<B CMPRIV>
<Q M4 XX CORP SHILLET>
<N LET TO FELLOWS>
<A SHILLINGFORD JOHN>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D SO>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H PROF>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^SAMPLE 1:

SHILLINGFORD, JOHN.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
LETTERS AND PAPERS OF JOHN SHILLINGFORD,
MAYOR OF EXETER 1447-50.
CAMDEN SOCIETY, N.S. II. 
ED. S. A. MOORE. 
NEW YORK, 1965 (1871). 
PP. 8.10 - 17.32 (IV) (SHILLET)

SAMPLE 2:

PASTON, CLEMENT.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
PASTON LETTERS AND PAPERS OF THE FIFTEENTH
CENTURY, PART I.
ED. N. DAVIS. 
OXFORD: CLARENDON PRESS, 1971. 
PP. 199.1 - 200.43 (116) (CPASTON)
PP. 201.1 - 202.44 (117)
PP. 203.1 - 204.41 (119)

PASTON, MARGARET.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
Idem.
PP. 221.1 - 223.89 (128) (MPASTON)
PP. 224.1 - 225.71 (129)
PP. 231.1 - 233.81 (132)

PASTON, JOHN.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
Idem.
PP. 439.1 - 441.74 (263) (JPASTON)
PP. 449.1 - 450.52 (269)
SAMPLE 3:

MULL, THOMAS.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
THE STONOR LETTERS AND PAPERS, 1290-1483,
VOLS. I-II.
CAMDEN SOCIETY, THIRD SERIES, XXIX-XXX. 
ED. C. L. KINGSFORD. 
LONDON, 1919. 
I, PP. 125.25 - 127.15 (123) (TMULL)
I, PP. 127.16 - 128.30 (124)

STONOR, ELIZABETH.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
Idem.
II, PP. 10.20 - 11.35 (169) (ESTONOR)
II, PP. 13.20 - 15.28 (172)
II, PP. 18.24 - 19.36 (176) 
II, PP. 22.1  - 23.6  (180)

BETSON, THOMAS.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
Idem.
II, PP. 6.15  - 8.21 (166) (BETSON)
II, PP. 46.22 - 48.4 (211) 
II, PP. 53.1  - 54.8 (216) 
II, PP. 63.25 - 65.2 (224)

SAMPLE 4:

CELY, GEORGE.
TEXT:  LETTER(S).
THE CELY LETTERS 1472-1488.
EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY, 273.
ED. A. HANHAM.
LONDON, 1975.
P.  43.1 - 43.26 (46) (GCELY)
PP. 82.1 - 83.26 (93)
PP. 96.1 - 98.74 (109) 

CELY, RICHARD (THE YOUNGER).
Idem.
PP. 106.1 - 107.52 (117) (RCELY)
PP. 150.1 - 153.96 (165)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 8>
[} [\SHILLINGFORD TO HIS FELLOWS\] }]
[} [\LONDON, 2 NOV. 1447\] }]

   [{Worthy Sires, as yn the other letter &c. y grete yow       #
w{]ell
alle. Yn the whiche letter y wrote to yow that y hadde a dey to
<P 9>
appere before the lordis for [{oure mater the Fridey next ther  #
after;
and for as moche as{] my lord Chaunceller bade the Justyse to   #
dyner
ayenst that same day for [{oure mater, seyyng that he sholde    #
have a 
dys{] of salt fisshe; y hiryng this, y didde as me thoght       #
aughte to be
done, and by avys [{of the Justise and of oure counseill, and   #
sende{]
thider that day ij. stately pikerellis and ij. stately          #
tenchis, for the
whiche my [{lord Chaunceller cowde right grete thank{]ys and    #
made
right moche therof hardely; for hit came yn gode seson, for my
lordis [{the Duke of Bokyngham, the Markis{] of Southfolke and  #
other,
Bysshoppis divers dyned with my lord Chaunceller tha[{t dey.    #
But{]
as touchyng the laboure and spede of oure mater that day, hit   #
was
by my seide lorde ajorned over yn to the [{morun{] Saterdey     #
for these
causis that a grete disputacion was be fore my lorde yn his     #
chapell
at Lambeth for pre[{chyng of{] Bysshoppis. And the seide        #
lordis that
same Friday were there at diner. And the Justise came not there
that day; but the same Friday after mete y was with the         #
Justise by
longe tyme and yn gode leisure to comyne of oure mater. Y fynde
hym a gode man and well willed yn oure right, and like to have  #
the
grete rule of the mater, as yn the other letter. And he bade me
move of some gode meene to ende the mater. Y seide ayen, savyng
his commaundement, y cowde no skyll theryn ne to speke ne move
of menys, ne hit was not my part so to do; for hit wolde seme   #
if y
so didde, that y hadde doute of oure right, where y have right  #
none,
but we woll dwelle and abide thereapoun and go no ferther; but
if eny man wolde move of eny meene, hit was my part to hire and
so to reporte, &c. But furthermore y seide that fro ij.         #
thyngis w=t=
oure gode will we wolde never departe; that the churche and     #
cimitere,
as that they calle synt Stevyn is fe, is parcel of the cite and
ever hath be and shall be; and that we have a vyw and alle that
to belongeth, and they right none, ne never hadde ne shall      #
have but
<P 10>
ever w=t= ynne the jurisdiccion and under the correccion        #
and punysshment
of the cite, &c. He seide that they claymed a viw and that 
they hadde used moche thyng, &c. and he seide hit was aunsion   #
demene.
And y seide nay, and proved hit by Domesday, and so were
on grete argamentes by longe tyme, to longe to write: all hit   #
was to
tempte me w=t= laghynge chere. Y seide they hadde no more but 
sympell Court Baron, if they so hadde. He seide that every man
myght have of his awne tenantis and aske no man no leve, &c. Y
seide how sholde they have more; they have no olde grauntis of
kynges, ne clayme none allowance yn Eyere, ne instrument to do
punysshement of that that longethe to a lete. He seide hit was  #
a fe
called of olde tyme. Y seide yee, as suche fees as beth ther on
towne, and reherced hym of vij. and that alle were parcell of   #
the
cite: and among other y rehersed hym of Seynt Nicholas fe. He
seide lete the Bisshoppis fe be as Seynt Nicholas fe is. Y      #
seide, if
hit pleased hym, nay, hit myght not be so; for Seynt Nicholas   #
fe, y
called Haroldis fe, is graunt of olde kyngis and                #
confirmaciouns, &c.
He seide the Bisshop hadde the same. Y seide nay that I never
knyw ne sigh, and if that they so hadde, lete hit be shewed and
but hit be answered hit sholde ende the mater. Then he moved of
divers menys and abstynance of arestis. Y seide when the last   #
grete
debate was of the suburbis w=t= oute Este yeate, of whiche      #
debate he
was cause of an ende by a recompence, atte ende of whiche mater
hit was desired for to have an abstynance, but none y graunted  #
but
under this fourme, that the Maier that tyme beyng, and every    #
man
that hadde be Maier and like to be Maier, promysed on his       #
feith to
forbere of arestis on the Churche for certyn ouris, alle that   #
they
myght godely, and sithenes hadde they no cause resonable to     #
complaine;
and y seide this was a grete thynge as me thoght. He seide
nay for that that sholde be attis tyme sholde be do by          #
writynge for
a perpetual pees. Then he asked of me of this mene; if we wolde
absteyne us and forbere of arrestis of alle men of habite       #
servantis
familiars knawed without any fraude generally. Y seide, if hit
<P 11>
pleased hym, nay; for hit was better the last terme before      #
this, that
we sholde forbere of arrestis but yn tyme of doyng of divine    #
servys
of men of habite, servantis familiars and theire Baillyffs      #
knawed, &c.
and of alle other as on Sent Paull is Chirche at London. He     #
seide hit
was soth, and asked ayen if we wold forbere and absteyne and    #
be recompensed
therfor, and we to have the viw and alle that longeth therto
generally, as well on the fe as, &c. and so to make arrestis    #
w=t= ynne the
fe, as y conceved hym, and to forbere alle other arrestis w=t=  #
ynne his
tenementis of the seide fe and to be recompensed &c. and the    #
Bisshop
to have his courtis of his awne tenantis and to holde plees of  #
gretter
somme thenne Court Baron xl s. and spake of xl marke. Apon
this mene he stiked faste, and thoghte hit was resonable and    #
ever
asked of me divers tymes what y wolde seye therto, all as y     #
conceve
to tempte me, and to concente to a mene, &c. and then y seide   #
"My
lorde, if hit please you, ye shall have me exscused to          #
answere," &c.
for thogh me thoght that hit were a mene resonable y dar not    #
sey 
yee, thogh y have power, for the mater toucheth a grete         #
comminalte 
as well as me, and so that y dar not seye yn to tyme that y     #
have
spoke w=t= my felowship at home: and y seide, "My lorde, for    #
as moche
as y conceve right well that this mater, if hit ende attis      #
tyme, hit is
like to ende by a mene, hit is my part to hire and to reporte,  #
&c. but
be the mene never so resonable to conclude with yow, thogh y    #
have
power ynogh, y beseche yow of youre gode lordship to have me
exscused therof yn to tyme y have be at home with my felowship,
or of tham here with me vj. or vij. for other wyse woll y       #
never conclude
with my gode will," &c. He seide ayen, "Ye didde theron as
right a wise man," and so departyd, &c. The morun Saterday y
came to Westminster to kepe my day as hit is aboveseid. Y       #
spake 
with my lorde Chaunceller. He adjorned hit over yn to Soneday,
and afterward fro Soneday yn to Moneday; for the Justises dyned
with the Maier of London that Sonday. The Moneday y maier,
<P 12>
Bluet, Hody, Dourissh, Germyn and Speere with me come to        #
Lambeth
to my lord, and ther was at that day atte dyner with my lord
the ij. chif justises, and so we appered before them; and for   #
oure
party advers Kys, Hengston, More, Wode and Wolston. My lord
hym self furst moved the mater to the Chif Justises, so that    #
the Chif
Justise seide the mater stondeth thus: that as to the           #
compleyntis of
the Bisshop Deane and Chapitre, hit is answered, repplyed and   #
rejoyned,
and as moche do therynne as may be do; and as touchynge
the compleyntes of the maier and comminalte, the whiche them
semeth grevous, beth not yet answered, and them semeth, &c. My
lord Chauncellor therwith sodenly went right to the justises    #
bothen,
and called to hym Nicholas Ayssheton at that tyme beynge there,
and leide theire iiij. heddis negh to gedder and comyned to     #
geder
right privyly a grete while, and alle as y conceve and as hit   #
proved
afterwardis that the answeris to oure articulis not to be       #
spoke of.
After that my lorde toke his cheire and the justises sate with  #
hym,
and bothe parties with theire consell kneled before. My lord    #
asked
how we last departed and therapoun stomped a grete while. My
lord asked the bokis. He seide that his were on Kent is warde.  #
He
asked of oure party advers theire bokis: they wolde be knawe of
none yn no wyse. And y mayer, seide yes, with moche more
therto, &c. and how my lordis commaundement was at London, and
aggrementis at home yn the chaptry hous, that oure articulis
sholde be answered or we proceded any ferder, y praynge my      #
lorde
that so, &c. My lord was loth therto and the justises bothe. My
lorde seide furste merily of Vaspasianus. And y seide that that
was no mater of oure compleyntis, but y putte yn to prive what  #
the
cite was of olde tyme; and then my lord seide some what         #
strangely
and sharpely that oure articulis many were maters of noyse and
desclaunder, and forto answere them hit wolde be cause of more
<P 13>
grucchynge and yvell wyll. And y seide, "Yf eny suche be, lete  #
tham
be leide apart, and tho that beth substancialle grete and       #
grevous to
us, and somme cause and begynnyng of alle this debate, lete     #
tham
be so answered:" and y reherced iij. yn especiall, oone of the  #
Dyme,
another of the feloun that toke the bysshoppis fe, and          #
afterwarde of
the churche, and the coroners ylette, &c. and of the toure on   #
the
bisshoppis gardyn, &c. The chif justise seyde as tochynge the   #
articulis
of bothe parties, that there were maters amendis to be made to
ayther party, and that were longe to do, and that hit myght be  #
don
as well after as before, and that he hadde sey somme of oure    #
articulis 
ij. in especiall, oone of the Deme, another of the feloun       #
aboveseide;
and seide that us semed that they were grevous to us.           #
Whereapoun
my lord spake of the bokis to us ayen; and y seide that my 
bokis were alle redy. And my lord bade to leye ham forth; and   #
so
we didde the articulis. They were but litell y radde ne take    #
kepe
to. Thenne as touchyng the deme, Hengston seide that he wolde
right well that the deme were payed with us, as hit aughte to   #
be,
and hath be of olde tyme; but we didde not so, but sette hit    #
and
called none of the bysshoppis tenantis to us. Y saide nay, and
made a longe rehersall therof fro kyng Edwardis tyme ynto this  #
dey,
how and under what fourme hit was don of olde tyme, how         #
sithenes,
and how now, and how late they sette with ynne tham self, and
kept the mony and yet kepeth, and that sholde be well y proved.
My lorde seide that as touchynge the settynge we were alle      #
most 
accordyd theryn. Then seide Hengston lightly as touchynge       #
settynge
and kepyng of the mony of the deme, hit shall be sone answered;
he menyng of Upton is tyme y wote right well, as y seide
to yow at home. Y seyde to Hengston as lightly ayen, "As sone
hit sholde be repplied and truly with the grace of god." Then   #
my
lord asked furste of that other party if they hadde full        #
auctorite and
power and wolde consente to menys: and they seide anone with
<P 14>
gode wille, yee for theire part. My lorde asked of me, Maier,   #
if
we wolde the same. Y seide as touchyng the power we hadde       #
sufficiant
and y nogh; as touchyng to menys, y bisoghte hym of his
lordship that y myght go apart to comyne with my felowship and
oure conseill there at that tyme; and so y didde, and yeaf an   #
answere.
Hody hadde the wordis of power as above; and as touchyng
the menys with this condicion that oure articulis were          #
answered,
that we wolde aggre to suche menys as they lordis wolde rule    #
us to.
Then hit was no more at that tyme but the articulis most be     #
answered;
and as loth as they were to answere, and hadde no bokis
as hit is abovesayde. Then they aggreed ham to bryng yn the     #
answere
the morun. Y seide they hadde seide dyvers tymes that
they hadde olde charters, evidences, and munymentis to ende the
mater; and y seide if they so hadde to bryng ham yn, and but    #
they
were answered to ende, &c. Hengston seide moche and strongely
because y seide they hadde suche charters. Y seide yee, and     #
avowed
hit well they seide so. He seide that they hadde olde           #
recordis, &c.
and y saide as above. Hengston honged sore to have a lete and a
grete courte, and y traversed hym ever, and seide to hym moche
thynge, and yn especiall that they never hadde instrument, and
reherced what that belongeth to a lete. Hengston seide but      #
litell
therto, but made wyse as thogh hit were yes; but Wode seide     #
that
they hadde olde wrytinge to have hit, and spake no more at all  #
that
tyme. Hengston seide openly that Radeford and he hadde          #
communicacion
at home of this mater, and were well negh accorded; and
my lord seide, "Wolde god hit hadde be so," and yet "Wolde hit
were so, for oure discharge." Y, Mayer, seide y knywe well and  #
was
spoke to of suche a communicacion; but what the privyte and the
menyng was y myghte not knowe, and yf y hadde hit sholde have
be never the werce but the better; and so we departed,          #
stondyng a
<P 15>
fer fro my lorde, and he asked wyne and sende me his awne cuppe
and to no moo. Y wende right to my lord ayen before them alle,
and spake with my lorde prively a grete whiles of divers        #
maters, and
among other of thys blynde entrety that Hengston spake of, y    #
seyynge
to my lorde verily that this blynde entrety growith of my
lorde of Excetre as y supposed. Wherfor and for as moche as
Hengston seide yn his presence that Radeforde and he were negh
accorded: y bysoghte my lorde, as me thoght his part was, and   #
to
ende the mater the rather to knowe of the communicacion, &c. My
lorde seide y moved hym right well and sholde have goddis       #
blessyng
and his, and seide he wolde do so, &c. and so we toke oure      #
leve and
departed fro my lord and my lordis alle. My lord at this tyme
didde me moche worsship, and openly yn the communicacion        #
aboveseyde
commended me for my gode rule at home, and yn especiall for
the grete favo=r= that y have do to men of the churche,         #
hongyng this
debate; and furthermore he of his awne mocion yn the            #
communicacion
aboveseid spake openly of the letter that he send home to the
bysshop by me, seiyng these wordes, "Maier, apon the            #
communicacion
that y hadde with yow here y send home a letter by yow to
my brother of Excetre, the whiche y hoped sholde have do moche
gode and cause of spede the rather ende of the mater." Y seide,
"My lorde, that is true, and y have do my due diligent part     #
therto,
after youre commaundement by my trauthe." Y seyde more to Kys
these wordis, "Kis, ye seide to me at home that y didde and     #
seide
moche thynge more there then my lorddis commaundement was,
sey ye here be fore my lorde what hit was; and y truste to God  #
and
my lorde is gode lordship that my lord will avowe me on alle    #
thyng
that y didde and seide." My lorde sate stille a while, and Kys
knelyng spake never a word, and thus passed over. Hengston
among the maters abovesayd seyde moche more than is above       #
writyn
as touchyng the towre that stont on the bysshoppis gardyn,      #
seiyng
that that towre stode upon the bisshoppis grounde, and the      #
bisshop
<P 16>
sum tyme hadde his prison yn that towre, and that we repaired   #
hit
never, as is write on oure articulis: atte last hit was seide   #
by their
party that parcell of the towre stode upon the bisshoppis       #
grounde as
hit appereth openly there; they menyng by a wall and kernellis
stondynge withoute the towre and thiknys of the towne walle,    #
toward
the bisshoppis gardyn and annexed to the towre and towne
wallis, &c.    
   The morun tuysday al Halwyn yeven y receyved the answeris to
oure articulis at Westminster of the whiche y sende yow a true  #
copy,
yn the whiche articulis as hit appereth they have spatte out    #
the
uttmyst and worste venym that they cowde seye or thynke by me;
y blessed be God hit is nother felony, ne treson, ne grete      #
trespas,
and thogh hit hadde be, so they wolde have don, and werce yf    #
they
cowde: but as for trawthe of the mater that tocheth me, meny
worthy man stondeth on the same cas and have do moche werce    
than ever y didde, thogh that be to me none exscuse. As         #
touchyng
the grete venym that they menyth of my lyvyng, y may and        #
purpose
be at my purge, as y may right well apon my sawle of alle
wymmen alyve excepte oone, and of hire righte a grete while;    #
therfor
y take right noght by and sey sadly (\si recte vivas, &c.\) and #
am right
mery and fare right well, ever thankyng God and myn awne purse.
And y liyng on my bedde atte writyng of this right yerly,       #
myryly
syngyng a myry song, and that ys this, Come no more at oure     #
hous,
come, come, come. Y woll not dye nor for sorowe ne for anger,
but be myry and fare right well, while y have mony; but that ys
and like to be scarce with me, considerynge the bisynesse and   #
coste 
that y have hadde: and like to have: and yet y hadde with me xx #
li.
and more by my trauthe; wherof of trauthe not right moche y     #
spende
yet, but like &c. Constre ye what ye will. Item, Thomas         #
Montagew sholde sende me xj li. and odde mony as he wote well   #
and
can telle yowe: and y supposed that John Germyn sholde have
broght to me all most x li. all this of myne awne gode; wherof
<P 17>
cometh to me no peny. Wherfor y sende home to yow attis tyme
William Hampton, berer of this writyng, for this cause most     #
specially
that ye, how that ever ye do, sende me xx li. yn hast, as
ye wolle the spede of youre mater and welfare of the cite, y    #
not
shamed but pleased attis tyme; and that ye faill yn no wyse,    #
mervaillyng
moche, for as moche as y departed fro yow with oute eny
mony of youris, that ye ne hadde sende to me sithenesse some    #
mony
by Germyn, Kyrton, or some other man, &c.
   Forthermore as tochyng the seide answeris, y pray yow that   #
they
be well redely avysely and distinctely over radde and the       #
substance
of them right well understonde, and most speciall the furste    #
articule,
the whiche ys most and right harde to answere, and that oure
Recorder have knoweliche of all thyng that y have write home yf
he be here as y suppose attis tyme, and but yf he be, to sende  #
home
to hym in hast; so that y have youre conceyt witte and entente  #
to
repplye to the seide answeris, and to the furste most           #
specyally,
whiche is derke to my conceyte as yet; but y truste to God hit  #
shall
be right well with youre gode enformacion and helpe therto: to
whiche entent y sende yow a rolle yn the whiche is conteyned
copies of Domus Dey, copy of Eyris, of charters and other       #
thynges
that is necessary to be seye yn makyng of thes repplicacions. Y #
can
no more attis tyme, but y pray you to be not wery to over rede  #
hire
and se all the writyng that y have sende home to yow attis      #
tyme;
and yf ye be, no mervaill thogh y be wery, &c. and God be w=t=  #
yow.
y-writen at London yn alle Sawlyn day afore day yn hast. Item,  #
y
pray you to sende me the blak rolle whiche shall be delyvered   #
to
yow by Thomas Montegow, by William Hampton berer of this        #
writyng,
the which is a man true ynogh as y truste and suppose and
hath borwys for his office, lete them be pryvy to, yf yow, that #
hit is
to be do.
   (^Indorsed.^) A letter of certificatt from John              #
Shillingford, Maior,
of his doinges at London.
 
