[591]
[JOHN PASTON] TO MARGARET PASTON AND OTHERS[156.2]
To my cosyn Margret Paston and to John Dawbeney and Richard Calle.
1465
JUNE 27
I recomande me to yow, and have received a letter from yow and a nother for Richard Calle be John Colman, and . . be Roos; and I have received of Colman the plate and mony acording Richard Callis letteris. Item, I con yow thonk ye send me word the prise of corn. Item, as for yowr sone,[157.1] I lete yow wete I wold he dede wel, but I understand in hym no disposicion of policy, ne of governans as man of the werle owt to do, but only levith and ever hath as man disolut with owt any provision, ne that he besiith hym nothinge to understand swhech materis as a man of lyvelode must nedis understond; ne I understond nothing of what disposicion he porposith to be, but only I kan thynk he wold dwell ayeyn in yowr hows and myn, and ther ete and drinke and slepe.[157.2] Therfor I lete yow wete, I wold know hym or he know myn entent, and how wel he hath ocupiid his tym now he hath had leyser. Every pore man that hath browt up his chylder to the age of xij. yer waytyth than to be holp and profited be hes chylder, and every gentilman that hath discrecion waytith that his ken and servantis that levith be hym and at his coste shuld help hym forthward. As for yowr sone, ye knowe well he never stode yow ne me in profite, ese or help, to valew of on grote, savyng at Calkot Hall whane [he[157.3]] and hes brothir keptid on day ayeyns Debenham, and yet was it at iii. [times[157.3]] the coste that that ever Debenham sones put hym to. For be her police [by their policy] they kepe Cotton at my cost and with the[157.4] profitis of the same. Wherfor geff hem no favor tyle ye feel what he is and will be.
Item, Calle sendith me word that Master Phylip[157.5] hat entrid in Drayton in my Lord of Suffolk’s name, and hat odir purpose to entre in Heylisdon, and he askith my avyse; whech is that ye confort my tenantis and help hem til I com hom, and lete hem wet I shall not lese it, and that the Dowk of Suffolk that last diid wold have bouth it of Fastolff, and, for he mygth not have it so, he claymyd the maner, seying it was on Polis [one Pole’s], and, for his name was Poole, he claymed to be eyr. He was ansueryed that he com nothing of that stok, and how somever[157.6] wer kyn to the Polis that owth[157.7] it it hurt not, for it was laufully bowth and sold, and he never kleymid it after. Item, I am in purpose to tak assise ageynse hem at this tyme, and elles I wold have sent thedir streyt be a letter of attorney to entre in my name; never the les ye be a gentilwoman, and it is worshep for you to confort yowr tennauntis; wherfor I wold ye myth ryd to Heylisdon and Drayton and Sparham, and tari at Drayton and speke with hem, and byd hem hold with ther old master til I com, and that ye have sent me word but late, wherfore ye may have none answer yet, and informe hem as I ha (sic) wrete to ye within; and sey oupinly it is a shame that any man shuld set anny lord on so ontrwe a mater, and speciall a preste; and lete hem wete, as sone as I am com hom I shall see hem. Item, that as for distreyn for rent of ferm, thow the Dewk had tytill, as he hath not, he may non ask til the next rent day after his entre, that is Michelmes, and seye that ye will be paiid everi peni and asken hem it. And make mech of men of Cossey, becawse they wer owr welwillers when we wer neyboris ther; and lete hem wete that the begyningis of shech mater had never worchip nor profite of me, ne shall, and desyr god will of yowr neyboris, &c., and suyn all othir menes that ye kan to plese the pepill. And lete yowr tenaunts wete that the Dewke may never be lawe compel hem to torn from me; and do all so well as ye can, and if any entyr be made in Heylisdon shuff him owt and set sum man to kepe the place, if ned be, not withstandyng it longith not to the manere. Item, I wold fayn have sum man to be bayle of Heylisdon and Drayton, &c., that myth go amongis the tenauntis. And elles I wold han Richard Chyllins (?) to go amond [q. among?] hem tyl I com hom and also Richard Calle whan home. Item, he sent me word that the tenauntis of Drayton wold not come to the Dewkis cort and that they will be stefast to me and kepe hem straunge and froward from the Dewkis cowncell; all this mater shall turne to a jape and not hurt hem; ner, and if ye be wavering it shall hurt hem. Item, I let yow wete this is do to cause me to loose my labor ayens hym for Dedham, which I wil not for it. God kepe yow. Wret the Thursday befor Sent Petres day.
Item, tel Richard Calle to have wittenses redy. I wol spede this mater spirituall befor Estern.
[156.2] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 9.] This letter, which is in the handwriting of John Paston, refers to the proceedings of the Duke of Suffolk to enforce his claim to Drayton and Hellesden, and was clearly written in the summer of 1465 on Thursday before St. Peter’s Day, i.e. before the feast of SS. Peter and Paul (29th June).
[157.1] Sir John Paston.
[157.2] A later hand has here written in the margin: ‘Hic postea fuit Sir John Paston senior, miles.’ But the postea is wrong.
[157.3] These words omitted in MS.