_To my cosyn, Margaret Paston, at Heylisdonn._
[Sidenote: 1465 / AUG. 7]
I recomaund me to you. And as for the letter that I send yow touchyng
John Russe, I will that ye and your counsell see it openly; and kepe
this bille to your self or to some secret frend of yours. And I pray yow
remembir ij. thynges; on, if ye fynd hym in any maner wise disposed to
leve his bargeyn, take it at his offer, and take ayen the writyng that
he hath of that bargeyn, or a writyng of his owne hand of relesyng his
bargeyn to me; for peraventure at this tyme he woll be glad to leve his
bargeyn, as I undirstand, and whanne he sethe that I have peas he wolle
calle theron ayen. Wherfore I pray yow werk wisely herin, for he may in
no maner wise aske the money of me and kepe his bargeyn, for he hathe
divers tymes desired me to have take of hym more masse (?) therfore.
Another, as sone as ye may, or ye breke this mater with John Russe, make
due serche with the fermours at Akthorp what mony Russe hath reseyved
ther in my tyme, that is to sey, for Mighelmes the first, the ij., iij.,
iiij. yeres of Kyng E., of whech he hath reseyved ij. payments, that is
xij_li._ at the lest, or er the maner was trobelid by Jenney or
Yelverton. And I deme that he hath reseyvid some sithen, but that he
kepith counsell.
Item, for as moch as Sir Thomas Howes gaderid for the xxxix. yere of
Kyng Herry, the seid John Russe woll, under colour of that surmytte,
that he reseyvid in my tyme was therfore, wherfore ye must make a serche
what he hath reseyvid sith Sir John Fastolff dyed, and what tyme; and
therupon ye shall undirstand what he hath reseyvid for me, and what for
hym; and in case he hathe reseyvid xii_li._, and Richard hath payd hym
his dute as he promised, thanne growyth nat to John Russe past iiij. or
v_li._; notwithstanding fare fayre with hym and resonabilly, so that he
leve his bargeyn, and lend hym the remnaunt of the xx_li._ upon suerte
for xx_li._ He desireth to have outher his dewte or borowyng at this
tyme.
Item, he that shall speke with the fermours of Akthorp, whos name is
Langham, he must inquere generally what mony he hath payd to all men
sith Sir John Fastolff dyed, and see his billes of payment, and take
therof a titelyng. Ric. Calle hath a bille of parcellis of every mannes
ferme, and he can serche this best, in case he be not to favorabill to
John Russe, wherfore I remitte this to your discrecion; but I suppose
John Russe woll telle yow what he hath reseyvid for hand bifore this
tyme wretyn by his seying what he had reseyvid, and I suppose and he
remembird that he seid to me, he wold not aske his mony in this forme;
nevirthelesse it shall do good, so he leve his bargeyn by this meane.
I mervyll that I here no tidyngges from yow hough ye have do at the
assisses. The berer of this letter is a comon carier, and was at Norwich
on Satirday, and brought me lettirs from other men, but your servaunts
inquere nat diligently after the comyng of cariers and other men. Wretyn
at London the Wednesday next after Lammes day.
Ye shall have lettirs of me this weke.