To hys rythe worchypfwll broder, John Paston.
Rythe reverent and worchypfwl broder, I recomawnde to yow, certyfyyng yow that yowr letter was delyveryd to me the xxiii. day of Januar abowthe none seasson, and Rychard Calle rode in the mornyng, and therfor I brak yowr letter, if ther wer any aftr mater; and I dede Christofer Hauswan goo to my Lord of Cawnterbure to tell him, as yowr letter rehersyd, and my Lord seyd he hadde spokyn with yowr man ther of the day be fore, and if the Byshop of Norwyche wod not doo so mwche for him, he hys the les behold to him. Notwithstandyng, he sayd, he wold save yow harmles agens John Yowng; but and ye do well remember thys Lord have many maters to thynge on, and if it be forgeten, the harm is yowrs, and also if the word torn, John Yong will not doo at hys prayer.
And my Lord Fitzwater is ryden northewards, and it is sayd in my Lord of Cawnterberys howse that he hethe takyn ijc. of Andrew Troloppys men. And as for Colt, and Sir Jamys Strangwysse and Sir Thomas Pykeryng, they be takyn or ellys dede. The comyn voysse is that they be de dede. Hopton and Hastyngs be with the Erle of Marche, and wer no at the fewlde. Wat word that ever he have fro my Lords that be here, it is well doo, and best for yow, to see that the contre be allweys redy to come bothe fote men and hors men, qwen they be sent for; for I have herd seyde the ferthere Lords will be here soner that men wen, I have arde sayde, er iij. weks to an ende; and also that ye xwld come with more men, and clenlier arayed than anoder man of yowr cwntre xwld, for it ly the more up on yowr worchyp, and towcheythe yow more nere than odermen of that cwntre, and also ye be mor had in favor with my Lords here. In this cwntre every man is well wyllyng to goo with my Lords here, and I hope God xall helpe hem, for the pepill in the northe robbe and styll, and ben apoyntyd to pill all thys cwntre, and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre, and that wyll ask a myscheffe. My Lords that ben here have as moche as they may do to kep down all thys cwntre more than iiij. or v. schers, for they wold be up on the men in northe, for it ys for the welle of all the sowthe.
I pray yow recomawnde me to my moder, and that I prayed her of her blyssyng. I pray yow exscwse me to her that I wryte her no letter, for thys was y now a doo. I dare not pray yow to recomawnde me to my swster yowr wyff, and the masenger I trow be so wysse he can not doyt. Ye mwst pay him for hys labor, for he taryd all nyt in thys town for thys letter.
Wrytyn the xxiij. day of Janware in haste, wan I was not well at hesse. God have you in Hys keping.
By CLEMENT PASTON,
Yowr broder.
To hys rythe worchypfwll broder, John Paston.
Rythe reverent and worchypfwl broder, I recomawnde to yow, certyfyyng yow that yowr letter was delyveryd to me the xxiii. day of Januar abowthe none seasson, and Rychard Calle rode in the mornyng, and therfor I brak yowr letter, if ther wer any aftr mater; and I dede Christofer Hauswan goo to my Lord of Cawnterbure to tell him, as yowr letter rehersyd, and my Lord seyd he hadde spokyn with yowr man ther of the day be fore, and if the Byshop of Norwyche wod not doo so mwche for him, he hys the les behold to him. Notwithstandyng, he sayd, he wold save yow harmles agens John Yowng; but and ye do well remember thys Lord have many maters to thynge on, and if it be forgeten, the harm is yowrs, and also if the word torn, John Yong will not doo at hys prayer.
And my Lord Fitzwater is ryden northewards, and it is sayd in my Lord of Cawnterberys howse that he hethe takyn ijc. of Andrew Troloppys men. And as for Colt, and Sir Jamys Strangwysse and Sir Thomas Pykeryng, they be takyn or ellys dede. The comyn voysse is that they be de dede. Hopton and Hastyngs be with the Erle of Marche, and wer no at the fewlde. Wat word that ever he have fro my Lords that be here, it is well doo, and best for yow, to see that the contre be allweys redy to come bothe fote men and hors men, qwen they be sent for; for I have herd seyde the ferthere Lords will be here soner that men wen, I have arde sayde, er iij. weks to an ende; and also that ye xwld come with more men, and clenlier arayed than anoder man of yowr cwntre xwld, for it ly the more up on yowr worchyp, and towcheythe yow more nere than odermen of that cwntre, and also ye be mor had in favor with my Lords here. In this cwntre every man is well wyllyng to goo with my Lords here, and I hope God xall helpe hem, for the pepill in the northe robbe and styll, and ben apoyntyd to pill all thys cwntre, and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre, and that wyll ask a myscheffe. My Lords that ben here have as moche as they may do to kep down all thys cwntre more than iiij. or v. schers, for they wold be up on the men in northe, for it ys for the welle of all the sowthe.
