_A son trescher & bon ame Freer, John de Paston, Esquier._
[Sidenote: 1473 / APRIL 2]
Weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow wete that at the
request of Mestresse Jane Hassett and yow, I have laboryd the knyghtys
off the sheer off Norffolk, and the knyghtys off the shyre of Suffolk.
I understond ther had ben made labor that suche a thing shulde have ben
as ye wrotte to me off, but now it is saff.
Raff Blaundrehasset wer a name to styrte an hare. I warrant ther shall
come no suche name in owr bokys, ner in owr house; it myght per case
styrt xx^ti harys at onys; ware that j_d._ perse.[179-3] I redde ther in
the bille off Norffolk, off one John Tendall, Esquier, but I suppose it
be not ment by owr Tendall, and iff it be, he shall not rest theer, iffe
I maye helpe it.
As for tydyngs, the werst that I herde was that my moodre wyll not doo
so moche ffor me as she put me in comffort off.
Other tydyngs, I herd sey ffor serteyn that the Lady Fitzwater is ded,
and that Master Fytzwater shall have CCCC. mrke a yer more than he had.
I am not sory therffor.
As ffor the worlde I woot nott what it menyth, men seye heer, as weell
as Hogan, that we shall have adoo in hast; I know no lyklyhod but that
suche a rumor ther is.
Men sey the Qwyen with the Prynce shall come owt off Walys, and kepe
thys Esterne with the Kyng at Leycetr, and some seye nowther off them
shall com ther.
Item, off beyond the see, it is seyd that the Frense Kyngs host hathe
kyllyd the Erle of Armenak[180-1] and all hys myry mene; some seye undre
appoyntment, and some seye they wer besegyd, and gotyn by pleyn assault.
Ferthermoor men seye that the Frenshe Kynge is with hys ost uppon the
water off Some a lx. myle froo Caleys; I leve them wheer I ffond them.
I made yowr answer to the ffrends off Mestresse Jane Godnoston accordyng
to yowr instrucions. As for me, I am nott serteyn whether I shall to
Caleys, to Leysetr, or come home into Norffolk, but I shall hastely send
yow worde, &c.
Wretyn the ij. daye of Aprill, Anno E. iiij. xiij^{o}.
[Footnote 179-2: [From Fenn, ii. 122.]]
[Footnote 179-3: ‘Ware that penny purse’--_qu._ that penurious
fellow?]
[Footnote 180-1: John, Count of Armagnac, assassinated on the 6th
March 1473.]
831