to his right worshipfull brother John Paston be þis lettre delyuered.
After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wete that we cam to London vppon the Tewysday by non nexst after oure departour fro Norwich, and sent oure men to jnquyre after my lord Chaunceler and Maister John Stokys and Malmesbury. And as for my lord Chaunceler, he was departed fro London and was redyn to þe Kyng ij dayes or we were come to London; and as we vnderstand he hasted hym to þe Kyng by-cause of my Lord Ryuers takyng at Sandwyche, &c.
And as for Maister John Stokys, he was at Mortelak, wheder we yede and spak wyth hym, and fond by hym by the begynnyng that he had ben labored a-yens you, but by whom we coude not knowyn for he wold not telle; but he sayd he was spoken to by on whiche he coude not remembre þat he schuld take good heed vppon the probat of my maisters wyll how his londys schuld be gyded by-cause there was a thyng ensealed as his wyll which was forged after my maisters decesse, &c. But or we had thus moche of his confessyon we were resonably well jn credens wyth hym; but it was long or we coude fynd hym feythfully dysposed in oure conceytys. and whan we had hym resonably after oure entent, we enfourmyd hym of Yeluerton nedeles wastyng of my maister godys and the mystrust that he had jn hem hom my maister most erthely trustyd, and how his desyre was synglerly to have had the kepyng of Castre and all stuffe wyth-jnne it, and there to have lodged hym-self; and also hou he dede meve my Lady Hevenyngham, &c. Wherfore he avyseth you, for ony wrytyng or citacion that cometh fro my lord of Caunterbury or fro hym, that ye your-self kepe the goodys stylle and lete hym a-lone for the purvyans of all suche wrytyngys or cytacions. We assked hym that, if Yeluerton wold not be refourmed, wheder for the dyscharge of all your concyens a mene mygth be found to a-voyde hym owte of the testament. And he sayd if he be fals to the dede it is a cause resonable, and per-juré is a-noþer cause; and if ye woll Maister Stokys com to Norwiche for the probat, &c., he woll com hym-self or make a comyssyon to oþer persones as ye woll assigne, or ell as many as woll take charge wyth you to make a proxi,be it to me or to sum oþer,and send it hym and ye wyll ther-wyth, and it schall be proved by that mene. And all the fauour þat may be don for you schall be don.
And to your bargeyn he woll owe and do all the fauour that he may wyth trouthe, and it schall not nede no wytnesse to youre bargeyn wyth- oute ther be a contradiccion; and if ther be a contradiccion iij or iiij wytnesse is j-now. And he hath no conceyte in Yeluerton as now, and also but lytyll jn Fenyngley for the seruyce that he oweth to my lord Tresorer, and oþer causes whiche we expresse not for cause of long wrytyng. And he avysed vs to go speke wyth my Lord Chaunceler and Lord Beauchamp to wete wheder they woll take ony charge or not, and to lete hym have knoweletch of ther dysposycion. And he geveth you leve wyth a-noþer executour, or wyth youre owyn clerk, to mynystre and geve almesse at his perill. And if he schuld com heder he had lever to com thes Fastegong tyde or after Esterne than jn Lenton, but jn Lenton he schall com if ye thynk it expedyent. And ther-for send vs word as ye woll we desyre hym jn that poynt if it lyke you.
Item, ser, William Worceter was com to London ij dayes or we were com, but we can not aspye openly that he maketh ony labour, nor prevely nouther, be no maner of harkenyng nor be no maner of talkyng; for I, Playter, have comonyd wyth hym and he seyth rygth not, savyng that he woll be rewarded for his long trewe seruice of my maisters good and lyke as my maister promyssed hym by his lyffe. And euer more whan I sey vn-to hym that it may not be gaynseyd but as touchyng to al my maister lond jn Norffolk and Suffolk it is his wyll and suffycyant prove ther-vppon that ye schuld have it, &c., and than he answereth and prayeth me no more to speke of that mater for he vnderstand no ... covenaunt, &c.; and more can I not gete of hym. But for God I fele by hym jn my conceyte that he may help to save and gete a ml marc or to ml marc which wyth-oute his help may not be saved, as he seyth. And to fele hym wheder he lyed or seyd soth, I asked hym wheder he wold take that which mygth not be saved wyth-owte his help for his reward, and he sayd ya, wyth good wyll; and therfor wey ye all, &c.
Item, Ser Phelyp Wentworth acte is passed the Kyng, whiche I doute not mygth not a be with-oute my lord Chaunceler good wyll and assent; and William Worceter sueth to have a copy therof, whiche he mygth have had of me if he had lyst, &c.
