To hys wurchypfull brodyr Jon Paston.
Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande me to ȝow; and as for tedyng, myn lord of Yorke hathe take myn lord of Exsater jn-to hys a-warde. The Duke of Somerset js styll jn preson, jn werse case than he was. Syr Jon Fastolf recomande hym to ȝow, &c. He wyll ryde jn-to Norfolke ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at Caster[/%108, and Skrop wyth hym. He saythe ȝe are the hartyest kynysman and frynd þat he knowyt. He wulde haue ȝow at Mawdeby dwellyng.
I had gret chere of Byllyng be þe way, and he told me jn cownsayle wathe he sayd to Ledam.
Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to Prys othe jn þe schere howse of ȝow, and Byllyng consallyd hym to leve and tolde Ledam ȝe and he were no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, 'Yt is the gyse of ȝowre contré-men to spend alle the good they haue on men and leuery gownys and hors and harnes, and so ber yt owth for j wylle, and at the laste they arn but beggarys; and so wyll ȝe do. I wylde ȝe schull do wyll, be-cause ȝe are a felaw jn Grays In, were I t [unclear] o was a felaw. As for Paston, he ys a swyre of wurchyp, and of gret lyuelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good at onys, but he sparyt ȝerely c mark or j c li. He may do hys ennemy a scherewd turne and neuer fare the warse jn hys howsholde, ner the lesse men a-bowthe hym. ȝe may not do so, but if yt be for j sesun. I consayll ȝow not to contenu long as ȝe do. I wulle consalle ȝow to seke reste wyt Paston.
And I thankkyd Byllyng on ȝowre behalfe.
God haue ȝow in hys kepyng.
Be ȝowre pore brodyr
Wyllyam Paston
Meche odyr thyng I can telle and I had lesur. Recomande me to myn suster Margeth and myn cosyn Elyzabet Clyre, I pray ȝow.
To hys wurchypfull brodyr Jon Paston.
Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande me to ȝow; and as for tedyng, myn lord of Yorke hathe take myn lord of Exsater jn-to hys a-warde. The Duke of Somerset js styll jn preson, jn werse case than he was. Syr Jon Fastolf recomande hym to ȝow, &c. He wyll ryde jn-to Norfolke ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at Caster[/%108,[/%108, and Skrop wyth hym. He saythe ȝe are the hartyest kynysman and frynd þat he knowyt. He wulde haue ȝow at Mawdeby dwellyng.
I had gret chere of Byllyng be þe way, and he told me jn cownsayle wathe he sayd to Ledam.
Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to Prys othe jn þe schere howse of ȝow, and Byllyng consallyd hym to leve and tolde Ledam ȝe and he were no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, 'Yt is the gyse of ȝowre contré-men to spend alle the good they haue on men and leuery gownys and hors and harnes, and so ber yt owth for j wylle, and at the laste they arn but beggarys; and so wyll ȝe do. I wylde ȝe schull do wyll, be-cause ȝe are a felaw jn Grays In, were I t [unclear] o was a felaw. As for Paston, he ys a swyre of wurchyp, and of gret lyuelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good at onys, but he sparyt ȝerely c mark or j c li. He may do hys ennemy a scherewd turne and neuer fare the warse jn hys howsholde, ner the lesse men a-bowthe hym. ȝe may not do so, but if yt be for j sesun. I consayll ȝow not to contenu long as ȝe do. I wulle consalle ȝow to seke reste wyt Paston.
And I thankkyd Byllyng on ȝowre behalfe.
God haue ȝow in hys kepyng.
Be ȝowre pore brodyr
Wyllyam Paston
Meche odyr thyng I can telle and I had lesur. Recomande me to myn suster Margeth and myn cosyn Elyzabet Clyre, I pray ȝow.
To hys wurchypfull brodyr Jon Paston.
Ryth wurchypfull broder, I recomande me to ȝow; and as for tedyng, myn lord of Yorke hathe take myn lord of Exsater jn-to hys a-warde. The Duke of Somerset js styll jn preson, jn werse case than he was. Syr Jon Fastolf recomande hym to ȝow, &c. He wyll ryde jn-to Norfolke ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at Caster[/%108, and Skrop wyth hym. He saythe ȝe are the hartyest kynysman and frynd þat he knowyt. He wulde haue ȝow at Mawdeby dwellyng.
I had gret chere of Byllyng be þe way, and he told me jn cownsayle wathe he sayd to Ledam.
