Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I

TO JOHN PASTON I 1461, 08, 25

To his rythe reuerent and worchypfwll broder John Paston.

Rythe reuerent and worchypfwll broder, I recomawnde me to ȝowre good broderhood, desieryng to herre of ȝoure welfare and good prosperité, the qwyche I pray God encresse to his pleswre and ȝowre hertys hesse; certyfyyng ȝow þat I haue spok wyth John Rwsse, and Playter spak wyth him bothe, on Fryday be-fore Seynt Barthelmw. And he told vs of Howardys gydyng, qwyche mad vs rythe sory tyl we harde þe conclusion þat ȝe hadde non harme. Also I vnderstond by W.Pekok þat my nevew hadde knowlache þere-of also vp-on Saterday nexst be-fore Seynt Barthelmwe,in þe Kyngys howse. Not wyth-standyng vp-on þe sam day Playter and I wryte letterys on-to him rehersyng al the mater, fore cause if þere were ony questionys meyyd to hym þere-of þat he xwlde telle þe trowthe, in cas þat þe qwestions were meuyd by ony worchypfwll man, and namyd my Lord Bowchere, fore my Lord Bowchere was wyth þe Kyng at þat tym. I fele by W.Pekok þat my nevew is not ȝet verily aqweyntyd in þe Kyngys howse, nore wyth þe officerys of þe Kyngys howse. He is not

takyn as non of þat howse, fore þe cokys be not charged to serue hym nore þe sewere to gyue hym no dyche, fore þe sewere wyll not tak no men no dischys till þey be comawndyd by þe cownterrollere. Also, he is not aqueyntyd wyth no body but wyth Wekys, and Wekys ad told hym þat he wold bryng hym to þe Kyng; but he hathe not ȝet do soo. Were-fore it were best fore hym to tak hijs leve and cum hom, till ȝe hadd spok wyth swm body to helpe hym forthe, fore he is not bold y-now to put forthe hym-selfe. But þan I consyderyd þat if he xwld now cum hom þe Kyng wold thyng þat wan he xwld doo hym ony seruice sum were, þat þan ȝe wold haue hym hom, þe qwyche xwld cause hym not to be hadde in fauore; and also men wold thynke þat he were put owte of seruice. Also W.Pekok tellythe me þat hijs mony is spent, and not ryotesly but wysly and discretly, fore þe costys is gretter in þe Kyngys howse qwen he rydythe þan ȝe wend it hadde be, as Wyllam Pekok can tell ȝow. And þere wee mwst gett hym i c s. at þe lest, as by Wyllam Pekokys seyyng, and ȝet þat will be to lytill. And I wot well we kan not get xl d. of Cristofyre Hanswm, so I xall be fayn to lend it him of myn owne siluer. If I knew verily ȝour entent were þat he xwld cum hom I wold send hym non. There I wyll doo as me thynkithe ȝe xwld be best plesyd, and þat, me thynkythe, is to send him þe siluer. þere-fore I pray ȝow as hastely as ȝe may send me a-ȝen v mark, and þe remnawnte I trow I xall gett vp-on Cristofire Hanswm and Lwket. I pray ȝow send me it as hastely as ȝe may, fore I xall leue my-selfe rythe bare; and I pray ȝow send me a letter how ȝe woll þat he xall be demenyd. Wrytyn on Twsday after Seynt Barthelmwe, &c. Christus vos obseruet. By Clement Paston.