_To Edmond Paston of Clyffordis Inn, in London, be this Lettre take._
[Sidenote: 1445 / FEB. 4]
To myn welbelovid sone, I grete yow wel, and avyse yow to thynkk onis of
the daie of youre fadris counseyle to lerne the lawe, for he seyde manie
tymis that ho so ever schuld dwelle at Paston, schulde have nede to
conne defende hym selfe.
The Vikare[72.3] of Paston and yowre fadre,[72.4] in Lenttyn last was,
wher [_were_] thorwe and acordidde, and doolis[72.5] sette howe broode
the weye schulde ben,[72.6] and nowe he hath pullid uppe the doolis, and
seithe he wolle makyn a dyche fro the corner of his walle, ryght over
the weye to the newe diche of the grete cloose. And there is a man in
Truntche, hyzht Palmer to, that hadde of yowre fadre certein londe in
Truntche over vij. yere or viij. yere agoone for corn, and trewli hathe
paide all the yers; and now he hathe suffrid the corne to ben with sette
for viij_s._ of rentte to Gymmyngham, wich yowre fadre paide nevere.
Geffreie axid Palmere why the rentte was notte axid in myn husbonddis
tyme; and Palmere seyde, for he was a grete man, and a wyse man of the
law, and that was the cawse men wolde not axe hym the rentte.
I sende yow the namis of the men that kaste down the pittis, that was
Gynnis Close, wretyn in a bille closid in this lettre.
I sendde yow not this lettre to make yow wery of Paston; for I leve in
hoope, and ye wolle lern that they schulle be made werye of her werke,
for in good feyth I dar welseyne it was yowr fadris laste wille to have
do ryzht wel to that plase, and that can I schewe of good profe, thowe
men wolde seye naye. God make yow ryzht a good man, and sende Goddis
blessyng and myn.
Wrettyn in haste, at Norwich, the Thorsdaie aftir Candelmasse daie.
Wetith of yowre brothere John now manie gystis [_joists_] wolle serve
the parler and the chapelle at Paston, and what lenghthe they moste be,
and what brede and thykknesse thei moste be; for yowre fadris wille was,
as I weene veryli, that thei schuld be ix. enchis on wey, and vij.
another weye. And porveythe therfor that thei mow be squarid there, and
sentte hedre, for here can non soche be hadde in this conttre. And seye
to yowre brothir John it weer wel don to thinkke on Stansted
Chirche;[73.1] and I praye yow to sende me tydynggs[73.2] from be yond
see, for here thei arn a ferde to telle soche as be reportid.
By yowr Modre,