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The ''Paston Letters'' is a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family of
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest ...
and others connected with them in England between the years 1422 and 1509. The collection also includes state papers and other important documents. The letters are a noted
primary source In the study of history as an academic discipline, a primary source (also called an original source) is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that was created at the time under ...
for information about life in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
during the
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), known at the time and for more than a century after as the Civil Wars, were a series of civil wars fought over control of the English throne in the mid-to-late fifteenth century. These wars were fought bet ...
and the early
Tudor period The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in History of England, England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in Englan ...
. They are also of interest to linguists and historians of the
English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
, being written during the
Great Vowel Shift The Great Vowel Shift was a series of changes in the pronunciation of the English language that took place primarily between 1400 and 1700, beginning in southern England and today having influenced effectively all dialects of English. Through ...
, and documenting the transition from Late
Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...
to
Early Modern English Early Modern English or Early New English (sometimes abbreviated EModE, EMnE, or ENE) is the stage of the English language from the beginning of the Tudor period to the English Interregnum and Restoration, or from the transition from Middle E ...
.


History of the collection

The large collection of letters and papers was acquired in 1735 from the executors of the estate of
William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth (1654 – 25 December 1732) of Oxnead, Norfolk and Turnham Green, Chiswick, Middlesex was a British peer and politician. Born in 1654, he was the son of Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth and his wife, Rebe ...
, the last in the Paston line, by the antiquary
Francis Blomefield Rev. Francis Blomefield (23 July 170516 January 1752), FSA, Rector of Fersfield in Norfolk, was an English antiquarian who wrote a county history of Norfolk: ''An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk''. It includes ...
. On Blomefield's death in 1752 they came into the possession of
Thomas Martin Thomas or Tom Martin may refer to: Born 16th century *Thomas Martin (politician, died 1583) (1530–1583), MP for Dorchester *Thomas Martin (lawyer) (1521–1593), MP for Ludgershall, Saltash and Hindon Born 17th century *Thomas Martin of Pal ...
of
Palgrave, Suffolk Palgrave is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. It is located on the south bank of the River Waveney, opposite Diss and adjacent to the Great Eastern Main Line. Palgrave has a small primary sch ...
. On his death in 1771 some letters passed into the hands of John Ives, while many others were purchased by John Worth, a chemist at Diss, whose executors sold them in 1774 to Sir John Fenn of
East Dereham Dereham (), also known as East Dereham, is a town and civil parish in the Breckland District of the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A47 road, about 15 miles (25 km) west of the city of Norwich and 25 miles (40&nb ...
.


