_Un to Syr John Paston, be this delyvered in hast._
[Sidenote: 1475 / MAY 23]
Ryght welbelovyd son, I grete you well, and send you Cristes blissyng
and myne, desyringe to know how ye faire. I mervaile that I have herd no
tydynges from you sythe ye sent me the lettyr of an answere of the
xx_li._ the which I have layde pleages for to my cosyn Cleere, the which
letter was wryten the xxij^ty day of Februar; and as for that money,
I can not gete no lenger day therof than Mydsomer, or fourte nyght
after; and towardys that money, and the xx^ty_li._ that I send yow by
syde to London by Sym, I have receyved no mor money of yowres, but as
moch as I send yow wryten in this letter. And as for any discharge that
I promysed at the boroeng off the xx^ti_li._ when I leyde the pleages
ther fore, I thought not but that your uncle shuld a boroed them owte,
and I to have had my pleages, as well as he his; never the less I shall
be the warer how I shall dele here aftyr. By my trowth, I wote not how
to do ther fore; the Kyng goth so nere us in this cuntre, both to pooer
and ryche, that I wote not how we shall lyff, but yff [_unless_] the
world amend. God amend it, whan His wyll is. We[233-1] can nother sell
corne ner catell to no good preve. Malt is here but at x_d._ a comb;
wheete, a comb xxviij_d._; ootes, a comb x_d._; and ther of is but
lytell to geet here at thys tyme. William Pecok shall send you a byll
what he hath payde for yow for ij. taskes at this tyme; and how he hath
purveyde for the remnaunte of your corne; and also off other thynges
that be necessary that shuld be purveyd for in your absence. Send me
word also whome ye wyll desyre to do for yow in this contre, or ellys
where in your absence; and wryte to them to do for yow, and they wyll be
the better wylled to do for yow; and I wyll do my devyr for yow also, as
well as I can.
The somma off money that I have receyvyd off Wylliam Pecok:--First,
xl_s._ off Runnham. Item, off Bastwyk, xx_s._ Item, off Runnham, xx_s._
Item, off him for barly at Runnham, xx_s._ Item, off the fyschynge at
Bastwyke, xiij_s._ iiij_d._ Item, for barely sold at Runnham, viij_s._
Summa totalis, vj_li._ xvj_d._
Item, I have receyvyd of Ric. Calle, of Sporle wodd, xxvj_s._ viij_d._,
and more shall I hope here aftyr within short tyme; as I receyve for
yow, I hope to yeff yow a trew acownt; and this is all that I have
receyvyd for yow zytt, sen ye departyd hens. God bryng yow well ageyn to
this contre, to His pleasans, and to your wurshyp and profyzt.
Wryten at Mawteby, the xxiij^ty day of May, and the Tewsday next afftyr
Trinyte Sonday.
For Goddes love, and your brether go over the see, avyse them as ye
thynk best for her [_their_] save garde. For some of them be but yonge
sawgeres, and wote full lytyll what yt meneth to be as a sauger, nor for
to endure to do as a sawger shuld do. God save yow all, and send me good
tythynges of yow all. And send ye me word in hast how ye doo, for I
thynk longe to I here off yow.
Be youre Modyr.
Item, I wold not in no wyse that ye shuld nother sell nor sett to pleage
that ye have in Runnham, what som ever fortune of the remnaund; for yt
is a praty thyng, and resonable well payde, and nere thys towne. I wold
be ryght sory that ye shuld for bere that; I had lever ye for bore that
your uncle hath to morgage than that.
[Footnote 232-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is endorsed
‘Mens’ Maii, anno xv^{o}.’ The date is confirmed by the fact that
in 1475 the Tuesday after Trinity Sunday was the 23rd of May.]
[Footnote 233-1: _We._ Originally written _I_, and corrected.]
[[the xx^ty_li._ that I send yow by syde
_spelling unchanged_]]
872