John Paston to [The Earl of Oxford]

240

JOHN PASTON TO [THE EARL OF OXFORD]²

RIGHT wurchepfull and my right especiall Lord, I
     recomaund me to your gode Lordshep, besechyng
     your Lordshep that ye take not to displesauns thow
I write you, as I here say that Agnes Denyes, be the meanes
of your Lordshep and of my Lord the Cardynall,³ hos sowle
God assoyle and forgeve, was set in preson, beyng with child
—which, and the sorough and shame there of, was nygh her
deth—and yet dayly is vexed and trobled, and her servauntes
in like wyse, to the uttermest distruccion of her person and
godes. In which, my Lord, at the reverens of God, remembre
sche was maried be you and be my meanes, be your comaunde-
ment and writyng, and draw therto full sore ageyn her entent
in the begynnynge; and was worth V.^c. [500] marc and better,
and shuld have had a gentilman of this contre of an C. marc
of lond and wele born, ne had be your gode Lordshep and
writyng to her and me. And this considered in your wise
discrecion, I trost, my Lord, thow her prisonyng were of
oderes labore, ye wuld helpe her; and if she be destroyd
be this mariage, my conscyens thynketh I am bownd to
recompense her after my pore and sympill power. My
Lord, ye know I had litill cause to do for Thomas Denyes,
savyng only for your gode Lordshep. Also, my Lord, I
know wele that Water Ingham was bete, the mater hangyng in
myn award, right fowle and shamefully; and also how the
seid Thomas Denyes hath, this last terme, ageyn your nobill
estat, right unwysely demened hym to his shame and grettest
rebuke that ever he had in his lyve. Where fore it is right
wele do his person be ponysshed as it pleaseth you. But this
not withstondyng for Godds love, my Lord, remembre how
the gentilwoman is accombred only for yowr sake, and help
her; and if aught lyth in my power to do that that myght
please yowr Lordshep, or cowde fynde any way for Water
Ingham avayll and wurchep, I wull do it to my power; and
the rather if your Lordshep support the jentilwoman, for I
know the mater and that longe plee is litill avayll, and every
thyng must have an ende. I have told my brother Mathew
Drury more to enforme yowre Lordshep than I may have
leyser to write for his hasty departyng. Right wurchepfull
and my right especiall Lord, I besech All myghty God send
you asmych joy and wurchep as ever had any of my Lords
yowr aunceters, and kepe you and all yowres. Wretyn at
Norwich the iiij. Sonday of Lent.

                            Yowre servaunte to his powr,

                                                                                   JOHN PASTON.

     ² [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter was so manifestly written on the receipt
of the last, that there can be no question about the date. It bears no address upon
the back, so that it is probably only a copy, or, if an original, it certainly was
not sent; but the person for whom it was intended was evidently the Earl of
Oxford.

     ³ Cardinal Kemp.

MARCH 31

1454

MARCH 31