_To my wurschypfull cosyne, John Paston, be this bill delyveryd, &c._
[Sidenote: 1477 / FEB.]
Cosyn, I recomande me un to yowe, thankyng yowe hertely for the grette
chere that ye made me and all my folkys, the last tyme that I was at
Norwych; and ye promysyd me, that ye wold never breke the mater to
Margery unto suche tyme as ye and I were at a point. But ye hafe made
hyr suche advokett for yowe, that I may never hafe rest nyght ner day,
for callyng and cryeng uppon to brynge the saide mater to effecte, &c.
And, cosyn, uppon Fryday is Sent Volentynes Day, and every brydde
chesyth hym a make [_mate_]; and yf it lyke yowe to come one Thursday at
nyght, and so purvey yowe, that ye may abyde there tyll Monday, I trusty
to God, that ye schall so speke to myn husband; and I schall prey that
we schall bryng the mater to a conclusyon, &c. For, cosyn,
It is but a sympill oke,
That [is] cut down at the first stroke.
For ye will be resonabill, I trust to God, Whech hafe yowe ever in Hys
mercyfull kepyng, &c.
Be yowr cosyn, Dame ELIZABETH BREWS,
otherwes schall be called be Godds grace.
[Footnote 266-1: [From Fenn, ii. 208.] It is clear from internal
evidence that this letter was written between the 7th and the 12th
of February, and the fact that St. Valentine’s Day (the 14th) fell
on Friday, proves the year to have been 1477. Besides which, we
have distinct references to the matter further on in the dated
correspondence.]
897