Published editions


Edited by John Fenn

In 1787 John Fenn published a selection of the letters in two volumes, bringing general interest to the collection. Fenn published two further volumes of letters in 1789. Before he died in 1794 he prepared a fifth volume for publication, which was posthumously published in 1823 by his nephew William Frere. In 1787 Fenn presented the originals of his first two volumes to King
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...
, who knighted Fenn on 23 May 1787. Shortly thereafter, the manuscripts for all five volumes disappeared , casting doubt on the authenticity of the letters. In 1865 their authenticity was questioned by
Herman Merivale Herman Merivale CB (8 November 1806 – 8 February 1874) was an English civil servant and historian. He was the elder brother of Charles Merivale, and father of the poet Herman Charles Merivale. He was born at Dawlish, Devon to John Her ...
in the ''
Fortnightly Review ''The Fortnightly Review'' was one of the most prominent and influential magazines in nineteenth-century England. It was founded in 1865 by Anthony Trollope, Frederic Harrison, Edward Spencer Beesly, and six others with an investment of £9,000; ...
'', but
James Gairdner James Gairdner (22 March 1828 – 4 November 1912) was a British historian. He specialised in 15th-century and early Tudor history, and among other tasks edited the ''Letters and Papers of the Reign of Henry VIII'' series. Son of John Gairdner, ...
countered that they were genuine in the same periodical. Within a year, Gairdner was proven right by the discovery of the originals of the fifth volume, together with other letters and papers, by Frere's son, Philip Frere, in his house at
Dungate Dungate is a village near the M2 motorway, in the Swale district, in the English county of Kent. It is near the town of Sittingbourne Sittingbourne is an industrial town in Kent, south-east England, from Canterbury and from London, beside the ...
. Ten years later the originals of Fenn's third and fourth volumes, with ninety-five unpublished letters, were found at Roydon Hall,
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, the seat of George Frere. Finally the originals of the two remaining volumes were rediscovered in 1889 at
Orwell Park Orwell Park was an estate in the village of Nacton developed by Edward Vernon, who lived there from 1725 until he died in the mansion on 30 October 1757. It was further developed by George Tomline during the late nineteenth century. It has been t ...
,
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...
, in the residence of Captain
E. G. Pretyman Ernest George Pretyman, (13 November 1859 – 26 November 1931), known as E. G. Pretyman, was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician. Background and education Born on 13 November 1859 and christened on 1 January 1860 at Great Ca ...
. The last letters to be found were the letters presented to George III; they may have reached Orwell through Sir
George Pretyman Tomline :''In this name, the family name is'' Pretyman (before 1803)'', ''Pretyman Tomline (from 1803)'', but commonly called ''Tomline'' thereafter.'' Sir George Pretyman Tomline, 5th Baronet (born George Pretyman; 9 October 1750 – 14 November 1827) ...
, the tutor and friend of
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Ire ...
. Most of the Paston letters and associated documents are now in the
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
, but some are in the
Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford, and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second- ...
, Oxford at
Magdalen College Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the st ...
, with a few at
Pembroke College, Cambridge Pembroke College (officially "The Master, Fellows and Scholars of the College or Hall of Valence-Mary") is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over 700 ...
.


Edited by James Gairdner

Fenn's edition of the ''Paston Letters'' was considered definitive until 1872, when James Gairdner published the first volume of a new edition. Taking Fenn's work as a basis, Gairdner ultimately published over four hundred previously unpublished letters in three volumes. Gairdner's edition included notes and an index, and introductions to each volume containing a survey of the reign of King Henry VI. Before he had published all the volumes of his edition, some letters that he had written about were discovered in 1875 at Roydon. These unpublished letters were added as a supplement to a subsequent three-volume edition published in 1896. In 1904 Gairdner edited a complete edition of the ''Paston Letters'' in six volumes, containing 1,088 letters and papers with a new introduction.


List of volumes


=1896 edition

= ''The Paston Letters 1422-1509 AD: A New Edition First Published in 1874 Containing Upwards of Four Hundred Letters, Etc., Hitherto Unpublished. Edited by James Gairdner of the Public Record Office''
Volume 1, ''Henry VI 1422-1461'', Westminster, 1896Volume 2, ''Edward IV 1461-1471'', Westminster, 1896Volume 3, ''Edward IV - Henry VII 1471-1509'', Westminster, 1896


=1900/1910 edition

= ''Paston Letters 1422-1509 AD: A Reprint of the Edition of 1872-5 which Contained upwards of Five Hundred Letters, etc., till then Unpublished to Which are now Added Others in a Supplement after the Introduction. Edited by James Gairdner of the Public Record Office''
Volume 1, ''Henry VI 1422-1461'', Edinburgh, 1910Volume 2, ''Edward IV 1461-1471'', Edinburgh, 1910Volume 3, ''Edward IV - Henry VII'', Westminster, 1900Edinburgh, 1910


=1904 edition

= ''The Paston Letters AD 1422-1509: New Complete Library Edition, Edited with Notes and an Introduction by James Gairdner of the Public Record Office''
Volume 1, London & Exeter, 1904Volume 2, London & Exeter, 1904Volume 3, London & Exeter, 1904Volume 4, London & Exeter, 1904Volume 5, London & Exeter, 1904Volume 6, London & Exeter, 1904


Edited by Norman Davis

In 1971, Norman Davis published a new edition, which was revised and expanded by Richard Beadle and Colin Richmond in 2004.


