_To Mestresse Margret Paston, at Norwyche, be thys delyveryd._
[Sidenote: 1475 / FEB. 22]
Please it yow to weete that I receyvyd a letter from yow, wretyn the
Saterdaye next byffor Candelmesse; for answer wheroff, lyke it yow to
weete, that as for the bokys that weer Sir James (God have hys sowle!),
I thynke best that they be styll with yow, tyll that I speke with yow my
selffe. My mynde is now nott most uppon bokes.
Item, as for xx_li._ that ye sey that yowr plate lythe for, it is so,
that I fownde my oncle William no sewerte therffor, as Playter and my
brother John bothe cowde enfforme yow; it was never desyryd of me, ner
the tolde me nott that any suche pledge laye for it, but that ye hadd
dyschargyd me of xx_li._ and chevysshyd it, and that ye sholde repaye it
in hast; wherin I woll do as ye woll, and as it pleasyth yow to sende me
wetyng.
Item, I ame sory that ye be no better payd off the xx_li._ that I had
off yowe, whyche ye sholde have receyvyd ageyn off my londes in Flegge.
Iff the markett be nott goode yit, I hope it shall be better; never the
lesse my wylle is that ye sholde have yowr holl xx_li._ ageyn, and not
lose j_d._ Wherffor if it be so that ye be mysse servyd ther, I beseche
yow off pacyence tyll the begynnyng of the next yeer, and iff aught be
behynd, ye shall receyve uppe the remenaunt then, for, as God helpe me,
I wolde be sory that ye lost moor for me; I have pytte yow to cost,
charge, and losse i nowge, God thanke yow of it, thoughe ye lose no
more. Wherffor iff Sporle woode sprynge any sylver or golde, it is my
wyll that fyrst of alle ye be yowr owne payer off all that is be hynde;
and next thatt, to paye myn oncle William vij^{xx}vj_li._ xiij_s._
iiij_d._ and besyd that, xvj_li._ lost uppon the chevysshaunce of
iiij^xx._li._; and so I owe viij^{xx.}ij_li._ xiij_s._ iiij_d._ Wherffor
I beseche yow to make hast in repayment heroff as fast as it wolle
growe, as my trust is in yowe.
Item, wher it pleasyd yow to weete of myn heele and amendyng; I thanke
Godde I ame in goode case, and as goode a full hooll, bothe off the
fevre, agwe off myn ie, myn legge, and myn heele, saff that I ame tendre
off all theese; and were nott goode rewle, full like to feell off iche
off them ryght soone; neverthelesse, God thanke yow off yowr large
profre, wheroff I wolde be ryght gladde iff I myght, for trobles and
other labor that I have takyn on me nowe in to Fraunce warde; for the
goode spede off me, and that jorneye, I beseche yow of yowr preyeres and
remembrance; and thatt jorney, with Goddes grace, ones doon, I purpose
verrely, with Goddes grace, therafftre to daunce atendaunce most abowt
yowr plesure and ease: and with Goddes grace, soone uppon Esterne, er
evyr I goo forthe, I hope to se yow, and fecche your blessynge. No moor
at thys tyme, but Jesus have yow in Hys kepyng.
Wretyn at Caleys, the xxij. daye of Feverer, anno E. iiij^ti xiiij^{o}.
Yowr Sone,