The following extracts have been taken from the edition published in 1872-5, relating solely to those entries referring to the surname Marriott and its variations such as for example,Maryet, Mariot, but is by no means definitive.

TO JOHN DAMME: from After 1444
From John Paston

To John Damme

Ser, I recummaund me to you and thank yow of youre grete laboure wyth all myn hert; but as be youre bille my fader shul be bounde to pay all Wyllyam Maryottes dettes, or half at the leest, þat is c li., whych wyth the seid xl li. þat John shuld haue is twyes as meche as is owyng as I conseyve; the whyche shuld hurte me more þan avayle. And I was at that tyme at Crowmer, and wote well þat it was neythyr Maryottes mevyng ne my faders that he shuld be chargeable of more þan he oweth, hys paymentes, expences, and hys bargeyn alowed. I suppose they shall holde hem payed wyth this bill yf ther be ony more that hard it. I prey help they may enseale; but begyn at thise fyrst and theene send tor the toder. I wold we hade vj sealles yf it myght easly be. Ser, Jamys Gressham told me that e thynk the bergeyn were not certen but yf it wer put in certeyn what the dettes be that shuld be content. Me thynketh that the xl li.makyth the bargeyne certen attwyx John and my fader, and thow it be not, wyth oder mater þat I haue it shal be certeyn j-now. My lady Morley, Hastingys, and my moder and I, &c., dyned this day at Lyncolne Kokys and suppyd this nyt to-gedyr also, and dyuers persons were disposed to haue seid no good word of you; and after, or we departed, they that haue seid worst of yow seid better of yow than I herd hem sey thys twelmoneth day, and in substance contrary to all olde tales. multa habeo vobis dicere que non sunt in libro hoc. Be John Paston Herry Gunell N Basyngham N Matelask

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
Margaret Paston
TO JOHN PASTON I 1448

Ryt wurchipful hwsbond, I recomawnd me to u and prey w to gete som crosse bowis,
and wyndacis to bynd þem wyth, and quarell, for wr hwsis here ben so low þat
þere may non man schete owt wyth no long bowe þow we hadde neuer so moche nede.
I sopose e xuld haue seche thyngis of Sere Jon Fastolf if e wold send to hym.
And also I wold e xuld gete ij or iij schort pelle-axis to kepe wyth doris, and
als many jakkys and e may. Partryche and his felaschep arn sore aferyd þat e
wold entren aen up-on hem, and þey haue made grete ordynawn [deleted in MS ] ce
wyth-jnne þe hwse, as it is told me. þey haue made barris to barre the dorys
crosse-weyse, and þey han made wyketis on euery quarter of þe hwse to schete
owte atte, bothe wyth bowys and wyth hand gunnys; and þo holys þat ben made
forre hand gunnyss þey ben scarse kne hey fro þe plawnchere, and of seche holis
ben made fyve. þere can non man schete owt at þem wyth no hand bowys. Purry
felle in felaschepe wyth Willyam Hasard at Querles, and told hym þat he wold com
and drynk wyth Partryche and wyth hym, and he seyd he xuld ben welcom; and after
none he went þedder for to aspye qhat þey dedyn and qhat fela-schep þey hadde
wyth þem. And qhan he com þedder þe doris were fast sperid and þere were non
folkis wyth hem but Maryoth and Capron and his wyff and Querles wyf an [deleted
in MS ] d anoþer man in ablac ede sumqhate haltyng; I sopose [deleted in MS ] be
his wurdis þat was Norfolk of Gemyngham. And þe seyd Purry aspyde alle þis
forseyd thyngis, and Marioth and his felaschep had meche grette langage þat xall
ben told w qhen e kom hom. I pray w þat e wyl vowche-save to don bye for me j
li. of almandis and j li. of sugyre, and þat e wille do byen summe frese to maken of wr childeris gwnys; e xall haue best chepe and best choyse of Hayis wyf, as it
is told me. And þat e wyld bye a erd of brode clothe of blac for an hode fore me
of xliijj d. or iiij s. a erd, for þer [unclear ] is no [deleted in MS ] there
gode cloth nere god fryse in this twn. As for þe childeris gwnys, and I haue
cloth I xal do hem maken. The Trynyté haue w jn his keping and send w gode spede
in alle wr materis.

