_To his right reverent and worshipfull broder, John Paston, Esquier, be
this delivered in great haste._
[Sidenote: 1461 / OCT. 11]
Brother, I recommende me to you. After all dewe recommendacions, &c.
Sir, it was tolde me by rythe a worshipfull man that loveth you rythe
well, and ye him, and ye sall knowe his name hereafter, but put all
things out of doubt he is such a man as will not lye: on the xj^th day
of October the Kinge said, ‘We have sent two privy sealys to Paston by
two yeomen of our chamber, and he disobeyeth them; but we will send him
anoder tomorrowe, and by Gods mercye, and if he come not then he sall
dye for it. We will make all oder men beware by him how they sall
disobey our writinge. A servant of our hath made a complainte of him.
I cannot thinke that he hath informed us all truely, yet not for that,
we will not suffer him to disobey our writinge; but sithen he disobeyeth
our writinge, we may beleve the better his gydinge is as we be
informed.’ And therwith he made a great avowe that if he [_ye_] come not
at the third commandement ye xulde dye therefore. This man that told me
this is as well learned a man as any is in England; and the same xj^th
day of October, he advised me to send a man to yow in all the hast that
might be to lett yow have knowlache, and that ye xulde not lett for none
excuse, but that ye xulde make the man good cheere and come as hastily
ye might to the Kinge, for he understandeth so much that the King will
keep his promise. Notwithstanding, by mine advice, if ye have his letter
or the messenger come to you, come to the Kinge wards or ye meet with
him, and when ye come ye must be suer of a great excuse. Also if ye doe
well, come right stronge, for Howards wife made her bost that if any of
her husbands men might come to yow ther yulde goe noe penny for your
life; and Howard hath with the Kinge a great fellowship.
This letter was written the same day that the Kinge said these words,
and the same day that it was told me, and that day was the xj^th day of
October as abovesaid; and on the next morning send I forth a man to yow
with this letter, and on the same day send the Kinge the third privye
seale to you. Also he that tolde me this seid that it were better for
yow to come up than to be fotte out of your house with streingth, and to
abide the Kings judgement therin, for he will take your contumacy to
great displeasure. Also, as I understand, the Duke of Norffolk hath made
a great complaint of yow to the King, and my Lord of Suffolk[314.1] and
Howard and Wyngfelde helpe well to every day and call upon the King
against yow. The Kinge is at this day at Grenewich, and ther will be
still till the Parliament beginne. Some say he will goe to Walsingham,
but Mr. Sotyll seid in the aulle in the Temple that he harde no worde of
any such pilgrimage. No more, &c. Written the xj^th day of October at
midnight.
My nevew John tolde me also that he supposed ther were out proclamacions
against yow, &c. the same day.
By CLEMENT PASTON,
your broder.
[Footnote 313.1: This letter is reprinted from the _Norfolk
Archæology_, vol. iv. p. 26, where it is edited from a
transcript contained in a MS. genealogy of the Paston family
drawn up by Sandford, author of the _Genealogical History of
England_. The references to Howard’s animosity against Paston,
and to an approaching Parliament, prove clearly that this letter
is of the year 1461.]
[Footnote 314.1: John de la Pole, son and heir of William, Duke
of Suffolk, who was attainted in 1450, was not restored to the
Dukedom till the 23rd of March 1463; but being in favour at
court, and having married Edward IV.’s sister, he seems even at
this time to have been popularly called ‘my Lord of Suffolk.’]
485