_To the ryght worshypfull mestresse, Margret Paston, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1479 / OCT. 29]
Please it yow to weet, that I have ben heer at London a xiiij. nyght,
wheroff the ffyrst iiij. dayes I was in suche ffeer off the syknesse,
and also ffownde my chambr and stuffe nott so clene as I demyd, whyche
troblyd me soor; and as I tolde yow at my departyng, I was nott weell
monyed, ffor I hadde nott paste x. marke, wheroff I departyd xl_s._ to
be delyveryd off my olde bedfelawe; and then I rode be yonde Donstaple,
and ther spake with on off my cheffe witnessis, whyche promysed me to
take labor, and to gete me wryghtyngs towchyng thys mater bytwyen me and
the Duke of Suffolk,[21-2] and I rewardyd hym xx_s._; and then, as I
informyd yow, I payed v. marke incontynent uppon my comyng hyddr to
replegge owte my gowne off velwett and other geer.
And then I hopyd to have borowyd some off Townesend, and he hath ffoodyd
me[21-3] fforthe evyrsynys, and in effecte I cowde have at the most, and
at the sonest yisterdaye xx_s._ wherffor I beseche yow to purveye me
C_s._ and also to wryght to Pekok, that he purveye me as moche, C_s._
whyche I supose that he hathe gaddryd at Paston and other places, by
thys tyme; ffor with owte I have thys x_li._, as God helpe me, I ffer I
shalle doo butt litell goode in noo mater, nor yitt I woote nott howe to
come home, but iff I have it.
This geer hathe troblyd me so, that itt hathe made me moor than halffe
seke, as God helpe me.
Item, I undrestande that myn oncle William hathe made labor to th’
Exchetor, and that he hathe bothe a wrytte off _essend._ clowsyth extr.;
and also a _supercedeas_. I have wretyn to the Exchetor ther in off myn
entent, iff myn oncle hadde hys wyll in that, yitt sholde he be never
the nerre the londe, butt in effecte he shold have thys advantage,
whyche is behovefull ffor a weyke mater to have a colour, or a clooke,
or a botrase.
But on Tywesdaye I was with the Bysshop off Hely,[22-1] whyche shewyth
hymselffe goode and worshypfull; and he seyde that he sholde sende to
myn oncle William, that he sholde nott procede in no suche mater, till
that he speke with hym; and moor ovyr that he sholde cawse hym to be
heer hastelye; in whyche mater is no remedy as nowe, but iff it wer soo,
that the Exchetor, iff he be entretyd to sytte by myn oncle William,
whyche percase he shall nott, that iff my brother John and Lomnor have
knowleche off the daye, and they myght be ther; Lomnor can geve evydence
i now in that mater with owte the boke; and mor ovyr that they see bothe
the letter and the other noote, that I sente to the Exchetor, and with
helpe off the Exchetor all myght be as beste is; and iff my brother and
Lomnor take labor her in, I shal recompence ther costs.
Wretyn in haste with schort advisement on the Frydaye next Seynt Symonds
and Jude, anno E. iiij^ti xix^o.
Late my brother John se thys bille, for he knoweth mor off thys mater.