<S SAMPLE 2>

<Q M4 XX CORP CPASTON>
<N LET TO BROTHER>
<A PASTON CLEMENT>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y -20>
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 199>
[} [\116. TO JOHN PASTON I\] }]
[} [\1461, 25 AUGUST\] }]
[}TO HIJS RYTHE REUERENT AND WORCHYPFWLL BRODER JOHN PASTON}]

   Rythe reuerent and worchypfwll broder, I recomawnde me to    #
+gowre good
broderhood, desieryng to herre of +goure welfare and good       #
prosperite`,
the qwyche I pray God encresse to his pleswre and +gowre        #
hertys hesse;
certyfyyng +gow +tat I haue spok wyth John Rwsse, and Playter   #
spak wyth
him bothe, on Fryday be-fore Seynt Barthelmw. And he told vs of
Howardys gydyng, qwyche mad vs rythe sory tyl we harde +te      #
conclusion
+tat +ge hadde non harme. Also I vnderstond by W. Pekok +tat    #
my nevew
hadde knowlache +tere-of also vp-on Saterday nexst be-fore      #
Seynt
Barthelmwe, in +te Kyngys howse. Not wyth-standyng vp-on +te    #
sam day
Playter and I wryte letterys on-to him rehersyng al the mater,  #
fore cause if
+tere were ony questionys mevyd to hym +tere-of +tat he xwlde   #
telle +te
trowthe, in cas +tat +te qwestions were meuyd by ony            #
worchypfwll man,
and namyd my Lord Bowchere, fore my Lord Bowchere was wyth +te
Kyng at +tat tym.
   I fele by W. Pekok +tat my nevew is not +get verily          #
aqweyntyd in +te
Kyngys howse, nore wyth +te officerys of +te Kyngys howse. He   #
is not
<P 200>
takyn as non of +tat howse, fore +te cokys be not charged to    #
serue hym
nore +te sewere to gyue hym no dyche, fore +te sewere wyll not  #
tak no men
no dischys till +tey be comawndyd by +te cownterrollere. Also,  #
he is not
aqueyntyd wyth no body but wyth Wekys, and Wekys ad told hym    #
+tat he
wold bryng hym to +te Kyng; but he hathe not +get do soo.       #
Were-fore it
were best fore hym to tak hijs leve and cum hom, till +ge hadd  #
spok wyth
swm body to helpe hym forthe, fore he is not bold y-now to put  #
forthe
hym-selfe.
   But +tan I consyderyd +tat if he xwld now cum hom +te Kyng   #
wold thyng
+tat wan he xwld doo hym ony seruice sum were, +tat +tan +ge    #
wold haue
hym hom, +te qwyche xwld cause hym not to be hadde in fauore;   #
and
also men wold thynke +tat he were put owte of seruice. Also W.  #
Pekok
tellythe me +tat hijs mony is spent, and not ryotesly but       #
wysly and discretly,
fore +te costys is gretter in +te Kyngys howse qwen he rydythe  #
+tan
+ge wend it hadde be, as Wyllam Pekok can tell +gow. And +tere  #
wee mwst
gett hym i c s. at +te lest, as by Wyllam Pekokys seyyng, and   #
+get +tat will
be to lytill. And I wot well we kan not get xl d. of            #
Cristofyre Hanswm, so
I xall be fayn to lend it him of myn owne siluer. If I knew     #
verily +gour entent
were +tat he xwld cum hom I wold send hym non. There I wyll     #
doo as me
thynkithe +ge xwld be best plesyd, and +tat, me thynkythe, is   #
to send him
+te siluer. +Tere-fore I pray +gow as hastely as +ge may send   #
me a-+gen v
mark, and +te remnawnte I trow I xall gett vp-on Cristofire     #
Hanswm and
Lwket. I pray +gow send me it as hastely as +ge may, fore I     #
xall leue my-selfe
rythe bare; and I pray +gow send me a letter how +ge woll +tat  #
he xall be
demenyd.
   Wrytyn on Twsday after Seynt Barthelmwe, &c. (\Christus vos  #
obseruet.\)
By Cle[{ment Paston{]

<P 200>
[} [\TO JOHN PASTON I: COPY\] }]
[} [\1461, 11 OCTOBER\] }]

<P 201>
   Brother, I recommende me to you, after all dewe              #
recommendacions, &c.
Sir, it was tolde me by rythe a worshipfull man that loveth     #
you rythe well,
and ye him, and ye xall knowe his name here-after, but put all  #
things out
of doubt he is such a man as will not lye. On the xj=th= day    #
of October the
Kinge seid, 'We have sent two privy sealys to Paston by two     #
yeomen of
our chamber, and he disobeyeth +tem; but we will send him       #
a-noder tomorrowe,
and by Gods mercye and if he come not then he xall dye for it.
We will make all oder men beware by him how they xall disobey   #
our
writinge. A servant of our hath made a complainte of him. I     #
cannot thinke
that he hath informed us all truely, yet not for that we will   #
not suffer
him to disobey our writinge; but sithen he disobeyeth our       #
writinge we
may beleve the better his gydinge is as we be informed.' And    #
+terwith he
made a gret a-vowe that if ye come not at the third             #
commandement ye
xulde dye therefore.
   This man that tolde me this is as well learned a man as any  #
is in England.
And the same xj=th= day of October he advised me to send a man  #
to yow
in all the hast that might be to lett yow have knowlache, and   #
that ye
xulde not lett for none excuse, but that ye xulde make the man  #
good cheere
and come as hastily ye might to the Kinge, for he               #
understandeth so much
that the Kinge will kepe his promise. Notwithstanding, by mine  #
advice,
if ye have this letter or the messenger come to you, come to    #
the Kinge
wards or ye meete with him, and when ye come ye must be suer    #
of a great
excuse. Also, if ye doe well, come right stronge, for Howards   #
wife made her
bost that if any of her husbands men might come to yow +ter     #
xulde goe noe
penny for your life; and Howard hath with the Kinge a great     #
felloweship.
<P 202>
   This letter was written the same day that the Kinge said     #
these words,
and the same day that it was told me, and that day was the      #
xj=th= day of
October as abovesaid; and on the next morning send I forth a    #
man to yow
with this letter, and on the same day send the Kinge the third  #
privye seale
to you.
   Alsoe he +tat tolde me this seid that it were better for     #
yow to come upp
then to be fotte out of your house with streingth, and to       #
abide the Kings
judgement +terin, for he will take your contumacy to great      #
displeasure.
Also, as I understand, the Duke of Norffolk hath made a great   #
complaint
of yow to the Kinge, and my Lord of Suffolk and Howard and      #
Wyngfelde
helpe well to every day and call upon the Kinge against yow.
   The Kinge is at this day at Grenewich, and +ter will be      #
still till the
Parliament beginne. Some say he will goe to Walsingham, but     #
Master
Sotyll seid in the Aulle in the Temple that he harde no worde   #
of any such
pilgrimage.
   No more, &c. Written the xj=th= day of October at midnight.
   My nevew John tolde me also that he supposed +ter were out   #
proclamacions
against yow, &c., the same day.
By Clement Paston, your broder

<Q M4 XX CORP CPASTON>
<N LET TO BROTHER>
<A PASTON CLEMENT>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EMO>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y 20-40>
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 203>
[} [\TO JOHN PASTON I\] }]
[} [\1464, 18 APRIL\] }]
[}TO MY RYGTH WORCHYPFULL BRODER JOHN PASTON, SQWYERE}]
 
   Ryght worshypfull brothyre, I recomawnde me to +gow after    #
all dew recomendacions,
&c. Plesse it +gow to wett +tat after +tat I harde say +tat +te
parson of Blowfelde wasse com to town I went to hym to hys jn,  #
and he
bade +te masenger say +tat he wasse not wyth-in. And I bad hym  #
say
a-gayn +tat I com thyder to hym fore hijs own worchype and      #
auayle, and
+tat I wasse sory +tat I com so fere fore hym. And after +tat   #
he sent fore
me and he cowde not fynde me, and I harde say there-of; and     #
+tan I wrott
a letter resytyng how +tat he wasse sworn +gesterday fore to    #
say +te trowthe
of al maner of materis consernyng Sire John Fastolfe, auysyd    #
hym to
remembere qwat hijs wytnesse hadde sayd fore hijs sake and wat  #
schame
it xwlde be to hym to say +te contrary, and also if he sayde    #
+te contrary +ge
wold here-after proue +te trowthe and con[{t{]rary to hys       #
sayyng, and proue
<P 204>
hym in a periuri. And also I badde hym remembere wyth wat       #
maner of men
he delt wythe, and I rehersyd how vntrwly they hadde don. And   #
not
wyth-stondyng thys, after I met wyth hym in +te strett and      #
spak wyth hym,
and I fownde hym passyng strawngely disposyd, and sor meuyd     #
wyth
consiens +tat +ge xwld haue +te lond and fownd +te colage but   #
wyth an c
marc. not wyth-stondyng he myth fynde in hijs consiens rythe    #
well +tat
+te colage xwld be fowndyd in a-noder plasse but wyth an c      #
marc., and +te
remnaunt of +te lylode sold so +tat he myth pwrce +te mony. So  #
I felt
by hym +tat all hijs strawngenes from +gow is fore he demythe   #
+tat +ge wold
parte from no thyng, and I told hym +te co[{n{]trary there-of   #
to be trwe. Az
thys day he is exayminid vp-on a bok to sey +te trowthe of all  #
thyngys as
+te juge wyll aske hym fore +te jugeis jnformacion, wych I      #
trowe wyll not
be good.
   Also they haue pwt jn (^testes^) a+gens +gow iij=xx= ore     #
iiij=xx= men. Mayster
Robard Kent wold fayn +tat +ge xwld gett +gow ij lycens of +te  #
prioris of
+gowre wytnes Mayster Clement and +te monke, wyth on a datt     #
beyng
be-fore +te comyng vp, fore +tat must +ge nedis haue. Also he   #
wold fayn +tat
+ge xwld com to thys towne. Me thowte by Sire Thomas +tat they  #
haue a
swerte` in maner +tat +ge xall haue no lycens fore +gour        #
fundacion, and they
be abowte to gett a lycens to fownde +te colage in a-noder      #
place. Me
thynkythe +tat wold hurte. Here colour is fore cause +ge can    #
gett no lycens
to fownde it at Castere, werfore, thow +gour wyll were trwe,    #
they myth
lawfully fownde it in a-noder place.
   My lord Chawncelere is gone to +Gork and wyll not be here    #
of all thys 
term. Wrytyn on Wednisday nexst be-for Saynt George.
   The Kyng hathe ben in Kent, and there ben endityd many fore  #
Isleis
dethe; and he wyll com to town thys day a-+gen, and he wyl not  #
tary here
but forthe to +Gork straytt.
By Clement Paston

