And cosyn, I hafe takyn my selfe so nere in levyng of this vjxx.li., that wher as I hade layde upp an Cli. for the maryage of a yonger doghter of myn, I hafe nowe lent the saide Cli. and xxli. over that, to my cosyn yowr broder, to be paide ageyn be suche esy days as the obligacyon, weche I sende yowe herwyth, specyfyes. And, cosyn, I were ryght lothe to be stowe so mech uppon one doghter, that the other her susters schuld far the wars; wherfor, cosyn, yf ye wyll that thys mater schall take effect undyr suche forme as my cosyn yowr broder hath wretyn unto yowe, I pray yowe put therto yowr good wylle, and sum of yowr coste, as I hafe done of myn more largely then ever I purpose to do to any tweyn of hyr susters, as God knowyth myn entent, Whom I besech to send yowe yowr levest herts desyr.
Wretyn at Topcroft, the viij. day of March, &c. Be your cosyn, Thomas Brews, Knight.
[272.2] [From Fenn, ii. 224.] The date of this letter, as of the last, is fixed by the subject.
[903]
SIR JOHN PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[273.1]
To John Paston, Esquyer, in haste.
1477
MARCH 9
I have received yowr letter, and yow[r] man, J. Bykerton, by whom I knowe all the mater off Mestresse Brews, whyche iff it be as he seythe, I praye Godde brynge it to a goode ende.
Item, as for thys mater of Mestresse Barly,[274.1] I holde it but a bare thynge. I feele weell that itt passyth nott . . . marke. I syghe hyr for yowr sake. She is a lytell onys; she maye be a woman heer aftre, iff she be nott olde nowe; hir person semyth xiij. yere off age; hyr yerys, men sey, ben full xviij. She kowyth nott of the mater, I suppose; neverthelesse she desyryd to see me as gladde as I was to se hyr.
I praye yow sende me some wryghtyng to Caleys off yowr spede with Mestresse Brewys. Bykerton tellyth me that she lovyth yow weell. Iff I dyed, I hadde lever ye hadde hyr than the Lady Wargrave; neverthelesse she syngeth weell with an harpe.
Clopton is aferde off Sir T. Greye, for he is a wydower now late, and men sey that he is aqueyntyd with hyr of olde.