By the Kynges Moder.
Between 1497 and 1503
Trusty and right welbeloved, we greet you well. And wher by the meanes of our trusty and right welbeloved Sir Reynold Bray, Sir Thomas Lovell, and Sir Henry Heydon, Knights, there was a full agreement made and concluded, and also put in writinge, betwen our trusty and right welbeloved Sir John Savile, Knight, and Gilbert Talbot, Esquier, on th’one partie, and yow on th’other, for divers lands which they ought to have in the right of their wives, daughters and heyers to William Paston, Esquier, their late fader deceassed, which lands ye by mighty power kepe and withholde from them without any just title, as they afferme; and albeit the said agrement was made by your minde and consent, yet ye ne doe performe the same, to our merveile, if it be so. Wherefore we desier and also counsell yow without delay upon the sight hereof now shortly to ride to the court to the said arbitrators, now ther being, with whom ye shall finde your adverse partie, or other in their names fully authorized, to abide such final ende and conclusion in the premisses as shall be consonant with the said agrement, without further troubles or busines therin hereafter to be had; and that ye will thus do in any wise, so as we be not driven (through your defalte) to put to our hands for further remedye to be had in the premisses.
Yeven under our signet at our manner of Colly Weston, the xth day of February.
[158.1] [From Sandford’s Paston Genealogy.] William Paston, the uncle of the two Sir Johns, died in 1496, and this letter must have been written either in the year following or between that date and 1503, when Sir Reginald Bray died. William Paston’s will, which will be found in the Appendix, was dated 7th September 1496, and proved on the 28th November following. He married Anne Beaufort, daughter of Edmond, Duke of Somerset, and was therefore uncle to the writer of this letter, Margaret, Countess of Richmond, the mother of King Henry VII. The person to whom the letter is addressed is not named, but it is not unlikely to have been Sir John Paston the second.
[1064]
ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF NORFOLK, TO SIR JOHN PASTON[159.1]
To my right welbeloved frende, Sire John Paston, Knyght.
Elizabeth, Duches of Norffolk.
1497(?)
FEB. 28
I commaunde me to you, thankyng you as hartely as I can for your labour and substancyall serching owte of Thomas Martynz matyr, preing you of contenuance, and of your best advyse therin, how he shall breke the mater so as, by your helpe and wysdam, a frendely comunycacion may be hadde, so as the mater may be had in examynacion by suche gentylmen as shalbe named by th’assent of bothe parties, suche as tendyr and love the wele of bothe parties, and also the pees and tranquyllyte of the cuntre, and love to eschewe variaunce and parties in the cuntre, wherin ye shall not only do a greete pleasure to me, but a grete dede of charyte for the profight and ease of both parties, and also a pleasure to God, Who have you in keping.