_Early Documents_
Before entering upon the correspondence of the Paston family, in the
reign of Henry VI., we have thought it well to give the reader a brief
note of such deeds and charters of an earlier date as appear either to
have been preserved in the family, or to have any bearing on its
history. The following is a list of those we have been able to meet with
either in the originals or in other quarters, such as Blomefield’s
_History of Norfolk_, where notices are given of several documents,
which appear now to have got into unknown hands. The documents seen by
Blomefield, and those from the Paston and Dawson-Turner collections, now
in the British Museum, were probably all at one time part of the Paston
family muniments. The three Harleian charters seem to have been derived
from a different source.
A Deed is cited by Blomefield (_Hist. Norf._ vi. 480), by which
Anselm, Abbot of St. Benet’s, Hulme, and the Convent there, gave to
Osbern, the priest (said by Blomefield to have been a son of Griffin
de Thwait, the founder of the Paston family), the land of St.
Benet’s of Paston (_terram Sancti Benedicti de Paston_), in fee, for
half the farm of one _caruca_, as his ancestors used to pay for the
same.
Also a Deed of William the Abbot (who lived in King Stephen’s
reign), granting to Richer de Pastun, son of Osbern, son of Griffin
de Thwete, all the land that the Convent held in Pastun, with their
men, and other pertinencies.
Also a Deed of Covenant between Richer de Paston and Reginald the
Abbot, and Convent of St. Benet’s, Holme, that when peace should be
settled in England, and pleas held in the Court of our Lord the
King, the said Richer would, at the request and at the expense of
the Abbot, give him every security in Court to release the lands in
Pastun.
‘Ralph de Paston was son, as I take it’ (says Blomefield) ‘of this
Richer, and appears to have had two sons, Richard and Nicholas.
‘Richard, son of Ralph de Paston, by his deed, _sans_ date, granted
to Geoffrey, son of Roger de Tweyt, lands in this town (Oxnead),
paying 9d. per ann. for his homage and service, 40s. for a fine
(_in gersumam_), and paying to him and his heirs on the feasts of
St. Andrew, Candlemas, Pentecost, and St. Michael, on each feast,
2s. _ob._ He sealed with one _lis_. Laurence de Reppes, William and
John, his brother, William de Bradfield, &c., were witnesses.’
--Blomefield, vi. 480-1.
‘There was also another branch of this family, of which was Wystan,
or Wolstan, de Paston, which I take to be the lineal ancestor of Sir
William Paston, the Judge, and the Earls of Yarmouth. This Wolstan
lived in the reign of Henry II. and Richard I., and married, as is
probable, a daughter of the Glanvilles, as appeared from an
impalement of Paston and Glanville in the windows of Paston Hall in
Paston. His son and heir styled himself Robert de Wyston and Robert
de Paston; who, dying in or about 1242, was buried at Bromholm, and
left Edmund de Paston. To this Edmund, son of Robert, son of Wolstan
de Paston, Sir Richard de Paston gave the land in Paston which
Robert, his father, held of him and Nicholas, his brother, by deed
_sans_ date.’ --Blomefield, vi. 481.
Undated Deed of Nicholaus filius Radulfi Diaconi de Paston, granting
to Robert, son of Wistan de Paston, two parcels of land--one of them
abutting on the lands of Eudo de Paston. Witnesses--Richard de
Trunch; Will. Esprygy; Ralph de Reppes; Roger de Reppes; Richard,
s. of Ralph de Baketon; John de Reppes; Roger, s. of Warin de Paston;
Hugh, s. of Will. de Paston, &c.--Add. Charter 17,217, B.M. (Paston
MSS.).
Undated Deed of Richard, son of Ralph de Pastune, granting to
Edmund, son of Robert Wistan de Pastune, lands in Pastune,
&c.--(_Seal attached, in fine condition._)--Add. Charter 17,218,
B.M. (Paston MSS.).
Blomefield also mentions (vi. 481) that Nicholas, son of Ralph de
Paston, gave lands to Robert, son of Wystan de Paston, by deed _sans
date_. Witness, Roger de Repps.
Undated Deed Poll, by which Richard, the son of Ralph, Deacon of
Paston, grants to Edmund, the son of Robert Wiston of Paston,
certain lands at Paston.--Add. Charter 14,810, B.M. (D. Turner’s
Collection of Deeds relating to Norfolk).
Richard, son of Ralph de Paston, according to Blomefield (xi. 24),
gave 12_d._ a year rent in Paston to the Priory of Bromholm. This
gift is also mentioned by Richard Taylor in his Index Monasticus of
the Diocese of Norwich, p. 15, where the purpose of the endowment is
said to be ‘to keep their books in repair.’
Deed, cited by Blomefield (vi. 481), by Richard, son of John, son of
Richard de Paston, granting to Richer Alunday and his heirs his
native Alan de Tilney, with all his family, &c. (_cum tota
sequela_), and 7 acres of land in Paston and Knapton, with
messuages, &c., for 4 marks of silver _in gersumam_, and a rent of
22_d._ a year.
Undated Deed Poll, whereby William, the son of Robert Barrett,
grants to Edmund, the son of Robert Whiston of Paston, certain lands
in the Common Field of Paston.--Add. Charter 14,813, B.M.
(D. Turner’s Coll.).
