To myn welbelovid sone, I grete yow wel, and avyse yow to thynkk onis of the daie of youre fadris counseyle to lerne the lawe, for he seyde manie tymis that ho so ever schuld dwelle at Paston, schulde have nede to conne defende hym selfe.
The Vikare[72.3] of Paston and yowre fadre,[72.4] in Lenttyn last was, wher [were] thorwe and acordidde, and doolis[72.5] sette howe broode the weye schulde ben,[72.6] and nowe he hath pullid uppe the doolis, and seithe he wolle makyn a dyche fro the corner of his walle, ryght over the weye to the newe diche of the grete cloose. And there is a man in Truntche, hyzht Palmer to, that hadde of yowre fadre certein londe in Truntche over vij. yere or viij. yere agoone for corn, and trewli hathe paide all the yers; and now he hathe suffrid the corne to ben with sette for viijs. of rentte to Gymmyngham, wich yowre fadre paide nevere. Geffreie axid Palmere why the rentte was notte axid in myn husbonddis tyme; and Palmere seyde, for he was a grete man, and a wyse man of the law, and that was the cawse men wolde not axe hym the rentte.
I sende yow the namis of the men that kaste down the pittis, that was Gynnis Close, wretyn in a bille closid in this lettre.
I sendde yow not this lettre to make yow wery of Paston; for I leve in hoope, and ye wolle lern that they schulle be made werye of her werke, for in good feyth I dar welseyne it was yowr fadris laste wille to have do ryzht wel to that plase, and that can I schewe of good profe, thowe men wolde seye naye. God make yow ryzht a good man, and sende Goddis blessyng and myn.
Wrettyn in haste, at Norwich, the Thorsdaie aftir Candelmasse daie.
Wetith of yowre brothere John now manie gystis [joists] wolle serve the parler and the chapelle at Paston, and what lenghthe they moste be, and what brede and thykknesse thei moste be; for yowre fadris wille was, as I weene veryli, that thei schuld be ix. enchis on wey, and vij. another weye. And porveythe therfor that thei mow be squarid there, and sentte hedre, for here can non soche be hadde in this conttre. And seye to yowre brothir John it weer wel don to thinkke on Stansted Chirche;[73.1] and I praye yow to sende me tydynggs[73.2] from be yond see, for here thei arn a ferde to telle soche as be reportid. By yowr Modre, Augneis Paston.
[72.2] [From Fenn, iii. 32.] This letter must have been written in February 1445, as it appears from the contents that William Paston was dead, but had been alive in the preceding Lent.
[72.3] John Partrick of Swathfield was Vicar of Paston, from 1442 to 1447. —F.
[72.4] William Paston, the Judge.
[72.5] Landmarks. ‘Dolestones’ are still spoken of in Norfolk in this sense.—See Latham’s Edition of Johnson’s Dictionary.