_To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston._
[Sidenote: 1478 / FEB. 3]
Ryght worchepfull modyr, aftyr all dwtes of humble recomendacyon, in as
humble wyse as I can, I beseche yow of your dayly blyssyng. Pleasyt yow
to wett that at my being now at London, lyek as ye gave me in
comandment, I mevyd to Mastyr Pykenham and to Jamys Hubart for ther
being at Norwyche now thys Lent, that ye myght have ther avyses in syche
maters as ye let me have understandyng of. And as for Mastyr Pykenham,
he is now Juge of the Archys, and also he hathe an other offyce, whyche
is callyd _Auditor Causarum_, and hys besyness is so gret in bothe thes
offyces that he can not tell the season when that he shall have leyser
to come in to Norffolk. But I left not tyll I had gotyn Jamys Hubbart
and hym togedyrs, and then I told theym your intent; and then Mastyr
Pykenham told Jamys and me hys intent, and he preyed Jamys that he shold
in no wyse fayle to be with yow thys Lent. Not withstandyng it was no
grete nede to prey hym myche; for he told Doctore Pykenham that there
was no gentyl woman in Inglond of so lytyll aqueyntance as he had with
yow, that he wold be glader to be servyse on to; and myche the glader,
for he purposeth fro hensforthe duryng hys lyff to be a Norffolk man,
and to lye with in ii. myle of Loddon, whyche is but viij. or x. myle at
the most fro Mautby. And in conclusyon he hathe appoyntyd to awayte on
yow at Norwyche the weeke nexte aftyr Mydlent Sonday, all the hole weke,
if nede be, all other maters leyd apart.
Also I comend with my brodyr Sir John at London of syche maters as ye
wold have amendyd in the bylle that he sent on to yow, and he stake not
gretly at it.
Also, modyr, I herd whyle I was in London wher was a goodly yong woman
to mary, whyche was doughter to one Seff, a merser, and she shall have
CC_li._ in money to hyr maryage, and xx. mark by yer of lond aftyr the
dyssease of a steppe modyr of hyrs, whyche is upon l. yer of age; and or
I departyd ought of London, I spak with some of the maydys frendys, and
have gotyn ther good wyllys to have hyr maryd to my brodyr Edmund.
Notwithstandyng, those frendys of the maydys that I comond with avysyd
me to get the good wyll of one Sturmyn, whyche is in Mastyr Pykenhamys
danger[312-1] so myche that he is glad to please hym; and so I mevyd
thys mater to Mastyr Pykenham. And incontinent he sent for Sturmyn, and
desyred hys good wyll for my brodyr Edmund, and he grantyd hym hys good
wylle, so that he koud get the good wyll of the remenaunt that wer
executours to Seff, as well as the seyd Sturmyn was; and thusferforthe
is the mater. Wherfor, modyr, we must beseche yow to helpe us forward
with a lettyr fro yow to Mastyr Pykenham to remembyr hym for to handyll
well and dylygently thys mater now thys Lent; and for I am aqueyntyd
with your condycyons of old that ye reke not who endytyth more lettres
than ye, ther for I have drawyn a note to yowr secretarys hand, Freir
Perse, whyche lettre we must prey yow to send us by the berer herof, and
I trust it shall not be longe fro Mastyr Pykenham.
Your doughter of Sweynsthorpp and hyr sojornaunt E. Paston recomandyth
hem to yow in ther most humble wyse, lowly besechyng yow of your
blyssyng; and as for my brodyr, Edmund Sweynsthorpe, for none intrete
that hys ostas your doughtyr, nor I koud intrete hym, myght not kepe
hym, but that he wold have bene at home with you at Mautby on Sonday
last past at nyght; and as he was departyng fro hens, had we word fro
Frenshes wyf that, God yeld yow, modyr, ye had govyn hym leve to
dysporte hym her with us for a vij. or viij. dayes; and so the drevyll
lost hys thank of us, and yet abode nevyr the lesse.
Your doughtyr sendyth yow part of syche poore stuff as I sent hyr fro
London, besechyng yow to take it in gree, though it be lytyll plente
that she sendyth yow. But as for datys, I wyll sey trowthe, ye have not
so many by ij. pownd as wer ment on to yow, for she thynkys at thys
season datys ryght good mete. What so ever it menyth, I prey God send us
good tydynges, Whom I beseche to preserve yow and yours, and so send yow
your myst desyred joye.
At Sweynsthorp, on Ashe Wednysday.
Your sone and humble servaunt,