[MR] Wikipedia: Birth of John Paston

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1421, John Paston (1421-1466) was born. This John Paston
was the first of that name to write the "Paston Letters", a 15th century
collection of family correspondence which somehow survived the medieval
equivalent of a paper shredder (or maybe a parchment shredder), and gives
us so much entertaining detail about upper middle-class/minor noble family
life of that time.

This particular John Paston was educated at Cambridge, and was called to
the bar at the Inner Temple, following in his father's footsteps as a
lawyer. He was caught up in the power struggle between the Dukes of Suffolk
and Norfolk, as they fought for control of East Anglia. Later John Paston
was associated with the aged Sir John Fastolf, and became his heir after
Fastolf's somewhat dodgy deathbed will. Fastolf's bequest was challenged by
former heirs. The case dragged through the courts for years, and sometimes
degenerated into armed conflict. John Paston was imprisoned three times on
the Duke of Norfolk's orders during this dispute.

A brief bio is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paston_(died_1466) .

John Paston had two surviving sons, confusingly both named John, who also
contributed to the family correspondence.

Sir John Paston (1442-1479), who first served Yorkist King Edward IV, then
backed the Lancastrians at the Battle of Barnet during the Wars of the
Roses. This John never married, and had no legitimate issue.

Sir John Paston (1444-1504), who succeeded his brother. The third John
eventually settled the dispute over the Fastolf inheritance. He had one
surviving son, thankfully named William.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