TO MARGARET PASTON 1474, probably 
11  
to Mestrese Margrett Paston at Norwyche, er to J. Paston in hyre 
absence. 
Ryght wyrshypfull and my moste kynd and tendre moodre, I 
recomaund me to yow, thankyng yow off the grete cost and off the greet 
chere þat ye dyd to me and myn at my last beyng wyth yowe; 
whyche cheere also hathe made me perffyghtly hooll, I thanke God and 
yow, in so moche þat where as I feeryd me þat for 
weykenesse, and so green recuveryd off my syknesse, þat I 
scholde have apeyryd by the weye, but, God thanke yow, I toke soo my 
crommys whyls I was wyth yow þat I felyd my-sylffe by the weye 
that God and ye had made me stronger than I wenyd þat I had 
ben, jn so moche þat i feell my-selffe euery daye hollere than 
othere.  
it was soo that I mett wyth myn onkle William by the weye, and there in 
the felde I payed hym the iiij li. whyche I had borowyd off hym, and he 
was passyng jnquisytyff howe þat I was purueyd fore 
recompensyng off Towneshend. I tolde hym I hopyd weell. He tolde me 
þat he vndrestood þat I had the c li. off the Bysshopys 
executorys,and he had herd seye þat I had also borowyd an other 
c li. off a marchaunt, and so I lakyd but an c marke. I deme he herde 
thys off T. Lovell, fore I tolde hym þat I was in hope to fynde 
suche a freende þat wolde lende me c li. He axed me who was 
that; I answeryd hym an olde marchaunt, a freende off myn; but myn 
oncle thowte þat sholde be by weye off chevyshanse and to myn 
horte, wherffore I was pleyne to hym and tolde hym that ye were 
sewerté therffore and purueyed it off suche as wolde doo for 
yowe. And as for the forte c mark, he seyde to me þat as for that 
he wolde, rather than joparté sholde be, purvey it by weye off 
chevyshaunce at London, jn so meche þat ere he come fro London 
he had for my sake leyde v c markys worthe off plate wyth Hewghe 
Fenne. The place at Warwykys Inne is large and my grawntdame is 
agyd; it had ben jopartous to leve moche plate wyth hyre, thoghe halffe 
were hyre owne. But iff I maye doo other wyse I purpose nott to 
chevyshe any mony by hys meane. Item, I have delyueryd yowre 
botell to Courbye þe caryere thys same daye, and he promysed me 
to be wyth yow on Mondaye nyghte ore ellys on Towesday tymely. He 
hathe also xl d. to paye fore the thryd hyryd horse, and he bryngythe  
the iij horse wyth hym and is contente for hys labore and for the mete 
largely. They be delyueryd hym in as good and rather better plyght than 
whan I had them forthe, and nott gallyd nore hurte. He hat[h]e also ij 
sadelys, on off my brotherys and an other hyred, as ye woot off. Item, 
he hathe a peyre botys off Edmond Reedys þe shomakere, whyche 
Saundre borowyd off hym. I beseche yowe that William Mylsent ore 
Symme maye se þat euery man have hys owne. Item, as 
fore my brother Edmond, blyssyd be God he is weell amendyd. 
Item, as fore Hankyn owre dogge, I am a-ferde neuer to see hym 
but iff yowre good helpe bee. Item, as for the bookys þat 
weer Syr James, iff it lyke yow þat I maye haue them I ame not 
able to by them; but som-what wolde I  gyffe, and the remenaunt, wyth 
a goode devowte herte by my trowthe I wyll prey for hys sowle. 
Wherffor iff it lyke yow by the next massenger ore karyere to sende 
hem, in a daye I shall have them dressyd heer; and iff any off them be 
claymyd here-afftre in  feythe I wyll restoore it. Wretyn on Saterdaye. 
John Paston, K