Cecily Dawne to Sir John Paston

679

CECILY DAWNE TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To the right worshipfull, and with my faithful hert and service
full entyerly beloved gode maister, Sir John Paston.

RIGHT worshipfull Sir, and with my faithfull herte and
     service full entierly beloved gode maister, in my moste
     humble wyse I recommaund me unto your goode
maistreship. Pleace it the same to wite that I thenke right
longe to I have veerey knolege of your welfare, the which
undrestande wil be to me right grete comfort. And that
causeth me to write unto you as nowe. And also to late you
wite that I herde reperte ye shuld be wedded unto a Doughter
of the Duchez of Somerset, which mater, and I spake with you,
I couth enforme your maistership that were to longe to write
as nowe. But I shal and do pray God dayly to sende you
such one unto your worldes make that wil drede and faithfully
unfeyned love you above alle othir erthely creatures. For that
is most excellent richesse in this worlde, as I suppose. For
erthely goodes bene transsitory, and wedding contynues for
terme of lyfe, which with some folke is a full long terme.
And therfore, Sir, savyng your displeasir, me semez wedding
wolde have goode avysement. Moreover, Sir, like it your
maistership to undirstond that wynter and colde weders draweth
negh, and I have but fewe clothez but of your gift, God thanke
you. Wherefore, Sir, and it like you, I besech your gode
maisterschip that ye will vouchsafe to remembre me your ser-
vaunte with some lyverey, such as pleaseth you, ayens this
wynter, to make me a gown to kepe me from the colde
wedders. And that I myght have it and such answare as ye
pleace in the premisses sente unto me be the bringer herof.
And I schal contynuwe your oratrix and pore servaunte and
hertely pray to God for your prosperite, Whom I besech have
you, Right worshipful Sir, and with my faithful herte and service
full entierly beloved gode maister, in His blessed governaunce.
Writen at Hellowe the iii^de. Day of Novembre.

                                                                                          CECILE DAUNE.

     ¹ [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 166.] This letter is of course not earlier than 1463, when
Sir John Paston received his knighthood, but probably belongs to a period before his
flirtations with Anne Haute, who first appears on the scene in the summer of 1468.

1463-7
NOV. 3

1463-7
NOV. 3

LIV

A.D. 1463-7, 3 Nov.

CECILY DAWNE TO SIR JOHN PASTON

[Add. MS. 34,889, f. 166]

     This letter, No. 1028 in the Inventory at the end of Vol. III., is of course
not earlier than 1463, when Sir John Paston received his knighthood, but
probably belongs to a period before his flirtations with Anne Haute, who
first appears on the scene in the summer of 1468.

To the right worshipfull, and with my faithful
     hert and service full entyerly beloved gode maister,
     Sir John Paston.

RIGHT worshipfull Sir, and with my faithfull
     herte and service full entierly beloved
     gode maister, in my moste humble wyse
     I recommaund me unto your goode maistre-
ship. Pleace it the same to wite that I thenke
right longe to I have veerey knolege of your welfare,
the which undrestande wil be to me right grete com-
fort. And that causeth me to write unto you as
nowe. And also to late you wite that I herde
reperte ye shuld be wedded unto a Doughter of the
Duchez of Somerset, which mater, and I spake with
you, I couth enforme your maistership that were to
longe to write as nowe. But I shal and do pray
God dayly to sende you such one unto your worldes
make that wil drede and faithfully unfeyned love
you above alle othir erthely creatures. For that
is most excellent richesse in this worlde, as I
suppose. For erthely goodes bene transsitory, and
wedding contynues for terme of lyfe, which with
some folke is a full long terme. And therfore, Sir,
savyng your displeasir, me semez wedding wolde
have goode avysement. Moreover, Sir, like it your
maistership to undirstond that wynter and colde
weders draweth negh, and I have but fewe clothez
but of your gift, God thanke you. Wherefore, Sir, and
it like you, I besech your gode maisterschip that ye
will vouchsafe to remembre me your servaunte with
some lyverey, such as pleaseth you, ayens this
wynter, to make me a gown to kepe me from the
colde wedders. And that I myght have it and such
answare as ye pleace in the premisses sente unto me
be the bringer herof. And I schal contynuwe your
oratrix and pore servaunte and hertely pray to God
for your prosperite, Whom I besech have you, Right
worshipful Sir, and with my faithful herte and
service full entierly beloved gode maister, in His
blessed governaunce. Writen at Hellowe the iii^de.
Day of Novembre.                           CECILE DAUNE.