Item, ser, I Playter speke wyth Maister Yeluerton, and he taketh it gretely to dysplesour that it was noysed that he and William Wayte schuld have labored to an endyted Maister Th. Howys; for he seyth for ony anger he wold not do so, and if he mygth wete that W. Wayte labored it he schuld neuer do hym seruice. And as touchyng to the provokyng that my Lady Hevenyngham schuld sewe forth for Castre, he seyth he neuer thougth it, but the sendyng to my seyd lady was by a man of his, and a noþer of Fenyngley, to wete if sche hard ony tydyngys fro Coventré, and no oþer maner of langage. How be it I vnderstand he woll not be straunge to falle jn wyth you a-geyn, and also that he woll not hurte you jn your bargeyn if ye coude be frendely dysposed to hym ward as ye have ben; for wyth-oute a frendelyhood of your parte hym semeth he schuld not gretely help you jn your bargeyn, so I fele hym. He leueth sum-qwhat a-loffe, and not vtterly malycyous a-yens you. The cyrcumstans of oure talkyng were to long to wryte, and ther-for I expresse the substauns as I conceyve, &c. As for my lord Fortescu, we comond wyth hym seuerally, and for to wryte all thyng of oure comonyng it were to long; but jn conclusyon we vnderstand his good lordschip to you wardys, and all his fauour wyth trouth, for that is his seyng. I desyred William Jeney to calle vppon the maters jn lawe for the ward, &c., and he avyseth me to leve this terme and to take avysement a-yens the nexst terme, &c., and also I thynk it so best whyll my lord Chaunceler hath take it jn rewle, &c., to whom we purpose to ryde and comon wyth jn all maters, &c. As for tydyngys, my Lord Ryuers was brought to Caleys and by-for the lordys wyth viij xx torches, and there my lord of Salesbury reheted hym, callyng hym knaves son that he schuld be so rude to calle hym and these oþer lordys traytours, for they schull be found the Kyngys treue liege men whan he schuld be found a traytour, &c. And my lord of Warrewyk reheted hym and seyd that his fader was but a squyer and broute vp wyth Kyng Herry the vte, and sethen hym-self made by maryage and also made lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche langage of lordys beyng of the Kyngys blood. And my lord of Marche reheted hym jn lyke wyse, and Ser Antony was reheted for his langage of all iij lordys jn lyke wyse.
Item, the Kyng cometh to London ward, and as it is seyd rereth the pepyll as he com; but þis is certayn, ther be comyssyons made jn-to dyuers schyres that euery man be redy jn his best aray to com whan the Kyng send for hem. plus jn tergo.
Item, my Lord Roos is com fro Gynes. No more, but we pray to Jesu have you jn his most mercyfull kepyng, amen. Wretyn at London the Monday next after Seynt Powle Day.
ȝwre broder Willyam Paston Thomas Playter
Item, send us heder a letter be-tymys, þat it may be here be that tyme we come a-ȝen, for to-morwe we ryde toward myn lord Chancelere. Lethe us haue a letter be that we come a-ȝen, and that will be v days fore he is at Leyseter. ȝeluerton wold be glad to fall in to ȝow be soposyng, for Master Markam hathe sayd playnneley j-now to hym.
to his right worshipfull brother John Paston be þis lettre delyuered.
After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wete that we cam to London vppon the Tewysday by non nexst after oure departour fro Norwich, and sent oure men to jnquyre after my lord Chaunceler and Maister John Stokys and Malmesbury. And as for my lord Chaunceler, he was departed fro London and was redyn to þe Kyng ij dayes or we were come to London; and as we vnderstand he hasted hym to þe Kyng by-cause of my Lord Ryuers takyng at Sandwyche, &c.
