_To my most reverent and worchepfull maister, John Paston, dwellyng at
Heylysdon, be this delyveryd._
Ih’s.
[Sidenote: 1462 / JULY 3]
Most reverent and worchepfull master, I recommaund me onto your god
masterchep. Please you to have knowlage, on the Fryday at afternoon next
after Seynt Peter, there was at the taveran in London old Debnam and
young Debnam, Thomas Edmonds, and I; and ther the seyd Thomas Edmonds
fell in communicacion with old Debnam, and seyd that my Lord
Tresorer[43.1] had put hym to a gret charge for the vetelyng of _Mary
Talbot_,[43.2] seyyng to old Debnam that he hard sey that he had a C.
bulloks to selle, the wyche the seyd Edmonds wolle bey so that they may
a cord of the price. Than the seyd old Debnam answerd ageyn, and seyd he
wold, so that he myght have good payment, or elles the seyd Edmonds to
be bound in abligacion to pay hym at suche dayys as they myght a cord.
And noon upon thys same langwage, yong Debnam spake to hys fader, ‘Sir,
I pray you that ye wolle take avisment of this mater tille to morowe,
for I trost to your good faderhod that ye wolle late me have a serteyn
of your bulloks for the vetelyng of the _Barge of Yermothe_, and I shall
fynd you sufficiant suerte for the payment therof for Edmonds. I wolle
that ye knowe I have be ther, and spoke with the owner and with the
maister of the seyd barge, and they knowyn myn oppoyntment.’
Than the seyd Edmonds answered to yong Debnam, and told hym that the
sety of Norwic and Yermothe hathe grauntyd, and send wrytyng to the
Kynge and to the Lords that they wolle manne and veteylle the seyd barge
of her owne cost fro the tym of hyr goyng owt tylle hyr comyng home; and
thus the seyd Edmonds told hym that my Lord Tresorer and all the Lords
that be at London thynk they do ryght well her devyer, and be worthey
moche thanke of the Kyng. ‘Well,’ quod yong Debnam, ‘I had in
commaundment for to have the rewle of the seyd barge, and I wolle be at
Yermothe as thys day iiij. dayys, and man hyr and bryng hyr downne to
the Gylys of Hulle, for that ys my chype.’
Also he seyd mor, with out that he myght have the seyd barge, he wolle
note goo to see but hym self and hys xxiiij. men. And thus, yf please
your maisterchep, he departyd from the taveran; and at hys departyng, he
told the seyd Thomas Edmonds, ‘Thys ys Paston labor.’ Than the seyd
Edmonds answerd hym ageyn, and seyd playnly he was to blame for to
reporte so of your masterchep, for he knoythe veryly he seyd on trewly
of you and of my master your son bothe, and ther on he wold take a
hothe. And so, yf it please your good masterchep, late the cety of
Norwic and Yermothe have knowlage of hys gret crakyng and bost, and let
hym of hys purpose by the autorite that they have.
Item, my master your son wolle have to hys jakets murry[44.1] and tany
[_tawny_], and that it please yow sum of my felachep may spek to on of
the drapers for to ordeyn yt ageyns hys comyng hom, for I trowe it shall
be thys day sevenyght ar he comithe home.
Item, sir, if please you, Skrowpe hathe sent to you to London be Byngham
for the mony that ye knowe of, zit I spake not with hym; but I shall
telle hym that I suppose ye shall be here in the last end of the terme,
and I shall send your masterchep word what answer I have of hym.
Item, sir, if pleese suche tydyngs as I her of, I send you word. My Lord
of Warwek hathe be in Skotlond, an take a castell of the Skoots; and
upon thys ther came the Quene of Skoots[44.2] with other Lords of her
contre, as ye shall her the namys, in basetry [_embassy_] to my seyd
Lord of Werwek, and a trews is take betwyx thys and Seynt Bertylmew Day
in Auguste. Thes is the last tydyngs that I knowe. No mor to your god
masterchep at this tyme, but Jesu have [you] in kepyng.
Wretyn on the Saturday next after Seynt Peter.
By your por servaunt,