Volume V Part 1 (1/2)
The Paston Letters.
Volume V.
by James Gairdner.
THE PASTON LETTERS
_Edward IV_
WILLIAM EBESHAM TO SIR JOHN PASTON[1-1]
_To my moost worshupfull maister, Sir John Paston, Knyght._
[Sidenote: 1469(?)]
My moost woorshupfull and moost speciall maister, with all my servyce moost lowly I recomande unto your G.o.de maistirs.h.i.+p, besechyng you most tendirly to see me sumwhat rewardid for my labour in the Grete Booke[1-2] which I wright unto your seide G.o.de maistirs.h.i.+p. I have often tymes writyn to Pampyng accordyng to your desire, to enforme you hou I have labourd in wrytyngs for you; and I see wele he speke not to your maisters.h.i.+p of hit. And G.o.d knowith I ly in seint warye [_sanctuary_] at grete costs, and amongs right unresonable askers. I movid this mater to Sir Thomas[1-3] late, and he tolde me he wolde move your maistirs.h.i.+p therein, which Sir Thomas desirid me to remembir wele what I have had in money at soondry tymes of hym.[2-1]
And in especiall I beseche you to sende me for almes oon of your olde gownes, which will countirvale much of the premysses I wote wele; and I shall be yours while I lyve, and at your comandement; I have grete myst of it, G.o.d knows, whom I beseche preserve you from all adversite. I am sumwhat acqueyntid with it. Your verry man,
W. EBSHAM.
Folowyng apperith, parcelly, dyvers and soondry maner of writyngs, which I William Ebesham have wreetyn for my G.o.de and woorshupfull maistir, Sir John Paston, and what money I have resceyvid, and what is unpaide.
First, I did write to his maisters.h.i.+p a litill booke of Pheesyk, for which I had paide by Sir Thomas Leevys[2-2] in Westminster xx_d._
Item, I had for the wrytyng of half the prevy seale of Pampyng viij_d._
Item, for the wrytynge of the seid hole prevy seale of Sir Thomas ij_s._
Item, I wrote viij. of the Witnessis in parchement, but aftir xiiij^d. a peece, for which I was paide of Sir Thomas x_s._
Item, while my seide maister was over the see in Midsomerterme
Calle sett me a warke to wryte two tymes the prevy seale in papir, and then after cleerely in parchement iiij_s._ viij_d._
And also wrote the same tyme oon mo of the lengist witnessis, and other dyvers and necessary wrytyngs, for which he promisid me x^s. whereof I had of Calle but iiij^s. viij^d. car. v^s. iiij^d.
v_s._ iiij_d._
I resceyvid of Sir Thomas at Westminster, penultimo die Oct., anno viij.
iij_s._ iiij_d._
Item, I did write to quairs of papir of witnessis, every quair conteynyng xiiij. leves after ij^d. a leff iiij_s._ viij_d._
Item, as to the Grete Booke--First, for wrytyng of the Coronacion, and other tretys of Knyghthode, in that quaire which conteyneth a xiij. levis and more, ij^d. a lef ij_s._ ii_d._
Item, for the tretys of Werre in iiij. books, which conteyneth lx. levis aftir ij^d. a leaff x_s._
Item, for _Othea_[3-1] pistill, which conteyneth xliij. leves vii_s._ ij_d._