John Pympe to Sir John Paston

LETTER LXXVII.

To Mast’ Sir John Paston be ths Lett’ delyverid in Calis.

HONWRE and Joye be to yow my ryght gode Mast’ and
      most assured brother letyng yow know that al yowre
welwillers and s’vaunts in these p’tyes that I know fare well
and bett’ wold if they mowht here of yowre wellbeyng and
forthw^t sum of yowre frenche and borgoyne tidyngs ffor we in
these p’tyes be in grete drede lest the french Kyng w^t sum
assaults shuld in eny wise distourbe yow of yo^r. soft sote and
sewre slepys but as yet we no thyng can here that he so dis-
poseth h[SYM].

     Mary we have herd sey that the Frowys of Broggys w^t there
hye cappes have gyven sum of yow grete clappys and that the
fete of her armys do[SYM]g is such that they smyte al at the mowthe
and at the grete ende of the thyeh but in faith we care not for
yow for we know well that ye be gode ynowh at defence but
we here sey that they be of such corage that they gyve yow moo
strokys than ye do to thē and that they strike sorer than ye also
but I thynk that the english Ladyes and Jentylwomē and the pore
also can do as well as they and lyst not to lerne of them no thyng
and therefor we drede lest ther hye corages shuld meve them to
make yow warre also; but God defend for by my trowth than
have ye much to do for ht were bett’ and more ese for to labor
iij or fowre dayes wt mattokks and pykeisys to over turne yo^r
sande hills as we here saye ye do ryht wurshipfully than only
one day to endure theyre fers encountrys so as ye myht owther
gete or save yo^r wurshippys by, and loke that ye trust to have no
rescow of us for so God me helpe we have y nowh to do in
these p’tyes w^t the same werrs. But in one thyng we preyse
yowre sadnessys and discrecōnys ryht much that is in kepyng of
yo^r trewse and pese w^t the Kyng of Fraunce as the Kyng hath
commaundid and a grete reson why for ht were to much for
yow to have werre w^t all the world at onys ffor the werre a fore
seid kepith yow blameles ffor every resonable mā wetyth well
that ht is to much for eny pepyll levyng to do bothe at
onys.

     Syr as for the more p’ts off my thowht I praye yow re-
comaunde me un to yowr self prayyng yow that y may con-
tynew in such case as yo^r godenes hath taken me of old and
if ye lyst to send eny tydyngs or other th[SYM]g to the partyes
that were wont to warme theym by yo^r fyre in feith I shall
do yo^r erand.

     And as for Barley ht is of the same pryce that ht was wont
to be of and is the most sure corne and best enduryng that may
be, and Syr where that sumtyme was a lytyll hole in a wall is
now a dore large ynowh and esy passage whereof ye were the
deviser and have thank for yo^r labor of sum p’tyes but no thyng
lastyth evyr. Y mene that y trow my passage shall hastyly
faile me and the dore shalbe shet up agayne, lesse than Fortun
be agreable to have my counseile kept for not long ago mak[SYM]g
my entre at that passage I saw a Sparow that useth those
ewrys and I saw her sytt so stille that y cowde not endure
but y must neds shote her and so God me help I smote her I
trow ev[SYM] to the hert and so I drede me lest owther the Barley
wyll ete the Sparow or ells the Sparow wyll ete the Barley but
as yet all is well but reson shewt me that ht must neds sayle
by contynewauns lesse than I forsake bothe the Sparow and the
Barley also.

     Syr I have thank for the shew that I onys made of yow and
daily gramercy, and ye theire prayer.

     Syr forthemore I beseche yow as ye wyll do eny thyng for me
that ye se o day for my sake and for yo^r own plesure all the gode
Hors in Caleys and if ther be among theym eny pric horse of
deds that is to sell in especiall that he be well trottyng of his
owne corage w^t owte fort of sporis and also a steryng hors
if he be he is the bett’ I pray yow send me word of his color
deds and corage and also of his pric’ seyn[SYM]g as ye wold by h[SYM]
yo^rself and also I wold have h[SYM] sumwhat large, not w^t the
largest, but no smalle hors as more than a dowble hors prayyng
yow above all thyngs to have the in remembrauns and that
hastily as may be for ther is late p’mysed me help to such an
entent and I wote not how long ht shall endure and therfor
I beseche yow send me word by tyme.

     I trow the Frenshe men have taken up al the gode hors in
Pycardye and also they be wont to be hevy hors in labor and y^t
I love not, but a hevy hors of flesh and lyht of corage y
love well, for y love no hors that wyll al way be lene and slender
like grehounds God kepe yow.

                                                                          Yo^r.