Edited by Diane Watt

In 2004, Diane Watt published ''The Paston Women: Selected Letters'', which situates the letters in the context of medieval women's writing and medieval letter writing.


Biographies of Paston family

Two recent books have presented the story of the fifteenth-century Pastons for a wider audience, ''A Medieval Family'' by
Frances and Joseph Gies Frances Gies (June 10, 1915 – December 18, 2013) and Joseph Gies (October 8, 1916 – April 13, 2006) were historians and writers who collaborated on a number of books about the Middle Ages, and also wrote individual works. They were husb ...
(1998) and ''
Blood and Roses ''Blood and Roses'' (french: Et mourir de plaisir, lit=And die of pleasure) is a 1960 erotic horror film directed by Roger Vadim. It is based on the novella ''Carmilla'' (1872) by Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu, shifting the book's setting in 1 ...
'' by
Helen Castor Helen Ruth Castor (born 4 August 1968 in Cambridge) is a British historian of the medieval and Tudor period and a BBC broadcaster. She taught history at Cambridge University and is the author of books including ''Blood and Roses'' (2005) and '' ...
(2004).


Chronology


The early Pastons

The family of Paston takes its name from a Norfolk village about twenty miles (32 km) north of
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
. The first member of the family about whom anything is known is Clement Paston (d.1419), a yeoman holding and cultivating about one hundred acres (40 hectares) of land. His wife, Beatrice Somerton (d.1409), is said to have been 'a bond woman', but her brother, Geoffrey Somerton (d.1416), became a lawyer, and it was Geoffrey who paid for the education, both at grammar school and at the
Inns of Court The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. There are four Inns of Court – Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple and Middle Temple. All barristers must belong to one of them. They have ...
, of his nephew,
William Paston William Paston may refer to: *William Paston (died 1444) (1378–1444), Justice of the Common Pleas *William Paston, 2nd Earl of Yarmouth (1654–1732), British peer and politician *Sir William Paston, 1st Baronet (1528–1610), English benefactor ...
(1378–1444), son of Clement and Beatrice. William, who is described as a "right cunning man" in the law, attained an influential position in his profession, and in 1429 became a
Justice of the Common Pleas Justice of the Common Pleas was a puisne judicial position within the Court of Common Pleas of England and Wales, under the Chief Justice. The Common Pleas was the primary court of common law within England and Wales, dealing with "common" pleas ...
. He bought a good deal of land in Norfolk, including property in Paston and Gresham Castle, and improved his social position by his marriage with Agnes Barry (d.1479), the daughter and coheir of Sir Edmund Barry or Berry of Horwellbury, near
Therfield Therfield is both a small village of approximately 4,761 acres (19 km²) and a civil parish which sits upon the chalk range, three miles southwest of Royston, and six miles (10 km) northeast of Baldock and within the English county of ...
and
Royston, Hertfordshire Royston is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the North Hertfordshire, District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated on the Prime meridian (Greenwich), Greenwich Meridian, which brush ...
. Agnes emerges from the letters as a difficult and quick-tempered woman, whose quarrels with the Paston villagers leave some valuable examples of colloquial English in the 1450s. She frequently quarrelled with her children. On his death, William left a large and valuable inheritance to John Paston, the eldest of his four sons, who was already married to Margaret (d. 1484), daughter of John Mautby of
Mautby Mautby is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, in the East Flegg Hundred. The parish comprises a largely rural area along the north bank of the River Bure, and also includes the small villages of Runham and Thrigby. It is ...
, Norfolk. England was experiencing instability at this time; the nobles surrounding the king did not allow him sufficient power to govern, and much of England was effectively lawless. A lawyer like his father, John Paston spent much of his time in London, leaving his wife to look after his business in Norfolk, a task which Margaret, a sensible and competent woman, managed with considerable skill. Many of the letters were written by Margaret to her husband in London. The letters written during the lifetimes of John Paston and his eldest son, also named
