The summa of your standardis for certeyn reconyd the Mondaye and the Tewsdaye whill I was at Sporle wyth in . . . . . and xij. fote wythin the dykes in forme above rehersid xj^xx. And iche standarde a zard [_yard_] above the grownde . . . . . abowte an . . lesser till we come xij. inche and viij. inche besyde all odyr smale that arn of lesse mesure . . . . . . growe the wheche arn many and resonabely sufficient, &c., the nowmber off the standardis wythin your . . . . . cowntid and summe be estimacion of the mesures and formes above rehersid CCCC^ma xxxvj^ti.
As for your undyrwode I can not fynde the meane to valewid to your avayle, be cause it were necessary to knowe the purpose off your fellyng, where off beware, &c.
As for the fensyng of your dykes, and ze shuld felle your bordorys off your wode the Suthsyde, viz., toward Pykenham fro the Wonges to Walsyngham Weye is lxxx. rodde at leste, the price of the rodde iiij_d._, dyggyng, plashyng, and heggyng. Summa, xxvj_s._ viij_d._
The Est syde toward Neyghton and Sparham vij^xx. rodde at the leste, Summa, xl_s._
The Northende toward Dunham lxxx. rodde, Summa, xxvj_s._ viij_d._
The West syde toward Sporle be the Loyes vj^xx. rodde, Summa, xl_s._
Where off sum is repayrid, sum maye be sperid, but at the lest it woll coste yow a vj. marc, &c.
If it please yow to take myn symple avyse in your wode sale, selle non in gret, but make fagottes and astell and lete alle your grete and goode tymber and trees stande, and ze shall make resonably mony to your worchep, and to your best avayle as John Shawe your servaunt shall telle yow, if I maye do zow any service in this c . . . . ze shall ffynde me redy, so that ze sende sufficient warant be the grace off Jesu, Who haue y[ow in His] kepyng. Wrete in hast, at Walsyngham, the Sundaye next aftyr the feest off the Assencion off owr [Lord] Jesu Cryste.
I praye yow geff credens in alle these materes to Shawe, for he can telle yow more shortlyer then I shuld wryte, and I hold hym trewe to yow in hese menyng.
_Endorsed_--Per John Osbern, pro Sporl Wood.
[Footnote 167-1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]
_To the ryght reverent and worshipffull my mastres, Margaret Paston, in haste._
Plesith it you to wete that I have receyved your letter, wherin I conceyve ye wolde undrestonde how I do with the sale of Sporle Wode. It is so that I have begonne to felle asshe at the townes ende for to sette the contre on werke, and be that I shall undrestonde how the remnaunt wol doo. I have sette suche a classe [_glass_] before here ien [_their eyes_] ther, that they are madde upon it, so that I truste be Ester to make of money, what with the barke and with the asshe, at the leest l. marke for to retayle the wode our selfe, and be Cristemas next after that, other l. marke, and so yerely l. marke at Cristemesse as longe as the wode lasteth, to the some that I tolde you, and I truste more; and to this I durste be bound. Nevertheles, I am a bowte to selle it all a grete and to brynge it to all moste to as goode proffe as thowe we retayled it oure silffe, for it is so that ther is a man of Carbroke, they calle hym Saunders, I may have of hym for all the wode and barke that is in Sporle xj^xx. marke, to paye at suche dayes a fore reherseyd, we to bere the costes of the fense and of the tithe; but we are not throw yet, nor nought shal be tille I have worde from you a yene, weche I must have be Sonday come sevenyte at the fertheste, for on the Wednesdaye nexte after that we shal mete a yene at Sporle. Wherfore I beseche you sende me your avice how ye thynke herein, and I shal doo that in me is be Godes grace; if I can do better with hym I shall. It shal be harde werke, but if I haunse hym som what, for ther is moche money be twix us, and therfore spare not to sende my master, Sir John, worde to take suche dayes of payment as is a bove wreten, for it shalbe performed what wey som ever we take be Godes grace.