[Footnote 271-1: _Contin. Chron. of Croyland_, 557.]
This hope was ultimately realised. Clarence at last consented with an ill will to let his sister-in-law have a share in her father's lands; and an arrangement was made by a special Act of Parliament for the division of the property.[272-3] To satisfy the rapacity of the royal brothers, the claims of the Countess of Warwick were deliberately set aside, and the Act expressly treated her as if she had been a dead woman. So the matter was finally settled in May 1474. Yet possibly the Countess's claims had some influence in hastening this settlement; for about a twelvemonth before she had been removed from her sanctuary at Beaulieu[272-4] and conveyed northwards by Sir James Tyrell. This, it appears, was not done avowedly by the king's command; nevertheless rumour said that it was by his assent, and also that it was contrary to the will of Clarence.[272-5]
[Footnote 272-3: _Rolls of Parl._ vi. 100.]
[Footnote 272-4: 'Beweley Seyntwarye' in Fenn; but the reading is '_Beverley_ sanctuary' in the right-hand version. Which is correct?]
Even so in the Paston family love affairs give place at this time to questions about property, in which their interests were very seriously at stake. Not only was there the great question between Sir John and the Duke of Norfolk about Caister, but there was also a minor question about the manor of Saxthorpe, the particulars of which are not very clear. On the 12th July 1471, Sir John Paston made a release of Saxthorpe and Titchwell and some other portions of the Fastolf estates, to David Husband and William Gyfford;[272-6] but this was probably only in the nature of a trust, for it appears that he did not intend to give up his interest in the property. [Sidenote: A.D. 1472, Jan.] In January following, however, William Gurney entered into Saxthorpe and endeavoured to hold a court there for the lord of the manor. [Sidenote: John Paston interrupts the Manor Court at Saxthorpe.] But John Paston hearing of what was doing, went thither accompanied by one man only to protect his brother's interest, and charged the tenants, in the presence of Gurney himself and a number of his friends, to proceed no further. The protest was effective so far as to produce a momentary pause. But when it was seen that he had only one man with him, the proceedings were resumed; on which John Paston sat down by the steward and blotted his book with his finger as he wrote, and then called the tenants to witness that he had effectually interrupted the court in his brother's right.[273-1] Gurney, however, did not give up the game, but warned another court to be kept on Holy Rood day (May 3rd, the Invention of the Holy Cross), when he would have collected the half-year's rents from the tenants. The court was held, but before it was half over John Paston appeared again and persuaded him to stay proceedings once more, and to forbear gathering money until he and Sir John Paston should confer together in London. It seems to have required some tact and courtesy to get him to consent to this arrangement; for Henry Heydon, the son of the old ally of Sir Thomas Tuddenham, had raised a number of men-at-arms to give Gurney any assistance that might have been necessary, but the gentle demeanour of John Paston left him no pretext for calling in such aid.[273-2]