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
, are most numerous and provide the most insight, not only on their family matters but on the overall history of England. In 1448, Paston's manor of Gresham was seized by Robert Hungerford, Lord Moleyns (1431–1464), and, although it was afterwards recovered, the owner could obtain no redress for the loss and injury he had sustained. Moreover, Paston had become intimate with the wealthy knight
Sir John Fastolf Sir John Fastolf (6 November 1380 – 5 November 1459) was a late medieval English landowner and knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He has enjoyed a more lasting reputation as the prototype, in some part, of Shakespeare's charact ...
, who was a kinsman of Paston's wife, Margaret, and who had employed him on several matters. At his death, Fastolf left his affairs in disorder. As was customary in his time, he left many of his estates in Norfolk and
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
to
feoffee Under the feudal system in England, a feoffee () is a trustee who holds a fief (or "fee"), that is to say an estate in land, for the use of a beneficial owner. The term is more fully stated as a feoffee to uses of the beneficial owner. The use o ...
s including
Sir William Yelverton Sir William Yelverton KB (1400 – 1470s) was a judge in Norfolk, England and twice a member of parliament for Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Biography Yelverton was born in Norfolk to John Yelverton of Rackheath, Norfolk, and Elizabeth, the daughte ...
, John Paston and his brother William, retaining the revenues for himself. His written will tasked his ten executors with founding a college at
Caister Caister-on-Sea, also known colloquially as Caister, is a large village and seaside resort in Norfolk, England. It is close to the large town of Great Yarmouth. At the 2001 census it had a population of 8,756 and 3,970 households, the populati ...
. However, two days before his death, according to John Paston, Fastolf made a
nuncupative An oral will (or nuncupative will) is a will that has been delivered orally (that is, in speech) to witnesses, as opposed to the usual form of wills, which is written and according to a proper format. A minority of U.S. states (approximately 20 ...
(spoken) will in which he bequeathed all his lands in Norfolk and Suffolk to Paston, for a payment of 4,000 
marks Marks may refer to: Business * Mark's, a Canadian retail chain * Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain * Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members * Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel '' ...
and the duty of founding the college at
Caister Caister-on-Sea, also known colloquially as Caister, is a large village and seaside resort in Norfolk, England. It is close to the large town of Great Yarmouth. At the 2001 census it had a population of 8,756 and 3,970 households, the populati ...
. Taking possession of the lands, Paston's claims were challenged: several noblemen claimed the estates. The excluded executors litigated, and Paston fell under the threat of violence. A feud broke out between John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, and the Pastons under Margaret and her eldest son, John, around Drayton and
Hellesdon Hellesdon is a village and suburb of Norwich in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately north-west of Norwich city centre and has a population of 11,132, according to the 2011 Census. Norwich International Airport is ...
. Caister Castle was seized by
John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal (12 September 14156 November 1461) was a fifteenth-century English magnate who, despite having a relatively short political career, played a significant role in the early years of the Wars of ...
, while similar occurrences took place at other estates. In 1460 and 1461, Paston returned to parliament as a knight of the shire for Norfolk, and, enjoying the favour of
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
, had regained his castle at Caister. He fell out of favour, however, and was imprisoned on three occasions. Paston died in May 1466, with the suit concerning Fastolf's will still proceeding in the church courts.