<Q M4 XX CORP MPASTON>
<N LET TO HUSBAND>
<A PASTON MARGARET>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X FEMALE>
<Y X>
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E INT UP>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 220>
[} [\TO JOHN PASTON I\] }]
[} [\1448, APRIL\] }]
[}TO MY RYTH WURCHYPFUL HWSBOND JON PASTON BE +TIS LETTYRE      #
DELYVERYD JN HAST}] 
<P 221>

   Ryth wyrchypful hwsbond, I recomawnd me to +gw, desyryng     #
hertyly to
heryn of +gwr wel-fare, praying +gw to wete +tat I was wyth my  #
Lady Morley
on +te Satyrday nexst after +tat +ge departyd from hens, and    #
told here qhat
answere +tat +ge had of Jon Butt; and sche toke jt ryth         #
straw[{n{]gely and seyd
+tat sche had told +gw and schewyd +gw j-now qhere-by +ge myth  #
have
knowleche +tat +te releve owyth to ben payd to here. And sche   #
seyd sche
wyst wel +tat +ge delay jt for+te +tat sche xuld nowth have     #
+tat longyth to here
ryth. And sche told me hw jt was payd in Thomas Chawmberys      #
tym, qhan
here dowter Hastyngys was weddyd; and sche seyd sythyn +tat     #
+ge wyl make
none end wyth here sche wyl sew +ter-fore as law wyl. I         #
conseyvyd be here +tat
sche had cwnsel to labore a+gens +gw +ter-jn wyth-jn ryth       #
schort tym. And +tan
I prayd here +tat sche wuld vwche-save nowth to labowre a+gens  #
+gw jn +tis
matere tyl +ge kom hom; and sche seyd nay, be here feyth sche   #
wuld no more
days +geve +gw +ter-jn. Sche seyd sche had sett +gw so many     #
days to a-kord
wyth here and +ge had broke +tem +tat sche was ryth wery        #
+ter-of; and sche
seyd sche was but a woman, sche must don be here cownseyl, and  #
here
cwnseyle had avysyd here, and so sche seyd sche wyld do. +Tan   #
I prayd here
a+gyn +tat sche wuld teryn tyl +ge kom hom, and I seyd I        #
trostyd veryly +tat
+ge wuld don qhan +ge kom hom as jtt longyth to +gw to don;     #
and jf +ge myth
have very knowleche +tat sche awyth of ryth for to have jtt, I  #
seyd I wyst
<P 222>
wel +tat +ge wuld pay jt wyth ryth gode wyl, and told here      #
+tat +ge had sergyd
to a fownd wrytyng +ter-of and +ge kwd non fynd in non wyse.    #
And sche
sayd sche wyst wele +ter was wrytyng +ter-of j-now, and sche    #
hath wrytyng
+ter-of hw Syre Robert of Mawthby and Ser Jon and myn           #
grawnsyre, and
dyverse o+ter of myn awnceterys, payd jt and seyd nevyre nay    #
+ter-to. And
jn no wyse I kwd not getyn no grawnth of here to sesyn tyl +ge  #
kom hom.
And sche bad me +tat I xuld don an erund to my moder; and qhan  #
I kam
hom I dede myn erund to here, and sche axyd me jf I had spokyn  #
to my
lady of +tis forseyd matere, and I told here hw I had do and    #
qhat answere I
had. And sche seyd sche xuld gon to my Lady Morle`s on +te      #
nexst day, and
sche xuld speken to here +ter-of and a-say to getyn grawnt of   #
here to sesyn
of +te forsayd matere tyl +tat +ge kom hom. And truly my moder  #
dede here
devere ryth feythfully +ter-jn, as myn cosyn Clere xal tellyn   #
+gw qhan +tat he
spekyth wyth +gw, and sche gete grawnt of my seyd lady +tat     #
+ter xuld nowth
ben don a+gens +gw +ter-jn and +ge wold acordyn wyth here and   #
don as +ge
owyn to do be-twyx +tis tym and Trinyte` Sunday.
   Laveraw[{n{]ce Rede of Mawthby recommaw[{n{]dyth hym to +gu  #
and
prayith +gw +tat +ge wyl vwchesave to leten hym byn of +gw +te  #
ferm barly +tat
+ge xuld have of hym, and jf +ge wyl laten hym have jt to a     #
resonabyl pris he
wyl have jt wyth ryth a gode wyl. And he prayit +gw, jf +ge     #
wyl +tat he have
jt, +tat +ge wyl vwche-save to send hym wurd at qhat pris he    #
xuld have +te
kowmb as hastyly as +ge may, and ellys he must be purvayd in    #
o+ter plase.
   As twchyng o+ter tydyngys I sopose Jon of Dam xal send +gw   #
wurd jn
a letter. As jt js told me veryly, Heydon xal not kom at        #
London +tis term.
It is seyd jn +tis contre` +tat Danyel js owth of +te Kyngys    #
gode grase, and he
xal dwn and all hys mene and all +tat ben hys wele-wyllerys.    #
+Ter xal no man
ben so hardy to don no+ter seyn a+gens my lord of Sowthfolk     #
nere non +tat
longyth to hym; and all +tat han don and seyd a+gens hym, +tey  #
xul sore
repent +tem.
   Kateryn Walsam xal be weddyd on +te Munday nexst after       #
Trinyte`
Sonday, as it is tolde me, to +te galaw[{n{]te wyth +te grete   #
chene; and +ter js
purvayd fore here meche gode aray of gwnys, gyrdelys, and       #
atyrys, and
meche o+ter gode aray. And he hathe purcheysyd a gret purcheys  #
of v mark
be +gere to +gevyn here to here joynture.
   I am aferd +tat Jon of Sparham js so schyttyl-wyttyd +tat    #
he wyl sett hys
gode to morgage to Heydon, or to sum o+ter of vwre gode         #
frendys, but jf I
can hold hym jnne +te better ere +ge kom hom. He hath ben       #
arestyd sythyn
+tat +ge went, and hath had moche sorw at +te sewte of Mayster  #
Jon Stokys
of London for x mark +tat Sparham owyth to hym; and jn gode     #
feyth he
hath had so moche sorow and hevynesse +tat he wyst nowth qhat   #
he myth
don. I felt hym so disposyd +tat he wold a sold and a sett to   #
morgage all
+tat he hath, he had nowth rowth to qhom so +tat he myth an     #
had mony to
<P 223>
an holpyn hym-self wyth. And I entretyd hym so +tatt I sopose   #
he wyl
no+ter sellyn nere sett to morgage no+ter catel nere o+ter      #
gode of hese tyl
he speke wyth +gw. He soposeth +tat al +tat js don to hym js    #
att +te request
of +te parson of Sparham and Knatylsale. I sopose jt is almas   #
to confort
hym, for jn gode feyth he js ryth hevy and hys wyf al-so. He    #
js nowth nw
vnder arest, he hath payd hys feys and goth att large. He was   #
arestyd att
Sparham of on of Knetysalys men.
   Hodge Foke told me +tat Sym Schepherd js styl wyth Wylly,    #
and jf
+ge wyl I xal purvey +tat he xal be browth hom ere +ge kom      #
hom. It js told
me +tat he +tat kepyth +gwr schep was owth-lawyd on Munday at   #
+te swth 
of Ser Thomas Todynham, and jf jt be so +ge arn nowth lyk to    #
kepe hym
longe. And as twchyng +tat +tat +ge bodeyn me spekyn for to     #
Bakton, he seyth
he js wel avysyd +tat sche seyd sche wuld neuer have to done    #
wyth all,
nere he kan not +tenk +tat sche hath non ryth to have jt. And   #
he wyl say
lyche as he hath herd here seyd, and jf sche speke to hym       #
+ter-of he wyll
ra+ter hold wyth +gw +tan wyth here.
   I pray +gw +tat +ge wyl vwche-save to send me wurd hw +ge    #
spede in +gwr
mater twchyng Gressam, and hw Danyel js jn grace. Herry Goneld  #
hath
browth to me xl s. of Gressam syn +ge +gede, and he seyth I     #
xal have more
or Qhythson tyd jf he may pyk jt vp. I sopose Jamys Gressam     #
hath told +gw
of o+ter thyngys +tat I have sped syn +ge +gedyn hens. If I     #
here any straw[{n{]ge
tydyngys in +tis contre` I xall send +gw wurd. I pray +gw +tat  #
I may ben
recommaw[{n{]dyd to my lord Danyel.
   +Te Holy Trynyte` have +gw jn hys kepyng and send +gw helth  #
and gode
spede jn all +gwr materys twchyng +gwr ryth. Wretyn at          #
Norwyche on +te
Wedenys-day nexst after +tatt +ge partyd hens. 
+Gwrys, Margarete Paston
 
<P 223>
[} [\TO JOHN PASTON I\] }]
[} [\1448, 19 MAY\] }]

<P 224>
   Ryght worshipfull husbond, I recomaund me to yow, and prey   #
yow to
wete +tat on Friday last passed be-fore noon, +te parson of     #
Oxened beyng
at messe in our parossh chirche, euyn atte leuacion of +te      #
sakeryng, Jamys
Gloys hadde ben in +te tovne and come homward by Wymondams      #
gate.
And Wymondam stod in his gate and John Norwode his man stod by
hym, and Thomas Hawys his othir man stod in +te strete by +te   #
canell
side. And Jamys Gloys come with his hatte on his hede betwen    #
bothe
his men, as he was wont of custome to do. And whanne Gloys was  #
a-yenst
Wymondham he seid +tus, 'Couere thy heed!' and Gloys seid       #
ageyn,
'So I shall for the.' And whanne Gloys was forther passed by    #
+te space of
iij or iiij strede, Wymondham drew owt his dagger and seid,     #
'Shalt +tow so,
knave?' And +terwith Gloys turned hym and drewe owt his dagger  #
and
defendet hym, fleyng in-to my moderis place; and Wymondham and  #
his
man Hawys kest stonys and dreve Gloys into my moderis place.    #
And Hawys
folwyd into my moderis place and kest a ston as meche as a      #
forthyng lof
into +te halle after Gloys; and +tan ran owt of +te place       #
ageyn. And Gloys
folwyd owt and stod with-owt +te gate, and +tanne Wymondham     #
called
Gloys thef and seid he shuld dye, and Gloys seid he lyed and    #
called hym
charl, and bad hym come hym-self or ell +te best man he hadde,  #
and Gloys
wold answere hym on for on. And +tanne Haweys ran into          #
Wymondhams
place and feched a spere and a swerd, and toke his maister his  #
swerd. And
with +te noise of +tis a-saut and affray my modir and I come    #
owt of +te
chirche from +te sakeryng; and I bad Gloys go in to my moderis  #
place
ageyn, and so he dede. And thanne Wymondham called my moder     #
and me
strong hores, and seid +te Pastons and alle her kyn were        #
[\SOME WORDS LOST\] myngham
[\SOME WORDS LOST\] e seid he lyed, knave and charl as he was.  #
And he had meche large
langage, as ye shall knowe her-after by mowthe.
   After non my modir and I yede to +te Priour of Norwich and   #
told hym
al +tis cas, and +te Priour sent for Wymondham and +terwhyle    #
we yede hom
a-geyn and Pagraue come with vs hom. And whil Wymondham was     #
with
+te Priour, and we were at hom in our places, Gloys stod in     #
+te strete at my 
moderis gate and Hawys aspyed hym +tere as he stod on +te Lady  #
Hastyngis
chambre. A-non he come doun with a tohand swerd and assauted    #
ageyn +te
seid Gloys and Thomas my moderis man, and lete flye a strok at  #
Thomas
with +te sword and rippled his hand with his sword. And as for  #
+te latter
assaut +te parson of Oxened sygh it and wole a-vowe it. And     #
moche more
thyng was do, as Gloys can tell yow by mouthe. And for +te      #
perilx of +tat
<P 225>
myght happe by +tese premysses and +te circumstances +terof to  #
be
eschewed, by +t'aduyse of my modir and o+ter I send yow Gloys   #
to attend
up-on yow for a seson, for ease of myn owen hert; for in good   #
feyth I
wolde not for xl li. haue suyche an-o+ter trouble.
   As touchyng my Lady Morle`, she seith +tat she atte hire     #
will wole haue
+te benyfyce of hire obligacion, for hir counseyll telleth      #
hir, as she seith,
+tat it is forfayt. And she wole not haue the relif til she     #
hath your homage,
&c.
   The Lord Moleyns man gaderyth up +te rent at Gresham a gret  #
pace,
and Jamys Gresham shal telle yow more pleynly +terof at his     #
comyng.
   Nomore at +tis tyme, but Almyghty God haue yow in his        #
kepyng. Wretyn 
in hast on Trynyte` Sunday at euyn.
Yours, Margarete Paston
As touchyng Roger Foke, Gloys shall telle yow all, &c.


   Qwhan Wymdham seyd +tat Jamys xuld dy I seyd to hym +tat I   #
soposyd
+tat he xuld repent hym jf he schlow hym or dede to hym any     #
bodyly harm;
and he seyd nay, he xuld never repent hym ner have a ferdyng    #
wurth of
harm +tow he kelyd +gw and hym bothe. And I seyd +gys, and he   #
sclow +te
lest chylde +tat longyth to +gwr kechyn, and jf he dede he      #
were lyke, I
sopose, to dy for hym. It js told me +tat he xall kom to        #
London jn hast. I
pray +gw be ware hw +ge walkyn jf he be +tere, for he js ful    #
cursyd-hertyd
and lwmysch. I wot wel he wyl not set vp-on +gw manly, but I    #
be-leve he
wyl styrt vp-on +gw or on sum of +gwr men leke a thef. I pray   #
+gw hertyly
+tat +ge late not Jamys kom hom a+gen in non wyse tyl +ge kom   #
home, for myn
hertys ese; for be my trwth I wold not +tat he were hurt, ner   #
non man +tat
longyth to +gw jn +gwr absens for xx pwnd. And in gode feyth    #
he js sore
hatyd both of Wymdam and sum of hys men, and of o+ter +tat      #
Wymdam
tellyth to hys tale as hym lyst, for +ter as Wymdam tellyth     #
hys tale he
makyth hem be-levy[{n{] +tat Jamys js gylty and he no +tyng     #
gylty.
   I pray +gw hertyly here masse and o+ter servys +tat +ge arn  #
bwn to here wyth
a devwt hert, and I hope veryly +tat +ge xal spede ryth wele    #
in all +gwr
materys, be the grase of God. Trust veryly in God and leve hym  #
and serve
hym, and he wyl not deseve +gw. Of all o+ter materys I xall     #
sent +gw wurd
jn hast. 

