Volume Ii Part 67 (1/2)

[Sidenote: 1454 / JULY 20]

Rygth wors.h.i.+pfull Sir, and my rygth good maister, I recomend me to you.

Lyke you to wete I have spoken wyth my lord Chaunceler[328.2] and put the bylle by for hym and all the lordis upon Wednesday at after non last past, wenyng to me to have an answer upon Thursday. And my lord Chaunceler told me that they sped no partycler mater yet syn they cam, nor han no leyser to attend swych maters. I have spoken to my Lord Wylchyre,[328.3] and he promysed to help forth that he can, and my Lord Beauchamp[328.4] bothe. Fenyngley cam but on Thursday at evyn. Item, Sir, I have do made a new bylle whyche I purpose to delyver to the kyng.

And, Sir, the lordes merveyle sore of the entre that was made by the straunge man or my lord entred; they thynk that was a straunge werk and a sotyll. Item, I spake to my Lord Chaunceler how my maister[328.5] and ye and your frendis were pute owte of the comyssyon of pees; neverthe les he hath not graunted yet non newe. And as for the questyon that ye wylled me to aske my lord, I fond hym yet at no good leyser. Item, Sir, after the lordys seying, the Councell schuld breke up on Monday next comyng. And as for the Archebysshop of York[329.1] is heyll and mery, &c. Wretyn the xx. day of July.

By your man and servaunt,

THOMAS PLAYTER.

[Footnote 328.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 217.] The reference to Lord Wilts.h.i.+re proves the date of this letter to lie between 1449 and 1460, and it would seem to be 1454 when the 20th July was a Sat.u.r.day, Wednesday and Thursday being spoken of as past dates and Monday as a future one.]

[Footnote 328.2: Richard, Earl of Salisbury.]

[Footnote 328.3: James Butler, Earl of Wilts.h.i.+re and Ormonde.]

[Footnote 328.4: John, Lord Beauchamp.]

[Footnote 328.5: Sir John Fastolf.]

[Footnote 329.1: William Booth was Archbishop of York from 1452 to 1464. If the letter had been earlier Cardinal Kemp would have been Archbishop of York, and would have been called 'Cardinal of York.']

254

WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[329.2]

_To his wurchypfull Brodyr, John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1454 / [JULY]]

Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande to yow; and as for tedyng, my Lord of Yorke hathe take my Lord of Exsater[329.3] in to hys awarde. The Duke of Somerset[329.4] is styll in prison, in wa.r.s.e case than he was. Syr Jon Fastolf recomande hym to yow, &c. He wyll ryde in to Norfolke ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at Caster, and Skrop[329.5] wyth hym.

He saythe ye ar the hartyest kynysman and frynd that he knowyts. He wolde have yow at Mawdeby dwellyng.

I had gret cher of Byllyng be the way, and he told me in cownsayle wathe he sayd to Ledam.

Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to Pryothe[329.6] in the scher-howse of yow, and Byllyng consallyd hym to leve, and tolde Ledam ye and he wer no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, 'That is the gyse of yowr contre men, to spend alle the good they have on men and lewery gownys, and hors and harnes, and so beryt owth for j wylle [_bear it out for a while_], and at the laste they arn but beggars; and so wyll ye do.

I wylde ye schull do wyll, be cause ye ar a felaw in Grays In, wer I was a felaw. As for Paston, he ys a swyr [squire] of wurchyp, and of gret lyvelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good as [_at?_] onys, but he sparyt yerly C. mark, or j. C. _li._ [100]; he may do his ennemy a scherewd turne and never far the wa.r.s.e in hys howsholde, ner the lesse men abowthe hym. Ye may not do so, but if yt be for j. [_one_] sesun.

I consayll yow not to contenu long as ye do. I wulle consalle yow to seke reste wyth Paston.'

And I thankkyd Byllyng on yowr behalfe.

G.o.d have yow in hys kepyng.

Be yowr por Brodyr,

WYLLYAM PASTON.

Meche odyr thyng I can telle an I had lesur. Recomande me to my suster Margeth [and] my cosyn Elizabeth Clyr, I pray yow.