And as for Maister John Stokys, he was at Mortelak, wheder we yede and spak wyth hym, and fond by hym by the begynnyng that he had ben labored a-yens you, but by whom we coude not knowyn for he wold not telle; but he sayd he was spoken to by on whiche he coude not remembre þat he schuld take good heed vppon the probat of my maisters wyll how his londys schuld be gyded by-cause there was a thyng ensealed as his wyll which was forged after my maisters decesse, &c. But or we had thus moche of his confessyon we were resonably well jn credens wyth hym; but it was long or we coude fynd hym feythfully dysposed in oure conceytys. and whan we had hym resonably after oure entent, we enfourmyd hym of Yeluerton nedeles wastyng of my maister godys and the mystrust that he had jn hem hom my maister most erthely trustyd, and how his desyre was synglerly to have had the kepyng of Castre and all stuffe wyth-jnne it, and there to have lodged hym-self; and also hou he dede meve my Lady Hevenyngham, &c. Wherfore he avyseth you, for ony wrytyng or citacion that cometh fro my lord of Caunterbury or fro hym, that ye your-self kepe the goodys stylle and lete hym a-lone for the purvyans of all suche wrytyngys or cytacions. We assked hym that, if Yeluerton wold not be refourmed, wheder for the dyscharge of all your concyens a mene mygth be found to a-voyde hym owte of the testament. And he sayd if he be fals to the dede it is a cause resonable, and per-juré is a-noþer cause; and if ye woll Maister Stokys com to Norwiche for the probat, &c., he woll com hym-self or make a comyssyon to oþer persones as ye woll assigne, or ell as many as woll take charge wyth you to make a proxi,be it to me or to sum oþer,and send it hym and ye wyll ther-wyth, and it schall be proved by that mene. And all the fauour þat may be don for you schall be don.
And to your bargeyn he woll owe and do all the fauour that he may wyth trouthe, and it schall not nede no wytnesse to youre bargeyn wyth- oute ther be a contradiccion; and if ther be a contradiccion iij or iiij wytnesse is j-now. And he hath no conceyte in Yeluerton as now, and also but lytyll jn Fenyngley for the seruyce that he oweth to my lord Tresorer, and oþer causes whiche we expresse not for cause of long wrytyng. And he avysed vs to go speke wyth my Lord Chaunceler and Lord Beauchamp to wete wheder they woll take ony charge or not, and to lete hym have knoweletch of ther dysposycion. And he geveth you leve wyth a-noþer executour, or wyth youre owyn clerk, to mynystre and geve almesse at his perill. And if he schuld com heder he had lever to com thes Fastegong tyde or after Esterne than jn Lenton, but jn Lenton he schall com if ye thynk it expedyent. And ther-for send vs word as ye woll we desyre hym jn that poynt if it lyke you.
Item, ser, William Worceter was com to London ij dayes or we were com, but we can not aspye openly that he maketh ony labour, nor prevely nouther, be no maner of harkenyng nor be no maner of talkyng; for I, Playter, have comonyd wyth hym and he seyth rygth not, savyng that he woll be rewarded for his long trewe seruice of my maisters good and lyke as my maister promyssed hym by his lyffe. And euer more whan I sey vn-to hym that it may not be gaynseyd but as touchyng to al my maister lond jn Norffolk and Suffolk it is his wyll and suffycyant prove ther-vppon that ye schuld have it, &c., and than he answereth and prayeth me no more to speke of that mater for he vnderstand no ... covenaunt, &c.; and more can I not gete of hym. But for God I fele by hym jn my conceyte that he may help to save and gete a ml marc or to ml marc which wyth-oute his help may not be saved, as he seyth. And to fele hym wheder he lyed or seyd soth, I asked hym wheder he wold take that which mygth not be saved wyth-owte his help for his reward, and he sayd ya, wyth good wyll; and therfor wey ye all, &c.
Item, Ser Phelyp Wentworth acte is passed the Kyng, whiche I doute not mygth not a be with-oute my lord Chaunceler good wyll and assent; and William Worceter sueth to have a copy therof, whiche he mygth have had of me if he had lyst, &c.
Item, ser, I Playter speke wyth Maister Yeluerton, and he taketh it gretely to dysplesour that it was noysed that he and William Wayte schuld have labored to an endyted Maister Th. Howys; for he seyth for ony anger he wold not do so, and if he mygth wete that W. Wayte labored it he schuld neuer do hym seruice. And as touchyng to the provokyng that my Lady Hevenyngham schuld sewe forth for Castre, he seyth he neuer thougth it, but the sendyng to my seyd lady was by a man of his, and a noþer of Fenyngley, to wete if sche hard ony tydyngys fro Coventré, and no oþer maner of langage. How be it I vnderstand he woll not be straunge to falle jn wyth you a-geyn, and also that he woll not hurte you jn your bargeyn if ye coude be frendely dysposed to hym ward as ye have ben; for wyth-oute a frendelyhood of your parte hym semeth he schuld not gretely help you jn your bargeyn, so I fele hym. He leueth sum-qwhat a-loffe, and not vtterly malycyous a-yens you. The cyrcumstans of oure talkyng were to long to wryte, and ther-for I expresse the substauns as I conceyve, &c. As for my lord Fortescu, we comond wyth hym seuerally, and for to wryte all thyng of oure comonyng it were to long; but jn conclusyon we vnderstand his good lordschip to you wardys, and all his fauour wyth trouth, for that is his seyng. I desyred William Jeney to calle vppon the maters jn lawe for the ward, &c., and he avyseth me to leve this terme and to take avysement a-yens the nexst terme, &c., and also I thynk it so best whyll my lord Chaunceler hath take it jn rewle, &c., to whom we purpose to ryde and comon wyth jn all maters, &c. As for tydyngys, my Lord Ryuers was brought to Caleys and by-for the lordys wyth viij xx torches, and there my lord of Salesbury reheted hym, callyng hym knaves son that he schuld be so rude to calle hym and these oþer lordys traytours, for they schull be found the Kyngys treue liege men whan he schuld be found a traytour, &c. And my lord of Warrewyk reheted hym and seyd that his fader was but a squyer and broute vp wyth Kyng Herry the vte, and sethen hym-self made by maryage and also made lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche langage of lordys beyng of the Kyngys blood. And my lord of Marche reheted hym jn lyke wyse, and Ser Antony was reheted for his langage of all iij lordys jn lyke wyse.
