_To the ryght worchepfull Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1492 / FEB. 18]
Aftyr all dew recomendacion, lyke it yow to undyrstond that Syr Herry
Heydon schewyd me that it is agreyd be Syr Edmond Bedyngfeld, that the
mater betwyx hym and my brodyr Yelverton[143-3] schalbe comynd at
Norwyche, and there a dyreccion to be takyn in the same mater, mete for
them bothe.
Syr, the Kyng sendythe ordynaunce dayly to the see syde, and hys tentes
and alys [_pavilions_] be a makyng faste, and many of them be made; and
there is also grete provysyon made be gentylmen that scholde goo wythe
Hys Grace for hors, harnese, tents, halys, gardyvyans [_knapsacks_],
cartes, and othyr thynges that scholde serve them for thys jurney that
the Kynge entendythe to take on hand, soo that belykelyod Hys Grace
wolbe goyng sone upon Ester. And so I entende, aftyr that I here
heaftyr, to goo to Caleys to purvey me of harneys, and suche thynges as
I schall nede besydes hors, undyr that forme that my costes schalbe payd
fore.
Syr, I am as yet no bettyr horsyd than I was whan I was wythe yow, nor I
wote not where to have none, for hors flesche is of suche a price here
that my purce is schante [_scarce_] able to bye one hors; wherfor I
beseche yow to herkyn [_hearken_] for some in yowre contre. Syr, my
cosyn, John Heydon, tolde me that the Prior of Waburnes horse was rially
amendyd, and that the Abott of Seynt Benetes schewed hym there was a bay
hors of a persons nyght onto Seynt Benetis, and that the abot wolde gete
hym for my cosyn Heydon at a resonable price. Syr, my cosyn, John
Heydon, woll geve me hys entrest in that hors, if the abot have bowght
hym, and so ye may lete the abot have knowlege; and if he have not
bowght hym, I beseche yow sende to see hym, for I wote not how to do
withowt yowre helpe aswell in horsyng of me as in other thynges.
At the makyng of thys lettyr, I cannot acerteyn yow what person it is
that owythe thys hors. If I can know, I wolle send yow worde in a bylle
I sende to Thomas Jullys be the berer herof.
Syr, as towardes my jurney to Caleys, the whyche I entende [_intended_]
to have tane at my laste beyng with yow, it was so, I was dysapoyntyd of
Thomas Dey and an other man I scholde have had be hys menys, as ye have
had knowlege of or now; and also I had went [_thought_] to have had
folkys a mette with me at Hedyngham, whyche ded nott. My lorde,[144-1]
seyng me dysesyd, and also none otherwyse purveyd, wyllyd me in ony wyse
to tary on tyl hys comyng to London, and sent myn excuse to my Lorde
Dawbeney undyr thys forme how that I was sore disesyd; notwythestondyng
I was welewyllyd to have come to fulfyll my promesse, but he cowde not
sofyr me, seyng me soo dysesyd; and so my Lord Dawbeney was sory of my
dysese and content that I taryd.
Syr, I beseche yow to holde me excusyd for kepyng of Thomas Lynsted,
yowr servaunt, and hym bothe. It is soo that he and I bothe have ben in
hand with my unkyll[145-1] for hys mater, and yett wee have hym at noo
good poynt; but I troste we schall have. Syr, if I take thys jurney to
Caleys, I moste beseche yow to forbere hym lenger, and if I goo not to
Caleys, thow I be lothe to forbere hym, yet I schall brynge hym with me
schortly in to Norfolke, ye to have hym, if ye lyste, with the grace of
God, Who have yow in kepyng.
Wretyn at London, the xviij. day of February, with the hande of yowre
pore brodyr,