[506]
JOHN DOWBIGGING TO JOHN PASTON[28.1]
To the ryght reverent and worship sir, John Paston, sum tyme Lord of Gresham, and now fermour therof, as hit is seide.
Perys of Legh come to Lynne opon Cristynmesse Even in the fresshest wise, and there he dyned so as was; bot when my Lorde of Oxenforde herde hereof he with his feliship and suche as I and other your presoneres come rydyng unto Lynne, and even unto the Bysshop gaole where the seid Perys dyned with other of his feliship. My Lorde pulled hym oute of the seid gaole and made to kest hym opon an horse, and tyed an halter by his arme, and so ledde hym furth like hym selff. And even furthwith the seid Bysshop, the Mair, and other their feliship mette with my seide Lorde and your presoneres, and also the seide Perys tyed by an halter, the Bysshop havyng thies wordes unto my Lorde with his pillion[28.2] in his handes, ‘My Lordes, this is a presoner, ye may knowe by his tepet and staff. What will ye do with hym?’ Therto my Lorde seide, ‘He is my presoner nowe.’ Wherto the Bysshop seid, ‘Where is youre warraunt or commission therto?’ My Lorde seide, ‘I have warraunt sufficiaunt to me.’ And thus they departed, the Mair and all the cominaltie of Lynne kepyng theire silence. Bot when we weren goon, and Perys of Legh fast in Rysyng Castell, then the yates of Lynne, by the Bysshop comaundement weren fast sperred [shut] and keped with men of armes. And then the Bysshop and his squyers rebuked the Mair of Lynne and seid that he hade shamed both hym and his toun for ever, with muche other langage, &c.
The Bysshop shulde have keped his Cristenmesse at Gaywode, bot yet he come not oute of Lynne. In faith, my Lorde dyd quyte hym als curageousely as ever I wist man do. The Bysshop come to the toun with lx. persones the same tyme, and made to sper the yates after hym, bot when we mette, ther bode not with hym over xij. persones atte the most, with his serjaunt of armes; whiche serjaunt was fayn to lay doun his mase; and so atte the same yates we come in we went oute, and no blode drawen, God be thanked.
Yf ye will any thyng atte I may do, send me worde; hit shall be doon to my power, &c. Comaunde me to my maistresse your wyff, &c. And yf ye dar joperdie your suyrtie of C. marc I shall come and se you. And elles have me excused, for, &c. From your oune, John Douebiggyng.
[28.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is evidently earlier in date than the last, and may perhaps have been written at the close of the year 1460, but as it refers to the same prisoner as the preceding No. we place it here for convenience. It is printed in the fifth volume of Fenn’s edition as a letter of Henry VII.’s time owing to a misreading of the address, which might easily convey the impression that it was directed to ‘Sir John Paston.’
[28.2] The hat worn by a Doctor of Divinity.
ye may knowe by his tepet and staff
text has “bv his” (misprint or damaged type)
[507]
RICHARD CALLE TO JOHN PASTON[29.1]
To the ryght reverent and my mooste worschipful master, my Master John Paston, in the Inneer Tempyll.