My moder delivered Sir William Holle his presentacion the xiij. day of August, anno xviijo, which was nere a monethe or the day of the vj. monethes went out and past. Wherfore the Bisshoppe ought to present my moders clarke. Neverthelesse the Bisshoppys officeres aunsware this sayng, that if sondry persones deliver ij. sondrye presentacions for to diverse clarkes to the Bisshoppes officers for one benefice, that then the seid partyes shuld sue to the Bisshop at ther cost to have out an inquerre to inquere de vero patrono, sayng forther more, that if they sue nat out this inquerre with affect, and that the lapse fall, than it is lefull for the Bisshop to present, and it is told me that the lawe is this, that the Bisshoppe, be his office with out any sute of the parties, shall call an inquerre afore hym to inquere de vero patrono, and he shall assign them a day to bryng in a verdett, and he shall warne bothe partyes to be ther at, and he shall amytte his clarke that is founde patron.

Yet the Bisshopp useth nat to do this, but there as bothe partyes that present are myghty [and wher as he thynketh it were a jopardy to hym][10.1] to sue the Bisshoppe if he did them any wrong, and wher as ther is a doubtable mater; but in this case the prest that troubleth my moder is but a simple felowe, and he is appostata, for he was somtyme a White Frere, and of simple repetacyon, and of litill substans, as my moder can tell, wherfore Bisshoppys use nat in suche litill casys to take so streyte an inquerre, and specyally wher as one hath contynued patron with out interupcion so long as my moder hath done, for she hath contynued more than l. wynter; wherfore I pray yow shewe my cousyn Lovell this bill, and fynde some meanes to intrete the Bisshopp by the meane of James Hobard,[10.2] which is grete with the Bisshopp, and is nowe Reder of Lyncoln Inne this Lent. And late my lady speke to James Hobard in the mater. If it please my moder ther is a prest callde Sir ——[10.3] which is thought by the tenauntes of Oxned a metely man to be parson ther; the most thyng that I dowte, bicause Sir William Holle, whom my moder presented, is ronne away, and if the Bisshop will nat present my moders clarke in her title, than I wold that the labour myght be made to the Bisshopp, that he myght present my moders clarke, suche on as shoe will name, in his one title.

Ric. Lee, like as ze may understand be this writing, where as I understod that the Bisshopp myght have kept the benefice but vj. monethes after the patrons vj. monethes war worn out, now I understand the contrary, for I understand he may kepe it a twelmo[nethe] and a day . . . . [several lines lost] . . . . . .

Also, if ze knew any yong preste in London that setteth billis upon Powlys dorr per aventure wold be glad to have it, and woll be glad also to serve my lady and my moder for it for a season, I can no more say but purvay a mean to the Bisshopp, that som mon may be put in by my moders title.

. . . . . of the consistore in Norwich, and he hath a broder in the Tower, is master of the Mynt under Brice, called Bartilmew Rede, and a nother broder is a goold smyth dwellyng in the Chepe Side called ———[11.1] Reede. And he is eyther loged with on of these, his breder, or els at the Jorge in Lumbard Strete, or els at the Cok and the Bell at Billinges gate, a brue hous, for the sei[d] gold smyth hath maried a bruewyf, and kepeth the brue hous, (?) and he can good skylle to helpe in this mater of the benefice of Oxned.

Also, Ric. Lee, who so ever shalbe [presented to the] benefice of Oxned, he muste tell hym, I must pay xiiij. marc to the frutes, and ther for shall he have [da]yes of payment to pay a marc azey[n] if he d[o] gete hym frendschip. And also, Richard, at the makyng of this letter I mend (?) to have ben sure (?) . . . . . . and now I in na . . . . . for if it please my moder, me thynke it was well done, Sir William Storor had . . . .

[The rest unintelligible.]

[9.1] [Add. Charter 17,251, B.M.] It is sufficiently evident that the date of this paper must be later than the 24th February, 1479. It appears to be a set of memoranda or instructions by William Paston, addressed to his servant Richard Lee. The MS. is a small roll of paper very mutilated and partly illegible from the effect of damp.

[9.2] St. Matthias’ Day (not St. Matthew’s) is meant.

[9.3] Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury.