_To my Maister Paston._
[Sidenote: 1458]
Sir, as I went to my horsward by Lincoln Coke ys place, hyt fortuned
that Wymondham and H. Fenne talked to gedre, and called me by my name,
and both asked how my maister[133.4] fard, &c. Then Fen desyred me abyde
to see astate taked yn Lyncoln place by hym boght of Markham. In the
meene tyme the seyd Wymondham sent hys man to speke with hym, and yede
yn talkyng of Sir Thomas[133.5] how he wille help labour to an ende, and
had spoke with Heydon yersten efe for the seyd cause. I seyd the cruell
amerciementes by their labour, and the [_they ?_] not beneficed, shewed
to grete a malice to undo a preest innocent yn such a cause, &c. After
my takyng leefe, he called me ageyn, and seyd that he desyred Sir Thomas
to be gode meene to my maister to hafe affeccion to the chylde, &c.
I aunsuerd, yff my maister had before the maryage be laboured [_i.e._ if
my master had been applied to before the marriage], hyt had [been] moche
esyer to bryng aboute then now. And because hys fadre was so maryed
ayenst my maister wille, he nevere wold hafe affeccion to hym all hys
lyfe dayes. He seyd that Thomas[134.1] was with hys modre ther she
duellyth, and yff it please my maister to sende for hym by Sir Thomas
meene, &c.
I ensure yow by my soule I brake no mater to hym but of Sir Thomas
undoyng, and hys adversaries nevere the better, whych to my power wold
help make it knowen to Lordes and all othyrs of the cruell
amerciementes, the cruell juge to be knowen as he ys, for I am of hys
contrey, and know hys rysyng and maryages as well as hym sylfe. At ix.
at clok to hors bake. I pray yow breke my bille (?).
Your,