fastened myself in any other service; and so I departed, and see her not since, nor nought purpose to do till I speak with you.

I pray you bring home some hats with you, or and (if) ye come not hastily send me one, &c. and I shall pay you for it a comb (of) oats1 when ye come home.

My mother would fain have you at Mawteby; she rode thither, out of Norwich on Saturday last past to purvey your lodging ready against your coming.

I have been right sick again since I wrote to you last, and this same day have I been

2

passing sick; it will not out of my stomach by no mean, I am undone, I may not eat half enough when I have most hunger, I am so well dieted, and yet it will not be. God send you heele (health), for (1) have none three days together, do the best I can.

Written at Norwich, the Monday next before Saint Simon and Jude,3 in the 15th year of Edward IV.

Norwich,

Monday, 23rd of October,
1475. 15 E. IV.

LETTER CCCLXIII.—(LXVII. vol. ii. p. 187.)

JOHN PASTON.

[This letter contains an account of the death of the Duke of Norfolk, and of his funeral.] John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, &c., was retained by Edward IV. to serve him in his wars in France in 1473; he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Talbot, first Earl of Shrewsbury, and died suddenly at his castle of Framlingham on the 17th of January, 1475, 15 E. IV., and was buried in the abbey church of Thetford in Norfolk. He left an only daughter and heir, Anne, married in her early age to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, who dying without issue, the great possessions and honours of this noble family came to Sir John Howard, knight, Lord Howard, whose mother was a sister and co-heir of Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk. [Though Sir John says the Duke's death occurred" not in the most happy season" for him, he instantly took possession of Caister, and succeeded in retaining it.]

and I undertake it shall be saved again for you unhurt at my peril; I deem hereby to get great thanks and great assistance in time to come; and that either Sym or Mother Brown may deliver it to me to-morrow by seven of the clock.

This letter has no direction, but it is written either to John Paston, Esq., or Margaret Paston. LIke it you to weet, that, not in the most happy season for me, it is so fortuned that, whereas my Lord of Norfolk, yesterday being in good health, this night died about midnight, wherefore it is for all that loved him to do and help now that that may be to his honour and weal to his soul; and it is so that this country is not well purveyed of cloth of gold for the covering for his body and herse; wherefore every man helping to his power, I put the council of my lord in comfort that I hoped to get one for that day, if it were so that it be not broken or put to other use; wherefore please it you to send me word if it be so that ye have, or can come by, the cloth of tissue that I bought for our father's tomb,

Item, as for other means I have sent my servant Richard Toring to London, which I hope shall bring me good tidings again, and within four days I hope to see you.

Written on Wednesday, the 17th day of
January, in the 15th year of Edward IV.
JOHN PASTON, knight.

Framlingham,
Wednesday, 17th of January, 1475.
15 E. IV.

LETTER CCCLXIV.-(XXVI. vol. v. p. 121.)

[JOHN PASTON writes to his brother that his entering so quickly upon Caister has been

In 1475, a comb of oats sold for 11d., we have therefore the value of a hat in this reign. [The price of" hattes of wolle" in 1480, varied from xiid. to viiid. each; while bonnets, in the same entry, are set down at iis. vid. and iiis, each. See Sir N. H.

very ill taken, "insomuch that some say that ye tendered little my lord's death, inasmuch

Nicolas's p. 119.]

Wardrobe Expenses of Edward IV.'

2 [The extra clothing appears to have been not so efficacious as he had anticipated.]

3 28th of October.

as ye would so soon enter upon him after his decease, without advice and assent of my lord's council; wherefore it is thought here by such as be your friends in my lord's house, that if my lady have once the grant of the wardship of the child,' that she will occupy Caister with other lands, and lay the default on your unkind hastiness of entry without her assent; wherefore in any wise get you a patent of the

king ensealed before her's, an ye may by any mean possible." We shall see that this advice was successfully followed. The rest of the letter is about raising of money for John Paston, who it appears was going again to Calais, as he requests his brother to get him excused from keeping a horse there because hay was so dear. Dated Norwich, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1475.]

LETTER CCCLXV.-(LXVIII. vol. ii. p. 191.)

I have given the whole of this letter as conveying to us some information relative to the ordinary transactions of the times. The anecdote of the Duke of York's marrying Anne, the daughter of the deceased Duke of Norfolk, depending on the duchess (who appears to have been left with child at the duke's decease) not having a son, is I believe both new and curious, and shows us that alliances as well in those days as at present, were estimated according to the possessions and pecuniary advantages they brought with them.

To John Paston, Esq., at Norwich, be this delivered.

