[252.1] The church porch. In London it commonly meant the portico of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is doubtless the place here intended.
ye ned not to dele over largely
“e” in “over” invisible
[886]
JOHN PASTON TO LORD HASTINGS[253.1]
To my Lord.
1476
MARCH 2
My most doughtyd and singular good lord, aftyr most humble and dew recomendacyon, please it your good lordshepp to have knowlage that, accordyng to your comandement, in my wey homeward, I remembred me of a persone whyche to my thynkyng is meetly to be clerk of your kechyn, whyche persone is now in servyse with Master Fitzwater, and was befor that with Whethyll at Gwynes, and purveyor for hys house, and at syche tyme as the Kynges grace was ther last in hys vyage towardes France. Thys man is meane of stature, yonge inough, well wittyd, well manerd, a goodly yong man on horse and foote. He is well spokyn in Inglyshe, metly well in Frenshe, and verry perfite in Flemyshe. He can wryght and reed. Hys name is Rychard Stratton; hys modyr is Mastress Grame of Caleys. And when I had shewyd hym myn intent, he was agreable and verry glad if that it myght please your lordshepp to accept hym in to your servyse; wherto I promysed hym my poore helpe, as ferforthe as I durst meve your good lordshepp for hym, trustyng that I shold have knowelage of your plesure her in, or I departed towardes your lordshep ought of this contrey. Wherfor I advysed hym to be redy with in xiiij. dayes of Marche at the ferthest, that if it pleasyd your lordsheppe to accept hym or to have a syght of hym be for your departyng to Caleys, that ther shold be no slaughthe in hym.
He desyred me to meve Master Fitzwater to be good mastyr to hym in thys behalve, and so I dyd; and he was verry glad and agreable ther to, seying if hys sone had ben of age, and all the servauntis he hathe myght be in eny wyse acceptabell to your lordshepp, that they all, and hym silff in lyek wyse, shall be at your comandment, whyll he leveth.
And at my comyng home to my poore house, I sent for Robart Bernard, and shewid on to hym that I had mevyd your lordshepp for hym; and he in lyek forme is agreable to be redy by the xiiij. day of Marche to awayte on your lordshepp, be it to Caleys or ellys where, and fro that day so foorthe for ever, whyll hys lyff wyll last, with ought grugeing or contraying your comandement and plesure, in eny wyse that is in hym possibyll t’accomplishe.
I shewed on to hym that I had preyed Master Talbot to be a mean to your good lordshepp for hym, and if so wer that Mastyr Talbot thought that your lordshepp wer content to take hys servyse, then that it wold please Mr. Talbot to meve my Lady of Norffolkes grace to wryght or send to Bernard, puttyng hym in knowlage that hyr grace is content that he shall become your menyall servaunt. Wherof he was passyng well pleasyd; but, that notwithstandyng, as I enformed your lordshepp, he is not so reteyned, neyther by fee nor promess, but that he may let hym sylff loose to do your lordsheppe servyse when ye wyll receyve hym, and so wyll he do; but, your lordshepe so pleasid, leve wer bettyr. Rychard Stratton told me that whyll he was in servyse with Whethyll, John Redwe mocyond hym onys myche aftyr thys intent, but at that tyme Whethyll wold not be so good mastyr to hym as to meve your lordshepe for hym.
My lord, I trust that your lordshepe shall lyek bothe ther persones and ther condicyons; and as for ther trowthes, if it may please your good lordshepe to accept my poore woord with thers, I wyll depose largely for that. And as it pleasyth your good lordshepe to comand me in thes maters, and all other, if it may please your lordshepe to shewe the same to my brodyr Nessfeld, he knowith who shall sonest be with me to putt me in knowlage of your plesure, whyche I shall be at all seasons redy t’accomplyshe to my poore power, with Godes grace, Whom I beseche longe to contenue the prosperous astate of your good lordshepp.