I pray yow recomawnde me to my moder, and that I prayed her of her blyssyng. I pray yow exscwse me to her that I wryte her no letter, for thys was y now a doo. I dare not pray yow to recomawnde me to my swster yowr wyff, and the masenger I trow be so wysse he can not doyt. Ye mwst pay him for hys labor, for he taryd all nyt in thys town for thys letter.
Wrytyn the xxiij. day of Janware in haste, wan I was not well at hesse. God have you in Hys keping.
By CLEMENT PASTON,
Yowr broder.
To hys rythe worchypfwll broder, John Paston.
Rythe reverent and worchypfwl broder, I recomawnde to yow, certyfyyng yow that yowr letter was delyveryd to me the xxiii. day of Januar abowthe none seasson, and Rychard Calle rode in the mornyng, and therfor I brak yowr letter, if ther wer any aftr mater; and I dede Christofer Hauswan goo to my Lord of Cawnterbure to tell him, as yowr letter rehersyd, and my Lord seyd he hadde spokyn with yowr man ther of the day be fore, and if the Byshop of Norwyche wod not doo so mwche for him, he hys the les behold to him. Notwithstandyng, he sayd, he wold save yow harmles agens John Yowng; but and ye do well remember thys Lord have many maters to thynge on, and if it be forgeten, the harm is yowrs, and also if the word torn, John Yong will not doo at hys prayer.
And my Lord Fitzwater is ryden northewards, and it is sayd in my Lord of Cawnterberys howse that he hethe takyn ijc. of Andrew Troloppys men. And as for Colt, and Sir Jamys Strangwysse and Sir Thomas Pykeryng, they be takyn or ellys dede. The comyn voysse is that they be de dede. Hopton and Hastyngs be with the Erle of Marche, and wer no at the fewlde. Wat word that ever he have fro my Lords that be here, it is well doo, and best for yow, to see that the contre be allweys redy to come bothe fote men and hors men, qwen they be sent for; for I have herd seyde the ferthere Lords will be here soner that men wen, I have arde sayde, er iij. weks to an ende; and also that ye xwld come with more men, and clenlier arayed than anoder man of yowr cwntre xwld, for it ly the more up on yowr worchyp, and towcheythe yow more nere than odermen of that cwntre, and also ye be mor had in favor with my Lords here. In this cwntre every man is well wyllyng to goo with my Lords here, and I hope God xall helpe hem, for the pepill in the northe robbe and styll, and ben apoyntyd to pill all thys cwntre, and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre, and that wyll ask a myscheffe. My Lords that ben here have as moche as they may do to kep down all thys cwntre more than iiij. or v. schers, for they wold be up on the men in northe, for it ys for the welle of all the sowthe.
I pray yow recomawnde me to my moder, and that I prayed her of her blyssyng. I pray yow exscwse me to her that I wryte her no letter, for thys was y now a doo. I dare not pray yow to recomawnde me to my swster yowr wyff, and the masenger I trow be so wysse he can not doyt. Ye mwst pay him for hys labor, for he taryd all nyt in thys town for thys letter.
Wrytyn the xxiij. day of Janware in haste, wan I was not well at hesse. God have you in Hys keping.
By CLEMENT PASTON,
Yowr broder.
To his rythe worchypfwll broder, John Paston.
Rythe reverent and worchypfwl broder, I recomawnde to you, certyfyyng you that your letter was delivered to me the xxiii. day of Januar abowthe none seasson, and Rychard Calle rode in the mornyng, and therefore I opened your letter, if there wer any aftr matter; and I did Christofer Hauswan goo to my Lord of Cawnterbure to tell him, as your letter rehersyd, and my Lord said he had spokyn with your man there of the day be fore, and if the Byshop of Norwich wod not do so mwche for him, he his the les behold to him. Notwithstandyng, he sayd, he would save you harmles against John Yowng; but and you do well remember thys Lord have many maters to thynge on, and if it be forgeten, the harm is yowrs, and also if the word torn, John Yong will not do at his prayer.
