Sources:
The Paston Letters. 1422-1509 A.D., Volume 1, compiled by Edward Arber and James Gairdner, 1872
WARNING: DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE, DEATH THREATS AND NAME-CALLING.
The letter:
Ryght worshipfull husbond, I recomaund me to yow, and prey yow to wete þat on Friday last passed before noon, þe parson of Oxened beyng at messe in our parossh chirche, euyn atte leuacion of þhe sakeryng, Jamys Gloys hadde ben in þhe tovne and come homward by Wymondams gate. And Wymondam stod in his gate and John Norwode his man stod by hym, and Thomas Hawys his othir man stod in þhe strete by þhe canell side. And Jamys Gloys come with his hatte on his hede betwen bothe his men, as he was wont of custome to do. And whanne Gloys was a-yenst Wymondham he seid þus, 'Couere thy heed!' And Gloys seid ageyn, 'So I shall for þhe.' And whanne Gloys was forþher passed by þhe space of iij or iiij strede, Wymondham drew owt his dagger and seid, 'Shalt þow so, knave?' And perwith Gloys turned hym and drewe owt his dagger and defendet hym, fleyng into my moderis place; and Wymondham and his man Hawys kest stonys and dreve Gloys into my moderis place. And Hawys folwyd into my moderis place and kest a ston as meche as a forthyng lof into þhe halle after Gloys; and þan ran owt of þhe place ageyn. And Gloys folwyd owt and stod withowt þhe gate, and þanne Wymondham called Gloys thef and seid he shuld dye, and Gloys seid he lyed and called hym charl, and bad hym come hymself or ell þhe best man he hadde, and Gloys wold answere hym on for on. And þanne Haweys ran into Wymondams place and feched a spere and a swerd, and toke his maister his swerd. And with þhe noise of þis a-saut and affray my modir and I come owt of þhe chirche from þhe sakeryng; and I bad Gloys go in to my moderis place ageyn, and so he dede. And thanne Wymondham called my moder and me strong hores, and seid þhe Pastons and alle her kyn were ...myngham... e seid he lyed, knave and charl as he was. And he had meche large langage, as ye shall knowe her-after by mowthe.
After non my modir and I yede to þhe Priour of Norwich and told hym al þis cas, and þhe Priour sent for Wymondham and þerwhyle we yede hom a-geyn and Pagraue come with vs hom. And whil Wymondham was with þhe Priour, and we were at hom in our places, Gloys stod in þhe strete at my moderis gate and Hawys aspyed hym þere as he stod on þhe Lady Hastyngis chambre. A-non he come doun with a tohand swerd and assauted ageyn þhe seid Gloys and Thomas my moderis man, and lete flye r a strok at Thomas with þhe sword and rippled his hand with his sword. And as for þhe latter assaut þhe parson of Oxened sygh it and wole a-vowe it. And moche more thyng was do, as Gloys can tell yow by mouthe. And for þhe perilx of þat myght hapþhe by þese premysses and þhe circumstances þerof to beu eschewed, by þ'aduyse of my modir and oþer I send yow Glowys to attend up-on yow for a seson, for ease of myn owen hert; for in good feyth I wolde not for xl li. haue suyche an-oþer trouble.
As touchyng my Lady Morlé, she seith þat she atte hire will wole haue þhe benyfyce of hire obligacion, for hir counseyll telleth hir, as she seith, þat it is forfayt. And she wole not haue þhe relif til she hath your homage, &c.
The Lord Moleyns man gaderyth up þhe rent at Gresham a gret pace, and Jamys Gresham shall telle yow more pleynly þerof at his comyng.
Nomore at éis tyme, but Almyghty God haue yow in his kepyng. Wretyn in hast on Trynyté Sunday at euyn.
Yours, MARGARETE PASTON.
As touchyng Roger Foke, Gloys shall telle yow all, &c.
Qwhan Wymdham seyd þat Jamys xuld dy I seyd to hym þat I soposyd þat he xuld repent hym jf he schlow hym or dede to hym any bodyly harm; and he seyd nay, he xuld never repent hym ner have a ferdyng wurth of harm þow he kelyd ȝw and hym bothe. And I seyd ȝys, and he sclow þe lest chylde þat longyth to ȝwr kechyn, and jf he dede he were lyke, I sopose, to dy for hym. It js told me þat he xall kom to London jn hast. I pray ȝw be ware hw ȝe walkyn jf he be þere, for he js ful cursyd-hertyd and lwmysch. I wot wel he wyl not set vp-on ȝw manly, but I be-leve he wyl styrt vp-on ȝw or on sum of ȝwr men leke a thef. I pray ȝw hertyly þat ȝe late not Jamys kom hom aȝen in non wyse tyl ȝe kom home, for myn hertys ese; for be my trwth I wold not þat he were hurt, ner non man þat longyth to ȝw in ȝwr absens for xx pwnd. And in gode feyth he js sore hatyd both of Wymdam and sum of hys men, and of oþer þat Wymdam tellyth to hys tale as hym lyst, for þer as Wymdam tellyth hys tale he makyth hem be-levyn þat Jamys js gylty and he no þyng guilty.
