FROM THE FIRST ASSEMBLY BOOK OF THE CITY OF NORWICH (fol. 65).
[Assembly on Friday after the Epiphany, 5 Edw. IV.]
[Sidenote: 1466 JAN. 10]
Eodem die publicata fuit per Maiorem et Recordatorem Civitatis causa
adventus domini de Scales ad civitatem secunda vice infra
xviij{cim} dies; est et fuit pro bonis et catallis Johannis Paston
quem dominus Rex pro suo nativo seisivit, ad dicta bona et catalla
in quorumcunque manibus comperta fuerint nomine domini Regis
seisiend’, et mesuagium[339-2] ipsius Johannis Paston infra
Civitatem intrand’ et seisiend’ cum omnibus bonis et catallis in
eodem inventis. Unde super et de materiis predictis per Recordatorem
et Consilium legis peritorum Civitatis responsum fuit dicto domino
de Scales omnibus viis modis et forma secundum eorum erudicionem
prout poterunt (? potuerunt) pro libertate Civitatis salvand’ et
custodiend’ illesa. Et quia materia predicta tangit libertatem
Civitatis et privilegia, et dictus dominus de Scales per aliquod
responsum ei factum non vult satisfieri, pro eo quod dictus dominus
de Scales intendit omnino dictum mesuagium intrare et clausuras
eiusdem frangere; Id circo presens communis congregacio summonita
fuit, consilium et avisamentum communis Consilii et
Constabulariorum[339-3] Civitatis audire et inde habere. Post vero
diversas communicaciones communicare petierunt deliberacionem;
matura deliberatione habita sic est deffinitum, quod introitus
factus erit per assensum totius communis congregacionis per
feoffatores ipsius Johannis Paston, quia bene suppositum est quod
tam certi Aldermanni quam Cives Communarii[340-1] Civitatis sint
cofeoffati cum ipso Johanne Paston; et sic per feoffatores dictum
mesuagium erit apertum sine fractura vel ad minus nomine ipsorum
feoffatorum vel feoffati unius.
[Footnote 339-2: The house is supposed to have been in the parish
of St. Peter Hungate, but it is not certainly known.]
[Footnote 339-3: About this period the 24 Ward Constables were
associated in an Assembly with the 60 Common Councillors. This is
why they are mentioned here, not with any reference to ‘police’
action.]
[Footnote 340-1: Members of the Common Council.]
[Footnote 339-1: For this extract from the Assembly books of the
City of Norwich I am indebted to the Rev. William Hudson of
Eastbourne, who further adds the following particulars:--
The Mayor this year was Thomas Elys who is mentioned in the
Paston Letters (iv. 139) as a great supporter of the Duke of
Suffolk and opponent of Paston.
The Recorder apparently was John Damme, I suppose the same who
occurs so often as a friend of the Pastons.
What with this divergence of feeling and the difficulty of
satisfying Lord Scales as well as their own duty towards the
City the case was a delicate one and was rather ingeniously
dealt with.
There is no other reference to the matter in the Norwich
documents so far as I am aware.]
[[p. 225 = shortly after sidenote “John Paston imprisoned
a third time”_]]