[86.3] [From Fenn, i. 130.] Whitsun Eve, the day on which this letter is dated, fell on the 15th May in 1456, just a week after the date of last letter; and no one can doubt that they both belong to the same year.
[87.1] See [Note 2, preceding page].
[332]
HENRY WINDSOR TO JOHN PASTON[87.2]
1456(?)
[MAY 16]
After humble and due recommendacion, please it your gode maistership to understand that atte makyng of this my pour letter ther were no noveltees with us, but suche as yee understode full well afor your departyng, except the Kyng woll in to Scotland in all maner wyse of werre, and that my Lord of Weltshire shal be made Chaunceller. I suppose the better is but a sclaunder, and therfore be ye avised howe ye delyver theym as tidynges.
Also I wotte ful well where I lefte you in suche matiers as it pleassed you to make me of your counsell, as touchyng oon matier specially; and howe that ye said unto me whenne I desired your goode maistership to shewe favour in suche as ye best myght yf any thing shuld be shewed ad lumen, my Maister F. except; and howe that ye answered and said as it pleassed you that I was conquered, in trouth, that shuld preve but a full grete unstabulnes in me with more, &c. But, Sir, I pray you howe some ever my maister rekeneth with any of his servaunts, bring not the matier in revolution in the open Courte, for and it were ones opened afore the Juges howe that any lettre patentes shuld be purchased of an ante date,[88.1] and the defaute faunde in me, ye wold be a ml. [thousand] tymes avised, and my Maister F. both, or that ye wold amend me soo much as I shuld be appered therbe. And therfor I beseche you be well avised howe that matier be oponed for myn ease.
I was not desired to write unto you of no on persone, so God be my help, yourself except; but I wold ye wold take avise and counsell of the Preest that hadde you soo long under hand on Shorthursday,[88.2] whenne I and my feleship, God thank you, hadde of you right grete chere to our grete comfort and your grete coste, howe that the same Preest understandeth this letter of the Gospell underwriten: ‘Jesus dixit Simoni Petro, Si peccav[er]it in te frater tuus, vade et corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum; si te audierit lucratus es fratrem tuum. Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum vel duos, ut in ore duorum vel trium testium stet omne verbum. Quod si non audierit, dic ecclesiæ; si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus,’ etc. And in another place, ‘Tunc accedens Petrus ad Jesum dixit, Domine, quotiens petevit [peccabit] in me frater meus, [et] dimittam ei? usque septies? Dicit illi Jesus, Non dico tibi, usque septies, set usque septuagesies septies.’[89.1]
My maister can doo no thing, the which shall come in open audience at thise deies, but it shalbe called your dede. Hit is not unknoon that cruell and vengible he hath byn ever, and for the most parte with aute pite and mercy; I can no more but vade et corripe eum, for truly he cannot bryng about his matiers in this word [world], for the word is not for hym. I suppose it wolnot chaunge yetts by likelenes, but I beseche you, Sir, help not to amend hym onely, by [but ?] every other man yf ye kno any mo mysse disposed.
I canno more, but as I can or mey, I shal be his servaunt and youres unto such tyme as ye woll comande me to sursese and leve of, yf it please hym.
Sir, I pray you take this copy[89.2] of your statute, it is not examined be me, for I found hit thise v. yeres pessed.