To my right trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, John Paston, in goodly haste.
Ryght trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, I comaund me to yow. And please yow to wete that I am avertysed that at a dyner in Norwiche, wher as ye and othyr jentylmen wer present, that that ther were certeyn personez, jentylmen, whiche utteryd skornefull language of me, as in thys wyse, with mor, seyeng, 'War the, gosune war, and goo we to dyner; goo we wher? to Sir John Fastolf, and ther we shall well paye ther fore.' What ther menyng was, I knowe well to no good entent to me ward; wherfor, cosyn, I prey yow, as my truste is in yow, that ye geve me knowelege be writing what jentylmen they be that had this report with more, and what mo jentylmen wer present, as ye wold I shuld and wer my deute to do for yow in semblabyll wyse. And I shall kepe yowr informatyon in this mater secret, and with Godds grace so purvey for hem as they shall not all be well pleasyd. At suche a tyme a man may knowe hese frendes and hese fooes asonder, &c. Jesu preserve and kepe yow.
Wretyn at Caster, the vij. day of Feverer, anno xxxiij. R. H. vjti.
JOHN FASTOLF, Knyght.
To my right trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, John Paston, in goodly haste.
Ryght trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, I comaund me to yow. And please yow to wete that I am avertysed that at a dyner in Norwiche, wher as ye and othyr jentylmen wer present, that that ther were certeyn personez, jentylmen, whiche utteryd skornefull language of me, as in thys wyse, with mor, seyeng, 'War the, gosune war, and goo we to dyner; goo we wher? to Sir John Fastolf, and ther we shall well paye ther fore.' What ther menyng was, I knowe well to no good entent to me ward; wherfor, cosyn, I prey yow, as my truste is in yow, that ye geve me knowelege be writing what jentylmen they be that had this report with more, and what mo jentylmen wer present, as ye wold I shuld and wer my deute to do for yow in semblabyll wyse. And I shall kepe yowr informatyon in this mater secret, and with Godds grace so purvey for hem as they shall not all be well pleasyd. At suche a tyme a man may knowe hese frendes and hese fooes asonder, &c. Jesu preserve and kepe yow.
Wretyn at Caster, the vij. day of Feverer, anno xxxiij. R. H. vjti.
JOHN FASTOLF, Knyght.
To my right trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, John Paston, in goodly haste.
Ryght trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, I comaund me to yow. And please yow to wete that I am avertysed that at a dyner in Norwiche, wher as ye and othyr jentylmen wer present, that that ther were certeyn personez, jentylmen, whiche utteryd skornefull language of me, as in thys wyse, with mor, seyeng, 'War the, gosune war, and goo we to dyner; goo we wher? to Sir John Fastolf, and ther we shall well paye ther fore.' What ther menyng was, I knowe well to no good entent to me ward; wherfor, cosyn, I prey yow, as my truste is in yow, that ye geve me knowelege be writing what jentylmen they be that had this report with more, and what mo jentylmen wer present, as ye wold I shuld and wer my deute to do for yow in semblabyll wyse. And I shall kepe yowr informatyon in this mater secret, and with Godds grace so purvey for hem as they shall not all be well pleasyd. At suche a tyme a man may knowe hese frendes and hese fooes asonder, &c. Jesu preserve and kepe yow.
Wretyn at Caster, the vij. day of Feverer, anno xxxiij. R. H. vjti.
JOHN FASTOLF, Knyght.
To my right trusty and welbelovyd cousin, John Paston, in goodly haste.
Right trusty and welbelovyd cousin, I commend me to you. And please you to wait that I am avertysed that at a dinner in Norwich, where as you and othyr jentylmen wer present, that that there were certeyn personez, jentylmen, whiche utteryd skornefull language of me, as in thys wise, with more, seyeng, 'War the, gosune war, and goo we to dinner; goo we where? to Sir John Fastolf, and there we shall well paye there fore.' What there menyng was, I knowe well to no good entent to me ward; wherfor, cousin, I pray you, as my truste is in you, that you geve me knowelege be writing what jentylmen they be that had this report with more, and what mo jentylmen wer present, as you would I should and wer my deute to do for you in semblabyll wise. And I shall keep your informatyon in this matter secret, and with Godds grace so [obtain/purchase] for hem as they shall not all be well pleasyd. At suche a time a man may knowe hese frendes and hese fooes asonder, etc.. Jesu preserve and keep you.
Written at Caister-on-Sea, the vij. day of Feverer, anno xxxiij. R. H. vjti.
JOHN FASTOLF, Knyght.
To my trusted friend John Paston,
Cousin, my best wishes. I'm letting you know that I am told that at a dinner in Norwich which you were at there were some people, men, which spoke unfavourably of me. They said to me, and more, "Beware, lad, we're going to dinner, we're going to Sir John Fastolf's, we might regret it." What did they mean? Did they have evil intent towards me?"
So, cousin, as I trust you, let me know which gentlemen said this, any others involved, and what gentlemen were present; let me know what you think I should know and I will be in your debt. I'll keep what you say secret, and with God's grace, they won't be pleased about what I will do. At such a time a man needs to know who his friends and foes are.
Jesus take care of you. Written at Caister on the seventh day of February, the 33rd year of the reign of Henry VI.
John Fastolf, Knight
