_To the ryght worshypfull Mestresse Margret Paston._
[Sidenote: 1477 / AUG. 7]
Please it yow to weete that I have receyvyd yowr letter, wretyn the
Tywesdaye nexte afftre Seynt James Daye, wherin ye desyre me to remembre
Kokett, and also to be helpyng to my brother Johnes mariage. As for
Kokett, as God helpe me, I knowe nott yitt the meanes possible that I
myght paye hym by thatt daye, ffor thoos materis that be off grettest
wyght and charge, and that stonde nerrest my weell, that is to seye, the
sywerte off the maner off Castre, and the mater betwen Anne Hault and me
shall, with Goddes grace, thys terme be at a perffyght ende, whyche will
charge me fferther than I have mony as yitt, or lyke to have byffor that
tyme, off myne owne, and, as God helpe me, I wote nott where to borow.
Item, I most paye with in thys iij. yeer iiij^c. [400] marke to
Towneshende, or ellis fforffett the maner off Sporle, and thus my
charges be gretter than I maye a weye with, concidryd suche helpe as I
have; and iff it ffortunyd that I fforffetyd the maner off Sporle, ye
weer never lyke to se me myry afftre, so God helpe me. Ye gave me ones
xx_li._ to it wardes, and ye promyttyd as moche, whyche I receyvyd, and
synnys off my mony off seide maner growyng that come to yowr handys was
receyvyd by yow ageyn the seyd xl_li._, whyche, when Kokett scholde be
payed, was nott yowr ease to departe wyth. Neverthelesse ye may yitt,
when yow lyketh, perfforme yowr sayde gyffte and promyse, and thys somme
owyng to Kokett is nott so moche; neverthelesse I suppose that ye be
nott so weell purveyed. Wherffor, iff it please yow at yowr ease her
afftre to performe yowr seyde gyffte and promyse, so that I may have it
with in a yer or ij. or yitt iij., I sholde per case gete yowr
obligacion to yow ageyn ffrom Kokett, and he pleasyd. Wherffor I beseche
yow that I maye have an assyngnement of suche dettes as been owyng yow,
payeable at leyser off suche mony as is owyng ffor the woode at
Basyngham or ellys wher; ffor, so God helpe me, I sholde ellys wylfully
ondoo myselffe, wherin I beseche yow to sende me an answer in hast.
Item, as towchyng the mariage off my brother John, I have sente hym myn
advyce, and tolde hym wherto he shall truste, and I have grauntyd hym as
moche as I maye. I wolde that I weer at on communycacion atwyen them for
hys sake, whyche I sholde if I myght. As for my comyng home, I ame nott
yitt sertayn therof; I shalle hast me as faste as I canne, with the
grace of God, Who have yow in Hys kepyng.
I beseche yow to remembre the premyssis, and to helpe me, and with
Goddes grace, thes ij. materis above wretyn, bothe of Castre and
Mestresse Anne Hault, shall be endyd to my profyth and rest, and moor
ovyr, er awghte longe to, with Goddes grace, the maner of Sporle to be
owte of danger; promyttyng yow that I shall doo in Kokettes mater as
moche as is possible for me to doo to yower plesyr. It shall never neede
to prykk nor threte a free horse. I shall do whatt I can.
Wretyn the Thorysdaye next byffore Seynt Lawrence, anno E. iiij^ti xvij.
By yowre sone,