To my ryth worchepfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys deliverid in hast.
Right worchepful hosbond, I recommand me to yow. Please yow to wete þat I have spoke with Thomas Denys wyffe, and she recommand hyr to your good masterchep, and she prayeth yow to be her good master, and prayet yow of your good masterchep, þat ye wolle geve her your advice howe to be demenid for hyr person and hyr goodes. For as towchyng hyr owne person, she dare not goo home to hyr owne place, for she is thret if þat she myght be take, she shuld be slayne or be put in ferfull place, in shortyng of hyr lyve dayes, and so she standyth in gret hevynes, God her helpe. Ferther more she is nowe put be her brother in Norwich with Awbry, and she thynkyth þe place is right conversaunt of pupyll for hyr to abeyd in, for she kepyth hyr as close as she may for spyyng. Item, as I went to Seynt Levenard ward, I spake with Maister John Salet, and commonyd with hym of hyr, and me thowgt be hym þat he howyth hyr ryght good wylle. And than I haskyd hym howe she myght be demenyd with hys goodes and hyr. He cownseld me þat she shuld get hyr a trosty frend, þat war a good, trewe, poor man, þat had not moche to lese, and wold be rewlyd after hyr, and to have a letter of ministracion; and so I told hyr. Than she seyd she wold have hyr broder advice therin. Item, she seyth ther be no mor feffes in hys londes but ye and Rokwood, and she prayeth yow þat it please yow to speke to Rokwood þat he make no relesse but be your advice, as she trostyth to yowr good masterchep.
Item, þe last tyme þat I spake with hyr she mad suche a petows mone and seyd þat she wost ner howe to do for mony, and so I lent [@2}vj s. viij d.[/@2]
Item, I sent my cosyn Barney þe bylle þat John Pampyng wrot be yowr commanddement to me, and he hath sent a letter of hys entent to yow and to Rokwod therof, and also but if it please yow to take better hed to hys mater than he can do hym self, I can thynk he shall ellis fare þe wors for i' feyth he standyth daly in gret fere, for þe false contrary party ageyns hym.
Item, at þe reverence of God, be ware howe ye ryd or go, for nowgty and evyll desposyd felacheps. I am put en fere dayly for myn abydyng here, and cownsellyd be my moder and be other good frendes, þat I shuld not abeyd here but yf þe world wher in mor quiete than it is.
God for hys merci send us a good world, and send yow helþe in body and sowle, and good speed in all your maters. Wreten in hast þe Thursday next after Seynt Thomas.
By your,
M. P.
To my ryth worchepfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys deliverid in hast.
Right worchepful hosbond, I recommand me to yow. Please yow to wete þat I have spoke with Thomas Denys wyffe, and she recommand hyr to your good masterchep, and she prayeth yow to be her good master, and prayet yow of your good masterchep, þat ye wolle geve her your advice howe to be demenid for hyr person and hyr goodes. For as towchyng hyr owne person, she dare not goo home to hyr owne place, for she is thret if þat she myght be take, she shuld be slayne or be put in ferfull place, in shortyng of hyr lyve dayes, and so she standyth in gret hevynes, God her helpe. Ferther more she is nowe put be her brother in Norwich with Awbry, and she thynkyth þe place is right conversaunt of pupyll for hyr to abeyd in, for she kepyth hyr as close as she may for spyyng. Item, as I went to Seynt Levenard ward, I spake with Maister John Salet, and commonyd with hym of hyr, and me thowgt be hym þat he howyth hyr ryght good wylle. And than I haskyd hym howe she myght be demenyd with hys goodes and hyr. He cownseld me þat she shuld get hyr a trosty frend, þat war a good, trewe, poor man, þat had not moche to lese, and wold be rewlyd after hyr, and to have a letter of ministracion; and so I told hyr. Than she seyd she wold have hyr broder advice therin. Item, she seyth ther be no mor feffes in hys londes but ye and Rokwood, and she prayeth yow þat it please yow to speke to Rokwood þat he make no relesse but be your advice, as she trostyth to yowr good masterchep.
Item, þe last tyme þat I spake with hyr she mad suche a petows mone and seyd þat she wost ner howe to do for mony, and so I lent [@2}vj s. viij d.[/@2]
Item, I sent my cosyn Barney þe bylle þat John Pampyng wrot be yowr commanddement to me, and he hath sent a letter of hys entent to yow and to Rokwod therof, and also but if it please yow to take better hed to hys mater than he can do hym self, I can thynk he shall ellis fare þe wors for i' feyth he standyth daly in gret fere, for þe false contrary party ageyns hym.
Item, at þe reverence of God, be ware howe ye ryd or go, for nowgty and evyll desposyd felacheps. I am put en fere dayly for myn abydyng here, and cownsellyd be my moder and be other good frendes, þat I shuld not abeyd here but yf þe world wher in mor quiete than it is.
