_To Sir John Paston, Knyght, be this delivered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1467 / JULY 11]
I grete you wele, and send you Godds blissyng and myn, letyng you wete
that Blykklyng of Heylesdon came fro London this weke, and he is right
mery, and maketh his bost that with in this fourtnyght at Heylesdon
shuld be bothe new lords and new officers. And also this day was brought
me word fro Caystr that Rysyng of Freton shuld have herd seid in diverse
places, ther as he was in Suffolk, that Fastolf of Coughawe maketh all
the strenght that he may, and proposith hym to assaught Caystr, and to
entre ther if he may, in samych that it is seyd that he hath a v. score
men redy, and sendyth dayly aspies to understand what felesshep kepe the
place. Be whos power, or favour, or supportacion that he wull do this,
I knowe not; but ye wote wele that I have ben affrayd ther befor this
tyme, whan that I had other comfort than I have now, and I can not wele
gide ner rewle sodyours, and also thei set not be a woman as thei shuld
set be a man. Therfor I wold ye shuld send home your brothers, or
ell[es] Dawbenye, to have a rewle, and to takyn in such men as wer
necessary for the saffegard of the place; for if I wer ther withought I
had the mor sadder or wurchepfull persones abought me, and ther comyn a
meny of knavys, and prevaylled in ther entent, it shuld be to me but a
vylney. And I have ben abought my liffelode to set a rewle ther in, as I
have wretyn to you, which is not yet all performed after myn desyre, and
I wuld not goo to Caystr till I had don. I wull no mor days make ther
abowtyn if I may; therfor in any wyse send sume body home to kepe the
place, and whan that I have do and performed that I have be gunne,
I shall purpose me thederward if I shuld do ther any good, and ell[es]
I had lever be thens.
I have sent to Nicholas, and such as kepe the place, that thei shuld
takyn in sume feles [_fellows_] to assiste and strengh them till ye send
hame sume other word, or sume other man to governe them that ben therin,
&c.
I marvayll gretly that ye send me no word how that ye do, for your
elmyse [_enemies_] begynne to wax right bold, and that puttith your
frends bothyn in grete fere and dought. Therfor purvey that thei may
have sume comfort, that thei be no more discoraged; for if we lese our
frends, it shall hard in this troubelous werd [_world_] to kete them
ageyn.
The blissid Trynyte spede you in your mater, and send you the victory of
your elmyse, to your herts eas and ther confusyon. Wretyn at Norwich,
the Saterday next befor Relyke Sonday,[283.1] in hast.
I pray you remembre wele the maters that I wrote to you for in the
letter that ye had be James Greshames man, and send me an answer ther of
be the next man that comyth, &c.
Be your moder,