_To the worshypfull and my right honorabyll maistresse, Maistresse
Marget Paston._
[Sidenote: After 1466]
Right worshipfull and myn right honourable and good maistresse,
I recomaund me to you in my most humble wyse, besekynge youre
maistresshyp to take no dyspleasure of the longe forberyng of youre
mony, whiche is ix_li._ xvj_s._ viij_d._ now. Be my trouthe, Maister Fen
had of me l. marke at hyse beyng here fore custum, wherof a gret part is
owyng me tyl I may be leysere[260.2] gather it up. I thynke of every day
a wyke tyl ye be content, and I thanke God I owe not al the world so
myche as I do you. In as goodly haste as I can, youre maistresship shal
have it with ever my servise and preyer, for ye do a meritory dede; it
hathe savyd my pore honestie and gretly avayled me; wher as if it had
leyn in youre coferys, as, I doute not, a M^{l}_li._ more dothe, no
profit shuld have growe to any man; it is a meritory dede to helpe them
that mene trewly, whiche, for Godis sake, maistresse consedre. I truste
I am of that substans that, what soever caswelte fortunyd, yourre
maistresship shuld not lese on pene of yourre dute. Every ourre (?) may
be distreynid of myn the value of C. marke in shyppis and literys, and
owe not but to you C_s._, I dare afferme. Also, maystresse, ye have an
obligacion of me of xl_li._ a byll of xx_li._, and abil of xx_li._, and
a byll of x_li._; for Godis sake, maistresse, spare me for a tyme, the
rather for the affeccion that my maister[260.3] had to me, whos soule
Jhesu assoyle. Hyse maistirshyp grauntyd me many tymez to have lent me
of the dedys goodis xl_li._, to have payd hym ageyn in v. yeer; and so I
doute not but I shuld have had if hyse maistirshyp had levyd. I lost a
gret losse of hese departyng; for hyse sake, maystresse, shewe me the
more favour. I intende not to debarre you of oon peny, so Jhesu helpe
me, but in as goodly haste as I can to contente you; be my trouthe, at
thys seasun I have not in my pocession x. marke which is right litil,
what casewelte that ever fortune. I am deseyvid of many men; be my
trouthe there is owyng me in thys town xl. marke of iij. yeer passyd,
that thow I shuld go to prison I knowe not to have xx_s._ of ony of hem.
Right worshypfull and my right honourable maistresse, I beseke Almyghti
Jhesu, ever preserve you from adversite. Maistresse, for the servise
that to my pore powyr I aught my maister youre husbonde I am the werse
by xx_li._ and more sylvir; for Godis sake therfor, maistresse, yit
favour me a season; I aske not ellys.
Yourre bedeman and servaunt,