To the Ryght worshypfull sir, Sir John Paston ch’l’r logged at the signe of the George next to Poulys Wharf; or to lefe thys letter at a barbourys house ovyr the seyd George to delyver it to Sir John Paston.
1478
MARCH 1
Plese yor gode masterschyp to wete that I herd thys day how a man wend that a jugement ys passed ayenst your entent yn the ende of the last terme (hyt was not of verray certeyn tolde me, but as a dreme) yn the kynges Chauncerye. I coude gefe none aunswer therto. I prai God alle be well; hyt wold ease som of your frendes hertys yff they coude understand ony gode comfort. Sir, as for Robert,[314.1] I wold pray and requyre your maistershep that he may for his lernyng be abydyng with your cousyn of Lincoln Inne, as yt was promysed, and to be occupyed under drede of displesir under subjecion, wyth erly rysyng accustomed, for slouth ys the moder and norysher of all vices. He hath cost me moch goode and labour, and now he ys uppon hys makyng by vertues governance, or undoyng to the contrarye, and yn especyalle to be not conversant ne neere amongis women, as I was kept froo her [their] company xxx. yeres or ony suche were of my councelle, I thank God of yt. Sir, and ye write to me as ye lust, let no name be wythynne wryt whens yt com, and that yt be sent by sure comer to delyver yt me, for yt ys better brent then founde. Also your discrecion ought not loth (to take the cost and labour wolle not be gret, nether importune) for to send a man of purpose to my lord of [sic] Bysshop Waltham and to hys councell lerned, ye wete to whom, for redy serch to be made for the bill of half lefe of paper quantite of my hand I faythfully delyvered to Master T. Danvers for to ovyrsee, of the fyrst appoyntment ye wote off, that ye desyre so hertly to see as of othyr manyfolde wrytyngis belongyng to yow and to me. Yt ys seyd yne a vers: Gutta cavat lapidem non vi set sepe cadendo, &c.; to a slow man or a foryetefull or lothfull man must be importune callyng allway uppon hym tille he hafe hys entent, for now thys vacacion to spede or nevyr shall stand in yow no stede. I can no ferther then the walle.
Item, Sir, I comyned wyth Doctor Yotton at Camebrygge late, because there ys no dyvyne service seyd yn the free chapelle at C.,[314.2] that he wold hafe a grete concience yn yt, and to depart wyth an honest preste called Sir John Brykkys that ys now duellyng wyth a ryzt lovyng kynnesman of yowres; the seyd Doctor gevyng me to aunsuer he wold comyn wyth yow by Pasch,[314.3] and the rather wyth your gode wylle wold depart to such one ye owe affeccion unto. Sir, I wold, as I dar tak uppon me to owen your affeccion to the seyd John Brickys, that he may wyth more help of your cellary hafe the better to lyve and serfe God there to abyde and do yow service also. I mene faythfullye, and soo I pray yow take yt; to remembre a thyng in seson ys gretely to commend, and of a spedy avantage. The blessed Trinite be wyth yow. Wret the fyrst day of Marche. Your W. Botonere.
To J. P. c.[315.1] at London.
Item, I had foryete to hafe remembred your maystershyp to hafe a bille to your baylly Pecok for to delyver my fermour of Tyrkbye C. or ii C. lawre and asshe, and than to plant yn my tenement at Thyrkbye, or foras many ye lust; for I lost the last waraunt that ye wrote me truly, and so I was not served.
Item, yff ye wryte to me, hyt hath nede to be by a sure comer, for I had levyr a letter be brent then lost ne forte videant Romani . . . and at reverence of Jhesu that my Robert lose no tyme, nether be idelle, for doubt of ymaginacions and temptacions. I trust wyth your principale help to be wyth the worshypfull gentleman that made promysse to yow, &c.
[313.1] [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 152.] This letter would seem to be of the year 1478. It will be seen by [No. 925] that in the beginning of that year Sir John Paston wished to arrange with Dr. Yotton to get a priest to sing in Caister.
[314.1] Is this Robert, son of Sir John’s brother Edmund, who is mentioned in Margaret Paston’s will? The will, dated 4th February 1482, will be found printed in the next volume.
[314.2] Caister.