A Johan Paston, Esquyer, soit done.
Worshypfull and weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weet that I sente yow a letter and a rynge with a dyamond, in whyche letter ye myght well conceyve what I wold ye scholde do with the same rynge, with menye other tydyngs and thyngs whyche I prayed yowe to have doon for me, whyche letter Botoner had the beryng off. It is so nowe that I undrestond that he is owther deed or ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am ryght hevye, and am not serteyn whethyr the seyd lettyr and rynge come to yowr handys or nott. I wolde nott that letter wer seyn with some folkys; wherffor I praye yow take good heede hoghe that letter comythe to yowr handys, hooll or brokyn, and in especiall I praye yow gete it, iff ye have it nott.
Also I praye yow feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards, and whethyr she toke any dysplesur at my langage, or mokkyd, or dysdeyned my words whyche I hadd to hyr at Yarmothe, be twyen the place wher I ffyrst mett with hyr and hyr lodgyng, ffor my Lady Brandon and Syr William[156-2] also axhyd me what words I had had to hyr at that tyme. They seyd that my Lady seyde I gaff hyr ther off,] and that I sholde have seyde that my Lady was worthye to have a Lords soon in hyr belye, ffor she cowde cheryshe itt, and dele warlye with it; in trowthe owther the same or words moche lyke I had to hyr, whyche wordys I ment as I seyde. They seye to that I seyde she toke hyr ease. Also I scholde have seyde that my Ladye was off satur goode, and had sydes longe and large, so that I was in goode hope she sholde ber a fayr chylde; he was nott lacyd nor bracyd ine to hys peyn, but that she left hym rome to pleye hym in. And they seye that I seyde my Lady was large and grete, and that itt sholde have rome inow to goo owt att; and thus whyther my Lady mokk me, or theye, I woote nott. I mente weell by my trowthe to hyr, and to that she is with, as any he that owythe heer best wyll in Ingelond.
Iff ye can by any meed weete whethyr my Ladye take it to dysplesur or nowt, or whether she thynke I mokkyd hyr, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my selffe, I pray yow sende me worde; ffor I weet nott whethyr I maye trust thys Lady Brandon or nott.
Item, as ffor tydyngs nowe, heer be but ffewe, saff that, as I undrestande, imbassators off Bretayne shall come to London to morawe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryverse and Scayls, shall hastelye come home; and men seye that ther is many off the sowders that went to hym into Bretayne been dede off the fflyxe, and other ipedemye, and that the remenant sholde come hom with the Lorde Skalys. And som seye that thees imbassators come ffor moor men. And thys daye rennyth a tale that the Duke of Bretayne sholde be ded. I beleeff it not.
I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns; I do and shall doo that is possible in suche a neede.
Also I canne nott undrestand that my Lord off Norffolk shall come heer thys tyme; wherffor I am in a greet agonye howe is best ffor me to sue to hym ffor rehavyng off my place; that goode Lorde weet full lytell how moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode or worshyp it dothe hym. I praye yow sende me yowr advyce. No moor to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at London the iiij. daye off Novembre, anno E. iiijti xij{o}. I feer me that idelnesse ledyth yowr reyne; I praye yow rather remembre Sir Hughe Levernoys tyll yowr hauke come.
JOHN PASTON, K.
A Johan Paston, Esquyer, soit done.
Worshypfull and weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weet that I sente yow a letter and a rynge with a dyamond, in whyche letter ye myght well conceyve what I wold ye scholde do with the same rynge, with menye other tydyngs and thyngs whyche I prayed yowe to have doon for me, whyche letter Botoner had the beryng off. It is so nowe that I undrestond that he is owther deed or ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am ryght hevye, and am not serteyn whethyr the seyd lettyr and rynge come to yowr handys or nott. I wolde nott that letter wer seyn with some folkys; wherffor I praye yow take good heede hoghe that letter comythe to yowr handys, hooll or brokyn, and in especiall I praye yow gete it, iff ye have it nott.
Also I praye yow feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards, and whethyr she toke any dysplesur at my langage, or mokkyd, or dysdeyned my words whyche I hadd to hyr at Yarmothe, be twyen the place wher I ffyrst mett with hyr and hyr lodgyng, ffor my Lady Brandon and Syr William[156-2] also axhyd me what words I had had to hyr at that tyme. They seyd that my Lady seyde I gaff hyr ther off,] and that I sholde have seyde that my Lady was worthye to have a Lords soon in hyr belye, ffor she cowde cheryshe itt, and dele warlye with it; in trowthe owther the same or words moche lyke I had to hyr, whyche wordys I ment as I seyde. They seye to that I seyde she toke hyr ease. Also I scholde have seyde that my Ladye was off satur goode, and had sydes longe and large, so that I was in goode hope she sholde ber a fayr chylde; he was nott lacyd nor bracyd ine to hys peyn, but that she left hym rome to pleye hym in. And they seye that I seyde my Lady was large and grete, and that itt sholde have rome inow to goo owt att; and thus whyther my Lady mokk me, or theye, I woote nott. I mente weell by my trowthe to hyr, and to that she is with, as any he that owythe heer best wyll in Ingelond.