<P 230> 
[} [\132. TO JOHN PASTON I\] }]  
[} [\1449, 28 FEBRUARY\] }]

<P 231>
   Ryt wurchypful hosbond, I recommawnd me to +gou, desyryng    #
hertyly to
heryn of +gowr wele-fare, be-seching +gou +tat +ge be not       #
displesyd +tow I be
com fro +tat place +tat +ge left me in; for be my trowth +ter   #
were browth me
seche tydyngys be dyuerys personys qhiche ben +gowre            #
wele-willerys and myn
+tat I durst no lengere abyd there, of qhyche personys I xall   #
late +gou have
wetyng qhan +ge com hom. It was done me to wete +tat dyuerys    #
of +te Lord
Moleynys men saydyn jf +tei myt gete me +tey xuld stele me and  #
kepe me
wyth-jnne +te kastell, and +tan +tey seyd +tei wold +tat +ge    #
xuld feche me owth.
An +tei seydyn it xuld ben but a lytyll hert-brenny[{n{]g to    #
+gou. And after
+tat I herd +tese tydyngys I kowd no rest have in myn hert tyl  #
I was here,
nere I durst nowt owt of +te place +tat I was jn tyll +tat I    #
was redy to ryden;
nere +ter was non in +te place wist +tat I xul com +tens save   #
+te godewyf not
an owre be-fore +tat I kam +tens. And I told here +tat I xuld   #
com hedder to
don maken seche gere as I wold haue made for me and for +te     #
childer, and
seyd I sopposyd +tat I xuld be here a fowrtennythe or iij       #
wekys. I pray +gou
+tat +te caws of my komyng away may ben kownsell tyl I speke    #
wyth +gou,
for +tei +tat lete me haue warnyng +ter-of wold not for no      #
good +tat it were
diskuryd.
   I spac wyth +gowr modyr as I kam hidderwardys, and sche      #
profyrd me,
if +ge wold, +tat I xuld abydyn in +tis town. Sche wold wyth    #
ryt+g a good
will +tat we xul abyde in here place, and delyueryn me seche    #
gere as sche
myt for-bere, to kepen wyth hwsold tyl +ge myt+g ben purvayd    #
of a place and
stuff of +gowr owyn to kepe wyth howsold. I pray +gou send me   #
word be +te
brynger of +tis how +ge wil +tat I be demenyd. I wol ben ryt+g  #
sory to dwel
so nere Gressam as I dede tyl +te mater were fully determynyd   #
be-twix +te
Lord Moleynis and +gou.
   Barow told me that +ter ware no better evydens in            #
I[{n{]glond +tan +te Lord
Moleynys hathe of +te maner of Gressam. I told hym I sopposyd   #
+tat +tei
were seche evydens as Willyam Hasard seyd +tat +gowr were: he   #
seyd +te
sellys of hem were not +gett kold. I seyd I sopposyd his        #
lordys evydens were
seche. I seyd I wost wele, as for +gowr evydens, +ter myt+g no  #
man haue non
better +tan +ge have, and I seyd +te selys of hem were to       #
hundred +gere elder
+tan he is. +Te seyd Barow sayd to me if he com to London qhil  #
+ge were
there he wold drynk wyth +gou, for any angyr +tat was be-twyx   #
+gow. He
<P 232>
seyd he dede but as a servaw[{n{]t, and as he was commawndyd    #
to don. Purry
xall tell +gou qhat langage was be-twyx Barow and me qhan I     #
kam fro
Walsy[{n{]gham. I pray +gow hertyly, at +te reverens of God,    #
be ware of +te
Lord Moleynys and his men, +tow +tei speke neuer so fayr to     #
+gou trost hem
not, ne ete not nere drynk wyth hem, for +tei ben so fals it    #
is not for to
trost in hem. And also I pray +gou be ware qhat +ge eten ar     #
drynk wyth any
othere felaschep, for +te pepyll is ful on-trosty.
   I pray +gou hertylye +tat +ge wil vowche-save to send me     #
word how +ge don
and how +ge speden in +gowr materis be +te brynger of this. I   #
merveyl meche
+tat +ge send me nomore tydyngys +tan +ge haue sent.
   Rogere Foke of Sparham sent to me and seythe +tat he dare    #
nott gon owt
of his hows for be kawse of +te sewte +tat Heydon and Wymdam    #
haue a+gens
hem, for he is thrett +tat if he may be gette he xal be ladde   #
to preson.
Heydon sent Spendlove and o+ter to wayte qhere he were, and to  #
arest hym
to +te kastell, and +te forseyd Roger is so aferd +tat his      #
drede makyth hym
so seke +tat but if he haue sokowr sone it is lyke to ben his   #
dethe.
Qhere-for I pray +gou, and he bothyn, +tat +ge wil purvay a     #
remedy for hym,
+tat he may gon at large, for it hurtit bothen +gowr katel and  #
hym, +Gowr
closys and +gowr pastowr lythe all opyn be-kawse he may not     #
gon abrodde
to don hem amendyn, and +gowr schep ar not lokyd at as +tey     #
xuld ben for
+ter is no schepeherd but Hodgis sonys, for o+ter schepherd     #
dare non abyd
+ter ner com up-on +te comown be-kause +tat Wichyngham men      #
thretyn hem
to bete if +tei comen on here komon. And but if +gowr bestys    #
mown comown
+ter jt xall ben grette hurt to hem but if +te haue more        #
pasture +tan +tei
haue be-syd +tatt.
   Watkyn Schipdam recommawndyth hym to +gou, and prayt +gou    #
+tat +ge
woll speke to Sere Jon Fastolf for +te harneys +tat +ge hadden  #
of hym, and
tellyn hym how it is +tat som +ter-of is gon, and speke to hym  #
+tat +tei +tat 
arn bownd +ter-for nere +tei +tat delyueryd it ben no hurt.
   I haue +gove Purry a gown; I pray +gou take heed qhat it is  #
and send me
word if +ge wil +tat I purway all +gowr leuere`s of +te same.   #
+Te pris of a +gerd
+ter-of is xiij d. ob., and so me semyt it is wele worth. 
   The parson of Sparrammys dowter and o+ter talkedyn largely,  #
and seydyn
+tat +ge haue hadde on schote and but if +ge ben ware +ge xall  #
haue more 
or Estern - +ge xall for-bere Sporyl and Sweynysthorp also but  #
if +ge bere 
+gou wele, er +ge haue do wyth +te mater of Gressam. It is told #
me as for
Gressam +te Lord Moleynys xuld not cleym it now no+ter be tayl  #
nere be
evydens, but be infefment of on of his anseteris qhiche dyid    #
sesynnyd, and 
in +te same wise it is seyd +tat Sweynysthorp xul be cleymyd.   #
In qhat wyse
Sporyl xuld ben cleymyd I wote not; but if +ter be any seche    #
thing to-ward
<P 233>
I send +gou wor[{d{] here-of +tat +ge may taken hede the        #
[\ABOUT SIX LETTERS LOST AT HOLE\] Thomas
Skipping seyd qhan he kam fro London to a man +tat he wend xuld #
not a 
dis[{kuryd{] it +tat +t[{...{]yke [\ABOUT EIGHT LETTERS LOST    #
AT HOLE\] to for-gon +te maner of Sporyll wyth-in ryt+g
schort tym. As for +te plentys in +te [{hundred{] Purry xa[{ll  #
tell{] +gou
qhat is don and of o+ter thingys more.
   The Holy Trynyte` haue +gou in his keping. W[{retyn at{]     #
Norwyche on
+te Fryday nexst after Puver Weddenysday.

<Q M4 XX CORP JPASTON>
<N LET TO BROTHER>
<A PASTON JOHN>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EMO>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y 20-40>
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 439>
[} [\263. TO JOHN PASTON III\] }]
[} [\1471, 15 SEPTEMBER\] }]
[}TO MESTRESSE MARGRET PASTON OR TO JOHN PASTON, ESQUIER, HYR   #
SONE, IN HAST.}]

   Ryght well belouyd brother, I comande me to yow, letyng yow  #
wete +tat I
am in wellffare, I thanke God, and haue ben euyre syns +tat I   #
spake last
wyth yow; and mervayle sore +tat ye sent neuer wryghtyng to me  #
syns ye
<P 440>
departyd. I herde neuyre syn +tat tyme any worde owt off        #
Norffolk. Ye
myght att Bertelmev Feyre haue had massengerys j-nowe to        #
London, and
iff ye had sent to Wykys he scholde haue conveyd it to me.
   I herde yister-daye +tat a worsted man off Norffolk +tat     #
solde worstedys
at Wynchester seyde +tat my lord off Norffolk and my lady wer   #
on pylgrymage
at Owre Lady on foote, and so they went to Caster; and +tat at  #
Norwyche
on scholde haue had large langage to yow and callyd yow         #
traytore, and
pyked many quarellys to yow. Sende me worde ther-off. It were   #
well doo
+tat ye wer a lytell sewrere off yowr pardon than ye be. Auyse  #
yow; I deme
ye woll her-afftre ellys repent yow.
   I vndrestonde +tat Bastarde Fauconbryg is owther hedyd or    #
lyke to be,
and hys brother bothe. Som men seye he wolde haue deseruyd it,  #
and som
sey naye.
   I purpose to be att London the fyrst daye off the terme.     #
Sende me worde
whethyre ye schall be ther or nott.
   Item, I wolde wete whether ye haue spokyn wyth my lady off   #
Norffolk
or not, and off hyr dysposicion, and the howsoldys, to me and   #
to yow
wardes, and whether it be a possible to haue Caster ageyn and   #
ther goode
wyllis, or nott. And allso I praye yow vndrestande what         #
felaschyp and
guydyng is in Caster, and haue a spye resortyng in and owt; so  #
maye ye
know the secretys a-monge them.
   Ther is moche adoo in the Northe, as men seyn. I pray yow    #
be ware off
yowr guydyng, and in chyff off yowre langage, so +tat fro       #
hense forthe by
yowr langage noo man parceyue +tat ye fauor any person          #
contrary to +te
Kynges plesure.
   I vndrestonde +tat +te Lord Ryuers hathe lycence off +te     #
Kynge to goo to
Portyngale, now wyth-in thys vij nyght. I pray yow recomande    #
me to my
moodre, and beseche hyr off hyr blyssyng on my be-halue. I      #
herde not from
hyre thys x wekys, nowther I wote not whether sche be payed     #
off x li. at
Sporle ore nott. I deme yis; neuerthelesse Harry Halman is a    #
false schrew.
For all my spekyng wyth hym my-selffe, and +ter-to +te          #
[{daye{] assyngnyd by
hym-selffe, wher as he scholde haue payed at Candelmes to paye  #
me, he
hadd daye to paye Townesend tyll Fastyngonge; and at Mydsomer I
vnderstonde he had not payed Townesende, as hym-selffe tolde    #
me. He
hathe don me an hurte +terby more than he wenythe. Iffe he      #
haue not payed
my moodre I praye yow see +tat sche be payed, and scende to     #
hym for it;
and sende me worde how it is.
   Item, I praye yow scende me worde iff any off owre frendys   #
or well-wyllerys 
be dede, fore I feer +tat ther is grete deth in Norwyche and    #
in other
borowghe townese in Norffolk; for I ensure yow it is the most   #
vnyuersall
dethe +tat euyre I wyst in Ingelonde, for by my trowthe I kan   #
not her by
<P 441>
pylgrymes +tat passe +te contre`, ner noon other man +tat       #
rydethe er gothe
any contre`, +tat any borow town in Ingelonde is free from      #
+tat sykenesse.
God sease it whan it pleasyt hym. Wherffor, for Goddysake,      #
late my
moodre take heede to my yonge brytheryn, that they be nat in    #
noon place
wher that sykenesse is regnyng, nor that they dysport not wyth  #
noon other
yonge peple whyche resortythe wher any sykenesse is. And iff    #
+ter be any
off that syknesse ded or enffecte in Norwyche, for Goddes sake  #
lete hyre
sende them to som frende off hyrse in-to +te contre`, and do    #
ye +te same, by
myn advyce. Late my moodre rather remeve hyr howsolde in-to     #
+te contre`.
   Euyn now Thyrston browt me worde fro Lundon +tat it was      #
Doctore
Aleyn +tat cawsyd yowre troble +tat ye had at Norwych, and      #
+tat John
Pampyng roode for a dyscharge fore yow and +tat he hathe sped   #
well; but
hoghe, +tat wot I nott. Iff ye be cleer owt off Doctore Aleyn   #
danger, kepe
yow ther and here-afftre ye maye schoffe as well at hys carte.  #
I praye yow
sende me worde of all the forme off hys delyng wyth yow.
   I had almost spoke wyth Mestresse An Hault, but I dyd not.   #
Neuyre
thelesse thys next terme I hope to take on weye wyth hyre ore   #
othere. Sche
is agreyd to speke wyth me, and sche hopythe to doo me ease,    #
as sche
saythe. I praye yow sende me worde hoghe ye doo wyth my lady    #
Elysabeth
Boghschere; ye haue a lytell chaffyd it, but I can not tell     #
howe. Sende me
worde whether ye be in better hope ore werse. 
   I her seye +tat the Erle off Oxenffordys bretheryn be goon   #
owt off 
sceyntewarye. Syr Thomas Fulfforthe is goon owt off             #
sceyntewarye and a
gret felaschyp fettchyd hym, a iij=xx=, and they sey +tat       #
wyth-in v myle off
London he was [{wyth{] cc men, and no man wotethe where he is   #
become
not yit. The Lordes Hastyngys and Howerd be in Caleys and haue  #
it
pesebely, and Syr Walter Wrettesle` and Syr Ieffrey Gate be     #
comyn thense
and woll be at London thys daye, as it is seyde.
   Wretyn at Waltham besyd Wynchester the daye nex Holy Roode   #
Daye.
J.P., K.

