_To Sir John Paston, be thys lettyr delyvered._
[Sidenote: 1488 / MAY 13]
Aftyr all dewe recomendacion, pleasyt yow to undyrstonde that my
lorde[111-2] hathe ben with the Kynge in Wyndesour at Seynt Georgys
Feste, and ther at the same feste were bothe the inbacetours of Breten
and of Flaundyrs, as well fro the Kynge of Romayns[111-3] as fro the
yonge Duke.[111-4] But I can not schew yow the certeyn whedyr we schall
have with them warre or pease; but I undyrstonde for certeyn that all
suche capeteyns as wente to the see in Lente, that is to sey, Sir
Charlys Somersett, Sir Richard Hawte, and Syr Wylliam Vampage, makythe
them redy to goo to the see ageyn as schortely as they can, to what
intente I can not sey.
Also, where as it was seyde that my Lord Woddevyle and other schulde
have gone over in to Breten, to have eyded the Duke of Breten,[111-5] I
can not tell of non suche eyd. Butt upon that seynge ther came many men
to Sowthehamton, where it was seyd that he schulde have takyn schyppyng,
to have waytyd upon hym over; and soo whan he was countyrmaundyd, thos
that resortyd thedyr, to have gone over with hym taryde there styll in
hope that they schuld have ben lycensyd to have gone over; and whan they
sey [_saw_] no lykeleod that they schuld have lycens, there was ij.C. of
them that gete them in to a Breten schyppe, the whyche was late come
over with salte, and bad the mayster sett them a lond in Breten. And
they had nott seylyd not paste vj. leges butt they aspied a Frencheman,
and the Frencheman mad over to them; and they ferde as thow they wolde
not have medylde with them, and all the Englysche men went undyr the
hetchys, soo that they schewyd no more but those that came to
Sowthehamton with the schype, to cawse the Frenchemen to be the more
gladder to medyll with them; and soo the Frencheman burdyd them, and
then they that were undyr the hetches came up, and soo toke the
Frencheman, and caryed the men, schyppe, and all in to Breaten.
Also, ther was ther an inbacetour fro the Kynge of Schottes,[112-1] who
is now put in grete trobyll be hys son and other of the lordes of hys
londe.
Syr, as I came homewerde be London, I spake there with Emonde Dormand,
and he seyd that he had wretyn onto yow, but he had none aunswere;
wherfor he prayd me that if I knew ony man comynge towerdes Norwhyche,
and I wold wrythe on to yow that he ferythe, if ye see none other
dyreccion, that he schall be comittyd to the Flete.
Also, he schewyd me that Herry Wyott wholde fynde the mene to have yow
condemnyd, and recover the obligacion of xl_li_. ageyns yow, and soo he
seythe he whote nott how to doo, for he is halfe dysmayd; he ferythe
lesse that he schall never come home. But he intendythe to plede the
obligacion fulfylyd at Norwyche, for he seythe ther is non other remedy
to save yow fro the condemnacion, tyl that he herythe otherwyse from
yow, whyche he thynketh longe aftyr.
Wretyn at Henyngham, the xiij^te day of May, with the hand of your
brodyr,