_To Sir John Paston, Knyght, or to hys brodyr Edmund in hys absence,
lodgyd at the George by Powlys Wharff, in London._
[Sidenote: 1474 / JULY 25]
Ryght worchepfull sir, I recomand me to yow, preying yow to remembyr, or
ye depert ought of London, to spek with Herry Ebertonys wyf, draper, and
to enforme hyr that I am profyrd a maryage in London, whyche is worth
vj^c. [600] mark and bettyr; with whom I preyid yow to comone, in as
myche as I myght not tery in London myself, alweys reservyng that if so
be that Mastresse Eberton wyll dele with me, that ye shold not conclud
in the other place, thow so wer that Eberton wold not geve so moche with
Mastress Elyzabet, hys dowghtyr, as I myght have with the other, for
syche fantazy as I have in the seyd Mastress Elyzabet Eberton. And that
it lyek yow to sey to Ebertons wyff that syche as I spak to hyr of
shalbe bettyrd rather then enpeyred as for my part; and if it lyek hyr
to deale with me, I wylbe at London for that cawse only with in xiiij.
dayis aftyr the wryghtyng of thys byll, with Godes grace, Who preserve
yow and yours.
Wretyn at Norwyche, on Seynt Jamys Day.
* * *
Also, sir, I prey yow that ye wyll, as I desyerd yow, comon with John
Lee or hys wyf, or bothe, and to undyrstond how the mater at the Blak
Freerys dothe, and that ye wylle see and spek with the thyng your sylf,
and with hyr fadyr and modyr, or ye depert; and that it lyek yow to
desyer John Lee is wyff to send me a byll in all hast possybyll, how fer
forthe the mater is, and whedyr it shalbe necessary for me to come up to
London hastyly or not, or ellys to kast all at the Kok.
Also, sir, I prey yow that Pytt may trusse in a male, whyche I left in
your chambyr at London, my tawny gowne furyd with blak, and the doblet
of porpyll sateyn, and the doblet of blak sateyn, and my wryghtyng box
of syprese, and my book of the Metyng of the Dwke and of the Emperour,
and when all thys gere is trussyd in the male, to delyver it to the
berer herof, to brynge me to Norwyche.
Item, I send you herwith the pylyon for the male, and x_s._ for the
hyer, whyche is usery, I tak God to rekord.
Also, that it lyek yow to spek with your apotycary, whyche was som tyme
the Erle of Warwykes apotycary, and to weet of hym what the wedow of the
Blak Freiris is woorthe, and what hyr husbondes name was. He can tell
all, for he is executore to the wedous husbond. I prey yow forget me
not, no more then I do yow. I have spokyn thys day with Jamys Hubberd
and Herry Smyth, and to morow I shall have an answer of theym.
Also, my modyr wyll labore thys mater with effect, that the CC. mark may
be had for the wood.
Also, brodyr Edmund, I prey yow, and my brodyr Sir John be not in
London, that ye wyll labore all thys maters with effect, as my trust is
in yow in every poynt as is above wretyn.
Also, I assartayn yow that I was with Ferrour thys day, and he had no
leyser to comon with me; but I wyll be with hym ayen to morow by
apoyntment betwyx hym and me, and so as I speed I shall send yow woord
by the next man that comyth to London.
Also, I sent John Lee is wyff a lettyr by on Crawethorn dwellyng in Wood
street, or ellys in Sylver street at the end of Wood street. I prey yow
weet whedyr she had it or nought; and she had it not, brodyr Edmund,
I prey yow go to the same Crawethorn, and tak the lettyr of hym, and
delyver it hyr in all hast.