I require you this bill may be secrete. By your trewe cosin, Ric. Suthwell.
[227.2] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] Fenn thinks the gentleman here referred to was John Berney of Reedham, Esquire, who married Alice, daughter of Richard Southwell, Esquire, of Wood Rising, the writer of this letter. He accordingly dates it about the year 1475, and I see no reason to question his opinion.
[868]
JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON[228.1]
To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston, at Mawtby.
1475(?)
[MAR. 29]
Ryght worchepfull modyr, aftyr all humbyll recomendacyons, as lowely as I can I beseche yow of your blyssyng. Pleasyt yow to wete that late yester nyght I cam to Norwyche, purposeing to have been as thys day with yow at Mawtby, but it is so that I may not hold my purpose, for he that shall pay me my quarter wagys for me and my retenew, is in Norwyche, and waytyth ourly when hys money shall com to hym. It is oon Edmund Bowen of the Cheker, a specyall frend of myn, and he avysyth me to tery tyll the money be com, lest that I be unpayed, for who comyth fyrst to the mylle, fyrst must grynd.
And as I was wryghtyng thys byll, on of the gromys of my lords chambyr cam to me, and told me, that my lady wyll be here in Norwyche to morow at nyght towards Walsyngham, whyche shall, I wot well, be a nother lett to me; but I had more need to be other wyse ocupyed then to awayte on ladyse, for ther is as yett, I trowe, no sperre that shall go over the see, so evyll horsyd as I am. But it is told me that Rychard Call hathe a good horse to sell, and on John Becher of Oxborough hathe an other; and if it myght please yow to geve Syme leve to ryd in to that contre at my cost, and in your name, seying that ye wyll geve on of your sonys an horse, desyryng hym that he wyll geve yow a penyworthe for a peny, and he shall, and the pryse be resonabyll, hold hym pleasyd with your payment ought of my purse, thow he knowe it not or hys horse depert fro hys lands. Modyr, I bese[che] yow, and it may please yow to geve Syme leve to ryde on thys message in your name, that he may be here with me to morow in the mornyng be tymys, for wer I onys horsyd, I trowe I wer as ferforthe redy as some of my neyghborows. I herd a lytyll word that ye purposeid to be here in Norwyche thys next week. I prey God it be thys week. Modyr, beseche yow that I may have an answer to morow at the ferthest of thys mater, and of eny other servyse that it please yow to comand me, whyche I wyll [be] at all seasons redy to acomplyshe with Gods grace, Whom I beseche to preserve yow and yours.
Wretyn at Norwyche, thys Wednysday in Estern Week. By your sone and servaunt, J. P.
[228.1] [From Fenn, iv. 444.] This letter was evidently written in 1475, when John Paston and one or more of his younger brothers were about to go over to France with the King’s army.—See [Letter 871]. Margaret Paston was at that time continually resident at Mautby.