A mez treshonnourés Meistres Will'm Worstede, John Longham, et Meistre Piers Shelton soit donné.
Right worthy and worshepefull sires and maistres, I recomand me to yow, and thank yow with al my herte, of þe gret tendrenesse ye lyke to have of þe salvacion of my symple honeste, preying yow evermore of your good continuance. I have, after þe advys of your lettre, doon dewely examyned þe instrument by þe wysest I coude fynde here, and in especial by on Maister Robert Sutton, a courtezane of þe Court of Rome, þe which is þe chief and most chier man with my Lord of Gloucestre, and his matier in þe said court for my lady, his wyff; and here aunswere is þat al this processe, though it were in dede preceded as þe instrument specifieth, is not suffisant in þe lawe of Holy Cherche, and þat hem semyth, by þe sight of þe instrument and by þe defautes [that] ye espied in þe same and other, and in maner by þe knowelech of þe notarie, þat þe processe, in gret part ther of, is fal[se and un]trewe. I have taken advys of Maister Robert Bruus, chauncellor with my Lord of Cantirbury, and Maister Nicholl Billesdon, chauncellor of my Lord of Wynchestre, and Maister John Blodwelle, a weel lerned man holden, and a suffisant courtezan of þe seyd court, and all these acorden to þe seyd Maister Robert Sutton.
Nought with stondyng þat I herde nevere of this matier no maner lykly ne credible evidence unto þat I sey your lettre and þe instrument, yet I made an appell and a procuracie, and also a provocacion, at London, longe biforn Cristemasse, by þe advys of Maister David Aprys, Maister Symond Kempston, and Maister James Cole, and sent al this, with an instruccion of al þe matier, with my procuratours to Rome by your frere, my Maister Suppriour, and geff hym gold þat he was content: and, evermore, nowe here by advys I make this day a newe appelle and a newe procuracion, and upon this alle þe seyd worthy men here seyn and informe me pleynly I have no maner cause in lawe ne in conscience to drede aught in this matier. for þe priory and Myn adversarie is become Bysshop of Cork in Irland, and ther arn ij. other persones provided to þe same bysshopriche yet lyvyng, beforn my seyd adversarie; and by this acceptacion of this bysshopriche, he hath pryved hym self of þe title þat he claymed in Bromholm, and so adnulled þe ground of his processe ageyn me, and also þe tyme of his grevaunce pretendid, and þe tyme of his sute he was apostata, and I trowe is yet, and so unable to sue any swich processe. I purpose me to come homward be London, to lerne more in this matier, if I may. I prey þe Holy Trinite, lord of your cherche and of alle þe werld, delyvere me of my iij. adversaries, of this cursed bysshop for Bromholm, Aslak for Sprouston, and Julian Herberd for Thornham. I have nought trespassed ageyn noon of these iij., God knowing, and yet I am foule and noysyngly vexed with hem, to my gret unease, and al for my lordes and frendes matieres, and nought for myn owyn. I wot not whether it were best in any sermon or other audience, in your cherche or elles where, to declare aught of this matier in stoppyng of þe noyse þat renneth in this case. I submitte me and alle this matier to your good discrecion; and evere gremercy God, and ye, who ever have yow and me in His gracious governance. I suppose to see yow on Palm Sunday. Writen at Leycestre, þe Friday þe thredde wyke of Lente.
Alle þe seyd lerned men telle me trewely ther is nother perill ne doubte in þe takyng doun of þe instrument and þe bille to no creature. Which instrument and bille I send yow ageyn by þe berare of this, which I prey you to kepe as pryve as ye may.
Yowr man,
W. PASTON.
I have preyed my Maister Hammond to write yow tydyngges, and smale lesynges among.
A mez treshonnourés Meistres Will'm Worstede, John Longham, et Meistre Piers Shelton soit donné.
