Father Pellam uses a quill pen to write with - that's a pen made from a bird's feather. The best quills come from the wing feathers of a goose or a swan. The end is cut to a point of much the same shape as a modern fountain pen - with a penknife (that's where the name comes from).

Paper is quite common and cheap in 1480 (imported from France and elsewhere) and is used for everyday writing such as letters, but important documents are written on parchment - calf or sheep skin which has been specially dried and prepared.