_To Master Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1472 / NOV. 24]
Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me to yow, thankyng yow most hertly of
your dylygence and cost whyche ye had in gettyng of the hawk, whyche ye
sent me, for well I wot your labore and trowbyll in that mater was as
myche as thow she had ben the best of the world; but, so God help me, as
ferforthe as the most conyng estragers [_falconers_] that ever I spak
with can imagyn, she shall never serve but to ley eggys, for she is
bothe a mwer de haye, and also she hathe ben so brooseid with cariage of
fewle that she is as good as lame in boothe hyr leggys, as every man may
se at iee. Wherfor all syche folk as have seen hyr avyse me to cast hyr
in to some wood, wher as I wyll have hyr to eyer [_lay eggs_]; but I
wyll do ther in as ye wyll, whedyr ye wyll I send hyr yow ayen, or cast
hyr in Thorpe wood and a tarsell with hyr, for I weit wher on is. But
now I dar no more put yow to the cost of an hawke, but, for Godes sake,
and ther be eny tersell or good chep goshawk that myght be gotyn, that
the berer herof may have hyr to bryng me, and I ensuer yow be my trowthe
ye shall have Dollys and Browne bonde to paye yow at Kandyllmas the
pryse of the hawke. Now, and ye have as many ladyse as ye wer wont to
have, I reqwere yow for hyr sake that ye best love of theym all, onys
trowbyll yowr syllf for me in thys mater, and be owght of my clamor.
Item, as for the ryng, it is delyverd, but I had as gret peyn to make
hyr take it as ever I had in syche a mater; but I have promyseid yow to
be hyr knyght, and she hathe promyseid me to be more at your comandment
then at eny knyghtes in Inglond, my Lord reservyd; and that ye shall
well undyrstand, if ye have owght to do, wherin she may be an helper;
for ther was never knyght dyd so myche cost on hyr as ye have doon.
I mervyall that I her no woord of the lettyrs that my Lord Chamberleyn
shold send to my Lord and my Lady for Caster. It is best that my Lord
Chamberleyn wryght to my Lady by som prevy tokyn betwyx theym, and let a
man of hys com with the lettrys. My Lord Chamberleyn may speed with my
Lady what maters he wyll, savyng the gret mater; and if ye inbyll me for
a solysitor, I shal be _a vouster comandment a touz jours_.
Item, me thynkyth that ye do evyll that ye go not thorewgh with my Lady
of Suffolk for Heylysdon and Drayton; for ther shold growe mony to you,
whyche wold qwyte yow ayenst R. T. and all other, and set yow befor for
ever.
I prey yow for your ease, and all others to you ward, plye thes maters.
As for alle other thynges, I shall send yow an answer, when I com to
Norwyche, whyche shall be on Thorsday, with Godes grace. I have teryd
her at Framlyngham thys sevennyght, for [my] Lady took not hyr chambyr
tyll yersterday. Adewe.
Wretyn on Seynt Kateryns Evyn.