Footnote 159.2 and body text:
Nevertherlesse she sent me an nother massenger ...
The words after ‘Neverthelesse’ ...
mismatched spelling unchanged
... in this onstabill werd [world] labore
italic “d” misprinted as “a”
[815]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[161.2]
To Mestresse Margret Paston, or to John Paston, Esquier, or to Roose dwyllyng affor ther gate, to delyver to them.
1472
NOV. 22
Please it yow to weete that I have opteyned letterys from the Kynge to my Lorde off Norffolke, to my Lady of Norffolk, and to ther concell, whyche letter to ther concell is nott superscrybyd, for cawse we wyst nott serteyn whyche of the councell sholde be present when the massenger cowme. I therffor thynke that thoos namys most be somwhatt by yowr advyce; and for get nott Gornaye, nor yitt Brome, iff ye thynke so best, nor Sowthewelle. I trust to my cosyn Gornaye, and on to Brome and Barnard in cheffe; and as to Bernarde, brother, I praye yow to take hys advyce, for I hope he is my welwyller, as ye know, and iffe he do me perffyght ease in thys mater, I thynke verrely in tyme to come to gyff him xx. scutys, and yit a goode turne whan so ever it lythe in my power.
The Kynge hathe specially doon for me in thys case, and hathe pitte me, and so have the Lordys, in ryght greete comfort, that iff thys fayle, that I shalle have ondelayed justyce; and he hathe sente a man of worship and in greet favor with hym on thys massage, whyche hathe nott ofte ben seyne, whyche gentylman kan well do hys mastrys massage and brynge trywe reporte. I have gevyn hym vli. for hys costes: God sende hym and yow goode spede in thees werkes. I feer thatt he shall nott speke with my Lady, for that she hathe takyn hyr chambre. Iff she be my verry goode Ladye, as she hathe seyde hertoffor that she wolde be, I hope that she wolle speke with hym. Neverthelesse I praye yow by the meanes of Mestresse Jahne Rothen that [you][162.1] will have my Ladye mevyd for me, and wher that herr to fore I wolde have departyd with C. marke to have hadde hyr goode helpe and to be restoryd to my place; whyche nott acceptyd, I tolde my seyde Lady that I feeryd that my power sholde natt be ther aftre to gyff so large a plesyr, for at that tyme I was in hope that the Bysshop of Wynchester sholde have payd it, thoghe it hadde drawen a Cli. Yet for as moche as men may nott lure none hawkes with empty handys, I wolde yitt agre to gyffe my Lady xxli. for an horse and a sadell, so that I be restoryd to my place, and that doone, to have a relesse of my Lorde, and my gounes and bokes to be restoryd, iff it maye bee. Neverthelesse thys mony is nott yit redy with me. I remytte thys to yowr dyscressyons.
Item, iff it be soo that itt be thowte behovefull, I thynke that thoghe nowther Slyfelde, nor ye, brother John, maye come in to my Ladyes chambre, that my moodre, iff she weer at Norwyche, she myght speke with hyr, for that she is a woman and off worshyppe. I thynke that my moodre sholde meve my Lady moche. I thynke that ther most be some body for me, havyng auctoryte to conclude for me, or ellys knowyng myn entente, they myght make delaye, and seye they wolle at the Kynges enstance comon with me; never the lesse I was nott ther present. Wherffor, rather than fayle, yff neede be, I wolle with owte any abode, iff I heer from yow, come home; and Slyfelde is agreyd to tary the a vij. nyghte for my sake, so that the mater take effecte. I praye yow make hym goode cheer, and iff it be so that he tarye, I most remembre hys costes; therffor iff I shall be sent for, and he tery at Norwyche ther whylys, it wer best to sette hys horse at the Maydes Hedde, and I shalle content for ther expences.
Item, ye maye largely sey on my behalve for suche servyse that I sholde do to my Lorde and Lady hereaffter, whyche by my trowthe I thynke to doo; neverthelesse to sey that I woll be hys sworyn man, I was never yitt Lordys sworyn man, yit have I doone goode servyce, and nott leffte any at hys most neede ner for feer. But as Gode helpe me, I thynke my Lady shalle have my servyce above any lady erthely, wheche she scholde weell have knowyn, had I been in suche case as I hadde nott been alweye the werse welkome; for that on of my herandes alweye was undrestande that it was for Caster, wnyche was nott acceptable, and I evyr the werse welkome.
Item, brother, I ame concludyd with my Lorde for yow, that ye shalle be at Caleys if ye list, and have iij. men in wages undre yow, wheroff my Lorde seythe that William Lovedaye most be on, tyll tyme that he have purveyed other rome for hym. Iff ye be dysposyd to goo, as I tolde hym that ye weer, yett wer it nott best that ye lete it be knowe tyll thys mater be doone, and then ye maye acordyng to yowr promyse lete my Ladye have knowleche ther off. Never the lesse my Lorde shalle be here with in xx. dayes or ther abowt; iff ye come thys weye ye maye speke with hym; neverthelesse ye shall nott lose no tyme, iff ye weer at Caleys at thys owr, for my Lorde promysed me that he wolde wryght to Elkenhed the tresorer at Caleys for yow by the next massenger thatt went.