_To my ryght wurschypfull cosyn, Syr Jhon Paston, Knyght, be this letter
delivered, &c._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 8]
Ryght wurschypfull, and my hertely welebelovyd cosyn, I recommande me
unto yowe, desyring to here of yowr welefar, whech I pray God may be as
contynuall good as I wolde hafe myn own. And, cosyn, the cause of my
wryting un to yow, at thys tyme, is, I fele wele be my cosyn John yowr
broder, that ye hafe undyrstondyng of a mater, whech is in comynicacyon
tochyng a maryage, with Godds grace, to be concluded betwyx my saide
cosyn yowr broder, and my doghter Margery, wheche is far commonyd, and
not yyt concluded, ner noght schall ner may be tyll I hafe answer from
yowe agayn of yowr good will and asent to the seid mater; and also of
the obligacyon weche that I sende yowe herewith; for, cosyn, I wold be
sory to se owther my cosyn yowr broder, or my doghtr, dryvyn to leve so
meane a lyff as thei schuld do yf the vj^xx._li._ [£120], schuld be
payde of ther maryage money.
And cosyn, I hafe takyn my selfe so nere in levyng of this vj^xx._li._,
that wher as I hade layde upp an C_li._ for the maryage of a yonger
doghter of myn, I hafe nowe lent the saide C_li._ and xx_li._ over that,
to my cosyn yowr broder, to be paide ageyn be suche esy days as the
obligacyon, weche I sende yowe herwyth, specyfyes. And, cosyn, I were
ryght lothe to be stowe so mech uppon one doghter, that the other her
susters schuld far the wars; wherfor, cosyn, yf ye wyll that thys mater
schall take effect undyr suche forme as my cosyn yowr broder hath wretyn
unto yowe, I pray yowe put therto yowr good wylle, and sum of yowr
coste, as I hafe done of myn more largely then ever I purpose to do to
any tweyn of hyr susters, as God knowyth myn entent, Whom I besech to
send yowe yowr levest herts desyr.
Wretyn at Topcroft, the viij. day of March, &c.
Be your cosyn,
THOMAS BREWS, Knight.
[Footnote 272-2: [From Fenn, ii. 224.] The date of this letter, as
of the last, is fixed by the subject.]
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