_To the right reverent and honurable, my master, Sir John Paston,
Knyght._
[Sidenote: Before 1503]
Plesitht it your mastership to remembre, I shewyd onto you in Lente that
I had bought Baktons place. Sir, it is so that John Bakton graunted to
John Trovy hes sone in lawe, hes mese with all the londes and tenements,
&c., takyng of the seide John Trovy viij. marke of annuyte yerly, terme
of hes lyf; wherupon endenture were made and a state delyverd. Upon the
weche I bargeyned with Trovy, payng to hym for hes parte c. marke and
x., wherof he hadde in hande iiij_li._ vj_s._ viij_d._ and xv_li._
xiij_s._ iiij_d._ shulde be payd at such tyme as I had a lawfull astate,
weche was apoynted before Michelmes last past; weche is not yet done.
Wherfore he hath forfeted an obligacion of xl_li._ that he was bounde in
to me for the same astate; ther was no defaute in me, for my money was
there redy. And, sir, in the same weke after your mastership departed
out of this contre, Bakton and the seide Trovy come to Bakton, and sent
for me, and there were we appoynted for the same bargeyn and accorded,
wenynge to me and to all tho that were there it had ben fully
concl[uded] . . . . . my suertes and for all other thynges. And sodenly
Bakton departed hem be the avice of [the Prior of Bro]mholme, and John
Bowle and other, weche meved Bakton that I shulde not have my bargein;
and so they entende to putte me from my bergein. And master Fitzlawes,
Kn[i]ght, of Esex, hath sent me a letter, weche I sende you closed
herin; and at hes enstaunce I have graunted Trovy an ende for vj_li._
and my iiij_li._ vj_s._ viij_d._, and my costes that I have done on the
place, weche with these mony and costes drawith xij_li._ If I may have
all thes money payd onto me within xiiij. dayes after Cristemas, I wol
take non avauntage of the obligacion, weche Trovy is bounde to me.
I suppose Mr. Lawes woll speke to you of thes mater. I beseche you that
ye wol be goode master to me herin, for I am lothe to be putte from my
bergein. I am in suerte there is no man wol geve so moche for it as I
wolde, and they nede not to fere them of ther payment, for I ofer them
iiij. suertes, the worste of them is worthe all the lande; yet Bakton
mystrustes me, and nede not. If I had it, I wolde truste to make it a
goode thynge, for ther is moche thynge ther by that myght be had in to
it, weche causeth me to be the more desirous to it. I shewe your
mastership the previte of my mynde, trustynge ye wolbe good mastre to
me, and I shal pray to God for you and for all youres.
Wreten at Felmyngham, the Saterday next before Sein Marteyn.
Be your servaunt,