Un to my ryght wurshypfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquyer, for the Body.
Ryght wurshypfull cosyn, I recomawnd me un to you as hertly as I can, letyng you wytte I was with my Lorde Stuarde as on Munday laste paste, by the desyir of them that I myght not sey ney to. I herde all that was seyd there, but they gaate non avawntage, wurde, nor promyse off me; but they thought in asmoche as they ware the beste in the shere, that every man owghte to wayte and go with them. Wherto yt was answerd that oure master, nexte the Kynge, havynge hys commysshon, muste nedys have the jentylmen and the contre to a wayte up on hym by the vertu of the same; but yt was thought I owght not to obeye no copy of the commisshon, withoute I had the same under wexe, where in hathe ben gret argument, whyche I understoode by reporte a fortnyte paste, and that causyd me to sende unto my lorde to have the very commysshon, whyche he sente me, and a letter, where off I sende you the copy here in closyd.
As for you, ye be sore takyn in sum place, seying that ye intende swyche thynges as ys lyke to folow gret myscheffe. I seyd I undyrstood non swyche, nor thynges lyke it; and yt ys thoughte ye intende nat to go forthe thys jorneye, nor no jentylman in that quarter but Robert Brandon that hath promysyd to go with them, as they seye.
I understonde Sir Wylliam Bolen and Sir Harry Heydon ware at Thetforde in to Kente ward, but they returnyd in to Norffolk a geyne; I thynke they wull not goo thys jorney, yff the Kynge nede. Ser Harry was at Attylborow on Saterday. I wene he had a vyce there to turne a zen; wher for, cosyn, yt ys good to understonde the sertente what jentylmen intende to goo, and be assuryd to go together, that I may have wurde; my cosyn Hoptun hathe promysyd that he wull be oon. As fore Wysman, he seythe he wull be off the same, but I can have no holde.
Furthermore, cosyn, yt ys seyd that after my lordys departyng to the Kynge ye ware mette at Barkwey, whyche ys construid that ye had ben with the Lady Lovell, but wrathe seyd never well; and in asmoche as we understonde my lordys plesur, yt ys well doon we dele wysly therafter. And, nexte to the Kynge, I answerd pleynly I was bownde to do him service, and to fullfylle hys comaundment to the uttermest off my powere, by the grace off God, Who ever preserve you to Hys plesur.
Wretyn at Oxburgh, the xvj. day of Maye.
Your cosyn,
E. BEDYNGFELD.
Un to my ryght wurshypfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquyer, for the Body.
Ryght wurshypfull cosyn, I recomawnd me un to you as hertly as I can, letyng you wytte I was with my Lorde Stuarde as on Munday laste paste, by the desyir of them that I myght not sey ney to. I herde all that was seyd there, but they gaate non avawntage, wurde, nor promyse off me; but they thought in asmoche as they ware the beste in the shere, that every man owghte to wayte and go with them. Wherto yt was answerd that oure master, nexte the Kynge, havynge hys commysshon, muste nedys have the jentylmen and the contre to a wayte up on hym by the vertu of the same; but yt was thought I owght not to obeye no copy of the commisshon, withoute I had the same under wexe, where in hathe ben gret argument, whyche I understoode by reporte a fortnyte paste, and that causyd me to sende unto my lorde to have the very commysshon, whyche he sente me, and a letter, where off I sende you the copy here in closyd.
As for you, ye be sore takyn in sum place, seying that ye intende swyche thynges as ys lyke to folow gret myscheffe. I seyd I undyrstood non swyche, nor thynges lyke it; and yt ys thoughte ye intende nat to go forthe thys jorneye, nor no jentylman in that quarter but Robert Brandon that hath promysyd to go with them, as they seye.
I understonde Sir Wylliam Bolen and Sir Harry Heydon ware at Thetforde in to Kente ward, but they returnyd in to Norffolk a geyne; I thynke they wull not goo thys jorney, yff the Kynge nede. Ser Harry was at Attylborow on Saterday. I wene he had a vyce there to turne a zen; wher for, cosyn, yt ys good to understonde the sertente what jentylmen intende to goo, and be assuryd to go together, that I may have wurde; my cosyn Hoptun hathe promysyd that he wull be oon. As fore Wysman, he seythe he wull be off the same, but I can have no holde.
Furthermore, cosyn, yt ys seyd that after my lordys departyng to the Kynge ye ware mette at Barkwey, whyche ys construid that ye had ben with the Lady Lovell, but wrathe seyd never well; and in asmoche as we understonde my lordys plesur, yt ys well doon we dele wysly therafter. And, nexte to the Kynge, I answerd pleynly I was bownde to do him service, and to fullfylle hys comaundment to the uttermest off my powere, by the grace off God, Who ever preserve you to Hys plesur.
Wretyn at Oxburgh, the xvj. day of Maye.
Your cosyn,
E. BEDYNGFELD.
Un to my ryght wurshypfull cosyn, John Paston, Esquyer, for the Body.
Ryght wurshypfull cosyn, I recomawnd me un to you as hertly as I can, letyng you wytte I was with my Lorde Stuarde as on Munday laste paste, by the desyir of them that I myght not sey ney to. I herde all that was seyd there, but they gaate non avawntage, wurde, nor promyse off me; but they thought in asmoche as they ware the beste in the shere, that every man owghte to wayte and go with them. Wherto yt was answerd that oure master, nexte the Kynge, havynge hys commysshon, muste nedys have the jentylmen and the contre to a wayte up on hym by the vertu of the same; but yt was thought I owght not to obeye no copy of the commisshon, withoute I had the same under wexe, where in hathe ben gret argument, whyche I understoode by reporte a fortnyte paste, and that causyd me to sende unto my lorde to have the very commysshon, whyche he sente me, and a letter, where off I sende you the copy here in closyd.
