To Barker of Synt Clements Parys, in Norwych, to delyver to my Master John Paston, in haste.
On Thurisday the wall was mad zarde hey, and a good wylle be fore evyn it reyned so sore that they were fayne to helle the wall, and leve werke. And the water is fallyn so sore that it standyt ondyr the wall a fote deppe to Ballys warde. And on Friday after sakeryng, one come fro cherch warde, and schoffe doune all that was thereon, and trad on the wall and brake sum, and wente over; but I cannot zet wete hoo it was. And Warne Kynges wyfe, as she went over the style, she cursyd Ball, and seyde that he had zevyn aweye the waye, and so it prevyt be John Paston is words. And after, Kyngs folke and odyr come and cryid on Annes Ball, seying to her the same. Zystyrnevyn wan I xul goo to my bede, the Vycare seyde that Warne Kyng and Warne Harman, betwyxte messe and matynsse, toke Sir Roberd in the vestry, and bad hym sey to me, verely the wall xulde doun a gayne. And wan the Vycar tolde me I wyste ther of no worde, nor zet do be Sir Roberde, for he syth he were loth to make any stryfe. And wan I com out of the cherch, Roberd Emundes schowyd me how I was amercyde for seute of corte the laste zer vj_d._, and seyd it was xij_d._ tylle Warne Kyng and he gat it awey vj_d._
I send zou word how John Jamys was demenyd at Cromere, to send to Jamys Gressham how he xall be demenyd. Gaffrey Benchard, Alexander Glover, heywards tokyn a dystresse of John Jamys or the bond tenent of A. Paston, calde Reynalds, in Cromer, the xxviij ti yer of thys Kyng, and W. Goodwyn, Baly of Cromer, with the seyd J. Jamys, with forsse toke awey the dysstres, wech was ij. horsse and a plowe. And Good be with zou.
Be ANNES PASTON, your Modur.
To Barker of Synt Clements Parys, in Norwych, to delyver to my Master John Paston, in haste.
On Thurisday the wall was mad zarde hey, and a good wylle be fore evyn it reyned so sore that they were fayne to helle the wall, and leve werke. And the water is fallyn so sore that it standyt ondyr the wall a fote deppe to Ballys warde. And on Friday after sakeryng, one come fro cherch warde, and schoffe doune all that was thereon, and trad on the wall and brake sum, and wente over; but I cannot zet wete hoo it was. And Warne Kynges wyfe, as she went over the style, she cursyd Ball, and seyde that he had zevyn aweye the waye, and so it prevyt be John Paston is words. And after, Kyngs folke and odyr come and cryid on Annes Ball, seying to her the same. Zystyrnevyn wan I xul goo to my bede, the Vycare seyde that Warne Kyng and Warne Harman, betwyxte messe and matynsse, toke Sir Roberd in the vestry, and bad hym sey to me, verely the wall xulde doun a gayne. And wan the Vycar tolde me I wyste ther of no worde, nor zet do be Sir Roberde, for he syth he were loth to make any stryfe. And wan I com out of the cherch, Roberd Emundes schowyd me how I was amercyde for seute of corte the laste zer vj_d._, and seyd it was xij_d._ tylle Warne Kyng and he gat it awey vj_d._
I send zou word how John Jamys was demenyd at Cromere, to send to Jamys Gressham how he xall be demenyd. Gaffrey Benchard, Alexander Glover, heywards tokyn a dystresse of John Jamys or the bond tenent of A. Paston, calde Reynalds, in Cromer, the xxviij ti yer of thys Kyng, and W. Goodwyn, Baly of Cromer, with the seyd J. Jamys, with forsse toke awey the dysstres, wech was ij. horsse and a plowe. And Good be with zou.
Be ANNES PASTON, your Modur.
To Barker of Synt Clements Parys, in Norwych, to delyver to my Master John Paston, in haste.
