I have here given a letter written to Sir John Paston in rhyme, as a specimen of the poetry of the age. By the writer's inquiry concerning a horse, and his referring back to his former letters, this appears to have been written in the latter end of March, or in April, 1477, 17 E. IV. [Pympe's horse, like John Paston's hawk, seems to have become a passion-rhyme and reason, and six letters in quick succession, to one who will neither "hear, nor see, nor say, nor send," seems a great deal to be wasted for such an object. There is but little in the poetry, but the stanza is curiously constructed, and there is considerable easiness in the versification and flow of thought.] To Master Sir John Paston, Knight, be this letter delivered at Calais. FRESH amorous sights of countries far and range So high and far, that like as the falcon Which is aloft, telleth (q. taketh) scorn to look a down On him that wont was her feathers to pick and imp; Right so forgotten ye have your poor Pymp; That writeth, sendeth, and wisheth all day your weal More than his own; but ye nor hear, nor see, In Which that I feel of reason, by the course For verily the water of the fountain, And God know'th well it cannot long lie there But it will bring me to the church bier.2 Was wholly set, is all fordone, I wis. JOHN PYMPE. This being the sixth letter that I have sent you. Always praying you to remember the horse that I have in every letter written for; as thus, that it would please you to understand who hath the gentlest horse in trotting and steering that is in Calais, and if he be to sell to send me word of his price, largeness, and colour. It is told me that the master porter hath a courageous roaned horse, and that he would put him away because he is dangerous in company, and of that I force (care) not, so that he be not churlish at a spur, as plung ing; and also I set not by him but if (unless) he trot somewhat high and genteelly. No more, but God keep you. Latter end of March, or April, LETTER CCCXCII.—(LXXVIII. vol. ii. p. 239.) In this letter Sir John Paston shows himself a kind and generous brother, in permitting his mother to give the manor of Sparham, which appears to be entailed on him and his issue, to his younger brother; and though he cannot conscientiously permit the entail to be defeated, as the will of the dead by this means would not be performed, he very readily consents to enter into an engagement to debar himself from ever molesting his brother or his widow in their quiet possessions thereof. [Notwithstanding the late severe letter, Sir John appears to have relented towards his brother; indeed Sir John appears throughout as much the kindest and most disinterested man of the two. Still he will give nothing but his good wishes, and his reversionary interest in the manor of Sparham for his own life only.] To my right worshipful mother, Margaret Paston. PLEASE it you to weet that I have received your letter, wherein is remembered the great hurt that by likelihood might fall to my brother, if so be that this matter between him and Sir Thomas Brews's daughter take not effect; whereof I would be as sorry as himself reasonably; and also the wealthy and convenient marriage that should be if it take effect; whereof I would be as glad as any man; and am better content now that he should have her, than any other that ever he was heretofore about to have had.1 Considered her person, her youth, and the stock that she is come of, the love on both sides, the tender favour she is in with her father and mother, the kindness of her father and mother to her in departing [parting] with her, the favour also and good conceit that they have in my brother, the worshipful and virtuous disposition of her father and mother, which prognosticateth that of likelihood the maid should be virtuous and good; all which considered, and the necessary relief that my brother must have, I marvel the less that ye have departed and given him the manor of Sparham in such form as I have knowledge of by W. Gurney, Lomner, and Skipwith; and I am right glad to see in you such kindness unto my brother as ye have done to him, and would by my troth lever (rather) than an 1007. that it were fee-simple land, as it is intailed, which by likelihood should prosper with him and his blood the better in time to 1 [In Fenn's translation this passage stands thus"than any other, that ever he was heretofore about to have had considered. Her person," &c. This cannot be understood, the verb considered standing wholly unconnected. The original has neither points nor capital letters; we have therefore ventured on a slight alteration, which at least gives a meaning to the sentence. "Considered her person," &c., is "her person being considered," &c.] come, and should also never cause debate in our blood (contention in our family) in time to come, which God defend (forbid), for that were unnatural. Item, another inconvenience is, whereas I understand that the manor is given to my brother, and to his wife, and to the issue between them begotten, if the case were so that he and she had issue together a daughter or more, and his wife died, and he married after another and had issue a son, that son should have none land, and he being (although he be) his father's heir; and for the inconvenience that I have known late inure [take place] in case like, and yet endureth in Kent between a gentleman and his sister, I would ye took the advice of your counsel in this point; and that that is past you by writing or by promise, I deem verily in you that ye did it of kindness, and in eschewing of a more (a greater) ill that might befall. Item, whereas it pleaseth you that I should ratify, grant, and confirm the said gift unto my brother, it is so that with mine honesty I may not, and for other causes. The pope will suffer a thing to be used, but he will not license nor grant it to be used nor done; and so I. My brother John knoweth mine intent well enough heretofore in this matter; I will be found to him as kind a brother as I may be. Item, if it be so that Sir Thomas Brews and his wife think that I would trouble my brother and his wife in the said manor, I can find no means to put them in surety thereof, but, if it need, to be bound in an obligation with a condition that I shall not trouble nor infet (infest) them therein. Item, I think that she is made sure enough in estate in the land, and that of right I deem they shall make none obstacles at my writing, for I had never none estate in the land, nor I would not that I had. No more to you at this time, but Almighty God have you in keeping. Written at Calais, the 28th day of March, in the 17th year of Edward IV. By your son, Calais, Friday, JOHN PASTON, knight. 