I RECOMMEND me to you, letting you weet that I was informed by Richard Radle that one Scarlett, that was under-sheriff to Hastings, would sue to me on your behalf, for that ye were displeased with a return of nichil upon you in the said Hastings' time; wherefore Richard Radle thought that the said Scarlett would be glad to give a noble (68. 8d.) or a rial (10s.) for a saddle to amends, so that ye would cease and stop the bill which ye intend to put into the court against his master Hastings. Wherefore the said Scarlett came to me, and prayed me to help in the same, and so I have done my devoir to feel of him the most he can find in his stomach to depart with to please you, and in conclusion I trow he shall give you a doublet cloth of silk, price 20s. or thereabout; which, upon such answer as I hear from you, I deem that Bishop the attorney shall, if I conclude with him on your behalf, pay in money or otherwise to whom that ye will assign here.

[The duchess had just been delivered of a daughter, the Lady Anne, mentioned in the preceding letter.]

2 John Hastings was sheriff of Norfolk the preceding year.

3 Nihils, or Nichils, are issues which the sheriff that is apposed in the Exchequer says are nothing worth and illeviable through the insufficiency of the parties from whom due.

I shall by the means of Radle weet at whose suit it was taken out; I deem it something done by craft, by the means of them that have entresse (interest) in your land to the intent to noise it theirs, or to make you past shame of the selling thereof.

Item, I have received a letter from you writen on Tuesday last.

Item, where that (whereas) some towards my Lady of Norfolk noise that I did unkindly to send so hastily to Caister as did, there is no discreet person that so thinketh; for if my lord had been as kind to me as he might have been, and according to such heart and service as my grandfather, my father, yourself, and I, have ought and done to my Lords of Norfolk that dead been, and yet (even) if I had wedded his daughter yet must I have done as I did; and moreover, if I had had any deeming of my lord's death four hours ere he died, I must needs but if (unless) I would be known a fool have entered it the hour before his decease; but in effect they that in that matter have always meant unkindly to me, they feign that rumour against me'; but there is none that meant truly to him that dead is that would be sorry that I had it, and in especial such as love his soul.

Item, where(as) it is deemed that my lady would hereafter be the rather mine heavy (unkind) lady for that dealing, I think that she

is too reasonable so to be, for I did it not unwist (unknown) to her council; there was no man thought that I should do otherwise, and as to say that I might have had my lady's advice and leave, I might have tarried yet ere I could have spoken with her, or yet have had any body to have moved her there on my behalf, as ye wot I did what I could; moreover I tarried by the advice of Sir Robert Wingfield three days there, for that he put me in comfort that the Lord Howard,1 and his brother Sir John, should have come to Norwich, at whose coming he doubted not but that I should have a good direction taken for me in that matter; they lay to me unkindness for overkindness.

Item, as for my matter here, it was this day before all the lords of the council, and among them all it was not thought that in my sending of Wheatley thither, immediately after the decease of the duke, that I dealt unkindly or unfittingly, but that I was more unreasonably dealt with; wherefore let men deem what they will, greatest clerks are not always wisest men; but I hope hastily to have one way in it or other.

Item, I wend to have found a gown of mine here, but it come home the same day that I come out, brought by Harry Berker, loader (carrier). I would in all haste possible have that same gown of puke furred with white lamb.

2

Item, I would have my long russet gown of the French russet in all haste, for I have no gown to go in here.

Item, I pray you recommend me to my mother, and let us all pray God send my Lady of Norfolk a son, for upon that resteth much matter; for if the king's son 3 marry my lord's daughter, the king would that his son should have a fair place in Norfolk though he should give me two times the value in other land as I am done to weet (informed). I pray you send me word of my lady's speed as soon as ye can.

Item, as for Bowen I shall feel him (sound his inclination), and should have done though ye had not sent.

Item, there is offered me a good marriage for my sister Anne, Skipwith's son and heir of Lincolnshire, a man (of) 500 or 600 marks (between 3001, and 4001.) by the year.

No more. Written at London the 27th day of January, in the 15th year of Edward IV.

Item, my Lady of Exeter is dead, and it was said, that both the old Duchess of Norfolk,5 and the Countess of Oxford, were dead, but it is not so yet.

Item, I shall remember Calais both for horse and all, &c.

London, Saturday,
27th of January, 1475. 15 E. IV.

LETTER CCCLXVI.—(XXVII. vol. v. p. 125.)

