_To the worshipful Sir John Paston, Knyght, be thys delveryd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1468(?) / DEC. 15]
Worshipfull and with all myn hert interly wilbeloved nevoue,
I recomaunde me to yow, desyryng to here of your prosperite and
wilefayr, which I pray All mighti God maynteyn and encres to His plesour
and your herts desir, thankyng God of your amendyng and helth;
furthermore, certefying yow that Sir Robert Fenys hath doon grete hurte
in the lyvelode whiche perteyned to my husbond and me in the Shire of
Kent, wherein William Kene and other persones arn enfeffid, and gretly
troubleth hit, and receyveth the issuez and profitez of gret part of
theym. And as of my seid husbonds lyvelode, aswell in the same shire as
in other shirez, besyde myn jounter, my seid husbond, whan he departyd
towarde the feld of Saint Albons, made and ordeyned his wille, that I
shuld have the rewell of all his lyvelode, and of Edwarde his soon and
myn, and to take the issuez and profitez of the seid lyvelode, to the
fyndyng of his and myn seid son, to paie his dettez, and to kepe the
right and title of the same lyvelode, which I myght nat accordyng
occupie for Sir Edwarde Ponyngs, myn seid husbonds brother; and so sith
myn seid husbonds departyng, I assigned that the seid Sir Edwarde for
certeyn yereez shuld have and take the revenuez of the maners of
Westwode, Estwell, Levelond, Horsmonden, Totyndon, Eccles, Staundon, and
Combesdon, parcell of the seid lyvelode, which arn clerely yerely worth
lxxvj_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._, to the entent that the seid Sir Edwarde
shuld paye myn husbonds dettez, for he wold not suffer me to be in rest
without that he myght have a rewell in the lyvelode; and after the seid
assignement made, the seid Robert Fenes, contrary to trowth, and
withoute cause of right, interupted me and the seid Sir Edwarde, aswell
of and in the seid maners as of other maners undirwretyn; wher uppon the
same Sir Edwarde suet unto the Kyngs Highnesse, and hade the Kyngez
honorable lettres undir his signet, directed to the said Sir Robert
Fenys, the tenour wherof I send unto yow herin inclosid; and as for
residue of the lyvelode of myn seid husbonds and myn, within the same
shire of Kent, wherin the said William Kene and other arn enfeffed, that
is to say, the maner of Tyrlyngham, Wolverton, Halton, Newyngton,
Bastram, Rokesley, and Northcray, with th’appurtenauncez, I of them, by
myn seid husbonds wille, shuld have residue, and take the issuez and
profitez of theym, contrarye to right and conciens, takyng away my
ryght, and brekyng my said husbonds wille, the seid Robert Fenys hath
doon gret wast and hurte ther, and long tym hath take upe the revenuez
and profitez of the same, wher thorough I have not my ryght, and the
seid wille may not be performed.
Wherfor I hertely pray yow that ze will labour unto the Kynges Highnes,
at yt lyketh hym addres his honorable lettres to be directed to the seid
Robert Fenys, dischargyng hym utterly of the menuraunce, occupacion, and
receyt of the revenuez of the said maners of Tyrlyngham and other,
accordyng to the tenour of the lettres labored by Sir Edwarde, for the
maners assigned to hym from the Kyngs Highnes, directyd to the same
Robert Fynes, or strayter if hit may be, and that I and myn assignez may
peasseble rejoie theym; and if eny person wold attempt to do the
contrarye, that a comaundement, yf it ples the Kyngs Hignes, by hym
myght be yevyn to my Lorde Chaunceller to seall writtyngs sufficiaunt
with his gret seall, in eydyng and assisting me and myn assignez in this
same.
And as for the maners of Esthall, Faukham, Asslie, and Chelsfeld, with
th’appurtenauntez in the seid schire of Kent, whereof my hysbond at his
departur was seassed, and my son sethens, unto the tyme that the Erle of
Kent[310.1] without eny inquission or title of right for the Kyng, by
colour of the Kynges lettres patentes, entret into theym, and hym therof
put owte, and now my Lorde of Essex[310.2] occupieth them in lyke maner
and forme; yf eny remedy therin wilbe hade, I pray yow attempt hit.
Also, forther more, I hertely pray yow that if eny generall pardon be
grauntyd, that I may have on for John Dane my servaunt, whom the said
Robert Fenys of gret malice hath endyted of felonye, and that ze
secretly labour this, and send me an aunswer in writtyng in as godly
hast as ze may. As soon as that may ples yow to send me passels of
costes and expences ze bere and pay for the said causez, I will truely
content yow hit of the same, and over that rewarde yow to your plessour
by the grace of Jesu, quo have yow in His blessed keping. Wrettyn in
Suthwerk the xv^th daie of Decembyr.
Be your awnt,