Item, the Kyng cometh to London ward, and as it is seyd rereth the pepyll as he com; but þis is certayn, ther be comyssyons made jn-to dyuers schyres that euery man be redy jn his best aray to com whan the Kyng send for hem. plus jn tergo.
Item, my Lord Roos is com fro Gynes. No more, but we pray to Jesu have you jn his most mercyfull kepyng, amen. Wretyn at London the Monday next after Seynt Powle Day.
ȝwre broder Willyam Paston Thomas Playter
Item, send us heder a letter be-tymys, þat it may be here be that tyme we come a-ȝen, for to-morwe we ryde toward myn lord Chancelere. Lethe us haue a letter be that we come a-ȝen, and that will be v days fore he is at Leyseter. ȝeluerton wold be glad to fall in to ȝow be soposyng, for Master Markam hathe sayd playnneley j-now to hym.
to his right worshipfull brother John Paston be þis lettre delyuered.
After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wete that we cam to London vppon the Tewysday by non nexst after oure departour fro Norwich, and sent oure men to jnquyre after my lord Chaunceler and Maister John Stokys and Malmesbury. And as for my lord Chaunceler, he was departed fro London and was redyn to þe Kyng ij dayes or we were come to London; and as we vnderstand he hasted hym to þe Kyng by-cause of my Lord Ryuers takyng at Sandwyche, &c.
And as for Maister John Stokys, he was at Mortelak, wheder we yede and spak wyth hym, and fond by hym by the begynnyng that he had ben labored a-yens you, but by whom we coude not knowyn for he wold not telle; but he sayd he was spoken to by on whiche he coude not remembre þat he schuld take good heed vppon the probat of my maisters wyll how his londys schuld be gyded by-cause there was a thyng ensealed as his wyll which was forged after my maisters decesse, &c. But or we had thus moche of his confessyon we were resonably well jn credens wyth hym; but it was long or we coude fynd hym feythfully dysposed in oure conceytys. and whan we had hym resonably after oure entent, we enfourmyd hym of Yeluerton nedeles wastyng of my maister godys and the mystrust that he had jn hem hom my maister most erthely trustyd, and how his desyre was synglerly to have had the kepyng of Castre and all stuffe wyth-jnne it, and there to have lodged hym-self; and also hou he dede meve my Lady Hevenyngham, &c. Wherfore he avyseth you, for ony wrytyng or citacion that cometh fro my lord of Caunterbury or fro hym, that ye your-self kepe the goodys stylle and lete hym a-lone for the purvyans of all suche wrytyngys or cytacions. We assked hym that, if Yeluerton wold not be refourmed, wheder for the dyscharge of all your concyens a mene mygth be found to a-voyde hym owte of the testament. And he sayd if he be fals to the dede it is a cause resonable, and per-juré is a-noþer cause; and if ye woll Maister Stokys com to Norwiche for the probat, &c., he woll com hym-self or make a comyssyon to oþer persones as ye woll assigne, or ell as many as woll take charge wyth you to make a proxi,be it to me or to sum oþer,and send it hym and ye wyll ther-wyth, and it schall be proved by that mene. And all the fauour þat may be don for you schall be don.
