TO JOHN PASTON II 1473,  03, 
08  
A mysyr John Paston, scheualler, soyt doné. 
w Ryght worchepfull syr, I recomand me 
to yow, sertyfying yow that, in lyek wyse as I promysyd yow in the 
lettyr that Playter sent yow, I haue be wyth my modyr, and as well as I 
cowde, and Playter bothe, we aduertyseid hyr to make cheuesance for 
the c li.; but we bothe kowde not remeue hyr fro hyr purpose, whyche 
Playters lettyr specyfyeth. Wherfor looke ye tryst aftyr non other 
comfort as for hyr, and so she bad me send yow woord. As for Barker, 
Jwdé can tell yow hys answer. As for John Kook, ye promyseid 
hym payment your-sylff, and to Syr John Stylle v mark in partye of 
payment; and therfor spake I to Barker. My modyr hathe sold hyr barlye 
for xiiij d., and so I told Barker. As for Master John Smythe, I meet non 
ofter wyth hym then I speek wyth hym of it, but I can not geet yeet; but 
if I can geet it by eny meane possybyll I shall assay thys week, for he 
shall keepe hys coortys heer in Norwyche all thys week and the next 
bothe. And as for Fastolff, I can not do but speke to Wymondham, hys 
fadyr in lawe, and that do I as ofte as I meet hym; I can no more do. 
But as to the gret mater that requyryth an hasty answer lest the kok be in 
perayle and that other shold be hyndyrd by reason of my slowthe, I wold 
no syche jnconuenyence shold falle thorought me. Me thynkys Edmu[n]d 
Fastolff was a resonabyll man to Robert of Lyne, wherfor let my brodyr 
Edmund swe for the same, for on wyffe may serue for vs bothe tyll 
bettyr pesse be. So God help me, ye maye alegge a pleyne excuse, I reke 
not who knoweith it, that thees dyrk werrys haue so hyndyrd me that hyr 
lyuelode and myne bothe shold be to lytyll to leue at oure ease tyll I wer 
ferther befor the hand than I kowde be thys two yer, and she fownd aftyr 
hyr honourre and my poore apetytt; wherfor I had leuer forbere that I 
wold haue then to bryng hem in peyn that I wold haue. Sey bettyr for 
me, for ye can and ye wylle. Thys mater must be honestly handyld, for I 
wot well my yong lady of Oxenforthe shall heere of it. We haue here no 
tydyngys, but a fewe Frenshemen be whyrlyng on the coostys so 
þat ther dare no fyshers go owght but vndyr saue condyth.  
 
I prey yow and ye haue eny more orangys then ye ocupye, that poore 
men may haue parte for a gret-belyed lady. And we shall prey to God 
for yow. Wretyn the fyrst Monday of Cleene Lent, Ao E. iiijti xiijo. J. 
P.