To my right wurshipfull Mayster, Jon Paston, be this delyveryd in hast.
1453
APRIL 20
Right wurshipfull hosbond, I recommand me to yow, preying yow to wete, &c.[284.2] . . .
As for tydyngs, the Quene[284.3] come in to this town on Tewysday last past after none, and abode here tyll itt was Thursday, iij. after none; and she sent after my cos. Elysabeth Clere[284.4] by Sharynborn, to come to her; and she durst not dysabey her commandment, and come to her. And when she come in the Quenys presens, the Quene made ryght meche of her, and desyrid here to have an hosbond, the which ye shall know of here after. But as for that, he is never nerrer than he was befor.
The Quene was right well pleasid with her answer, and reportyht of her in the best wyse, and seyth, be her trowth, she sey no jantylwoman syn she come into Norffolk that she lykit better than she doth her.
Blake, the bayle[285.1] of Swaffham, was here with the Kyngs brother,[285.2] and he come to me, wenyng that ye had be at hom, and seyd that the Kyngs brother desyrid hym that he shuld pray yow in his name to come to hym, for he wold right fayn that ye had come to hym, if ye had ben at home; and he told me that he west wele that he shuld send for yow when he come to London, bothe for Cossey and other thyngs.
I pray yow that ye woll do your cost on me ayens Witsontyd, that I may have somme thyng for my nekke. When the Quene was here, I borowd my coseyn Elysabeth Cleris devys, for I durst not for shame go with my beds among so many fresch jantylwomen as here were at that tym. The blissid Trinyte have yow in his kepyng.
Wretyn at Norwych on the Fryday next befor Seynt George. Be yowrs, M. Paston.
[284.1] [From Fenn, i. 68.] According to Blomefield (Hist. of Norf. iii. 158), Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VI., visited Norwich in the spring of 1452; but by the same authority, it would appear that she had returned to Westminster before the 17th of March in that year, which would not suit the date of this letter. Besides, John Paston was at Norwich in April 1452, and dates a letter at Norwich on St. George’s day, complaining of the assault made upon him at the door of Norwich Cathedral on Monday before Easter. It is impossible, therefore, that Margaret Paston could have written to him from Norwich two days before St. George’s day in that year. From an undated entry in the Norwich city records, which bears internal evidence of having been made in the year 1453, it would appear that the King’s half-brothers, Edmund, Earl of Richmond, and Jasper, Earl of Pembroke, visited Norwich in that year.—(See fol. 19 of a volume, entitled An Old Free Book, in the Norwich city archives.) As to the Queen’s visit I find no direct evidence, but I think it possible she may have come with one of the King’s brothers, and that the other may have come a little later.
[284.2] Here (says Fenn) follows some account of money received, etc.