William Paston to John Paston

LETTER LIV.

         To my rith wurchipfull
         brod^r. jon Paston be y^s.
         delyv’yd.

RYTH wurchyfull brod^r. I r’comande me to zow desiryng
      to her of zowr Willefar ¹ Byllyng y^e S’iant hathe byn in
his Contr’ And he come to lundon ys weke he sent for me and
ast me how j far’d j tolde hym her is pestelens And sayd j fard
y^e bett^r. he was in good hele for it was noysyd y^t he was ded a
toke me to him and ast how my sust^r. dede and j answeryd wyll
nev^r. bett^r. he seyd he was w^t. the lord Gray And they talkyd of
j jantilmā qweche is Ward to my lord j r’me’b^r. he sayd it was
Harry Gray that thei talkyd of And my lord sayd I was besy
w^t. jn ys fewe days to a maryd hym to a jantyllwomā jn Nor-
folke that schall have iiij C. marc’ to hyr mariage And now a
wyll not be me for iiij C marc’ wulde do me hese And now he
wulde have his mariage mony h[SYM]self And ther’for’ quoth he
he schall mary hym self for me y^is. wurds had my lorde to Byl-
lyng as he tollde me he und’stod y^t my lord laboryd for his
owne a vayle And c’saylyd to byd her be wyse And j thanlkeyd
hym for hys good c’sayll I sent zow an answer of zowr lett^r. of
S^r. jon Fastolf comyng hom as he told me hem self nev^rthe lesse
he bode longer than he sayd hymself he schull a do he tolde me
he schulde make j ende be twix ² Skroop and my Sust^r. wulle he
is in Norfolke many wulde it schulde not p’ve for thei say it is
an onlykkely mariage jn casse ³ Cressen^r be talkyd of ony mor
he is countyd a jantyllma’ly ma’ and a wurshepfull ze knowe he
is most wurchipfull bett^r. than I at the r’v’ens of good drawe to
sume c’clusyn it is time my lord ⁴ Chanseler come not her sone I
come to lu’d n ney^r my Lord of ⁵ Yorke my lord of ⁶ Canterbury
hathe rec^d. hys crosse And j was w^t. hym in the kynggs Cham^r.
qwan he mad hys homage j tolde Harry Wylton y^{e 7} deme-
ny’g betwix the kyng and hym it war to long to wrythe as for
the prist y^t dede areste me I can not und’stand y^t it is y^e pryste
y^t ze mene her is gret ⁸ pestelens I purpose to fle in to the
Contr’ my lord of ⁹ Oxforthe is come azen fro the Se And he
hath geth hym lytyll thank in this Countr’ much more thyng j
wulde wrythe to zow but I lak lysor’ Harry Wylton sey the
kyng my lord of ¹⁰ Ely hathe do hys fewthe god have zow in
hys blyssyd kepyng Wr’tyn at lu’do’ on the Fryday be for owr
¹¹ ladys day the natyvite in gret hast I pray r’comand me to my
Sust^r. And to my Cosyn Cler.

                                                                   Be yowr brod^r,

                                                                              ¹² Wm. Paston.

            11 ½ by 5 ¾.

             Paper Mark,
         A Bunch of Grapes.
             Pl. IX. N^o 14.

        London,
             Friday 6th of September,
             1454. 33 H. VI.

By the conversation that had passed between my Lord Grey and Billing, we find that
his Lordship had his own interest in view in the match he had proposed to John Paston
for his Sister, but on finding that his Ward was not willing to give up to him the Lady’s

fortune, he would proceed no farther in the proposal. Some part of this account how-
ever appears obscure.

     ¹ Thomas Billing was made a Serjeant in 1453, and about 1469 was appointed Chief
Justice of the King’s Bench.

 ²Scroope was a widower, and most probably much older than the Lady, and there-
fore it is spoken of as an unlikely (disproportioned) marriage. He was the Son-in-law of
Sir John Fastolf.

     ³ Who Cressener was I cannot discover.

     ⁴ Richard Nevil, Earl of Salisbury, was appointed Chancellor in April 1454.

     ⁵ This must be either Richard Plantagenet Duke of York; or William Booth, who
was translated to the province of York in 1452, from Coventry and Litchfield.

     ⁶ Thomas Bourchier was elected by the Convent to the Archiepiscopal See of Can-
terbury in April 1454, from the See of Ely. He lived fifty-one years after his first con-
secration, dying in 1486, after he had been Archbishop thirty-two years. No English-
man ever continued so long a Bishop, nor has any Archbishop either before or since his
time enjoyed this dignity so many years.

⁷ I dare say that my Reader, as well as myself, wish that W. Paston had not thought
the ceremonies used on this occasion too long for his Letter.

