_To my master, Sir John Paston, in Flett-Stret._
[Sidenote: 1469 / OCT. 5]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand on to you, praying yow that ye wyll in
all hast send me word how that ye wyll that Sir John Style, John
Pampyng, W. Mylsent, Nycolas Mondonet, T. Tomson shall be rwlyd, and
whedyr that they shall sek hem newe servysys or not; and Mathewe Bedford
also, for he hathe be with me this seson, and is fro my modyr. And if so
be that ye wyll have thes to abyde with yow, or eny of them, send word
whyche that they be; for betwyx thys and Halowmas my modyr is agreyd
that they shall have met and drynk of hyr for syche a serteyn wekly as
my modyr and yu and I can acord when we met. Notwithstandyng, if ye kowd
get Barney or eny of thes seyd folkys, whyche that ye wyll not kepe, eny
servyse in the mene seson, it wer more worchep for yow then to put them
from yow lyek masterles hondys [_hounds_]; for by my trowthe they ar as
good menys bodys as eny leve, and specyally Sir John Stylle and John
Pampyng. And I wer of power to kepe them and all thes befor rehersyd, by
trowthe they shold never depert fro me whyll I leveyd.
If ye send me word that I shall come to yow to London for to comon with
yow of eny mater, so God help me, I have neythyr mony to com up with,
nor for to tery with yow when I am ther but if [_unless_] ye send me
some; for by my trowthe thes werkys have causyd me to ley owt for yow
bettyr then x. or xij_li._, besyd that money that I had of my modyr,
whyche is abowt on viij_li._ God amend defowts; but this I warant yow,
with out that it be Mathew, whyche ye sent woord by John Thressher that
ye wold have to awayt on yow, ther is no man that was hyryd for the tyme
of thys sege that wyll axe yow a peny.
Also I pray yow send downe acomandment to Stutvylle, or to some awdyter,
to take acomptys of Dawbneys byllys; for hys executors ar sore callyd
upon for to admynyster by the Byshop, or ellys he seythe that he wyle
seqwester. Dawbeney set in hys dett that ye owt hym xij_li._ and x_s._
Whedyr it be so or nowt, hys byllys of hys owne hand wyll not lye, for
he mad hys byllys clere or then the sege com abowt us.
As for the evydence of Bekham, my modyr sent to Calle for hem; and he
sent hyr woord that he wold make hys acompts, and delyver the evydence
and all to gedyr. My modyr hathe sent to hym ayen for hem thys day. If
she sped, they shall be sent to yow in all hast, or ellys, and ye send
for me, I shall bryng hem with me. Send my modyr and me word who ye wyll
that have the rwyll of your lyvelod her in thys contre, and in what
forme that it shall be delt with. I wyll not make me mastyrfast with my
Lord of Norff., nor with non othyr, tyle I spek with yow; and ye thynk
it be to be don, get me a mastyr.
Dell corteysly with the Qwen and that felawshep, and with Mastras Anne
Hawte for Wappys,[61-1] tyll I spek with zow. Wretyn on Seynt Feythys
Evyn.