Iff ye can by any meed weete whethyr my Ladye take it to dysplesur or nowt, or whether she thynke I mokkyd hyr, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my selffe, I pray yow sende me worde; ffor I weet nott whethyr I maye trust thys Lady Brandon or nott.
Item, as ffor tydyngs nowe, heer be but ffewe, saff that, as I undrestande, imbassators off Bretayne shall come to London to morawe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryverse and Scayls, shall hastelye come home; and men seye that ther is many off the sowders that went to hym into Bretayne been dede off the fflyxe, and other ipedemye, and that the remenant sholde come hom with the Lorde Skalys. And som seye that thees imbassators come ffor moor men. And thys daye rennyth a tale that the Duke of Bretayne sholde be ded. I beleeff it not.
I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns; I do and shall doo that is possible in suche a neede.
Also I canne nott undrestand that my Lord off Norffolk shall come heer thys tyme; wherffor I am in a greet agonye howe is best ffor me to sue to hym ffor rehavyng off my place; that goode Lorde weet full lytell how moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode or worshyp it dothe hym. I praye yow sende me yowr advyce. No moor to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at London the iiij. daye off Novembre, anno E. iiijti xij{o}. I feer me that idelnesse ledyth yowr reyne; I praye yow rather remembre Sir Hughe Levernoys tyll yowr hauke come.
JOHN PASTON, K.
A Johan Paston, Esquyer, soit done.
Worshypfull and weell belovyd brother, I recomand me to yow, letyng yow weet that I sente yow a letter and a rynge with a dyamond, in whyche letter ye myght well conceyve what I wold ye scholde do with the same rynge, with menye other tydyngs and thyngs whyche I prayed yowe to have doon for me, whyche letter Botoner had the beryng off. It is so nowe that I undrestond that he is owther deed or ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am ryght hevye, and am not serteyn whethyr the seyd lettyr and rynge come to yowr handys or nott. I wolde nott that letter wer seyn with some folkys; wherffor I praye yow take good heede hoghe that letter comythe to yowr handys, hooll or brokyn, and in especiall I praye yow gete it, iff ye have it nott.
Also I praye yow feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards, and whethyr she toke any dysplesur at my langage, or mokkyd, or dysdeyned my words whyche I hadd to hyr at Yarmothe, be twyen the place wher I ffyrst mett with hyr and hyr lodgyng, ffor my Lady Brandon and Syr William[156-2] also axhyd me what words I had had to hyr at that tyme. They seyd that my Lady seyde I gaff hyr ther off,] and that I sholde have seyde that my Lady was worthye to have a Lords soon in hyr belye, ffor she cowde cheryshe itt, and dele warlye with it; in trowthe owther the same or words moche lyke I had to hyr, whyche wordys I ment as I seyde. They seye to that I seyde she toke hyr ease. Also I scholde have seyde that my Ladye was off satur goode, and had sydes longe and large, so that I was in goode hope she sholde ber a fayr chylde; he was nott lacyd nor bracyd ine to hys peyn, but that she left hym rome to pleye hym in. And they seye that I seyde my Lady was large and grete, and that itt sholde have rome inow to goo owt att; and thus whyther my Lady mokk me, or theye, I woote nott. I mente weell by my trowthe to hyr, and to that she is with, as any he that owythe heer best wyll in Ingelond.
Iff ye can by any meed weete whethyr my Ladye take it to dysplesur or nowt, or whether she thynke I mokkyd hyr, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my selffe, I pray yow sende me worde; ffor I weet nott whethyr I maye trust thys Lady Brandon or nott.
Item, as ffor tydyngs nowe, heer be but ffewe, saff that, as I undrestande, imbassators off Bretayne shall come to London to morawe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryverse and Scayls, shall hastelye come home; and men seye that ther is many off the sowders that went to hym into Bretayne been dede off the fflyxe, and other ipedemye, and that the remenant sholde come hom with the Lorde Skalys. And som seye that thees imbassators come ffor moor men. And thys daye rennyth a tale that the Duke of Bretayne sholde be ded. I beleeff it not.
I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns; I do and shall doo that is possible in suche a neede.
Also I canne nott undrestand that my Lord off Norffolk shall come heer thys tyme; wherffor I am in a greet agonye howe is best ffor me to sue to hym ffor rehavyng off my place; that goode Lorde weet full lytell how moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode or worshyp it dothe hym. I praye yow sende me yowr advyce. No moor to yow at thys tyme, but God have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at London the iiij. daye off Novembre, anno E. iiijti xij{o}. I feer me that idelnesse ledyth yowr reyne; I praye yow rather remembre Sir Hughe Levernoys tyll yowr hauke come.
JOHN PASTON, K.
A Johan Paston, Esquyer, soit done.
