Margaret Paston to John Paston

LETTER LVIII.

           To my ryght wyrshypfull
           hosbond Iohn Paston be thys
           delyu^ryd in hast.

      RYGHT wyrshypfull hosbond I recomand me to you please
           it you to wyte that J was at Haylesden uppon thersday
laste passyd and sey the place ther and in gode feyth ther wyll
no cryatur thynke how fowle and orubelly it ys arayed but yf
they sey it ther Comyth moch pepyll dayly to wonder ther
uppon both of Norwych and other placys and they speke
shamfully therof the Duck had be beter then a m1 li. that it had
neu^r be don and ye haue the more gode wyll of the pepyll that
it ys so foyll don and thery made youre ten'ntsy of Haylesdon
and Drayton wt other to help to breke down the wallys of the
place and the logge both god knowyth full evyll ayenst ther
wyllys but that thay derst no notherwysse don for ferre J haue
spoken w^t your ten'ntys of Haylesdon and Drayton both and
putte hem in Comfort as well as J canne. the Duke ys men
rensackyd the Church and bare a way all the gode that was leste
ther both of ours and of the ten'nts and leste not So moch but
that they stode uppon the hey awter and ransackyd the Jmages
and toke a way such as they myght fynd and put a way the
p^rson owte of the Church tyll they had don and ransackyd eu^ry
mans hous in the Towne v or vj tymys and the Chyff maysters
of robbyng was the Baylly of Ey the Baylly of Stradbroke
Thom's Slyford and Porter and Slyford was the Chyff robber of
the Cherch and he hath most of the robbery next the Baylly of
Ey and as for Lede bras pewter yren Dorys Gatys and other
stuffe of the hous men of Coshay and Causton haue it. and that
thay myght not cary thay have hewen it a sonder in the most
dysspytuose wyse yf it myght be J wold som men of wyrshop
myght be send from the Kyng to see how it ys both ther and at

the logge or than any ^I snowys com that they may make report
of the troth ellys it shall not mo be seyn so playnly as it may
now and at the reverens of God spyde you maters nowe for it
ys to orybell a cost and trobell that we haue now dayly and
most haue tyll it be other wyse and your men dar not goo abowte
to geder uppe your lyfflode and we kype her dayly more than
xxx p^rsons for sauacyon of us and the place for in very trowght
and the place had not be kypyd strong the Duck had Com
hether.

    Arblaster thynketh verely that Hugh a Fen may do moch in
your maters and he thynkyth that he wole do for you faythfully
yf ye wyll &c. at the reverens of god yf any wyrshypfull and
p'fetabile mene may be take yn your maters for sake it not in
eschuyng of our trobell and great costs and chargs that we haue
and may growe here after it ys thoght here that yf my lord of
Norff. wolld take uppon hym for you and that he may haue a
Comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes as hath
be don to you and other in thys Contray that then all the Con-
tray wyll a wayte uppon hym and frve your entent for the
pepyll lovyth and dredyth hym more then any other lord except
the kyng and my lord of Warwyk &c.

God haue you in hys kypyng and send ous gode tydyngs
from you Wryten in haste uppon the sonday Seynt Symon and
Jude ys Evyn.

                                                                                     By yours
                                                                                              M.P.

       11 1/2 by 17.
    Paper Mark,
       A Crozier.
    Pl. XXVI. No. 6.

    We who fortunately live at a time of peace and domestic tranquillity, can scarcely
believe the picture of savage manners here represented l if the Duke of Suffolk were
ignorant of, or did not even encourage such proceedings, it can hardly be supposed that
his Retainers dared to have done such mischief; they certainly must know that what they
did would not meet with their Lord's displeasure.

    Their behaviour in the church is very extraordinary, as Papists almost universally pay
great respect not only to their Priests, but to their places of public worship, esteeming
them as sacred, and on no pretence to be violated or profaned.

  I If we may judge from the mention of Snow here, the Winters began earlier at this
period than at the Present seasons , we having very rarely now any considerable fall of
Snow before Christmas.

    Autograph. Pi. II. No 25.

    On the back of the Original Letter is written in an ancient hand, "A Lre concerning
the extreme dealing of the Duke of Suff. at Haylesdon.

LETTER LVIII .

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 was at Hellesdon upon Thurs-
day last past, and saw the place there, and in good faith there
 will no creature think how foully and horribly it is arrayed but if
(unless) they saw it; there cometh much people daily to wonder
thereupon, both of Norwich and of other places, and they speak
shamefully thereof; the Duke had by better than a thousand
pound that it had never been done, and ye have the more good
will of the people, that it is so foully done; and they made your
Tenants of Hellesdon and Drayton with other to help to break
down the walls of the place and the Lodge both, God knoweth
full evil against their wills, but that they durst none other wise
do for fear; I have spoken with your Tenants of Hellesdon and
Drayton both, and put them in comfort as well as I can; the
Duke's men ransacked the Church, and bare away all the good
that was left there, both of ours and of the Tenants, and left
not so much but that they stood upon ht high Altar and ran-
sacked the Images, and took away such as they might find;
and put away the Parson out of the Church till they had done;
and ransacked every man's house in the town five or six times,
and the chief masters of robbing was the Bailiff of Eye, the
Bailiff of Stradbrook, Thomas Slyford, and Porter; and Slyford
was the chief robber of the Church, and he hath most of the
robbery next the Bailiff of Eye; and as for lead, brass, pewter,
iron, doors, gates, and other stuff of the house, men of Cossey
and Causton have it, and that they might not carry they have
hewn it asunder in the most dispiteous wise; if it might be, I
would some men of worship might be sent from the King to see

how it is both there and at the Lodge, ere than any ^ISnows
come, that they may make report of the truth, else it shall not
more be seen so plainly as it may now; and at the reverence of
God speed your matters now, for it is too horrible a cost and
trouble that we have now daily, and must have till it be other-
wise; and your men dare not go about to gather up your liveli-
hood, and we keep here daily more than thirty persons for
savation of us and the Place, for in very truth, and (if) the
place had not been kept strong, the Duke had come hither.

