_To the wurshepfull and reverent Sir, my good Maystir John Paston, in
all goodly haste._
[Sidenote: 1454 / NOV. 18]
Reverent and wurshepfull Sir, and my good maistyr, I recomaund me to yow
in as louly wyse as on my part aperteineth. And please yow to wete that
my maistyr is fully purposed to sewe ateynte, whereupon he wrytethe a
lettere directyd to yow and otherez, for the wheche I beseke yow to be
my good maystyr in pursewyng the seyd ateynte; and also my maistyr is
agreed what reward ye geve the Shereff he holdeth hym content. Wherfor,
that youre reward may be the larger, so he woll[10.3] ther upon returne
the panell for the seyd ateynte; and thanne yef Jenney wold meove my
Lord of Norffolke that he wold be my good Lord, amyttyng me for hese
chapeleyn, and Jhankyn Porter for hese servaunt, wheche is hese chek
roll, it shuld cause the matere to have the redyer expedecyon, as well
be the Shereff as be the gret jury. And yef the processe may have so
redy sped that it myght be had be fore my Maystyr Yelwerton in this
vaccacyon tyme, it wer a gret counfort, &c. Beseking yow at the
reverence of God, and as ever my power servyse may be at your
comaundement, that ye effectualy labour this matere in the most spedfull
wyse, as youre descrecyon, with Jenneyez avyse, thinketh most expedyent;
for I ferre gretly to be outlawed or the seyd processe shuld be brought
to a conclucyon withoute redy processe in the seyd ateynte. And I here
no sewer tydinges of a parlement; but rather thanne I shuld be outlawed,
I wold yeld my self to preson, wheche shuld be myn undoyng, and thanne
to be with oute remedy. My refformacyon and counforte in eschewyng that
lythe holly in your helpe and Jenneyez at thys tyme, be cause my maystyr
hathe comytted the governaunce of the seyd matere to yow, and what
expense it draweth he agreyth to bere it, &c.
I beseke Almyghty Jesu have yow, my good maystyr, eternaly in hese
me[r]cyfull governaunce, and inspyre yow with hese speryt of
remembraunce effectualy to precede in this matere.
Wretyn breffly at Castre the Monday next be fore Seynt Edmond the
Kyng,[11.1] anno xxxiij. Regis H. vj^ti.
Item, Sir, as for mony to the sped of this matere, Bokkyng hathe redy in
comaundement to make delevery to yow what that ye nede, so there shall
be no defaute in that, &c.