Ples your Hyghnes of your abundante grace, an consyderacion of the servys and plesure that your Hyghnes knowyth to yow don by William Paston, late one of your judgys, and old servaunt to that nobyll Prinse your fadyr, to graunte onto John Paston, Esquyer, sonn and heyir of the seyd Wylliam, your lettrys patents under the seel of yowr Duche of Lancastre, being in the keping of Thomas Chesham, aftyr affecte of note folowyng; and he schall pray to God for yow.

Rex, etc. Sciatis, quod de gracia nostra speciali et ex mero motu nostro, ac pro bono et laudabyli servicio quod dilectus et fidelis nobis Willelmus Paston, nuper unus Justiciariorum nostrorum, defunctus, nobis in vita sua inpendydit, consessimus et hac presenti carta nostra confirmavimus, in quantum in nobis est, Johanni Paston armigero, filio et heredi dicti Willelmi, viginti tria mesuagia, quingintas triginta et iiij. acras pasture, bruere et marissy in villis de Paston, Edythorp, et Bakton, in comitatu nostro Norff. quas diversi tenentes nostri ibidem de nobis separatim native tenent ad voluntatem nostram per virgam sive copiam et per serta redditus et servissia, nativa annualia inde nobis reddend., que ad valorem novem librarum annuatim exeunt vel infra. Concessimus eciam eidem Johanni curiam lete, seu visus franciplegii nostri, in villis de Paston et Edithorp predictis, que est annui valoris viij. solidorum per estimacionem; ad quatuor libratas, quatuor solidatas et octo denariatas redditus. Redditum octo boschellorum avenarum et trium caponum cum pertinentiis in villis predictis, ac in villis Wytton et Easewyk in comitatu predicto, percipiendum anuatim de omnibus et singulis liberys tenentibus nostris ibidem pro tenementis suis qui de nobis separatim tenent in eisdem villis, una cum fidelitatibus et aliis serviciis eorundem tenentium et eorum cujuslibet, de, seu pro, tenementis illis et eorum qualibet parcella nobis debitis sive pertinentibus. Concessimus etiam eidem Johanni et heredibus suis officium parcarie ac costidie[70.1] parci nostri de Grymygham in com. nostro predicto, una cum proficuo agistamenti bestiarum ejusdem parci pro vadiis suis pro officio predicto annuatim percipiend: salvis no . . et hodierna sufficienti pastura ferarum nostrarum ibidem ut tempore nostro prius usitatum fuit; quod quidem proficuum agistamenti ad valorem x. marcarum extendit per annum. Habenda, tenenda et percipienda predicta messuagia, terram, pasturam, brueram, mariscum, curiam lete, et visus franciplegii, redditus, et servissia, officium et agistament’ proficu’ cum pertinentiis, prefato Johanni et heredibus suis de nobis et heredibus nostris, per fidelitatem et redditum unius rose rubie ad Festum Nativitatis Sancti Johannis Baptiste annuatim nobis solvendum, si petatur, pro omnibus serviciis, exaccionibus et demandis. Eo quod messuagia, terra, pastura, bruera, mariscus, curia lete, redditus, servicia predicta, officium et agistament’ profic’, valorem supra specificatum excedant, vel valorem illum non attingant, aut aliquo actu, restriccione seu mandato facto, edito aut proviso non obstante. Volumus etiam et assignavimus quod omnes illi qui per nos seu ad usum nostrum, jus, titulum, seu statum in premissis, seu aliquo premissorum habuerunt seu habent, nobis antehac non relaxatum, jus, titulum et statum illa prefato Johanni et heredibus suis dimittent et relaxent. In cujus . . .

[69.2] [From Tanner MS. 95, f. 82.] This is a draft in the handwriting of William Worcester, very illegible from the number of the corrections, and also from the ink being very much faded. Of its date I cannot tell except that it was clearly written in the reign of Henry VI. and after the death of Judge Paston in 1444.

[70.1] Sic, pro custodiæ.

[60]
CATHERINE, DUCHESS OF NORFOLK, TO JOHN PASTON[71.1]

To our right trusty and hertily welbeloved John Paston, Squier.

Kateryn, Duchesse
of Norff.

After 1444 (?)

Right trusty and entierly welbeloved, we grete you wel hertily as we kan. And for as moche as we purpose with grace of Jesu to be at London within bryff tyme, we pray you that your place ther may be redy for us, for we wole sende our stuff thedir to for [tofore, i.e. before] our comyng; and siche agrement as we toke with you for the same, we shall duely performe yt with the myght of Jesu, who haff you in his blissed keping.

Wretyn at Eppeworth, ijde day of Octobre.