<P 449>
[} [\TO JOHN PASTON III\] }]
[} [\1472, 4 NOVEMBER\] }]
[} (\A JOHAN PASTON, ESQUYERE, SOIT DONE`.\) }]

   Worshypffull and weell belovyd brother, I recomaund me to    #
yow, letyng
yow weet +tat I sente yow a letter and a rynge wyth a dyamand,  #
in whyche
letter ye myght well conceyue what I wold ye scholde do wyth    #
+te same
ryng, wyth manye other tydyngys and thyngys whyche I prayed     #
yowe to
haue doon for me; whyche letter Boton had the beryng off. It    #
is soo nowe
+tat I vndrestond that he is owther deed ore ellys harde        #
eskapyd, wheroff I
am ryght heuye, and am not serteyn whethyre the seyd letter     #
and rynge
come to yowre handys ore nott. I wolde nott that letter were    #
seyn wyth som
folkys, wherffor I praye yow take goode heede hoghe thatt       #
letter comythe
to yowre handys, hooll or brokyn; and in especiall I praye yow  #
gete it iff ye
haue it nott.
   Also I praye yow feele my lady off Norffolkys dysposicion    #
to me wardys,
and whethyre she toke any dysplesure at my langage, ore mokkyd  #
ore
dysdeyned my wordys whyche I hadd to hyre at Yarmothe be-twyen  #
the
place where I fyrst mett wyth hyre and hyre lodgyng. Fore my    #
lady Brandon
<P 450>
and Syr William also axhyd me what wordys I had had to hyre at  #
that
tyme. They seyde +tat my lady seyde I gaff hyre ther-off, and   #
+tat I sholde
haue seyde +tat my lady was worthye to haue a lordys soon in    #
hyre belye,
fore she cowde cheryshe itt and dele warlye wyth it. In         #
trowthe, owther the
same ore wordys moche lyke I had to hyre, whyche wordys I ment  #
as I seyde.
They leye to +tat I seyde she toke hyre ease. Also I scholde    #
haue seyde +tat
my ladye was off s[{t{]ature goode and had sydes longe and      #
large, so that I
was in goode hope she sholde bere a fayre chylde; he was nott   #
lacyd nore
bracyd jne to hys peyn, but +tat she lefft hym rome to pleye    #
hym in. They
seye that I seyde my lady was large and grete, and that itt     #
sholde haue rome
jnow to goo owt att. And thus whyther my lady mokk me or theye  #
I woote
nott. I mente weell, by my trowthe, to hyre and to +tat she is  #
wyth, as any
he +tat owythe heere best wyll in Ingelond. If ye can by any    #
meene weete
whethyre my ladye take it to dysplesure or nowt, or whether     #
she thynke I
mokkyd hyre, or iff she wyght it but lewdnesse off my-selffe,   #
I praye yow
sende me worde, for I woot nott whethyre I maye trust thys      #
Lady Brandon
ore nott.
   Item, os fore tydynges, nowe heer be but fewe saff that, as  #
I vndrestande,
jmbassatorys off Bretayn shall come to London to-morowe, and    #
men seye
that the Lorde Ryuerse and Scalys shall hastelye come hom, and  #
men seye
+tat ther is many off the sowdeorys +tat went to hym in-to      #
Bretayn been
deede off the flyxe and othere jpedemye, and +tat the remenant  #
sholde come
hom wyth the Lorde Skalys; and som seye +tat thees              #
jmbassatorys come for
moore men. And thys daye rennyth a tale +tat the Duke off       #
Bretayne
sholde be ded. I beleeff it nott.
   I sent yow worde off an hawke; I herde nott from yow syns.   #
I do and
shall doo +tat is possible in suche a neede.
   Also I canne nott vndrestond that my lorde off Norffolk      #
shall come heere
thys tyme, wherffore I am in a greet angonye howe js best fore  #
me to sywe
to hym fore rehauyng off my place. +Tat goode lorde woot full   #
lytell how
moche harme he doothe me, and how lytell goode ore worshyp it   #
dothe
hym. I praye yow sende me yowre advyce.
   No moore to yowe at thys tyme, but God haue yow in hys       #
kepyng.
Wretyn at London +te iiij daye off Novembre A=o= E. iiij=ti=    #
xij=o=. I feere me +tat
jdelnesse ledythe yowre reyne. I praye yow rathere remembre     #
Syr Hughe
Lavernoys tyll yowre hauke come.
John Paston, K.

<S SAMPLE 3>

<Q M4 XX CORP TMULL>
<N LET TO BROTHERINLAW>
<A MULL THOMAS>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D X>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H PROF>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P I,125>
[} [\123.THOMAS MULL TO WILLIAM STONOR\] }]
[} [\1472\] }]

   Cosen, I recommaunde me to you. And wher as I fele by your
letter and wrytyng that my Mastres hath not that good wyll of   #
you as
sume tyme ye ought her, Syr, ye may owe her right good will,    #
how be
<P I,126>
yt that it be not in so herty wyse as ye dyde before. But and   #
I understode
+tat she had seyd to you +tes wordes: "Syr, I wold not have     #
you,
but yt so bee +tat I may have C. li. or CC. marcs with you in   #
joyntur":
Syr, then it had ben a mater by which ye myght conceyve +tat    #
shee +ten
had loved your londe better +ten your self. But I understond    #
that ther
wer no such wordes, but I conceyve the wordes wer +tees:        #
"Syr, I may
have CCC. marcs in joyntur, and I to take +te lesse when I may  #
have 
+te more, my ffrendes wold +tenke me not wyse &c. : and howe    #
be yt,
your ffader wol not geve me, yet lette hym do well to you." In  #
which
wordes I understond noon utter nay. But and ye in your mynde    #
conceyve 
+tat shee hath yoven you an utter nay, then shall ye by myn     #
assent
never speke more of the mater, but lette yt goo: but yf it be   #
so +tat ye
your self brake the mater for +tat shee seid, "I may have CCC.  #
marcs
in joyntur," +ten shee hath geven no cause in her parte of an   #
utter
breche: for it ys not oon to sey, I may have wi+t a man CC.     #
marcs, and
+tes wordes, I woll not have you but it so be I may have CC.    #
marcs in
joyntur wi+t you. But for al thys resonyng I wold knowe +tis    #
of you:
and the case wer so +tat shee wolde ben agreable to have you    #
with xl.
li. or iiij=xx= marcs joyntur, wolde your herte +ten love as    #
ye have doon
before +tys seson? +tis question wolde I knowe of you, for and  #
I knowe
your disposicion in this behalf, I trowe to God al +tis love    #
and mater of
love wolde be revyvyd ayen in short seson: ffor and it so be    #
+tat ye
brake +tis mater for a lytyl hastynes of your self, +ten wolde  #
I not we left
so: but and shee wer +te cause of brech, +ten woll I not stere  #
ne avise
you after +tis ne+ter to write nor sende to her. But oon thyng  #
I dar safly
sey in my conceyte, that shee on her parte sithe your           #
departier hath
ben vexed and trowbelyd with +te +trowes of love more           #
fervently in her
mynde +ten ye have ben syth vexid wi+t her seyinges. And +tis   #
my cause 
so to sey and deme, I know oonys for certeyn shee loved you as  #
a parfyte
lover, and +tat right late never better +ten +te last seson     #
+tat shee was
in London. Trewe it ys love oones parfytide, +tough +ter hap    #
sum
daungerus speche or countenaunce, yet ys not +te hole ffyr of   #
love
quenchyd, but when +tat +te person, +tat was moste daungerus    #
in speche
or countenaunce, by her self allow: wher as shee may revolve    #
at her
lyberte wi+toute controllyng every +tyng +tat longeth to loves  #
daunce,
+tough +te fflame of the ffyre of love may not breke oute so    #
+tat it may be
seyn, yet the hete of love in yt self is never +te les, but     #
rather hootter in
yt self. Wherfor I sey +tis for certayne, I dare depose for     #
her +tat the
sharpe and unwar chaunges from thought to +tought, and ofte     #
remembrance
of the trowbely wawes of love have so possid her to and fro in
<P I,127>
her owne mynde, +tat shee desyreth as sore after relief, as     #
fer as shee
may for shame, as +te man in the water desyreth to be releved   #
frome
drownyng in +te perill of +te see: but daunger and shame woll   #
not suffir
her to speke yt with oute it be so +tat +ter be sume newe       #
mocyon made
to her &c.: the menes wherof I have compassid in my mynde,      #
which
by +te mercy of Gode I woll attempte yf it so be ye kan be      #
plesid +tat
way, and +tat in shorte tyme. Syr, if I may, I woll be with     #
you on
Saturday or Sonday &c. I wot well ye remembre what your ffader  #
by
his last letter assure+te you in joyntur: and syr, +tat ys      #
feyr: and as for
o+ter thynges touchyng your self, I shall enfourme you at our   #
next
metynge to your hertes plesyr, with the mercy of Jhesu, which   #
preserve
you. 
Thomas Mull.
  
   To William Stonor of Horton in Kent, be this letter          #
delivered in
haste. 

<Q M4 XX CORP TMULL>
<N LET TO RELATIVE>
<A MULL THOMAS>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D X>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H PROF>
<U X>
<E X>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P I,127>
[} [\124.THOMAS MULL TO THOMAS STONOR\] }]
[} [\1472\] }]

   Right worshipfull Brother, I recomaund me to you. And in as
muche as that my Cosen Willyam cumeth home to you hymself,      #
therfore
I wrytt not to you of the demyng &c., ne of the communicacion
betwen my seid Cosen and my Mastres Blounte: but this direccion
have I taken in the mater, I have thorowly comyned with the     #
preste +tat
I spoke to you of, and tolde hym my conceyte howe he shal be    #
demened
in brekynge with my seid Mastres: and that he shall not breke   #
to much
at oones to her, but ever when he spekyth in the mater to her   #
and fele
here, and certenly to marke her wordes unto the tyme that he    #
be verily
assured in hymself, as nygh as he kan, of her disposicion. And  #
over
+tat I have appoynted with hym that withyn iiij dayes after     #
+tat he is
come to my seide mastres I shal send hym a letter directe to    #
her fro me
<P I,128>
and in my name: and he hath promysid me that every letter +tat  #
I
sende here shal be brekyn or he departe from her. And the man   #
+tat
shal ber the letter shal be namede, Cosen, to +te said prest,   #
so +tat he shal
abide +ter in the howse. And, if it so be +te preste fele her   #
veryly applyable,
+te messenger shall [{speke{] with her hymself. John Foorde
shal do the message, and abide ther ij or iij dayes. Furste I   #
was disposid
to have sente to +te [{Norce{] to have felte my seid Mastres:   #
but
me thought after, +tat it had not bene beste, for paraventur    #
the Norce
wolde feer to breke fer wi+te her, and also shee myght not      #
contynue and
abide uppon the communicacion. This preste may alwey have       #
liberte
and lesyr to speke with her. And I have lefte with him a        #
remembrance
in writyng how I wol he shal do, wherein I am verily assured he
wol do his parte &c. Syr, as for my Cosen Willyam, for God is   #
sake
callyth hym forth with you when he is at home with you, and     #
let him
walke with you, and gevyth wordes of good comforte, and beth    #
good
ffader unto hym, as I certenly knowe ye be, and so letyth hym   #
veryly
understond and know. For, Syr, he is disposid to be a musyr     #
and a
studyer, which remembreth and breketh that as much as ye may.   #
And
Syr, but if +tis mater sum dele come of her own hert, she shal  #
not otherwyse
be labored to for certen. Also, yf it can be, the preste        #
promysith
me that she shall sende me worde in writyng of her dysposicion, #
if her
disposicion be to us warde: which letter I shall sende you and  #
my seid
Cosyn. And veryly, if she be appliable, it is to be remembred   #
her of
her joyntur of the lorde Montjoy, and also of her own ffader,   #
for he
taketh the profite of a grete parte: and also in what case      #
lorde Montjoy
is land standeth it is good to be remembred to her. And I       #
beseche
Jhesu spede and directe this mater to his plesyr, and to        #
preserve you
and yours &c.
Thomas Mull.
To my Right worshipfull Brother, Thomas Stonor.

<Q M4 XX CORP ESTONOR>
<N LET TO HUSBAND>
<A STONOR ELIZABETH>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EMO>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X FEMALE>
<Y X>
<H HIGH>
<U X>
<E INT UP>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P II,10>
[} [\169.ELIZABETH STONOR TO WILLIAM STONOR\] }]
[} [\12 SEPTEMBER, 1476.\] }]

   Right Reverent and Worshipfull and enteirly best belovyd     #
Cosyn, I
recommende me unto you in the most lowlyest wyse that I best    #
can or
may. And syr, as this day by your servaunt Thomas Mathew I      #
receyvyd
a letter from you, by the which letter I understonde that +ge   #
be
sumwhat amended and shall every day better and better +ten      #
other by
+te grace of God. Also, gentyll Cosyn, I understonde that my    #
brother
and yowris is sore seke of the poxes: wherfore I am right hevy  #
and
sory of your beyng there, ffor the eyre of poxe is ffull        #
contagious and
namely to them than ben nye of blode. Wherfore I wolde praye    #
you,
<P II,11>
gentyll Cosyn, that +ge wolde come hedyr, and yif hit wolde     #
plese you
so to doo, &c. And yif that hit lyke you not so to doo,         #
Gentill Cosyn,
lettith me have hedyr some horsis I pray you, and that I may    #
come to
you, ffor in good faith I can fynde hit in my herte to put my   #
self in
jubardy there as ye be, and shall do whilst my lyffe endureth   #
to the
plesure of God and yours. For in good faith I thought never so  #
longe
sith I see yow, ffor in trowth I hadde will hopid that your     #
horsis shulde
a ben here as +tis night; and that I tho+gt verely, and so      #
poyntid my self
for to a be with you as +te morue at night with Godes mercy,    #
which
shulde have ben to me right a grete comfort; ffor in good       #
faith I have not
ben mery at myn hert +tis sevynnight day ffor dyverse maters    #
the whiche
hath ben brokyn to me. Wherfore I wyst full hertly dyverse      #
tymes +tat +ge
hadde ben here: ffor I wot will that ye coulde an answeryd in   #
certayne
maters better +ten I: ffor truly I had not so besy a weke sith  #
I cam
hedyr, exepte oone day, which sir William, and John Mathewe     #
both
can enfourme you parte +terof. And Syr, as towchyng my          #
childeryn I
hertly thanke you that hit lyke you so for to tend them: but    #
+git, Gentyll
Cosyn, yif hit plese you to sende hem up with such horsis as    #
hit lykith
you to send for me, I wolde hertly pray you, ffor the poxe ben  #
past out
of this Countre and Cyte as fer as I understonde, blessyd be    #
God.
Gentyll Cosyn, I pray you hertly that I may have a redy worde   #
from
you on Saterday at nyght at +te ferthest; for in trowth I can   #
not be
mery unto +te tyme that I know verely how that +ge will I be    #
demenyd
hereyn. No more to you at this tyme, but almyghty Jhesu         #
preserve
you, and kepe you longe in good hele of body and longe to lyve  #
in
vertu to Godes plesure, and so to your moste hertes desire,     #
amen. At
London +te xij day of Septembr. A=o= xvj.
   And myn sonne Betson recommende hym unto you as hertely as   #
he
can or may, and bysowght to vouchsaffe to pray for hym &c. :    #
and ye
shall Rec. ij letters of hym by John Mathewe. And as this day   #
viij of
the Cloke in +te morning he toke his barge. I pray God sende    #
hym
good spede, amen.
By your ovne Elysabeth Stonore.
   To my Right Worshipfull Cosyn, Willm. Stonor, squiere, this  #
be
delyvered.

