Wreten at Wyngefeld, the xxijth day of Octobr. Suffolk.
[86.1] [From Fenn, iv. 448.] The battle here referred to as ‘Lincoln Field’ is what is commonly called the battle of Stamford, in which the insurrection of Sir Robert Welles in Lincolnshire was completely defeated in March 1470. Just before the date of this document, Edward IV. had left the kingdom, and Henry VI. had been restored; but perhaps Suffolk was not aware of the situation, or did not recognise it.
[761]
MARGARET PASTON TO [JOHN PASTON][86.2]
1470
OCT. 28
I grete you wele and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn, and I sende you be the berere herof all the sylver vessell that your graundam[86.3] makyth so mych of, which she seid I had of myn husband, and myn husband shuld have had it of his fader. And wher as she seid that I shuld have had a garneys, I had ner see never more than I send you, that is to say, ij. plateris, vj. dysshes and vj. sawceris. The ij. playteris weyn xliij. unces di., and the vj. dysshes weyn lxxiiij. unces di. and the sawcers weyn xvij. unces j. quarter. And I marvayll that ye sent me not word what an unce of sylver is werth at London; for it had be lesse joparte to have sold it here and have sent you the money than the plate. I myght have sold it her for iijs. an unce, sum xxli. iiijs. iijd. Be ware how that ye spend it, but in acquityng you ageyn such as ye be in daunger to, or abought the good speed of your materis; for, but if ye take odere heed to your expensis, ye shall do your self and your frendis gret diswurchep and enpoveryssh so them that non of us shall help other, to owr elmys [enemies’] grete comfort. It is understand ryght now in this countre be such as cleyme to be frendly to you in what grete daunger and nede ye stande in, bothe to diverse of your frendis and to your elmyse. And also it is noysed that I have departed so largely with you that I may nowthere help yow, my self nor none of my frendis; which is no wurchep, and causeth me to set the lesse be us; and at this tyme it compellith me to breke up howshold and to sogeorn; which I am right loth to have to do if I myght otherwyse have chosyn; for it caused gret clamour in this town[87.1] that I shall do so; and it shuld not have neded if I had restreyned whan I myght. Therfore for Goddis sake take hede here to, and be ware from hens forth; for I have delivered and sent you bothyn my parte the dedis and yowris, and not restreyned nowthere for my self nor the dede. Where fore I thynk we spede and fare all the wers; for it is a fowle slaunder that he was so wurchepful beried and his qwethword not performed, and so litill do for hym sithen. And now though I wold do for hym, I have right not [naught] beside my lyffelode that I may make any chevysans with, with ought grete slaunder; and my lyffelode encreasith evill, for I am fayn to takyn Mautby in myn owyn hand, and to set up husbandry ther; and how it shall profite me God knowyth. The fermour owyth me lxxxli. and more. Whan I shall have it I wete never. Therfore be never the bolder in your expenses for any help ye trust to have of me. For I will fro hens forth bryng my self ought of such daunger as I stand in for your sakes, and do for the dede and for them that I have my goodis of; for till I do so, I know for certeyn that I shall fayll grace and displeas God, How [who] have you in His kepyng. Wretyn on Sent Symondis day and Judes in hast.—Be your Moder.
Item, I send zow ij. sherte clothys, iche of iii. zardis of the fynest that is in thys towne. I xuld a dohem mad here[88.1] but that xuld a be to long here [ere] ze xuld a had hem. Zour Awnte[88.2] or sum other good woman wule do her almes up on zow for the makyng of them. I thank zow for the gowne that ye gave me Halowmesse day I hope [I[88.3]] xole be wurshuped ther with. At reverence of God, be ware and take hed to soche thynggis as is wretyn with ynne thys letter. Telle your brother that the mony is not zet cownyd that I xuld send hym for thersarsenet (sic) and damaske that I spake to hym foor. As for the damaske that may be forebore tylle the nexte terme, but as for the sarsenet I woold have yt and yt mythe be, for I goo in my rentis. Late zour brothere[88.4] see thys letter. As fore your syster[88.5] I can send zow no good tydyngges of her, God make her a good wooman.
[86.2] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 206.] This letter was written by Margaret Paston to one of her two sons, Sir John or John, at a time when they were both together. That was the case in October 1470, as appears by a letter of the younger brother, written on the 12th ([No. 759]), to the postscript of which this seems to be an answer.
[86.3] Agnes Paston, the judge’s widow.
[87.1] Norwich.
[88.1] ‘I xuld a dohem mad here’ = I should have got them made here.