John Paston to Sir John Paston

LETTER XXXVIII.

This bylle be delyuerd to Thorn’s
     Gyene good man of the George by
     Powlys Wharfe or to hys wyf to send
     to S^r John Paston wher so euere he be
     at Caleys london or other placys.

RYGHT Worchepfull S^r & my most good and kynde brodyr
in as humbyll wyse as I can I recomand me to yow S^r it is
so that I have sythe John Bekurton dep^rtyd fro hem ben at
Toppcroft at S^r Thom’s Brewse and as for the mater that I
sent yow word of by Jon Bekurton towchy˜g my sylf and
mastress Margery Brews I am yet at no serteynte hyr fadyr
is so hard but I trow I have the good wyll of my lady hyr
modyr and hyr but as the mater p’vyth I shall send yow
woord w^t gods grace in short tyme but as for John ¹Bekur-
ton I prey yow dele w^t hym for suerte as a soudyer shold be
delt w^t trust hym never the more for the bylle that I sent
yow by him but as A man at wylde for eu^ry thyng that he
told me is not trewe for he dep^rtyd w^t ought lycence of hys
Mastyr S^r Thom?s brewse and is fere endangeryd to dyuers
in thys Contrey I prey god that I wryght not to you of hym
to late but for all thys I knowe non untrowthe in hym but
yet I prey yow trust hym not ouer myche upon my woord
Syr Perse ²Mody recomandyth hym to yo^r mastyrshep and
besecheth yow to send hym werd in hast hough he shall be
demeanyd at yo^r place at Castr for he is asygnyd to no body
as yet to take of mete and drynk nor yet wher y^t he shall
haue money to paye for hys mete and drynk and now is the
cheff replenysheng of yo^r waren there the Au?ntage of the
dove howse wer well for hym tyll ye came hom your sylf
S^r I prey yow prdon me of my wryghtyng hough so euer it
be for ³Carpenters of my Crafte that J use now haue not
alder best ther wyttys ther owne And Jhu p?serue yow
Wretyn at Norwyche the ix day of Marche A^o Eiiij^ti Septi?o
decymo.

                                                                                      ⁴J. P.

       12 by 6?.

      We here find that Sir Thomas Brews wished to make as good a bargain as
he could with J. Paston respecting settlements on his daughter, before he con-
sented to the marriage.

     ¹  J. Paston seems fearful that his brother Sir John should have made a con-
fidential servant of J. Bykerton, and therefore seems anxious to give him the
earliest intelligence of his faults, &c.

     ²  Perse Moody was a servant of Sir John Paston’s, now at Caister.

     ³  This proverb refers to his being in love.

     ⁴  Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21.

LETTER XXXVIII.

This Bill be delivered to Thomas Gyney, Goodman [Keeper] of
     the George by Paul’s Wharf, or to his Wife, to send to Sir
     John Paston, wheresoever he be, at Calais, London, or other
     places.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, and my most good and kind Brother,
in as humble wise as I can, I recommend me to you; Sir, it
is so that I have, since John Bykerton departed from home,
been at Topcroft at Sir Thomas Brews’s, and as for the
matter that I sent you word of by John Bykerton, touching
myselfe and Mistress Margery Brews, I am yet at no cer-
tainty; her father is so hard; but I trow, I have the good
will of my Lady her mother and her; but as the matter pro-
veth, I shall send you word with God’s grace in short time.

     But as for John ¹Bykerton, I pray you deal with him for
surety as a soldier should be dealt with, trust him never
the more for the bill that I sent you by him, but as a man
at wild, for every thing that he told me is not true; for he
departed without license of his master Sir Thomas Brews,
and is sore endangered [in debt] to divers in this country;
I pray God that I write not to you of him too late; but for
all this I know none untruth [treachery] in him, but yet I
pray you trust him not over much upon my word.

     Sir, Perse ²Moody recommendeth him to your master-
ship, and beseecheth you to send him word in haste, how
he shall be demeaned at your place at Caister; for he is
assigned to nobody as yet, to take of meat and drink, nor
yet where that he shall have money to pay for his meat and
drink; and now is the chief replenishing of your warren
there; the advantage of the Dove house were well for him,
till ye come home yourself.

     Sir, I pray you pardon me of my writing, howsoever it be,
for ³Carpenters of my craft, that I use now, have not alder-
best their wits their own; and Jesu preserve you.

     Written at Norwich, the 9th day of March, in the 17th
year of Edward IV.

                                                                     ⁴JOHN PASTON.

            Norwich,
      Sunday, 9 March,
       1476-7. 17 E. iv.

     We here find that Sir Thomas Brews wished to make as good a bargain as
he could with J. Paston respecting settlements on his daughter, before he con-
sented to the marriage.

     ¹  J. Paston seems fearful that his brother Sir John should have made a con-
fidential servant of J. Bykerton, and therefore seems anxious to give him the
earliest intelligence of his faults, &c.

     ²  Perse Moody was a servant of Sir John Paston’s, now at Caister.

     ³  This proverb refers to his being in love.

     ⁴  Autograph, Pl. xxv. No. 21.

904

JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON²

Thys bylle be delyverd to Thomas Grene, good man of the George,
     by Powlys Wharffe, or to hys wyff, to send to Sir John Paston,
     wherso evere he be, at Caleys, London, or other placys.

RYGHT worchepfull sir, and my most good and kynde
     brodyr, in as humbyll wyse as I can, I recomand me
     to yow. Sir, it is so that I have, sythe John Bekurton
departyd fro hens, ben at Toppcrofft at Syr Tohmas Brewse;
and as for the mater that I sent yow word of by Jon Bekurton,
towchyng my sylff and Mastress Margery Brews, I am yet
at no serteynte, hyr fadyr is so hard; but I trow I have the
good wyll of my lady hyr modyr and hyr; but as the mater
provyth, I shall send yow woord, with Godes grace, in short
tyme.

     But as for John Bekurton, I prey yow dele with hym for
suerte as a soudyor shold be delt with; trust hym never the
more for the bylle that I sent yow by hym, but as a man at
wylde, for every thyng that he told me is not trewe; for
he departyd with ought lycence of hys mastyr, Syr Thomas
Brewse, and is fere endangeryd [indebted] to dyvers in thys
contrey. I prey God that I wryght not to yow of hym to
late; but for all thys I knowe none untrowthe in hym; but
yet I prey yow, trust hym not over myche upon my woord.

     Syr, Perse Mody¹ recomandyth hym to your mastyrshep,
and besecheth yow to send hym word in hast, hough he shall
be demeanyd at your place at Caster; for he is asygnyd to no
body as yet, to take of mete and drynk, nor yet wher that he
shall have money to paye for hys mete and drynk; and now is
the cheff replenysheing of your warenn there, the avauntage
of the dove howse wer well for hym, tyll ye come hom your
sylff.

     Sir, I prey yow pardon me of my wryghtyng, hough so
ever it be, for carpenters of my crafte that I use now, have
not alderbest ther wyttys ther owne. And Jesu preserve
yow.

     Wretyn at Norwyche, the ix. day of Marche, anno E iiij^ti
septimo decymo.                                                             J. P.

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.]

     ¹ Perse Moody was a servant of Sir John Paston’s, now at Caister.—F.

1477
MARCH 9