28th of March, 1477. 17 E. IV. LETTER CCCXCIII.-(LXXIX. vol. ii. p. 245.) [A kindly letter of Sir John to his brother, promising in generals, but saving his conscience and worship. The value set upon Boulogne, and the superstitious expectation of the intervention of the Virgin Mary in its favour, are curious instances of the manners of the age; but it must be remarked, to the credit of Sir John, that he does not seem infected with the superstition himself.] To John Paston, Esq. RIGHT worshipful and heartily-beloved brother, I recommend me to you; letting you weet, that as by Perse Moody, when he was here, I had no leisure to send answer in writing to you, and to my cousin Gurney, of your letters, but for a conclusion ye shall find me to you as kind as I may be, my conscience and worship saved, which, when I speak with you and them, ye both shall well understand, and I pray God send you as good speed in that matter as I would ye had, and as I hope ye shall have ere this letter come to you; and I pray God send you issue between you that may be as honourable as ever was any of your ancestors and theirs, whereof I would be as glad in manner as of mine own; wherefore I pray you send me word how ye do, and if God fortune me to do well, and be of any power, I will be to Sir Thomas Brews and my lady his wife a very son-in-law for your sake, and take them as ye do; and do for them as if I were in case like with them as ye be. LETTER No more, but Jesu have you in keeping. Written at Calais, the 14th day of April, in the 17th year of Edward IV. As for tidings here, the French king hath gotten many of the towns of the Duke of Burgundy, as Saint Quintin's, Abbeville, Montreuil; and now of late he hath gotten Bethune and Hesden with the castle there, which is one of the royalest castles of the world; and on Sunday at even the Admiral of France laid siege at Boulogne; and this day it is said that the French king shall come thither; and this night it is said that there was a vision seen about the walls of Boulogne, as it had been a woman with a marvellous light; men deem that our lady there will show herself a lover to that town: God forefend [forbid] that it were French, it were worth 40,0007. that it were English. JOHN PASTON, knight. Calais, Monday, 14th of April, 1477. 17 E. IV. CCCXCIV.—(XLIII. vol. v. p. 185.) His [THE difficulties attending the arrangement of the pecuniary matters appear to have destroyed, at least for a time, John Paston's most hopeful prospects of marriage. mother now writes from Mauteby to Dame Elizabeth Brews, soliciting an early interview with her and Sir Thomas in order that they may, if possible, remove the difficulties, observing to her with some skill, "that with your advice and help, and mine together, we shall find some way that it shall not break; VOL. II. for if it did it were none honour to neither parties, and in chief to them in whom the default is, considering that it is so far spoken." She speaks of her son's great inclinations towards the marriage, and concludes," I beseech you that I may be recommended by this bill to my cousin your husband, and to my cousin Margery, to whom I supposed to have given another name ere this time." Dated Wednesday, June 11, 1477.] I LETTER CCCXCV.-(V. Appendix to vol. ii. p. 297.) [This letter, as far as "xxj day of Aurill," is written by the secretary of the Lord Hastings, from thence to the end by that nobleman himself, in a hand almost illegible. John Paston appears here to have been in the service of, and so highly respected by, the Lord Hastings, as to be sent as a kind of deputy governor of the castle of Guisnes, during the illness of his brother, Sir Ralph Hastings. [We have placed it according to Fenn's chronological order, although we have no doubt that John Paston was not at Guisnes at this period. But as the original has no date of the year, it is much easier to discover that it is wrongly placed here than to decide where it would be properly placed. We are inclined to think, however, it may be guessed to belong to that earlier period when Sir John was exerting himself to get John Paston retained by Lord Hastings, he having probably succeeded, though it is not mentioned.] To my right trusty and well-beloved servant, John Paston, Esq. JOHN PASTON, I recommend me unto you. And whereas I appointed and desired you to go over unto Guisnes to give your attendance and assistance upon my brother, Sir Ralph Hastings, in all such things as concern the surety and defence of the castle of Guisnes during his infirmities; it is showed unto me that ye have full truly and diligently acquitted you unto my said brother, in all his businesses since your coming thither. Whereof I thank you heartily. And as I conceive to my great comfort and gladness my said brother is well recovered and amended, thanked be God. And so I trust he may now spare you. Whereupon I have written unto him, if he may so do, to licence you to come over unto me again. Wherefore I will and desire you, the assent of my said brother had, to dispose you to come over in all goodly haste, as well for such great matters as I feel by your friends ye have to do here, as to give your attendance upon me. And (at) your return you shall be to me welcome. From London, the 26th day of April. I pray you in nowise to depart as yet, London, 26th of April, 147-. LETTER CCCXCVI.—(LXXX. vol. ii. p. 249.) [John Paston's money affairs occupy the principal part of this letter. Money, indeed, seems to have been looked after pretty sharply, when the 157. due on the 21st has been the subject of a negociation on or before the 23rd, and a "reasonable respite "granted, meaning, we suppose, for a consideration."] |