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1469, 10, 05

To my master Syr John Paston in Flettstret.
Ryght worchepfull syr, i recomand me [deleted in MS ] on-to you praying yow that
ye wyll in all hast send me word how þat ye wyll þat Syr John Styll, John
Pampyng, W. Mylsent, Nycolas Mondonet, T. Tomson shall be rwlyd, and whedyr þat
they shall sek hem newe seruysys or not, and Mathewe and Bedford also, for he
hathe be wyth me þis seson and is fro my modyr. And if so be þat ye wyll haue
thes to abyd wyth yow, or eny of them, send word whyche þat they be; for be-twyx
thys and Halowmas my modyr is agreyd that they shall haue met and drynk of hyr
for syche a serteyn wekly as my modyr and ye and i can acord when we met.
Notwythstandyng, if ye kowd get Barney, or eny of thes seyd folkys whyche þat ye
wyll not kepe, eny seruyse in the mene seson it wer more worchep for yow then to
put them from yow lyek masterles hondys, for by my trowthe they ar as good menys
bodys as eny leue, and spescyally Syr John Stylle and John Pampyng. And i wer of
power to kepe them, and all thes befor rehersyd, by trowthe they shold neuer
depert fro me whyll i leueyd. If ye send me word that i shall come to yow to
London for to comon wyth yow of eny mater, so God help me i haue neythyr mony to
com vp wyth nor for to tery wyth yow when i am ther but if ye send me some; for
by my trowthe thes werkys haue causyd me to ley owt for yow bettyr then x or xii
li. besyd þat mony þat i had of my modyr, whyche is abowt an viij li. God amend
defawtys, but þis i warant yow, wyth-owt þat it be Mathew whyche ye sent woord
by John Thressher that ye wold haue to awayt on yow, ther is no man þat was
hyryd for the tyme of thys sege that wyll axe yow a peny. Also i pray yow send
downe a comandment to Stutvylle or to some awdytor to take acomptys of Dawbneys
byllys, for hys executors ar sore callyd vpon for to admynyster by þe Byshop, or
ellys he seythe that he wyll seqwester. Dawbeney set in hys dettys that ye owt
hym xij li. and x s. Whedyr it be so or nowt hys byllys of hys owne hand wyll
not lye, for he mad hys byllys clere or then the sege cam abowt vs.

As for the euydence of Bekham, my modyr sent to Calle for hem and he sent hyr
woord that he wold make hys acomptys and delyuer the euydence and all to-gedyr.
My modyr hathe sent to hym ayen for hem thys daye. If she sped they shall be
sent to yow in all hast, or ellys and ye send for me i shall bryng hem wyth me.
Send my modyr and me word who ye wyll þat haue the rwyll of your lyuelod her in
thys contré, and in what forme þat it shall be delt wyth. I wyll not make me
mastyrfast wyth my lord of Norffolk nor wyth non othyr tyll i spek wyth yow; and
ye thynk it be to be don, get me a mastyr. Dell corteysly wyth the Qwen and þat
felawshep, and wyth Mastras Anne Hawte for wappys tyll i spek wyth yow. Wretyn
on Seynt Feythys Euyn. J. Paston I pray yow in all hast possybyll send me answer
of euery thyng in thys bylle, for it reqweryth hast. My modyr had answer fro
Calle er i had wret thys byll, and Call seyth so þat he may haue swerté to saue
hym harmeles for the anuyté that he standyth bownd for, and for the oder mony
þat he is suerté to pay for Maryot (i trow it be xv or xvj li.) he wyll delyuer
the euydense, or ellys not. He wyll not haue yow bownd, and as for me i had
leuer he wer hangyd then to be bond to hym. Send me word how thys mater shall be
handyld, and also i pray yow send me tydyng of the Kyng and the lordys, and of
your master, how he is in fauor and ye wyth hym. By Sent George, I and my
felawshep stand in fer of my lord of Norffolkys men, for we be thret sore, not
wythstandyng the saue gardys þat my felawshep haue. As for me, i haue non, nor
non of your howsold men, nor non wyll haue; it wer shame to take it.

