Onto my ryght reverent and worchipfull maister, John Paston, Esquyer, be this letter delyvered.
1465
JUNE 18
Ryght reverent and worchipfull sir, I recomende me onto your good maisterchip in the moste lowly wise that I can or may, letyng your masterchippe understonde howe that John Smyth, of Freton, and John Hopton, of Freton, and I were attached and led onto Gippeswich, and there putte into the Kynges pryson by cawse of the fyn which was sessed upon the forsaid John Smyth, John Hopton, and me, as your maisterchippe knowith well. And as for John Smyth and John Hopton, they had labored the meanes onto Master Jenney, that they were delyvered owt of pryson or than the massenger come ageyn to theym which they sent onto yow; and I remayne stille in pryson, and I can not knowe but that they labour the meanes to make me to paye the money for theym. And so I can not se non other meane but that I shall ly stille in pryson, and been ondo for ever withoute your good masterchippe shewed to me at this tyme; for as I am enformed that Jenney hath promysed theym that I shall paye the fyne for theym, and also alle the costes that haith be spent ther upon, and shall be spent, for thei say that I am sufficient to bere the hole daunger. And my keper yafe me licence to goon home, and thei had hevyed the peple that dwelle ther, and that gretly, and said playnly how that ye myght not beere the dawnger a geyns Jenney for your self; therfor the seiden that ye myght not helpe them owt of dawnger when thatte ye myght not helpe your self. Wherfor I pray your masterchippe to lete me have word in as hasty tyme as ye may, to knowe whether that I shall abyde her stylle or not, and if I myght do yow any good at London, I pray your mastershippe that ye will sende for me, and I will come up to yow. And if ther be non other remedy but that the money most nedys be paid, I pray your masterchippe that ye will make such purveyaunce therfor that it may be to myn delyveraunce at the reverence of God, and in the weye of charite as myn hole truste is in your masterchippe, for I can not seke to no man, nor will not but only to yow. Wherfor I pray yow that ye will tenderly understond this letter, as I may pray for yow onto God, who have yow in His kepyng. Wretyn at Gippeswich the xviij. day of June.
These ar the names of theym that have parte of my catell, Gilbert Nicoll, of Sprowton, William Merssh and John Woode of Gippeswich, bocher. By your man and feithfull servant, John Rysyng.
[153.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The imprisonment of John Rysing is referred to in Margaret Paston’s letter of the 27th May 1465 ([No. 584]), and in another of the 24th June following ([No. 590]). There can be no doubt this letter is of the same year.
[589]
ABSTRACT[154.1]
1465
JUNE
Examinations taken at the house of the treasurer of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, of the following witnesses in the matter Sir John Fastolf’s will, viz.:— of Thomas Torald and Robert Lawe on the 18th; of William Waterman on the 19th; of John Osbern and John Heydon on the 20th; of William Pykeryng, John Symmys and John Shawe on the 21st day of June 1465.
[154.1] [From MS. Phillipps, 9309.]
William Pykeryng, John Symmys and John Shawe on the 21st day of June 1465.
text has “days”