The original commencement of this document has been crossed out. It was in these words:—
Plesit to the righte sage and wyse Communes of this present Parlement, that wher every Justice of the Kyng is sworne that he shulde not take no fees ne reward for to be of councell with noo man, but oonly wyth our Soverayne Lorde the Kyng, and therto thei be swore. And ther is oon Will’ Paston, one of the Justice of our Soverayne Lorde in the Comene Place, taketh fees and rewarde.
On the back of the original document is written, in a hand of the time, ‘Falsa billa Will’i Dalling, ad Parliamentum tempore quo Henr. Grey fuit vicecomes ante annum terciodecimum Regis Henr. vjti.’ Henry Grey was sheriff of Norfolk in 1430, and again in 1433–4. The Parliament referred to must either have been that of 8 Hen. VI. (1429–30) or that of 12 Hen. VI. (1433), which sat till 21st December. Probably the latter.
1434(?)
Plese it to Commines of the present Parlement, that William Paston, on of the Justice of oure Saverayne Lorde Kyng, takyth diverse fees and rewardes of diverses persones withinne the shir of Norffolk and Suffolk, and is with holde with every matere in the sayde contrees, that is for to sey:—Of the Toune of Yernemuth, 1s. yerly; of the Abot of Seyn Benetys. xxvjs. viijd.; of the Prior of Seyn Feithes, xxs.; ‘and of my Lady Rothenhale,[39.1] xxs’; and of the Prior of Norwich, xs.; and of the Prior of Penteney, xxs.; and of the Toun of Lenn, xls.; and of the Prior of Walsyngham, xxs.; and of Katherine Shelton,[39.2] x. mrc. ayeins the Kyng for to be of hir councell for to destroye the right of the Kyng and of his warde, that is for to sey, Raf,[39.3] soon and eyer of John Shelton.
[38.1] [From Fenn, iii. 14.]
[39.1] This sentence in the original has a line drawn over it. She was a widow of Sir John Rothenhale, Knight, and dying at Caister, by Yarmouth, in 1440, was buried in Norwich Cathedral.—F. See [Nos. 13] and [15], ante.
[39.2] Catharine, widow of William Shelton, Esq., and daughter of Simon Barret, was grandmother to Ralph, and died in 1456. —F.
[39.3] Sir Ralph Shelton, Knight, son and heir of John Shelton, Esq., was born in 1430. He married Margaret, daughter of Robert Clere, Esq. of Ormesby, and was High Sheriff of Norfolk. —F.