<P II,13>
[} [\ELIZABETH STONOR TO WILLIAM STONOR\] }]
[} [\22, OCTOBER 1476\] }]

<P II,14>
   Right interly and best belovyd husbond, I recomaund me unto  #
you
in my most herty wyse, evermore thankyng you right hertely off  #
all
kyndeness to me schewed at all tymes, and nowe ffor your good   #
Venysone
and Coneys, the wheche you sent me be Heri Blakhall, the whech
is gret deyntis to have here in London: wherfor I sent the      #
halffe
hawnche to my ffadyr and a cowpyll off coneys: and they         #
recomaund
them unto you and thanke you ryght hertely. And sur, you schall
undyrstond that I have be with my Lady of Southfolke as on      #
Thursday
last was, and wayted uppon hyr to my lady the Kynges Modyr and
hyrse, be hyr commaundment. And also on Satyrday last was I     #
wayted
uppon hyr thedyr ageyne, and allso ffro thens she wayted uppon  #
my
lady hyr Modyr, and browght hyr to Grenwyche to the Kyngis good
grace and the quenyse: and ther I sawe the metyng betwyne the   #
Kynge
and my ladye his Modyr. And trewly me thowght it was a very     #
good
syght. And sire, I was with my lady of Southfolke at this day   #
hopyng
that I myght have hade hyre at sume leysyre that I myght a      #
spokyn to
hyr ffor the money, but trwly sche was very besy to make hyre   #
redy, ffor
sche is redyne to Cauntyrbery as this same day, and sche wyll   #
be here
ageyne as on Satyrday next comyng, ffor so sche told me hyr     #
selff. Also
Sire, I spake with my cosyn Fowler at my lady the Kyngis        #
Modyr; and
I thankyde hyme as hertely as I cowde for his gret kyndnese     #
that he
schewid to you and to me at all tymys, prayeng hyme of his      #
good contynuans:
and he askyde me when you wyld cum hydyr. And I tellyd
hym that I supposyd that you wyld be her as this weke. And      #
also I spake
with my cosyne Rokysse: and he askyd me in leke wyse, and he    #
seyth
itt is not hys ffortune to mete with you here in London: and I  #
spake to
hyme ffor John Mathews mater, and prayed hym to be good master  #
unto
hym: and he awnswerd me ageyne, and seyde that he had lytyll    #
cause,
for he seyth that he have ben the most importune manne that     #
myght
be to hymewardes. And I awnswerd and seyde to hyme, that I      #
coude
never undyrstond hyt but that he owght hyme his servyse to his  #
powre.
And Sire, my lady of Southfolke is halfindell dysplesyd         #
because that
my Cystere Barantyne is no better arayed, and leke wyse my      #
Cyster
Elysabeth. And sche seyth with owght they be otherwyse arayed,  #
sche
seyth, sche may not kep them: and sche seyth that my Moder and
yours schuld saye that you have I-nowe to ffynd my Cyster       #
Elysabeth
with all. Also I undyrstond +tat Sure John Buttelyr hath        #
spokyn to my
lady to have my Cyster Barantyne with hyme: what he menyth      #
therin
<P II,15>
we wot nere, with oute that he wold have the rewle of hyr       #
husbandys
lyvelode be that meane. Wherffore my Cyster wold speke with you
ffore that mater to have your cownsell in what is best to do.   #
And Sire,
as ffor my sone Betsonne I herde no worde ffrome hyme sith you  #
departyd:
for ther commyth no passage this viij dayese. And Sire, I
wold pray you whenne Davy Wrixame commyth to you owght off      #
Cottyswold,
that ye wold send hyme hydder that he myght wryght to my sonne
howe he have done in the contre. And good Sire, I pray you      #
that my
blewe gowne of damaske may be sent to me ageyne alhalowne day,  #
and
my cofferse and my dowter Caterynes, that I spake to you        #
ffore: And
sire, suche kercherse and smokkys and small japys that be in    #
the chest
that Cateryne my womanne had role of, whech chest stondyth in   #
my
sonne Betsonys Chaumbre. And Sire, I wold pray you that +gee    #
wold
send this gere to me that I myght take rekenyg of hyre: ffor    #
she skevisith
hyr and sey that suche gere as I aske her is there. Sir, I      #
pray you send
me no more ryngis with stonys: ffore the ryng that you sent me  #
be Hery
Blakhall, the stone is ffallyn owght be the way and loste:      #
wherffore I
ame sory. Good sire, let it not be long or I may se you: for    #
truly me
thynke ryght long syth I se you. Your chylderne and myne ffare  #
well,
blessyd be God, and they be to me a gret cowmfort in your       #
absens.
No more to you at this tyme, but almyghti Jhesu preserve and    #
kepe you
in long helth and vertue to hys plesure. At London the xxij     #
day of
Octobre.
   My owne Cosyne, I sende you a bladyr with powdyr to drynke   #
when
+ge go to bede, ffor hit is holsome ffor you.
Be your ovne to my powre Elysabeth Stonore.

   To my Ryght well-belovyd Cosyn Wyllm. Stonor, squyer, at     #
Stonore,
this be delyveryd.

<P II,18>
[} [\176.ELIZABETH STONOR TO WILLIAM STONOR\] }]
[} [\11 DECEMBER, 1476\] }]

   Ryght entirely and beste belovyd husbonde I recommende me    #
unto
you in the most lovyng wyse that I best can or may. Moreover,   #
pleseth
hit yow to understonde that I have receyvyd your letter, a      #
byll closid in
the said letter, which I have redd and ryght well               #
understondyd: and as
<P II,19>
for all such stuff as the said byll specefyth of, as yet I      #
have not receyvyd.
How be hit the barge is comyn with +te said stuff as +tis       #
nyght at vij of
clocke: and Syr, soo hit will be the morne or I can receyvyd    #
hit.
Fer+termore, syr, plesith hit yow to wit that as on ffryday     #
last past I
dyende with my ffadir and my modir. And +ter was at dyner with  #
hym
+te frendys of +ge childe which was movid for oone of my        #
do+gters at your
last beyng heere. And so at after dyner +tey hadde +tere        #
comunycation
for +te said mateer, wherby I understode +ter dispocitions how  #
+tat +tey
were disposid in the said mateer. And truly hit was nothyng as  #
hit
was spokyn of at +te begynnyng: wherfore I answeryd and said    #
in +tis
wyse: that +too shee were my childe, as she is, I coulde not    #
answere that
mateer without yow nor noght wolde doo. How be hit, I answeryd  #
in
your byhalf: that I wyst ryght well +tat +ge wolde be ry+gt     #
kynd and
lovyng ffadir, yif God ffortunyd that ye and they shulde dele.  #
And Sir,
there as ye wryte that +tat +te bargemen ben loth to take and   #
Rec. any
stuff of ours I marveyle gretely: ffor truly to my knowlege I   #
hadde
never +ting caryed by any of them but +tat I paid them truly    #
+terfore.
And Sir, as for +te vj cowpull of haberndens, the which ye      #
wryte ffore,
they shall be bought and sente yow ryght shortly. And as ffor   #
your
gownys of chamlet and dublettes of sylke, I have bought hem:    #
the which
shall plese yow ryght well, I trust to God, at your comyng,     #
&c. And
Sir, my sonne Betson recommende hym unto yow, and he come home
as on Monday last past, and he hath brought with hym, blessid   #
be God,
good tythynges, the which he and I shall enfourme yow at your   #
comyng.
And ther as ye wryte that ye will sende me of a wylde bore and  #
other
venson ayenst Sonday, truly I thanke yow as hertly as I can.    #
But truly
yet I wolde pray yow that ye wolde spede yow hedyr als sone as  #
ye can:
ffor I wolde trust to Godes mercy hit shoulde be to your        #
profetes and
avayle in tyme comyng by the grace of our Lord, who ever        #
preserve and
kepe yow to his plesur and your most herts comfort. Amen. At
London the xj day of Decembre A=o= xvj.
   And Cosen, heras ye wryte to me +tat I had no leysyr: truly  #
I have ben
crised and besy, ellys I wyld have wryte to you or thys tyme.
By your ovne Elysabeth Stonore.

   To my Ryght well belovyd Cosen, Willm. Stonere, esquyer at   #
Stoner
+tis be delyverd.  

<P II,22>
[} [\180.ELIZABETH STONOR TO WILLIAM STONOR\] }]
[} [\7 MARCH, 1477\] }]

   Ryght enterly and best belovyd husbond, I recomaund me unto  #
you
as hertely as I can. Syre, I have ress[{eyved{] a letter ffrom  #
you, and a
nothyr letter +tat my son Betson sent you and a tokyn from you  #
be your
servant Christoffyre, whech letter I have red and ryght well    #
undyrstond.
And as towchyng John Elmys, truly, syre, he is a marvelus man:  #
I conseyve
be my son +tat he wold goo from his promesse +tat he made to
you and to hym of his woll +tat hyt suchld aryse as good in     #
pokyng thys
+gere as hyt ded +te last +gere: and +tat I consyve he cannot   #
make good:
but never +te lesse I dout not but +tat you and my son Betson   #
wyll
handyll +te matyrs well I-nowe: ffore blessyd be God +ge be on  #
+te surere
syde: ffore all +te sayde woll I have ress[{eyved{] hyte and    #
fayer howsyd
hyt: and +gyt ffore all that I wot well +tat you and my son     #
wylnot dele
with hym othyrewyse than ryght and consyes wyll requere, and    #
+tat is
best. Syre, I thank you hertely +tat hyt plesyd you to wyshe    #
me with
you at redyng off my letter: truly I wold I had a be there      #
with you at
+te same seson with all my hert. And as towchyng my brothyre    #
Stonore,
truly syre ther was no bodye +tat tellyd me precysly +tat hyt   #
was he, but
I knowe well hyt was he, ffore hyt was sayde to me +tat I kept  #
you here
among a meany of boyes with othyre langwage more, whech was not
fyttyng fore to have such langwage of any servant that long to  #
you ore
me: fore, and he remembyre hym selff well, he hath no cause to  #
saye
of me otherwyse than well: fore I never sayde to dysplease hym  #
be my
wyll, but fore hys own worshypp, and +tat knowyth God, how      #
ever preserve
you. At London, +te vij day of Marche. Cateryn and Hue Fenne 
recomaund them unto you, and they praye fore you as they can.   #
And
<P II,23>
Syre Wyllm. Stavelye and all your howshold ffaryth well,        #
blessyd be
God.
By your owne to my pouer Elysabeth Stonore.
   My good Cosen, I am crassed in my baket: you wat what I men.
   To my ryght worschypfull Cosyn Wyllm. Stonore, squyer, at    #
Stonore
be this delyvered.

<Q M4 XX CORP BETSON>
<N LET TO BRIDE>
<A BETSON THOMAS>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D X>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E INT DOWN>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P II,6>
[} [\166.THOMAS BETSON TO KATHERINE RYCHE\] }]
[} [\1 JUNE, 1476\] }]

   My nowne hartely belovid Cossen Kateryn, I recomande me unto
yow withe all the inwardnesse of myn hart. And now lately ye    #
shall
understond +tat I resseyvid a token ffrom you, the which was    #
and is to
me right hartely welcom, and with glad will I resseyvid it;     #
and over
that I had a letter ffrom Holake, youre gentyll Sqwyer, by the  #
which I 
understond right well +tat ye be in good helth off body, and    #
mery at
<P II,7>
hart. And I pray God hartely to his plesour to contenew the     #
same:
ffor it is to me veray grete comfforth +tat ye so be, so helpe  #
me Jhesu.
And yff ye wold be a good etter off your mete allwaye, that ye  #
myght
waxe and grow ffast to be a woman, ye shuld make me the         #
gladdest
man off the world, be my trouth: ffor whanne I remembre your    #
ffavour
and your sadde loffynge delynge to me wardes, ffor south ye     #
make me
evene veray glade and joyus in my hart: and on the to+tersyde   #
agayn
whanne I remembre your yonge youthe. And seeth well that ye
be none eteter off youre mete, the which shuld helpe you        #
greately in
waxynge; ffor south +tan ye make me veray hevy agayn. And       #
therffore
I praye you, myn nown swete Cossen, evene as you loffe me to    #
be mery
and to eate your mete lyke a woman. And yff ye so will do ffor  #
my
loveff, looke what ye will desyre off me, whatsomever it be,    #
and be my
trouth I promesse you by the helpe of our Lord to perfforme it  #
to my
power. I can [{no{] more say now, but at my comyng home I will  #
tell
you mych more betwene you and me and God beffore. And where as 
ye, ffull womanly and lyke a loffer, remembre me with           #
manyffolde recomendacion
in dyversse maners, remyttynge the same to my discresscion
to depart them +ter as I loveff best, ffor south, myn nown      #
swete Cossen,
ye shall understond +tat with good hart and good will I         #
resseyve and
take to my self the one halff off them, and them will I kepe    #
by me;
and the to+ter halff with hartely loveff and ffavour I send     #
hem to you,
myn nown swete Cossen, agayn, ffor to kepe by you: and over     #
that I
send you the blissynge +tat our Lady gaveffe hir dere sonne,    #
and ever
well to ffare. I pray you grete well my horsse, and praye hym   #
to gyffe
yow iiij off his yeres to helpe you with all: and I will at my  #
comynge
home gyff hym iiij off my yeres and iiij horsse lofes till      #
amendes. Tell
hym +tat I prayed hym so. And Cossen Kateryn I +tannke you ffor 
hym, and my wiff shall +tanke you ffor hym hereafter; ffor ye   #
do grete
cost apon hym as it is told me. Myn nown swete Cossen, it was   #
told
me but late +tat ye were at Cales to seeke me, but ye cowde     #
not se me
nor ffynde me: ffor south ye myght have comen to my counter,    #
and
+ter ye shuld bothe ffynde me and see me, and not have ffawtid  #
off me:
but ye sought me in a wronge Cales, and +tat ye shuld well      #
know yff ye
were here and saw this Cales, as wold God ye were and som off   #
them
with you +tat were with you at your gentill Cales. I praye      #
you, gentill
Cossen, comaunde me to the Cloke, and pray hym to amend his
unthryffte maners: ffor he strykes ever in undew tyme, and he   #
will be
<P II,8>
ever affore, and that is a shrewde condiscion. Tell hym with    #
owte he
amend his condiscion that he will cause strangers  to advoide   #
and come
no more there. I trust to you that he shall amend agaynest myn
commynge, the which shalbe shortely with all hanndes and all    #
ffeete
with Godes grace. My veray ffei+gtheffull Cossen, I trust to    #
you +tat
thowe all I have not remembred my right worshipfull maystres    #
your
modyr affore in this letter +tat ye will off your gentilnesse   #
recomaunde
me to her maystresshipe as many tymes as it shall ples you:     #
and ye
may say, yff it plese you, that in Wytson Weke next I intend    #
to +t=e=
marte ward. And I trust you will praye ffor me: ffor I shall    #
praye
ffor you, and, so it may be, none so well. And Almyghty Jhesu   #
make
you a good woman, and send you many good yeres and longe to     #
lyveffe
in helth and vertu to his plesour. At greate Cales on this      #
syde on the
see, the ffyrst day off June, whanne every man was gone to his  #
Dener,
and the Cloke smote noynne, and all oure howsold cryed after    #
me and
badde me come down; come down to dener at ones! and what answer
I gaveffe hem ye know it off old.
Be your ffei+gtheffull Cossen and loffer Thomas Betson.
   I sent you this rynge ffor a token.

   To my ffei+gtheffull and hartely belovid Cossen Kateryn      #
Ryche at
Stonor this letter be delyvered in hast.          

