Volume Ii Part 1 (1/2)

The Paston Letters.

Volume II.

by James Gairdner.

THE PASTON LETTERS

_Early Doc.u.ments_

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 doc.u.ments, which appear now to have got into unknown hands. The doc.u.ments 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 ab.u.t.ting 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. (_c.u.m 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 quae fuit Osberti Salr. (?), ex parte Austri, et terram quae fuit Ricardi Chaumpeneys ex parte Aquilonis, et ab.u.t.tat super forreram quae fuit Roberti Carpentar'