To John Paston, Esquier, at Norwych, be thys delyvered.

1473
NOV. 6

Wyrshypfull and well belovyd brother, I comand me to yow, letyng yow weet that the worlde semyth qweysye heer; ffor the most part that be abowt the Kyng have sende hyddr ffor ther harneys, and it [is] seyd ffor serteyn, that the Duke off Clarance makyth hym bygge in that he kan, schewyng as he wolde but dele with the Duke of Glowcester; but the Kyng ententyth, in eschyewying all inconvenyents, to be as bygge as they bothe, and to be a styffeler atweyn them; and som men thynke that undre thys ther sholde be som other thynge entendyd, and som treason conspyred; so what shall falle, can I nott seye.

Item, it is seyde that yisterdaye ij. passagers off Dovr wer takyn; I ffer that iff Juddy had noon hasty passage, so that iff he passyd nott on Sondaye or Mondaye, that he is taken, and som geer off myn, that I wolde not for xxli.

I hope and purpose to goo to Caleys warde on Sondaye or Mondaye or nyghe bye, ffor I am nott accompanyed to do any servyse heer; wherffor it wer better ffor me to be owt off syght.[196.1]

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Item, Sprynge, that wayten on my ffadre when he was in Jowel hous [gaol house], whom my ffadre at hys dyeng besett xls. he cryethe evyr on me ffor it, and in weye off almess, and he wolde be easyd, thow it wer but xxs. or xs.; wherffor he hathe wretyn to my modr, and most have an answer ageyn; I wolde that my moodr sende hym, as thoghe she lende hym som whatt, and he woll be pleasyd, and ellys he can seye as shrewdely as any man in Ingelonde.

Item, the Kynge hathe sent ffor hys Great Seall; some seye we shall have a newe Chauncelor, but som thynke that the Kynge dothe as he dyde at the last ffeldys, he wyll have the Seall with hym; but thys daye Doctor Morton, Master off the Rollys, rydethe to the Kynge, and berythe the Sease [Seals] with hym.

Item, I had never mor nede off mony than now; wherffor Fastolffes v. mrks and the mony off Master John Smythe wolde make me holl, &c.

Wretyn on Seynt Lenards Daye, Anno R. R. E. iiijti xiijo.