[THE PASTON LETTERS]
Edward IV
[695]
WILLIAM EBESHAM TO SIR JOHN PASTON[1.1]
To my moost worshupfull maister, Sir John Paston, Knyght.
1469(?)
My moost woorshupfull and moost speciall maister, with all my servyce moost lowly I recomande unto your gode maistirship, besechyng you most tendirly to see me sumwhat rewardid for my labour in the Grete Booke[1.2] which I wright unto your seide gode maistirship. I have often tymes writyn to Pampyng accordyng to your desire, to enforme you hou I have labourd in wrytyngs for you; and I see wele he speke not to your maistership of hit. And God knowith I ly in seint warye [sanctuary] at grete costs, and amongs right unresonable askers. I movid this mater to Sir Thomas[1.3] late, and he tolde me he wolde move your maistirship therein, which Sir Thomas desirid me to remembir wele what I have had in money at soondry tymes of hym.[2.1]
. . . . . . .
And in especiall I beseche you to sende me for almes oon of your olde gownes, which will countirvale much of the premysses I wote wele; and I shall be yours while I lyve, and at your comandement; I have grete myst of it, God knows, whom I beseche preserve you from all adversite. I am sumwhat acqueyntid with it. Your verry man, W. Ebsham.
Folowyng apperith, parcelly, dyvers and soondry maner of writyngs, which I William Ebesham have wreetyn for my gode and woorshupfull maistir, Sir John Paston, and what money I have resceyvid, and what is unpaide.
First, I did write to his maistership a litill booke of Pheesyk,for which I had paide by Sir Thomas Leevys[2.2] in Westminster | xxd. | |
Item, I had for the wrytyng of half the prevy seale ofPampyng | viijd. | |
Item, for the wrytynge of the seid hole prevy seale of SirThomas | ijs. | |
Item, I wrote viij. of the Witnessis in parchement, but aftirxiiijd. a peece, for which I was paide of SirThomas | xs. | |
Item, while my seide maister was over the see inMidsomerterme | iiijs. viijd. | |
And also wrote the same tyme oon mo of the lengist witnessis, andother dyvers and necessary wrytyngs, for which he promisid mexs. whereof I had of Calle but iiijs.viijd. car. vs. iiijd. | vs. iiijd. | |
I resceyvid of Sir Thomas at Westminster, penultimo die Oct.,anno viij. | iijs. iiijd. | |
Item, I did write to quairs of papir of witnessis, every quairconteynyng xiiij. leves after ijd. a leff | iiijs. viijd. | |
Item, as to the Grete Booke—First, for wrytyng of theCoronacion, and other tretys of Knyghthode, in that quaire whichconteyneth a xiij. levis and more, ijd. a lef | ijs. iid. | |
Item, for the tretys of Werre in iiij. books, which conteynethlx. levis aftir ijd. a leaff | xs. | |
Item, for Othea[3.1] pistill, which conteyneth xliij.leves | viis. ijd. | |
Item, for the Chalengs, and the Acts of Armes which isxxviijti lefs | iiijs. viijd. | |
Item, for De Regimine Principum, which conteynethxlvti leves, aftir a peny a leef, which is right weleworth | iijs. ixd. | |
Item, for Rubrissheyng of all the booke | iiis. iiijd. | |
Summa rest’ | xxijs. iiijd. | |
Summa non solut’ | xljs. jd., | |
| unde pro magno[4.1] libro scriptoxxvijs cum diu’ chal.[4.2] | ||
Summa Totalis | iijli. iijs. vd. | |
William Ebesham.