PASTON LETTERS, an invaluable collection of the cor respondence of the Paston family and others, from 1422 to 1509, including State-papers and other documents. Most of these were sold by the 2nd earl of Yarmouth, the last representative of the family, to the antiquary Le Neve early in the 18th century. On his death in 1729 they were acquired by Thomas Martin of Pal grave, who married Le Neve's widow; and on Martin's death in 1771 they were purchased by John Worth of Diss, whose exe cutors sold them to John Fenn of East Dereham. In 1787 Fenn published two volumes of selections, the originals of which he presented to George III. ; in 1789 he issued two more volumes, and when he died in 1794 had prepared a fifth, which was issued in 1823 by his nephew Serjeant Frere. The originals unfor tunately all disappeared; and some doubt was cast upon the genuineness of the letters, notably by Herman Merivale in the Fortnightly (1865). It was, however, defended by James Gaird ner in the same periodical, and established within a year by the discovery of the originals of the fifth volume by Frere's son Philip in his house at Dungate, Cambridgeshire. Ten years later those of the third and fourth volumes were found at Roydon Hall, Norfolk, the chief seat of the Freres; and in 1889 the originals of the remaining two (those presented to George III.) were un earthed at the seat of Captain E. G. Pretyman. It is probable that they had been given to Bishop Pretyman Tomline, friend and tutor of William Pitt.
Among these discoveries were many documents not printed by Fenn; and there are still others. When the 2nd earl of Yarmouth died in many papers referring to his family were found at his seat, Oxnead Hall. Some of these came into the hands of the Rev. Francis Blomefield, who meant, but failed, to unite his col lection with that of Martin. This section of the letters was scat tered, part being acquired by the antiquary Ives. Most of the documents are now in the British Museum; but some are at Orwell, others in the Bodleian, others at Magdalen college, Oxford, and a few at Pembroke, Cambridge.
In 1872 Gairdner published the first volume of a new edition. Taking Fenn's work as a basis, he included in his three volumes (1872-75) over 400 hitherto unprinted letters and a valuable Introduction. As a supplement he was able to give an account of the Roydon discovery of 1875, and in later editions he printed the Roydon papers in full. Finally, in 1904, he re-edited the whole; and the six volumes of this edition, with their i,o88 docu ments and most erudite Introduction, are the chief authority on the subject.
The Paston family takes its name from a village about 20 m. N. of Norwich, and the first known member of the family was living there early in the 15th century. This was Clement Paston (d. 1419), a peasant holding about too acres. His son William (1378 '444), to whom Clement had given an excellent legal education, and who is described as "a right cunning man in the law," be came in 1429 a justice of the common pleas. He bought land in
Norfolk, some of it in Paston, and improved his position by his marriage with Agnes (d. 1479), heiress of Sir Edmund Berry of Harlingbury, Hertfordshire. When he died he left a large inherit ance to his son John, who was already married to Margaret (d. 1484), daughter of John Mauteby. At this time England was under a weak king, and only the strong man armed could hope to keep his goods. Paston, a lawyer like his father, lived much in London, and many of the most important of the letters are from Margaret to her husband describing the state of affairs in Norfolk. In 1448 Paston's manor of Gresham was seized by Lord Moleyns, and though it was recovered, the owner could obtain no redress. More serious troubles were caused by the ambiguities of the will of Sir John Fastolf (apparently a relative of Margaret), which involved Paston not only in lawsuits, but in actual war fare, with many neighbouring magnates, among whom were the duke of Suffolk and the (3rd) duke of Norfolk. Paston died in 1466, leaving the affair still unsettled, although in 1461 the king and council had decided in favour of his claim. His son Sir John (1442-79) and the dowager Margaret carried on the struggle, which was marked by repeated captures and recaptures of Caister Castle. A peace was patched up by Waynflete, bishop of Win chester, in and the death of the (4th) duke of Norfolk paved the way for the restoration of Caister; but a fresh dispute arose with the duke of Suffolk. The intricate story is given in full in Gairdner's introduction. Through these quarrels and Sir John's extravagance the lands were much diminished; yet he left a goodly inheritance to his younger brother, whose name was also John (d. 1503). At this point the letters begin to be scanty and uninteresting; but the family still flourished. Robert Paston was created earl of Yarmouth in 1679. His son William died, aged 8o, in 1732, leaving no heir; and his titles became extinct.
The Letters are of high historic importance, especially for the reign of Henry VI. The weakness of the king had disorganized the whole administration; the succession itself was contested; the great nobles did what was right in their own eyes; and the pre vailing discontent found expression in the rebellion of Jack Cade and the Wars of the Roses. The correspondence reveals the Pastons in a great variety of relations, friendly or hostile, with their neighbours; and abounds with illustrations of the course of public events, as well as of manners and morals. Nothing is more remarkable than the acquaintance of educated persons, both men and women, with the law—an acquaintance which they plainly found indispensable.
All editions are superseded by Gairdner's 6 vols. of 1904 ; but Blome field and Parkin's History of Norfolk (18o5-1 o)may be consulted, and the article Paston in Dict. Nat. Biog., where other authorities are quoted. Some references to the znd earl of Yarmouth will be found in the Lives of the Norths (edit. Jessopp, 189o). (X. ; E. E. K.)