And to your bargeyn he woll owe and do all the fauour that he may wyth trouthe, and it schall not nede no wytnesse to youre bargeyn wyth- oute ther be a contradiccion; and if ther be a contradiccion iij or iiij wytnesse is j-now. And he hath no conceyte in Yeluerton as now, and also but lytyll jn Fenyngley for the seruyce that he oweth to my lord Tresorer, and oþer causes whiche we expresse not for cause of long wrytyng. And he avysed vs to go speke wyth my Lord Chaunceler and Lord Beauchamp to wete wheder they woll take ony charge or not, and to lete hym have knoweletch of ther dysposycion. And he geveth you leve wyth a-noþer executour, or wyth youre owyn clerk, to mynystre and geve almesse at his perill. And if he schuld com heder he had lever to com thes Fastegong tyde or after Esterne than jn Lenton, but jn Lenton he schall com if ye thynk it expedyent. And ther-for send vs word as ye woll we desyre hym jn that poynt if it lyke you.
Item, ser, William Worceter was com to London ij dayes or we were com, but we can not aspye openly that he maketh ony labour, nor prevely nouther, be no maner of harkenyng nor be no maner of talkyng; for I, Playter, have comonyd wyth hym and he seyth rygth not, savyng that he woll be rewarded for his long trewe seruice of my maisters good and lyke as my maister promyssed hym by his lyffe. And euer more whan I sey vn-to hym that it may not be gaynseyd but as touchyng to al my maister lond jn Norffolk and Suffolk it is his wyll and suffycyant prove ther-vppon that ye schuld have it, &c., and than he answereth and prayeth me no more to speke of that mater for he vnderstand no ... covenaunt, &c.; and more can I not gete of hym. But for God I fele by hym jn my conceyte that he may help to save and gete a ml marc or to ml marc which wyth-oute his help may not be saved, as he seyth. And to fele hym wheder he lyed or seyd soth, I asked hym wheder he wold take that which mygth not be saved wyth-owte his help for his reward, and he sayd ya, wyth good wyll; and therfor wey ye all, &c.
Item, Ser Phelyp Wentworth acte is passed the Kyng, whiche I doute not mygth not a be with-oute my lord Chaunceler good wyll and assent; and William Worceter sueth to have a copy therof, whiche he mygth have had of me if he had lyst, &c.
Item, ser, I Playter speke wyth Maister Yeluerton, and he taketh it gretely to dysplesour that it was noysed that he and William Wayte schuld have labored to an endyted Maister Th. Howys; for he seyth for ony anger he wold not do so, and if he mygth wete that W. Wayte labored it he schuld neuer do hym seruice. And as touchyng to the provokyng that my Lady Hevenyngham schuld sewe forth for Castre, he seyth he neuer thougth it, but the sendyng to my seyd lady was by a man of his, and a noþer of Fenyngley, to wete if sche hard ony tydyngys fro Coventré, and no oþer maner of langage. How be it I vnderstand he woll not be straunge to falle jn wyth you a-geyn, and also that he woll not hurte you jn your bargeyn if ye coude be frendely dysposed to hym ward as ye have ben; for wyth-oute a frendelyhood of your parte hym semeth he schuld not gretely help you jn your bargeyn, so I fele hym. He leueth sum-qwhat a-loffe, and not vtterly malycyous a-yens you. The cyrcumstans of oure talkyng were to long to wryte, and ther-for I expresse the substauns as I conceyve, &c. As for my lord Fortescu, we comond wyth hym seuerally, and for to wryte all thyng of oure comonyng it were to long; but jn conclusyon we vnderstand his good lordschip to you wardys, and all his fauour wyth trouth, for that is his seyng. I desyred William Jeney to calle vppon the maters jn lawe for the ward, &c., and he avyseth me to leve this terme and to take avysement a-yens the nexst terme, &c., and also I thynk it so best whyll my lord Chaunceler hath take it jn rewle, &c., to whom we purpose to ryde and comon wyth jn all maters, &c. As for tydyngys, my Lord Ryuers was brought to Caleys and by-for the lordys wyth viij xx torches, and there my lord of Salesbury reheted hym, callyng hym knaves son that he schuld be so rude to calle hym and these oþer lordys traytours, for they schull be found the Kyngys treue liege men whan he schuld be found a traytour, &c. And my lord of Warrewyk reheted hym and seyd that his fader was but a squyer and broute vp wyth Kyng Herry the vte, and sethen hym-self made by maryage and also made lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche langage of lordys beyng of the Kyngys blood. And my lord of Marche reheted hym jn lyke wyse, and Ser Antony was reheted for his langage of all iij lordys jn lyke wyse.
Item, the Kyng cometh to London ward, and as it is seyd rereth the pepyll as he com; but þis is certayn, ther be comyssyons made jn-to dyuers schyres that euery man be redy jn his best aray to com whan the Kyng send for hem. plus jn tergo.
Item, my Lord Roos is com fro Gynes. No more, but we pray to Jesu have you jn his most mercyfull kepyng, amen. Wretyn at London the Monday next after Seynt Powle Day.
ȝwre broder Willyam Paston Thomas Playter
Item, send us heder a letter be-tymys, þat it may be here be that tyme we come a-ȝen, for to-morwe we ryde toward myn lord Chancelere. Lethe us haue a letter be that we come a-ȝen, and that will be v days fore he is at Leyseter. ȝeluerton wold be glad to fall in to ȝow be soposyng, for Master Markam hathe sayd playnneley j-now to hym.
to his right worshipful brother John Paston be þis letter delivered.
After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wait that we cam to London vppon the Tewysday by no nexst after our departour from Norwich, and sent our men to jnquyre after my lord Chancellor and Master John Stokys and Malmesbury. And as for my lord Chancellor, he was departed from London and was ridden to þe King two days or we were come to London; and as we vnderstand he hasted him to þe King by-cause of my Lord Ryuers takyng at Sandwich, etc..
And as for Master John Stokys, he was at Mortlake, wheder we Went and spoke with him, and fond by him by the begynnyng that he had [be/been] labored a-yens you, but by whom we coude not knowyn for he would not telle; but he sayd he was spoken to by on whiche he coude not remembre þat he schuld take good heed vppon the probat of my maisters wyll how his londys schuld be gyded by-cause there was a thing ensealed as his wyll which was forged after my maisters decesse, etc.. But or we had thus much of his confessyon we were resonably well jn credens with him; but it was long or we coude fynd him feythfully dysposed in our conceytys. and whan we had him resonably after our entent, we enfourmyd him of Yeluerton nedeles wastyng of my master godys and the mystrust that he had jn hem hom my master most erthely trustyd, and how his desyre was synglerly to have had the keeping of Caister-on-Sea and all stuffe with-jnne it, and there to have lodged him-self; and also hou he did meve my Lady Hevenyngham, etc.. Wherfore he avyseth you, for [any/only] wrytyng or citacion that cometh from my lord of Caunterbury or from him, that you your-self keep the goodys stylle and let him a-lone for the purvyans of all suche wrytyngys or cytacions. We assked him that, if Yeluerton would not be refourmed, wheder for the dyscharge of all your concyens a mene might be found to a-voyde him owte of the testament. And he sayd if he be fals to the did it is a cause resonable, and per-juré is a-noþer cause; and if you will Master Stokys come to Norwich for the probat, etc.., he will come him-self or make a comyssyon to oþer persones as you will assigne, or ell as many as will take charge with you to make a proxi,be it to me or to sum oþer,and send it him and you wyll there-with, and it schall be proved by that mene. And all the fauour þat may be done for you schall be done.
And to your bargain he will owe and do all the fauour that he may with truth, and it schall not need no wytnesse to your bargain with- oute there be a contradiccion; and if there be a contradiccion three or iiij wytnesse is j-now. And he has no conceyte in Yeluerton as now, and also but lytyll jn Fenyngley for the seruyce that he owes to my lord Tresorer, and oþer causes whiche we expresse not for cause of long wrytyng. And he avysed vs to go speak with my Lord Chancellor and Lord Beauchamp to wait wheder they will take [any/only] charge or not, and to let him have knoweletch of there dysposycion. And he geveth you leve with a-noþer executour, or with your own clerk, to mynystre and geve almesse at his perill. And if he schuld come heder he had lever to come thes Fastegong tyde or after Esterne than jn Lenton, but jn Lenton he schall come if you thynk it expedyent. And there-for send vs word as you will we desyre him jn that poynt if it like you.
Item, sir, William Worceter was come to London two days or we were come, but we can not aspye openly that he makes [any/only] labour, nor prevely nouther, be no manner of harkenyng nor be no manner of talkyng; for I, Playter, have comonyd with him and he said right not, savyng that he will be rewarded for his long true seruice of my maisters good and like as my master promyssed him by his lyffe. And ever more whan I sey vn-to him that it may not be gaynseyd but as touching to al my master land jn Norfolk and Suffolk it is his wyll and suffycyant prove there-vppon that you schuld have it, etc.., and than he answereth and prayeth me no more to speak of that matter for he vnderstand no ... covenaunt, etc..; and more can I not gete of him. But for God I fele by him jn my conceyte that he may help to save and gete a ml marc or to ml marc which with-oute his help may not be saved, as he said. And to fele him wheder he lyed or said soth, I asked him wheder he would take that which might not be saved with-owte his help for his reward, and he sayd ya, with good wyll; and therefore wey you all, etc..
