_To Master Sir John Paston, be this letter delyverid in Calis._
[Sidenote: 1477 / [MARCH]]
Honwre and joye be to yow, my ryght gode master, and most assured
brother; letyng yow know that al yowre welwillers and servaunts, in
these partyes, that I know, fare well, and better wold, if they mowht
here of yowre wellbeyng, and forthwith sum of yowre Frenche and Borgoyne
tidyngs; ffor we in these partyes be in grete drede lest the French Kyng
with sum assaults shuld in eny wise distourbe yow of yowr soft, sote
[_sweet_], and sewre slepys, but as yet we no thyng can here that he so
disposeth hym.
Mary, we have herd sey, that the frowys[277-1] of Broggys, with there
hye cappes, have gyven sum of yow grete clappys, and that the fete of
her armys doyng is such, that they smyte al at the mowthe, and at the
grete ende of the thyeh; but in faith we care not for yow, for we know
well that ye be gode ynowh at defence. But we here sey, that they be of
such corage, that they gyve yow moo strokys than ye do to them, and that
they strike sorer than ye also. But I thynk that the English ladyes and
jentylwomen, and the pore also, can do as well as they, and lyst not to
lerne of them no thyng; and therefor we drede lest ther hye corages
shuld meve them to make yow warre also. But God defend, for by my trowth
than have ye much to do; for hit were better and more ese for to labor
iij. or fowre dayes with mattokks and pykeisys to over turne yowr sande
hills, as we here saye ye do ryht wurshipfully, than only one day to
endure theyre fers encountrys; so as ye myht owther gete or save yowr
wurshippys by; and loke that ye trust to have no rescow of us, for, so
God me helpe, we have y nowh to do in these partyes with the same werrs.
But in one thyng we preyse yowre sadnessys and discrecionys ryht much,
that is, in kepyng of yowr trewse and pese with the Kyng of Fraunce, as
the Kyng hath commaundid; and a grete reson why, for hit were to much
for yow to have werre with all the world at onys, ffor the werre a fore
seid kepith yow blameles; ffor every resonable man wetyth well, that hit
is to much for eny pepyll levyng to do bothe at onys.
Syr, as for the more parts off my thowht, I praye yow recomaunde me un
to yowr self, prayyng yow that y may contynew in such case as yowr
godenes hath taken me of old, and if ye lyst to send eny tydyngs, or
other thyng to the partyes that were wont to warme theym by yowr fyre,
in feith I shall do yowr erand.
And as for barley, hit is of the same pryce that hit was wont to be of,
and is the most sure corne, and best enduryng that may be. And, syr,
where that sumtyme was a lytyll hole in a wall, is now a dore large
ynowh and esy passage, whereof ye were the deviser, and have thank for
yowr labor of sum partyes, but no thyng lastyth evyr. Y mene that y
trow, my passage shall hastyly faile me, and the dore shalbe shet up
agayne, lesse than Fortun be agreable to have my counseile kept; for not
long ago, makyng my entre at that passage, I saw a sparow that useth
those ewrys [_eireys_], and I saw her sytt so stille that y cowde not
endure, but y must neds shote her, and so, God me help, I smote her,
I trow evyn to the hert; and so I drede me lest owther the barley wyll
ete the sparow, or ells the sparow wyll ete the barley, but as yet all
is well, but reson shewt me that hit must neds fayle by contynewauns,
lesse than I forsake bothe the sparow and the barley also.[278-1]
Syr, I have thank for the shew that I onys made of yow and daily
gramercy, and ye theire prayer.
Syr, forthemore I beseche yow, as ye wyll do eny thyng for me, that ye
se o day for my sake, and for yowr own plesure, all the gode hors in
Caleys, and if ther be among theym eny pric[278-2] horse of deds, that
is to sell, in especiall that he be well trottyng of his owne corage,
with owte fors[278-3] of sporis, and also a steryng [_stirring_] hors if
he be, he is the better; I pray yow send me word of his color, deds, and
corage, and also of his price, feynyng as ye wold by hym yowrself, and
also I wold have hym sumwhat large, not with the largest; but no smalle
hors, as more than a dowble hors; prayyng yow above all thyngs to have
this in remembrauns, and that hastily as may be, for ther is late
promysed me help to such an entent, and I wote not how long hit shall
endure; and therfor I beseche yow send me word by tyme.
I trow the Frenshe men have taken up al the gode hors in Pycardye, and
also they be wont to be hevy hors in labor, and that I love not, but a
hevy hors of flesh, and lyht of corage y love well, for y love no hors
that wyll al way be lene and slender like grehounds. God kepe yow.
Yowr,