After 1466
Right worshipfull and myn right honourable and good maistresse, I recomaund me to you in my most humble wyse, besekynge youre maistresshyp to take no dyspleasure of the longe forberyng of youre mony, whiche is ixli. xvjs. viijd. now. Be my trouthe, Maister Fen had of me l. marke at hyse beyng here fore custum, wherof a gret part is owyng me tyl I may be leysere[260.2] gather it up. I thynke of every day a wyke tyl ye be content, and I thanke God I owe not al the world so myche as I do you. In as goodly haste as I can, youre maistresship shal have it with ever my servise and preyer, for ye do a meritory dede; it hathe savyd my pore honestie and gretly avayled me; wher as if it had leyn in youre coferys, as, I doute not, a Mlli. more dothe, no profit shuld have growe to any man; it is a meritory dede to helpe them that mene trewly, whiche, for Godis sake, maistresse consedre. I truste I am of that substans that, what soever caswelte fortunyd, yourre maistresship shuld not lese on pene of yourre dute. Every ourre (?) may be distreynid of myn the value of C. marke in shyppis and literys, and owe not but to you Cs., I dare afferme. Also, maystresse, ye have an obligacion of me of xlli. a byll of xxli., and abil of xxli., and a byll of xli.; for Godis sake, maistresse, spare me for a tyme, the rather for the affeccion that my maister[260.3] had to me, whos soule Jhesu assoyle. Hyse maistirshyp grauntyd me many tymez to have lent me of the dedys goodis xlli., to have payd hym ageyn in v. yeer; and so I doute not but I shuld have had if hyse maistirshyp had levyd. I lost a gret losse of hese departyng; for hyse sake, maystresse, shewe me the more favour. I intende not to debarre you of oon peny, so Jhesu helpe me, but in as goodly haste as I can to contente you; be my trouthe, at thys seasun I have not in my pocession x. marke which is right litil, what casewelte that ever fortune. I am deseyvid of many men; be my trouthe there is owyng me in thys town xl. marke of iij. yeer passyd, that thow I shuld go to prison I knowe not to have xxs. of ony of hem. Right worshypfull and my right honourable maistresse, I beseke Almyghti Jhesu, ever preserve you from adversite. Maistresse, for the servise that to my pore powyr I aught my maister youre husbonde I am the werse by xxli. and more sylvir; for Godis sake therfor, maistresse, yit favour me a season; I aske not ellys. Yourre bedeman and servaunt, John Russe.
[260.1] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 226.] This letter must have been written some time after John Paston’s death, but probably not many years later. Compare [No. 651].
[260.2] Sic.
[260.3] John Paston.
[657]
J. STRANGE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[261.1]
To my rith worchipfull and good master, Ser John Paston, Knyght.
Between 1467-9
Ryth worchupful ser, after dewe recomendacion, plesyt zow to understond the cause of my wrytyng ys for a maryage for my Masterys Nargery, zowr suster. For my nevyewe, John Straunge, wold make her sur of xlli. joynture and CC. marke be zer of inherytaunce; and yf zee and zour frendes wole agreve herto, I trost to God that xall take a conclusion to the plesur of God, and worchup to both partyes.
Moreover, and yt plesyth zow to wete, I am sore troblyd with Bedston, as wele be the wey of tachements owte of the Chauncer as oderwyse. I must beseche zow of zowr good mastershepe and help in secrete maner as the Ser Thomas Lynes, the brynger of thys, shall enforme zow. I xall be att London in the begynnyng of thys terme, be the grace of God, qwych preserve zowe.