_To hys rythe reverent and worchypfwll broder, John Paston._
[Sidenote: 1461 / AUG. 25]
Rythe reverent and worchypfwll broder, I recomawnde me to yowr good
broderhood, desieryng to herre of zour welfar and good prosperite, the
gwyche I pray God encresse to His pleswr and zowr herts hesse [_heart’s
ease_]; certyfyyng zow that I have spok with John Rwsse, and Playter
spok with him bothe, on Fryday be for Seynt Barthelmw. He tolde us of
Howards gydyng, gwyche mad us rythe sory tyl we herde the conclusion
that ze hadde non harme.
Also I understond by W. Pekok that my nevew hadde knowleche ther of also
up on Saterday nexst be for Seynt Barthelmwe, in the Kyngs howse. Not
with standyng, up on the same day Playter and I wryte letters on to him,
rehersyng al the mater, for cause if ther wer ony questionys mevyd to
hym ther of, that he xwlde telle the trowthe, in cas that the qwestions
wer mevyd by ony worchypfwll man, and namyd my Lord Bowcher,[304.1] for
my Lord Bowcher was with the Kyng at that tyme.
I fele by W. Pekok that my nevew is not zet verily aqweyntyd in the
Kyngs howse, nor with the officers of the Kyngs howse he is not takyn as
non of that howse; for the coks [_cooks_] be not charged to serve hym,
nor the sewer[304.2] to gyve hym no dyche, for the sewer wyll not tak no
men no dyschys till they be comawndyd by the cownterroller. Also he is
not aqweyntyd with no body but with Weks;[304.3] and Weks ad told hym
that he wold bryng hym to the Kyng, but he hathe not zet do soo. Wherfor
it were best for hym to tak hys leve and cum hom, til ze hadd spok with
swm body to helpe hym forthe, for he is not bold y now to put forthe hym
selfe. But than I consyderyd that if he xwld now cum hom, the Kyng wold
thyng [_think_] that wan he xwld doo hym ony servie som wer, that than
ze wold have hym hom, the qwyche xwld cause hym not to be hadde in
favor; and also men wold thynke that he wer put owte of servic. Also W.
Pekok tellythe me that his mony is spent, and not ryotesly, but wysly
and discretly, for the costs is gretter in the Kyngs howse qwen he
rydythe than ze wend it hadde be, as Wyllam Pekok can tell zow; and
therof wee must gett hym jC_s._ at the lest, as by Wyllam Pekoks seyyng,
and zet that will be to lytill, and I wot well we kan not get xl_d._ of
Christifyr Hanswm. So I xall be fayn to lend it hym of myn owne silver.
If I knew verily zour entent wer that he xwld cum hom, I wold send hym
non. Ther I wyll doo as me thynkithe ze xwld be best plesyd, and that me
thynkythe is to send him the silver. Ther for I pray zow hastely as ze
may send me azen v. mark, and the remnawnte, I trow, I xall get up on
Christofir Hanswm and Lwket. I pray zow send me it as hastely as ze may,
for I xall leve my selfe rythe bare; and I pray zow send me a letter how
ze woll that he xull be demenyd. Wrytyn on Twsday after Seynt
Barthelmwe, &c. Christus vos conservet!