_To the ryght worchepfull Sir John Paston, Knyght, lodgyd at the George,
by Powlys Wherf, in London._
[Sidenote: 1475 / OCT. 10]
Ryght werchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, sertyfying yow that I have
comonyd with Barnard and other your wellwyllers with my Lord of
Norffolk, whyche avise me that ye shold, for your nyghest meane to get
Caster a yen, labore to get a lettre fro the Kyng dyrect to R.
Sothewell, Jamys Hubbard, and other of my lordys consayll being, and to
iche of theym; and in the seyd letter to lete theym have knowlage that
the Kyng mevyd to my lord of the seyd mater beyond the see, and hough my
lord answerd the Kyng that at hys comyng in to Inglond he wold meve to
hys seyd consayll of the seyd mater, and geve the Kyng an answer.
Wherfor the Kyng in the seyd lettyr must streyghtly charge theym, and
iche of theym, to comon with my lord in the seyd mater in syche wyse
that the Kyng may be sertyfyed of an answer fro my lord and theym at the
ferthest by _crastino Animarum_;[238-2] for Suthewell nor Jamys Hubbard
shall not be at London befor Halowmass, and thys is the best wey that ye
may take, as we thynke here.
My lady sweryth, and so dothe Barnard on hyr behalff, that she wold as
fayne ye had it as eny body; notwithstandyng she seyd not so to me,
sythe I cam hom, for I spak not with hyr but onys sythe I sye yow last.
Yet she lythe in Norwyche, and shall do tyll she be delyverd; but I have
be seek ever sythe I cam on thys syd the see, but I trust hastyly to
amend for all my seknesse that I had at Caleys, and sythe I cam over
also, cam but of cold. But I was never so well armyd for the werre as I
have now armyd me for cold; wherfor I avyse yow, take exampyll by me, if
it happyn yow to be seek, as ye wer when I was at Caleys, in eny wyse
kepe yow warme. I weene Herry Woodhous nor Jamys Arblaster ware never at
onys so many cotys, hose, and botewx as I doo, or ellys by God we had
gone therfor. What we shall yet I can not sey, but I bere me bold on ij.
dayes amendyng.
My modyr sendyth yow Godes blyssing and hers, and she wold fayne have
yow at home with hyr; and if ye be onys mette, she tellyth me ye shall
not lyghtly depart tyll dethe depart yow.
As I was wryghtyng thys lettyr, on told me that the Kyng shold be at
Walsyngham thys next.[239-1] If it be so, it wer best for yow to awayte
on the Kyng all the wey, and if ye have not men and horse i nowghe I
shall send yow. Do as ye thynk best; and as ye wyll have me to do, send
me your avyse, and I shall accomplyshe it to my power, with Godes grace,
Who preserve yow.
Wretyn at Norwyche, the x. day of October, anno xv^o E. iiij^{ti}.