I pray ȝw hertyly here masse and oþer servys þat ȝe arn bwn to here wyth a devwt hert, and I hophe veryly þat ȝe xal spede ryth wele in all ȝwr materys, be þhe grase of God. Trust veryly in God and leve hym and serve hym, and he wyl not deseve ȝw. Of all oþer materys I xall sent ȝw wurd jn hast.
With modernised spelling:
Right worshipful husband, I recommend me to you, and pray you to wit that on Friday last passed before noon, the parson of Oxnead being at mass in our parish church, even at levation of the sacring, James Gloys had been in the town and come homeward by Wymondham's gate. And Wymondham stood in his gate and John Norwood his man stood by him, and Thomas Hawes his other man stood in the street by the canal-side. And James Gloys come with his hat on his head between both his men, as he was wont of custom to do. And when Gloys was against Wymondham he said thus, 'Cover thy head!' And Gloys said again, 'So I shall for thee.' And when Gloys was further passed by the space of three or four stride, Wymondham drew out his dagger and said, 'Shalt thou so, knave?' And perwith Gloys turned him and drew out his dagger and defended him, fleeing into my mother's place; and Wymondham and his man Hawes cast stones and drove Gloys into my mother's place. And Hawes followed into my mother's place and cast a stone as much as a farthing loaf into the hall after Gloys; and then ran out of the place again. And Gloys followed out and stood without the gate, and then Wymondham called Gloys thief and said he should die, and Gloys said he lied and called him churl, and bade him come himself or el' the best man he had, and Gloys would answer him one for one. And then Hawes ran into Wymondham's place and fetched a spear and a sword, and took his master his sword. And with the noise of this assault and affray my mother and I come out of the church from the sacring; and I bade Gloys go in to my mother's place again, and so he did. And then Wymondham called my mother and me strong whores, and said the Pastons and all her kind were ...mingham... e said he lied, knave and churl as he was. And he had much large language, as ye shall know hereafter by mouth.
Afternoon my mother and I yede to the Prior of Norwich and told him all this case, and the Prior sent for Wymondham and therewhile we yede hom again and Pagrave come with us home. And while Wymondham was with the Prior, and we were at home in our places, Gloys stood in the street at my mother's gate and Hawes a-spied him there as he stood on the Lady Hastings' chamber. Anon he come down with a two-hand sword and assaulted again the said Gloys and Thomas my mother's man, and let fly 'er a stroke at Thomas with the sword and rippled his hand with his sword. And as for the latter assault, the parson of Oxnead saw it and would avow it. And much more thing was do, as Gloys can tell you by mouth. And for the perils of that might happen by these premises and the circumstances thereof to be eschewed, by th'advice of my mother and other I send you Glowys to attend upon you for a season, for ease of mine own heart; for in good faith I would not for 40 pounds have such another trouble.
As touching my Lady Morley, she saith that she at her will would have the benefice of her obligation, for her counsel telleth her, as she saith, that it is forfeit. And she would not have the relief til she hath your homage, etc.
The Lord Moleyns' man gathereth up the rent at Gresham a great pace, and James Gresham shall tell you more plainly thereof at his coming.
No more at this time, but Almighty God have you in his keeping. Written in haste on Trinity Sunday at even.
Yours, MARGARET PASTON.
As touching Roger Foke, Gloys shall tell you all, etc.
When Wymondham said that James should die, I said to him that I supposed that he should repent him if he slew him or did to him any bodily harm; and he said nay, he should never repent him nor have a farthing worth of harm, though he killed you and him both. And I said yes (no), and he slew the least child that longeth to your kitchen, and if he did he were like, I suppose, to die for him. It is told me that he shall come to London in haste. I pray you beware how ye walken if he be there, for he is full cursed-hearted and loumish. I would well he wil not set upon you manly, but I believe he will start upon you or on some of your men like a thief. I pray you heartily that ye let not James come home again in none wise til ye come home, for mine heart's ease; for be my truth I would not that he were hurt, nor none man that longeth to you in your absence for 20 pound. And in good faith he is sore hated, both of Wymondham and some of his men, and of other that Wymondham telleth to his tale as him list, for there as Wymondham telleth his tale he maketh them believen that James is guilty and he no thing guilty.
I pray you heartily hear mass and other service that ye aren bound to hear with a devout heart, and I hope verily that ye shall speed right well in all your matters, be the grace of God. Trust verily in God and love him and serve him, and he will not deceive you. Of all other matters I shall send you word in haste.
Notes: to wit = to know
even = evening.
sacring = consecration of the Eucharist.
without the gate = outside the gate.
defended him = fended him off.
anon = immediately
yede = went
like = likely
longeth to = belongs to
loumish = inclined to evil.
in none wise = in no way
manly = man-to-man
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