[145.2] John Flowerdew was instituted to the Rectory of Drayton on the 15th of March 1461, on the presentation of John Paston, Esq., and Thomas Howes, Clerk.—F.
[145.3] This means the Rural Dean, who had a district of ten churches in the country, wherein he exercised a jurisdiction of great advantage to ecclesiastical discipline, and the sentences of superior Ecclesiastical Courts were to be executed by him.—F.
[146.1] 5th or 6th of June.
[146.2] 9th of June.
[146.4] 23rd of May.
[585]
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[147.1]
To my ryght wyrshypfull husbond, John Paston, be thys letter delyveryd.
1465
JUNE 11
Ryght wyrshypfull husband, I recomaunde me unto you. Please it you to wyte that I recevyd letters from you on Wensday laste passyd, the were wryten the Monday next before, wherof I thanke you of the letter that ye send to me. I wolde fayn doo well yf I cowde, and as I canne I wol doo to youre pleasure and profet; and in such thyngs as I cannot skyle of, I wyll take a vyse of such as I know that be youre frendes and doo as well as I canne. Wher as ye wrote to me that Lydham told you that I told hym that the Ducks men werre not so besy as they had be by fore, no more thay were not at that tyme, but sythen thay have be bysyer. What confort that thay have I canne not have no knowlych as yet, but I suppose and all your felshyp were gode, thay shold not have so grete confort as they have, or ells they wold not be so besy as thay have be. Grete bost thay make that the Duck shold have Drayton in peas, and after thys Haylesdon, and that with in short tyme; thay er moch the bolder, I suppose, by cause that ye be wher as ye be. At the reverens of God, yf ye may by any wyrshypfull or resonabell mene, com oute therof as sone as ye may and come home amonges your frends and tennaunts, and that shold be to hem the grettyst confort that thay myzt have and the contrary to your enmys.