     ⁸ I do not find this year marked as a year of Pestilence by our Historians.

     ⁹ John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, beheaded in 1461.

     ¹⁰ William Gray, a man of noble birth and great learning: he continued Bishop of
Ely till 1478, when he died at Downham in Norfolk, and was buried in his own
Cathedral.

¹¹ 8th of September.

  ¹² William Paston was the fourth Son of Sir William Paston, the Judge, and having
been a steady Lancastrian, had a pardon for all treasons, &c. under the great seal, dated
16th of July 1468. 8 E. IV.

     Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 21.

LETTER LIV.

To my right worshipful brother John Paston, be this delivered.

RIGHT worshipful brother I recommend me to you, desir-
      ing to hear of your welfare. ¹ Billing the Serjeant hath
been in his Country, and he came to London this week; he
sent for me and asked me how I fared; I told him here is Pesti-
lence; and said I fared the better (that) he was in good hele
(health) for it was noised that he was dead; a toke (he took)
me to him, and asked how my Sister did, and I answered well,
never better; he said he was with the Lord Grey, and they
talked of a gentleman which is Ward to my Lord, I remember
he said it was Harry Grey that they talked of; and my Lord
said, “I was busy within this few days to amaryd (have married)
him to a gentlewoman in Norfolk, that shall have 400 marks
(266l. 13s. 4d.) to her marriage, and now he will not be
(q? buy) me, for 400 marks would do me ease, and now
he would have his marriage money himself, and therefore,
quoth he, he shall marry himself for me.”

     These words had my Lord to Billing, as he told me, he under-
stood that my Lord laboured for his own avail; and counselled to
bid her be wise; and I thanked him for his good counsel.

     I sent you an answer of your Letter of Sir John Fastolf’s
coming home as he told me himself, nevertheless he bode (staid)
longer than he said himself he should a do (have done).

     He told me he should make an end betwixt ² Scroop and my
Sister while he is in Norfolk; many would it should not prove,
for they say it is an unlikely marriage.

     In case ³ Cressener be talked of any more, he is counted a
gentlemanly man and a worshipful, ye know who is most wor-
shipful better than I; at the reverence of God draw to some
conclusion, it is time.

     My Lord ⁴ Chancellor come not here, since I came to Lon-
don, neither my Lord of ⁵ York.

     My Lord of ⁶ Canterbury hath received his Cross, and I was
with him in the King’s Chamber when he made his homage; I
told Harry Wilton the ⁷ demeaning betwixt the King and him,
it were too long to write.

     As for the Priest that did arrest me, I cannot understand that
it is the Priest that ye mean.

     Here is great ⁸ Pestilence, I purpose to flee into the Country.
My Lord of ⁹ Oxford is come again fro the sea, and he hath
gotten him little thank in this country; much more thing I
would write to you, but I lack leisure.

     Harry Wilton saw the King. My Lord of ¹⁰ Ely hath done
his fewthe (faith or fealty.) God have you in his blessed keeping.

Written at London, on the Friday before our ¹¹ Lady’s-day
the nativity, in great haste. I pray recommend me to my Sister
and to my Cousin Clere.

                                                        By your Brother,

                                                                     ¹² WILLIAM PASTON.

            11 ½ by 5 ¾.

             Paper Mark,
         A Bunch of Grapes.
             Pl. IX. N^o 14.

        London,
             Friday 6th of September,
             1454. 33 H. VI.

By the conversation that had passed between my Lord Grey and Billing, we find that
his Lordship had his own interest in view in the match he had proposed to John Paston
for his Sister, but on finding that his Ward was not willing to give up to him the Lady’s

fortune, he would proceed no farther in the proposal. Some part of this account how-
ever appears obscure.

     ¹ Thomas Billing was made a Serjeant in 1453, and about 1469 was appointed Chief
Justice of the King’s Bench.

 ²Scroope was a widower, and most probably much older than the Lady, and there-
fore it is spoken of as an unlikely (disproportioned) marriage. He was the Son-in-law of
Sir John Fastolf.

     ³ Who Cressener was I cannot discover.

     ⁴ Richard Nevil, Earl of Salisbury, was appointed Chancellor in April 1454.

     ⁵ This must be either Richard Plantagenet Duke of York; or William Booth, who
was translated to the province of York in 1452, from Coventry and Litchfield.

     ⁶ Thomas Bourchier was elected by the Convent to the Archiepiscopal See of Can-
terbury in April 1454, from the See of Ely. He lived fifty-one years after his first con-
secration, dying in 1486, after he had been Archbishop thirty-two years. No English-
man ever continued so long a Bishop, nor has any Archbishop either before or since his
time enjoyed this dignity so many years.

