_To John Paston, Esquyer, at Norwyche, in hast._
[Sidenote: 1477 / FEB. 14]
I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete, that yisterdaye beganne the
grete cowncell, to whyche alle the astats off the londe shall com to,
butt if it be ffor gret and reasonable excusis; and I suppose the cheffe
cawse off thys assemble is, to comon what is best to doo, now uppon the
greet change by the dethe off the Duke of Burgoyne, and ffor the kepyng
off Caleys and the Marchys, and ffor the preservacion off the amyteys
taken late, as weell with Fraunce as now with the Membrys off Flaundres;
wher to I dowt nott ther shall be in all hast bothe the Duks off
Clarance and Glowcestre, wheroff I wolde that my brother E.[270-2] wyst.
Item, I ffeele butt litell effecte in the labor off W. Alyngton;
neverthelesse I deme it is nott for yow. She shall not passe CC. mark,
as fferr as I can undrestand aparte.
Item, I will nott fforget yow otherwyse.
Itt is so that thys daye I heer grett liklyhood, that my Lorde Hastyngs
shall hastely goo to Caleys with greet company; iff I thynke it be for
yow to be on [_one_], I shall nott fforgeet yow.
Item, thys daye the mater by twyen Mestresse Anne Haulte and me hathe
been soor broken bothe to the Cardinall,[270-3] to my Lorde
Chamberleyn,[270-4] and to my selffe, and I am in goode hope. When I
heer and knowe moor, I shall sende yow worde.
It semythe that the worlde is alle qwaveryng; it will reboyle somwher,
so that I deme yonge men shall be cherysshyd; take yowr hert to yow.
I ffeer that I can nott be excusyd, but that I shall fforthe with my
Lorde Hastyngs ovyr the see, but I shall sende yow worde in hast, and
iff I goo, I hope nott to tary longe.
Item, to my brother Edmond. I am like to speke to Mestresse Dyxon in
hast, and som deme that ther shall be condyssendyd, that iff E. P. come
to London that hys costs shall be payed ffor.