[THE PASTON LETTERS]
Edward IV
[936]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[1.1]
To John Paston, Esquyer, be thys lettre delyveryd, or to my mestresse, hys wyffe, at Norwych, to delyver to hym.
1478
AUG. 25
Brother John, I recomaund me to yow, and I thanke God, my sustr yowr wyffe, and yow, off my ffayr nevywe Crystofore, whyche I undrestande ye have, wher off I ame ryght gladde, and I praye God sende yow manye, if it be Hys plesyr; nevertheless ye be nott kynde, that ye sende me no wetyng ther off; I hadde knowlege by ffootemen, or ever ye kowde ffynde any messenger on horsbak to brynge me worde theroff.
Sir, it is soo, that the Duke off Bokyngham shall come on pilgrymage to Walsyngham, and so to Bokenham Castell to my lady hys sustr;[1.2] and then it is supposyd that he shalle to my Lady off Norffolk.[1.3] And myn oncle William comythe with hym; and he tellyth me, that ther is like to be troble in the maner off Oxenhed; wherffor I praye yow take hedde lesse that the Duke off Suffolk councell pley therwith now at the vacacion[1.4] off the beneffyse, as they ded with the beneffice off Drayton, whyche by the helpe off Mr. John Salett and Donne hys man, ther was a qweste made by the seyde Donne, that ffownde that the Duke off Suffolk was verrye patrone, whyche was ffalse, yitt they ded it ffor an evydence; but nowe iff any suche pratte scholde be laboryd, it is I hope in bettr case, ffor suche a thynge most needs be ffownde byffor Master John Smyth, whyche is owr olde ffreende; wherffor I praye yow labor hym, that, iff neede bee, he maye doo use a ffreends torne therin.
Item, bothe ye and I most neds take thys mater as owr owne, and it weer ffor noon other cawse butt ffor owr goode grawnt dames sake; neverthelesse ye woote well, thatt ther is an other entresse longyng to usse afftr her dyscease; iffe ther be any suche thynge begune ther by suche a fryer or prest, as it is seyde, I mervayle that ye sente me no worde ther off; butt ye have nowe wyffe and chyld, and so moche to kar ffor, thatt ye fforgete me.
As for tydyngs her, I her telle that my cosyn Sir Robert Chamberleyn hathe entyrd the maner of Scolton uppon yowr bedffelawe[2.1] Conyerse, wheroff ye sende me no worde.
Item, yonge William Brandon is in warde and arestyd ffor thatt he scholde have by fforce ravysshyd and swyvyd an olde jentylwoman, and yitt was nott therwith easyd, butt swyvyd hyr oldest dowtr, and than wolde have swyvyd the other sustr bothe; wherffor men sey ffowle off hym, and that he wolde ete the henne and alle hyr chekynnys; and som seye that the Kynge entendyth to sitte uppon hym, and men seye he is lyke to be hangyd, ffor he hathe weddyd a wedowe.
Item, as ffor the pagent that men sey that the Erle off Oxenforde[2.2] hathe pleyid atte Hammys, I suppose ye have herde theroff; itt is so longe agoo, I was nott in thys contre when the tydyngs come, therfor I sent yow no worde theroff.