_To myn most reverent and [w]urchepful broder, Jon Paston._
[Sidenote: About 1449]
To myn most reverent and wurchepful brodur, I recummend me hartely to
zow, desiryng speciali to hare of zowre wellefare and prosperite, qweche
Almyty God contenu to zowre gosteli hele and bodili welfare. And if it
plase zowre goode broderod to here of myn wellefare, at the makyng of
this bylle I was in good hele. And if it leke zowre good broderod to
remembre the letter that I sent to zow of the noyse that was telde of
zow, that ze schuld a be on of the capetayns of the ryserse in Norfolk,
and how that j. scholere of Cambryg, qweche is parsone of Welle, schuld
an utteryd ferthere to zowr grete schalndyr [_slander_]; besechyng zow
to undyrstond that the seyde parsone of Welle was sone [after?][106.2]
that tyme at Lundon, were he harde sey of j. swyr of ij. c. marc be zere
[_of one squire of 200 marks by year_] that ze and Master Thomas Wellys
wolde sewe the seyd Parsone Welle for zowre schalndyr; and the seyde
parsone come to Cambryg sothyn, and hathe pekyd a qwarell to on Mastyr
Recheforthe, a knythys sone of Norforfolke,[106.3] and seyd to
Rychechefor[106.3] that he had because that ze schuld sewe hym; and the
seyd Parsone Welle thretyd Rycheferthe that wat some ever that ze causyd
Parson Welle to lese be zowre sewtes, that Rycheferthe schul lese the
same to the Parson of Welle. Werefor this jeltylmon Rycheforthe taketh
grete thowt, and pray me to wrythe to zow that ze wulde sese zowre suthe
tylle the tyme that ze wulde asyne that I mythe speke wythe zow, and
odyr sundry have speke with zow of the same mater; for yt ware pithe
that Rycheforthe chuld have ony hurthe thereby. I beseche zow holde me
excusyd, thow I wryt no better to zow at thys tyme, for in good feyth I
had no leysere. The brynggar of thys letter can telle zow the same. God
have zow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at Cambryg, on Fryday [sa]nyth[107.1]
nexste before Mydsommer Evyn.
In case ze come ba come [_back home?_] be Cambryg, I schal telle zow mo
of it. I am sory I may wrythe no bettyr at this tyme, but I trust ze
wylle [have] paciens.
Be zowre pore Broder,