[210.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.]
[856]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[211.1]
To Mestresse Margrett Paston at Norwyche, or to J. Paston in hyr absence.
1474
Ryght wyrshypfull and my moste kynde and tendre moodre, I recomaund me to yow, thankyng yow off the grete cost and off the greet chere that ye dyd to me and myn at my last beyng wyth yowe; whyche cheer also hath made me perfyghtly hooll, I thanke God and yow, in so moche that where as I feeryd me that for weykenesse, and so green recuveryd off my syknesse, that I scholde have apeyryd by the weye; but, God thanke yow, I toke so my crommys whyls I was wyth yow, that I felyd my sylfe by the weye that God and ye had made me stronger than I wenyd that I had ben, in so myche that I feell my selffe every daye holler than other.
It was soo that I mett wyth myn onkle William by the weye, and there in the felde I payed hym the iiijli. whyche I had borowyd off hym; and he was passyng inquisytyff howe that I was purveyd for recompensyng off Towneshend. I tolde hym I hopyd weell; he tolde me that he undrestood that I had the Cli. of the Bysshopys executores, and he had herde seye that I had also borowyd another Cli. of a marchaunt, and so I lakyd but an C. marke. I deme he herde thys of T. Lovell, for I tolde hym that I was in hope to fynde suche a freende that wolde lende me Cli. He axed me, who was that? I answeryd hym, an olde marchaunt, a freende of myn, but myn oncle thowte that shold be by weye of chevyshanse [usury], and to myn horte; wherffor I was pleyne to hym, and tolde hym that ye wer sewerte therffor, and purveyed it off suche as wolde doo for yowe. And as for the forte [fourth] C. mark, he seyde to me that as for that he wolde, rather than joperte sholde be, purvey it by weye off chevyshaunce at London, in so moche that, er he come fro London, he had for my sake leyde v. C. markes worthe of plate with Hewghe Fenne. The place at Warwykes Inne is large, and my grawntdame is agyd; it had ben jopertous to leve moche plate wyth hyr, thoghe halffe were hyr owne. But if I maye do other wyse, I purpose nott to chevyshe any mony by hys meane.
Item, I have delyveryd yowre botell to Courbye the caryer thys same daye, and he promysed me to be with yow on Mondaye nyghte, or ellys on Touesday tymely. He hathe also xld. to paye for the thryd hyryd horse, and he bryngythe the iij. horse wyth hym, and is contente for hys labor and for the mete largely. They be delyveryd hym in as good, and rather better plyght, than whan I had them forthe, and not gallyd nor hurte. He hate also ij. sadelys, one of my brotheres, and one other hyred, as ye woot off.
Item, he hathe a peyre botys off Edmond Reedes, the shomaker, whyche Saundre borowyd off hym. I beseche yowe that William Mylsent or Symme maye se that every man have hys owne.
Item, as for my brother Edmond, blyssyd be God, he is weell amendyd.
Item, as for Hankyn owr dogge, I am a fferde never to see hym, but if [unless] yowr good helpe bee.