Item, Sir Phelyp Wentworth acte is passed the King, whiche I doute not might not a be with-oute my lord Chancellor good wyll and assent; and William Worceter sueth to have a copy thereof, whiche he might have had of me if he had [please/wish], etc..
Item, sir, I Playter speak with Master Yeluerton, and he taketh it gretely to dysplesour that it was noysed that he and William Wayte schuld have labored to an endyted Master Th. Howys; for he said for [any/only] anger he would not do so, and if he might wait that W. Wayte labored it he schuld neuer do him seruice. And as touching to the provokyng that my Lady Hevenyngham schuld sewe forth for Caister-on-Sea, he said he neuer thougth it, but the sendyng to my said lady was by a man of his, and a noþer of Fenyngley, to wait if sche hard [any/only] tydyngys from Coventry, and no oþer manner of language. How be it I vnderstand he will not be straunge to fallen jn with you a-geyn, and also that he will not hurt you jn your bargain if you coude be frendely dysposed to him ward as you have [be/been]; for with-oute a frendelyhood of your parte him semeth he schuld not gretely help you jn your bargain, so I fele him. He leueth sum-qwhat a-loffe, and not vtterly malycyous a-yens you. The cyrcumstans of our talkyng were to long to write, and there-for I expresse the substauns as I conceive, etc.. As for my lord Fortescu, we comond with him seuerally, and for to write all thing of our comonyng it were to long; but jn conclusyon we vnderstand his good lordschip to you wardys, and all his fauour with trouth, for that is his seyng. I desyred William Jeney to calle vppon the maters jn law for the ward, etc.., and he avyseth me to leve this terme and to take avysement a-yens the nexst terme, etc.., and also I thynk it so best while my lord Chancellor has take it jn rewle, etc.., to whom we purpose to ryde and comon with jn all maters, etc.. As for tydyngys, my Lord Ryuers was brought to Calais and by-for the lordys with viij xx torches, and there my lord of Salesbury reheted him, calling him knaves son that he schuld be so rude to calle him and these oþer lordys traytours, for they schull be found the Kyngys treue liege men whan he schuld be found a traytour, etc.. And my lord of Warrewyk reheted him and said that his father was but a squyer and broute vp with King Herry the vte, and sethen him-self made by maryage and also made lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche language of lordys beyng of the Kyngys blood. And my lord of Marche reheted him jn like wise, and Sir Antony was reheted for his language of all three lordys jn like wise.
Item, the King cometh to London ward, and as it is said rereth the pepyll as he come; but þis is certayn, there be comyssyons made jn-to dyuers schyres that euery man be ready jn his best aray to come whan the King send for hem. plus jn tergo.
Item, my Lord Roos is come from Guines. No more, but we pray to Jesu have you jn his most mercyfull keeping, amen. Written at London the Monday next after Saint Powle Day.
ȝwre broder Willyam Paston Thomas Playter
Item, send us heder a letter be-tymys, þat it may be [here/her] be that time we come a-ȝen, for to-morwe we ryde toward [mine/my] lord Chancelere. Lethe us have a letter be that we come a-ȝen, and that will be v days fore he is at Leicester. ȝeluerton would be glad to fall in to ȝow be soposyng, for Master Markam hathe sayd playnneley j-now to him.
For delivery to my respected brother, John Paston.
As advised, this is to let you know that we arrived in London by midday Tuesday after we'd left Norwich, and sent our men to ask after the Lord Chancellor, John Stokes and Malmesbury. The Lord Chancellor had left London to see the King two days before we arrived in London; we understand he went to see the King urgently because of the capture of Lord Rivers at Sandwich.
As for John Stokes, he was at Mortlake, where we went to speak with him, and found that from the outset someone had spoken against you to him – who it was we couldn't find out, as he wouldn't say; he said he had been spoken to by someone who he couldn't remember about the probate of the will, how his lands should be dealt with because something had been forged in his will after my master Falstaff's death, and so on.
