Biography of John Paston 1421-1466
Paternal Family Tree: Paston
In 1420 [his father] William Paston (age 42) and [his mother] Agnes Barry were married.
On 10 Oct 1421 John Paston was born to William Paston (age 43) and Agnes Barry.
Between Apr 1440 and Nov 1440 John Paston (age 19) and Margaret Mautby were married.
In 1442 [his son] John Paston was born to John Paston (age 20) and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
Letters. 13 Apr 1442. The year unclear. Letter XXXVII. Elizabeth Countess of Oxford (age 32) to Sir John Paston (age 20).
Right entirely well-beloved,.
I greet you well, thanking you of the great gentleness that you have shewed unto my right well-beloved James Arblast, praying you of continuance; and if there be any thing that I may do for you or any of yours here op in any other place I pray you let me wit, and I shall be ready to do it, with the grace of God, who have you in his keeping; and I pray you to be friendly unto my right well-beloved Agnes Arblast, which is to me great pleasure and heart's ease, an you so be. Written at Nevenhow,.
the 13th day of April. Oxford, 1 Elizabeth.
In 1444 [his son] John Paston was born to John Paston (age 22) and [his wife] Margaret Mautby at Geldeston, Norfolk [Map].
On 13 Aug 1444 [his father] William Paston (age 66) died. He was buried at Lady Chapel Norwich Cathedral [Map].
Paston Letters V1 120 William Lomner to John Paston. 05 May 1450.
William Lomner to John Paston (age 28)1
RIGHT worchipfull sir, I recomaunde me to yow, and am right sory of that I shalle sey, and have soo wesshe this litel bille with sorwfulle terys, that on ethes ye shalle reede it.
As on Monday2 nexte after May day there come tydyngs to London, that on Thorsday3 before the Duke of Suffolk (deceased) come unto the costes of Kent full nere Dower with his ij shepes and a litel spynner; the qweche spynner he sente with certeyn letters to certeyn of his trustid men unto Caleys warde, to knowe howe he shuld be resceyvyd; and with hym mette a shippe callyd Nicolas of the Towre, with other shippis waytyng on hym, and by hem that were in the spyner, the maister of the Nicolas hadde knowlich of the dukes comyng. And whanne he espyed the dukes shepis, he sent forthe his bote to wete what they were, and the duke hym selfe spakke to hem, and seyd, he was be the Kyngs comaundement sent to Caleys ward, &c.
And they seyd he most speke with here master. And soo he, with ij or iij of his men, wente forth with hem yn here bote to the Nicolas; and whanne he come, the master badde hym, 'Welcom, Traitor,' as men sey; and forther the maister desyryd to wete yf the shepmen woldde holde with the duke, and they sent word they wold not yn noo wyse; and soo he was on the Nicolas tyl Saturday4 next folwyng.
Note 1. [From Fenn, i. 38.] The date of this letter is perfectly determined by the events to which it relates.
Note 2. 4th May.
Note 3. 30th April.
Note 4. 2nd May.
Around 1456 [his son] Walter Paston was born to John Paston (age 34) and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
Around or before 1458 [his son-in-law] William Yelverton (age 28) and [his daughter] Anne Paston were married.
Around 1459 [his son] William Paston was born to John Paston (age 37) and [his wife] Margaret Mautby.
On 05 Nov 1459 John Fastolf (age 79) died at Caister, Norfolk [Map]. He was buried at St Benet's Abbey, Norfolk [Map]. William Yelverton (age 59) was executor. Fastolf's will was disputed by Yelverton and the other executors once it was discovered that John Paston (age 38) was to inherit the estates. The dispute between Yelverton and Paston was taken up by the Lord Chancellor's office and went on for many years.
Paston Letters Volume 2 450. 04 Apr 1461. William Paston and John Playters to John Paston (age 39).
To my maister, John Paston, in hast,
Please you to knowe and wete of suche tydyngs as my Lady of York hath by a lettre of credens, under the signe manuel of oure Soverayn Lord King Edward, whiche lettre cam un to oure sayd Lady this same day, Esterne Evyn, at xj. clok, and was sene and red by me, William Paston.
Fyrst, oure Soverayn Lord (age 18) hath wonne the feld, and uppon the Munday next after Palmesunday, he was resseved in to York with gret solempnyte and processyons. And the Mair the Yorkist cause and Comons of the said cite mad ther menys to have grace be Lord Montagu (age 30) and Lord Barenars (age 45), whiche be for the Kyngs coming in to the said cite desyred hym of grace for the said cite, whiche graunted hem grace. On the Kyngs parte is slayn Lord Fitz Water (deceased), and Lord Scrop (age 23) sore hurt; John Stafford, Horne of Kent ben ded; and Umfrey Stafford, William Hastyngs (age 30) mad knyghts with other; Blont is knygth, &c.
Un the contrary part is ded Lord Clyfford (deceased), Lord Nevyle (deceased), Lord Welles (deceased), Lord Wyllouby, Antony Lord Scales, Lord Harry, and be supposyng the Erle of Northumberland, Andrew Trollop, with many other gentyll and comons to the nomber of xx.ml. (20000).
Item, Kyng Harry, the Qwen, the Prince, Duke of Somerset, Duke of Exeter, Lord Roos, be fledde in to Scotteland, and they be chased and folwed, &c. We send no er un to you be cause we had non certynges tyl now; for un to this day London was as sory cite as myght. And because Spordauns had no certeyn tydyngs, we thought ye schuld take them a worthe tyl more certayn.
Item, Thorp Waterfeld is yeldyn, as Spordauns can telle you. And Jesu spede you. We pray you that this tydyngs my moder may knowe.
Be your Broder,
W. PASTON.
T. PLAYTERS.
Comes Northumbriæ (deceased).
Comes Devon (deceased).
Dominus de Beamunde.
Dominus de Clifford (deceased).
Dominus de Nevyll (deceased).
Dominus de Dacre (deceased).
Dominus Henricus de Bokyngham.
Dominus de Well[es] (deceased).
Dominus de Scales Antony Revers.
Dominus de Wellugby.
Dominus de Malley Radulfus Bigot Miles.
Millites.
Sir Rauff Gray.
Sir Ric. Jeney.
Sir Harry Bekingham.
Sir Andrew Trollop.
With xxviij.ml. (28000) nomberd by Harralds.
On 22 May 1466 John Paston (age 44) died.
[his son] Edmund Paston was born to John Paston and Margaret Mautby.
[his daughter] Anne Paston was born to John Paston and Margaret Mautby.
GrandFather: Edmund Barry
Mother: Agnes Barry