John, Lord Fitzwalter, to Sir John Paston

1024

JOHN, LORD FITZWALTER, TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To my right worshipfull cosyn, Syr John Paston, Knight,
be thys lettre delyvered.

      RIGHT worshipfull cosyn, in my most herty wise I
          [comme]nd me to you. And where I am enformed
          that ye have takyn a disthresse within the [Du]chy of
Lankastir for suche money as was commyng toward you of
ryght for the tyme that ye were shiryef, me seme, cosyn, ye
aught not to take it within the said Duchy of noon auncyen
demene holdyn upon the King; for there be places inow to
gadir it upon without the said auncyen demene, and so ye
cannot lose it. And also, cosyn, I am enformed that it is
paied alredy to oon John Burnam, which is of sufficyency
inow. For whiche cause mesemythe it werne resone to levey
it upon hym than ther where as is noon auctorite to levey it
upon. Wherfore, cosyn, I pray you to be good mastir for my
sake to thies pore men, whiche be the Kingz tenauntz, and to
shew them the favour that ye may. And I shall be as glad to
doo you as gret plesure in tyme commyng, by Goddz grace,
Who preserve you.

     Wretyn at Attylborow, the vij. daie of Apryll.

                                  Zowir cosyn and frend,

                                                                [J.] SIR FYTZ WAUTER.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Sir John Paston had been sheriff in the year
1485-6, but he did not receive his knighthood till June 1487 at the battle of Stoke,
so that this letter cannot be earlier than 1488. It is, however, not unlikely to have
been written in that year, or one or two years later. The writer, Lord Fitzwalter,
was beheaded and attainted in 1495 as an adherent of Perkin Warbeck.

1488(?)
APRIL 7