John and Margaret Paston's sons and descendants

John and Margaret Paston left five sons and two daughters. The eldest, Sir John Paston (1442–1479), had been knighted during his father's lifetime. He was frequently at the court of
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
, but afterwards favoured the Lancastrian party, and, with his younger brother, also named John, fought for Henry VI at the
Battle of Barnet The Battle of Barnet was a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England. The military action, along with the subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury, secured the throne for Edward IV. On Sunday 14 April ...
. Meanwhile, the struggle over Paston's estates continued, although in 1461 the king and council had declared that Paston's ancestors were not bondmen, and consequently that his title to his father's lands was valid.
Caister Castle Caister Castle is a 15th-century moated castle situated in the parish of West Caister, some north of the town of Great Yarmouth in the English county of Norfolk (). The castle had a 100 ft (33 m) high tower and was built between 1432 and 1 ...
was taken after a siege by
John Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk, (18 October 144414 January 1476), known as 1st Earl of Surrey between 1451 and 1461, was the only son of John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and Eleanor Bourchier. His maternal grandparents were William B ...
(1444–1476), and then recovered by the Pastons, and retaken by the duke. But in 1474 an arrangement was made with
William Waynflete William Waynflete (11 August 1486), born William Patten, was Provost of Eton College (1442–1447), Bishop of Winchester (1447–1486) and Lord Chancellor of England (1456–1460). He founded Magdalen College, Oxford and three subsidiary scho ...
,
Bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' (except dur ...
, the representative of the excluded executors, by which some of the estates were surrendered to the bishop for charitable purposes, while Paston was secured in the possession of others. Two years later the death of the Duke of Norfolk made the restoration of Caister Castle possible, but in 1478 a quarrel broke out with
John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, KG (27 September 1442 – 14–21 May 1492), was a major magnate in 15th-century England. He was the son of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, and Alice Chaucer, the daughter of Thomas Chaucer ...
. Sir John Paston, who was a cultured man, was anxious to recover Caister, but he left the task to his mother and to the younger John. Owing to his carelessness and extravagance, the family lands were also diminished by sales, but nevertheless when he died unmarried in November 1479 he left a substantial inheritance to his younger brother John. Although he didn't marry he did have an illegitimate daughter, Constance, who is mentioned in his mother's will. About this time the Letters become scanty and less interesting, but the family continued to flourish. The younger John Paston (d. 1504), after quarrelling with his uncle William over the manors of
Oxnead Oxnead is a lost settlement and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brampton, in the Broadland district, in the county of Norfolk, England. It is roughly three miles south-east of Aylsham. It now consists mostly of St Michael's Church and ...
and
Marlingford Marlingford is a village and former civil parish, west of Norwich, now in the parish of Marlingford and Colton, in the South Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England. In 1931 the parish had a population of 181. Features Marlingford ...
, was knighted at the
Battle of Stoke The Battle of Stoke Field on 16 June 1487 may be considered the last battle of the Wars of the Roses, since it was the last major engagement between contenders for the throne whose claims derived from descent from the houses of Lancaster and Yo ...
in 1487. He married Margery, daughter of Sir Thomas Brewes, and left a son, William Paston (c. 1479–1554), who was also knighted, and who was a prominent figure at the court of
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
. Sir William's second son, John Paston (1510–1575) was the father-in-law of Sir
Edward Coke Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
. Sir William's third son, Clement (c. 1515–1597), served his country with distinction on the sea, and was wounded at the
Battle of Pinkie The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh ( , ), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Cro ...
. The family was continued by Sir William's eldest son, Erasmus (b. 1502-d. 1540), whose son William succeeded to his grandfather's estates in 1554, and to those of his uncle Clement in 1597. This William (1528–1610) was knighted in 1578. He was the founder of the Paston grammar-school at
North Walsham North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England, within the North Norfolk district. Demography The civil parish has an area of and in the 2011 census had a population of 12,634. For the purposes of local government, the pa ...
, and made Oxnead Hall, near Norwich, his principal residence. Christopher Paston was Sir William's son and heir, and Christopher's grandson, William (d. 1663), was created a baronet in 1642; being succeeded in the title by his son
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
(1631–1683), who was a member of parliament from 1661 to 1673, and was created
Earl of Yarmouth Earl of Yarmouth is a title that has been created three times in British history, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the politician and ...
in 1679. Robert's son William (1652–1732), who married a natural daughter of Charles II, was the second earl, and, like his father, was in high favour with the
Stuarts The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been held by the family progenitor Walter fi ...
. When he died in 1732 he left no son, and his titles became extinct, his estates being sold to discharge his debts. The disorder revealed by the ''Paston Letters'' reflects the general condition of England during this period. The weakness of the government left every branch of the administration disorganized. The succession to the crown itself was contested. Nobility fought a civil war. The prevailing discontent led to the rising of
Jack Cade Jack Cade's Rebellion was a popular revolt in 1450 against the government of England, which took place in the south-east of the country between the months of April and July. It stemmed from local grievances regarding the corruption, maladmini ...
and of the
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), known at the time and for more than a century after as the Civil Wars, were a series of civil wars fought over control of the English throne in the mid-to-late fifteenth century. These wars were fought bet ...
. The correspondence reveals the Pastons in a variety of relations to their neighbours — both friendly and hostile. It abounds with illustrations of public events, as well as of the manners and morals of the time, and some valuable examples of colloquial English, such as Agnes Paston's quarrel with her neighbour, Warren Harman, c.1451, where she told him "if his father had do as he did he would a be ashamed to say to me as he said". Particularly remarkable is the habitual acquaintance of educated persons, both men and women, with the law, which was evidently indispensable to persons of substance. Of most interest, however, are the occasional love letters, notably those from Richard Calle to Margery Paston, and Margery Brews' famous
Valentines Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thro ...
to John Paston III. In 2019 a small brass memorial plaque, 25 by 8 cm (9 by 3 inches), was found hidden away between two large tombs in Oxnead church near Aylsham in Norfolk, with an inscription in Latin that translates as "Here lies Anna, daughter of John Paston Knight, on whose soul God have mercy, Amen". The style of the plaque dated it to between 1490 and 1510, and it is of a type used to memorialise a young girl. The discovery was a surprise, finding an unknown member of the "most researched family" of medieval England. The discovery was made as part of the three-year Paston Footprints project, described as "an introduction and way in to the amazing hub of links, information, people and places which over six centuries have formed the web based on the Paston Letters".