Right worthy and worshepefull sires and maistres, I recomand me to yow, and thank yow with al my herte, of þe gret tendrenesse ye lyke to have of þe salvacion of my symple honeste, preying yow evermore of your good continuance. I have, after þe advys of your lettre, doon dewely examyned þe instrument by þe wysest I coude fynde here, and in especial by on Maister Robert Sutton, a courtezane of þe Court of Rome, þe which is þe chief and most chier man with my Lord of Gloucestre, and his matier in þe said court for my lady, his wyff; and here aunswere is þat al this processe, though it were in dede preceded as þe instrument specifieth, is not suffisant in þe lawe of Holy Cherche, and þat hem semyth, by þe sight of þe instrument and by þe defautes [that] ye espied in þe same and other, and in maner by þe knowelech of þe notarie, þat þe processe, in gret part ther of, is fal[se and un]trewe. I have taken advys of Maister Robert Bruus, chauncellor with my Lord of Cantirbury, and Maister Nicholl Billesdon, chauncellor of my Lord of Wynchestre, and Maister John Blodwelle, a weel lerned man holden, and a suffisant courtezan of þe seyd court, and all these acorden to þe seyd Maister Robert Sutton.
Nought with stondyng þat I herde nevere of this matier no maner lykly ne credible evidence unto þat I sey your lettre and þe instrument, yet I made an appell and a procuracie, and also a provocacion, at London, longe biforn Cristemasse, by þe advys of Maister David Aprys, Maister Symond Kempston, and Maister James Cole, and sent al this, with an instruccion of al þe matier, with my procuratours to Rome by your frere, my Maister Suppriour, and geff hym gold þat he was content: and, evermore, nowe here by advys I make this day a newe appelle and a newe procuracion, and upon this alle þe seyd worthy men here seyn and informe me pleynly I have no maner cause in lawe ne in conscience to drede aught in this matier. for þe priory and Myn adversarie is become Bysshop of Cork in Irland, and ther arn ij. other persones provided to þe same bysshopriche yet lyvyng, beforn my seyd adversarie; and by this acceptacion of this bysshopriche, he hath pryved hym self of þe title þat he claymed in Bromholm, and so adnulled þe ground of his processe ageyn me, and also þe tyme of his grevaunce pretendid, and þe tyme of his sute he was apostata, and I trowe is yet, and so unable to sue any swich processe. I purpose me to come homward be London, to lerne more in this matier, if I may. I prey þe Holy Trinite, lord of your cherche and of alle þe werld, delyvere me of my iij. adversaries, of this cursed bysshop for Bromholm, Aslak for Sprouston, and Julian Herberd for Thornham. I have nought trespassed ageyn noon of these iij., God knowing, and yet I am foule and noysyngly vexed with hem, to my gret unease, and al for my lordes and frendes matieres, and nought for myn owyn. I wot not whether it were best in any sermon or other audience, in your cherche or elles where, to declare aught of this matier in stoppyng of þe noyse þat renneth in this case. I submitte me and alle this matier to your good discrecion; and evere gremercy God, and ye, who ever have yow and me in His gracious governance. I suppose to see yow on Palm Sunday. Writen at Leycestre, þe Friday þe thredde wyke of Lente.
Alle þe seyd lerned men telle me trewely ther is nother perill ne doubte in þe takyng doun of þe instrument and þe bille to no creature. Which instrument and bille I send yow ageyn by þe berare of this, which I prey you to kepe as pryve as ye may.
Yowr man,
W. PASTON.
I have preyed my Maister Hammond to write yow tydyngges, and smale lesynges among.
A mez treshonnourés Meistres Will'm Worstede, John Longham, et Meistre Piers Shelton soit donné.
Right worthy and worshepefull sires and maistres, I recomand me to yow, and thank yow with al my herte, of þe gret tendrenesse ye lyke to have of þe salvacion of my symple honeste, preying yow evermore of your good continuance. I have, after þe advys of your lettre, doon dewely examyned þe instrument by þe wysest I coude fynde here, and in especial by on Maister Robert Sutton, a courtezane of þe Court of Rome, þe which is þe chief and most chier man with my Lord of Gloucestre, and his matier in þe said court for my lady, his wyff; and here aunswere is þat al this processe, though it were in dede preceded as þe instrument specifieth, is not suffisant in þe lawe of Holy Cherche, and þat hem semyth, by þe sight of þe instrument and by þe defautes [that] ye espied in þe same and other, and in maner by þe knowelech of þe notarie, þat þe processe, in gret part ther of, is fal[se and un]trewe. I have taken advys of Maister Robert Bruus, chauncellor with my Lord of Cantirbury, and Maister Nicholl Billesdon, chauncellor of my Lord of Wynchestre, and Maister John Blodwelle, a weel lerned man holden, and a suffisant courtezan of þe seyd court, and all these acorden to þe seyd Maister Robert Sutton.