⁷ I dare say that my Reader, as well as myself, wish that W. Paston had not thought
the ceremonies used on this occasion too long for his Letter.

     ⁸ I do not find this year marked as a year of Pestilence by our Historians.

     ⁹ John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, beheaded in 1461.

     ¹⁰ William Gray, a man of noble birth and great learning: he continued Bishop of
Ely till 1478, when he died at Downham in Norfolk, and was buried in his own
Cathedral.

¹¹ 8th of September.

  ¹² William Paston was the fourth Son of Sir William Paston, the Judge, and having
been a steady Lancastrian, had a pardon for all treasons, &c. under the great seal, dated
16th of July 1468. 8 E. IV.

     Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 21.

260

WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my rith wurchipfull brodir, Jon Paston, be this delyveryd.

   RYTH wurchyfull brodyr, I recomande me to zow,
     desiryng to her of zowr willefar. Byllyng² the
     serjant hathe byn in his contre, and he come to
Lundon this weke; he sent for me and ast me how I fared;
I tolde hym her is pestelens, and sayd I fard the better he was
in good hele, for it was noysyd that he was ded. A toke me
to him and ast how my suster dede, and I answeryd wyll,
never better. He seyd he was with the Lord Gray,³ and they
talkyd of j. jantilman qweche is ward to my Lord—I re-
member he sayd it was Harry Gray that thei talkyd of; and
my Lord sayd, ‘I was besy with jn this fewe days to a maryd
hym to a jantyllwoman jn Norfolke that schall have iiij. C.

marc to hyr mariage, and now a wyll not be me, for iiij. C.
marc wulde do me hese; and now he wulde have his mariage
mony hymself, and therefore (quoth he) he schall mary hym
self for me.’

     This wurds had my Lorde to Byllyng, as he tollde me, he
understod that my Lord laboryd for his owne a vayle, and
consaylyd to byd her be wyse; and I thanlkeyd hym for hys
good consayll.

     I sent zow an answer of zowr letter of Sir Jon Fastolf
comyng hom, as he told me hem self; neverthe lesse he bode
longer than he sayd hymself he schull a do.

     He tolde me he schulde make j. [one] ende be twix
Skroop¹ and my suster wulle he is in Norfolke. Many
wulde it schulde not prove, for thei say it is an onlykkely
mariage.

     In casse Cressener be talkyd of ony mor, he is countyd a
jantyllmanly man and a wurshepfull. Ze knowe he is most
wurchipfull better than I. At the reverens of Good, drawe to
sume conclusyn; it is time.

     My Lord Chanseler² come not her sone I come to Lundon,
nether my Lord of Yorke.³

     My Lord of Canterbury⁴ hathe received hys crosse, and
I was with hym in the kynggs chamber qwan he mad hys
homage. I tolde Harry Wylton the demeanyng betwix the
kyng and hym; it war to long to wrythe.

     As for the prist that dede areste me, I can not understand
that it is the pryste that ze mene.

     Her is gret pestelens. I purpose to fle in to the contre.
My Lord of Oxforthe is come azen fro the se, and he hath
geth hym lytyll thank in this countre. Much more thyng I
wulde wrythe to zow, but I lak lysore.

     Harry Wylton sey the Kyng. My Lord of Ely⁵ hathe

do hys fewthe [his fealty]. God have zow in his blyssyd
kepyng.

     Wretyn at Lundon on the Fryday be for owr Ladys day,
the Natyvite, in gret hast. I pray recomand me to my suster,
and cosyn Cler.

                                    Be yowr broder,                      WM. PASTON.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 220.] There is abundant evidence that the year in which this
letter was written was 1454. The references to Lord Grey’s offer of a husband for
Elizabeth Paston, and to Sir John Fastolf’s going into Norfolk, of which William
Paston had before written by anticipation, though a little prematurely, in No. 254,
are in themselves sufficient to fix the chronology; but the mention of fealty having
been done by a new Archbishop of Canterbury and a new Bishop of Ely removes any
possible doubt on the subject.

     ² Thomas Billing was made a serjeant in 1453, and about 1469 was appointed
Chief Justice of the King’s Bench.

     ³ Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthyn.—See Letter 250.

     ¹ Stephen Scroope.—See vol. ii. p. 108, Note 4.

     ² Richard Nevill, Earl of Salisbury, was appointed chancellor in April 1454.

     ³ Richard, Duke of York, at this time Protector.

     ⁴ Thomas Bourchier, who was translated from the Bishopric of Ely to Canterbury
in April 1454.

     ⁵ William Grey. He received his temporalities by a patent of the date of this
letter, 6th September 1454, which shows that he had by that time done fealty.

1454
SEPT. 6

1454
SEPT. 6

1454
SEPT. 6