Ryght worchepfull modyr, aftyr all dwtes of humble recomendacyon, in as humble wyse as I can, I beseche yow of your dayly blyssyng. Pleasyt yow to wett that at my being now at London, lyek as ye gave me in comandment, I mevyd to Mastyr Pykenham and to Jamys Hubart for ther being at Norwyche now thys Lent, that ye myght have ther avyses in syche maters as ye let me have understandyng of. And as for Mastyr Pykenham, he is now Juge of the Archys, and also he hathe an other offyce, whyche is callyd Auditor Causarum, and hys besyness is so gret in bothe thes offyces that he can not tell the season when that he shall have leyser to come in to Norffolk. But I left not tyll I had gotyn Jamys Hubbart and hym togedyrs, and then I told theym your intent; and then Mastyr Pykenham told Jamys and me hys intent, and he preyed Jamys that he shold in no wyse fayle to be with yow thys Lent. Not withstandyng it was no grete nede to prey hym myche; for he told Doctore Pykenham that there was no gentyl woman in Inglond of so lytyll aqueyntance as he had with yow, that he wold be glader to be servyse on to; and myche the glader, for he purposeth fro hensforthe duryng hys lyff to be a Norffolk man, and to lye with in ii. myle of Loddon, whyche is but viij. or x. myle at the most fro Mautby. And in conclusyon he hathe appoyntyd to awayte on yow at Norwyche the weeke nexte aftyr Mydlent Sonday, all the hole weke, if nede be, all other maters leyd apart.
Also I comend with my brodyr Sir John at London of syche maters as ye wold have amendyd in the bylle that he sent on to yow, and he stake not gretly at it.
Also, modyr, I herd whyle I was in London wher was a goodly yong woman to mary, whyche was doughter to one Seff, a merser, and she shall have CCli. in money to hyr maryage, and xx. mark by yer of lond aftyr the dyssease of a steppe modyr of hyrs, whyche is upon l. yer of age; and or I departyd ought of London, I spak with some of the maydys frendys, and have gotyn ther good wyllys to have hyr maryd to my brodyr Edmund. Notwithstandyng, those frendys of the maydys that I comond with avysyd me to get the good wyll of one Sturmyn, whyche is in Mastyr Pykenhamys danger[312.1] so myche that he is glad to please hym; and so I mevyd thys mater to Mastyr Pykenham. And incontinent he sent for Sturmyn, and desyred hys good wyll for my brodyr Edmund, and he grantyd hym hys good wylle, so that he koud get the good wyll of the remenaunt that wer executours to Seff, as well as the seyd Sturmyn was; and thusferforthe is the mater. Wherfor, modyr, we must beseche yow to helpe us forward with a lettyr fro yow to Mastyr Pykenham to remembyr hym for to handyll well and dylygently thys mater now thys Lent; and for I am aqueyntyd with your condycyons of old that ye reke not who endytyth more lettres than ye, ther for I have drawyn a note to yowr secretarys hand, Freir Perse, whyche lettre we must prey yow to send us by the berer herof, and I trust it shall not be longe fro Mastyr Pykenham.
Your doughter of Sweynsthorpp and hyr sojornaunt E. Paston recomandyth hem to yow in ther most humble wyse, lowly besechyng yow of your blyssyng; and as for my brodyr, Edmund Sweynsthorpe, for none intrete that hys ostas your doughtyr, nor I koud intrete hym, myght not kepe hym, but that he wold have bene at home with you at Mautby on Sonday last past at nyght; and as he was departyng fro hens, had we word fro Frenshes wyf that, God yeld yow, modyr, ye had govyn hym leve to dysporte hym her with us for a vij. or viij. dayes; and so the drevyll lost hys thank of us, and yet abode nevyr the lesse.
Your doughtyr sendyth yow part of syche poore stuff as I sent hyr fro London, besechyng yow to take it in gree, though it be lytyll plente that she sendyth yow. But as for datys, I wyll sey trowthe, ye have not so many by ij. pownd as wer ment on to yow, for she thynkys at thys season datys ryght good mete. What so ever it menyth, I prey God send us good tydynges, Whom I beseche to preserve yow and yours, and so send yow your myst desyred joye.
At Sweynsthorp, on Ashe Wednysday. Your sone and humble servaunt, J. Paston.
Modyr, pleasit yow to remember that ye had need to be at Norwyche v. or vj. dayes befor that Jamys Hubbart and your consayll shall be ther with yow, for to look up your evydence and all other thynges redy. Also if ye thynk that thys bylle that I send yow herwith be good i now to send to Doctore Pykenham, ye may close up the same, and send it sealyd to me ayen, and I shall convey it forthe to hym.
[311.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter appears from the contents to have been written after John Paston’s marriage, at a time when his wife was staying at Swainsthorpe. He also apologises to his mother for his wife having detained two pounds out of a certain quantity of dates that he himself had sent to her from London by way of Swainsthorpe, as Margery thought them ‘at this season right good meat,’ apparently referring to her approaching confinement.
[312.1] i.e. in his debt.