_To my Ryght seuere and ryght worchepfull mayster, my mayster Paston, in
hast._
[Sidenote: 1451 / JAN. 3]
Ryght Reverent and ryght wurchepfull sir, I recomaunde me un to youre
good maysterchep. Late yow wete that Blake the baly of Swafham cam hom
from London on the Saterday after that my mayster departed from yow atte
myn lord of Oxenfordis. And he told my mayster that he cam to London on
Seint John day atte nyte. And he yede streyt to my lord Chaunceler and
told my seyd lord that yf the Kyng pardoned sir Thomas Tudenham and
Heydon her issewes that the shire of Suffolk wold paye no taxe; for what
nedyth the kynge for to have the taxe of hese pore puple whanne he wyll
not take hese issues of thos rych extorssioners and oppressours of hese
puple. And also he told my seyd lord Chaunceler and many more lordes
that yf the kynge pardon hym or graunted any _supersedeas_, London shuld
with inne short tyme have as moche for to do as they hadde for to kepe
London Brygge whanne the Capteyn[207.2] cam thedir; for he told hym that
ther was up in Norffolk redy to ryse V M^l. comons yf they have not
execucion of the _oyre_ and _terminer_. And whanne my lord Chaunceler
herd this he was ryte glade therof, and dede Blake telle all this and
moche more a forn the kynge and all hese lordes, that they blyssed him
whanne they herden yt. And yf he hadde not a seyd this they shuld an
hadd and _supersedeas_ and pardon also, for ther was made a gret
suggestion that it hadde be don of grette malyce. And so the lord Scales
meyntenyth Sir Thomas Tudenham in all that he may goodly, but he wyll
not awow yt; but he shall come don to the _oyre determiner_ sekerly, and
for to make anende atwex sir T. Tudenham and Swafham; for [he] hayth
made and genttyl letter un to the parson, the bayly and the inhabitaunce
of Swafham, and seth that he wyll do hese parte to sette them in reste
and peas. And so my mayster understande that yf Swafham and he werne
accorded that thei shuld sette lytyll be Norwych. And therfore my
mayster prayeth yow that ye wyll speke with the Mayer and hese brethern
that they purvey that ther be atte Lenn a sufficiaunt fellawshep to
gedyr, and that ther be madde a grette noyse up on the lord Scales,
bothe of Tudenham and Heydon, and for all thos that arne of that sekt,
and that wyse purvyaunce ordenance he hadde how they shull be demened;
for this same day was the parson of Swafham with my mayster, and they
arne accorded that ther shall be of here lordshep and sufficiaunt
fellawshep and they shall have here loggyng atte the Frere Menours atte
Lenn. And they wyll not assentte to noone ende but as the Cety doyth.
And it is here avyse that the meyre shuld purveye for hem in sum other
Freres. For Tudenham and H[eydon] wyll brynge with hem sufficiaunt
counceyll as any kun they gete in London; And also the Cetye must purvey
that as many sufficiaunt mene as can be gette or spoke to, that they be
redy yf it happe of any tryall. Also the Cetye hadde nede to have Sir
Miles Stapulton ther show they shuld helpe to hese costys. Ware, Sir,
atte the reverens of God be thenke yow well of all these maters. Blake
was atte London on Thursday and herd no word of the stretes,[208.1] ne
of Robson my lord of Oxffordis man, and or Blake cam to London Sir T.
Terell hadde labored to Sir John Fastolf that Sir T. Tudenham shuld ave
[been[208.2]] bownde to Sir John Fastolf in foure thowsand pounde to
stande to hese rule and ordenance; and so whanne Blake cam and deysshsed
all to gedyr, and so he dede Sir John Fastolf labor to the kynge and to
the Chaunceler for to lette the _supersedeas_ and the pardon; and ther
was grette langage atwex Blake and Tudenham; it wor to moche to wryte yt
un to yow, but he hayth sore noyssed my mayster to the Kynge and to the
lordes. Also Tudenham is owte of the kynges hows, and Cotton is
Warderopper, my mayster shall on Monday dyne with. Also, sir, it wore
grette wysdam that my mayster hadde knowleche atte Walsyngham on Fryday
nest comyng how the Maire and ze be accorded, for my mayster wyle be
recaled therafter. William Geney sent un to my mayster for to ascuse hym
that he shuld not come to Lenn un to the Wedenesday. And, Sir, that were
agrette hurte bothe to the Cyte of Norwych and for Swafham; and therfor
my mayster wold that the Mayer shuld send for hym, that he be ther be
tyme on the Tuesday, and that moo bille be made ayens Tudenham and
Heydon, what so ever falle. The Holy Gost have you and yours in hese
kepyng. Wretyn atte Rougham, the Sonday nyte nest after newe zers day in
hest as it semyth.
Be your servaunte,