To myn right reverent and worchipphull Maisterez Paston, be this delivered.
1460
Right reverent and wurchippfull maisteres, I recomaunde me un to yow, beseching yow of your good maisteresshipp to be myn good maisteres to help wit your gracious woord un to myn right reverent and wurchipphull maister and your to take of me, his pore presoner and your, suerte queche I xall fynd to be bounde for me to brynge me un to all answere, in to the tyme that myn maister and ze have dimisse me wit myn suerte. And bescheche your good maistereschipp to prey myn mayster that he will yeve yow lycense wit his wurchippfull counsaill and youre, in case that myn maister may nout tarie, that ze in his absence may take myn seid suerte. And if it please his heyghnesse and youre, that I may have answere ayene be the bryngere of this, and here up I xall send for myn suertes, queche I trust in Good xul be to your plesure. No more att this tyme. I prey God evyr have yow in kepyng. Be your pore presonere, Piers, sum tyme the servaunt of John of Berneye.
[240.1] This and the letter following appear to have been written by the prisoner spoken of in the end of Margaret Paston’s letter immediately preceding. We have accordingly placed them here as belonging to the same period, though from a subsequent letter ([No. 462]) we may rather surmise that this first of the two was written in 1461.
[425]
PERSE TO SIR ROBERT ROKESBY[241.1]
To my right worschipfull Sir, Robert Rokysby.
1460
Ryght wurshipfull Sir, I recomaunde me to you, besechyng you, of your goode mastership, that ye wol wechesafe to speeke to Richard Kowven that he myght brynge me or sende me the money that is betwen hym and me in all the haste that he maye, for in goode feythe I hadde never more neede for to have help of my goode as I have at this tyme, for, Godwot, it stonde right straunge with me; for the false chayler that kepeth me entretethe me worse thanne it weere a dogge, for I am feterid worse thanne ever I whas, and manacled in the hands by the daye and nyght, for he is a feerde of me for brekyng a weye. He makethe false tales of me, throw the means of a false qwene that was tendyng to a Frensheman that is presoner to my Lord Roose,[241.2] and for be cause of that he bronde me every day be John of Berney, that is goone to the tother Lords;[242.1] but I truste to God oonys to qwite hys meede. And, Sir, I thanke you mekel of that ye have doone for me or seide; and, Sir, I shal deserve it a yenst yow, be the grace of God, for i’ feythe I am be holden to you more thane to all men that ever I founde syn I cam in preson.
No more to you at this tyme, but God have you in His kepyng. Be your servaunt and bedman, Perse.
[241.1] [From Fenn, iii. 432.]