    Arblaster thinketh verily that Hugh a Fenn may do much in
your matters, and he thinketh he will do for you faithfully if ye
will, &c.

    At the reverence of God, if any worshipful and profitable
mean may be taken in your maters, forsake it not in eschewing
of our trouble and great costs and charges that we have, and may
grow hereafter; it is thought here that if my Lord of Norfolk
would take upon him for you, and that he may have a Com-
mission for to enquire of such riots and robberies as hath been
done to you and other in this country, that then all the coun-
try will await upon him, and serve your intent, for the people
loveth and dreadeth him more than any other Lord, except the
King and my Lord of Warwick, &c.

God have you in his blessed keeping, and send us good tidings
from you. Written in haste, upon the Sunday Saint Simon and
Jude's Even.

                                                                   By yours
                                                                           MARGARET PASTON.

        Sunday,
        27th of October, 1465.
        5 E. IV.

 We who fortunately live at a time of peace and domestic tranquillity, can scarcely
believe the picture of savage manners here represented l if the Duke of Suffolk were
ignorant of, or did not even encourage such proceedings, it can hardly be supposed that
his Retainers dared to have done such mischief; they certainly must know that what they
did would not meet with their Lord's displeasure.

    Their behaviour in the church is very extraordinary, as Papists almost universally pay
great respect not only to their Priests, but to their places of public worship, esteeming
them as sacred, and on no pretence to be violated or profaned.

  I If we may judge from the mention of Snow here, the Winters began earlier at this
period than at the Present seasons , we having very rarely now any considerable fall of
Snow before Christmas.

    Autograph. Pi. II. No 25.

    On the back of the Original Letter is written in an ancient hand, "A Lre concerning
the extreme dealing of the Duke of Suff. at Haylesdon.

617

MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, John Paston,
be thys delyveryd in hast.

      RYGHT wyrshypfull hosbond, I recomand me to you.
          Please it you to wyte that I was at Haylesden uppon
          Thersday laste passyd, and sey the place ther, and
in gode feyth ther wyll no cryatur thynke how fowle and
orubelly it ys arayed but yf they sey it. Ther comyth moch
pepyll dayly to wonder ther uppon, both of Norwych and of
other placys, and they speke shamfully therof. The Duck
had be beter then a m¹.li. that it had never be don; and ye
have the more gode wyll of the pepyll that it ys so foylle don.
And they made youre tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton,
with other, to help to breke down the wallys of the place and
the logge both,—God knowyth full evyll ayenst ther wyllys,
but that they derst no notherwysse don for ferre. I have
spoken with your tenauntys of Haylesdon and Drayton both,
and putte hem in comfort as well as I canne. The Duck ys
men rensackyd the church, and bare a way all the gode that
was lefte ther, both of ours and of the tenaunts, and lefte not
so moch but that they stode uppon the hey awter, and ran-
sackyd the images, and toke a way such as they myght fynd,
and put a way the parson owte of the church till they had
don, and ransackyd every mans hous in the towne v. or vj.
tymys. And the chyff maysters of robbyng was the Baylly of
Ey, the Baylly of Stradbroke, Thomas Slyford, and Porter;
and Slyford was the chyff robber of the cherch, and he hath
most of the robbery next the Baylly of Ey. And as for lede,
bras, pewter, yren, dorys, gatys, and other stuffe of the hous,
men of Coshay and Causton have it, and that thay myght not
cary, thay have hewen it a sonder in the most dysspytuose
wyse. Yf it myght be, I wold som men of wyrshop myght
be send from the Kyng to see how it ys both ther and at the
logge, or than any snowys¹ com, that they may make report of
the troth, ellys it shall not mo be seyn so playnly as it may now.

     And at the reverens of God, spyde your maters nowe, for
it ys to orybell a cost and trobell that we have now dayly, and
most have tyll it be other wyse; and your men dar not goo
abowte to geder uppe your lyfflode, and we kype here dayly
more than xxx. persons for savacyon of us and the place, for,
in very trowght, and the place had not be kypyd strong, the
Duck had come hether. Arblaster thynketh verely that Hugh
a Fen may do moch in your maters, and he thynkyth that he
wole do for you faythfully, yf ye wyll, &c.

     At the reverens of God, yf any wyrshypfull and profetabile
mene may be take yn your maters, for sake it not in eschuyng
of our trobell and gret costs and charges that we have, and
may growe here after. It ys thoght here that yf my Lord
of Norffolk wolld take uppon hym for you, and that he may
have a comyssyon for to enquer of such ryotts and robberyes
as hath be don to you and other in thys contray, that then all
the contray wyll a wayte uppon hym, and serve your entent;
for the pepyll lovyth and dredyth hym more then any other
lord except the Kyng and my Lord of Warwyk, &c.

     God have you in Hys kypyng, and send ous gode tydyngs
from you. Wryten in haste, uppon the Sonday Seynt Symon
and Jude ys Evyn.

                                                By yours,                                M. P.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iv. 226.] The Eve of St. Simon and Jude is the 27th October.
It fell on Sunday in the year 1465.

     ¹ Fenn remarks that if we may judge from the mention of snow in this place, the
winters began earlier in those days than they do now. But perhaps Margaret was
only urging the necessity of timely action, taking into consideration the ordinary
delays of suitors. We have seen, however, from Letter 609 that in the year 1465
there must have been unusually cold weather even in the beginning of September.

OCT. 27

1465
OCT. 27