<Q M4 XX CORP BETSON>
<N LET TO MOTHERINLAW>
<A BETSON THOMAS>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D X>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H X>
<U X>
<E INT UP>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P II,46>
[} [\211.THOMAS BETSON TO DAME ELIZABETH STONOR\] }]
[} [\17 MAY 1478\] }]

   Right honorable and my Synguler good lady, with due          #
reverens as
is accordynge I recommaund me unto your good ladyshipe. And
<P II,47>
ffer+termore lyketh it yowre good ladyshipe to know that on     #
trenyte
evyne last passed I come unto Cales: and I thannke +te good     #
lord hartely
I had a fful fare passege, and the bettyr I know well it was    #
throw your
good prayers, off the which, iff y durst be so bold, I wille    #
beseche your
ladyshipe off countenewance, and I to my power shall remembre   #
your
good ladyshipe with all your loffers dayly amonges my poure     #
prayers,
off the whiche, yff they be good and acceptable unto God, my    #
mayster
your husband, your good ladyshipe, with all your children I     #
beseche
him hartely ye may have parte: and I beseche almyghty Jhesu to  #
send
your good ladyshipe as comffortable helthe and welffare at      #
Stonor or
elles where as ever ye had in eny place to Godes plesour. And   #
good
madame, I beseche your good ladyshipe to remembre my Cossen     #
Katteryn
of all such matters as I spake unto your ladyshipe off at many
dyverse tymes, as ye know: I remembre hir ffull off, God know   #
it: I
dremyd ones she was xxx wynter off age; and whanne I woyke I    #
wyschyd
she had bene but xx: and so by lykelyod I am soner lyke to      #
have my
wysche +tan my dreme, the whych I beseche all myghty Jhesu      #
hartely
may be whanne it shall plese hym. Also good madame, and it      #
lyke you
to wete, as on Friday next after Corpus Christi day I intend    #
unto the
marte wardes, our blissid lorde be my spede and helpe me +ter   #
and send
me good payment off all oure dettours. And I beseche your       #
ladyshipe
to recommaund me unto my mayster your husbaund. And I praye +te
good lord to send me good tidynges ffrom you bothe and ffrom    #
all
youres. Writen at Cales the xvij day off Maii, (\An=o=. ut      #
supra.\)
Be your ffeythffull servaunt, Thomas Betson.
   And I send your ladyshipe a token here inclosed, the which   #
youre
ladishipe knowith right well.
   At my commynge ffrom the marte, with Godes grace, your       #
ladyshipe
shall have more writynge ffrom me how I have spedd, and in      #
lyke wyse
my mayster your husbaund: and our blissid lord Jhesu Christ     #
preserve
you bothe in honour and worshipe vertuosly to contenew to       #
Godes
plesour, and also to send you good and proffitable counsell     #
and grace
to doo +ter after: this is and shalbe my prayer for sothe       #
every daye:
your honour and worshipe off contenewaunce here after           #
stykkythe as
nye myn hart as dothe eny freind, man or o+ter about you, be my
trouthe, our blissid lord so helpe me. I will avyse you,        #
madame, to
remembre large expensez and be ware of them, and in lyke wyse   #
my
mayster your husbaund: it is well done ye remembre hym off      #
them ffor
<P II,48>
dyverse consederacions, as ye know bothe right well. And our    #
blissid
lord be your comfforther and help in all your good workes,      #
Amen.

   To +te right honorable and my right Synguler good lady,      #
Dame Elsabeth
Stonore, this letter be delyvered in hast.  

<P II,53>
[} [\216.THOMAS BETSON TO DAME ELIZABETH STONOR\] }]
[} [\18 JUNE 1478\] }]

   Ryht honorable and my ryht synguler good lady, I recomaund   #
me
unto your good ladyschipe in the mooste lowlyest wyse that I    #
best can
or may, ever more desiryng to here and know off your            #
wellffare, the
whiche I beseche almyghty Jhesu to preserve and kepe to his     #
plesour
and to your mooste hartes desyre. And ffer+ter more, liketh it  #
your
good ladyschipe to wete that this same daye I come to London.   #
And
at my commynge home it was told me how that my mayster your     #
husband
had bene verry sore seeke: the which I know well hath not bene  #
to
your hartes comfforte, nor also to the comfforte of your        #
howsold: off
the whiche ffor sothe I am right sory. Nevertheles I            #
undyrstond seth
by dyverse his maystershipe is right well amendid and well      #
recovered:
off the which truly I am right joyffull and glad. And I beseche
Almyghty Jhesu send hym als vertuous helth as I wold have       #
myselff,
and your good ladyshipe also. And yff I cowde do eny thynge     #
here
that myght be to hys plesour and youres, I wold I knew it and   #
it shuld
be done withouten ffayll. Truly your discomfforth is nat myn    #
comffort,
God knowith it. Nevertheles your ladyschipe muste cause hym to  #
be
mery, and off glade chere, and to put awaye all ffantasyes and  #
unthryfty
thoughtes that comes no good off but onely hurtffull. A man     #
may hurt
hymselff by ryotouse meanes; it is good to be ware. Good        #
madame, I
besech you to be off good chere, and I praye God comfforte you  #
and
send you vertuous helth. And also I besech you to remembre my
Cossen Kateryn. I wold she did well, God knowithe it, and ye    #
deme,
as I trowe, yff I had ffownd hir at home here my comfforte      #
shuld have
bene the more: but I thannke God off all: my payn is the more:  #
I
muste nedes suffer as I have done in tymes past, and so will I  #
do ffor
Godes sayke and hirs. I send my mayster a dossen quayles to     #
ete: I
praye God they may do hym good to God ward, and all them that   #
ete
of them. I can send your ladischipe no deyntees: I am but now
comen home. And our blissid Lord preserve your good ladishipe   #
in
vertu ever. Amen. At London the xviij day off June.
Your servaunt T. Betson.
<P II,54>
   Madaym, Goddard Oxbryge recommaundes hym unto your           #
ladyschipe 
and prayethe you that ye wold woochsaveffe to speke to my       #
mayster
your husband ffor his money. He desyred me to wryte ffore it:   #
it is
well done +tat it be so paied ffor dyverse causes: a Cossen of  #
his shuld
have it to pay it +ter as he owith it. And our blissid Lord be  #
with you,
ever, ever, ever, Amen.
 
   To my Right worshipffull and Synguler good lady, dame        #
Elsabeth
Stonor, at Stonor this be delyvered. 

<P II,63>
[} [\224.THOMAS BETSON TO DAME ELIZABETH 
STONOR\] }]
[} [\31 JULY, 1478\] }]

<P II,64>
   Right honorable and my right synguler good lady, I           #
recommaund
me unto your good ladischipe. And, Madam, yff it lyke you,      #
seth I
come home to London I mette with my lady, your modyr, and God
wote she made me right sulleyn chere with hir countenaunce      #
whyles I
was with hir: me thought it longe till I was departid. She      #
brayke
unto me of old ffernyeres, and spescially she brayke to me off  #
the tayll
I told hir betwene the vicar +tat was and hir: she said the     #
vicar never
ffared well seth, he tooke it so mych to hart. I told hire a    #
lyght
answere ageyn, and so I departid ffrom hir. I had no joye to    #
tary with
hir. She is a ffyn mery woman, but ye shall nat know it nor     #
yit ffynd
it, nor none of youres by that I se in her. Modyr mydwiffe      #
told me
+tat nowdyr my lady your modyr, my lady Stoker, nor hir         #
husbaund
come ones to se my cossen Anne sethe she come to hir, nor yet   #
axse
ones how she ffared, and yff my lady, your modyr, mete my       #
cossen Anne
she will say no more but "Godes blissynge have ye and myne,"    #
and so
goo hir waye fforthe as thow she had no joye off hir. Whanne    #
ye come
to London I shall tell you more. My cossen Anne hath bene with  #
me
here at home, and she is hole and right well amendid and as a
woman shulde be, +ter is no fawte, our blissid lord be          #
thannkyd and his
blissid modyr. Good Madam, by the next at comes lett hir have   #
all
hir clothes, she hath nede unto them, and that knowith owre     #
lord, who
ever preserve you, Madam, and all yours in longe helth and      #
vertu to
his plesour. At London the last day off Juyll, (\A=no=          #
supra\) .
Be your servaunt Thomas Betson.
   Jentil Madam, I beseche you that I may be recomaundid unto   #
my
cossen, your dou+ghter Kateryn, and our lord be with you both.  #
Also,
Madam, yff it lyke you, I have bene with my brodyr, John        #
Betson, ffor
money, and be my trouth I can none have off hym, he hath        #
shewid me
that my Mayster your husbaund and ye owe hym ffor dyverse       #
wynes,
Summa xij. li. vj. s. viij. d., as by the parcells herin        #
closed more clerelyar
it appereth, the which parcelles my brodyr saith that +tei be   #
trew.
Wherffore, good Madam, I beseche you to speke unto my mayster,  #
to
the intent I myght have the money here as shortely as can be.   #
I muste
pay to John Tate vj li. for +te felles that I have shippid      #
now, and to
Whyte of Bradway I muste pay iiij li., and I muste pay to the   #
porters and
o+ter for costes xl s. And so God save my soull I have it nat.  #
I will
nat be so bare agayn of money a good whyle, with Godes grace.   #
It was
the best dett I saw in his booke, so God help me, and           #
+terffore I tooke
<P II,65>
it over unto me ffor payment, and I hold me plesed with all.    #
Jhesu
preserve you ever, Amen.

<S SAMPLE 4>

<Q M4 XX CORP GCELY>
<N LET TO FATHER>
<A CELY GEORGE>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EML>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H OTHER>
<U X>
<E INT UP>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 43>
[\GEORGE CELY AT CALAIS TO RICHARD CELY THE ELDER AT
LONDON, 21 MARCH 1478/9\]

   Ryght rewerent and whorshipffull ffadyr, afftyr all dew      #
recomendasyon
I recomeavnd me vnto yow in the most lowlyest
whisse that I con or may // Fordyrmor plesythe ytt yow to       #
vndyrstond
that I hawe hade comynycasyon wyth Thomas Kesten, and
he wyth me, and Thomas Kesten whan I come vnto Calles, he
axyd me yff Y hade browght hym any wryttyng ffrom yow. He
sayd vnto me that he sent wryttyng be my cossyn Maryon and
be me wheroff he hade whent Y had browght hym an answer //
I sayd vnto hym agen that at my comyng houyr se yowr besynesse
whas soyche +ge myght nott hawe non laysar to wrytt vnto hym,
wherffor +ge comeavndyd me to say vnto hym / That +ge wyll      #
wrytt
vnto hym and to me schorttly of an answer of theke letterys and
how that +ge whollde that I showld be demenyd in that casse,    #
etc.
Ytt wholl be whell don yff +ge sode // Plesyth ytt yow to       #
vndyrstond
that in this sayd letter +ge shall ffynd closyd the salle of    #
yowr
Cottys ffellis and how they wher sowlld. Ther wher sowlld no    #
mor
but iij M=l= ix=c= lxxj ffor Cottys ffellis and the remenavnt   #
of theke
ffellis bethe anwhardyd by the whardars ffor Contre ffellis,    #
+gett
they kepe the prysse of xiiij noblis, etc. As +gett Y connott   #
wrytt
vnto yow of none newis, yff ther come any +ge shall vndyrstond.
No mor vnto yow at this tyme, but Jhesu kepe yow and all yowrs,
amen. Wrytt at Calles the xxj day of Marche, (\anno lxxviij,    #
etc.\)

per yowr son George Cely.

[\Dorse:\] Vnto my ryghtt whorshippffull ffadyr Rychard Cely,
merchant of the Stapell of Calles devellyng at London in Marte 
Lane, (\soit dd.\) [\Shield.\]

<P 82>
[\93. GEORGE CELY (AT ANTWERP) TO RICHARD CELY THE ELDER
AT LONDON, C. JUNE 1480 (DRAFT).\]

   Ryght reverent and whorschypffull ffadyr, affter all dewe    #
recomendasyon 
pretendyng, I recomavnd me vn[{to{] yow in the most 
lowlyest whisse that I con or may. Fordyr mor, plesythe ytt yow
to vnd[{e{]rstond that at my comyng vnto this Syngsyon marte
I spake wyth John Descyrmer of Gavnt, and he hawe made vnto
me, and to dyvars of my fellyschyppe heuyr I come to the        #
martte,
grett complaynt of yowr medyll woll wheche Y sowlde vnto hym.
<P 83>
He swerys vnto me largely that he has hade of yowrs in tyme
passyd better medyll yowng Cottys than this woll whas. They lay
vnto me grett vnkyndenesse that Y delle wyth them vnder this
maner / they say vnto me that +ge myght an takyn howght of this
vj sarpleris and the poke, ij sarpleris medyll yowng. Ytt ys    #
so,
becavsse they wollde nott strywe wyth me, they do hodyrwhysse
than they wher porposyd - they bowght ytt ffor +ter own         #
drapery,
and now ther ys no man wholl draper none of theke sarpleris at
Gavnt nor at Bregys, but he ys ffayne to bryng them to the      #
marte
and sell them ther, wherffor I am ryght sory // In good ffay+te
Y connott say wher Y wrytt vnto yow or no heroff // Y hade
moche whorke at Calles heuyr I covde hawe ytt anwhardyde ffor
Cottys, and moche stekyng whas an+genst ytt anmongeyst the
Fellyschyp. In the reverens of Good se better to the pakyng of
yowr woll that shall com, or ellis yowr woll ys lyke to lesse   #
that
name that ytt has hade heuyr anffore in tyme passyd // I nevyr
whyst yow sent cursar woll to Calles ffor the contre than this  #
last
whas / I am porpossyd to com hovyr vnto yow whan this marte
ys done, and than schall Y tell yow mor playnle be movthe. 

