_To Mestresse Margrete Paston, at Norwyche, or hyr sone, John Paston,
Esquyer, and to everych off them._
[Sidenote: 1476 / MARCH 21]
I recomande me to yowe. Like it yow to weete that I am nott sertayne
yitt whether my lorde[257-2] and I shall come into Ingelonde the weke
byffoor Est[er]ne, or ellys the weke afftr Est[er]ne; wherffor, moodr,
I beseche yow to take noo dysplesyr with me ffor my longe tarynge, ffor
I most doo noon otherwyse ffor dysplesyng off my lorde. I was noo thynge
gladde off thys jornaye, iff I myght goodely have chosen; neverthelesse,
savyng that ye have cawse to be dyspleasyd with me ffor the mater off
Kokett, I am ellys ryght gladde, ffor I hope that I ame fferre moor in
ffavor with my lorde then I was to ffoor.
Item, I sende yow, brother John, a letter herwith, whyche was browte
hyddr to Caleys, ffrom the George at Powles Wharff; I deme it comethe
ffrom my brother Water.
Item, iff ye entende hyddrewarde, itt weer weell doon that ye hygthed
yowe, ffor I suppose that my lorde wille take the vywe off alle hys
retynywe heer, nowe byffoor hys departyng; and I thynke that he woolde
be better contente with yowr comyng nowe, than an other tyme; doo as ye
thynke best, and as ye maye.
Item, wher Master Fytzwalter made me to wryght to yowe to advyse yow to
tarye, I remytte thatt to yowr dyscretion.
As ffor tydyngs heer, we her ffrom alle the worlde; ffyrst, the Lorde
Ryverse was at Roome right weell and honorably, and other Lords off
Ynglonde, as the Lord Hurmonde,[258-1] and the Lord Scrope,[258-2] and
at ther departyng xij. myle on thyse-halff Roome, the Lorde Ryverse was
robbyd off alle hys jowelles and plate, whyche was worthe m^le. marke or
better, and is retornyd to Rome ffor a remedy.
Item, the Duke of Burgoyne hath conqueryd Loreyn, and Quene Margreet
shall nott nowe be lykelyhod have it; wherffor the Frenshe Kynge
cheryssheth hyr butt easelye; but afftr thys conquest off Loreyn, the
Duke toke grete corage to goo uppon the londe off the Swechys [_Swiss_]
to conquer them, butt the [_they_] berded hym att an onsett place, and
hathe dystrussyd hym, and hathe slayne the most parte off hys vanwarde,
and wonne all hys ordynaunce and artylrye, and mor ovyr all stuffe thatt
he hade in hys ost with hym; exceppte men and horse ffledde nott, but
they roode that nyght xx. myle; and so the ryche saletts,[258-3]
heulmetts, garters, nowchys[258-4] gelt, and alle is goone, with tents,
pavylons, and alle, and soo men deme hys pryde is abatyd. Men tolde hym
that they weer ffrowarde karlys, butte he wolde nott beleve it, and yitt
men seye, that he woll to them ageyn. Gode spede them bothe.
Item, Sir John Mydelton toke leve off the Duke to sporte hym, but he is
sett in pryson att Brussellys.
I praye yowe sende me som worde iff ye thynke likly that I may entr
Caster when I woll, by the next messenger.
Wretyn at Caleys, in resonable helthe off bodye and sowle, I thanke
Good, the xxj. daye off Marche, anno E. iiij^ti xvj^{o}.