And my Lord Fitzwater is ryden northewards, and it is sayd in my Lord of Cawnterberys howse that he hethe taken twoc. of Andrew Troloppys men. And as for Colt, and Sir Jamys Strangwysse and Sir Thomas Pykeryng, they be taken or ellys did. The comyn voysse is that they be de did. Hopton and Hastyngs be with the Earl of Marche, and wer no at the fewlde. Wat word that ever he have from my Lords that be [here/her], it is well do, and best for you, to see that the contre be allweys ready to come both foot men and hors men, qwen they be sent for; for I have herd said the ferthere Lords will be [here/her] soner that men wen, I have arde sayde, er three. weks to an ende; and also that you xwld come with more men, and clenlier arayed than anoder man of your cwntre xwld, for it ly the more up on your worchyp, and towcheythe you more nere than odermen of that cwntre, and also you be more had in favor with my Lords [here/her]. In this cwntre every man is well wyllyng to goo with my Lords [here/her], and I hope God xall helpe hem, for the pepill in the northe robbe and styll, and [be/been] apoyntyd to pill all thys cwntre, and gyffe a way menys goods and lufflods in all the sowthe cwntre, and that wyll ask a myscheffe. My Lords that [be/been] [here/her] have as much as they may do to kep down all thys cwntre more than iiij. or v. schers, for they would be up on the men in northe, for it is for the well of all the sowthe.
I pray you recomawnde me to my mother, and that I prayed her of her blessing. I pray you exscwse me to her that I write her no letter, for thys was y now a do. I dare not pray you to recomawnde me to my swster your wyff, and the masenger I trow be so wysse he can not doyt. You mwst pay him for his labor, for he taryd all nyt in thys town for thys letter.
Wrytyn the xxiij. day of Janware in haste, wan I was not well at hesse. God have you in His keping.
By CLEMENT PASTON,
Your broder.
To his respected brother, John Paston.
Dear honoured brother, my best wishes to you, confirming that your letter was delivered to me on the 23rd January about noon, and that Richard Calle left in the morning, and so I opened your letter to see if there were any matters to deal with; I ordered Christopher Hauswan to go to my Lord of Canterbury to tell him what your letter said, and my Lord said he he had spoken to your man about it the day before, and if the Bishop of Norwich wouldn't do it for him, he is less in debt to him. Notwithstanding, he said he would not blame you in respect of John Young; but you would do well to remember that this Lord has many things to think about, and if he forgets about it, it will hurt you, and if circumstances change, John Young won't do what he has been asked to do.
My Lord Fitzwalter has ridden northward, and it is said by my Lord of Canterbury's men that he has captured 200 of Andrew Trollope's men. As for Thomas Colt, Sir James Strangeways and Sir Thomas Pickering, they are captured or dead. The general opinion is that they are dead.
Hopton and Hastings are with the Earl of Marche and were not in the battle. The Lords that are here think the job has been well done, and is best for you to see that in your area there are foot soldiers and horse soldiers ready to come when they are sent for, for I have heard that the Lords from further away will be here sooner than men think; I have heard that it will be within three weeks. You should come with more men, and better organised than others from your county, for it it is more your responsibility and applies to you more than others from that part of the world, and you'll be more in favour with the Lords here. In this part of the world everyone is willing to serve with my Lords here, and I hope God will help them, for the people in the north rob and steal, and have been organised to pillage all this country, and and take away many goods and livelihoods in all the south country, and that is asking for trouble. My Lords that have been here have had as much trouble as they can manage to keep all this area under control, more than four or five shires. They want to have an advantage on the men in the north, for it is for the benefit of all the south.
Please remember me to my mother and I ask for her blessing. Please ask her to excuse me not writing to her, for this is enough for me to do. I daren't ask you to remember me to my sister, your wife, and I think the messenger can't do so. You must pay him for his work, because he waited all night in this town for this letter.
Written the 23rd day of January, in a rush, when I was ill at ease. God have you in His keeping.
Clement Paston, your brother
