_To Mestresse Margrete Paston, or to Roose, dwellyng byffore hyr gate at
Norwyche._
[Sidenote: 1474 / NOV. 20]
Aftre dew recomendacion, my most tendre and kynde moodre, I beseche yow
off yowr dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weete that I reseyvyd a lettre
thhat come from yowe, wretyn the xxvj. daye of Octobre, none erst
but[213-2] on Wednysday last past, wherby I conceyvyd that, at the
wryghtyng off that letter, ye weer nott serteyn of the delyng betwyn
Towneshende and me. It was so that, God thanke yow, I receyvyd the
xx_li._ broght by Syme, and also the mony browght by my brother, with
whyche mony, and with moor that I had my selff, I redemyd the maner of
Sporle, and payed Towneshend bothe the CCCC. marke ther ffor, and also
x_li._ that I owte hym besyde, and have off hym aqwytaunce off all
bargaynes and off all other dettes. Neverthelesse, I assayed hym iff he
wolde, iff nede hadde ben, gyvyn me a xij. monyth lenger respyght,
whyche he grauntyd to do; but in conclusyon I can nott entrete hym, but
that he woll have the uttremest of hys bargayn, and thys xx_li._
payeable at Candelmesse and Esterne. I kan entrete hym noon other wyse
as yit; wherffor I thynke, iff I had passyd my daye, it had ben harde to
have trustyd to hys cortesye, in so moche I ffynde hym also ryght loose
in the tonge. For Bekham, he spekyth no thyng comfortably ther in; what
he wyll doo, can I nott seye.
Item, as for Castre, it nedyth nott to spore nor prykke me to doo owghte
ther in. I doo that I can with goode wyll, and somwhat I hope to doo
hastely ther in that shall doo goode.
Item, as for the bokes that weer Syr James, God have hys sowle, whyche
it lykethe yow that I shall have them, I beseche yow that I maye have
them hyder by the next massenger, and iff I be goon, yit that they be
delyveryd to myn ostesse at the George, at Powlys Wharffe, whyche wolle
kepe them saffe, and that it lyke yow to wryght to me whatt my peyne or
payment shall be for them.
Item, it lyked yow to weet of myn heelle. I thanke God nowe that I am
nott greetly syke ner soore, but in myn heele, wherin alle men know nott
whatt peyne I feele. And wher ye advysed me to hast me owt of thys
towne, I wolde full fayne be hense. I spende dayly mor than I sholde
doo, if I wer hense, and I am nott well purveyed.
Item, blessyd be Good, my grauntdam is amendyd by suche tyme as myn
oncle W. come hyddre. But my yongest cosyn Margret, hys doghtre, is ded
and beryed er he come home.
I am as moche afferde off thys londe that is in hys hande as I was off
that that was in Towneshendes hande. I hope to wryght yow moor serteynte
within iiij. or v. dayes. No more, &c.
Wretyn the xx. daye of Novembre, anno E. iiij. xiiij^{o}.
Yowr Sone,