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1469, 12

To master Syr John Paston, knyght,.
Ryght worchepfull syr, i recomand me to yow, &c. It is so þat thys day ther cam
a good felaw to me, whyche may not be dyscoueryd, and let me wet that my lord of
Norffolkys consayll hathe thys Crystmas gotyn the two wydows whoys husbondys wer
slayn at þe sege of Caster, and haue hem bowndyn in a gret some þat they shall
swe a peell ayenst me, and syche as wer ther wyth me wyth-in the plase; and they
be bownd also þat they shall relese no man wyth-in the apell namyd tyll syche
tyme as my lord of Norffolk wyll lycence them.
Item, the cawse is thys, as it is told me by dyuers, that ye make no more swte
to my lord for your-sylf then ye do, and ther-for they do þe wers to me for your
sake.
Item, Sandyr Fastolff was her wyth me thys day, and seythe that the sheryff of
Suffolk hathe dystreynd hym for isswys that he lost for Maryottys mater of
Bekham, so that he hathe payid x s. and must pay othyr x s. at Candylmas, and he
thynkyth to be sauyd harmeles by yow ayenst Candylmas, and to haue recompense
ayen of the x s. þat he hathe payid. And also he preyth yow þat he may haue þe
mony at that day at the ferthest, for he thynkyth þat he hathe deserueyd it in
othyr maters.
Item, it is also let me wet þat my lord of Norffolk wyll send a man or two in
pesybyll wyse for to entre the maner of Gwton, and if so be þat they that be
ther of your men wyll not auoyd possessyon by them, then to send

thydyr mor pepyll so þat your men shall be of no power to a-byd ther malys. I
wyll thydyr my-sylf and ned be, and kep possessyon as longe as i may. As for
Bekham, Townysend man and i wer ther yersterday and took possessyon bothe, for
lesse suspessyon. As for your gowne, your mantyll, crosbowys, and your Normandy
byll, Corby shall bryng hem yow thys week at the ferthest, and i shall send yow
my byllys as hastyly as i can make hem vp, i tryst wyth-in thes iiij dayis.
Item, i pray you labor effectwally for poore Pykryng, berer her-of; hys tryst is
all in yow and in non othyr man.
Item, the person of Heynforthe is sore trowblyd by W. Yeluerton for the
oblygacyon of viij li. that he is bownd in, whyche viij li. was payid to Call
be-for the makyng of the oblygacyon to W. Yeluerton, and he hathe hym at an
exigent.
Item, as for my comyng vp to London, so God help me and i may chose i com not
ther, for argent me fawlt, wyth-owt a pell or an jnkyr of som specyall mater of
your cawse it.
Item, i pray yow remembyr Caleys, for i am put owt of wagys in thys contré.
Item, i pray yow send me some tydyngys how the world gothe, ad
confortandumstomacum.
Item, ye must puruey a newe atorny in thys contré as for me, for ouyr maters and
clamore is to gret and owr purse and wytte to slendyr; but i wyll rubbe on as
longe as i maye, bothe wyth myn owne and othyr menys þat wyll do for me, tyll
bettyr pese be. Wretyn thys Saterdaye at Norwyche. J.P.

