_To my ryth reverent and worscheful husbond, Jon Paston._
[Sidenote: 1477 / DEC. 18]
Ryth reverent and worscheful husbond, I recomaunde me to yow, desyryng
hertyly to here of yowr wylfare, thankyng yow for the tokyn that ye sent
me be Edmunde Perys, preyng yow to wete that my modyr sent to my fadyr
to London for a goune cloth of mustyrddevyllers[307-2] to make of a
goune for me; and he tolde my modyr and me wanne he was comme home, that
he cargeyt yow to beyit, aftyr that he were come oute of London.
I pre yow, yf it be not bowt, that ye wyl wechesaf to byit, and sendyt
home as sone as ye may, for I have no goune to weyre this wyntyr but my
blake and my grene a lyer,[307-3] and that is so comerus that I ham wery
to weryt.
As for the gyrdyl that my fadyr be hestyt me, I spake to hym ther of a
lytyl before he zede to London last, and he seyde to me that the faute
was in yow, that ze wolde not thynk ther uppe on to do makyt [_to get it
made_]; but I sopose that ys not so; he seydyt but for a skwsacion.
I pre yow, yf ye dor takyt uppe on yow, that ye wyl weche safe to do
makyt a yens ye come home, for I hadde never more nede ther of than I
have now, for I ham waxse so fetys[308-1] that I may not be gyrte in no
barre of no gyrdyl that I have but of one. Elisabet Peverel hath leye
sek xv. or xvj. wekys of the seyetyka, but sche sent my modyr word be
Kate, that sche xuld come hedyr wanne God sent tyme, thoow sche xuld be
crod [_wheeled_] in a barwe.
Jon of Damm was here, and my modyr dyskevwyrd me to hym, and he seyed,
be hys trouth that he was not gladder of no thyng that he harde thys
towlmonyth, than he was ther of.
I may no lenger leve be my crafte, I am dysscevwyrd of alle men that se
me.
Of alle odyr thyngys that ye deseyreyd that I xuld sende yow word of,
I have sent yow word of in a letter that I dede wryte on Ouwyr Ladyis
Day[308-2] laste was. The Holy Trenyte have yow in Hese kepyng.
Wretyn at Oxnede, in ryth gret hast, on the Thrusday next be fore Seynt
Tomas Day.[308-3]
I pre yow that ye wyl were the reyng with the emage of Seynt Margrete,
that I sent yow for a rememraunse, tyl ye come home; ye have lefte me
sweche a rememraunse, that makyth me to thynke uppe on yow bothe day and
nyth wanne I wold sclepe.
Your ys,