To John Paston, Esquier, ande to Osberne Berney, and to everyche off them, be thys letter delyveryd.
1478
MAY 5
I recomaunde me to yowe, and thanke yow off yowr labor that ye hadde at Heylesdon and Drayton in seyng the woodys there. And it is soo heer that Ric. Ferore seyde, that he repentyd hym that evyr he dalte with any woode theer, and iff I hadde sente hym but the leest chylde that I hadde to have warnyd hym to leve he wolde notte have dalte therwyth; and he ffonde noe comfforte in the Chancery, but that he is lyke to contente me for the harmes and hurte that is doone, and moore ovyr he hathe an instrucyon that he shall ffelle noo moore.
Item, wheer as he desyryd me to be freendly to hym, I dalte so with hym, that I trowe he wylle reporte that I seyde and dalte moore cortesly with hym than he demyd that I wolde doo. Yitt for alle in convenyences that myght ffalle, I wolde be gladde to have a weell stomakyd felawe that wolde for my sake everye daye see the seyde woodes of Heylesdon and Drayton, and to knowe iff any weer fellyd heer afftre; and iffe there be any fellyd syns that Whetley was theer, and I can preve it by wytnesse, I sholde have better recompence for every tree than iiij. trees weer worthe.
Item, it is so that he hathe answeryd to my bille, wheryn he seythe that he never knywe byfor the subpena delyveryd hym that I hadde any clayme or entrest in the maner off Heylesdon, but that it was peasyble my Lordys off Suffolk. Wherffor I suppose that there be many men in Norwyche that comonyd with hym off the byenge off that woode ere evyr he made hys fulle bergayne, and per aventure some freendys off hys gave hym warnyng theroff, and off myn entrest. Iff any suche credyble mane that hadde hadde any suche langage to hym, or in hys companye, or than he bargayned, or any man that he laboryd to be halffe marchant or byer with hym, ar any man that refusyd to bye the seyd wood bycawse off myn entrest in the presence of Feror, any suche credyble man maye, iff he wyll, wytnesse ther in with me, or that dare avowe it, sholde be to me a remedy off alle that is fellyd. I praye yow, if ye can here any suche, that ye will in the presence off them make a bylle of remembraunce theroff, and off ther sayng, so that they maye her afftre wytnesse in the mater. Neverthelesse, trowthe it is that he hadde knowleche ther off i nowe, and soo hadde every man off hys havore [substance] in Norwych, I dowt nott; and as for hym, I am sure he hadde knowleche, for so moche as he desyryd at hys bargayn to have a sywerte to be savyd harmeles ageyn me, whyche was grawntyd hym butt nott executyd. No mor, butt I hope with Goddys grace to have hastely goode remedy for the hole maner, and off Drayton therto, and alle the remenaunte.
Wretyn a London, the v. daye off Maye, anno E. iiijti xviijo.
[316.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.]
[930]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[318.1]
To my ryght worshypfull modre, Margret Paston, be thys delyvered.
1478
MAY 13