_To my reverent and most be trusted maister, John Paston, Esquyer,
duelling in the Inner Temple, be this delyvered._
[Sidenote: Year uncertain]
Ryght reverent and most be trusted maister, I recommaunde me in the most
lowly wise un to your good and prevyd maysterchep, and desiring many
days to here of your welfare, whiche I be seche God encrese un to his
plesauns and un to the prosperite and welfare of your person, and of all
youres. And I be seche you of the good contynuaunce of your maysterchep
at diverses tymes befor this writing shewed un to me; and, sir, ther is
non man a lvye that I trust more to than I doo un to you, and I am your
bedman, and so shall remayn be the grace of God all the days of myn
liff. And, sir, I suppose I shall never see you no more, nor non of myn
frendes, whiche is to me the grettest lamentacion that myght come un to
myn herte; for, sir, by the grace of God, I shall go to Rome and in to
oder holy places, to spende myn dayes of this present liff in the
servise of God. For I hadde lever liffe in gret tribulacion in the
service of God in this present liff, than for to folowe the
wretchednesse of this worlde.
And, syr, of on thing I be seche specially your good maysterchep that ye
wolle shew your good maistershep un to my fader in tyme of his nede, and
that ye wolle recomaunde me in the most lowly wise with all reverence un
to his good faderhode, be sechyng hym that he wole yeff me every day,
during the dayes of his liff, his paternall blissing. And I have
marvayle san that I have writen so many letters un to hym be for this
tyme, that I hadde never non letter ageyn, whiche is to me the grettest
lamentacion that ever come to my hert; and nowe knowing that I shall
never see hym more, nor you, nor non other of my frendes, marvayle ye
not thow sorowe is imprended in myn hert.
But, reverent maister, myn singuler trust remayneth nowe in your person,
for, sir, and it please you, I most nedes write un to your good
maisterchep, in the whiche my most trust remayneth. For, syr, and it
please you, as for myn inheritaunce and other things whiche shulde come
to me after the deth of my fader, whoes liff God preserve to his long
plesauns, knowing that I shall never com ther, I hadde lever that by
your good a vise that ye wolde take it unto you, for I hadde lever that
ye hadde it rather than any person in the worlde during my liff, with
all the profites ther of; and if that ye wole make as good evidences for
you in that partye as ye can, and I shall a seale hem. And as you semeth
best, and in the most secret wise, rewle you in this mater.
And, sir, I be seche you to recomaunde me in the most lowly wise to myn
reverent Maister William Lumnour, seyeng hym that I am and shall be his
perpetuall bedman, and as ye thenk best, ye may telle hym of all these
maters. And, syr, I be seche you to recomaunde me with all reverence un
to my masteras your wiff, and to all other maysters and frendes ther.
And, sir, that ye wolle thank the bringer of this letter, whiche hathe
ben in my gret tribulacion my good frende; and, sir, whan ye speke with
my fader, recomaunde me un to hym with all reverence, and sey un to hym
I shall send hym a letter in all hast possible.
And, syr, as for this mater, demene you as ye wolle, and I shall doo
your plesauns as moche as in me is. And, reverent maister, remitte me
summe letter by the bringer her of of all thes maters, for he duellith
with my Lorde, and he is ryght moche be trusted, for I knowe wele he
wole yef a tendaunce un to you for to have summe letter from you; for,
syr, it shall not be longe or that I go to Rome, by the grace of God.
And as sone as I have a letter from you at this tyme, I shall send you a
noder ageyn.
No more at this tyme, but the Holy Trinite have you in His blissed
keping. Wreten at Sarum, the Monday aftyr Mydsomer Day. And lete these
maters be kept secrete by your best a vise.
Be youre poure servaunt,