Nought with stondyng þat I herde nevere of this matier no maner lykly ne credible evidence unto þat I sey your lettre and þe instrument, yet I made an appell and a procuracie, and also a provocacion, at London, longe biforn Cristemasse, by þe advys of Maister David Aprys, Maister Symond Kempston, and Maister James Cole, and sent al this, with an instruccion of al þe matier, with my procuratours to Rome by your frere, my Maister Suppriour, and geff hym gold þat he was content: and, evermore, nowe here by advys I make this day a newe appelle and a newe procuracion, and upon this alle þe seyd worthy men here seyn and informe me pleynly I have no maner cause in lawe ne in conscience to drede aught in this matier. for þe priory and Myn adversarie is become Bysshop of Cork in Irland, and ther arn ij. other persones provided to þe same bysshopriche yet lyvyng, beforn my seyd adversarie; and by this acceptacion of this bysshopriche, he hath pryved hym self of þe title þat he claymed in Bromholm, and so adnulled þe ground of his processe ageyn me, and also þe tyme of his grevaunce pretendid, and þe tyme of his sute he was apostata, and I trowe is yet, and so unable to sue any swich processe. I purpose me to come homward be London, to lerne more in this matier, if I may. I prey þe Holy Trinite, lord of your cherche and of alle þe werld, delyvere me of my iij. adversaries, of this cursed bysshop for Bromholm, Aslak for Sprouston, and Julian Herberd for Thornham. I have nought trespassed ageyn noon of these iij., God knowing, and yet I am foule and noysyngly vexed with hem, to my gret unease, and al for my lordes and frendes matieres, and nought for myn owyn. I wot not whether it were best in any sermon or other audience, in your cherche or elles where, to declare aught of this matier in stoppyng of þe noyse þat renneth in this case. I submitte me and alle this matier to your good discrecion; and evere gremercy God, and ye, who ever have yow and me in His gracious governance. I suppose to see yow on Palm Sunday. Writen at Leycestre, þe Friday þe thredde wyke of Lente.
Alle þe seyd lerned men telle me trewely ther is nother perill ne doubte in þe takyng doun of þe instrument and þe bille to no creature. Which instrument and bille I send yow ageyn by þe berare of this, which I prey you to kepe as pryve as ye may.
Yowr man,
W. PASTON.
I have preyed my Maister Hammond to write yow tydyngges, and smale lesynges among.
A mez treshonnourés Meistres Will'm Worstede, John Longham, et Meistre Piers Shelton soit donné.
Right worthy and worshipful sires and maistres, I recomand me to you, and thank you with al my heart, of þe great tendrenesse you like to have of þe salvacion of my simple honeste, preying you evermore of your good continuance. I have, after þe advice of your letter, doon dewely examyned þe instrument by þe wysest I coude fynde [here/her], and in especial by on Master Robert Sutton, a courtezane of þe Court of Rome, þe which is þe chief and most chier man with my Lord of Gloucestre, and his matter in þe said court for my lady, his wyff; and [here/her] aunswere is þat al this processe, though it were in did preceded as þe instrument specifieth, is not suffisant in þe law of Holy Cherche, and þat hem semyth, by þe sight of þe instrument and by þe defautes [that] you espied in þe same and other, and in manner by þe knowelech of þe notarie, þat þe processe, in great part there of, is fal[se and un]true. I have taken advice of Master Robert Bruus, chauncellor with my Lord of Cantirbury, and Master Nicholl Billesdon, chauncellor of my Lord of Wynchestre, and Master John Blodwelle, a well lerned man holden, and a suffisant courtezan of þe said court, and all these acorden to þe said Master Robert Sutton.
