_To my Maister Paston._
[Sidenote: 1461 / MAY]
Right wurshipfull and myn especiall good maister, I recomaund me to yow
with all my service, besechyng you hertily, at the reverence of God, to
helpe me now in the grettest extremite that I cam at sith my greet
trobil with Ingham.[274.2] It is not oute of your remembraunce how Twyer
in Norff[olk] vexith me bothe by noise and serchyng myn house for me, so
that theer I can not be in quyete; and all that, I am verily acerteyned,
is by Heydens crafft. And heer in the Kyngs house annenst Howard,[274.3]
wher I had hopid to a’ relevid myself, I am supplanted and cast oute
from hym by a clamour of all his servaunts at onys, and ne wer oonly
that his disposicion acordyth not to my pouer conceyte, which maketh me
to gif lesse force, be cause I desire not to dele ther [_where_] bribery
is like to be usid, ellis by my trouth this unhappy unkyndenes wold I
trow a’ killed me. I pray yow, at the reverence of Jesu Criste, to
enfourme my Lord of Warwyk of me. Parde I haf do hym service; I was with
hym at Northampton, that all men knew; and now agayn at Seynt Albones,
that knowth James Ratcliff; and ther lost I xx_li._ wurth horse,
herneys, and mony, and was hurte in diverse places. I pray yow to gete
me his good Lordship, and that I may be toward hym in Norffolk in his
Courts holdyng, or ellis, if ony thyng he haf to do; and that ye wole
gete me a letter to Twyer to late me to sit in rest. For now if I made
any felaship agayn Twyer, I can haf no colour now the Shirref and I be
oute, so I must kepe me aparte, which I am lothe to do, be God, if I
myght better do.
I besech yow to send me your intent by the next man that come from yow.
I shuld a’ come to zow, but, so help me God, my purs may no ferther. The
Holy Trinite preserve yow.
Wretyn hastily at York, &c.
Your to his power,