                                                                                  J. Pympe.

     Y pray yow to recomaund me to my cos[SYM] S^r. John Scot and
all his in especiall mastres ¹ Ben[SYM]gfeld.

            8 ¾ by 11 ¾.

(Rec^d) Sunday, 16th of March,
             1476, 17 E. IV.

     Under the Direction of this Letter, and in a hand of the time (I believe in Sir John
Paston’s hand) is written “Jon Pympe,” “xvj die Mar’ A^o. E. 4. 17.” (16th day of
March, 17 E. IV.) being the date when the Letter was received.

     I have given this Letter merely as a specimen of the humour of the time, and, though
indelicate, may I fear be matched by many a modern correspondence.

     Some Amour seems to be couched under the Simile of the Sparrow, the Barley, and
the Door, &c.

     The latter part of this epistle shews us what were the qualities of a Horse at that time
most esteemed.

     The Writer was a Person of some consideration, as he was to have had Sir J. Paston’s
Lodgings in London, and was Cousin to Sir J. Scot, Deputy Governor of Calais.
Pl. VI. N^o 29.

     ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Sir John Scot, and wife to Edmund Bedingfeld.

LETTER LXXVII.

To Master Sir John Paston, be this Letter delivered in Calais.

HONOUR and Joy be to you, my right good Master, and
      most assured Brother, letting you know that all your
Wellwillers and Servants, in these parts, that I know, fare well,
and better would, if they might hear of your well being, and
forthwith some of your French and Burgundy tidings; for we
in these parts be in great dread lest the French King with
some assaults, should in any wise disturb you of your soft, sote
(sweet), and sure, sleeps, but as yet we nothing can hear that he
so disposeth him.

     Marry we have heard say, that the Frows (women) of Bruges,
with their high Caps, have given some of you great claps; and
that the feat of their arms doing is such, that they smite all at
the mouth, and at the great end of the thigh, but in faith we
care not for you, for we know well that ye be good enough
at defence; but we hear say, that they be of such courage,
that they give you more strokes than ye do them, and that they
strike surer than ye also; but I think that the English Ladies,
and Gentlewomen, and the Poor also, can do as well as they,
and list (desire) not to learn of them nothing; and therefore we
dread lest their high courages should move them to make you
war also; but God defend, for by my truth then have ye
much to do; for it were better and more ease for to labour
three or four days with Mattocks and Pickaxes to overturn your
Sand hills, as we hear say ye do right worshipfully, than only
one day to endure their fierce encounters, so as ye might
either get or save your worships by; and look that ye trust to
have no rescue of us, for so God me help, we have enough
to do in these parts with the same wars.

     But in one thing we praise your sadnesses (wisdoms) and
discretions right much, that is, in keeping of your Truce and
Peace, with the King of France, as the King hath commanded;
and a great reason why, for it were too much for you to have
war with all the world at once, for the war aforesaid keepeth
you blameless, for every reasonable man weeteth well, that
it is too much for any people living to do both at once. Sir,
as for the more part of my thought, I pray you recommend
me unto yourself, praying God that I may continue in such
case as your goodness hath taken me of old, and if ye list
to send any tidings, or other thing to the parties that were
wont to warm them by your fire, in faith I shall do your
errand.

     As for Barley it is of the same price that it was wont to
be of, and is the most sure corn, and best enduring that may be;
and Sir, where that some time was a little Hole in a wall, is
now a Door large enough and easy passage, whereof ye were the
Deviser, and have thank for your labour of some parties, but
nothing lasteth ever; I mean that I trow, my passage shall
hastily fail me, and the Door shall be shut up again; less then
(unless) Fortune be agreeable to have my Counsel kept; for not
long ago making my entry at that passage, I saw a Sparrow
that useth those Eaves, and I saw her sit so still that I could not
endure, but I must needs shoot her, and so God me help. I smote
her I trow even to the heart; and so I dread me; lest either the
Barley will eat the Sparrow, or else the Sparrow will eat the
Barley, but as yet all is well, but reason shew it me, that it
must needs fail by continuance, less then (unless) I forsake both
the Sparrow and the Barley also.

     Sir, I have thank for the shew that I once made of you and
daily Gramercy, (Grant me mercy,) and ye their prayer.

     Sir, farthermore I beseech you, as ye will do any thing for
me, that ye see one day for my sake, and for your own pleasure,
all the good Horse in Calais, and if there be amongst them any
prized horse of deeds, that is to sell, in especial that he be
well trotting of his own courage, without force of Spurs, and
also a stirring horse, if he be he is the better; I pray you send
me word of his colour, deeds, and courage, and also of his
price, feigning as ye would buy him yourself, and also I would
have him somewhat large, not with the largest; but no small
horse, as more than a double horse; praying you above all
things to have this in remembrance, and that hastily as may be,
for there is late promised me help to such an intent, and I
wote not how long it shall endure; and therefore I beseech you
send me word by time.

