_A Lettre to J. Paston, Armig., from his wife, shewing his imprisonment
in the Fleete._[1.2]
[Sidenote: 1461 / NOV. 2]
Ryth worchepfull husbond, I recomand me to yow. Plesyt yow to wet that I
receyvyd yowyr lettyr that ye sent me by John Holme on Wednysday last
past, and also I receyvvd a nothyr lettyr on Fryday at nyt, that ye sent
me by Nycolas Newmanys man, of the whyche lettyrs I thanc yow; for I
schold ellys a’ thowt that it had be wers with yow than it hathe be, or
schal be, by the grace of Almyty God. And yet I kowd not be mery, sethyn
I had the last lettyr tyll thys day that the Meyir sent to me, and sent
me werd that he had knowlege for very trowthe that ye wer delyveryd owt
of the Flet, and that Howard was comytyd to ward for dyvers gret
compleynts that wer mad to the Kyng of hym. It was talkyd in Norwyche
and in dyvers othyr plasys in the contre on Saterday last past, that ye
wer comytyd to Flet, and in good feyth, as I herd sey, the pepyle was
ryth sory ther of, bothe of Norwyche and in the contre. Ye ar ryth myche
bownde to thank God, and all tho that love yow, that ye have so gret
love of the pepyll as ye have. Ye ar myche behold to the Meyir[2.1] and
to Gylberd,[2.2] and to dyvers othyr of the aldyrmen, for feythfully
they owe yow good wyll to ther porys.
I have spoke with Syr Thomas Howys for swyche thyngys as ye wrot to me
for, and he promysyd me that he schold labour it aftyr yowyr intent as
fast as he kowd; and in good feyth, as my brodyr and Playter kan tell
yow, as be hys seying to us, he is and wole be feythfull to yow. And as
for Wylliam Wyrcestyr, he hathe be set so up on the hone, what by the
parson and by othyr, as my brodyr and Playter schall telle yow, that
they hope he wole do well i now. The parson seyd ryth well and pleynly
to hym. The parson tolde me that he had spook with Syr Wylliam
Chambyrleyn,[2.3] and with hys wyfe, and he thynkyth that they wole do
well i now aftyr yowyr intent, so that they be plesantly intretyd. The
parson tolde me that he wyst well that Syr Wylliam Chambyrleyn cowd do
more ese in swyche matyers as ye wrot of, towchyng my Lord of
Bedford,[2.4] than ony man kowd do that leveyth at thys day. Also he
tolde me that he felt by hem that they wold owe yow ryth good wyll, so
that ye wold owe hem good wyll. The parson hopyth verily to make yow
acordyd when he comyth to London.
Item, my brodyr and Playter wer with Calthorp[3.1] to inquer of the
mater that ye wrot to me of. What answer he gave hem, they schall tell
yow. I sent the Parson of Heylysdon[3.2] to Gurnay[3.3] to spek to hym
of the same mater, and he seyth feythefully ther was no swyche thyng
desyiryd of hym, and thow it had be desyiryd, he wold nowthyr a’ seyd
nor done a yens yow. He seyd he had ever fownde you lovyng and feythfull
to hym, and so he seyd he wold be to yow to hys power, and desyiryng me
that I wold not thynk hym the contrary. As for John Gros, he is at
Slole; ther for he myth not be spok with.
I pray yow that ye wole send me word whedyr ye wole that I schall remeve
frome hens, for it begynyth to wax a cold abydyng her. Syr Thomas Howys
and John Rus schall make an end of all thyngys aftyr yowyr intent, as
myche as they can do ther in this wek, and he purposyth to come forward
to yow on the Monday next aftyr Seynt Leonardys Day.
My brodyr and Playter schold a be with yow er thys tym, but that they
wold a byd tyl thys day wer past, be cause of the schyer. I spok to my
brodyr Wylliam as ye bad me, and he told me, so God hym help, that he
hyryd ij. horse ij. dayis be for that ye redyn, that he myth a’ ryde
forthe with yow; and be cause that ye spak not to hym to ryde with yow,
he seyd that he wend[3.4] ye wold[3.5] have had hym with yow.
Thomas Fastolfys modyr was her on the next day aftyr ye wer redyn, to
have spoke with yow for hyr sone. Sche[3.6] prayith yow, at the reverens
of God, that ye wole be hys good mastyr, and to help hym in hys ryth,
that he may have hom hys lyvelod owt of ther handys that have had it in
hys nownage. Sche seyth that they wold mak hym a yer yonger than he is,
but sche seyth that he is more thane xxj., and upon that sche dare take
an othe.
And the Blyssyd Trynyte have yow in Hys kepyng, and send yow good sped
in all yowyr matyrs, and send the vyctary of all yowyr enmyis.