_To John Paston, Esquyere, in haste._
[Sidenote: 1470 / NOV. 15]
Brother, I comand me to yow, praying yow that thys be yow guydyng, if
other folkys wy[ll] agree to the same, that Mr. Roos, olde Knevett, ye,
and the worshypfullest that wyll do for owr sake, as Arblaster, John
Gyneye, Wodhows, and al other gentelmen that at the daye wyll be in
Norwyche, that ye all holl as on bodye come to geder, that my Lorde of
Oxenforde maye ondrestande that som strenkethethe restyth ther by,
whyche if it be well handely[d] and prove in the handely[ng], I trow
Heydonnes parte woll be but an easy comparyson. Neverthelesse ye than
most ye be war of on [_one_] payn, and that is thys: Heydon wyll of
crafte sende amonge yow per case vj. or mor with harneyse for to
sclandre yowr felawschep, with seyng that they be ryotous peple, and
natt of substance. Requer the gentelmen above wretyn that if any men be
in Norwyche of the contre that ber any suche harneyse, to do them leve
it or any glysteryng byll.
The Meyr and siteseynes of Nowyche wher wonte to have asertayne[89-1] in
harneyse of men of the town to the nombr of ij. or iij. or v.^c., whyche
if they now do in lyke case, those wole owe better wyll to Mr. Roos and
yow than to other folkys; and if it be so that the thowt nat to have non
suche at thys tyme, I thynke the Meyr woll do it at the request of Mr.
Roos and yow, if lak of tyme cawse it not.
Item, be well war of Clopton, for he hathe avysed my Lorde to be all
to gydre rewled by Heydon, in so moche he hathe reportyd that all thyng
and all materys of my Lordes, and in all the contre, scholde guydyd by
Heydon. If Clopton or Hygham or Lowes John be besy, prese in to my Lorde
byfor them, for the be no Suff.[89-2] materys, and tell the raylyng;
prayng them not to cawse my Lorde to owe hys favor for the pleser to
som folkys ther present. For if my Lorde favoryd or theye owther, by
lykelyed my Lorde and they myght lose vj. tyme as many frendes as he
scholde wynn by ther meanes. Also if ye cowde fynde the meanes, Mr. R.
and ye, to cawse [the] Meyr in my Lordes ere to telle hym, thow he
scholde bynde my Lorde to concell, that the love of the contre and syte
restyth on owr syde, and that other folkys be not belovyd, ner nevyr
wer, thys wolde do nonn harme, if it be soo that all thynge go olyver
currant (?); with mor to remembre that ther is owt of that contre that
be nat at Norw. besyde me, that be ryght worshypfull, and as worshypfull
as few be lengyng to Norff., that woll and schall do my Lorde servyse
the rather for my sake and Master Rossys, and the rather if my Lorde
semyth nat moche thynge to Heydon guydyng.
Also, the godely menes wherby ye best can entrete my cosyn Sir W.
Calthorpe at the seyde day, wse them to cawe hym, if itt wyll be, to
come, ye in hys companye, and he in yow in cheff at yow cheff schew, and
Mr. Roos and he in company, latyng my seyde cosyn wete that I tolde hym
ones that I scholde meve hym of a thyng I trostyn scholde be encressyng
bothe to hys honor and well.
I sende yow a lettyr, com to Norwyche by lyklyed to yow on Monday last
past. It come some what the lattre, for I wende have dyed nat longe by
foer it. Also I receyved on from yow by Mr. Blomvyle yister evyn. Tell
my cosyn W. Yelverton that he may not appyr of a whylle in no wyse.
I trow my cosyn hys fadr schall sende hym worde of the same. Do that ye
can secretly that my Lorde be nat hevy Lorde on to hym. It is
undrestande that itt is doon by the craffte of Heydon. He gate hym in to
that offyce to have to be ageyn me, and nowe he sethe that he hathe don
all that he can ageyn me, and now may doo no mor; nowe he wolde remeve
hym. The daye is comen that he fastyd the evyn for, as an holye yonge
monke fastyd mor than all the covent, aftr that for hys holynesse and
fastyng hopyd to be abbott, whyche afterwarde was abbott; than lefte he
hys abstynens, seyng, ‘The daye was come that he fast the evyn for.’
Brother, I pray yow recomand me to my Lord of Oxford gode Lordshyp. And
wher as I told my Lord that I shuld have awayted uppon hys Lordsyp in
Norff., I wold that I myght soo have don lever then a hundred _li._; but
in godefeth thos maters that I told my Lord trewed shold lette me war
not fynyshed tyl yesterday. Wherfor yf that cause, and also syn
Halowmasse every other day myst not hold uppe myn heed, nor yet may, in
semech that sythen the seyd day, in Westminster Halle and in other
place, I have goon with a staffe as a goste, as men sayd, more lyke that
I rose owte of the erth then owte of a fayr laydys bedd; and yet am in
lyke case, savyng I am in gode hope to amende. Wherfor I beshyche hys
Lordshyp to pardon me, and at a nother tyme I shall make dobell amends;
for by my trouth a man cowyd not have hyred me for v. mark with so gode
will to have ryden in to Norff. as to have at thys season ther to have
awaytyd in hys Lordshyp, and also I wold have ben glad for my Lord shold
have knowyn what servys that I myght have don hys Lordshyp in that
contray.
Item, your geer ys send to you, as Thomas Stampes sayth, savyng Mylsents
geer and the shafeson,[91-1] whych I cannot entrete Thomas Stampes to
goo therfor thys iij. or iiij. days, wherfor I knokkyd hym on the
crowne, &c.
Item, loke that ye take hyde that the letter wer not broken or that it
com to your hands, &c. Wryten at London, on Thursday next after Seynt
Erkenwolds Day, &c.