443.-- William Jenney to John Paston, Esq. --Has been shown by his neighbour, Robert Tylyard, a piece of evidence of certain 'lyfelode' he has in Whetacre, by which it appears that Lord Wellys should have no ward of the same, unless he can produce contrary evidence. As Paston is of my Lord's council, and has the rule of his 'lyflode' in this country, desires he will write to him that the matter be indifferently seen. --Theberton, 13 Dec.
444.-- J. Burton to Margaret Paston. --Sends hogsheads of wine by Plumton the carter, etc. Desires her to send the money to 'dawn' William Dallyng. --Dated, 'Wednesday after I parted from you.'
445.-- W. Cotyng[263.2] to Margaret Paston. --Has received to-day 9:0:2 from Simon Miller, her farmer at Tichwell, for Midsummer payment. Sends it by Roger, servant of the Parson of Thorp. Simon has paid five shillings for finding a man to the King for Tichwell, and but for me you would have paid a mark. Charges for repairs. As for your lining cloth, my brother is still beyond the sea. --Brankaster, 31 July.
[Footnote 263.2: He was rector of Swainsthorp, to which he was presented by William Paston and John Dam in 1444, and which he exchanged for the living of Tichwell in 1450. --Blomefield, v. 63.]
446.-- ---- to ----. --My father and I bought the reversion of Olton, etc., of Ralph Lampet and Alexander Kyngyston. They have now made a new sale of it to William Jenney without giving notice to me or my father.
We ask your mediation with Jenney, whom we trusted most.
447.-- Eliz. C[lere] to John Paston. --Concerning a pasture in the town of N. overgrown with whins. Wants advice as to the conditions of the right of pasturage. Your mother prays you to think on Horwellebery.
--25 May.
448.-- Memoranda to inquire:-- (1) If William Cofe were enfeoffed in Rothnall Hall? (2) If Tylerd knew William Cofe of Northcofe[264.1]
before the day of his death two years, one year, half a year, or a quarter, etc.; what seal he used? (3) If Tylerd were not about him, to common with Gernyngham and such as were about him. (4) Item, in case it can be understood that he made none estate, 'than lete Wodesyde goo to Robert Prymer in his owyn name, saying that John P. (Paston) is his good mayster in hys mater,' etc.
[Footnote 264.1: William Cove of North Cove, Suffolk. --_See_ Suckling's _Hist. of Suffolk_, i. 48.]
THE PASTON LETTERS
_Edward IV_
449
JOHN PASTON THE YOUNGEST TO ----[265.1]
[Sidenote: 1461]
I recomand me to yow, and lete yow wete that notwythstandyng tydinggs come down, as ye know, that pepill shuld not come up tyll thei were sent fore, but to be redy at all tymes; this notwithstandyng, most pepill owt of this cuntre have take wages, seying thei woll goo up to London; but thei have no capteyn, ner rewler assigned be the commissioners to awayte upon, and so thei stragyll abowte be them self, and be lyklynes are not like to come at London half of them. And men that come from London sey, there have not passid Thetford, not passyng CCCC.; and yet the townes and the cuntere that have waged hem shall thynk thei be discharged, and therfore if this Lords above wayte aftyr more pepill in this cuntre, be lyklynes it woll not be easy to get with owt a newe comission and warnyng. And yet it woll be thought ryght straunge of hem that have waged pepill to wage any more, for every towne hath waged and sent firth, and are redy to send forth, as many as thei ded whan the Kyng sent for hem be fore the feld at Lodlowe;[266.1] and thei that ar not go, be goyng in the same forme.
Item, ther was shrewd rewle toward in this cuntre, for ther was a certeyn person forth wyth after the jurney at Wakefeld, gadered felaship to have mo[r]dered John Damme, as is seyd; and also ther is at the Castell of Rysing, and in other ij. plases, made gret gaderyng of pepill, and hyryng of harneys, and it is wele undyrstand they be not to the Kyng ward, but rather the contrary, and for to robbe. Wherfore my fadyr is in a dowte, whedir he shall send my brother up or not, for he wold have his owne men abowte hym, if nede were here; but notwythstandyng, he wyll send up Dawbeney, his spere and bowes with hym, as Stapilton and Calthrop or other men of worship of this cuntre agree to doo. Wherfore demene yow in doyng of yowr erandes ther aftyr, and if ye shall bryng any masage from the Lords, take writyng, for Darcorts massage is not verely beleved be cause he browt no wrytyng.
