Norwich: The city of love?

Alright?

Anyone who’s lived in Norwich will already know that it’s dripping with romance.

From Woo Woo-inspired declarations outside the Queen of Iceni, to walking arm in arm past Primark and replying “no thank you” in unison to a charity worker asking to borrow a moment of your time, the Fine City is infatuating.

As it turns out, there’s a very good reason for that.

The secret we’re sharing today comes from Clara, a medieval historian based here in Norwich. Her Instagram is a real treat for history lovers, so give her a follow if you consider yourself one of those. And if you have a secret of your own, reply to this email and share it. I’ll give you a Jarrolds voucher if I use it.

Clara is also a newly recruited tour guide for Norwich Pub Tours. That’s my not-so-subtle hint to get yourself booked on one if you’re the sort who likes to learn about history with a drink in your hand.

Okay, housekeeping done. Let’s talk about love.

The Pastons.

When you have the word “past” in your name, you'd better be historically interesting.

The Pastons certainly were. A wealthy family, they lived on Elm Hill in a house creatively named “Paston House”. The original property was destroyed in the Great Fire of Norwich in 1507, but a new house was built in its place. It’s this one:

(Incidentally, version 2.0 of Paston House was built by Augustine Steward, one of the protagonists of this gruesome tale we shared a few weeks back. Panic not: this story has a less gruesome ending than that one.)

But for all of their influence, the Pastons are most famous for The Paston Letters: a series of letters sent between the family spanning 1422 to 1509. To borrow Clara’s words, reading them “is like having access to their family WhatsApp chat”.

There’s one letter in particular that I wanna tell you about before you get back to your day.

My right well beloved Valentine.

Here’s a fun fact you can use next time you’re mid-schmooze: the earliest known Valentine’s letter in the English language was sent to a house in Norwich.

It was written in 1477, from Margery Brewes to John Paston III. Here it is:

Enjoy the read. See you next week!

…

Just kidding, I wouldn’t do that to you.

Margery calls John her “right well beloved Valentine”, and starts by telling him that she’s of ill-health, and will be until she hears from him again.

“And if it pleases you to hear of my welfare, I am not in good health of body nor of heart, nor shall I be till I hear from you.”

She goes on to explain that her family are unable to increase the dowry for the marriage, but asks that John marry her nonetheless. After all, she’d marry him even if he were half as rich.

“But if you love me, as I trust verily that you do, you will not leave me therefore. For even if you had not half the livelihood that you have, for to do the greatest labour that any woman alive might, I would not forsake you.”

And if you’re looking for a line to drop over dinner with your own right well beloved, perhaps you can borrow this banger:

“My heart me bids evermore to love you truly over all earthly things.”

Here’s the letter in full, translated into modern English:

Unto my right well-beloved Valentine John Paston, squire, be this bill delivered.

Right reverent and worshipful and my right well-beloved valentine, I recommend me unto you full heartedly, desiring to hear of your welfare, which I beseech Almighty God long for to preserve unto his pleasure and your hearts desire.

And if it pleases you to hear of my welfare, I am not in good health of body nor of heart, nor shall I be till I hear from you. For there knows no creature what pain that I endure, and even on the pain of death I would reveal no more. And my lady my mother hath laboured the matter to my father full diligently, but she can no more get than you already know of, for which God knoweth I am full sorry. But if you love me, as I trust verily that you do, you will not leave me therefore. For even if you had not half the livelihood that you have, for to do the greatest labour that any woman alive might, I would not forsake you.

And if you command me to keep me true wherever I go, indeed I will do all my might you to love and never anyone else. And if my friends say that I do amiss, they shall not stop me from doing so. My heart me bids evermore to love you truly over all earthly things. And if they be never so angry, I trust it shall be better in time coming.No more to you at this time, but the Holy Trinity have you in keeping. And I beseech you that this bill be not seen by any non earthly creature save only yourself. And this letter was written at Topcroft with full heavy heart.

Be your own, Margery Brews.

So, did it work??

Yes. Emphatically. John Paston III and Margery Brewes married two months after this letter was sent. They had three known kids: Christopher, William and Elizabeth. After Margery’s death in 1495, John married a woman named Agnes.

Intriguingly, the grave of Anne, one of John’s previously unknown children, was discovered near Aylsham on 28th May 2019. It’s still unclear whether her mother was Agnes or the star of this particular show, Margery.

See you next week,

Secret Norwich.