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1469, after 09

Syr, i recomand me, &c. And as for Maryot, i haue reknyd wyth hym and payid hym
syche mony that he is owyng but v mark for hys anuyté, and all oþer reknyngys
in-to thys owyr; whyche v mark and as myche more as Calle is bond for as for
Halowmes paye is owyng in the same maner of Bekham, and he is agreyid to take it
as it may be gadryd. As for the aqwetans of W. Bakton and John Maryot, i spak
not yet wyth Bakton, but i purpose to do er then i com in Norwyche ayen. As for
syche euydens as John Maryot hathe of Bekham, he wyll delyuer them to me when i
com to Bekham, whyche i purpose to take in my wey homward to Norwyche.
Item, i send yow closyd her-in the copye of the condycyon whyche ye be bownd for
to John Maryot.
Item, i can not redyly tell yow what ye be endettyd for John Maryot, wher-for i
send yow the copy of the byll of hys dettys closyd her-in.
Item, as for Syr T. Mongomerés man, John Maryot seyth that as for the dett þat
he owt to Symkyn Symondys, husbond to the same woman that hathe hym condempnyd,
he was onys sewyd for it by on Gargraue, mastyr, and in that mater attorny to
the seyd Symkyn, vp-on whyche swte the seyd John Maryot was owtlawyd, of whyche
owtlawry he hathe hys chartyr whyche is alowyd not wyth standyng, and ye can
agré for xiij s. iiij d. or for xx s. J. Maryot woll well, but he wyll not passe
that in no wyse.
Item, in eny wyse remembyr to sew J. Maryottys chartyr for hys last owtlawry for
hys det to John Sherman, fyshemonger of Norwyche, or ellys by my trowthe ye do
your-sylf a shame and vndo hym.
Item, as for Rychard Call hathe delyueryd me, as he seythe, all syche wrytyngys
as he had of your, sauyng an endentur of letyng of þe maner of Saxthorp whyche
is but a jape; but all that he hathe delyueryd me sauyng a rentall of Snaylewell
ar but acomptys and byllys of reknyn [deleted in MS ] gys wretyn wyth hys owne
hand, sauyng an old bagge wyth as old wrytyn [deleted in MS ] gys whyche be of
no substans. And as i trow he hathe delyueryd me a iiij or v coort rollys of Syr
J. Fastolffys londys, of hys own hand also, and ij or iij rollys of your owne
cortys in dyuers plasys.
Item, as for the letyng me haue knowlage of the areragys of your lyuelod, he
hathe don resonably well hys deuer, as i haue prouyd. As for hys abydyng, itt is
in Blakborowgh nonry a lytyll fro Lynne, and ouyr vnhappy sustyrs also; and as
for hys seruyse, ther shall no man haue it be-for yow and ye wyll. I her not
spek of non othyr seruys of no lordys þat he shold be in.
Item, as for Dawbneys executors, i spak not yet wyth them for your oblygacyon
nor for hys byllys, but i purpose to tak it in my wey homward.

Item, i send yow her-in a copy of the inventory whyche i mad at my depertyng fro
Caster.
Item, i purpose to be at Sporle to-morow or on Thorsday, and ther to se what may
be mad of the wood, and he þat wyll geue most for it in hand and of þe ...
[unclear ] yow woord what þat he wyll geue, and tyll i haue answer fro yow...
[unclear ] no percillys and ... [unclear ]

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1470, 05, 14

To mastyr Syr John Paston, knyght, in hast.
Syr, I recomand me to yow, &c. W. Gorney and I ar apoyntyd that ther shall no
mony be takyn at Saxthorp tyll thys terme be past, for he hathe promysyd me to
spek wyth yow and your consell and þat ye shall tak a wey be-twyx yow so þat ye
shall be bothe plesyd. He had warnyd a coort at Saxthorp to haue be kep vpon
Holy Rood Day last past, and ther he wold haue gadyrd the half yer ferm; but it
fortunyd me to be ther er the coort was half don, and I took syche a wey wyth
hym that the qwest gaue no verdyt, ner they procedyd no ferther in ther cort nor
gadyrd no mony ther, nor not shall do tyll syche tym as ye spek to-gedyr and ye
be at

