_To the Right Honorable Sir John Paston, Knyght, be this delyverid._
[Sidenote: 1489 / FEB. 2]
Right reverent and honorable, after the ordre of all diew recommendacion
had, I recomaunde me un to your maistership. Sir, it is so that John
Talyour of Brytcham, debite [_deputy_] in your office of Th’admirallite,
was with me this mornyng to have myn advyce in this mater folowyng, the
whiche is this.
There was taken ageyns Thornham, in the Kynges streeme, leyng ij. fadam
and an halff depe upon the see, a whalle fyssh, by Thornham men
labouryng all nyght on Sunday nyght last was, and so have slayn it, and
brought to lande; upon the whiche your said debite hath ben ther as
yister day, and seysed my lordes part therof; wherof the puple was glad
it shuld so be. Than John a Lowe was there, and he seyd to your debite
that he wold have the Kynges part in this wise, that the Kyng and my
lord shuld part the halff. Sir, the lawe cyvylle seyth thus, ‘If any
fyssh ryall be founde on the se, that is to say, _whalle, bales, sturgion, porpeys, or gra[m]peys_, that my Lord Admyrall shall have
the halvendele,’ &c.
I thynke my lord[116-1] hath the Kynges prerogatyff upon the see, the
whiche I remytte to your discrecion, &c.
Sir, by lyklyhode, without ye take hede and send thedir som of youres,
my lordes part shall be litill. It is a greet fissh and a ryall; your
debite sheweth me it is xj. fadam and more of length, and ij. fadam of
bygnes and depnes in the mydde fyssh.
Sir, remembre what ye have to do; there came not suche a casualte in
your tyme of your office, &c. Wherfore this, by th’enfourmacion of your
sayd debite, cause me to wryte un to you this sympill bille, praying you
to pardone me of the writyng, for it was don in hast; and this bille I
sent to Willyam Brykkes your servant, to Matelask, by masse tyme, to
brynke it to you. And this day they purpose to breke it. Do hereyn now
as it please you, and Allmighti God have you and all youres in Hese
kepyng; besechyng you that this symple bille may recomaunde my pouer
wiff un to your maistershipp.
Wretyn on Candilmas Day, in hast, at Welles.
Your,