[101.2] Windacs are what we now call grappling irons, with which the bow-string is drawn home. —F.
[101.3] Properly quarreaux. They were square pyramids of iron shot out of crossbows.—Grose’s Milit. Antiq. i. 149.
[101.4] John Partrich, one of Lord Molyns’s retainers.
[89]
WILLIAM COTYNG TO JOHN PASTON[102.1]
To the right reverent sir my most worshipful maister, my maister John Paston.
About 1449
APRIL
Right reverent and my most worshipful maister, I recomaund me to yow. Please it yow to wete that the man whiche I wolde have hadde to a be youre fermour at Snaillewelle hath tolde me that he will not therof, and this he makith his excuse; he seythe that he shall dwelle with his wyffes fader and fynden hym for his good as longe as he levyth and he will no forther medill in the werde. I fele well by hym that he hath inquered of the maner, for he coude telle me well that olde Briggeman aught my maister, your fader, whom God assoile, moche good, and how that he hadde al that was ther whanne Briggeman was ded; and that this Briggeman owith yow moche good at this tyme. I answered therto, as for olde Briggeman, I seide that it was his will that my maister shulde have his good, be cause he was a bonde man and hadde no childer. And as for this Briggeman, I seide that he hath bought a faire place sithe he was your fermour, and payed therfor; but for this I kan not turne hym. Wherfor, and it like yow to sende to me a bille of the value of the maner, I shall inquere if any other may happe to be gete, and sende yow worde therof; and in this and what ye will comaunde me ellys I shall do my parte by the grace of our Lord, Who ever have yow in His kepyng. Amen. Writen at Cambrigge the Sunday nexte before the fest of Seynt George.
My maister your brother[103.1] recomaundeth hym to yow, as me semyth he is in right febill hele. he will not telle me qwy, save he seyth he compleyned onys and hadde no remedy, and therfor he seythe he shall suffer for a seoson. Forsothe I suppose he is not intreted as he aught to be. —Your servaunt and bedeman, W. Cotyng.
[102.1] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 164.] This letter must have been written about the year 1449, when William Paston, son of the Judge, was a student at Cambridge.
[103.1] William Paston.