<P 96>
[\109. GEORGE CELY AT CALAIS TO RICHARD CELY THE ELDER AT
LONDON, 16 NOVEMBER 1480\]

   Ryght rewerent and whorshypffull ffadyr, affter all dewe     #
recomendacyon
pretendyng, I recomeavnd me vnto yow in the most
lowlyest whysse that Y con or may / Fordyrmor, plesythe ytt yow
to vndyrstond that I hawe resseywyd an letter ffrom yow beryng
date at London the xiij day of Octobyr in hast / wheche Y do
whell vndyrstond, and I hawe resseywyd yowr warant, and ys
anlowyd appon yowr byll ancordyng. As towchyng hodyr clavsys
in yowr sayd letter, Y vndyrstond them ryght whell, and as ffor
Robyn, ye vndyrstond be this how whell he has done none thyng
but put +ge to cost, etc. As towchyng me, bothe be yowr sayd    #
letter
and be my cossyn Maryons, I am sory, and Y connott be mery tyll
that Y hawe ben wyth yow, and Y whollde a ben wyth yow          #
shorttly,
savyng my besynesse ys soche that Y connott, as +ge know //     #
Indede
<P 97>
Y hawe bene long awhay, and therffor my besynesse ys the mor.
Y this day Y begon to pake yowr wholl. Y thanke Good ytt        #
rysythe
ffull ffayr, and som medyll woll +ge shall hawe, but and ytt    #
rysythe
as ytt do, ytt shall nott be moche. I hawe men apon yowr        #
ffellis
dayly, in good ffaythe Y nevyr sawe yowr good so lond in my     #
dayys,
and so dyd all mens. +Ge shall hawe abowe an M=l= made ffellis  #
/ and
yowr woll ys lykewhysse arayd. Be the grace of Godd Y sshall
fenyshe all thyngys heuyr that Y go vnto the marte // As        #
tovchyng 
my clawis afore, I hawe ben long hens, as +ge know,             #
nevyrthelesse,
and my debyteyys had done ther devteys, Y myght so a ben ffor
that sesson ryght whell / Now Y hawe sen that at Y desyryd long
to se Y toke this seson, wheche tyme Y wollde that Y hade lyne
syke in my bede yf +ge be dysplesyd therwyth. Y hawe hade       #
lettyrs
dyvars to an kept Wylliam Cely styll at Calles: indede he       #
departyd
heuyr any wryttyng, and allso Y shall nott nede hym grettly,
Y hawe helpe ynow. Y am in good whay of my besynesse now, +gett
whas ther ryght lytyll done therto whan he departyd.
   Ytt ys so that her whas grett ado at Calles ffor that woll   #
that come
in the last schyppyng, becawis the dokatys bare nott dat of the
xiiij day of Septembyr, dyvars men wold an hade ytt but newe
woll. Ther ys derectyon takyn that ytt shall nedyr be new nor
howllde, but yt shall hawe that lysens that yt shall passe      #
wythhowght
howlde woll, appon yt selffe. Men hade whent that the
ffellis showld a bene howlde, +gett whe connott tell: ther ys   #
replyyng
ther an+genst. Y thynke that whe shall sett them in the sam     #
kasse
as the wholl stondys: whe shall do moche therto / Y whas to     #
swefft
in wryttyng to my cosyn Maryon, Y wrott hym they wher howllde
ffellis. It ys so that the xiiij day of Novembyr ytt whas       #
conclevdyd
be Cortt that from Candyllmesse for+te no man shall sell but
ffor xxvj s. le li. I thynke ytt shall cavsse an stope. +Ge     #
most now
wrytt me yowr hadvysse how Y shall be demenyd: wher Y shall
howlld hand tyll than, or sell affore, and Y con / Ther ys but  #
lytyll
Cottyswolld woll at Calles, and Y vndyrstond Lombardys has
bowght yt vp yn Ynglond, and +ge vndyrstonde what sobstons is
at London to shyppe. I hope ther whas nott a better markett
toward ffor Cottys woll many a day // I woll nott avysse +ge    #
to shype
in the dede of wynter: ytt ys long lyyng, ffowlle whedyr, and
jepardes ffor stormys. Of tydyngys I con none wryght yow ffor 
sarten as +gett, but at myn howllde Lady ys comyng ffrom Bynus
<P 98>
to Sent Tomers, and the ambassettors bothe of Inglond and
Fravnsse. Y connott say what whorlld whe shall hawe: some of
the Devkys Covnsell wholld hawe whar and som pesse - the very
grovnde most come howght of Ynglond. The Frenche Kynge has
fforneshed his garysons appon the ffrontys all redy, etc. My
lady proposythe to ly at Sent Tomers and the Frenche ambassett  #
shall
ly at Tyrwhyne iij lekys thens, etc. // Her ys but ffewe        #
merchantys
at Calles nowe. I am in whay wyth Gyshbryght Van Whennysbarge
ffor an ij of yowr sarpleris: Y hope Y shall go thorow wyth     #
hym / 
I woll tha[{t{] Y myght vndyrstond be wryttyng wher the Kyng
porposythe to hawe whar wyth Fravnsse or no: my brodyr
Rychard may vndyrstond that of my Lorde. Yff Y vnd[{yr{]stode
betymus Y myght, yf nede be, porvay me off saffecondytt. Y
whollde fforst vndyrstond how the Kynge take my Lordys answar,
etc. No mor vnto yow at this tyme, but Jhesu hawe yow and all
yowrs in his kepyng, amen. Wrettyn at Calles the xvj=th= day of
Novembyr, (\Anno iiij=xx=\) .

per yowr son,
George Cely.

[\Dorse:\] Vnto my ryght whorschyppffull ffadyr Rychard Cely,
merchant of the Stapell of Calles, dwelling at London in Marte
Lane, (\soit dd.\) [\Shield.\] 

<Q M4 XX CORP RCELY>
<N LET TO BROTHER>
<A CELY RICHARD>
<C M4>
<O 1420-1500>
<M 1420-1500>
<K SAME>
<D EML/NL>
<V PROSE>
<T LET PRIV>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y X>
<H OTHER>
<U X>
<E INT EQUAL>
<J INTERACTIVE>
<I INFORMAL>
<Z X>

<P 106>
[\117. RICHARD CELY THE YOUNGER AT LONDON TO GEORGE CELY
AT CALAIS, 4 JUNE 1481\]

   Riught interly whelbelouyd brother, I recomend me harttely   #
onto
you, thankyng you of aull good brotherhod that +ge haue scheuyd
to me at aull tymus. Syr, +ge know whell that I haue bene in    #
the
Northe Contre, and ther I haue had grette scheyr of my nowlde
aqweyntans, as the bryngar heyrof can informe you; and as for
my noncle ys exseketurs has promysyd me and Plomton be the
faythe of ther bodys to be wyth howr father her Myhellmes, and  #
to
make a neynd wyth hym. And as I whente northewharde, I met 
Roger Wyxton a thys syd Northehamton, and he desyryd me to
do so myche as drynke wyth hys whyfe at Laysetter, and after
that I met wyth Wylliam Daulton, and he gaue me a tokyn to hys
mother, and at Laysetter I met wyth Rafe Dawlton, and he brohut
me to hys mother, and ther I delyuyrd my tokyn, and sche prayd
me to come to brekefaste on the morow, and so I ded and Plomton
bothe, and ther whe had a gret whelfar, and ther whos Freyr
Este, and I pray yow thanke them for me. Syr, and +ge be        #
remembyrd,
whe thaulkyd, togydyr in hour bed of Dawltonys syster, and
+ge ferryd the condyscyons of father and brethyrn, byt +ge      #
neyd not.
I saw hyr and she whos at brekefaste wyth hyr mother and ws.
Sche ys as goodly a +genge whomane: as fayr, as whelbodyd and
as sad as I se hony thys vij +geyr, and a good haythe. I pray   #
God
<P 107>
that hyt may be inpryntyd in yur mynd to sette yowr harte ther.
Syr, howr father and I comende togydyr in the new orchard on
Fryday laste, and a askyd me many qwestyonys of gyu, and
I towlde hym aull as hyt whos, and he whos ryught sory for the
dethe of the sch[{y{]lde, and I toulde hym of the good whyll    #
that
the Whegystons and Dawltons hows to yow, and how I lykyd the
+genge gentyllwhoman, and he commaunded me to whryte to yow
and he whowlde gladly that hyt whor brohut abohut and that +ge
labyrde hyt betymys, and I haue towllyd hour father of          #
Schestyrs
dowter, how that I whowlde fayne be ther, and howur father whos
ryught glad of thys comenycacyon. Daultons mother comendys
hyr to you and thankys yow for the knyuys that +ge sente to     #
hyr.
Howr father has ressauyd a letter frome yow wherby he           #
wndyrstond
of the salle: ij sarpellys and a peke. As for the mony at ys
by you, he whyll that hyt ly be yow tyll Sencyon marte, and     #
lette
the mersars haue the lengar days, bothe Browell and Paullmar,
and ther mony acordyng. [\Dorse\] Syr, I thanke you at hyt
plesehyd you to leue me Goos, for he has d[{on{] to me good     #
sarues
in thys gornay, and I haue delyuyrd to him ix [{s.{] to brynge  #
hym
to you, etc. My godfathyr has be syke byt he ys whell mendyd,
thankyd be God. [{Thys same{] day my Loord ys comyn to London
to aske the Kyng leue to go to the Rodys for he ys sent for.    #
Syr,
I send you be Goos a purs seche as whos gewyn me at +Georke,    #
and
I pray yow b[{y{] for Alyson Myhell a mantell of fyn blake      #
schankys,
for I haue mony therfor, and sche comendys hyr to you. No mor
to yow at thys tyme, Jhesu kepe you. Wrytyn at London the
iiij=the= day of Juyn.

per yur brother,
Rychard Cely.

Wnto my riught whelbelouyd brother George Cely, merchand of
the Estapell of Calles be thys dd. 

<P 150>
[\165. RICHARD CELY THE YOUNGER AT LONDON TO GEORGE CELY
AT CALAIS OR THE MART, 13 MAY 1482\]

   Riught interly whelbelouyd brothe[{r{] , I recomende me      #
harttely
wnto yow, informing yow at the makyng of thys howr mother,
brother, my godfather and the howsowlde ar in goode heyll,
thankyd be the good Loorde. Syr, the same day that I departtyd
<P 151>
into Cotesowlde I ressauyd a letter frome yow wryte at Calles   #
the
xiiij day of Aprell, wherein I fynd the inuiatory of syche      #
godys
that whos howr fathers and mony on that syd of the see. Syr, I
spake not wyth the Byschopys ofesars syn that I resauyd yowr
letter. When I spake laste wyth them thay sayd that awl thyng
schullde abyd yowr cwmyng. I wndyrstonde be yowr letter that
+ge wyll make howyr abowe v=c= li. I hawhe beyn in              #
Cottyssowllde
thys iij whekys, and packyd wyth Wylliam Mydwyntter xxij
sarpellys and a poke, wherof be iiij mydyll. Wylliam Bretten    #
says
hyt ys the fayreste wholl that he saw thys +geyr, and I packyd  #
iiij
sarpellys at Camden of the same bargen, wherof ar ij good, ij
mydyll. Ther wyl be in all, wyth blottys, apon xxvij or xxviij 
sarplers wholl. Syr, I cannot hawhe Wylliam Mydwynttyrs fellys
wndyr iij li. xl d. the C. And I schaull go to that pryse I     #
pray yow
send me a letter schorttely. Syr, I hawhe bohyt in Cottysowlde
apon the poynt of vij M=l= resenabyll good felles, and I pay    #
iij li.;
I can gehet noyn wndyr. Syr, I whryte to yow a prosses: I pray
God sende therof a good heynd. The same day that I come to
Norlache, on a Sonday befor mattens frome Burforde, Wylliam
Mydwyntter wyllcwmyd me, and in howr comynycacyon he askyd
me hefe I wher in any whay of maryayge. I towlde hyme nay, and
he informeyd me that ther whos a +geunge genttyllwhoman hos
father ys name ys Lemryke, and her mother ys deyd, and sche
schawll dyspend be her moter xl li. a +ge[{r{] , as thay say in #
that
contre, and her father ys the gretteste rewlar a[{n{]d          #
rycheste mane
in that conttre, and ther hawhe bene grete genttyllmen to se    #
[{h{]yr
and wholde hawhe hyr, etc. And hewyr matens wher done,
Wylliam Mydwynter had meuyd thys mater to the gretteste mane
abot the gentyllman Lemeryke, and he +geyd and informyd the
forsayd of aull the matter, and the +gewng gentyllwomane bothe;
and the Sattyrday aftyr, Wylliam Mydwyntter whent to London,
as aull wholl getherars wher sent for be wryt be the mene of    #
Pettyt,
for inwynde and grete markyng, and thay hawhe day to cwm agen
at Myhellmas. [\New page, headed Anno Jhesu                     #
M=l=iiij=c=iiij=xx=ij\] When
I had packyd at Camden and Wylliam Mydwyntter departtyd,
I came to Norlache ageyn to make a nende of packyng, and on     #
the 
Sonday nexte aftyr, the same mane that Wylliam Mydwy[{n{]ter
brake fyrste to cam [{to{] me and telde me that he had brokyn   #
to hys
<P 152>
master acordyng as Mydwyntter desyryde hym, and he sayd hys
master whos ryght whell plessyde ther whothe. And the same      #
mane 
sayd to me hefe I whowllde tary May Day I schulde hawhe a syte
of the +gewnge gentyllwhoman, and I sayd I wholld tary wyth a
good wyll, and the same day her father schul[{d{] a syttyn at   #
Norlache
for the Kyng, but he sente whon of hys clarkys and rod 
hymselfe to Wynchecwme. And to mattens the same day come the
+gewnge gentyllwhoman and her mowther-i-law, and I and Wylliam
Bretten wher sayng mattens when thay com into chyrche, and
when mattens vhos done thay whente to a kynnyswhoman off the
+gewnge genttyllwhomane; and I sent to them a pottell of whyte
romnay, and thay toke hyt thankefully, for thay had cwm a myle
a fote that mornyng; and when Mes whos done I come and          #
whellcwmyd
them, and kyssyd them, and thay thankyd me for the
whyne, and prayd me to cwm to dyner wyth them, and I ascwysyd
me and thay made me promys them to drynke wyth them after
dyner. And I sent them to dyner a galon whyne and thay sent me
a heronsew roste, and aftyr dyner I com and dranke wyth them    #
and
toke Wylliam Bretten wyth me, and whe had ryught gode           #
comynecacyon,
and the person plesetheyde me whell as be the fyrst
comynycacyon: sche ys +gewnge, lytyll, and whery whellfauyrd    #
and
whytty, and the contre spekys myche good bye hyr. Syr, aull     #
thys
matter abydythe the cowmyng of her father to London, that whe
may wndyrstonde what some he wyll departte wyth, and how he
lykys me. He wyll be heyr wythin iij whekys. I pray send me a   #
letter
how +ge thynke be thys matter. [\New page headed Anno Jhesu     #
etc.,
as above\] Heyr has beyn whyt my mother Myhell Koke and hys
whyfe from +Georke, and my mother and I hawhe made them gret
scheyr, and my mother has gewyn to Myhelles wyfe a cremsyn
gov[{ne{] of hyr wheryng, and sche has prayd me to whrayt to    #
yow
to by for her a for of calla[{b{]yr for to lay in the same      #
gowne,
and Kokys whyfe and scho prays yow to by for them x as fyne
mynkys as +ge cane fynde in the marte, and +ge schawl be plesyd
for them. I schawll send to Calles be Robard Heryke at thys
Whyttesontyd the byll of xiij s. iiij. d.: hyt am[{o{]wntys to  #
xv li.
vj s. viij d. and payde. I ondyrstonde be Wylliam Celys letter  #
that
+ge hawhe whryttyng frome my Lorde of Sent Jonys. I pray yow
send me partte of yowr tydyng: I sent to yow the laste that I   #
had.
Syr, thay hawhe begwn to schype at London, and aull howr wholl
<P 153>
and fell ys hyt in Cottyssowllde, sawhe iiij sarpllerys;        #
therfor whe
can do nothyng at thys tyme. Syr, I thynke mony wyll be gode at
thys marte, for the Kyng has sente to the mercars and lette     #
them
whet that he wy[{l{] hawhe iij whystyllys; whon at Bregys,      #
another
at Calles, the thyrd at London; and as I am informyd, what
merchand of the Stapell that sellys hys wh[{oll{] , he may by   #
what
whar that he wyll ageyn. And thay that by no whar schaull       #
brynge
in ther mony into the Kyngys wystyll at Bregys ar Calles, and   #
be
payd at London at a monythe day, and the mony schawl be
stablyschyd at viij s. The mercars be not conttent therwyth. I  #
pray
yow rememyr howr bowys. No mor. Wrhryt at London the xiij
day of May.

per Rychard Cely

[\Dorse:\] A my riught whelbelouyd brother George Cely,         #
merchand
of the Stapell at Calles, or at the marte, be thys dd. 



