TO JOHN PASTON II 1467, 07, 11

To Ser John Paston, knyght, be þis deliuered in hast.

I grete you wele and send you Goddes blissyng and myn, letyng you wete that Blykklyng of Heylesdon came fro London this weke, and he is right mery and maketh his bost that wyth-in this fourtnyght at Helesdon shuld be bothe new lordes and new officeres. And also this day was brought me word fro Cayster that Rysyng of Freton shuld haue herd seid, in diuerse places there as he was in Suffolk, that Fastolf of Coughhawe maketh all the strenght that he may and purposith hym to assaught Caystre and to entre there if he may, in somych that it is seyd that he hath a v score men redy Page  335and sendyth dayly aspies to vnderstand what felesshep kepe the place. Be whos powere or favour or supportacion that he wull do this I knowe not, but ye wote wele that I haue ben affrayd there be-fore this tyme whan that I had othere comfort than I haue now. And I can not wele gide ner rewle sodyour, and also thei set not be a woman as thei shuld set be a man. Therfore I wold ye shuld send home your brothere or ell Dawbenye to haue a rewle and to takyn in such men as were necessary for the saffegard of the place, for if I were there wyth-ought I had the more saddere or wurchepfull persones abought me, and there comyn a meny of knavys and prevaylled in there entent, it shuld be to me but a vylney. And I haue ben a-bought my liffelode to set a rewle there-in as I haue wretyn to you, which is not yet all parfourmed after myn desyre, and I wuld not go to Cayster till I had don. I wull nomore days make there-abowtyn if I may; there-fore in any wyse send summe body home to kepe the place. And whan that I haue do and parfourmed that I haue be-gunne I shall purpose me thederward if I shuld do there any good, and ell I had leuer be thens. I haue sent to Nicholas and such as kepe the place that thei shuld takyn in summe feles to assiste and strengh them till ye send home sum othere word or summe othere man to gouerne them þat ben there-in, &c. I marvayll gretly that ye send me no word how that ye do, for your elmyse be-gynne to wax right bold, and that puttith your frendes bothyn in grete fere and dought. There-fore purvey that thei may haue summe comfort þat thei be no more discoraged, for if we lese our frendes it shall be [deleted in MS] hard in this troblelous werd to kete them ageyn. The blissid Trynyté spede you in your materes and send you the victory of your elmyse to your hertes eas and there confusyon. Wretyn at Norwich the Saterday next be-fore Relyke Sonday in hast. I pray you remembre wele the materes þat I wrote to you fore in the lettere þat ye had be James Greshams man, and send me an answere there-of be þe next man þat comyth, &c. By your moder M. P. Page  336