Undated Indenture between Clement Parcerit of Gimmingham, and Cecil,
his wife, and Edmund, the son of Robert de Paston, concerning lands
in Paston Field.--Add. Charter 14,814, B.M. (D. Turner’s Coll.).
Undated Deed Poll, by which Richard de Lessingham grants to William,
son of Robert de Paston, certain lands in the Common Field of
Paston.--Add. Charter 14,812 (D. Turner’s Coll.).
Ancient Deed of Nich. Chancehose of Baketun granting to Edmund, fil.
Roberti Wistan de Pastun, and his heirs, for 30_s._, a _tresroda_ of
land in Pastun.--Add. Charter 17,219, B.M. (Paston MSS.).
Undated Deed Poll, by which Richard, son of John de Paston, grants
to Roger, his brother, certain lands in Paston Field.--Add. Charter
14,811, B.M. (D. Turner’s Coll.).
Undated Deed Poll, whereby Hugh, son of William de Pastun, grants to
Walter, son of Edmund de Pastun, and his heirs, a _tresroda_ of land
in the fields of Pastun, ‘inter terram quæ fuit Osberti Salr. (?),
ex parte Austri, et terram quæ fuit Ricardi Chaumpeneys ex parte
Aquilonis, et abuttat super forreram quæ fuit Roberti Carpentar’
versus Orientem, et super liberam et terram ecclesiæ de Past’ versus
Occidentem.’ --Add. Charter 2004, B.M.
A.D. 1313, 16 Oct. ‘William de Paston obtains a pardon as an
adherent of the Earl of Lancaster for his participation in the death
of Gaveston, and the disturbances occasioned thereby.’ 16 Oct.,
7 Edw. II.--Palgrave’s Parliamentary Writs, vol. ii. div. iii. p.
1262.
A.D. 1324, 22 Jan. Deed Poll, dated on Sunday after the Feast of St.
Agnes, 17 Edward II., whereby Henry de Mundham, parson of Oxnead,
and another, grant to William Hautayne and Alice, his wife,
a certain messuage and premises in Oxnead.--Add. Charter 14,804,
B.M. (D. Turner’s Coll.).
A.D. 1324, 19 Feb. Quit-Claim by Edmund, son of Robert de Neketone,
to Robert de Paston, Tabernarius, of lands in the fields without the
West Gate of Bury St. Edmund’s. Sunday after St. Valentine’s Day,
17 Edw. II. Seal attached.--Harl. Charter 54 A. 31, B.M.
A.D. 1329, 24 Dec. Deed Poll of Margery, daughter of Robert de
Neketon, granting to Robert de Paston lands in the fields of St.
Edmund’s. St. Edmund’s Bury, Sunday, Christmas Eve, 3 Edw.
III.--Harl. Charter 54 A. 32, B.M.
A.D. 1330. Petition to Parliament 4 Edw. III. of John de Claveryng,
complaining that John Payne of Dunwich, Constantine de Paston,
Austin Fitzwilliam, and others of Dunwich, took by force and arms
five ships and a boat belonging to him, at Wallerswyke, and goods to
the value of £300, after having beat, shipwrecked, and imprisoned
(_baterent, naufrerent, et enprisonerent_) the said John’s servants.
The king’s answer: ‘Eyt en Chauncellerie oyer et terminer pur le
horibilite du trespas, devant covenables justices.’ --Rolls of Parl.
ii. 33.
A.D. 1333, 29 April. Deed Poll, dated Thursday next before the Feast
of the Invention of the Holy Cross, 7 Edward III., whereby Alice,
widow of William Hautayne, grants to Henry de Colby and others a
messuage, with the appurtenances in Oxnead.--Add. Charter 14,805,
B.M. (D. Turner’s Coll.).
A.D. 1341, 28 Aug. Deed Poll of Robert de Paston granting to William
de Bradeleghe and William Child, Chaplains, lands in the fields of
St. Edmund’s Bury, without the West Gate at Stanywerp, &c. St.
Edmund’s Bury, Tuesday after St. Bartholomew, 15 Edw. III.--Harl.
Charter 54 F. 37, B.M.
A.D. 1341. Indenture of 15 Edw. III. between John de Knapeton,
rector of Freugges, and Clement de Paston and Will. his son.--Add.
Charter 17,221, B.M. (Paston MSS.).
A.D. 1361. Charter of Sir Rob. de Mauteby to the Prior of St.
Olave’s, Herlyngflet, 35 Edw. III.--Add. Charter 17,222 (Paston
MSS.), B.M.
Notes of Proceedings in Outlawry of the time of Edward III. Judgment
by Sir John Hody, mentioned in a more modern hand.--Paston MSS.,
B.M.
A.D. 1382, 5 Oct. Deed Poll, dated on Sunday next after the Feast of
St. Michael, 6 Richard II., by which Robert de Paston grants to John
Gant certain lands in Paston field.--Add. Charter 14,817, B.M.
(D. Turner’s Coll.).
A.D. 1404, 1 Oct. Deed by which Mary, Lady Mortimer, mother of Sir
John Fastolf, grants to her said son her manors of Caister and
Caister Hall, together with her manor of Repps and the advowson of
the free Chapel of St. John, within the said manor of Caister, to
hold to him and his heirs for ever. 1 Oct., 6 Henry IV.--Add.
Charter 14,597, B.M. (D. Turner’s Coll.).