_To my ryth worchepful brodyr John Paston, the elder, sone of John
Paston, Esquyer, be thys delyveryd in hast._
[Sidenote: 1462 / DEC. 11]
Ryth worchepfull brodedyr, I recomaunde me to yow. Plesyt yow to wet,
that as thys day we had tydyngs here, that the Scottys wyll come in to
Inglend with in vij. days aftyr the wrytyng of thys lettyr, for to
rescue these iij. castellys, Alnewyk, Donsamborowe[59.5] and Bameborowe,
whyche castellys wer besegyd, as on yesterdaye. And at the sege of
Allnewyk lythe my Lord of Kent and the Lord Scalys; and at Donsameborow
castyll lythe the Erle of Wyrcetyr [and] Syr Rafe Grey; and at the
castyll of Bameborow lythe the Lord Montagwe and Lord Ogyll, and othyr
dyvers Lordys and gentylmen that I knowe not; and ther is to hem owt of
Newe Castyll ordynans inowe, bothe for the segys and for the feld, in
cas that ther be ony feld takyn, as I trow there shall none be not yet,
for the Scottys kepe no promes. My Lord of Warwyk lythe at the castyll
of Warcorthe, but iij. myle owt of Alnewyk, and he rydyth dayly to all
thes castelys for to overse the segys; and if they want vataylys, or any
othyr thyng, he is redy to pervey it for them to hys power. The Kyng
comandyd my Lord of Norfolk[60.1] for to condyth vetaylys and the
ordynans owt of New Castyll on to Warcorthe Castyll, to my Lord of
Warwyk; and so my Lord of Norfolk comandyd Syr John Howard, Syr William
Peche, Syr Robert Chamberlyen, Rafe Ascheton and me, Calthorp and Gorge,
and othyr, for to go forthe with the vytalys and ordynans on to my Lord
of Warwyk; and so we wer with my Lord of Warwyk with the ordynans and
vytalys yesterdaye. The Kyng lythe at Durham, and my Lord of Norfolk at
New Castyll. We have pepyll inow here. In cas we abyd here, I pray you
purvey that I may have here more mony by Crystmas Evyn at the ferthest,
for I may get leve for to send non of my wagyd men home ageyn; ne man
can get no leve for to go home but if they stell a wey, and if they myth
be knowe, they schuld be scharply ponyschyd. Mak as merry as ye can, for
ther is no joperte toward not yet. And ther be any joperte, I schall
sone send yow word, by the grase of God. I wot well ye have more
tydyngys then we have here, but thes be true tydyngs.
Yelverton and Jeney ar lek for to be gretly ponyschyd, for because they
came not hedyr to the Kyng. They ar morkyn [_marked_] well inowe, and so
is John Bylyngforthe and Thomas Playter; wherefor I am ryth sory. I pray
yow let them have wetyng therof, that they may purvey their excuse in
hast, so that the Kyng may have knowlage why that they come not to hym
in ther one personys; let them come or send ther excuse to me in
wrytyng, and I schall purvey that the Kyng schall have knowlage of ther
excuse; for I am well aqueyntyd with my Lord Hastyngys, and my Lord
Dakarys,[61.1] whyche be now gretest abowt the Kyngys person; and also I
am well aqueyntyd with the yonger Mortymere, Fererys, Hawte, Harpor,
Crowmer, and Bosewell, of the Kyngys howse.
I pray yow let my grandam[61.2] and my cosyn Clere[61.3] have knowlage
how that I desyryd you to let hem have knowlage of the tydyngys in thys
letyr, for I promysyd for to send them tydyngs.
I pray yow let my modyr[61.4] have cnowelage how that I, and my
felawscep, and your servauntys ar, at the wrytyng of this lettyr, in
good hell, blesyd be God.
I pray yow let my fadyr have knowlage of thys lettyr, and of the todyr
lettyr that I sent to my modyr by Felbryggys man; and how that I pray
bothe hym and my modyr lowly of her blyssyngys.
I pray yow that ye wole send me some lettyr how ye do, and of your
tydyngys with yow, for I thynk longe that I here no word fro my modyr
and yow.
I pray yow that thys bill may recomand me to my systyr Margery, and to
my mastres Jone Gayne, and to all gode mastyrys and felawys within
Castyr. I sent no lettyr to my fadyr, never syn I departyd fro yow, for
I kowd get no man to London, and never sythe.
I pray yow in cas ye spake with my cosyn Margaret Clere, recomande me to
hyr; and Almythy God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Newcastyll on Saterday next aftyr the Consepsion of owyr Lady.
Your,
JOHN PASTON, the Yongest.