[Sidenote: 1453 / SEPT. (?)]
Ryth worchepfull howsbonde, I recomende me on to yow. Plesyt yow to wete
that I sent Tomas Bon to Edwarde Coteler to have one ansuer of the mater
that ye spak to hym of, and he sent me worde that he hade spok to hys
man therof, and he tolde hym that he hade no wrytynge nor evidens of no
swyche thyng as ye spak to hym of, ner not wyst were he scholde have
cnowlage of no swyche thyng, save that he tolde hym that he receyvyd
onys j.c._s._ [100_s._] of the same rent; but and he may have cnowlage
of ony man that havyth ony wrytyng or ony thyng that may out prevayle,
he schal late yow have cnoulage therof.
As for Wylliam Yellverton, he come here never syn ye yede. As for my
Lady Stapullton, att the wrytyng of thys letter sche was not come home.
Wyndhamys[288.2] erand to my Lady of Southefolk[288.3] was to desiyr hyr
gode Ladychep and to beseche hyr that sche wold spek to my cosyn
Evenyngham[288.4] that he myt have hys gode wyll, for he levith in hope
to have hys modyr, and he hath made menys to have her by John Gros and
hys wyf, and by Bokynham and by odyr dyvers, and profuryth hyr to find
suerte to acquitt hyr housbondys dettes, the qwyche is CCC. marc, and to
payit doune on j. day. And by thys mene, as he seyth, he hathe bargeynid
with j. marchande of London, and hath solde to hym the manage of hys
son, for the qwyche he scal have vij. C. [700] marc, and of that the
iij. C. [300] marc schoulde be payd for the forseyd dettes; and also he
proforyth to yeve hyr the maner of Felbryg to hyr joyntour, and odyr
la[r]ge profors as ye schal here eraffter. As for the good wyll of my
cosyn Hevenyngham, he seyth Wyndh[am][289.1] he schall never have hytt,
nott for to have hyr gode konyth he [abydyth][289.2] hys soull hevy
therof, for he is aferde that and if the large profors may be
perfor[m]yd, that sche wyll have hym. My seyd cosyn preyith yow, att the
reverens of Gode, that ye wyll do yowyr [devoir][289.3] therin to brec
it and ye can. He schall be here ayen on Mychaell mas evyn. He was full
sory that ye wer outt att this tyme, for he hopyd that ye schoulde have
do myche goode att this tyme. He hathe seyde as myche ther ageyns as he
dar do to have hyr gode modyrchep. My Lady of Southfolce sent j. letter
to hyr yesterday by Stanle, the qwyche is callyd j. well cherysyd man
with my seyd Lady, and desyiryng hyr in the letter that sche wolde owe
hyr godde wyll and favor to Wyndham in that that he desyiryd of hyr, and
of more matterys that ye schall here er after, for I suppose sche wyll
schew yow the same letter and mak yow of hyr counsel in many thyngys,
and I schall do my part as feythfully as I can to lett Wyndhamys porpose
tyl ye come home. I pray yow sende me a copy of hys petygre, that I may
schew to hyr how worchepphull it is, for in goode feythe sche is
informyd bi hyr gentyll son Gros and Bokenham that he is mor
worcheppfull in berthe and in lyvelode therto than they or ony odyr can
preve, as I suppose. I pray yow lett nott thys mater be discuyryd tyl ye
her more therof or after, for my cosyn Hevenyngham tolde myche here of
in secret wyse, and of odyr thyngis qwyche ye schall have cnoulage of
qwan ye come home, &c.
In hast, all in hast.
[Footnote 288.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] There is neither
signature nor address to this letter, but it is undoubtedly from
Margaret Paston to her husband. The handwriting is the same as
that of her other letters. The date seems to be after the death
of Sir John Heveningham in 1453, and is not likely to have been
a later year, as the Duchess of Suffolk’s influence must have
been diminished when the Duke of York came into power, though it
may possibly have been powerful again in 1456.]
[Footnote 288.2: John Wyndham, Esq. of Felbrigg.]
[Footnote 288.3: Alice, widow of William de la Pole, Duke of
Suffolk.]
[Footnote 288.4: John, son of Sir John Heveningham. --_See_ p.
227, Note 3.] [[_error for p. 285, n. 3 (Letter 227)_]]
[Footnote 289.1: Mutilated.]
[Footnote 289.2: Erased in MS. Apparently some further
correction should have been made.]
[Footnote 289.3: Omitted in MS. ‘Do your devoir,’ _i.e._
endeavour, seems to have been the phrase intended.]
230