[281.3] Eleanor, widow of Henry Percy, third Earl, who was slain at Towton in 1461.
[281.4] Fenys.
[462]
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[282.1]
To my right worchepfull hosbond, John Paston, be this letter deliveryd in hast.
1461
JUNE
Right worchepfull hosbond, I recommand me to you. Please you to wete that thys day in the mornyng the parson of Snoryng came to Thomas Denys and fechyd hym owt of hys hows, and beryth hym a hand,[282.2] that he shuld a mad byllys agayns Twyer and hym, and hathe a leed hym ferthe with hem. Hys wyf hathe no knowlege of it. Ferther more the seid parson seythe that the seyd Thomas Denys shuld a take sowdyors owt of hys felachep whan he went to Seynt Albons;[282.3] that hys a nother of hys compleynts. Item, anothyr of hys compleynts ys, a beryth the seyd Thomas a hand,[282.2] that he had awey a hors of John Coppyng of Bryslee, and a nother of Kyng of Donham, the wyche hors were stole be the seyd ij. personys. Wher for the seyd Thomas toke hem as a comyshaner and delyveryd hem to the exchetor, Frances Costard, and one of them he bowt of the seyd Fraunces. And the seyd parson hathe a wey the seyd hors, and seyth that he wolle the seyd thevys shuld be recompenst be Thomas Denys. Thys I am enformyd of all thesse maters be hys wyffe, and sche prayythe yow in the reverence of God ye wolle be hyr good maister, and helpe that hyr hosbond may have sume remedy be your labor in thys mater, [for she] seythe syn that hyr hosbond ys the Kyngs offycer, that they owt to spar hym the rather. But they that hathe hym take no . . . . . . told me that they hope to have a newe chonge in hast.
Item, Pers that was with my unkyll Barney[283.1] sent you a l[etter] . . . . . . er desyryng to have your good masterchep, and he woll fyynd sufficient suerte[283.2] for hym for to com . . . . . . whan som ever ye woll require hym. I’ good feyth it ys told me hys leggs ar all . . . . . . [Send] me word, encas the suerte be sufficient, in what sum ye woll have hem bownd for hy . . . . . . te in bayle. Item, it ys told me that ther be many Freynche shyppys of se a geyns Yamothe, a[nd . . . . . . t]hey woll do harme on the coste. I pray yow hertely that ye woll send me word in hast howe that ye do with my [Lord] of Norffolk, and with your adversaryys. Item, I have do purveyed in thys wareyn xj.xx. [eleven score] rabets and sent up be the berer herof. The blyssyd Trinite have yow in Hys kepyng, and send yow the better of all your adversariis, and good sped in all your maters. Wretyn in hast, the same day that ye departyd hens.
Item, I pray yow that ye wolle remembre my unkyll Barneys mater tochyng the executyng of his wylle, and how ye wolle that we be demenyd for kepyng of hys yerday, and that it lekyth you to send me word be Mr. John Smy[th].
[282.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter appears from internal evidence to have been written some time after the second battle of St. Albans, which was fought in February 1461, and before the murder of Thomas Denys in July following. But to all appearance it was not very long before the latter date. The MS. is mutilated, and a few words are lost in eight consecutive lines.
[282.2] i.e. accuses him. See vol. ii. p. 110, Note.