_To my ryght wyrshypfull husbond, John Paston, by thys delyvery[d] in
hast._
[Sidenote: 1465 / MAY 20]
Please it you to wyte that on Satourday last your servaunts Naunton,
Wyks, and other, wer at Drayton, and ther toke a dystresse for the rent
and ferm that was to pay, to the nomber of lxxvij. nete, and so broght
them hom to Hayllesdon, and put them in the Pynfold, and so kept hem
styll ther from the seyd Satour day mornyng un to Monday,[143.2] at iij.
at clok at after non. Fyrst on the same Satour day the tenants folwyd
uppon, and desyryd to have ther catell ayen; and I awunsweryd hem, yf
they wold do pay such dewts as they oght for to pay to you, that then
they shold have ther catell delyveryd ayen; or els yf they wer not a
power to pay redy money, that then they to fynd suffycyant suerty to pay
the money at such a day as they mygh agrye with me, and therto to be
bonden to you by obligacyon; and that they seyd they durst not for to
take uppon hem for to be bonden, and as for money they had non for to
pay at that tyme, and therfor I kept stylle the bestys.
Harleston was at Norwych, and send for the tenants the seyd Satour day
at after non, and ther, by the menys of the Bayllyf of Coshay, put the
tenants in such feer, sayng that yf they wold pay such dewts, or els for
to be bonden to pay, that then they wold put hem owte of such londs as
they huld bondly of the Lordshyp, and so to dystrayn hem and trobell
hem, that they shuld be wery of ther part; and that put hem [in] such
feer that they drust nother pay nor be bonden.
And on the same day at evyn-song time Harleston com to me to Haylesdon,
desyryng me that I wold delyver a yen the seyd dystresse; and as for
such dystressys as they had taken here of your tenants shold be
delyveryd a yen in lyke forme; and I seyd I wold not delyver hem soo,
and I told hem that I wold delyver hem as ys wryten a fore and other
wyse not, and other wyse I wold not delyver hem but by the form of lawe.
And other comynycacyon was had by twene us at that tyme of dyvers maters
whych wer to long to wryte at thys tyme, but ye shall have knowlych
therof in hast.
And on Monday next after at ix. at clok ther com Pynchemor to Haylesdon
with a replevyn,[144.1] whych was made in Harleston ys name as
Understewerd of the Duche [_Duchy_], sayng that the bests were taken
uppon the Duche Fee, wherfor he desyryd me to mak hym levery of the seyd
bests so taken; and I seyd I wold not delyver hem on to the tyme that I
had examenyd the tenants of the trough [truth]. And so I send theder
Wyks with Pynchemor to understond what they wold say; and the tenants
seyd that ther was taken non uppon the Duche at ther knowlych, save only
Pyrs Warryn the yonger. And Paynter seyd that ther catell was taken
uppon the Duche, whych they connot prove by non record, save only by
ther awyn sayng; and so we wold not a bey that replevyn, and so they
departyd. And at iij. at clock at after non Pynchemor come to Haylysdon
a yen with ij. men, whych broght with hem a replevyn from the Shyryff,
whos namys be John Whytherley and Robert Ranson, whych requyryd me by
the same replevyn to make them delyvery of the seyd bestys taken at
Drayton; and so I, syyng the Shyryffs replevyn and under hys seale, bade
my men delyver hem, and soo they wer delyveryd.
And as for all other maters that ye have wretyn to [me] of, I wyll spede
me to send you a awnswer as hastely as I may, for I may no leysor have
to wryte no more to you thys tyme. The blyssyd Trynyte have you in His
kepyng. Wryten at Haylesdon, the xx. day of May.
By yours,