To my ryght wurchupfull mayster, John Paston, Esquyer, be this letter delyverd in hast.
1482
NOV. [3]
Myne owyn swete hert, in my most humylwyse, I recomaund me on to you, desyryng hertly to here of your welfar, the wheche I beseche Alle myghty God preserve and kepe to His plesur, and your hertes desyer.
Ser, the cause of my wrytyng to you at this tyme: on Friday att nyght last past come Alexander Wharton, John Hous, and John Fille, with ij. good carts well mannyd and horsyd with hem to Marlyngford, and there at the maner of Malyngford and at the mille lodyn bothe cartes with mestlyon[58.2] and whete, and betymys on Saturday, in the mornyng, they departyd fro Marlyngford towardes Bongey, as it is seyd; for the seyd cartes come fro Bongey, as I soppose, by the sendynge of Bryon, for he goth hastyly over the se, as it is seyd. And as I suppose he wyll have the mestlyon over with hym, for the most part of the cart loodes was mestlyon, &c.
Item, ser, on Saturday last past, I spacke with my cosyn Gornay, and he seyd, if I wold goo to my Lady of Norffolk, and beseche hyr good grace to be your good and gracyous lady, she wold so be, for he seyd that one word of a woman should do more than the wordes of xx. men, yiffe I coude rewyll my tonge, and speke non harme of myn unkyll. And if ye comaund me so for to do, I trist I shuld sey nothynge to my ladys displesure, but to your profyt; for me thynkyth bi the wordes of them and of your good fermore of Oxned, that thei wyll sone drawe to an ende. For he cursyth the tyme that ever he come in the ferme of Oxned, for he seyth that he wotyth well that he shall have a grette losse, and yet he wyll not be a knowyn wheder he hathe payd or nought; but whan he sethe his tyme, he wyll sey trowth.
I understond by my seyd cosyn Gornay that my lady is nere wery of hyr parte, and he seyth my lady shal come on pylgremage in to this towne, but he knowth not wheder afore Cristmes or aftyr; and if I wold thanne gete my Lady Calthorpe, my moder in lawe, and my moder, and myselfe, and come before my lady, besechyng hyr to be your good and gracyous lady, he thynkyth ye shull have an ende; for fayne she wold be redde of it with hyr onowr savyd, but yette money she wold have.
No more to you at this tyme, butte I mervell sore that I have no letter from you, but I prey God preserve you, and send me good tydynges from you, and spede you well in your materes. And as for me, I have gotyn me anothyr logyn felawe, the ferst letter of hyr name is Mastras Byschoppe. She recomaundyth hyr to you by the same tokyn that ye wold have had a tokyn to my Mayster Bryon.
Att Norwych, the Sonday next after the Fest of All Seyntes. Be yowr servaunt and bedewoman, Margery Paston.
[58.1] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] For evidence of date, see preliminary note to last letter.
[58.2] Mixed corn, commonly rye and wheat, which were most in demand to make bread of.