TO MARGARET PASTON 1473,  07, 
30  
To my ryght wyrshypful Moodre, Margret Paston. 
Ryght wyrshypffull and my ryght tendre modre, I recomaunde me 
to yow, besechyng yow off yowre dayly blessyng. Please it yow to weet 
þat I herde nott from yow off longe tyme, whyche cawsythe me to 
be ryght hevye; nere at þe last tyme þat I sende to yow in 
wryghtyng I hadde from yowre-selffe noo wryghtyng ner answere ageyn 
saff by Playtere on tym and by my brother an other tyme, whyche 
answer off Playtere was noo-thyng acordyng but contraryaunt to other 
wryghtyng more comfortable þat he had sent me nott longe 
byffore thatt, on yowre behalve as he wrotte, whyche God amende. 
Neuerthelesse to my more heuynesse I herde seye þat ye sholde 
have been passhyng hevy for my sake, and in cheffe fore that I was lyke 
to late goo the maner off Sporle, wherin I was pytte in comffort to have 
had relyffe by the meanes off yow; and syns it was tolde me þat 
iff I leete it goo þat ye wolde therfore dysavauntage me more 
londe in tyme to come off syche as by poscybylyté myght com to 
mee off yowrys. Vppon whyche corage my grauntdame and myn oncle 
to-gedre gaffe me an answere on hyr part moche lyke, and so my fadre, 
God have hys sowle, leffte me scant xl li. londe in rest, and ye leffe me 
as pleasythe yow, and my grauntdame at hyre plesure. Thus maye I have 
lytell hope off the worlde. Neuerthelesse I beseche yow to be my good 
moodre, how so euer ye doo wyth yowre londe, fore I feell weell 
þat iff I have on losse I am lyke therffor to have three. But  
 
as for Sporle, it shall nott goo iff I maye nere by my wyll, and iff ther 
hadde ben performed me as largelye as was promysed me by Playtere I 
were sewre it sholde nott have goon nor yit sholde nat goo. 
Neuerthelesse, iff ye and all my frendys and yowrys in Norffolk myght 
haue lende me so moche monye, and to haue takyn it vppe in v yere, I 
suppose they sholde par auentur have ben payed ageyn in a yere ore ij iff 
I had solde any woode. Neuerthelesse, plese yow to weet þat I 
have provyd my fadres wyll and testement, wherin I maye nowt dele 
on-to þe tyme that all the executorys have reffused, wherffore ther 
most be sende sitacions to yow and alle other that weer namyd my fadris 
executorys, wherin iff ye lyst not to take admynystracion, as I woot well 
ye woll nott off olde, ye most than make a proctore that must on yowre 
behalve byffor my lorde off Canterbury, wyth a sufficiant warant and 
autoryté, vndre a notarys syngne ther in the corte reffuse to take 
admynestracion; and thys jnstrument and aultoryté I beseche yow 
maye be redy and at London by the fyrst daye off þe terme. And 
iff ye be not aqueyntyd wyth non suche at London, iff it please yowe to 
take and avowe for yowre proctore and sende hym auctoryté, on 
Master John Halsnothe, whyche was a clerke off Master Robert Centys 
and was so trusty to my fadre, God have hys sowle, and to sende me a 
letter off yowre wylle ther-in, I vndretake þat he shall nott do but 
as ye sende me worde. Plese it yow to gyff credence to Juddy her-in. No 
more to yow at thys tyme, but Jeshu have yow in hys kepyng. Wretyn 
att Caleys the last daye saff on off Julle. Yowre s[[one]] J. P., K.