Ledam wulde a do hys wyse to a mad a complent to Prys othe jn þe schere howse of ȝow, and Byllyng consallyd hym to leve and tolde Ledam ȝe and he were no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, 'Yt is the gyse of ȝowre contré-men to spend alle the good they haue on men and leuery gownys and hors and harnes, and so ber yt owth for j wylle, and at the laste they arn but beggarys; and so wyll ȝe do. I wylde ȝe schull do wyll, be-cause ȝe are a felaw jn Grays In, were I t [unclear] o was a felaw. As for Paston, he ys a swyre of wurchyp, and of gret lyuelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend alle hys good at onys, but he sparyt ȝerely c mark or j c li. He may do hys ennemy a scherewd turne and neuer fare the warse jn hys howsholde, ner the lesse men a-bowthe hym. ȝe may not do so, but if yt be for j sesun. I consayll ȝow not to contenu long as ȝe do. I wulle consalle ȝow to seke reste wyt Paston.
And I thankkyd Byllyng on ȝowre behalfe.
God haue ȝow in hys kepyng.
Be ȝowre pore brodyr
Wyllyam Paston
Meche odyr thyng I can telle and I had lesur. Recomande me to myn suster Margeth and myn cosyn Elyzabet Clyre, I pray ȝow.
To his wurchypfull brother Jon Paston.
Right wurchypfull broder, I recomande me to ȝow; and as for tedyng, [mine/my] lord of Yorke hathe take [mine/my] lord of Exsater jn-to his a-ward. The Duke of Somerset js styll jn preson, jn werse case than he was. Syr Jon Fastolf recomande him to ȝow, etc.. He wyll ryde jn-to Norfolk ward as on Trusday, and he wyll dwelle at [%108]Caister[/%108, and Skrop with him. He saythe ȝe are the hartyest kynysman and frynd þat he knowyt. He wulde have ȝow at [%388]Mawdeby[/%388] dwelling.
I had great chere of Byllyng be þe way, and he told me jn cownsayle wathe he sayd to Ledam.
Ledam wulde a do his wise to a mad a complent to Prys othe jn þe schere howse of ȝow, and Byllyng consallyd him to leve and tolde Ledam ȝe and he were no felawys, and sayd to Ledam, 'Yt is the gyse of ȝowre contré-men to spend all the good they have on men and leuery gownys and hors and harnes, and so ber yt owth for j wylle, and at the laste they arn but beggarys; and so wyll ȝe do. I wylde ȝe schull do wyll, be-cause ȝe are a felaw jn Grays In, were I t [unclear] o was a felaw. As for Paston, he is a swyre of wurchyp, and of great lyuelode, and I wothe he wyll not spend all his good at onys, but he sparyt ȝerely c mark or j c li. He may do his ennemy a scherewd turne and neuer fare the warse jn his howsholde, nor the less men a-bowthe him. ȝe may not do so, but if yt be for j sesun. I consayll ȝow not to contenu long as ȝe do. I wulle consalle ȝow to seke reste wyt Paston.
And I thankkyd Byllyng on ȝowre behalfe.
God have ȝow in his keeping.
Be ȝowre pore brother
Wyllyam Paston
Meche odyr thing I can telle and I had lesur. Recomande me to [mine/my] suster Margeth and [mine/my] cousin Elyzabet Clyre, I pray ȝow.
Best wishes to you brother. The news is that the Duke of York has Lord Exeter in his custody. The Duke of Somerset is still in prison.
Sir John Fastolf sends his best wishes. He will ride to Norfolk on Thursday and stay at Caister.; Scrope will be with him. He says you are the best of friends that he knows. He would like you to live in Mautby.
I have good news of Billing by the way, and he told me in secret what he said to Ledham. Ledham wanted to make a complaint against you to judge Prisot at the courthouse; Billing told him to go away and told Ledham you and he were not friends and said to Ledham, "You might spend all you have on men and fine costumes and horses and gear, and pretend for a while, but in the end, you are just continuing to act as scoundrels. I would wish that you would behave correctly because you are a fellow at Gray's Inn, where I was a fellow. As for Paston, he is a worthy squire, and of considerable means, and I don't think he will spend all his livelihood at once, but he makes available annually 100 marks or 100 pounds. He may do his enemy a bad turn and never be worse off in his arrangements, or the lesser men around him. He may not to you but might in a while. I advise you to seek an agreement with Paston."
I thanked Billing on your behalf. May God look after you.
By your poor brother, William Paston
There's lots more I can tell you when I have the time. Please give my best wishes to my sister Margaret and my cousin Elizabeth Clere.