Until we heard this from him we were reasonably in agreement with him, but it was some time before we could get him to understand our concern. When we felt he understood us, we told him of Yelverton's needless wasting of our master's goods and the mistrust he had in those my master really trusted, and how his desire was just to have Caister and its contents for himself and to live there himself, and also how he had influenced Lady Heveningham and so on. He advised you to keep any writing or citation that comes from the Archbishop of Canterbury notwithstanding, that you keep the goods and leave him alone, ignoring such documents and citations. We asked him if Yelverton couldn't be persuaded otherwise, whether in order to deal with your concerns means might be found to remove him as an executor. He said that if he was unreliable it would be a reason, and perjury would be another reason; if you wanted Mr Stokes to come to Norwich for the probate and so on, he will come himself or commission other people that you wish to assign, or otherwise as many as will take your charge to make a proxy, be it to me or some other, and send it to him as you wish and it will be proved in that way. All that can be done to support you will be done.
In respect of your agreement, he will do his best to be straightforward, and it won't need a witness to your agreement unless there is an objection and if there is an objection three or four witnesses are enough. He has no good opinion of Yelverton at present and little for Fenyngley because of the service he owes to the Lord Treasurer and other reasons which I won't write about because it would take too long. He advised me to go and speak to the Lord Chancellor and Lord Beauchamp to see if they wanted to be involved or not and to let him know what they thought. He gives you permission with another executor or with your own clerk, to minister and gives alms and he will take responsibility. And if he is to come to see you he has a better opportunity at Fastingtide or after Easter rather than during Lent, but he will come in Lent if you think it necessary. So you should let him know if you want to take up the offer.
Item, William Worcester arrived in London two days ahead of us, but we can't find any clear signs that he is plotting, nor can we hear or find out about any secret plans of his; for Playter and I spoke with him, and he said nothing at all, except that he wants to be rewarded for his long and faithful service in respect of his master's estate: that's what his master had promised. When I said to him that it couldn't be denied, that in respect of his master's land in Norfolk and Suffolk, it was his wish, clearly proven, that you should have it, he replied by asking me not to talk about it any more, because he knows nothing of a [...] covenant, and I can't get anything more out of him. But I think, before God, he could help us to get hold of a thousand or two marks which we couldn't get without his help, so he claims. To see if he was lying or telling the truth, I asked him if he would take as a reward anything we could not get without his help, and he said yes, willingly, so we should think about it.
Item, Sir Philip Wentworth's act is passed by the King, which I don't think would have happened without the Lord Chancellor's agreement; William Worcester is trying to obtain a copy of it, which he could have had from me if he had wished.
Item, I, Playter, spoke with Master Yelverton and he was annoyed that it was being said that he and William Worcester had been trying to bring an accusation against the Rev Thomas Howes, as he angrily said he wouldn't do so, and if he knew that W. Wayte was trying to do it, he would never do anything for him. In respect of the idea that Lady Heveningham should try for Caister, he never thought it, but the sending to my lady was by one of his men, and another of Fenyngley's, to find out if she had any information from Coventry or any other talk. However, I gather he won't be against coming on your side again and he won't hurt you in respect of the covenant if you are friendly towards him as you have been; without friendliness on your part, it seems he won't help you much with your agreement, I feel. He stays somewhat aloof and not completely malicious against you. The circumstances of our talking are too long to relate here, so I'm telling you as I see it.
As for Lord Fortescue, we talked with him a lot, and to write all that was said would again take too long; to summarise, we understand his good lordship towards you, and his acceptance of truth, as that is what he is saying. I asked William to take up the matters in law for the ward and so on, and he advised me to leave it this term and to take it up next term; I think that's the best thing to do while my Lord Chancellor considers the legal aspects, we intend to ride to see him and talk to him about everything.
As for news, Lord Rivers was taken to Calais and brought before the lords with 160 torches, and there Lord Salisbury berated him, calling him the son of a knave because he was rude enough to have called these other lords traitors, for they will be found to be true servants of the King and that he was the traitor. Lord Warwick berated him and said his father was only a squire and part of the retinue of King Henry V, and advanced himself to being a lord by marriage, and he was out of order to speak in that way about the lords of the King's blood. Lord March berated him similarly, and likewise, Sir Anthony was berated for the way he had spoken about these three lords.
Item, the King is on his way to London, and it is said he gathers the people on his way. It's certain that they are making sure in many counties that everyone is properly dressed, and ready for when the King sends for them.
Please turn over.
Item, Lord Roos has come from Gynes. That will do for the moment, but we ask Jesus to have you in his most merciful keeping. Written in London the Monday after St Paul's Day.
Your brother, William Paston, and
Thomas Playter
Item, send us a letter here when convenient so that it is here by the time we are back; tomorrow we ride to see the Lord Chancellor. Let us have a letter by the time we are back, which will be in five days, as he is in Leicester. Yelverton will be pleased to fall in with you I suppose, because Mr Markam has clearly told him to.