As for you, ye be sore takyn in sum place, seying that ye intende swyche thynges as ys lyke to folow gret myscheffe. I seyd I undyrstood non swyche, nor thynges lyke it; and yt ys thoughte ye intende nat to go forthe thys jorneye, nor no jentylman in that quarter but Robert Brandon that hath promysyd to go with them, as they seye.
I understonde Sir Wylliam Bolen and Sir Harry Heydon ware at Thetforde in to Kente ward, but they returnyd in to Norffolk a geyne; I thynke they wull not goo thys jorney, yff the Kynge nede. Ser Harry was at Attylborow on Saterday. I wene he had a vyce there to turne a zen; wher for, cosyn, yt ys good to understonde the sertente what jentylmen intende to goo, and be assuryd to go together, that I may have wurde; my cosyn Hoptun hathe promysyd that he wull be oon. As fore Wysman, he seythe he wull be off the same, but I can have no holde.
Furthermore, cosyn, yt ys seyd that after my lordys departyng to the Kynge ye ware mette at Barkwey, whyche ys construid that ye had ben with the Lady Lovell, but wrathe seyd never well; and in asmoche as we understonde my lordys plesur, yt ys well doon we dele wysly therafter. And, nexte to the Kynge, I answerd pleynly I was bownde to do him service, and to fullfylle hys comaundment to the uttermest off my powere, by the grace off God, Who ever preserve you to Hys plesur.
Wretyn at Oxburgh, the xvj. day of Maye.
Your cosyn,
E. BEDYNGFELD.
Un to my right wurshypfull cousin, John Paston, Esquyer, for the Body.
Right wurshypfull cousin, I recomawnd me un to you as hertly as I can, letyng you wytte I was with my Lorde Stuarde as on Monday laste paste, by the desyir of them that I might not sey ney to. I herde all that was said there, but they gaate no avawntage, wurde, nor promyse off me; but they thought in asmoche as they ware the beste in the shere, that every man owghte to wayte and go with them. Wherto yt was answerd that our master, nexte the Kynge, havynge his commysshon, muste nedys have the jentylmen and the contre to a wayte up on him by the vertu of the same; but yt was thought I owght not to obeye no copy of the commisshon, withoute I had the same under wexe, where in hathe [be/been] great argument, which I understoode by report a fortnyte paste, and that causyd me to send unto my lorde to have the very commysshon, which he sente me, and a letter, where off I send you the copy [here/her] in closyd.
As for you, you be [badly/sorely] taken in sum place, seying that you intende swyche thynges as is like to folow great myscheffe. I said I undyrstood no swyche, nor thynges like it; and yt is thoughte you intende nat to go forth thys jorneye, nor no jentylman in that quarter but Robert Brandon that has promysyd to go with them, as they seye.
I understonde Sir Wylliam Bolen and Sir Harry Heydon ware at Thetford in to Kente ward, but they returnyd in to Norfolk a geyne; I thynke they wull not goo thys jorney, yff the Kynge need. Sir Harry was at Attleborough on Saturday. I wene he had a vyce there to turne a zen; where for, cousin, yt is good to understonde the sertente what jentylmen intende to goo, and be assuryd to go together, that I may have wurde; my cousin Hoptun hathe promysyd that he wull be oon. As fore Wysman, he said he wull be off the same, but I can have no hold.
Furthermore, cousin, yt is said that after my lordys departyng to the Kynge you ware mette at Barkway, which is construid that you had [be/been] with the Lady Lovell, but wrathe said never well; and in asmoche as we understonde my lordys plesur, yt is well doon we dele wysly therafter. And, nexte to the Kynge, I answerd plainly I was bownde to do him service, and to fullfylle his comaundment to the uttermest off my powere, by the grace off God, Who ever preserve you to His plesur.
Written at Oxborough, the xvj. day of Maye.
Your cousin,
E. BEDYNGFELD.
To my highly respected cousin, John Paston, Esq
My honoured cousin, I present myself to you as genuinely as I can, letting you know I was with my Lord Stuard last Monday, at the invitation of those I could not say no to. I heard all that was said there, but they got no encouragement, word or promise from me; but they thought that inasmuch as they were the best in the county, everyone should attend and go with them. The response to this was that our master, next to the King, having his commission, must for that reason have the gentlemen and the country to attend on him; but it was thought I should not obey a copy of the commission unless I had it under seal. There was a big argument about this, I was informed, about a fortnight ago, for which reason I asked my Lord for that very commission, which he sent me – and a letter, a copy of which is enclosed.
As for you, you have been understood in some quarters as saying that you intend such things as are likely to cause great mischief. I said I did not have that impression, and did not think anything of that kind was true; and my impression was that you did not intend to go on this journey, and nor did anyone else in this area except Robert Brandon, who they say has promised to go with them.
I understand that Sir William Boleyn and Sir Harry Heydon were at Thetford, heading towards Kent, but they came back into Norfolk again; I think they will not go on this journey if the King requires them. Sir Harry was at Attleborough on Saturday. I expect he had advice there to turn back; and so, cousin, it is important to be certain what gentlemen intend to do, and to be sure that they go together. My cousin Hopton has promised he will be with them. As for Wiseman, he said the same, but I don't think he is obliged to.
Furthermore, cousin, it is being said that after my Lords departed to meet the King, you were met at Barkway, by which it is construed that you had been with Lady Lovell, but the truth is never said in anger. And as far as we understand my Lord's pleasure, we will do well to be very careful in what we do from now on. I answered plainly that, next to the King, I was bound to do him service and to obey his orders to the extent of my powers, by the grace of God – may He be pleased to preserve you.
Written at Oxburgh on the 16th day of May.
Your cousin,
E. BEDYNGFELD.