[JOHN PASTON writes to Lord Hastings in this Tetter, recommending to him a person "meet to be clerk of your kitchen." The description of him is minute, and the qualifications

1 Afterwards Duke of Norfolk.

2 Puck or pouk is an old Gothic word signifying the devil, see Pierce Plowman, Spencer, &c. Hence puke became synonymous to black, or dark gray, and consequently might be used for mourning. In Barrett's Alveare, 1580, it is explained as a colour between russet and black, and is rendered in Latin by pullus. On Good Friday the lord mayor and aldermen always wore their pewke gowens.

3 Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, second son of King Edward IV. in January, 1477, married Anne, sole daughter and heir of John Mowbray, late Duke of Norfolk.

Anne, daughter of Richard Duke of York, sister
VOL. II.

curious enough for one filling such an office. "This man is mean of [of middle] stature, young enough, well witted, well mannered; a goodly young man on horse and foot; he is well

of Edward IV., and widow of Henry Holland, the last Duke of Exeter, her first husband; she died 14th of January, 1475, and lies buried with Sir Thomas St. Leger, knight, her second husband, in a private chapel at Windsor.

5 Ellenor, only daughter of William Bourchier, Earl of Ewe, in Normandy, and widow of John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.

6 Margaret, daughter of Richard Nevile, Earl of Salisbury, and wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, now a prisoner in the castle of Hammes, in Picardy: or it may refer to Elizabeth, widow of the late Earl of Oxford, and daughter and heir of Sir John Howard, knight.

Η

spoken in English, meetly well in French, and very perfect in Flemish; he can write and read; his name is Richard Stratton, his mother is Mistress Grame of Calais; and when I had showed him mine intent, he was agreeable and very glad if that it might

please your lordship to accept him into your service." He also mentions having procured two other persons for his lordship's service, but these seem to be intended to serve in a military capacity. The letter is dated Norwich, Saturday, March 2, 1475-6.]

LETTER CCCLXVII.-(XXVIII. vol. v. p. 131.)

[SIR JOHN PASTON in this letter announces to his brother or mother his having crossed the sea to Calais, and being safe and well at Guisnes. He had gone with the governor of Calais, Lord Hastings, and informs his brother that a Master Fitzwalter intended to return to England in order to settle at Attleborough, and how extremely well-disposed the said Fitzwalter was toward him. This Fitzwalter was son of John Ratcliffe, Lord

Fitzwalter in right of his wife, and who was killed at Ferrybridge in 1460. Master Fitzwalter was himself summoned to parliament as Lord Fitzwalter in 1485, but joining in the rebellion of Perkin Warbeck, he was taken prisoner, and confined in Calais; he attempted to escape from thence, but was retaken and beheaded. The letter is dated Tuesday, March 12, 1475-6.]

LETTER CCCLXVIII.-(XXIX. vol. v. p. 133.)

[THE first part of this letter, which is from John Paston in Norwich to his mother, dated Tuesday, March, 1475-6, informs her that "my lady," probably the Duchess of Norfolk, had been inquiring whether she would be present at her accouchement, and recommends that she should accede to her wishes as it might be advantageous. In the latter part two curious subjects are noticed. He says:-" Here was here with me yesterday, a man from the prior of Bromholm, to let me have knowledge of the ill speech which is in the country now of new that the tomb [of his father] is not made, and also he saith that the cloth that lieth over the grave is all torn and rotten, and is not

-

worth twopence, and he saith he hath patched it once or twice, wherefore the prior hath sent to you at the least to send thither a new cloth before Easter." The other subject-the inability to procure tiles in a town like Norwich, is a remarkable instance of the want of progress in manufactures. He writes, " Master Stoley prayeth you, for God's sake, and ye will do no alms of tile, that he might borrow some of you till he may buy some and pay you again; for one, the fairest chamber of the fryars, standeth half uncovered for default of tile, for here is none to get for no money. Dated Tuesday, March, 1475-6.]

LETTER CCCLXIX.—(LXIX. vol. ii. p. 199.)

This letter furnishes us with a curious anecdote relative to Earl Rivers, who, we may suppose, had been on a pilgrimage to Rome; for Caxton tells us, that he was "sometime full vertuously occupied in goyng of pilgrimagis:" he likewise procured "greet and large indulgance and grace from our holy fader the pope." But it is plain he had not procured a papal protection from robbers.

To Mrs. Margaret Paston, at Norwich, or her son John Paston, Esq., and to each of them.

I RECOMMEND me to you; like it you to weet, that I am not certain yet whether my lord

and I shall come into England the week before Easter, or else the week after Easter;

LETTER CCCLXX.-(XXX. vol. v. p. 139.)

[JOHN PASTON writes from Norwich to his mother of his brother, Sir John, having suddenly departed for London to the king "for