[Sidenote: 1465 / MARCH 31]
Please your maistershyp to wete that aftyr recomendacion that I sende
Thomas More to myne oncle the parson[128.2] wyth certeyn credence to
hafe aunsuer uppon by hym for myn acquytaille another day, yff onye
thyng falle sinistrely only yn theyr deffaut, as God defend, not be my
wille, for I hafe as feythfulle demesned me seth I rode to London thys
terme, and hedertoo as anye maner creatur yn reson coude desyre me; and
hafe demened me at London accordyng to the message sent me by the baylly
of Drayton, and I vele but littille that my gode wille ys
allowed.[128.3] I hafe also, seth I came to Norwiche, enformed hym whate
proffyt ease and avaylle I may help stand hem both yn my maister godes
and yn hys lyvelode; yff he or hys frendys set littlle by it, I may nat
do wyth all. And the blessed Trinite be with yow, because ye wolle the
wellfare off my maister, whoos soule God hafe pytie on and bryng hym
owte of peyn, as the wellfare of the parties it meovyth me wryte to yow
the rathyr. I enformyd yow for trouth, and as I wille prefe, that I was
the principall doer and cause that both Maister Paston and myne oncle
came fyrst yn the testament viij. yeer goon, to a gode entent; and yff
they wold wyrke ayenst me to minussh my power, theyr disposicion woll be
construed ferther than they wille it were, and they not so avaylled as
they weene yn all thynges. The blessed Trinete be wyth yow. Wryt on
Passyon Sonday.
Your W. WYRCESTRE.
Memorandum to Thomas More that because ye myzt foryete myne erand to
Maister Bernay, I pray you rede hym my bille, and that he wille take it
to a gode entent; for how so evyr I wryte I meene well, and so shall.
[Footnote 128.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] In this letter reference
is made to a ‘testament’ drawn up by Sir John Fastolf eight years
previously. This, however, cannot be his last will, as that would
carry the date to a year after John Paston’s death, who seems to
be here spoken of as living. The settlement referred to is
doubtless the testamentary declaration of 1457 mentioned in No.
541.]
[Footnote 128.2: Sir Thomas Howes.]
[Footnote 128.3: _i.e._ Little credit is given me for my good
will.]
578