Item, this cuntre wold fayne take these fals shrewes that are of an oppynion contrary to the Kyng and his Counsell, if they had no auctorite from the Kyng to do so.
Item, my brother is redy[n] to Yarmowth for to lette brybers that wold a robbed a ship undyr color of my Lord of Warwyk, and longe nothyng to hem ward.
[Footnote 265.1: [From Fenn, i. 226.] According to Fenn, this letter is in the original 'without either date, name, or direction,' the contents only proving it to have been written by 'one of John Paston's sons.' Nevertheless, in a very misleading way, the signature 'John Paston' is inserted at the foot of the right-hand copy, with a reference to a facsimile of the signature of John Paston the youngest. There is every appearance, however, that John Paston the youngest really was the writer, and that the date is, as Fenn supposes, just after the accession of Edward IV.]
[Footnote 266.1: The battle of Mortimer's Cross, near Ludlow, gained by Edward IV. before he was king, on the 3rd February 1461.]
450
W. PASTON AND THOMAS PLAYTERS TO JOHN PASTON[266.2]
_To my maister, John Paston, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1461 / APRIL 4]
Please you to knowe and wete of suche tydyngs as my Lady of York hath by a lettre of credens, under the signe manuel of oure Soverayn Lord King Edward, whiche lettre cam un to oure sayd Lady this same day, Esterne Evyn,[267.1] at xj. clok, and was sene and red by me, William Paston.
Fyrst, oure Soverayn Lord hath wonne the feld,[267.2] and uppon the Munday[267.3] next after Palmesunday, he was resseved in to York with gret solempnyte and processyons. And the Mair and Comons of the said cite mad ther menys to have grace be Lord Montagu[267.4] and Lord Barenars,[267.5] whiche be for the Kyngs coming in to the said cite desyred hym of grace for the said cite, whiche graunted hem grace. On the Kyngs parte is slayn Lord Fitz Water, and Lord Scrop sore hurt; John Stafford, Horne of Kent ben ded; and Umfrey Stafford, William Hastyngs mad knyghts with other; Blont is knygth, &c.
Un the contrary part is ded Lord Clyfford, Lord Nevyle, Lord Welles, Lord Wyllouby, Antony Lord Scales, Lord Harry, and be supposyng the Erle of Northumberland, Andrew Trollop, with many other gentyll and comons to the nomber of xx.^ml. [20,000].
Item, Kyng Harry, the Qwen, the Prince, Duke of Somerset, Duke of Exeter, Lord Roos, be fledde in to Scotteland, and they be chased and folwed, &c. We send no er [_no sooner_] un to you be cause we had non certynges tyl now; for un to this day London was as sory cite as myght.
And because Spordauns had no certeyn tydyngs, we thought ye schuld take them a worthe tyl more certayn.
Item, Thorp Waterfeld is yeldyn, as Spordauns can telle you. And Jesu spede you. We pray you that this tydyngs my moder may knowe.
Be your Broder,
W. PASTON.
T. PLAYTERS.
'On a piece of paper pinned to the above letter,' says Fenn, 'is a list of the names of the noblemen and knights, and the number of soldiers slain at the above battle of Towton, as follow:--'
Comes Northumbriae.
Comes Devon.
Dominus de Beamunde.
Dominus de Clifford.
Dominus de Nevyll.
Dominus de Dacre.
Dominus Henricus de Bokyngham.
Dominus de Well[es].
Dominus de Scales Antony Revers.
Dominus de Wellugby.
Dominus de Malley Radulfus Bigot Miles.
Millites.
Sir Rauff Gray.
Sir Ric. Jeney.
Sir Harry Bekingham.
Sir Andrew Trollop.
With xxviij.^ml. [28,000] nomberd by Harralds.