[Sidenote: 1470 / OCT. 28]
I grete you wele and send you Goddis blyssyng and myn, and I sende you
be the berere herof all the sylver vessell that your graundam[86-3]
makyth so mych of, which she seid I had of myn husband, and myn husband
shuld have had it of his fader. And wher as she seid that I shuld have
had a garneys, I had ner see never more than I send you, that is to say,
ij. plateris, vj. dysshes and vj. sawceris. The ij. playteris weyn
xliij. unces di., and the vj. dysshes weyn lxxiiij. unces di. and the
sawcers weyn xvij. unces j. quarter. And I marvayll that ye sent me not
word what an unce of sylver is werth at London; for it had be lesse
joparte to have sold it here and have sent you the money than the plate.
I myght have sold it her for iij_s._ an unce, sum xx_li._ iiij_s._
iij_d._ Be ware how that ye spend it, but in acquityng you ageyn such as
ye be in daunger to, or abought the good speed of your materis; for, but
if ye take odere heed to your expensis, ye shall do your self and your
frendis gret diswurchep and enpoveryssh so them that non of us shall
help other, to owr elmys [_enemies’_] grete comfort. It is understand
ryght now in this countre be such as cleyme to be frendly to you in what
grete daunger and nede ye stande in, bothe to diverse of your frendis
and to your elmyse. And also it is noysed that I have departed so
largely with you that I may nowthere help yow, my self nor none of my
frendis; which is no wurchep, and causeth me to set the lesse be us; and
at this tyme it compellith me to breke up howshold and to sogeorn; which
I am right loth to have to do if I myght otherwyse have chosyn; for it
caused gret clamour in this town[87-1] that I shall do so; and it shuld
not have neded if I had restreyned whan I myght. Therfore for Goddis
sake take hede here to, and be ware from hens forth; for I have
delivered and sent you bothyn my parte the dedis and yowris, and not
restreyned nowthere for my self nor the dede. Where fore I thynk we
spede and fare all the wers; for it is a fowle slaunder that he was so
wurchepful beried and his qwethword not performed, and so litill do for
hym sithen. And now though I wold do for hym, I have right not
[_naught_] beside my lyffelode that I may make any chevysans with, with
ought grete slaunder; and my lyffelode encreasith evill, for I am fayn
to takyn Mautby in myn owyn hand, and to set up husbandry ther; and how
it shall profite me God knowyth. The fermour owyth me lxxx_li._ and
more. Whan I shall have it I wete never. Therfore be never the bolder in
your expenses for any help ye trust to have of me. For I will fro hens
forth bryng my self ought of such daunger as I stand in for your sakes,
and do for the dede and for them that I have my goodis of; for till I do
so, I know for certeyn that I shall fayll grace and displeas God, How
[_who_] have you in His kepyng. Wretyn on Sent Symondis day and Judes in
hast.--Be your Moder.
Item, I send zow ij. sherte clothys, iche of iii. zardis of the fynest
that is in thys towne. I xuld a dohem mad here[88-1] but that xuld a be
to long here [_ere_] ze xuld a had hem. Zour Awnte[88-2] or sum other
good woman wule do her almes up on zow for the makyng of them. I thank
zow for the gowne that ye gave me Halowmesse day I hope [I[88-3]] xole
be wurshuped ther with. At reverence of God, be ware and take hed to
soche thynggis as is wretyn with ynne thys letter. Telle your brother
that the mony is not zet cownyd that I xuld send hym for thersarsenet
(_sic_) and damaske that I spake to hym foor. As for the damaske that
may be forebore tylle the nexte terme, but as for the sarsenet I woold
have yt and yt mythe be, for I goo in my rentis. Late zour
brothere[88-4] see thys letter. As fore your syster[88-5] I can send zow
no good tydyngges of her, God make her a good wooman.
[Footnote 86-2: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 206.] This letter was written
by Margaret Paston to one of her two sons, Sir John or John, at a
time when they were both together. That was the case in October
1470, as appears by a letter of the younger brother, written on
the 12th (No. 759), to the postscript of which this seems to be an
answer.]
[Footnote 86-3: Agnes Paston, the judge’s widow.]
[Footnote 87-1: Norwich.]
[Footnote 88-1: ‘I xuld a dohem mad here’ = I should have got them
made here.]
[Footnote 88-2: Elizabeth, widow of Robert Poynings.]
[Footnote 88-3: Omitted in MS.]
[Footnote 88-4: Sir John Paston, if this letter be to the younger
brother.]
[Footnote 88-5: Margery Paston, now probably married to Richard
Calle.]
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