What are the Paston Letters?
The Paston Letters is a remarkable collection of letters surviving from the 15th to the 17th century, between different members of the Paston family, their staff and their friends. In truth, the collection might better be referred to as the Paston Archive, as the medieval section contains many more types of document than just letters - though it is the letters that give us insight into the daily life and troubles of an ambitious family.
Whilst we've begun here by referring to them in the singular, the originals are not all held as a single collection today. Nevertheless, we can think of the letters as being a magnificent and unique record of a family's correspondence in a time gone by, giving an insight into Medieval, Tudor and Stuart life in away which no other set of documents does.
If you want to read a selection of the letters in a modern translation, then there are various recent publications available. You can find our selection listed in the 'References and Bibliography' section on the drop-down menu from 'The Paston Letters' heading.
The selection below is based on and developed from the 1904 edition as published under the editorship of James Gairdner. These use the original language of the letters, so can be difficult to read. However, we've attached a number of notes and are experimenting with a 'translation' system that will give access to the modern English words. There's only a few letters in place at present, but we plan to develop things over time. Click the tabs at he bottom of the pages and then hover your cursor over the words to access these facilities. We're also adding some further analytical facilities.
There is a great deal of refining to do butthere is generally enough in place for an understanding of the letter to be gained. Further help on understanding may be gained by using the University of Michigan's Middle English Dictionary. The most authoritative help is to be found in the Glossary of Norman Davis's three volume edition of the Letters; the third volume being the work of Richard Beadle and Colin Richmond.
The intent of the volunteers working on these digital version of the letters is to explore the way the computer can explore them, to focus on some key parts of the Paston story and to offer a link through to view the original letters at the British Library or Norfolk Record Office. Around the letters the site offers a range of approaches to the Paston story, from primary school material to higher levels of study.
Below are sample letters; to search the full range, use 'Search the Letters and Documents' from the drop-down menu.
Margaret Paston to John Paston the Younger, before 1466
William Paston to William Worsted and others
Petition to the Earl of Suffolk or his arbiter concerning East Beckham, perhaps 1439
Agnes Paston to William Paston, 20th April, probably 1440
Margery Paston to John Paston, 14th December 1441?
John Gyn to William Paston, about 1435
Will of William Paston, the Judge
Agnes Paston to Edmund Paston, 4th February 1445
Elizabeth Clere to John Paston, before 1449
Robert Wenyngton to Thomas Daniel, 25th May 1449
William Lomner to John Paston, 5th May 1450
Agnes Paston to John Paston, 1451 or later
John Osbern to John Paston, 27th May 1451
John Paston to John Norwode, 1453
William Reynolds of Cromer to Agnes Paston, 1453
Agnes Paston to John Paston, 6th July 1453
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 6th July 1453
William Paston to John Paston, July 1454
John Paston to Lord Grey, 15th July 1454
William Paston to John Paston, 6th September 1454
Edmund Clere to John Paston, 9th January 1455
Sir John Fastolf to John Paston, 7th February 1455
William Worcester to John Paston, 27th January 1456
Agnes Paston, 28th January 1458
William Botoner to Sir John Fastolf, 1st February 1458
John Bocking to Sir John Fastolf, 15th March 1458
Friar Brackley to John Paston, 1459
Margery Paston to John Paston, 24th December 1459
William Paston to John Paston, 28th January 1460
Clement Paston to John Paston, 23rd January 1461
John Paston the Youngest perhaps to Thomas Playter, March 1461
W. Paston and Thomas Playters to John Paston, 4th April 1461
Thomas Playter to John Paston, 1461
Richard Calle to John Paston, 29th December 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 18th May 1462
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 8th June 1464
Margaret Paston to Sir John Paston, 6? July 1465
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 27th October 1465
Sir John Paston to John Paston, April 1467
Anthony, Lord Scales to a member of the Council of the Duke of Norfolk, 10th April 1469
Sir John Paston to John Paston, 9th November 1468
Lord Scales to unknown person, 10th April 1469
Margaret Paston to Sir John Paston, 12th September 1469
Sir John Paston to John Paston, 18th September 1469
Passport to the besieged on surrender of Caister, 26th September 1469
Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston, 18th April 1471
John Paston of Gelston to Margaret Paston
Margaret Paston to Sir John Paston, 1475
Sir John Paston to Margaret Paston, 29th October 1479
William Pekoc to Sir John Paston, 4th November 1479?
John Paston to Margaret Paston, December 1479
John Howard, The Duke of Norfolk, to John Paston, August 1485
Sir Edward Bedingfield to John Paston, 16th May 1487
Sir Thomas Holland to Lady Muriel Knyvett, 16th February 1603
Sir Thomas Holland to Lady Katherine Paston 28th October 1618
Lady Katherine Paston to Sir John Heveningham 1619
Sir John Heveningham to Lady Katherine Paston
Samuel Machett to Lady Katherine Paston 16th April 1619
Lady Katherine Paston to Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, 29th April 1619
Sir John Heveningham to Lady Katherine Paston, 18th January 1620
Lady Katherine Paston to Sir John Heveningham 20th January 1620
Lady Katherine Paston to William Paston, 11th June 1624
William Denny to Lady Katherine Paston, December 1624
Lady Katherine Paston to William Paston, Late August 1625
Lady Katherine Paston to William Paston, Late September 1626
Lady Katherine Paston to William Paston, February 1627
Lady Katherine Paston to William Paston, 7th February 1627
John Clayton to Sir Robert Paston, 8th April 1663, Florence
Inventory of jewellery, July 30th, 1633
Thomas Henshaw to Sir Robert Paston, 5th November 1663
Sir Robert Paston to Rebecca, Lady Paston, 19th June 1666
William Paston to John Staynford, AD 1425
Nicholas, Prior of Bromholm, to William Paston, AD 1425
Sir John Fastolf to Henry Inglose and John Berney, after AD 1440
John Gyne to John Paston, circa AD 1435-6
Agnes Paston to William Paston, AD 1436/40
William Paston to unidentified lord, AD 1436
Margaret Paston to John Paston, after 1440
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 28th September 1443
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 8th July 1444
Margaret Paston to John Paston, April 1448
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 19th May 1448
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 1449
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 15th February 1449
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 28th February 1449
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 2nd April, 1449
James Gloys: A Memorandum about Oxnead and Friar Hawteyn, 1443-9
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 12th March 1450
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 3rd March 1451
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 15th March 1451
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 30th March 1451
Agnes Paston to John Paston c.1451
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 3rd June probably 1451
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 1st July 1451
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 5th November 1452
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 16th April, probably 1452
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 4th July 1452
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 20th April 1453
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 15the October, perhaps 1453
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 29th January, perhaps 1454
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 30th January perhaps 1453
Margaret Paston to John Paston, perhaps 1st February, 1454
John Bocking to John Paston, 15th May 1456
John Bocking to John Paston, 7th June 1456
Margaret Paston to John Paston, Sept, about 1459
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 21st October 1460
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 29th October 1460
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 25th November 1460
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 1st March, probably 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, June 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 9th July 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 15th July 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 18th July 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 2nd December 1461
John Paston Junior to His Father, probably May-June, 1462
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 3rd December 1461
Margaret Paston to John Paston, 29th April 1459
John Paston to Sir John Paston, 21st September 1472
John Paston to Sir John Paston, 16th October 1472
Sir John Paston to John Paston, 4th November 1472
John Paston to Sir John Paston, 24th November 1472
