Volume Vi Part 34 (1/2)
WYLLIAM PASTON.
[Footnote 143-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to Henry VII.'s proposed invasion of France, which, after long preparation, actually took place in October 1492.]
[Footnote 143-3: William Yelverton, the grandson of the Judge, who married Anne Paston, the writer's sister.]
[Footnote 144-1: The Earl of Oxford.]
[Footnote 145-1: William Paston the elder.]
[[Hys Grace for hors, harnese, tents, _text reads ”or hors”: corrected from Fenn_]]
1054
ROGER L'ESTRANGE TO SIR JOHN PASTON[145-2]
_To the ryth worchypfull Syr John Paston, Knyth, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1492 / APRIL 16]
Mastyr Paston, I recomawnd me to yow. Syr, so it is that I am not yet purveyd of men to my nowmbyr of archers, suych as chold go hovyr see with me; wer for, syr, I be ceche yow that it wold plese yow at thys tyme to do so mych for me as to a purveyd me of ij. or iij., such as ye thynk chold be for me.
Syr, I undyrstond Syr Tery Robstertt lyth but lyttyll from yow, were, as I trow, he myde help me of j. by yowyr menys, and as for ther wages, they xall have the Kynges wages and some what elles, so that I trost that they xall be plessyd. Syr, I be cech yow to tak the peyne for me at thys tyme, and I xall do yow that servys that lyth in me, by the grace of Jesu, Ho preserve you.
On Monday next aftyr Palme Sonday, by yowyr howne to hys pouyr,
ROGER LESTRAUNGE.
Syr, I be sech yow that thys byll may recomawnd me on to my lady,[146-1]
and I trost I xall a wayt on you sone on Estyr.
[Footnote 145-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is probably of the year 1492, when the King was going over to France. But there are other occasions, both earlier and later, on one of which it might have been written.]
[Footnote 146-1: Probably Margaret, first wife of the Earl of Oxford.]
1055
WILLIAM BARNARD TO WILLIAM PASTON[146-2]
_To his right wurchipfull master, William Paston, and Mr. Deryk dwellyng with my Lord of Oxinford, this lettir be delyvered in hast._
[Sidenote: About 1492]
Right wurchipfull Maister William Paston, with myn good Lord of Oxinford, and myn welbelovyd Mr. Deryk, I recomaund me on to you. And it is soo that I kepe a prisoner of my lordis to answer to William Greve, maryner of Gret Yermouth, the wiche he brought hym to me by my lordis auctorite of a warand from Bell Key; and the seid William Greve chargid me with his prisoner, named Phillyp Barbour, and chargid me with hym for x_li._, and so I kepe hym, and have kept hym this ij. yer and an half.
And I have aftyr and many tymes askyd and requyred of the seid William Greve of mony for his bord, for he promysid and appoynted with me for every weke ij_s._, and I to take charge for to answer hym of hys prysoner aforseid; and so I have be chargith with hym ij. yeris and an half to my gret cost and charge, and nowh the seid William Greve intendith to pay me noon mony, b.u.t.t he is a bowght to remeve the prysoner by a pryvy seall to abarre me from myn mony. Wher I am enformyd that noon prysoner of my lordis shuld nat be remevyd out of my lordis pryson, nor crafftid so out of pryson till he had answerd ther to seche causes as he lyth fore, and specially for alle suche costis and chargis as his kepar is charged for hym for his costis of exspensis; and that doon, I woll be redy to delyver hym to the seid William Greve [to] pay me for his costis as it shalbe demyd with reason. Besechynd and prayeng you bothen too to be so good ma[istris unto] me that ye woll shewe this mater on to my lord, and to knowe my lordis meend whedyr it shall please hym that I shall delyver hym by a pryvy seall in this causis or nay, for the bryngar herof is the prysoner. And if it be my lordis mend that the prysoner shall appere to that pryvy seall, that it woll plese my lord to be so good and gracyous lord on to the prysoner to send hym to his councell to London, to tendyr this mater for the pore prysoner, and to consydre the gret losse that the seid William Greve intendith to putto his servaunt William Barnard, marchall and kepar of [my] lordis gayle in Yermouth, and servaunt [to?] Robert Crowmer, depute for my lord in the partyes of Norffolk and Suffolk. I shuld a browte up my silf, but we be now in gret besynes in kepyng of my lordis honorabyll courtis in Norffolk and Suffolk.
Wretyn the last day of Aprill.
By your,
WILLIAM BARNARD,