On Thurisday the wall was mad zarde hey, and a good wylle be fore evyn it reyned so sore that they were fayne to helle the wall, and leve werke. And the water is fallyn so sore that it standyt ondyr the wall a fote deppe to Ballys warde. And on Friday after sakeryng, one come fro cherch warde, and schoffe doune all that was thereon, and trad on the wall and brake sum, and wente over; but I cannot zet wete hoo it was. And Warne Kynges wyfe, as she went over the style, she cursyd Ball, and seyde that he had zevyn aweye the waye, and so it prevyt be John Paston is words. And after, Kyngs folke and odyr come and cryid on Annes Ball, seying to her the same. Zystyrnevyn wan I xul goo to my bede, the Vycare seyde that Warne Kyng and Warne Harman, betwyxte messe and matynsse, toke Sir Roberd in the vestry, and bad hym sey to me, verely the wall xulde doun a gayne. And wan the Vycar tolde me I wyste ther of no worde, nor zet do be Sir Roberde, for he syth he were loth to make any stryfe. And wan I com out of the cherch, Roberd Emundes schowyd me how I was amercyde for seute of corte the laste zer vj_d._, and seyd it was xij_d._ tylle Warne Kyng and he gat it awey vj_d._
I send zou word how John Jamys was demenyd at Cromere, to send to Jamys Gressham how he xall be demenyd. Gaffrey Benchard, Alexander Glover, heywards tokyn a dystresse of John Jamys or the bond tenent of A. Paston, calde Reynalds, in Cromer, the xxviij ti yer of thys Kyng, and W. Goodwyn, Baly of Cromer, with the seyd J. Jamys, with forsse toke awey the dysstres, wech was ij. horsse and a plowe. And Good be with zou.
Be ANNES PASTON, your Modur.
To Barker of Synt Clements Parys, in Norwich, to delyver to my Master John Paston, in haste.
On Thurisday the wall was mad zarde hey, and a good wylle be fore evyn it reyned so [badly/sorely] that they were fayne to helle the wall, and leve werke. And the water is fallyn so [badly/sorely] that it standyt ondyr the wall a foot deppe to Ballys ward. And on Friday after sakeryng, one come from cherch ward, and schoffe doune all that was thereon, and trad on the wall and brake sum, and wente over; but I cannot zet wait hoo it was. And Warne King's wyfe, as she went over the style, she cursyd Ball, and said that he had zevyn aweye the waye, and so it prevyt be John Paston is words. And after, Kyngs folke and odyr come and cryid on Annes Ball, seying to her the same. Zystyrnevyn wan I xul goo to my bede, the Vycare said that Warne King and Warne Harman, betwyxte messe and matynsse, toke Sir Roberd in the vestry, and bade him sey to me, verely the wall xulde doun a gayne. And wan the Vycar tolde me I wyste there of no word, nor zet do be Sir Roberde, for he syth he were loth to make any stryfe. And wan I come out of the cherch, Roberd Emundes schowyd me how I was amercyde for seute of corte the laste zer vj_d._, and said it was xij_d._ tylle Warne King and he gat it awey vj_d._
I send zou word how John Jamys was demenyd at Cromer, to send to Jamys Gressham how he xall be demenyd. Gaffrey Benchard, Alexander Glover, heywards tokyn a dystresse of John Jamys or the bond tenent of A. Paston, calde Reynalds, in Cromer, the xxviij ti yer of thys King, and W. Goodwyn, Baly of Cromer, with the said J. Jamys, with forsse toke awey the dysstres, wech was two. horsse and a plowe. And Good be with zou.
Be ANNES PASTON, your Modur.
To Barker of the parish of St Clements in Norwich, to deliver to Mr John Paston in haste,
On Thursday the wall was built up to a yard high, and some time before the evening it rained so much that they had to lay down the wall on its side and stop working on it. So much water has fallen that it stands a foot deep beside the wall, towards Ball's land. On Friday, after Mass, someone came from the church and shoved down all that was there, and trampled on the wall and broke it, but I don't know yet who it was. And Warren King's wife, as she went over the style, she cursed Ball and said he had removed a right of way by a secret agreement with John Paston. Later, King's family and others came and complained to Anne Ball, saying the same thing. Yesterday evening, as I was preparing for bed, the Vicar said that Warren King and Warren Harman, between Mass and Matins, took Sir Robert to the vestry and asked him to tell me to take the wall down again. And when the Vicar told me, I knew nothing about this, and I have still not heard from Sir Robert about it, because I believe he did not want to cause any trouble. And when I came out of the church, Robert Edmunds showed me that the matter at court last year had cost me six pence, and it would have been 12 pence if he and Warren King had not got it reduced to six pence.
I am to inform you that John James was expected at Cromer to let James Gresham know how he should proceed. Geoffrey Benchard and Alexander Glover afterwards seized property from John James or the bond tenant of A Paston called Reynolds, in Cromer in the 23rd year of our King, and W Goodwyn and Ball of Cromer, with the said J James, using force took the property, namely a horse and a plough. And God be with you.
Agnes Paston
Your Mother