1462
JULY 15
Right worshipfull sir, and my right honourabill maister, I recomaund me to you in my most humble wyse, and please your maistirship to wete that her is on Thomas Chapman, an evyl disposyd man al wey ayens you, as I have informyd youre maistirship many tymes, and now he hathe labouryd to my Lord Tresorer to subplante me, and brought down wryghting from the Kyng and my Lord Tresorer; but or hise wryting cam, Wydwell fond the meanys, be the supportacion of Maistir Feen, that we had a discharge for hym out of the Chauncery; wherfor the seyd Chapman proposyth to be at London in all haste, and to avertise the Kyng and my Lord Tresorer ageyn me to the grettest hurt he can imagyne. Wherfor I beseke youre maystirship, consedryng is evyl disposecion to yow, and also the rather at my pore instaunce, that ye lyke that my Lord Tresorer myght undyrstonde that the seyd Chapman is of no reputacion, but evyl disposyd to brybory of straungers, and be colour of hise office of supervisor of the searche shal gretly hurte the port. The seyd Chapman supportors is Blakeney, clerk of the sygnet, and Avery Cornburght, yoman of the Kynges chaumbre. He hathe here of Avereyes xxiiij. tune wyn, whereof at the long wey he shal make the seyd Averey a lewd rekenyng. The seyd Chapman lovyth not you, nor no man to yow wards, &c.
Sir, I prey God brynge you onys to regne amongs youre cuntre men in love, and to be dred. The lenger ye contynwe there the more hurt growyth to you. Men sey ye will neyther folwe the avyse of youre owyn kynred, nor of youre counsell, but contynwe your owyn wylfullnesse, whiche, but grace be, shal be youre distrucion. It is my part to enfourme youre maistirshyp as the comown voyse is, God betir it, and graunt yow onys herts ease; for it is half a deth to me to here the generall voyse of the pepyll, whiche dayli encreassyth, &c.
Sir, I beseke youre maistirshyp to remembre my maystresse for the lytil sylvir, whiche for serteyn thyngs delyverid to youre use is dewe to me. I have nede of it now. I have bought salt and other thyngs, whiche hathe brought me out of myche sylvir. I wold trust, and I nedyd to borwe xxli., your maistirshyp wold ease me for a tyme, but thys that I desyre is myn owyn dute. And Jesu graunt yow ever yowr herts desyre to youre worshyp and profyt, and preserve yow my right honourabyll maister from all adversyte.
Wretyn at Jernemuthe, the xv. day of July. Here is a kervyl [carvel] of Cane in Normandy, and he takyth Duchemen, and raunsumyth hem grevously. Yore servaunt and bedman, John Russe.
[47.1] [From Fenn, iv. 120.] The precise year in which this letter was written is a little uncertain, but from the date and contents it would appear that Russe was now in possession of the office which in [No. 515] he had asked Paston to procure for him; so that it cannot be earlier than 1462.
[526]
WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[48.1]
To myn wurchipfull broder, Jon Paston.
1462
JULY
Ryththe wurchipfull broder, I recomand [me] to zow. Lekit it zow to wethe [wit], Jon of Dam is come to towne, and purposit hym to tary here a day ar ij. ar longar, I can thynk, and he be desyryd. Were fore I pray zow, and as I have afore this tyme desiryd zow the same, that suche materis as hathe be comunyd now lathe be twyx myn moder, zow and hym, may take some good conclucyon be twyx owre selff here at hom. And in myn consayt, savyng zow better avyse, it were so most convenyent and wurchipfull for us all, and comforthe to all owre fryndis. And for this ententhe I wold tary here the lengar; for I wold be as glad as any man a lyve that suche an ende mythe be take be twix us that iche off us all schuld inyoy the wylleffar off odyr, qweche I trust with zowr good help schall be rythe wyll, and I dowthe nat myn mastyr Markam wyll be will plesyd thus.