James Gresham to John Paston

74

JAMES GRESHAM TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my right worshipfull mayster, John Paston.

           WORTHY and worshipful sir, and my right good
                 maister, I recomaund me to yow. And do yow
                 wete that this nyght at soper I was with my
maistresse your wyff at my maistresse Cleres, and blissed
be God thei fare weel and hopyn that [you²] shall sende
themme good tidyng of your matier, Whanne ye knowe the
certeynte therof, &c. And my maistresse your modir come
thedir and fareth well and sendeth yow Goddis blissyng and
heris, and she bad me write to yow that she hath verey knowe-
lage by a trewe and trusty man, whos name she shall telle yow
by mouthe atte your next metyng, that ther was purposed a
gret meyne of a wondir gaderyng of shipmen abowte Conor-
hithe for to have come to Oxened, and putte me owt there in
a wers wyse thanne ye were put owt at Gresham; and this
was purposed for to have ben at Oxened and a ryfled and put
in the preest³ there, but this purpose helde not, for thei were
countermandet, by what mene I can not knowe yeet. And⁴
it is do hir to wete that thei be purposed to be at Ox[n]ede a
bowt midlent, and I am promitted that I shall have ii. days
warnyng by a good freend. And therfor she prayeth yow
that ye aspie besily if the preest come into thir countre or
noght. For if ought shall be doo I trowe the Frere wole be
there atte doyng. And if ye can aspie that he come hider,
send my maistresse word as hastily as ye may, and of your
avyse and of all other thyngges as ye seme, &c. And God
have yow in his kepyng. Wretyn at ix. on the clokke at evyn
the noneday (sic) nex to fore Sent Gregory day in hast.
My brother Bekke and his felawship shall telle yow more
by mowthe thanne I can telle yow now.—Your servaunt,

                                                                                J. GRESHAM.

     ¹ [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 178.] St. Gregory’s Day is doubtless that of St. Gregory
the Pope (12 March), and this letter may be referred with certainty to the year
1448, just after Paston’s first expulsion from Gresham. The Monday before St.
Gregory’s Day in that year would be the very day preceding.

     ² Omitted in MS.                 ³ Friar John Hawteyn.            ⁴ ‘and’ repeated in MS.

1448

MARCH 11

1448

MARCH 11

X

A.D. 1448, 11 March

JAMES GRESHAM TO JOHN PASTON

[Add. MS. 34,889, f. 178].

     This letter is No. 1037 of the Inventory at the end of the last Appendix
in Vol. III., where it is by an oversight said to be without date. St. Gregory’s
Day is doubtless that of St. Gregory the Pope (12 March), and the letter may
be referred with certainty to the year 1448, just after Paston’s first expul-
sion from Gresham. The Monday before St. Gregory’s Day in that year
would be the very day preceding.

To my right worshipfull mayster, John Paston.

WORTHY and worshipful sir, and my right
       good maister, I recomaund me to yow.
       And do yow wete that this nyght at soper
      I was with my maistresse your wyff at my
maistresse Cleres, and blissed be God thei fare
weel and hopyn that [you¹] shall sende themme
good tidyng of your matier, Whanne ye knowe the
certeynte therof, &c. And my maistresse your
modir come thedir and fareth well and sendeth
yow Goddis blissyng and heris, and she bad me
write to yow that she hath verey knowelage by a
trewe and trusty man, whos name she shall telle yow
by mouthe atte your next metyng, that ther was pur-
posed a gret meyne of a wondir gaderyng of shipmen
abowte Conorhithe for to have come to Oxened, and
putte me owt there in a wers wyse thanne ye were
put owt at Gresham; and this was purposed for to
have ben at Oxened and a ryfled and put in the preest²
there, but this purpose helde not, for thei were coun-
termandet, by what mene I can not knowe yeet. And³
it is do hir to wete that thei be purposed to be at
Ox[n]ede a bowt midlent, and I am promitted that I
shall have ii. days warnyng by a good freend. And
therfor she prayeth yow that ye aspie besily if the
preest come into thir countre or noght. For if ought
shall be doo I trowe the Frere wole be there atte
doyng. And if ye can aspie that he come hider, send
my maistresse word as hastily as ye may, and of your
avyse and of all other thyngges as ye seme, &c. And
God have yow in his kepyng. Wretyn at ix. on the
clokke at evyn the noneday (sic) nex to fore Sent
Gregory day in hast.

     My brother Bekke and his felawship shall telle
yow more by mowthe thanne I can telle yow now.—
Your servaunt,                                            J. GRESHAM.

     ¹ Omitted in MS.     ² Friar John Hawteyn.     ³ ‘and’ repeated in MS