_Tho my wele be lovyd son, John Paston, be this delyvered in haste._
Sonne, I grete zow wele, and lete zow wete that for as myche as zoure
brothir Clement leteth me wete that ze desyre feythfully my
blyssyng,--that blyssyng that I prayed zoure fadir to gyffe zow the
laste day that ever he spakke, and the blyssyng of all seyntes undir
heven, and myn mote come to zow all dayes and tymes; and thynke veryly
non other but that ze have it, and shal have it, with that that I fynde
zow kynde and wyllyng to the wele of zoure fadres soule, and to the
welfare of zoure bretheren.
Be my conseyle dypose zoureselfe as myche as ze may to have lesse to do
in the worlde; zoure fadye sayde: In lityl bysynes lyeth muche reste.
This world is but a thorough fare, and ful of woo; and whan we departe
therefro, rizth nouzght bere with us but oure good dedys and ylle. And
ther knoweth no man how soon God woll clepe hym, and therfor it is good
for every creature to be redy. Qhom God vysyteth him he lovyth.
And as for zoure bretheren, thei wylle I knowe certeynly laboren all
that in hem lyeth for yow. Oure Lorde have zow in his blyssed kepyng,
body and soule.
Writen at Norwyche, the xxix. day of Octobyr.
Be zoure modir,