_To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esquier, or to Roose
dwyllyng affor ther gate, to delyver to them._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 22]
Please it yow to weete that I have opteyned letterys from the Kynge to
my Lorde off Norffolke, to my Lady of Norffolk, and to ther concell,
whyche letter to ther concell is nott superscrybyd, for cawse we wyst
nott serteyn whyche of the councell sholde be present when the massenger
cowme. I therffor thynke that thoos namys most be somwhatt by yowr
advyce; and for get nott Gornaye, nor yitt Brome, iff ye thynke so best,
nor Sowthewelle. I trust to my cosyn Gornaye, and on to Brome and
Barnard in cheffe; and as to Bernarde, brother, I praye yow to take hys
advyce, for I hope he is my welwyller, as ye know, and iffe he do me
perffyght ease in thys mater, I thynke verrely in tyme to come to gyff
him xx. scutys, and yit a goode turne whan so ever it lythe in my power.
The Kynge hathe specially doon for me in thys case, and hathe pitte me,
and so have the Lordys, in ryght greete comfort, that iff thys fayle,
that I shalle have ondelayed justyce; and he hathe sente a man of
worship and in greet favor with hym on thys massage, whyche hathe nott
ofte ben seyne, whyche gentylman kan well do hys mastrys massage and
brynge trywe reporte. I have gevyn hym v_li._ for hys costes: God sende
hym and yow goode spede in thees werkes. I feer thatt he shall nott
speke with my Lady, for that she hathe takyn hyr chambre. Iff she be my
verry goode Ladye, as she hathe seyde hertoffor that she wolde be,
I hope that she wolle speke with hym. Neverthelesse I praye yow by the
meanes of Mestresse Jahne Rothen that [you][162-1] will have my Ladye
mevyd for me, and wher that herr to fore I wolde have departyd with C.
marke to have hadde hyr goode helpe and to be restoryd to my place;
whyche nott acceptyd, I tolde my seyde Lady that I feeryd that my power
sholde natt be ther aftre to gyff so large a plesyr, for at that tyme I
was in hope that the Bysshop of Wynchester sholde have payd it, thoghe
it hadde drawen a C_li._ Yet for as moche as men may nott lure none
hawkes with empty handys, I wolde yitt agre to gyffe my Lady xx_li._ for
an horse and a sadell, so that I be restoryd to my place, and that
doone, to have a relesse of my Lorde, and my gounes and bokes to be
restoryd, iff it maye bee. Neverthelesse thys mony is nott yit redy with
me. I remytte thys to yowr dyscressyons.
Item, iff it be soo that itt be thowte behovefull, I thynke that thoghe
nowther Slyfelde, nor ye, brother John, maye come in to my Ladyes
chambre, that my moodre, iff she weer at Norwyche, she myght speke with
hyr, for that she is a woman and off worshyppe. I thynke that my moodre
sholde meve my Lady moche. I thynke that ther most be some body for me,
havyng auctoryte to conclude for me, or ellys knowyng myn entente, they
myght make delaye, and seye they wolle at the Kynges enstance comon with
me; never the lesse I was nott ther present. Wherffor, rather than
fayle, yff neede be, I wolle with owte any abode, iff I heer from yow,
come home; and Slyfelde is agreyd to tary the a vij. nyghte for my sake,
so that the mater take effecte. I praye yow make hym goode cheer, and
iff it be so that he tarye, I most remembre hys costes; therffor iff I
shall be sent for, and he tery at Norwyche ther whylys, it wer best to
sette hys horse at the Maydes Hedde, and I shalle content for ther
expences.
Item, ye maye largely sey on my behalve for suche servyse that I sholde
do to my Lorde and Lady hereaffter, whyche by my trowthe I thynke to
doo; neverthelesse to sey that I woll be hys sworyn man, I was never
yitt Lordys sworyn man, yit have I doone goode servyce, and nott leffte
any at hys most neede ner for feer. But as Gode helpe me, I thynke my
Lady shalle have my servyce above any lady erthely, wheche she scholde
weell have knowyn, had I been in suche case as I hadde nott been alweye
the werse welkome; for that on of my herandes alweye was undrestande
that it was for Caster, wnyche was nott acceptable, and I evyr the werse
welkome.
Item, brother, I ame concludyd with my Lorde for yow, that ye shalle be
at Caleys if ye list, and have iij. men in wages undre yow, wheroff my
Lorde seythe that William Lovedaye most be on, tyll tyme that he have
purveyed other rome for hym. Iff ye be dysposyd to goo, as I tolde hym
that ye weer, yett wer it nott best that ye lete it be knowe tyll thys
mater be doone, and then ye maye acordyng to yowr promyse lete my Ladye
have knowleche ther off. Never the lesse my Lorde shalle be here with in
xx. dayes or ther abowt; iff ye come thys weye ye maye speke with hym;
neverthelesse ye shall nott lose no tyme, iff ye weer at Caleys at thys
owr, for my Lorde promysed me that he wolde wryght to Elkenhed the
tresorer at Caleys for yow by the next massenger thatt went.
Item, ther hathe Perauntes wyffe wryte to me that Bernaye servyth hyr
onkyndely. He owythe hyr xxxij_s._ and she is in noon hope that evyr he
will come ther ageyn; sende me worde iff he wyll. He shall nott lyf so
weell and trywly to geedre, I trowe, but iffe he goo thyddre.
I hadde comen home, butt that I ame nott yitt verrely purveyd for
payment for my oncle William the xxvj. daye of thys monythe, and he
dothe me harme. He delythe so oncurteysly with Towneshende, for he wille
nott yitt paye hym the C. marke, payable at Halowmesse, whyche he hadde
a monythe affore; wherffor I feer that Towneshende wille nott do for me
ageyn. I shall doo as I kan.
Wretyn on Sondaye next Seynt Clement.