[Sidenote: 1472 / MAY 25]
Ryght worchefull syr, I recomande me to yow, sertyfying yow that I was
purposyd to have com to London to have made my pese with my Lady of
Norffolk, but I undyrstand she is not in London; notwithstandyng that is
no cause of myn abydyng at hom, but thys is the cause, so God help
me,--I can get no mony, neythyr of your lyvelod ner of myn, to pay for
my costes, nor for to ease yow with at my comyng. Notwithstandyng I am
promysyd som at Snaylewell, and if so be that John can take eny ther, he
shall bryng it yow with this bylle. I send yow here ij. of my reknynges
that I have receyved and payd syn I delt with yowr lyvelod, and by thes
ij. and by that reknyng that I sent yow to London ye may know what is
receyved by me, and what I have payid; and howgh and when so evyr ye
wyll let your tenauntes and fermours at alle plasys be examynd, ye
shalle fynd it non othyr wyse. So God help me, as your lyvelod is payid,
it cannot paye your dettes in thys contre; for it drawyth up on a x_li._
that ye owe yet in thys contre, besyd the xii_li._ to Dawbney; and with
in thes vij. dayis I shall send yow a clere byll what ye owe, for ther
are axyid many thynges that I knewe not of when I was with yow.
Also I enswyr yow by my trowthe I saw my modyr nevyr sorer mevyd with no
mater in hyr lyve then she was when she red the byll that ye gave me
warnyng in that Perker had atainyd an axyon ayenst yow and me, for she
supposyth veryly that it is doon by myn oncyll William meanys, to mak
yow to sell your lond. But thys she comandyd me for to send yow word,
that and ye sell eny lond, but paye your dettes with syche good as my
Lord Archebyshopp owyth yow, and eny law in Inglond can put fro yow eny
of hyr lond, she sweryth by that feyth that she owyth to God she wyll
put fro yow dobyll as myche lond as ye selle. And therfor I wold avyse
yow, calle sharply upon my Lord, the Archebyshop, for ye ar not bond to
undo your sylf for hym.
Item, I pray yow se that I tak no hurt by Parker. As for myn oncyll W.,
I can not mak hym to send you the byll of syche stuff as he hathe of
yowrs. He seyth he woll, but he comyth no of with it.[140-1] He and I ar
fowly fallyn owght thys same day for a mater betwyx Lovell and Johne
Wallsam and hyr sustyr. Lovell hathe bowt Jone Walshamys part of hyr
lyvelod, and maryd hyr to a knave, and myn oncyll W. hathe oft spok with
my modyr and me for to delyver Jone Walshamys evydence to Lovell, whyche
I have in kepyng; and be cause I wyll not delyver Lovell the evydence
therfor we fyll owt, in so myche that he seyth he wyll stryppe me fro
the maner of Sweynsthorpe. Wherfor I pray yow in eny wyse send me by
John Mylsend a copye of the deed that I sent yow to London. Ther is in
the same deed Gresham and Snaylewell, and Sporle and Sweynsthorpe, alle
to gedyr I trow. And I prey yow let the date and the feoffeys namys, and
alle be set in. And I trust to God to mak yt so sewyr that he shall do
me lytyll harm. Gefrey Spyrlyng callyth oft up on me to undyrstand how
ye wyll delle with hym for hys plase in Norwyche. I pray you send me
woord by John what answer I may geve hym; he delyth alwey ryght frendly
with yow.
Item, I send yow here wyth Jamys Greshamys oblygacyon.
Item, I pray yow send serteyn woorde how the world gothe.
Wretyn the xxv. day of May.