_To hys brother John Paston, or to hy[s] oncle William Paston, in Werwyk
Lane, or to Edmond Paston, at the George, at Powlys Wharfe, to deliver
any of them._
[Sidenote: 1475 / FEB. 5]
Ryght worshypffull, I recomaunde me on to yow, letyng yow weete that I
thynke longe that I heer nott from yow syns Crystmesse, ner have no
serteyn knowleche whether that Towneshend hathe performyd hys promysse
or nott, ner off my brother Johnys beyng at London, ner off my Lord or
Lady off Norfolkes comyng to London, at whoys comyng sholde be the
cheffe labor and sewte that I or or any for me sholde labor. It was soo,
God thanke you bothe, that iche off yow, at my last beyng with yow,
grauntyd me to take labor uppon yow; and iche off yow, for the havyng
ageyn off my place in Castre. Now is it soo, that wher my verry purpose
was to have comyn to London now with the Master of the Rollys[224-1] and
Sir Thomas Mongomere, demyng to fynde the Kyng at the Parlement; and
also that my Lorde and Lady off Norfolk sholde nott by lyklyhod fayle to
be theer also: wherffor me thoght the tyme was convenyent; but it happyd
so that suche tydynges come hyddre off the Frenshe Kynges hasty comyng
in to thees marchys of Pykardye, whyche cawsyd my Lordes Depute and
Cownsell heer to desyr and charge me soo streyghtly, that in noo wyse I
maye, tyll I heer other tydynges, departe from hense. Notwithstondyng
the Marchall and Counsell heer have wretyne to my Lorde Lywe tenant for
me, and moor over desyryd bothe the Master of the Rollys and Sir T.
Mongomere to remembre my materes bothe to the Kynge and to my lorde, in
so moche that, iff the season be convenyent, both the seyd Master and
Syr T. Mongomere wille labore bothe the Kynge and my lorde to entrete my
Lorde off Norffolk, my lady hys wyff, and ther consell, to do for me all
that reason wyll; of whoys good willes and labor her in I ame better
ensuryd off, than I kan for lakke of leyser at thys tyme wryght yowe
wetyng off; wherffor I praye yow and iche of yow, iff the season be
convenyent, to take the labor, that theese jentyllmen maye do for me,
and to my proffyght, like as I feelle them dysposyd to doo; and moore
over I have somwhatt informyd them bothe ther in; and also that I maye
hastyly heer from yow, and iff it come to that any mony most be gevyn to
my Lorde or Lady off Norffolk ffor a plesyr herffor, I woll, uppon as I
heer from yow, come to yow in alle hast possible, all thynges leyde a
parte.
Item, iff any letter be requesyth to be hadde, in lyke forme as oonys
ther was from the Kyng to my Lorde off Norffolk, Sir T. Montgomere will
by your advyces opteyne yow suche one off yowr entents to my proffyghte
in the premyssys, and by thys my wryghtyng I bynde me to repaye yowe,
iff any suche letter or wryghtyng be opteynyd, what so ever it coste. No
more for lakke off leysor.
Wretyn at Caleys, the v. day of Feverer, Anno E. iiij. xiiij^{o}.
As for tydynges heer, my masteris th’embassatores, Sir T. Mongomere, and
the Master of the Rollys, kom streyght from the Duke at hys assege at
Nywysse, whyche wyll nott yitt be wone.
Yowr JOHN PASTON, K.
[Footnote 223-3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
[Footnote 224-1: John Morton, afterwards Bishop of Ely.]
[[labor and sewte that I or or any for me
_text unchanged: printed at mid-line_]]
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