TO MARGARET PASTON 1475,  03, 
29  
To my ryght worchepfull modyr Margaret Paston, at Mawtby. 

Ryght worchepfull modyr, aftyr all humbyll recomendacyons as 
lowely as I can I beseche yow of your blyssyng. Pleasyt yow to wet that 
late yesternyght I cam to Norwyche purposeing to haue been as thys day 
wyth yow at Mawtby, but it is so that I may not hold my purpose, for he 
that shall pay me my quarter wagys for me and my retenew is in 
Norwyche and waytyth ourly when hys money shall com to hym. It is 
oon Edmu[n]d Bowen of the Cheker, a specyall frend of myn, and he 
avysyth me to tery tyll the money be com lest þat I be vnpayed; 
for who comyth fyrst to the mylle fyrst must grynd. And as I was 
wryghtyng thys byll on of the gromys of my lordys chambyr cam to me 
and told me that my lady wyll be here in Norwyche to-morow at nyght, 
towardys Walsy[n]gham, whyche shall I wot well be a-nother lett to me, 
but I had more need to be otherwyse ocupyed then to awayte on ladyse; 
for ther is as yett, I trowe, no sperre that shall go over the see so evyll 
horsyd as I am. But it is told me that Rychard Call hathe a good horse to 
sell, and on John Bocher of Oxborough hathe an other; and if it myght 
please yow to geue Syme leve to ryd in-to that contré at my cost 
and in your name, seying that ye wyll geue on of your sonys an horse, 
desyiryng hym that he wyll geue yow a penyworthe for a peny, and he 
shall, and the pryse be resonabyll, hold hym pleasyd wyth yowr payment 
ought of my purse thow he knowe it not or hys horse depert fro hys 
handys. Modyr, I bese[che] yow, and itt may please yow, to geue Syme 
leue to ryde on thys message in your name, that he may be here wyth 
me to-morow in the mornyng betymys; for wer I onys horsyd I trowe I 
wer as ferforthe redy as some of my neyghborows. I herd a lytyll word 
that ye purposeid to be here in Norwyche thys next week. I prey God it 
be thys week. Modyr, I beseche yow that I may haue an answer 
to-morow at the ferthest of thys mater, and of eny other seruyse that it 
please yow to comand me, whyche I wyll at all seasons [be] redy to 
 
accomplyshe, wyth Godys grace, whom I beseche to preserue yow and 
yours. Wretyn at Norwyche thys Wednysday in Estern week. By your 
sone and seruaunt J. P.