_Un to my ryght wurshypfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquyer, for the Body._
[Sidenote: 1487 / MAY 16]
Ryght wurshypfull cosyn, I recomawnd me un to you as hertly as I can,
letyng you wytte I was with my Lorde Stuarde[99-2] as on Munday laste
paste, by the desyir of them that I myght not sey ney to. I herde all
that was seyd there, but they gaate non avawntage, wurde, nor promyse
off me; but they thought in asmoche as they ware the beste in the shere,
that every man owghte to wayte and go with them. Wherto yt was answerd
that oure master,[99-3] nexte the Kynge, havynge hys commysshon, muste
nedys have the jentylmen and the contre to a wayte up on hym by the
vertu of the same; but yt was thought I owght not to obeye no copy of
the commisshon, withoute I had the same under wexe, where in hathe ben
gret argument, whyche I understoode by reporte a fortnyte paste, and
that causyd me to sende unto my lorde to have the very commysshon,
whyche he sente me, and a letter, where off I sende you the copy here in
closyd.
As for you, ye be sore takyn in sum place, seying that ye intende swyche
thynges as ys lyke to folow gret myscheffe. I seyd I undyrstood non
swyche, nor thynges lyke it; and yt ys thoughte ye intende nat to go
forthe thys jorneye, nor no jentylman in that quarter but Robert Brandon
that hath promysyd to go with them, as they seye.
I understonde Sir Wylliam Bolen[99-4] and Sir Harry Heydon[99-5] ware at
Thetforde in to Kente ward, but they returnyd in to Norffolk a geyne;
I thynke they wull not goo thys jorney, yff the Kynge nede. Ser Harry
was at Attylborow on Saterday. I wene he had a vyce there to turne a
zen; wher for, cosyn, yt ys good to understonde the sertente what
jentylmen intende to goo, and be assuryd to go together, that I may have
wurde; my cosyn Hoptun hathe promysyd that he wull be oon. As fore
Wysman, he seythe he wull be off the same, but I can have no holde.
Furthermore, cosyn, yt ys seyd that after my lordys departyng to the
Kynge ye ware mette at Barkwey, whyche ys construid that ye had ben with
the Lady Lovell, but wrathe seyd never well; and in asmoche as we
understonde my lordys plesur, yt ys well doon we dele wysly therafter.
And, nexte to the Kynge, I answerd pleynly I was bownde to do him
service, and to fullfylle hys comaundment to the uttermest off my
powere, by the grace off God, Who ever preserve you to Hys plesur.
Wretyn at Oxburgh, the xvj. day of Maye.
Your cosyn,