[240.2] In 1475 a comb of oats sold for 11d.; we have therefore the value of a hat in this reign.—F. In [No. 871] the price of oats is given as 10d. a comb, but the markets are considered to be bad.
[240.3] 28th of October.
[878]
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[241.1]
1475
Aftyr all dewtes of recomendacyon, in as humbyll wyse as I can, I beseche yow of your blyssyng. The cheff cause that I wryght to yow for at thys season is, for that I undyrstand that my lady[241.2] wold be ryght glad to have yow a bought hyr at hyr labore; in so myche that she hathe axyd the questyon of dyvers gentyllwomen whedyr they thought that ye wold awayte on hyr at that season or nought, and they answerd that they durst sey that ye wold, with ryght good wyll, awayte on hyr at that tyme, and at all other seasons that she wold comand yow. And so I thynk that my lady wyll send for yow; and if it wer your ease to be here, I wold be ryght glad that ye myght be here, for I thynk your being here shold do gret good to my brodyrs maters that he hathe to sped with hyr. Wherfor, for Godes sake, have your horse and all your gere redy with yow, whersoever ye be, ought or at home, and as for men, ye shall nott need many, for I wyll come for yow, and awayte on yow my sylf, and on or ij. with me; but I had need to undyrstand wher to fynd yow, or ellys I shall happyly seeke yow at Mautby, when ye be at Freton, and my lady myght then fortune to be ferforthe on hyr jorney or ye cam, if she wer as swyfte as ye wer onys on Good Fryday.
And as for the mater in the latter end of my brodyr Sir Johnys lettyr, me thynk he takyth a wronge wey, if he go so to werk; for as for the peopyll here, I undyrstand non other but that all folkys here be ryght well dysposyd towardes that mater, fro the hyghest degre to the lowest, except Robart Brandon and John Colvyll; and it is a grete lyklyhod that the grettest body is well dysposyd towardes that mater, in as myche as they wold put yow to the labore above wretyn, and if they wer not, I thynk they wold not put yow to that labore.
Also here was here with me yesterday a man fro the Priour of Bromholme to lete me have knowlage of the ille speche whyche is in the contre now of new, that the tombe is not mad; and also he seythe that the clothe that lythe over the grave is all toryn and rotyn, and is not worth ijd., and he seythe he hathe pachyd it onys or twyis. Wherfor the Pryour hathe sent to yow at the leest to send thedyr a newe clothe a yenst Estern.
Also Mastyr Sloley prayith yow, for Godes sake, and ye wyll do non almess of tylle [tile] that he myght borow some of yow tyll he may bye some, and pay yow ayen; for on [one] the fayrist chambyrs of the Fryers, standyth half oncoverd for defaulte of tylle, for her is yett non to get for no money. And the Holy Trynyte have yow in kepyng.
At Norwyche, thys Twysday. Your sone and humbyll servaunt, J. Paston.
[241.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have been written shortly before the confinement of the Duchess of Norfolk in December 1475.