[Sidenote: Not before 1487]
Your farmer of Mauteby has not given surety and paid poundage for his
cattle, as he pretends. I hope you will not encourage him, when he tells
you he owes me no duty, and that he took not my ‘merch’ for twenty
years, but only so long as he continued in Heryngby farm. I denied him
the replevin, because the ground of my farm is parcel of ancient
demesne. Your tenants complain of me without cause. I hope you will not
be displeased if I ask them simply for what is due to me. I never said
‘that ye shuld hang upon many bushes.’ I have always been glad to say or
do my best for you, as any poor gentleman in Norfolk. I pray you bring
forth my accuser that I may come to my answer, and know who would make
variance between us.
Ormesby, 24 Oct.
[The writer of this letter was Robert Clere of Ormesby, who was
knighted in 1494, and was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1501.
The expression ‘your’ farmer of Mauteby, shows that it was written
after the death of Margaret Paston, and that the Sir John addressed
must have been her second son, to whom the manor of Mauteby
descended. The date is, therefore, not earlier than 1487 when this
Sir John was knighted, and may be many years later.]
[Footnote 108-2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
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