B R to John Paston

984

B. R. TO JOHN PASTON¹

To the right worshipfull John Paston, squier, with
my lord Chamburlayn.

     RIGHT worshipfull sir, y recommaunde me to you, as
         hartily as y can, desiring to undrestand zour welefare,
         and also to knowe somwhat certainly hou your matier
dothe with your uncle, and hou fer ye be, for in thes parties y
assertayne you, moche mater is shewed and proclaimed in
worshipful presence, fer fro th’entent of your welewillers, of
the discorage and reprofe in maner of you, and by such as
men supposed you to have ben right wele favoured with, and
the contrary shewed in the presence of right worshipfull, and
right many, and as it is said, iij. scor in nombre, with such
termes and under such forme, as it is reported, as is full hevy
to diverse here for to here. Hou it is ye knowe beste, and
hou it is I pray you lete your frendis in this cuntre undirstand;
for right a worshipfull persone told me of this, to the which
y coude not answer, I se al day the world so unsure. But,
Sir, ye did of policy some thingis that peradventure, and it
were to do, ye wold take anothir avise, &c. I can nomore but
sapienti pauca, &c. And I biseche you, Sir, send me some
tidingis of the parties beyonde the se, for owr wyves here
speke of many thingis, &c. Moreovir, Sir, Margarete Ronhale
told me late that my maistres your wif fareth wele, blissed be
Almighti God, and all your other frendis here, blissed be God.
Sir, it is so that, as y am enformed, there is a soudiour of
Caleis called John Jacob, of olde tyme duelling in Lynne.² I
pray you to inquir secretly what maner man he ys, and in
what condicion there, for I know a man hath to do with him;
but be ye beknowen of no thinge, but that ye list wisely to
enquere what he is and of what condicion, &c. And if there
be any thing in thies parties that y can do you service yn, I
pray you commaunde you, and I shalbe as redy to the accom-
plisshment therof to my power, as any man lyvyng; and that
knowith God, Who I biseche to send me good tidingis fro
you, and you your noble desires. From Weston.—By yours,

                                                                                          B. R.

     ¹ [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 220.] This letter is probably late in the reign of
Edward IV. John Paston would seem to have entered the service of Hastings,
the Lord Chamberlain, some time after the death of his brother Sir John in 1479.
See No. 993.

     ² Against this passage in the margin is written in another hand:—’M^d. pro
Barnard.’

1479-
83

1479-
83

XCIV

A.D. 1479-83

B. R. TO JOHN PASTON

[Add. MS. 34,889, f. 220]

     This letter (No. 1078 in the Inventory) is probably late in the reign of
Edward IV. John Paston would seem to have entered the service of
Hastings the Lord Chamberlain some time after the death of his brother Sir
John in 1479. See No. 875.

To the right worshipfullJohn Paston, squier, with
my lord Chamburlayn.

RIGHT worshipfull sir, y recommaunde me
     to you, as hartily as y can, desiring to un-
     drestand zour welefare, and also to knowe
     somwhat certainly hou your matier dothe
with your uncle, and hou fer ye be, for in thes
parties y assertayne you, moche mater is shewed and
proclaimed in worshipful presence, fer fro th’entent
of your welewillers, of the discorage and reprofe in
maner of you, and by such as men supposed you to
have ben right wele favoured with, and the contrary
shewed in the presence of right worshipfull, and right
many, and as it is said, iij. scor in nombre, with such
termes and under such forme, as it is reported, as is
full hevy to diverse here for to here. Hou it is ye
knowe beste, and hou it is I pray you lete your
frendis in this cuntre undirstand; for right a worship-
full persone told me of this, to the which y coude not
answer, I se al day the world so unsure. But, Sir, ye
did of policy some thingis that peradventure, and it
were to do, ye wold take anothir avise, &c. I can
nomore but sapienti pauca, &c. And I biseche you,
Sir, send me some tidingis of the parties beyonde the
se, for owr wyves here speke of many thingis, &c.
Moreovir, Sir, Margarete Ronhale told me late that
my maistres your wif fareth wele, blissed be Almighti
God, and all your other frendis here, blissed be God.
Sir, it is so that, as y am enformed, there is a soudiour
of Caleis called John Jacob, of olde tyme duelling in
Lynne.¹ I pray you to inquir secretly what maner
man he ys, and in what condicion there, for I know
a man hath to do with him; but be ye beknowen of
no thinge, but that ye list wisely to enquere what he
is and of what condicion, &c. And if there be any
thing in thies parties that y can do you service
yn, I pray you commaunde you, and I shalbe as redy
to the accomplisshment therof to my power, as any
man lyvyng; and that knowith God. Who I biseche
to send me good tidingis fro you, and you your noble
desires. From Weston.—By yours,     B. R.

     ¹ Against this passage in the margin is written in another hand:—
’M^d. pro Barnard.’