Sir, my Lord[226.2] hath kept sessions at Colchestre, and my maister Yelverton with hym, and he desired me to write to yow to be wel ware if ony fals suggestion or lesynges wer made by Tuddenham and Heydon and that to your power thei be answerd in his absence. As for my Lord Scales, her be seven of housold meny indited of felony, which are strong thefes. Item, I pray yow, write in hast to the Meir of Norwich to gif credens to me whan I come to hym, and if ye so do I shal shape their articles in billes in to a nother facion I trust, and make thaym redy and delyver thaym resonably wele. My Lord purposeth to be at London the ende of the first weke of Lent, and not erst. I pray your maistership, se sum meane that White do me not that harme in the Chauncery wherof ye sent me word by Brayn, for, as God sauf my soule at the day of Jugement, I fonde surete for the pees, but the Maister of the Rolles[227.1] ful untruly recordeth that surete takyn as a baile, wher of treuth it was otherwise, and ful synnefully ruleth that mater, and never wold suffir me to execute the acte but lettid me, notwithstandyng it is a law private in the self as I shal clerly declare whan I come. The Holy Trinite preserve yow. I write to yow thus that ye may kyt awey this lower part of this lettre.
[226.1] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 169.] This letter must have been written in a year when Easter fell after the 20th April, as Lent does not appear to have begun on the 4th March; and as it was during the life of Cardinal Kempe, we may pretty safely fix it to the year 1451. The year 1454, indeed, might be possible as regards Easter, but there is no indication here of those troubles of which the writer complains so bitterly in that year on the 20th March. See [No. 239].
[226.2] The Earl of Oxford.
[227.1] Thomas de Kirkeby.
[182]
MARGARET PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[227.2]
To my Ryth worshipfull hosband, John Paston.
1451
MARCH 15
Rith wurchipfull hosbond, I recommawnd me to yow, desiring hertily to her of yowr welfar; preying you to wete that Herry Halmannys wif sent to me word on Saterday last past that Prentys thretyth her hosbond sor, and John Robyns, for suche thynges as Prentys seyth that they haue donn ayens hym; he seyth he shall make hem so besy or he leve hem that he shall make hem not wurth apeny; and they ben aferd that he woll hold hem conuawnt if he have powyr ther to. It is seyd her that the kyng shuld com in to this contre, and sir Thomas Todenham and Heydon arn well cheryeshid with hym. And also it is seyd they shall have as grett rewill in this contre as evyr they hadde, and many more folkes arn sory therfore than mery. Sir Thomas Todenhamys man and Heydonys sowyn this sedde all abowte the contre, that here maysteris shull cum hom in hast in here prosperite and be als well att esse as ever they wer. As for that ye dessyryd that I shuld enquyr wher any stuff is of yowris, I wot not how to don ther with, for if ever wer aspyid that hath of yowr stuff, and we had it from hym, other that have more ther of wold ben ware be hym, and avoyd seche stuff as they have of yowris. I suppose John Osbern shall tell yow whan ye com hom agode meen to wete wher meche ther of is becom. Jamys Gloys is ayen to Gressam and I suppose John Damme shall tell yow what he hath donn ther. Yowr tenawntis wold fayn that summe mene of yowris shuld abyde amongis hem, for they ben in gred diswyr what they may do; the langage is so grett on the tother party that it maketh the tenawntis sor afferd that ye shuld not regoyse itt. I send to yow a letter be Colynys of Frawnceys Costard what dedis he woll don. It was told me also that the Lord Molyns was lyke to have aday ayens yow att Thetford at the next assyse. On [one] that loueth yow rythwell told me how it was told hym so, and warnyd me therof in secrete wyse. Itt is gode to ben war of ther falsed. I pray yow that ye woll send me word in hast, if ye woll have red to your levery as ye wer avysid, and if ye woll not, &c. And also I pray yow that ye woll do bey ij. gode hattis for your sonys for I can none getyn in this town. Mor tydynges can I not send yow yett. The Holy Trinyte have yow in his kepyng. Wretyn att Norwiche on the fyrst Monday of Lent. Yowris, M. P.
[227.2] [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 55.] This letter would appear to be of the same year as [No. 184], written a fortnight later. Both letters speak of rumours that Tuddenham and Heydon will regain their ascendency.