Paston Letters

Paston Letters, The, a collection of letters and papers pertaining to the Paston family, of Paston, in Norfolk, dating from the reign of Henry V. to the end of the reign of Henry VII., of which four volumes were published by Sir John Fenn, 1786-88, and a fifth was edited by Sergeant Frere, 1823. These papers were sold by William Paston, second and last Earl of Yarmouth, became part of the Le Mere collection, and then passed through two hands before their purchase by Mr. Fenn. Most of the originals of the four earlier volumes have been lost, and those of the fitth were mislaid for years, but were found in 1865. They afford valuable illustrations of history, law, and manners.