_To my maister Paston in hast._
[Sidenote: 1450 / OCT. 4]
Right worshipfull and my right good maister, I recomaund me to you. And
like you wete that it is now . . . . I haf for Danyels sake put my self
withynne the maner of Rydon; and her is with me a kynnesman [of] my
mastres your wifes, John Bendyssh. And as yestirday cam John Wodehous
with a xij. hors to Geyt[on]; on the othre side cometh Fitz William with
xx. hors; and on the third parte, oon Hoberd of Midelton hath redy a xx.
felaws; and on the fourth parte, stant the toune of Lynne redy with
Herry Wodehous; and thei all be gon thedir this nyght. This day folwyng
cometh to thaym Herry Tudenham, William Narburgh, Thomas Trusbut, Thomas
Kervile, and Shuldham servauntez, Salesbury and William Owayn. It is so
that of my lorde[173.2] gete I no socour, and lever I had to dy than gif
up the place sith I am ther yn. And I wene if thei gete the place upon
me ther helpith my lif no pardon. Wherfore I lowly beseche yow, maister
Paston, advertise in your wisdom that this was the first porpose of
Tudenham and Heydon whils thei regned, to gete this place; and to that
intent thei brought hider the lord Roos, which now is full simpely
thought on with my maister that I serve. And ye wete wele that I have
most encountred the entent of Tudenham and Heydon of ony pouer man on
lyve; And if I be lost or put to an ungoodly rebuke heryn my service is
the lesse of valu to you that be gentils of the shire. Wherfore I
requyre your maistership to come hider in your persone with suych as ye
seme not to that intent to take party in the mater, but to that intent
to help to set peas in the shire, and to stire my lord for his honour.
For yisterday my lord sent to Lynne and made a cry to be made that he
wold be named in the writ of the statute of Northampton, and that cry
hath caused the common pople of the toun of Lynne to stere the more.
Neverthelesse all the substaunce of the toun is in peas and peasid by
the wisdam of the Meir theer, but not for than sum of thaym come with
Harry Wodehous, so that I deme he hath a vj^xx. persones in all on all
sides. I beseche you to send me hider sum socour beside forth, with John
Osbern and John Lister with thaym, and come ye aftir a parte by your
good wisdome soukyng (_sic_) their demenynges, and send me your advyse.
Wretyn the nyght of the Sunday a forn seynt Feithesday.
Your servaunt,