And if thes or eny of the conclusyons may be takyn, I am agreable to make the bargayn swer, or ellys no more to be spokyn of.
[275.2] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This paper was evidently drawn up about the same time as the last letter. It is a draft in John Paston’s handwriting, but is evidently written as in the name of Sir Thomas Brews. It is endorsed in a more modern hand: ‘A determinacion of Sir Tho. Brews how much he would gyve with his daughter Margery in mariage.’
[276.1] These words are crossed out with the pen.
[906]
JOHN PYMPE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[276.2]
To Master Sir John Paston, be this letter delyverid in Calis.
1477
[MARCH]
Honwre and joye be to yow, my ryght gode master, and most assured brother; letyng yow know that al yowre welwillers and servaunts, in these partyes, that I know, fare well, and better wold, if they mowht here of yowre wellbeyng, and forthwith sum of yowre Frenche and Borgoyne tidyngs; ffor we in these partyes be in grete drede lest the French Kyng with sum assaults shuld in eny wise distourbe yow of yowr soft, sote [sweet], and sewre slepys, but as yet we no thyng can here that he so disposeth hym.
Mary, we have herd sey, that the frowys[277.1] of Broggys, with there hye cappes, have gyven sum of yow grete clappys, and that the fete of her armys doyng is such, that they smyte al at the mowthe, and at the grete ende of the thyeh; but in faith we care not for yow, for we know well that ye be gode ynowh at defence. But we here sey, that they be of such corage, that they gyve yow moo strokys than ye do to them, and that they strike sorer than ye also. But I thynk that the English ladyes and jentylwomen, and the pore also, can do as well as they, and lyst not to lerne of them no thyng; and therefor we drede lest ther hye corages shuld meve them to make yow warre also. But God defend, for by my trowth than have ye much to do; for hit were better and more ese for to labor iij. or fowre dayes with mattokks and pykeisys to over turne yowr sande hills, as we here saye ye do ryht wurshipfully, than only one day to endure theyre fers encountrys; so as ye myht owther gete or save yowr wurshippys by; and loke that ye trust to have no rescow of us, for, so God me helpe, we have y nowh to do in these partyes with the same werrs. But in one thyng we preyse yowre sadnessys and discrecionys ryht much, that is, in kepyng of yowr trewse and pese with the Kyng of Fraunce, as the Kyng hath commaundid; and a grete reson why, for hit were to much for yow to have werre with all the world at onys, ffor the werre a fore seid kepith yow blameles; ffor every resonable man wetyth well, that hit is to much for eny pepyll levyng to do bothe at onys.
Syr, as for the more parts off my thowht, I praye yow recomaunde me un to yowr self, prayyng yow that y may contynew in such case as yowr godenes hath taken me of old, and if ye lyst to send eny tydyngs, or other thyng to the partyes that were wont to warme theym by yowr fyre, in feith I shall do yowr erand.
And as for barley, hit is of the same pryce that hit was wont to be of, and is the most sure corne, and best enduryng that may be. And, syr, where that sumtyme was a lytyll hole in a wall, is now a dore large ynowh and esy passage, whereof ye were the deviser, and have thank for yowr labor of sum partyes, but no thyng lastyth evyr. Y mene that y trow, my passage shall hastyly faile me, and the dore shalbe shet up agayne, lesse than Fortun be agreable to have my counseile kept; for not long ago, makyng my entre at that passage, I saw a sparow that useth those ewrys [eireys], and I saw her sytt so stille that y cowde not endure, but y must neds shote her, and so, God me help, I smote her, I trow evyn to the hert; and so I drede me lest owther the barley wyll ete the sparow, or ells the sparow wyll ete the barley, but as yet all is well, but reson shewt me that hit must neds fayle by contynewauns, lesse than I forsake bothe the sparow and the barley also.[278.1]