Yonge Wyseman othyrwye callyd Foole
text unchanged: error for “othyrwyse”?
[794]
MARGARET PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[129.1]
1471
I grete you wele; letyng you wete that ther was told me a thyng in your absens that goth right nere myn hert, be a wurchepfull man and such an as ye wuld beleve and geffe credence to, and that owyth you right good wille; which if it had comyn to myn remembraunce at your departer I wuld have spoke to you of it most specially befor all other materis; but I am so trobilled in my mende with your materis that thei be so delayd and take no better conclusion, and with the ontrowth that is in servantis now a days but if the maysteris take better heed to ther handis, that such thyngis as I wuld rathest remembre I sonest for gete. It was told me that ye have sold Sporle wood of a right credebill and wurchepful man, and that was right hevy that ye shuld be know of such disposicion, consederyng how your fader, whos sowle God assoyl, cherysshed in every manor his woodis. And for the more preffe that this shuld be trought, the forseid person told me that it was told hym of on [one] that was toward Sir William Yelverton, to whom Richard Calle shuld have seid in thes termes, that Sporle Wood shuld be sold, and that it shuld comyn now in to Cristen mennes handis. Which if it were knowyn shuld cause bothyn your elmyse [enemies] and your frendis to thynk that ye dede it for right gret nede, or ellis that ye shuld be a wastour and wuld wast your lyvelod. If ye had do so in Sir John Fastolfes lyffelode, men shuld have supposid that ye had do it of good pollice, be cause of the onsuerte that it stoonit (?) in, to have takyn that ye had myght of it duryng your possession, to have boryn ought the daungere of it with the same; but for to do this of your owyn lyffelode, men shall thyng that ye do it for pure nede. And in asmych as it is so nere your most elmyse ere, it shall be to you the gretter vylney and shame to all your frendis, and the grettest coragyng and plesere that can be to your elmyse. For if ye be thus disposid ye shall make them and all othere certeyn of that that befor this tyme thei haue ben in dought, and cause them to purpose the more cruelly agayn you. Where fore, in eschewyng of the greet slaundre and inconveniens that may grow ther of, I require you, and more over charge you upon my blissyng and as ye wull have my good will, that if any such sale or bargany be mad, be your assent or with ought, be Calle, or any othere in your name, that ye restreyn it; for I wuld not for a Ml marcs that it wer understond that ye were of that disposicion, ner that ye were comyn to so gret nede which shuld cause [y]ou to do so; for every [man[130.1]] shuld thynk that it were thurgh your owyn mysgovernaunce. Therefore I charge you, if any such bargayn be mad, that ye send a bill as hastly as ye can to Herry Halman, that he do all such as have mad or takyn that bargayn seasse and felle non of the wood, upon peyn that may falle ther of. And how [who] so ever wull councell you the contrary, do as I advyse you in this behalffe, or ellis trost never to have comfort of me; and if I may knowe ye be of such disposicion, and I leve ij. yer it shall disavayll you in my liffelode ccc. marcs. There fore, send me word be the berere here of wheder ye have assent to any such thyng or nought, and how that ye be disposid to do ther in, for I shall not be quiete in myn hert till I understand yow of the contrary disposicion. Be your more moder.
[129.1] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 116.] This letter would seem to have been written about the end of the year 1471 or the beginning of 1472, when we first hear of Sir John Paston’s design to sell Sporle Wood. See Nos. [793], [798].
[130.1] Omitted in MS.
[795]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[130.2]
To my most honorabl and tendre modre, Margrete Paston, be thys letter delivered.
1472
JAN. 8
Most worschypfull and kynde moodre, I comande me to yow, and beseche yow off yowr dayly blyssyng and remembraunce. Please it yow to wete thatt I have my pardon,[130.3] as the berer heroff can informe yow, for comffort wheroffe I have been the marier thys Crystmesse, and have been parte theroff with Sir George Browen,[131.1] and with my Lady myn aunte, hys wyffe,[131.2] and be ffor Twelthe[131.3] I come to my Lorde Archebysshope,[131.4] wher I have hadde as greete cheer, and ben as welkom as I cowde devyse; and iff I hadde ben in sewerte that Castr weer hadde ageyn, I wolde have comen homewards thys daye.[131.5]