_To the right reverent sir my most worshipful maister, my maister John
Paston._
[Sidenote: About 1449 / APRIL]
Right reverent and my most worshipful maister, I recomaund me to yow.
Please it yow to wete that the man whiche I wolde have hadde to a be
youre fermour at Snaillewelle hath tolde me that he will not therof,
and this he makith his excuse; he seythe that he shall dwelle with his
wyffes fader and fynden hym for his good as longe as he levyth and he
will no forther medill in the werde. I fele well by hym that he hath
inquered of the maner, for he coude telle me well that olde Briggeman
aught my maister, your fader, whom God assoile, moche good, and how that
he hadde al that was ther whanne Briggeman was ded; and that this
Briggeman owith yow moche good at this tyme. I answered therto, as for
olde Briggeman, I seide that it was his will that my maister shulde have
his good, be cause he was a bonde man and hadde no childer. And as for
this Briggeman, I seide that he hath bought a faire place sithe he was
your fermour, and payed therfor; but for this I kan not turne hym.
Wherfor, and it like yow to sende to me a bille of the value of the
maner, I shall inquere if any other may happe to be gete, and sende yow
worde therof; and in this and what ye will comaunde me ellys I shall do
my parte by the grace of our Lord, Who ever have yow in His kepyng.
Amen. Writen at Cambrigge the Sunday nexte before the fest of Seynt
George.
My maister your brother[103.1] recomaundeth hym to yow, as me semyth he
is in right febill hele. he will not telle me qwy, save he seyth he
compleyned onys and hadde no remedy, and therfor he seythe he shall
suffer for a seoson. Forsothe I suppose he is not intreted as he aught
to be.
Your servaunt and bedeman,