London thys term. But and ye be not at London I wold auyse yow to let Townysend
tak a wey wyth hym, for it lyeth not in my power to keep werr wyth hym; for and
I had not delt ryght corteysly vp-on Holy Rood Day I had drownk to myn oystyrs,
for yowng Heydon had reysyd as many men as he kowd mak in harneys to haue holp
Gornay, but when Heydon sye þat we delt so corteysly as we ded he wythdrew hys
men and mad hem to go hom a-yen. Not wyth-standyng they wer redy and ned had be,
and also my lord of Norffolkys men wyll be wyth hym ayenst me, I wot well as
yet, tyl bettyr pesse be.
Item, as for myn ownkyll William, I haue spook wyth hym and he seyth þat he wyll
make a byll in all hast of iche percell be-twyxt yow, and send yow word in
wryghtyng how that he wooll deell wyth yow; but I can not se þat he besyth hym
a-bowght it not wythstandyng I call vpon hym dayly for it. As for mony, I can
non get neythyr at Snaylewell nor at Sporle tyll Mydsomer, thow I wold dryue all
the catell they haue. I was bond to the shreuys for grenwax and for a fyeri
facias þat is awardyd owt of yowyr lond wyche drawyth in all bettyr than v mark,
and I am fayn to borow the mony to pay it, by þat Lord I beleue on, for I cowd
not gadyr a nobyll of areragys syn I was wyth yow at London of all the lyuelod
ye haue. As for John Maryot, he is payid of hys anuyté in-to a nobyll or x s. at
the most but, as for all hys dettors, I can not pay hem tyll I can gadyr more
mony, so God help me. I pray yow send a byll to John Pampyng that he may ryed
wyth me ouyr all your lyuelood and take a cler reknyng what is owyng and what
þat I haue receyuyd, that ye may haue a cler reknyng of all that ye owe in thys
contré and what your tenauntys owe yow.
Item, I pray yow send me woord as hastyly as ye can how the world goothe. No
more, but God lant yow, lansman; and rather then to stand in dowght remembyr
what peyn it is a man to loose lyberté. The Flet is a fayir preson, but ye had
but smale lyberté ther-in, for ye must nedys aper when ye wer callyd.
Item, I haue fownd Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon. Item, he comyth to London ward
thys day. Wretyn þe xiiij day of Maye. J. P.

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1470, 01, 23

 

To my ryght worchepfull brodyr Syr John Paston, knyght, be thys delyueryd.

Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow in my best wyse. Lyekyth it yow to
wet that, acordyng to yowyr desyir in dyuers of your lettyrs sent on-to me, I
haue spook wyth Heydon for the deed of Bekham whyche he hathe; and he answeryth
me that John Maryot owyth hym xxx li., and at syche tym as he is payid of that
mony he seyth he is redy to delyuer the deed, and in-to syche tyme as he be
payid of þat monye he wyll no deed delyuer to no man.
Item, I haue spook wyth Storour, the vndyrsheryff of Norffolk, and am acordyd
wyth hym for all maner of proses a-yenst yow or eny of your seruauntys tyll the
next proses com owt, sauyng for a fieri facias is awardyd owt of the Chekyr
vp-on your londys of lviij s. whyche is geuyn to the Blak Freyrs of Oxenforthe.
And that haue I fownd swerté and am bownd to hym in v mark that he shall be
payid by viij dayis aftyr Kandyllmas.
Item, ye must tak good heed that ye and your meen may be in swerté wyth-owt
arest for the forsybyll entré thys terme er eny more proses com owt ayenst yow
or them, or ellys they that b [unclear ] e in thys contré ar lyek to be trowblyd
hastyly.
Item, yerstyrday W. Gornay entryd in-to Saxthorp, and ther was he kepy [unclear
] ng of a coort, and had the tenauntys attornyd to hym. But er the coort was all
doon I cam thedyr, wyth a man wyth me and no more, and ther be-for hym and all
hys felawchep, Gayne, Bomsted, Hoppys, and iij or iiij mor, I chargyd the
tenauntys that they shold proced no ferther in ther coort vp-on peyn þat myght
falle of it; and they lettyd for a season, but they sye that I was not abyll to
make my pertye good, and so they prosedyd forthe. And I sye that, and set me
downe by the stward and blottyd hys book wyth my fyngyr as he wrot, so that all
the tenauntys afermyd that the coort was enterupte by me as in yowyr ryght; and
I reqweryd them to record that ther was no pesybyll coort kepet, and so they
seyd they wold. W. Gornay and I dynyd to-gedyr the same daye, and he told me
that he had spokyn to yow of the same mater.

