TO JOHN PASTON I 1452, 11, 16

This lettre be delyuered to John Paston, beynge at London in the Innere In of the Temple.

I grete you well, and sende you Goddes blissyng and myn; and as touchyng the mater wheche ye desyryd my cosyn Clere shulde write fore, she hath doo, and I sende you the copy closed in this lettre. As for the enquerré I haue sent by Pynchemour to enquere, and sent myn owen men to William Bakton and don hem enquered in dyuerse places, and I can here no word of noon suych enquerans. I wot not what Page  38 it menyth. Roberd Hill was at Paston this wyke, and the man that duelled in Bowres place is oute ther-of and seid to Roberd he durst no lenger a-byde there-in for Waryn Herman seyth to him it is his place. As for Coketes mater, my doughter youre wif told me yester-even the man that suyth him will now stonde to youre a-warde. Bertilmow White is condennyd in Fornecet court in xl marc., as it is seid.
Item, as for Talfas, the sherevis han be-hest to do all the fauour thei may. I sente the parson of Seynt Edmundes to Gilberd, and he seide there was come a newe writ for to haue him vp by the xv day of Seynt Martyn; and how Caly hadde ben at hem and desired to carye vp Talfas on his owen cost and yeue hem goode wages.
Item, John Osbern seide to me this day that he supposed thei will not haue him vp be-forn Estern, and Margerete Talfas seide to me the same day that men tolde hire that he shulde neuer han ende till he were at London, and asked me counsell wheder she myte yeue the sherevys syluer or non,and I tolde hire if she dede I supposed she shulde fynde hem the more frendly.
Item, as for Horwelbury I sende you a bille of all the reseytes syn the deth of youre fadere, and a copy wrete on the bak how youre fader lete it to ferme to the seide Gurnay. I wulde ye shulde write Gurnay and charge him to mete wyth you fro London warde, and at the lest weye lete him purveye x li., for owyth be my reknyng at Myhelmesse last passed, be-syde youre faderes dette, xviij li. xiiij s. viij d. If ye wolde write to him to brynge suerté boþe for youre faderys dette and myn, and pay be dayes so þat the man myte leven and paye vs, I wolde for-yeue him of the olde arrerages x li., and he myte be mad to paye xx marc. be yere. On that condicion I wolde for-yeuen him x li., and so thynketh me he shulde han cause to preye for youre fader and me, and was it leten in my faderes tyme. I fele be Roberd his wif is right loth to gon thens; she seide that sche had leuer I shulde haue all here gode after here day than thei schulde go out there-of.
Item, John Dam told me that þe Lady Boys will selle a place called Halys, but he seith sche speketh it prevyly and seith it is not tayled; as John Dam knoweth will, she hath seide as largely of oþer thyng þat hath not be so.
Item, he tolde me as he herd seyn Sere John Fastolf hath sold Heylysdon to Boleyn of London, and if it be so it semeth he will selle more; wherfore I preye you, as ye will haue my loue and my blissyng, þat ye will helpe and do youre deuer that sumthyng were purchased for youre ij bretheren. I suppose þat Ser John Fastolf, and he were spoke to, wolde be gladere to lete his kensemen han parte than straunge men. Asay him in my name Page  39 of suych places as ye suppose is most clere. It is seid in this contré þat my lord of Norfolk seith Sere John Fastolf hath youen him Castre, and he will han it [deleted in MS] pleynly. I sende you a bille of Osbern hand whech was the ansuere of the sheref and John of Dam.
Item, brynge me my lettre hom with you and my cosyn Clere is copy of here lettre and the copy of the reseyth of Horwelbury. And recomaunde me to Lomnour, and tell him his best be-loued fareth well, but sche is not yet come to Norwich, for thei deye yet, but not so sore as thei dede. And God be wyth you. Wrete at Norwych in right gret hast the xvj day of Nouembre. By youre moder Anneys Paston.