     I trow the French men have taken up all the good horse in
Picardy, and also they be wont to be heavy horse in labour,
and that I love not, but a heavy horse of flesh, and light of cou-
rage I love well, for I love no horse that will always be lean and
slender like Greyhounds. God keep you.

                                                                           Your,

                                                                               JOHN PYMPE.

     8 ? by 11 ?.

(Rec^d) Sunday, 16th of March,
             1476, 17 E. IV.

     I pray you to recommend me to my Cousin Sir John Scot
and all his, in especial Mrs. Bedingfeld.

     Under the Direction of this Letter, and in a hand of the time (I believe in Sir John
Paston’s hand) is written “Jon Pympe,” “xvj die Mar’ A^o. E. 4. 17.” (16th day of
March, 17 E. IV.) being the date when the Letter was received.

     I have given this Letter merely as a specimen of the humour of the time, and, though
indelicate, may I fear be matched by many a modern correspondence.

     Some Amour seems to be couched under the Simile of the Sparrow, the Barley, and
the Door, &c.

     The latter part of this epistle shews us what were the qualities of a Horse at that time
most esteemed.

     The Writer was a Person of some consideration, as he was to have had Sir J. Paston’s
Lodgings in London, and was Cousin to Sir J. Scot, Deputy Governor of Calais.
Pl. VI. N^o 29.

     ¹ Margaret, Daughter of Sir John Scot, and wife to Edmund Bedingfeld.

908

JOHN PYMPE TO SIR JOHN PASTON¹

To Master Sir John Paston, Knight, be this
letter delyvered in Calis.

FRESH amorouse sihts of cuntreys ferre and straunge
     Have all fordoone² your old affeccion;
     In plesurys new, your hert dooth score and raunge
So hye and ferre, that like as the fawcon
Which is alofte, tellith scorne to loke a down
On hym that wont was her feders to pyke and ympe;¹
Ryht so forgotyn ye have your pore Pympe,

That wrytith, sendith, and wisshith alday your wele
More than his owne; but ye ne here, ne se,
Ne sey, ne send, and evyr I write and sele
In prose and ryme, as well as hit will be.
Sum evyll tong, I trow, myss sayeth of me
And ells your fast and feithfull frendelynes
Ye thenk mysspent on such as I, I gesse.

I wyll abate my customable concourse,
To yow so costuouse,² whan so evyr ye com agayn,
Which that I fele of reson, by the course
Of my proferid servyce, hath made yow so unfayne;
For veryly the water of the fowntayne
With brede only forthwith yowre presens
Me shuld content much more than your expense.

But ay deme I thus that Fortun hath hyryd yow,
For she but late of sorowys moo than many
Hath rakyd un to myn hert an hepe more than a moowe,
And wuld that ye shuld ley thereon on hye
Your hevy unkyndenes to make hit fast to lye,
And God knowth well hit cannot long lye there
But hit wyll bryng me to the chirch bere.

Take hit awaye therefore, y praye yow fayre,
For hardyly my hert beryth hevy y nowh,
For there is Sorow at rest as in hys chayre,
Fixid so fast with hys prikks rowh,
That in gode feith I wote not whan I lowh,³
For, Master Paston, the thyng whereon my blisse
Was holly sette, is all fordoone, I wysse.

By your JOHN PYMPE,
thes beyng the vj. letter that I have send yow.

     Alway prayyng yow to remembre the hors that I have in
every letter wryten for; as thus, that hit wuld plese yow to
undrestond who hath the gentyllest hors in trottyng and
steryng that is in Calis, and if he be to sell, to send me word
of hys pris, largenesse, and colour. Hytt is told me, that the
Master Porter hath a coragiouse ronyd hors, and that he wuld
putt hym away by cause he is daungerous in companye; and
of that I force [care] not, so that he be not chorlissh at a spore,
as plungyng; and also I sett not by hym, but if he trotte hye
and gentilly. No more, but God kepe yow.

                                                                              JOHN PYMPE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, ii. 234.] We may as well place this letter—the only remaining
one of the series that has been preserved—immediately after the other two. John
Pympe seems to have been a very industrious correspondent, and the art of writing, in
prose or verse, came to him very easily.                                     ² Destroyed.—F.

     ¹ A term in Falconry, signifying the adding a piece to a feather in a hawk’s
wing.—F.                                                                            ² Expensive.

     ³ Laughed? Fenn in his modern version reads ‘when I love.’

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