The Paston Letters Volume V Part 56

[Footnote 267-1: [From Fenn, ii. 210.]]

898

MARGERY BREWS TO JOHN PASTON[268-1]

_To my ryght welebelovyd cosyn, John Paston, Swyer, be this letter delyveryd, &c._

[Sidenote: 1477 / FEB.]

Ryght wurschypfull and welebelovyd Volentyne, in my moste umble wyse, I recommande me un to yowe, &c. And hertely I thanke yowe for the lettur whech that ye sende me be John Bekarton, wherby I undyrstonde and knowe, that ye be purposyd to come to Topcroft in schorte tyme, and withowte any erand or mater, but only to hafe a conclusyon of the mater betwyx my fader and yowe; I wolde be most glad of any creatur on lyve, so that the mater myght growe to effect. And ther as ye say, and ye come and fynde the mater no more towards you then ye dyd afortyme, ye wold no more put my fader and my lady my moder to no cost ner besenesse, for that cause, a good wyle aftur, wech causyth myne herte to be full hevy; and yf that ye come, and the mater take to none effecte, then schuld I be meche mor sory and full of hevynesse.

And as for my selfe, I hafe done and undyrstond in the mater that I can or may, as Good knowyth; and I let yowe pleynly undyrstond, that my fader wyll no mor money parte with all in that behalfe, but an C_li._ and l. marke, whech is ryght far fro the acomplyshment of yowr desyre.

Wherfore, yf that ye cowde be content with that good, and my por persone, I wold be the meryest mayden on grounde; and yf ye thynke not yowr selffe so satysfyed, or that ye myght hafe mech mor good, as I hafe undyrstonde be yowe afor; good, trewe, and lovyng volentyne, that ye take no such labur uppon yowe, as to come more for that mater, but let is [_it ?_] pa.s.se, and never more to be spokyn of, as I may be yowr trewe lover and bedewoman duryng my lyfe.

No more un to yowe at thys tyme, but Almyghty Jesus preserve yowe, bothe body and sowle, &c.

Be your Voluntyne,

MARGERY BREWS.

[Footnote 268-1: [From Fenn, ii. 214.]]

899

THOMAS KELA TO JOHN PASTON[269-1]

_Un to my ryght wurschypfull maister, John Paston, Swhyer, be this bill delivered, &c._

[Sidenote: 1477 / FEB.]

Ryght wurschypfull sir, I recomande me un to yowe, lettyng yowe knowe, as for the yonge gentylwoman, sche owyth yowe hyr good herte and love, as I knowe be the comynicacion that I hafe hade with hyr for the same.

And, sir, ye knowe what my maister and my lady hath profered with hyr CC. merke. And I dar sey, that hyr chambr and areyment schall be worthe C. merk. And I harde my lady sey, that and the case required, both ye and sche schuld hafe yowr borde with my lady iij. yer aftr.

And I understand by my lady, that sche wold that ye schuld labur the mater to my maister, for it schuld be the bettr.

And I harde my lady sey,

That it was a febill oke, That was kit down at the first stroke.

And ye be beholdyng un to my lady for hyr good wurde, for sche hath never preysyd yowe to mech.

Sir, lyke as I promysyd yowe, I am yowr man, and my good will ye schall hafe in worde and dede, &c.

And Jesus hafe yowe in Hys mercyfull kepyng, &c.

Be yor man,

THOMAS KELA.

[Footnote 269-1: [From Fenn, ii. 216.]]

900

SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[270-1]

_To John Paston, Esquyer, at Norwyche, in hast._

[Sidenote: 1477 / FEB. 14]

I recomaunde me to yow, letyng yow weete, that yisterdaye beganne the grete cowncell, to whyche alle the astats off the londe shall com to, b.u.t.t if it be ffor gret and reasonable excusis; and I suppose the cheffe cawse off thys a.s.semble is, to comon what is best to doo, now uppon the greet change by the dethe off the Duke of Burgoyne, and ffor the kepyng off Caleys and the Marchys, and ffor the preservacion off the amyteys taken late, as weell with Fraunce as now with the Membrys off Flaundres; wher to I dowt nott ther shall be in all hast bothe the Duks off Clarance and Glowcestre, wheroff I wolde that my brother E.[270-2] wyst.

Item, I ffeele b.u.t.t litell effecte in the labor off W. Alyngton; neverthelesse I deme it is nott for yow. She shall not pa.s.se CC. mark, as fferr as I can undrestand aparte.

Item, I will nott fforget yow otherwyse.

Itt is so that thys daye I heer grett liklyhood, that my Lorde Hastyngs shall hastely goo to Caleys with greet company; iff I thynke it be for yow to be on [_one_], I shall nott fforgeet yow.

Item, thys daye the mater by twyen Mestresse Anne Haulte and me hathe been soor broken bothe to the Cardinall,[270-3] to my Lorde Chamberleyn,[270-4] and to my selffe, and I am in goode hope. When I heer and knowe moor, I shall sende yow worde.

It semythe that the worlde is alle qwaveryng; it will reboyle somwher, so that I deme yonge men shall be cherysshyd; take yowr hert to yow.

I ffeer that I can nott be excusyd, but that I shall fforthe with my Lorde Hastyngs ovyr the see, but I shall sende yow worde in hast, and iff I goo, I hope nott to tary longe.

Item, to my brother Edmond. I am like to speke to Mestresse Dyxon in hast, and som deme that ther shall be condyssendyd, that iff E. P. come to London that hys costs shall be payed ffor.

I shall hastely sende yow worde off moor thyngs.

Wretyn at London, the xiiij. day off Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti xvj. the Fryday a for Fastyngong.

JOHN PASTON, K.

[Footnote 270-1: [From Fenn, ii. 204.]]

[Footnote 270-2: Edmund Paston, who was in the garrison of Calais.]

[Footnote 270-3: Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury.--F.]

[Footnote 270-4: William, Lord Hastyngs.--F.]

901

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[271-1]