[10.3] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is evidently of the same year as [No. 492]. The contents, moreover, seem to show that the date cannot be far distant from that of Richard Calle’s letter of the 1st of February following.

[495]
ANONYMOUS TO JOHN PASTON[11.1]

1461(?)
DEC.

Ryght worchefull master, I recommend me on to yow, &c. The cause of my wrytyng is this; I was at Blofeld on Sent Andruys Day[11.2] wyt the person,[11.3] and he understode non noder but that I cam to se is master chepe, for it was hese cheve day,[11.4] and that I mevyd in to hym of the lond in Sochewerk, how I hard sey qwan I was in Sochefolk that Geney mad hys avaunt that he had zon [given] zow and hym a choppe of xx. pownd of lond. And in contynent he telde me al the mater beter than I cowde telle hym, and as I cowde understond in hym be my sympyl wyt, that he was of knoleche of alle the mater; for he seyd that Yelverton cam don fro the benche, and plete the mater, and for cause ye wer to laches, and cam not in tyme, the mater yede a mys. And so I understode be hym that he is dysposyd to excuse Yelverton in al materys rather than yow; but never de les make good cher to the person, as thow ye understode that he wer your frend, tyl tyme ye have your in tente. But be warr and trost hym not, but make yow so strong in lorchepe and in the lawe, that ye reeke not meche qwder he be good or bad, &c.

Item, ye be meche be held on to Tomas Grene and Edmund Wydewel, broder to Heu à Fen, for thei reporte meche worchepe of your master chepe in al maters, and that cause the substans of the towne to howe yow servese, and be wel dysposyd on to yow masterchepe, and that understonde I hevery day. And yf that plese yow, qwan we partyt at Norwyche in yowr plase, ye seyd on to me ye wold som qat do be my sympyl a wyse; and this is myn a wyse that in ony wyse ye make Heu à Fen and Tomas Grene on your consel, yf ye can fyne in yow herte. For I dare sey, as I her and understonde, that thei how yow ryth good well and servyse, for a man may her be the halfe qwat the hole menyth, and therfor for Godds lowe remember yow wel in this mater; for and it stode on myn lyfe, I wold do as I awyse yow, &c.

Item, for howr Lords love, goo tharow with Wyll Weseter, and also plese Chrewys as ye thynke in yow hert best for to do; for it is a comon proverbe, ‘A man must sumtyme set a candel befor the Devyle’; and therfor thow it be not alder most mede and profytabyl, yet of ij. harmys the leste is to be take.

Item, ye xul oonderstonde that the parson telde me that dey wer somuned to cum for the probat of the testement at Convercyon of Sent Powle;[12.1] and therfor I wolde avyse yow in ony wyse that ye xuld understond the mater wysely her ye com hom, for I sopose that Yelverton and he is confydett and acorde to geder.

Item, qwan I was at Blofeld with the parson, ther cam Robert Fyrass to hym, seyyng that he is compeld be the Kyngs Commycyoners to have harnes after is degre, and that the parson sent hym to my mastras that che xuld delyver hym harnes, and I understond che wylle not tylle ye com hom. But ye xul understond it is an halmes dede to do hym good, understondyng is nesessyte and nede that he stond in, and also understondyng that he was kynnyes man to my master, and it is a comon proverbe, ‘A man xuld kepe fro the blynde and gevyt to is kyn’; and hevery man wyl sey wel ther of, the mor cause he is a gentylman, and of is kyne, and in gret penur. And therfor, for the love of God, remembyr seche maters.

No mor at this tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng, bothe body and sowle, and spede yow in yowr maters as wel as wel as I wolde ye xulde do.

[11.1] [From Fenn, iv. 64.] The date of this letter is a little uncertain, but it seems to have been written at the beginning of the dispute between Paston and Yelverton, about Fastolf’s will, and the year 1461 appears to me on the whole most probable.