[103.2] [From Fenn, i. 208.] On the 3rd April 1449 royal letters were issued in favour of Robert Wynnyngtone of Devonshire, who was bound by indenture to do the King service on the sea ‘for the cleansing of the same, and rebuking of the robbers and pirates thereof, which daily do all the noisance they can.’—Stevenson’s Letters and Papers illustrative of the Wars of the English in France, i. 489.
[105.1] See [p. 101, Note 3].
[105.2] John Stafford, Archbishop of Canterbury.
[105.3] Fenn says the reading of the original is indistinct, and he could not determine whether £2000 or £3000 was meant.
[91]
WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[106.1]
To myn most reverent and [w]urchepful broder, Jon Paston.
About 1449
To myn most reverent and wurchepful brodur, I recummend me hartely to zow, desiryng speciali to hare of zowre wellefare and prosperite, qweche Almyty God contenu to zowre gosteli hele and bodili welfare. And if it plase zowre goode broderod to here of myn wellefare, at the makyng of this bylle I was in good hele. And if it leke zowre good broderod to remembre the letter that I sent to zow of the noyse that was telde of zow, that ze schuld a be on of the capetayns of the ryserse in Norfolk, and how that j. scholere of Cambryg, qweche is parsone of Welle, schuld an utteryd ferthere to zowr grete schalndyr [slander]; besechyng zow to undyrstond that the seyde parsone of Welle was sone [after?][106.2] that tyme at Lundon, were he harde sey of j. swyr of ij. c. marc be zere [of one squire of 200 marks by year] that ze and Master Thomas Wellys wolde sewe the seyd Parsone Welle for zowre schalndyr; and the seyde parsone come to Cambryg sothyn, and hathe pekyd a qwarell to on Mastyr Recheforthe, a knythys sone of Norforfolke,[106.3] and seyd to Rychechefor[106.3] that he had because that ze schuld sewe hym; and the seyd Parsone Welle thretyd Rycheferthe that wat some ever that ze causyd Parson Welle to lese be zowre sewtes, that Rycheferthe schul lese the same to the Parson of Welle. Werefor this jeltylmon Rycheforthe taketh grete thowt, and pray me to wrythe to zow that ze wulde sese zowre suthe tylle the tyme that ze wulde asyne that I mythe speke wythe zow, and odyr sundry have speke with zow of the same mater; for yt ware pithe that Rycheforthe chuld have ony hurthe thereby. I beseche zow holde me excusyd, thow I wryt no better to zow at thys tyme, for in good feyth I had no leysere. The brynggar of thys letter can telle zow the same. God have zow in hys kepyng. Wretyn at Cambryg, on Fryday [sa]nyth[107.1] nexste before Mydsommer Evyn.
In case ze come ba come [back home?] be Cambryg, I schal telle zow mo of it. I am sory I may wrythe no bettyr at this tyme, but I trust ze wylle [have] paciens. Be zowre pore Broder, W. Paston.
[106.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] As it appears from Margaret Paston’s letter of the 2nd April 1449 that William Paston was a student at Cambridge in that year, the date of this must be about the same period.