_To the right worshipfull and my right intierly welbelovyd councellour,
Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: About 1491(?) / OCT.]
Right worshipfull and right intierly welbeloved councellour, I comaund
me to you. And where as I undirstond, by your writing to me delyverid by
this berar, the roborye and dispoyling of certayn Corvers of Holond and
Selond, done by the shipp callyd _the Foole_, wherof Robert Spenser was
maister, aswell in herryng, vitayle, and takelyng, as ye be enfourmyd by
iij. personnys of the same shippe, and of th’entent and disposicion of
the master and feleshyp of the same, whiche shewe, as ye write, that
Barkeley, aswell with that shipp as with a prise that he hathe bought,
late takyn of the Frenchemen, were disposid and determenyd to do myche
harme, wherupon ye have indevorid you to breke the same; how be hit that
the seid Barkeley hath be late with me, and found suertie in a C_li._ to
answer to all suche demeanyng, when he shall be callyd; and therupon I
wrote to you to suffre hym, his men, and shippis to departe at libertie;
yet nevyrtheless, concidering your large writing, I can nat be content
in my mynde to suche tyme as I may here bothe you and Barkeley to geder;
willing therf[or that ye do] kepe the shippys and goodes in suertie, and
to be with me your selfe . . . . . . . . well may, bringyng with you
suche iij. personnys as have . . . . . . . . . certaynte of this mater;
and so I have wretin to Barkeley . . . . . se to answer to the same. And
God kepe you.
Wretin . . . . . . . of Octobre.
Also yf the be eny of the Duchemen . . . . . . . . any sute for ther
gode, that ye then cause one of . . . . . . . to shewe and clayme ther
owne.