Not with stondyng þat I herde nevere of this matter no manner lykly no credible evidence unto þat I sey your letter and þe instrument, yet I made an appell and a procuracie, and also a provocacion, at London, long biforn Cristemasse, by þe advice of Master David Aprys, Master Symond Kempston, and Master James Cole, and sent al this, with an instruction of al þe matter, with my procuratours to Rome by your frere, my Master Suppriour, and geff him gold þat he was happy: and, evermore, now [here/her] by advice I make this day a newe appelle and a newe procuracion, and upon this all þe said worthy men [here/her] say and informe me plainly I have no manner cause in law no in conscience to drede aught in this matter. for þe priory and [mine/my] adversarie is become Bysshop of Cork in Irland, and there arn two. other persones provided to þe same bysshopriche yet lyvyng, before my said adversarie; and by this acceptacion of this bysshopriche, he has pryved him self of þe title þat he claymed in Bromholm, and so annulled þe ground of his processe again me, and also þe time of his grevaunce pretendid, and þe time of his sute he was apostata, and I trowe is yet, and so unable to sue any such processe. I purpose me to come homward be London, to lerne more in this matter, if I may. I pray þe Holy Trinity, lord of your cherche and of all þe werld, delyvere me of my three. adversaries, of this cursed bysshop for Bromholm, Aslak for Sprowston, and Julian Herberd for Thornham. I have not trespassed again no of these three., God knowing, and yet I am foule and noysyngly vexed with hem, to my great unease, and al for my lordes and frendes matieres, and not for [mine/my] own. I wot not whether it were best in any sermon or other audience, in your cherche or besides where, to declare aught of this matter in stoppyng of þe noyse þat renneth in this case. I submitte me and all this matter to your good discretion; and ever gremercy God, and you, who ever have you and me in His gracious governance. I suppose to see you on Palm Sunday. Written at Leicester, þe Friday þe thredde wyke of Lente.
All þe said lerned men telle me trewely there is nother perill no doubte in þe takyng doun of þe instrument and þe bill to no creature. Which instrument and bill I send you again by þe berare of this, which I pray you to keep as pryve as you may.
Your man,
W. PASTON.
I have prayed my Master Hammond to write you tydyngges, and smale lesynges among.
For delivery to my well-respected Messrs William Worsted, John Longham and Piers Shelton.
Honoured and respected Sirs and Masters, I commend myself to you and thank you with all my heart for the great kindness you have towards my simple and honest self, trusting that this will always continue. According to the advice in your letter, I have had the document checked by the most knowledgeable men I could find here, and especially by Mr Robert Sutton, a member of the papal curia at the Court of Rome, chief and most reliable man of the Lord of Gloucester and his representative in that court for my lady, his wife; and their answer is that all this process, although it was indeed carried out as the instruction specified, is not sufficient in the law of Holy Church, and that it seems to them with sight of the document and by the defects that you saw in it and elsewhere, and through the knowledge of the lawyer, that the claims in the greater part are false and untrue. I have taken the advice of Mr Robert Bruce, administrative officer with my Lord Canterbury, and Mr Nicholas Billesdon, administrative officer for Lord Winchester, and Mr John Blodwelle, considered to be a learned man and someone high up in the papal curia, and all these agree with Mr Robert Sutton.
Notwithstanding that I never heard any suitable or credible evidence in this matter until I saw your letter and the document, I got authority to act as a legal representative and appealed to a higher court in London well before Christmas on the advice of Mr David Aprys, Mr Symond Kempston and Mr James Cole, and sent all this with instructions about the whole matter, with my authority, to Rome through your brother, the Master Superior, and gave him gold with which he was content. Since then, on advice, I am today making a new appeal on new authority, and all the worthy men spoken of here tell me clearly I have nothing to worry about either in law or conscience.
My adversary in the matter of the Priory has become Bishop of Cork in Ireland, and there are two other people still alive who were appointed to the same living as bishop before him; by accepting the role of bishop he has deprived himself of the title that he claimed at Bromholm, and so the grounds of his case against me are invalid. Also at the time he alleged the grievance he was an apostate - and I believe he still is - and so unable to take forward any such legal proceedings.
I intend to come home via London to learn more about this matter, if I can. I pray to the Holy Trinity, Lord of your church and of all the world, to deliver me from my three adversaries – this cursed bishop over Bromholm, Aslak over Sprowston and Juliane Herberd over Thornham. I have not done anything against any of the three, God knows, but I am troubled and irritated by them, to my great discomfort, and all because of my lords' and friends affairs and not my own. I don't know whether it would be a good idea in any sermon or other speech, in your church or elsewhere, to talk about this matter to put an end to the rumours and gossip. I rely on your discretion and always thank God, who has you and me in his gracious keeping. I expect to see you on Palm Sunday. Written at Leicester, on the Friday of the third week in Lent.
All the wise men I spoke of tell me that there really no danger or difficulty in disposing of this charge and document, which I send back to you with the person bringing this letter, asking you to keep it as private as you can.
Your man, W Paston.
I have asked Mr Hammond to send you other news and lesser pieces of information.
