_To my right reverent mastras, Agnes Paston, be this lettre delyveryd in
haste._
[Sidenote: 1460-4]
Rygh wurchepful mastres, I recomaund me un to yow, thankyng yow of the
gret chere that ze made me the last tyme that I was with zow. Mastres,
in alle zour godys and ocupacyons that lyth in my simpil power to do in
wurd, wil and dede, I have do my dylygens and my power therto, so I be
savyd be fore God, and have owyn to your person ryght herty love; for
the qwych I am ryght ille aqwyt, and it be as I understande yt; for it
is do me to wete that I am swid with mor of my paryshchons for a reskuse
makyng up on the offycers of the shrewys [_sheriff_], and I take God to
record that it is wrongfully do on to us. And the gret fray that the
[_they_] mad in the tyme of masse it ravyched my witts and mad me ful
hevyly dysposyd. I pray Jesu gef hem grace to repent hem therof that the
[_they_] that caused it may stand out of perel of soule.
Maystras, at the reverens of God, and as evyr I may do servyce that may
be plesyng on to yow, send me justyly wurd be the brynger of this bylle
ho ze wil that I be gydyd; for it is told me that if I be take I may no
other remedy havyn but streyth to prison. For the whiche I have sold
away xx_s._ wurth of stuffe; and the reswd [_residue_] of my stuff,
I have put it in swier hande, for trwly I wil not abyde the joparte of
the swth,--I have levir to go as far as my fet may ber me. Nevir the
less as ze komand me to do, so it be not to my gret hurt, I wil fulfille
it. Nomor to zow at this tyme, but God send yow that grace that ze may
kome to His blyss.
Wreten at Bromholm in gret haste,