1464
NOV. 27
Reverend fader in God, I recomaunde me to you. And for so muche the Kyngs hyghnesse is advertysed ye shuld have in . . . .[117.2] certayn goodes of John Pastons to the value of vij. or viij. ml mark wherin the Kyng is entytilled by such processe of owtlawry as is awarded ayenst the said Paston; Wherefor in the Kynges name I charge you that if any such good be in your governance[117.3] or within your monastery, ye suffer noon of thayme to passe oute of your garde, but suerle to kepe thaym unto the Kynges behouffe, unto ye tyme ye have otherwise in comaundment, as ye will answer at your perille and in eschewing his gret displeasur and such jeopardies as by the lawe myght ensue to youre over gret damage, which I ne wold. And of your disposicion herin it like you I may be certified in writing by the berour herof. And Oure Lord have you in his keping. Wryten at London the xxvij. day of Novembre anno lxiiijto. By the Tresorer of Ingland, Syr Water Blount.
[117.1] [MS. in Pembroke College, Cambridge.]
[117.2] A word or two illegible.
[117.3] So the word seems to have been originally, but the writing is faded, and a modern hand has attempted to restore the beginning as ‘no . . .’
[574]
ANONYMOUS TO JOHN PASTON[118.1]
To my ryght worshipfull maister and brother, John Paston, this letter be taken.
1464(?)
DEC. 3
Ryght worshipfull and reverend mayster and brother, with alle my service I recommaunde me on to yow. Please hit onto your grete wysedom to have yn your descrete remembrauns the streite Ordre on which we ben professid, and on which ze er bownden to kepe your residens, and specially on this tyme of Crystmas amonggis your confrerys of this holy Ordre, the Temple of Syon; for ynlesse than ze kepe dewly the poynts of your holy Religion, owr Maister Thomas Babyngton, maister and soverayn of owr Order of th’assent of his brythryn ben avysed to awarde azenste yow ryght sharp and hasty proces to do calle yow to do your obcervauns, and to obeye the poynts of your Religion, which wer on to me grete hevynesse. Wherfore I, as he that hath most grettest cause, and ys most bownden on to your grete gentylnesse, and also whom nature and kynde most specially byfore every of alle owr breth[r]yn bynden me to owe and wilne yow goode wylle and trewe hert, consyderyng the grete tyme of penawns that ze havyn ben yn fro sone upon Mighelmas hederto, that ys to say, yn relevyng and sustenawns of your evyn Crysten,[119.1] and also yn the charytable and meritory dede of almyssdoyng, that ys to say yn plenteous and liberall zeftis, which ys more precyusseur than goolde er sylver, which hath nat be at alle tymys to your grete ease, neyther hertis plesauns, but rather to your grete desese and yntollerable peyne. And wher Godds lawe and manys lawe acorden that hit shall nat be lawful to non erthely man to be so lyberall and plenteous of that that God sendith hym, that he sholde so despose hit so that he sholde nowgch have to lyve by; and forasmych as I have perfite knowlich of your freel[119.2] [frail] and naturall disposiseon so set on to theym that ben nedy and hunggery that of your selfe ze have no myght, neyther power to absteyne and rewle yourself, but also long as God sendith and zevyth yow whereof to dispose and help your evyn Crysten ze most nedis despose hit forth a monggus your evyn Cristen, I conseile yow that yn also hasty and goodely tyme as ze kan to come on to your holy brytheryn that ben of that devowt and clos conversacion, to th’entent that ze myght ben advertysid and lernyd by theym the goode rewle and messur that ze owght and sholde have yn the despociscion and delyng of your almys.
And also, sethnys ze haven chosen zow a place yn this seson of Avent, yn which ze have had a resonable leysour and space to do your penauns yn, which drawith fast to a ende; which hath been a convenyent place as for the ceson of the yer; and now hit drawith fast on to Cristmas, on which tyme every trewe Crysten man sholde be mery, jocunde, and glad. And sethnys ther is no place which by lyklyhod of reason ze shulde fynde yn your hert to be so gladde and yocunde yn as ze sholde be yn the place of your profession a mounggis your holy brytheryn; yn which place yn this ceson of the yer hit ys a custumyd to be alle maner of desport, lyke as hit is nat unknowe to your wisse descrescion; wherfore, as my symple reason ledith me your grete descrescion sholde rewle you that ze sholde approche nygh the plase of your holy relegion yn also hasty tyme as ze code er myght, of whos comyng alle your saide bretheryn wolde be glade and fayn, and yn especiall I, your servaunt and brother, lyke as I am most syngguler bownden to th’encresse of your prosperite and welfar, which I shall ever desir with Godds mersy, which have yow undir His blessid and favorable proteccion. Wrytten yn the Temple of Syon, iijd. day of December, yn grete hast. By your Servaunt and brother,