_To my ryght worchipfull John Paston, at Norwich._
[Sidenote: 1450 / MAY 5]
Ryght worchipfull sir, I recomaunde me to yow, and am right sory of that
I shalle sey, and have soo wesshe this litel bille with sorwfulle terys,
that on ethes ye shalle reede it.
As on Monday[146.2] nexte after May day there come tydyngs to London,
that on Thorsday[146.3] before the Duke of Suffolk come unto the costes
of Kent full nere Dower with his ij. shepes and a litel spynner; the
qweche spynner he sente with certeyn letters to certeyn of his trustid
men unto Caleys warde, to knowe howe he shuld be resceyvyd; and with hym
mette a shippe callyd Nicolas of the Towre, with other shippis waytyng
on hym, and by hem that were in the spyner, the maister of the Nicolas
hadde knowlich of the dukes comyng. And whanne he espyed the dukes
shepis, he sent forthe his bote to wete what they were, and the duke hym
selfe spakke to hem, and seyd, he was be the Kyngs comaundement sent to
Caleys ward, &c.
And they seyd he most speke with here master. And soo he, with ij. or
iij. of his men, wente forth with hem yn here bote to the Nicolas; and
whanne he come, the master badde hym, ‘Welcom, Traitor,’ as men sey; and
forther the maister desyryd to wete yf the shepmen woldde holde with the
duke, and they sent word they wold not yn noo wyse; and soo he was on
the Nicolas tyl Saturday[146.4] next folwyng.
Soom sey he wrotte moche thenke [_thing_] to be delyverd to the Kynge,
but thet is not verily knowe. He hadde hes confessor with hym, &c.
And some sey he was arreyned yn the sheppe on here maner upon the
appechementes and fonde gylty, &c.
Also he asked the name of the sheppe, and whanne he knew it, he
remembred Stacy that seid, if he myght eschape the daunger of the Towr,
he should be saffe; and thanne his herte faylyd hym, for he thowghte he
was desseyvyd, and yn the syght of all his men he was drawyn ought of
the grete shippe yn to the bote; and there was an exe, and a stoke, and
oon of the lewdeste of the shippe badde hym ley down his hedde, and he
should be fair ferd wyth, and dye on a swerd; and toke a rusty swerd,
and smotte of his hedde withyn halfe a doseyn strokes, and toke awey his
gown of russet, and his dobelette of velvet mayled, and leyde his body
on the sonds of Dover; and some sey his hedde was sette oon a pole by
it, and hes men sette on the londe be grette circumstaunce and preye.
And the shreve of Kent doth weche the body, and sent his under shreve to
the juges to wete what to doo, and also to the Kenge whatte shalbe doo.
Forther I wotte nott, but this fer (?) is that yf the proces be
erroneous, lete his concell reverse it, &c.
Also for alle your other maters they slepe, and the freer[147.1] also,
&c.
Sir Thomas Keriel[147.2] is take prisoner, and alle the legge harneyse,
and abowte iij. m^l. [3000] Englishe men slayn.
Mathew Gooth[147.3] with xv^c. [1500] fledde, and savyd hym selffe and
hem; and Peris Brusy was cheffe capteyn, and hadde x. m^l. Frenshe men
and more, &c.
I prey yow lete my mastras your moder knowe these tydyngis, and God have
yow all yn his kepyn.
I prey yow this bille may recomaunde me to my mastrases your moder and
wyfe, &c.
James Gresham hath wretyn to John of Dam, and recomaundith hym, &c.
Wretyn yn gret hast at London, the v. day of May, &c.