On Tuesday in the morwyn whas John Botiller, otherwyse callid John Palmer, and Davy Arnald your cook, and William Malthows of Aylsham, takyn at Heylesdon be the balyf of Ey callid Bottisforth, and led for to Cossey, and ther thei kepe hem yet with ought any warant or autoryte of Justice of Peas. And thei saye thei will carie hem forth to Ey preson, and as many as thei may gete more of your men and tenaunts, that thei may know that owe yow good wyll or hath be to you ward, thei be thret to be slayn or presoned. The Duke came to Norwich[204.2] on Tuesday at x. of clok with the nombre of v. hundred men. And he sent after the Meyr and Alderman with the Sherefs desiryng hem in the Kyngs name that thei shuld take an enqueraunce of the constablys of every ward with in the cyte what men shuld a go on your party to have holpyn or socowryd your men at any tyme of thes gaderyngs, and if any thei cowde fynde, that thei shuld take and arest hym and correct hym, and also certifie hym the names on Wyndenesse day [Wednesday] be viij. of clok. Which the Meyr dede, and wull do anythyng that he may for hym and his. And her up on the Meyr hath arestid on that was with me callid Roberd Lovegold, braser, and threte hym that he shall be hanged be the nek; wherfor I wuld that ther myght come down a writ to remeve hym if ye thynk it be to do. He was not with me not save that Harleston and other mad the assaught up on me and Lammesse; he is right good and feythfull on to you, and therfore I wuld he had help. I have non man at this tyme to avayte upon me that dare be avowyd but Litill John. William Nawton is here with me, but he dare not ben avowyd, for he is sore thret. It is told me the old Lady and the Duke is set fervently ageyn us be the enformacion of Harlesdon, the Bayly of Cossey and Andrewys and Doget the balys sone, and suych other fals shrewys the which wuld have thes mater born ought for ther owyn pleser; the which causith an[205.1] evyll noyse in this contre and other places. And as for Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir John Wyndefeld and other wurchepfull men ben mad but her doggeboldes;[205.2] the whiche I suppose wull turne hem to diswurchep here after. I spake with Sir John Hevenyngham and enformed hym with the trough of the mater, and of all owyr demenyng at Drayton, and he seid he wuld that all thyng wer wele, and that he wuld enforme my lord as I seid to hym, but Harleston had all the words and the rewle with the Duke here, and after his avyse and Doctor Aleynes he was avysed here at this tyme.

The logge and the remenaunte of your place was betyn down on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Duke rode on Wednysday to Drayton and so for to Cossey whille the logge at Heylesdon was in the betyng down. And this nyght at mydnyght Thomas Sleyforth, Grene Porter, and Joh. Botesforth the Baly of Eye, and other, had a cart and fetched awey fetherbeddes, and all the stuffe that was left at the parsones, and Thom Wateres hows to be kept of owrs. I shall send you billes er after, as ner as I may, what stuffe we have forborn. I pray you send me word how ye will that I be demened, wheder ye wull that [I][205.3] abide at Cayster or come to you to London. I have no leyser to write more. God have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Norwich on Sent Lukes Evyn. M. P.

[204.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is not addressed, but seems undoubtedly to have been intended for the writer’s husband. The attack upon the lodge at Hellesden here referred to was in 1465, as appears by the letter immediately following.

[204.2] ‘Norwich.’—This word is interlined, the writer having originally written ‘this town,’ and afterwards struck out the word ‘town.’

[205.1] an—&, MS.

[205.2] The old word ‘dogbolt’ seems to have meant a servile follower, or one bound to wait the commands of another. Thus in Lilly’s Tragicall Comedie of Alexander and Campaspe, where Manes complains that he serves a master whose house is a tub, Granichus remarks ‘That Diogenes that dog should have Manes that dogbolt it grieveth nature and spiteth art.’

[205.3] Omitted in MS.

[617]
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[206.1]

To my ryght wyrshypfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys delyveryd in hast.

1465
OCT. 27