Volume Iii Part 9 (1/2)

[Sidenote: About 1455(?) / JUNE 29]

Ryght wors.h.i.+pfull cosyn, I recomaund me unto you, desyryng to here of youre welfare; and if it like you to her of my welfar, at the makyng of this letter I was in good hele, loved be G.o.d. The cause of my wrytyng to you at this tyme is this, praying you to send me word of youre welfare, and how ye do of youre seknesse, and if the medycyn do you ony good that I send you wrytyng of last; thankyng you of the grete frens.h.i.+p that ye have do to my moder with all my hert.

Also I pray you that ye wyll be good meyn to my cosyn youre husbond, that he wyll se that my fader be well ruleyd in his lyvelode for his wors.h.i.+p and his profett.

Also prayng you to hold me exschusyd that I have wryten no ofter to you, for, in good feth, I had no leysir; for my Lady hath be seke at London, ner hand this quarter of this yere, and that hath be grete hevinesse to me; but now, blesyd be G.o.d, she is amendyd and is in the contre agayne.

Also thankyng you of the grete chere that I had of you when I was with you laste with all my herte, prayng you of good contenuanse, for I had never gretter nede than I have now, and if I had leyser and s.p.a.ce, I wolde write to you the cause.

No more at this tyme, but the Holy Trenite have you in his kepyng.

Wryten at Wyndesore, the xxix. day of June,

By youre pore bede oman and cosyn,

ALICE CRANE.

Also, cosyn, I pray you to sende me sum Norfoke threde to do a boute my nekke to ryde with.

[Footnote 40.1: [From Fenn, iii. 146.] John Crane of Woodnorton, whom we suppose to have been the writer of Letters 121 and 285, had a wife of the name of Alice, who was apparently a widow in 1457, when she presented to the living of Woodnorton (_see_ Blomefield, iv. 313). But the writer of this was more probably a daughter, serving in the household of a lady of rank according to the custom of the times. If so, the date is before John Crane's death, which must have happened between 1455 and 1457.]

297

WILLIAM WORCESTER TO JOHN PASTON[41.1]

_To my Maister Paston._

[Sidenote: 1455 / JULY 7]

Please your G.o.de maisters.h.i.+p to wete, that as yerstenday came lettres from London that the Parson[41.2] most nedys up to London to safe the next amerciement; and so ys forth to appiere, yff he nedys most, xv.

Johannis,[41.3] as ye shall see by Barkers lettre, and shall be to morne at London, and with G.o.ddes grace he shall be releved by the meene of the Parlement; by Sonday yee shall hafe weetyng.

As for my maister,[41.4] he departyth not to London tille the next weke after thys, and [_i.e._ if] he ryde.

As for tydyngs be none couthe [_i.e._ publicly known], but Ponyngs[41.5]

ys qwyt and delyvered of all tresons; and Sir William Oldhale ys process yn the Kyngs Bynche reversed; and the Priest that accused Lordz Cromewell,[41.6] Grey,[41.7] and my maister wolle confesse who caused hym to do it, so that he may have hys lyve, &c.

a.s.sone as ye goodly may to see my maister, it shall be to hym a singuler pleasir. Sir, a baylly of my maister ys yn Drayton. John Eimond brought a lettre to yow, and he sent me wetyng he was shent [_abashed_] uppon som mater, as he supposyth, conteyned yn the lettre. Y pray you yn ryght be hys G.o.de maister, and that y may wete the cause, for y doubt he shall and most obbey, yff he hath offended.

At Castr, the noneday,[42.1] vij. day Jullet.

Your,

W. WORCESTRE.

_On the top of this letter, in a different hand, is written:_--

Prove ontrouthe in the Undir-Sherif, or that he dede othir wise thanne your counsell avysid hym, and Paston shall demene hym accordyng.