Page "Paston Letters" Paragraph 12

John Paston left at least five sons, the two eldest of whom were, curiously enough, both named John, and the eldest of whom had been knighted during his father's lifetime.

Sir John Paston ( 1442 – 1479 ) was frequently at the court of King Edward IV, but afterwards he favoured the Lancastrian party, and, with his brother John, fought for Henry VI at the battle of Barnet.

Meanwhile the struggle over Paston's estates continued, although in 1461 the king and council had decided that Paston's ancestors were not bondmen, and consequently that his title to his father's lands was good.

Caister Castle was taken after a regular siege by John Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk ( 1444 – 1476 ), and then recovered by the Pastons, and retaken by the duke.

But in 1474 an arrangement was made with William Waynflete, bishop of Winchester, the representative of the excluded executors, by which some of the estates were surrendered to the bishop for charitable purposes, while Paston was secured in the possession of others.

Two years later the opportune death of the duke of Norfolk paved the way for the restoration of Caister Castle ; but in 1478 a fresh quarrel broke out with the duke of Suffolk.