Item, ye must take hed for on Reed swyth dyuers of þe tenauntys of Gwton for
ocupying of serteyn londys in Gwton callyd Bullys londys, and he hathe them at
an exigent at thys terme, so þat the seyd tenauntys dar not paye yow nor ocupye
non of the seyd londys, and they wer letyn for xxx s. be yer and more, and
serteyn barly.
Item, the person of Heynforth is swyd by W. Yeluerton, and is at an exygent also
for viij li. whyche he payid to Rychard Calle. Ye must se that he be sauyd
harmles, bothe for consyens and shame.
Item, I haue thys day delyueryd your mantyll, your raye gowne, and your
crosbowys wyth telers and wyndas, and your Normandy byll to Korby to bryng wyth
hym to London. Item, in eny wyse, and ye can, axe the probate of my fadyrs wyll
to be geuyn yow wyth the bargayn þat ye make wyth my lord of Canterbery, and I
can thynk that ye may haue it; and as soone as it is prouyd ye or I may haue a
lettyr of mynystracyon vp-on the same and a qwetance of my lord Cardnalle euyn
foorthe-wyth, and thys wer on of the best bargaynys that ye mad thys ij yer, I
enswyr yow. And he may make yow a qwetance, or get yow on of the Bysheop of
Wynchestyr, for Syr John Fastolfys goodys also; and in my reson thys wer lyght
to be browght a-bowght wyth the same bargayn. And ye purpose to bargayn wyth hym
ye had need to hye yow, for it is told me that my lord of Norffolk wyl entyr
in-to it hastyly, and if he so doo it is the wers for yow, and it wyll cawse
them to profyr the lesse syluyr.
Item, I pray yow send me some secret tydyngys of the lyklyod of the world by the
next messenger that comyth betwen, that I may be eythyr myryer or ellys mor sory
then I am, and also þat I may gwyd me theraftyr.
Item, as for Syr R. Wyngfeld, I can get no x li. of hym, but he seyth þat I
shall haue the fayirest harneys thatt I can bye in London for syluyr; but mony
can I non get. I can not yet make my pesse wyth my lord of Norffolk nor my lady
by no meane, yet euery man tellyth me that my lady seyth passyn [deleted in MS ]
gly well of me allweys. Notwythstandyng I trowe þat they wyll swe the apell thys
term, yet ther is no man of vs jndytyd but if it wer doon afor the crowners or
then we cam owte of þe plase. Ther is now but iij men in it, and the bryggys
alwey drawyn. No mor, but God lant yow, myn her. Wretyn the Twysday nex aftyr
Seynt Agnet þe fyrst. J. P. Thys day Edmun [deleted in MS ] d Reed, sowter of
Norwyche, sone and heyir to Red that swyth your tenauntys at Gwton, cam to Gwton
and as to-morow he purposeyth to entre Bullys londys; but I wyll lett hym and I
can, I tryst to God, who preserue yow. And need be I com to yow, or ellys nowt; and all the
lordys com to [deleted in MS ] London I pray yow recomand me [deleted in MS ] to
John Leuenthorp and Penne and all good felaws. Send tydyngys in hast, I pray
yow.

