_To his wurchypfull Brodyr, John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1454 / [JULY]]
Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande to yow; and as for tedyng, my Lord
of Yorke hathe take my Lord of Exsater[329.3] in to hys awarde. The Duke
of Somerset[329.4] is styll in prison, in warse case than he was. Syr
Jon Fastolf recomande hym to yow, &c. He wyll ryde in to Norfolke ward
as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at Caster, and Skrop[329.5] wyth hym.
He saythe ye ar the hartyest kynysman and frynd that he knowyts. He
wolde have yow at Mawdeby dwellyng.
I had gret cher of Byllyng be the way, and he told me in cownsayle wathe
he sayd to Ledam.
Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to Pryothe[329.6] in the
scher-howse of yow, and Byllyng consallyd hym to leve, and tolde Ledam
ye and he wer no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, ‘That is the gyse of yowr
contre men, to spend alle the good they have on men and lewery gownys,
and hors and harnes, and so beryt owth for j wylle [_bear it out for a
while_], and at the laste they arn but beggars; and so wyll ye do.
I wylde ye schull do wyll, be cause ye ar a felaw in Grays In, wer I was
a felaw. As for Paston, he ys a swyr [squire] of wurchyp, and of gret
lyvelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good as [_at?_] onys,
but he sparyt yerly C. mark, or j. C. _li._ [£100]; he may do his ennemy
a scherewd turne and never far the warse in hys howsholde, ner the lesse
men abowthe hym. Ye may not do so, but if yt be for j. [_one_] sesun.
I consayll yow not to contenu long as ye do. I wulle consalle yow to
seke reste wyth Paston.’
And I thankkyd Byllyng on yowr behalfe.
God have yow in hys kepyng.
Be yowr por Brodyr,