Worshipful and weell beloved brother, I recomand me to you, letyng you weet that I sente you a letter and a rynge with a dyamond, in which letter you might well conceive what I would you scholde do with the same rynge, with menye other tidings and thyngs which I prayed yowe to have doon for me, which letter Botoner had the beryng off. It is so now that I undrestond that he is owther deed or ellys harde eskapyd, wheroff I am right hevye, and am not serteyn whethyr the said lettyr and rynge come to your handys or not. I would not that letter wer say with some folkys; wherffor I praye you take good heede hoghe that letter comythe to your handys, hooll or brokyn, and in especiall I praye you gete it, iff you have it not.
Also I praye you feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards, and whethyr she toke any dysplesur at my language, or mokkyd, or dysdeyned my words which I hadd to hyr at Great Yarmouth, be twyen the place where I ffyrst mett with hyr and hyr lodgyng, ffor my Lady Brandon and Syr William[156-2] also axhyd me what words I had had to hyr at that time. They said that my Lady said I gaff hyr there off,] and that I sholde have said that my Lady was worthye to have a Lords soon in hyr belye, ffor she cowde cheryshe it, and dele warlye with it; in trowthe owther the same or words much like I had to hyr, which wordys I ment as I said. They seye to that I said she toke hyr ease. Also I scholde have said that my Ladye was off stature good, and had sydes long and large, so that I was in good hope she sholde ber a fair chylde; he was not lacyd nor bracyd ine to his peyn, but that she left him rome to pleye him in. And they seye that I said my Lady was large and greet, and that it sholde have rome inow to goo out at; and thus whyther my Lady mokk me, or theye, I woote not. I mente weell by my trowthe to hyr, and to that she is with, as any he that owythe hear best wyll in Ingelond.
Iff you can by any meed weete whethyr my Ladye take it to dysplesur or nowt, or whether she thynke I mokkyd hyr, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my selffe, I pray you send me word; ffor I weet not whethyr I maye trust thys Lady Brandon or not.
Item, as ffor tidings now, hear be but ffewe, saff that, as I undrestande, imbassators off Bretayne shall come to London to morawe, and men seye that the Lorde Ryverse and Scayls, shall hastelye come home; and men seye that there is many off the sowders that went to him into Bretayne been did off the fflyxe, and other epidemics, and that the remenant sholde come hom with the Lorde Skalys. And som seye that thees imbassators come ffor moor men. And thys day rennyth a tale that the Duke of Bretayne sholde be ded. I beleeff it not.
I sent you word off an hawke; I herde not from you syns; I do and shall do that is possible in suche a neede.
Also I canne not undrestand that my Lord off Norfolk shall come hear thys time; wherffor I am in a greet agonye howe is best ffor me to sue to him ffor rehavyng off my place; that good Lorde weet full lytell how much harme he doothe me, and how lytell good or worshyp it dothe him. I praye you send me your advyce. No moor to you at thys time, but God have you in His keeping.
Written at London the iiij. day off Novembre, anno E. iiijti xij{o}. I feer me that idelnesse ledyth your reyne; I praye you rather remembre Sir Hughe Levernoys until your hauke come.
JOHN PASTON, K.
To John Paston esq
Beloved brother – just to let you know that I sent you a letter and a diamond ring and what you should do with this ring, with much another news and things I wanted you to do for me in the letter which Botoner delivered. It is only now that I realise that sadly he is either dead or else has escaped so I am not sure if the letter and the ring got to you. I didn't want the letter to be seen by anyone else- find out if the letter has arrived – whole or opened- and get it if you can if you don't have it.
Also find out how Lady Norfolk feels towards me and whether she took offence at the conversation we had near her lodgings in Yarmouth. My Lady Brandon and Sir William also wanted to know what was said. They said that my Lady said I mocked her and I had said she was worthy to be carrying a Lord's son and would look after him well. They said that I had said she looked well enough to bear a fair child for he can't have been restricted in 'his pen' and had plenty of room to play and that I said that my Lady was large with broad hips and was taking things easy. I don't know if they were mocking me. I meant well and wish her the best of any in England.
If you can by any means find out if my Lady was upset or not, or whether she thinks I was mocking her or being lewd, for I don't know if I can trust Lady Brandon or not.
Note: Not much news from here except that the Brittany Ambassadors will go to London tomorrow and they say that Lord Rivers and Scales will hurry home. They say that many of their soldiers have died of the flux and other epidemics and the remainder should come home with Lord Scales. Some say the Ambassadors come for reinforcements. Some say that the Duke of Brittany is dead but I don't believe it.
I sent word of a hawk – I haven't heard from you since – I shall do all I can
I can't understand why my Lord Norfolk should come here at this time – I am in great agony as to how best to sue him for retaking Caister – the Good Lord knows how much harm he has done me and how little good it has done him. I pray you send me your advice . No more now – God keep you.
Written on the 4th November 1472.
I fear that you are ruled by idleness – remember Sir Hugh Levernoys until your hawk arrives… (this refers to a local folk tale that warns against idleness)
