Syr, plesyth it to undyrstand, that I conceyve, by your lettyr whyche that ye sent me by Jwde, that ye have herd of R. C.[21.2] labor whyche he makyth by our ungracyous sustyrs[21.3] assent; but wher as they wryet that they have my good wyll ther in, savyng your reverence, they falsly lye of it, for they never spake to me of that mater, ner non othyr body in ther name. Lovell axyd me onys a qwestyon whedyr that I undyrstood how it was betwyx R. C. and my suster. I can thynk that it was by Callys menys, for when I axyd hym whedyr C. desyird hym to meve me that qwestyon or not, he wold have gotyn it aweye by humys and by hays, but I wold not so be answeryd; wherfor at the lest he told me that hys oldest sone desyird hym to spere [inquire] whedyr that R. C. wes swyr of hyr or nowt, for he seyd that he knew a good maryage for hyr, but I wot he lyeyd, for he is hole with R. Cale in that mater. Wherfor to the entent that he nor they sholl pyck no comfort of me, I answerd hym, that and my fadyr, whom God asoyle, wer a lyve, and had consentyd ther to, and my modyr, and ye bothe, he shold never have my good wyll for to make my sustyr to selle kandyll and mustard in Framlyngham; and thus, wythe mor whyche wer to longe to wryet to you, we departyd.

And wher as it plesythe you in your lettyr to crye me mercy for that ye sent me not syche ger as I sent yow mony for, I crye yow mercy that I was so lewde [bold] to encomber yow with eny so sympyll a mater, consyderyng the grette maters and weyghty that ye have to doo; but need compellyd me, for in thys contre is no syche stuffe as I sent to yow for.

Also, wher as it plesyth yow to send to Rychard Calle to delyver me monye, so God help me, I wyll non axe hym for my sylfe, nor non had I of hym, nor of non othyr man but of myne owne, syne ye depertyd; but that lytyll that I myght forbere of myne owne, I have delyveryd to Dawbeney for howsold, and pay it for yow in menys wagys; and ther for who ever sendys yow word that I have spent yow eny mony syne ye went hens, they must geve yow an othyr reknyng, savyng in met and drynk, for I eete lyek an horse, of purpose to eete yow owte at the dorys. But that nedythe not, for ye com not within them; wherfor, so God help me, the felaushep her thynkys that ye have forgetyn us alle. Wherfor and eny thyng be ille rewlyd when ye come home, wyet it [impute it to] your selfe for defawt of oversyght.

Also, I undyrstand for verry se[r]teyn, and it is sent me so woord owt of my Lordys howse, that thys Pentcost is my Lordys consell at Framlyngham, and they purpose thys week and the next to hold coortys her at Caster, and at all othyr maners that wer Sir John F.,[22.1] and purchasyd of Yelverton and of Syr T. H.,[22.2] whom God asoyle, and how that my demenyng sholbe, it is to late to send to yow for avyse; wherfor, and I do well I axe no thank, and if I do ille, I pray yow leythe the defawt on over lytyll wyte, but I purpose to use the fyrst poynt of hawkyng, to hold fast and I maye; but so God help me, and they myght pulle downe the howse on our hedys, I wyet [blame] hem not, whyche I trust to God to help hem from; for by God that bowght me, the best Erle in Inglond wold not dele so with my Lord and my Lady as ye do, withowt makyng of some menys to them; so God help me, whoso ever avyse yow to do so, he is not your frend. And I may, I trust to God to se yow abowght Mydsomer or befor, for in good feythe I wene ye purpose yow that it shall be Estern er ye come hom, for all your servants her wen [here ween] that ye purpose ne more to dele with them, but to leve hem her [here] in ostage to my Lord of Norfolk.

Also, syr, I pray yow purvey what Ine that my brodyr Edmund shall be in, for he losythe sore hys tyme her, I promyse yow; I pray yow send me word by the next messenger that comyth, and I shall eythyr send hym or bryng hym up with me to London.

Also, syr, we pore sanz deners of Castr have brook iij. or iiij. stelle bowys; wherfor we beseche yow, and ther be eny maker of steele bowys in London whyche is very kunnyng, that ye wyll send me woord, and I shall send yow the bowys that be broken, whyche be your owne greet bowe, and Roberd Jacksonys bowe, and Johon Pampyngs bowe; thes iij. have kast so many calvys, that they shall never cast qwarellys[23.1] tyll they be new mad.

I praye yow fynd the menys that my Lord have some resonable meane profyrd, so that he and my Lady may undyrstand that ye desyr to have hys good lordshep. I promyse yow it shall do yow ease and your tenaunts bothe, and God preserve. J. P.

[21.1] [From Fenn, iv. 344.] This letter appears by the contents to have been written a little before Whitsuntide after the death of Sir Thomas Howes, and when the Duke of Norfolk was preparing to make good a claim to the manor of Caister, which, as we shall see, he regularly besieged and took in September 1469. The date is therefore certain.

[21.2] Richard Calle’s.

[21.3] Margery Paston.