_To Mestresse Margret Paston._
[Sidenote: 1476 / [AUG. 30]]
Please it yow to wete that I was uppon Tywesdaye, the daye that I
departyd froo yowe, with my brother John at Atelborow by viij. of the
clokke at evyn, and founde hym in suche case as iff ye had seyn hym than
ye wolde have be as gladde of hym osse off a nywe sone. I wenyd nott
that he sholde nott have levyd tyll the mornyng; in so moche that by my
trowthe I dare seye that iff it had nott fortunyd us to have comyn to
hym, he had not been on lyve on Wednysdaye. For syns Saterday slepyd he
nott iiij. howris, and yitt iij. of them was syns I come thydyr, on to
thys nyght; and thys nyght, blessyd be God, he hathe slepyd well, and
with Goddys grace I dowte not but thatt he shall do weell. For his agywe
is goone, and alle that laye in hys stomak and undre hys syde it weryth
aweye, and within a daye or ij. I hope he shall be so stronge that I
maye come frome hym; and he hopyth to see yowe with in fewe days affter,
as he seyth. On Wednysdaye I wysshed to hym that he and I hadde been at
Norwyche; wheruppon he harpyd all that nyght, and for cawe (_sic_) he
hadde not so goode rest as he wolde, it fylle in hys brayne to come to
Norwyche; and he in an angyr wolde nedys to horse. He wolde non horsse
litter, he was so stronge. Neverthelesse we wenyd nott that he sholde
have been able to have redyn a myle, and wenyd that it had nott been
possible to have passid Wyndham; bott whan he was uppe for that, we
seyde he roode so welle he ledde uss a dawnce faster than alle we cowde
weell folowe. He was at Wyndham, by my trowthe, in lesse than an howr by
a large quarter, and ther restyd hym an howre, and to horse ageyne and
was heer in lesse than an howr and one halffe. And now he dowteth nott
to slepe weell, for he seyth that he never ffaylyd to slepe weel in that
bedde that he hathe chosyn now at Frenshys, and thusse I hope he be
sauffe. And I am in dowte whethyr I shall within ij. dayes owther come
home to yow or ellis to goo forthe as ye woote off. No moore, &c. Wretyn
on Frydaye next the Decollacion of Seynt John Baptyst.
Item, I have the wrythynges off Richard Calle.
Your sone,