Men sey, send a wiseman on thy erand, and sey litell to hym, wherfor I write brefly and litell. Thomas Denyes.
[284.1] [From Fenn, iv. 18.] This letter speaks of the county of Norfolk as being in an unquiet state, and of John Paston as having been elected knight of the shire. It will be seen by [No. 458] that writs for an election were expected as early as the 5th of June in 1461, and as I find that the writer of this letter was murdered on the 4th of July following, the date is probably about the very beginning of that month. From what is said at the beginning of the letter about Paston’s absence from home, it was evidently some time after the last, which was written on the very day of his departure.
[464]
RICHARD CALL TO MARGARET PASTON[285.1]
To my most reverent and worshipfull mastresse, my Mastresse Margaret Paston, this be delyuered.
1461
JULY 3
Plesith it your mastresseship that my mastre[285.2] wolde that ye alowe the berer hereof for hes costs, in asmoch as he come hether for that matre, and for non other; but ye must lete Thomas Denys wif be prevy therto, for my mastre wol that she bere the cost, for it is her matre; and that ye make her goode cheere, and if ye wol have her hom to you for a seacon, unto the tyme sche be out of her trouble, my mastre is agreed. And if sche sende to my mastre for any matre, let her sende her owne man upon her owne coste, thowe ye paye the money for a secon, unto the tyme that sche may pay you a yein, mastre holdeth hym content. My right wurshipful mastresse, Almyghti Jesu kepe you. Wreten at London the iij. day of Jul. Your poore seruaunt and bedman, Ric. Call.
On the back of this letter is the following memorandum:— ‘Memorandum of j. comb whete, whereof was mad iiij.xx. and x. [fourscore and ten] brown lovis and iiij.xx. and xvj. white lovis, after vj. j.d. price the . . . .’
[285.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter seems to have been written in 1461, just before Thomas Denys was murdered, in consequence of the occurrences mentioned in [No. 462].
[285.2] John Paston.