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
John Paston III
TO JOHN PASTON II 1472, 07, 08

To my ryght worchepfull brodyr Syr John Paston, knyght.
Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to you, sertyfying yow that I haue spokyn
wyth Mastyr John Smyth for Syr T. Lyndys, and he hathe shewyd me your byll
whyche ye axe to be content of. Your byll a-lone drawyth iiij mark and ode
monye, for ye haue set in your byll for wax a-lone xx s., whyche to Mastyr John
S. jmagynacyon, and to all other ofycers of the coort, shold not drawe past xx
d. at hys berying. The byllys that be put in to the coorte of Syr T. Lynys
dettys drawe xxx li. xviij s. vj d., and all the money that can be mad of hys
house and goodys in thys contrey drawyth but v li. Master J. Smyth wold ye shold
send hym in to the coort an jnventory of syche goodys as Syr T. had at London
when he dyeid, and þat jnventory onys had ye shall haue as comyth to your part, and more also. Ye must send þe serteynté whedyr the wax be xx s or xx d. And as for the freers, Master
John wyll not alowe theym a peny, for he seyth wher þe dettys may not be payeid,
set þe beqwestys at nowght. He is agreid to pay the potycarye aftyr that he haue
þe jnventory fro yow. Rysyng I trowe hathe be wyth yow.
Item, as for John Maryot, I haue sent to hym for þe xl s., but I haue non
answer.
Item, I haue spok wyth Barker, and he hathe no money nor non can get tyll
haruest, when he may dystreyn the cropp vp-on þe grownd. He seyth ther is not
owyng past v mark, and on Saterday next comyng he shall send me a vewe of hys
acompte whyche I shall send yow as sone as I haue it. As for Fastolffys v mark,
J. Wyndham hathe be spokyn to by me half a doseyn tymys to send to hym for it,
and he seyth he hathe doon so.
Item, Syr John Styll hathe told Jwdé when ye shall haue the chalys. Ax Jwdé of
your crwetys allso.
Item, the prowd, pevyshe, and euyll dysposyd prest to vs all, Syr Jamys, seyth
þat ye comandyd hym to delyuer þe book of vij Sagys to my brodyr Water, an he
hathe it.
Item, I send yow the serteynté her-wyth of as myche as can be enqweryd for myn
oncyll W. cleym in Caster. Those artyclys þat fayle, the tenauntys of Caster
shall enqwer theym and send to me hastyly. They haue promysyd and they com ye
shall haue theym sent yow by the next messenger þat comyth to London.
Item, my modyr sendyth yow woord that she hathe neyther Master Robard Popyes
oblygacyon nor the Byshopys. Item, my modyr wold ye shold in all haste gete her
aqwetance of the Byshop of Wynchester for Syr John Fastolff goodys. She preyid
yow to make it swyr by þe auyse of your consayll, and she wyll pay for the
costys. Item, she preyith yow to spek to þe seyd Byshop for to get Master
Clement Felmyn [deleted in MS ] gham the viij mark be yer dwryng hys lyffe that
Syr J. Fastolff be-set hym. She preyid yow to get hym an asygnement for it to
som maner in Norffolk or in Lothynglond.
Item, she wold ye shold get yow an other house to ley in youyr stuff syche as
cam fro Caster; she thynkyth on of the freerys is a fayir house. She purposeyth
to go in-to the contré and ther to soiorn onys a-yen. Many qwarellys ar pyekyd
to get my brodyr E. and me ought of hyr howse. We go not to bed vnchedyn
lyghtly. All þat we do is ille doon, and all that Syr Jamys and Pekok dothe is
well doon. Syr Jamys and I be tweyn. We fyll owght be-for my modyr wyth 'Thow prowd prest' and 'Thow prowd sqwyer', my modyr takyng hys part, so I haue almost beshet þe bote as for my modyrs house. Yet somer shalbe don or I get me eny mastyr. My modyr purposeith hastyly to take state in all hyr londys, and vp-on that estate to make hyr wyll of þe seyd
londys: parte to geue to my yonger brethyrn for term of her lyuys and aftyr to
remayn to yow, pert to my syster Annys maryage tyll an c li. be payid, part for
to make hyr jle at Mawtby, parte for a prest to syng for hyr and my fadyr and
ther ancestrys, And in thys angyr betwen Syr Jamys and me she hathe promyseid me
that my parte shall be nowght; what your shalbe I can not sey. God sped the
plowghe! I feythe ye must puruey for my brodyr E. to go ouer wyth yow, or he is
on-don. He wyll bryng xx noblys in hys purse. My modyr wyll nowthyr geue nor
lend non of you bothe a peny forward. Puruey a meane to haue Caster ayen or ye
goo ouyr; my lord and my lady--- whyche for serteyn is gret wyth chyld---be wery
ther-of, and all þe housold also. If ye wyll eny othyr thyng [deleted in MS ] to
be don in thys contré, send me woord and I shalldo as well as I can, wyth Godys
grace, who preserue yow. Wretyn the viij day of Julle. I pray yow recomand me to
my lord of Aran, Syr John Par, Syr George Browne, Osbern Berney, R. Hyd, J.
Hoxson, my cosyn hys wyfe Kate, W. Wood, and all. I prey brenne thys byll

Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
Agnes Paston
PART OF DRAFT WILL 1466??
pro voluntate Willelmi Paston justiciarij

On the Thurseday at nyght before Our Ladys Day the Assumpcion, betwixt xj and
xij of the clokk, in the yere of our Lord God ml cccc and xliiij, the Sondays
lettre on the D, died my husbond, God assoyle his sowle. And on the Fryday after
I sent for John Paston, William Bakton, and John Dam; and on the Wedynysday
after cam John Paston, the Thurseday John Dam and William Bakton. And on the
Fryday John Paston, John Dam, and I yode in-to the chambre whyche was Goodredys,

and they desyred of me to see the wyll. I lete them see it, and John Dam redde
it. And whan he had redde it John Paston walkyd vp and down in the chamer; John
Dam and I knelyd at the beddys fete. The sayd John Dam askyd me what was my
husbondys wyll shulde be done wyth Sporle, and I sayd it was his wyll that oone
of his tw [unclear ] ayn yongest sonnys shulde haue it. He sayd preuely to me by
his feyth he sayd the same to hym. Than the sa [unclear ] me tyme I lete them
see he dede of yiffte which as I suppose was councell to all tho this dede was
made on-to till I shewyd it them. And soo they swore all sauf John Paston and
John Damme. After that [unclear ] my sonne John Paston had neuer ryght kynde
wordys to me. And John Dam askyd me what justice and felowe of his my husbond
trustyd most, and I aunsweryd hym as I knewe. Th [unclear ] an they yede home
wyth the body in-to Norffolk and buryed it ...... [unclear ] ys whych I had
takyn hym in his fadirs lyue whych oon longyd to the coffre at Oxnede [unclear ]
wher-in my dedys were that now be forsworn. Whan my husbondys body was in-to
Norffolk I went to Berkyng and ... [unclear ] Michelmas com to Shipleys hows in
London. And thider cam John Paston and John Dam and intreted me to put in ...
[unclear ] Sweynesthorp and Sporle that John shuld haue it. And I sayd it was
neuer my husbondys ...... [unclear ] the aduy [unclear ] s of my lord of
Lyncoln. And John Dam lenyng vp-on a stole, I syttyng by hym, sayd......
[unclear ] to a prest to aske hym councell of suche a thyng he wolde nat byde
hym dowte, but if he do it and go to the prest he wyll asoyle hym. I yede in-to
Seint Elyne chirche and told to William Bakton how they had sayde to me, and
told hym I coude not fynde in my herte to sette in the wyll that I knewe wel was
the contrary. And he sayde he wolde not councell me therto; and soo we departed.
After this cam John Damme and askyd me whyche of the justicys my husbond trusted
most, and sayde to me, Be ye not remembrid of suche a day my maister helde wyth
Maryott at Norwych?' I sayd, 'Yis, for I was ther my-selfe.' he [unclear ] sayd
to me my husbond toke a certeyn man a thyng wryten and insealed of my husbondys
hande, but what was in þer [unclear ] -in he wyste neuer.