Paston family tree


See also

*
Paston, Norfolk Paston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is north-east of North Walsham and south-east of Cromer. It is north-east of the city of Norwich. The village sits astride the coast road between Mundesle ...
*
Cely Letters The Cely Letters are a collection of family correspondence written in the 15th century, which describe the lives and business activities of a family of London wool merchants. Key members were Richard Cely and his wife Agnes and their sons Robert, ...
*''
Plumpton Correspondence The ''Plumpton Correspondence'' is a rare collection of 250 letters and writings from 1461 to 1552 that have survived to the modern day. The writings contains day-to-day writings of William Plumpton and his family, revealing the daily lives of a med ...
''


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * ;Attribution *


Further reading

*F. Blomefield and C. Parkin, ''History of Norfolk'' (London, 1805–1810). *Richard Barber (ed.), ''The Pastons: The Letters of a Family in the Wars of the Roses'' (1981). *Frances and Joseph Gies, ''A Medieval Family: The Pastons of Fifteenth-Century England'' (1998). *Helen Castor, ''
Blood and Roses ''Blood and Roses'' (french: Et mourir de plaisir, lit=And die of pleasure) is a 1960 erotic horror film directed by Roger Vadim. It is based on the novella ''Carmilla'' (1872) by Irish writer Sheridan Le Fanu, shifting the book's setting in 1 ...
: One family's struggle and triumph during the tumultuous Wars of the Roses'' (2006). * Diane Watt, 'Medieval Women's Writing' (Polity, 2008).


External links


Online versionPaston letters on BBC
pedigree of Paston
Paston family tree online
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