_To my right worshipfull master John Paston, the older, Squier._
[Sidenote: 1461 / SEPT. 6]
Please your mastirship to wete that I have be at Cotton, and spoke with
Edward Dale, and he told me that Yelverton and Jenney were there on
Friday,[308.2] and a toke distresse of xxvj. or more bullokks of the
seid Edwards in the Park, and drofe hem to a town therby; and a
neyghbore there undirstandyng the bests were Edward Dalis,[308.3] and
bond hym to pay the ferme, or ellis to bryng in the bests be a day. And
whan the seid Edward undirstod the takyng of the seid bests he went to
Yelverton and Jenney, and bond hym in an obligacon of x_li._, to pay hem
his ferme at Mighelmes; whech I told hym was not well do, for I told hym
ye had be abill to save hym harmeles. And because of discharge of his
neyghbour he seid he myght non other wise do. Nevirthelesse as for mony
thei get none of hym redely, ner of the tenaunts nowthyr, as he can
thynk yet. The seid Yelverton dyned on Friday at Cotton, and there
chargid the tenaunts thei shuld pay no mony but to hym, and hath
flaterid hem, and seith thei shall be restorid ayen of such wrongs as
thei have had be Sir Philip Wentworth and other for Master Fastolff; and
because of such tales, your tenaunts owe hym the bettir will. And I
purposid to have gon to Cotton and spoke with the tenaunts, and Edward
Dale told me he supposid thei wold be this day at Nakton. And because
[I desired][308.4] to speke with hem as ye comaundid me, I terid not but
rod to Ipwich to my bed, and there at the Sonne was the seid Yelverton
and Jenney and Thomas Fastolff; and myn ost told me, that the same aftir
none thei had be at Nakton, but what thei ded there I can not telle, and
whan I was undirstand your man, Hogon, Jenneys man, askyd suerte of pes
of me; and Jenney sent for an officer to have hed me to prison; and so
myn ost undirtoke for me that nyght. And this day in the mornyng I wente
to Sen Lauerauns Chirche; and there I spak to hem and told hem ye
merveylid that thei wold take any distresse or warne any of your
tenaunts that thei shuld pay yow no mony. And Yelverton seid ye had take
a distresse falsly and ontrewly of hym that ought yow no mony ner hem
nowther. And he seid he was infeffid as well as ye; and as for that I
told hym he wost odre [_knew the contrary_], and thow he were it was but
your use, and so I told hym that men were infeffid in his lond, and that
he shuld be servid the same withinne fewe dayes. And he seid he wost
well ye were not infeffid in his lond, and if ye toke upon yow to make
any trobill in his lond ye shall repente it. And also he seid that he
wold do in like wise in alle maners that were Sir John Fastolffs in
Norfolk as thei have begonne, and other langage as I shall telle yow.
And so I am with the gayler, with a clogge upon myn hele for suerte of
the pees; wherefore please your mastirship to send me your avise.
Item, John Andrews was with hem at Cotton, and thei have set a man of
the seid Andrews to kepe the plase.
Item, Wymondham, Debenham and Tympirle come to Yelverton this day at
masse and speke with hym; and I speke to Tymperle in your name that he
wold not comforte ner be with hem ayein in this mater; and he seid he
undirstod no such thyng, ner it was not his comyng hedir. Wretyn at
Ipwych the Sonday next before the Nativite of Owr Lady.
Yowr servaunt,