God for hys merci send us a good world, and send yow helþe in body and sowle, and good speed in all your maters. Wreten in hast þe Thursday next after Seynt Thomas.
By your,
M. P.
To my ryth worchepfull hosbond, John Paston, be thys deliverid in hast.
Right worchepful hosbond, I recommand me to yow. Please yow to wete þat I have spoke with Thomas Denys wyffe, and she recommand hyr to your good masterchep, and she prayeth yow to be her good master, and prayet yow of your good masterchep, þat ye wolle geve her your advice howe to be demenid for hyr person and hyr goodes. For as towchyng hyr owne person, she dare not goo home to hyr owne place, for she is thret if þat she myght be take, she shuld be slayne or be put in ferfull place, in shortyng of hyr lyve dayes, and so she standyth in gret hevynes, God her helpe. Ferther more she is nowe put be her brother in Norwich with Awbry, and she thynkyth þe place is right conversaunt of pupyll for hyr to abeyd in, for she kepyth hyr as close as she may for spyyng. Item, as I went to Seynt Levenard ward, I spake with Maister John Salet, and commonyd with hym of hyr, and me thowgt be hym þat he howyth hyr ryght good wylle. And than I haskyd hym howe she myght be demenyd with hys goodes and hyr. He cownseld me þat she shuld get hyr a trosty frend, þat war a good, trewe, poor man, þat had not moche to lese, and wold be rewlyd after hyr, and to have a letter of ministracion; and so I told hyr. Than she seyd she wold have hyr broder advice therin. Item, she seyth ther be no mor feffes in hys londes but ye and Rokwood, and she prayeth yow þat it please yow to speke to Rokwood þat he make no relesse but be your advice, as she trostyth to yowr good masterchep.
Item, þe last tyme þat I spake with hyr she mad suche a petows mone and seyd þat she wost ner howe to do for mony, and so I lent [@2}vj s. viij d.[/@2]
Item, I sent my cosyn Barney þe bylle þat John Pampyng wrot be yowr commanddement to me, and he hath sent a letter of hys entent to yow and to Rokwod therof, and also but if it please yow to take better hed to hys mater than he can do hym self, I can thynk he shall ellis fare þe wors for i' feyth he standyth daly in gret fere, for þe false contrary party ageyns hym.
Item, at þe reverence of God, be ware howe ye ryd or go, for nowgty and evyll desposyd felacheps. I am put en fere dayly for myn abydyng here, and cownsellyd be my moder and be other good frendes, þat I shuld not abeyd here but yf þe world wher in mor quiete than it is.
God for hys merci send us a good world, and send yow helþe in body and sowle, and good speed in all your maters. Wreten in hast þe Thursday next after Seynt Thomas.
By your,
M. P.
To my right worchepfull husband, John Paston, be thys deliverid in haste.
Right worshipful husband, I recommand me to you. Please you to wait þat I have spoke with Thomas Denys wyffe, and she recommand hyr to your good masterchep, and she prayeth you to be her good master, and prayet you of your good masterchep, þat you will geve her your advice howe to be demenid for hyr person and hyr goodes. For as towchyng hyr owne person, she dare not goo home to hyr owne place, for she is thret if þat she might be take, she should be slayne or be put in ferfull place, in shortyng of hyr life days, and so she stood in great hevynes, God her helpe. Ferther more she is now put be her brother in Norwich with Awbry, and she thynkyth þe place is right conversaunt of pupyll for hyr to abeyd in, for she kepyth hyr as close as she may for spyyng. Item, as I went to Saint Levenard ward, I spake with Master John Salet, and commonyd with him of hyr, and me thowgt be him þat he howyth hyr right good wylle. And than I haskyd him howe she might be demenyd with his goodes and hyr. He cownseld me þat she should get hyr a trosty friend, þat war a good, true, poor man, þat had not much to lese, and would be rewlyd after hyr, and to have a letter of ministracion; and so I told hyr. Than she said she would have hyr broder advice therin. Item, she said there be no more feffes in his londes but you and Rokwood, and she prayeth you þat it please you to speak to Rokwood þat he make no relesse but be your advice, as she trostyth to your good masterchep.
Item, þe last time þat I spake with hyr she mad suche a petows mone and said þat she wost nor howe to do for money, and so I lent [@2}vj s. viij d.[/@2]
Item, I sent my cousin Barney þe bill þat John Pampyng wrot be your commanddement to me, and he has sent a letter of his entent to you and to Rokwod thereof, and also but if it please you to take better hed to his matter than he can do him self, I can thynk he shall ellis fare þe wors for i' faith he stood daly in great fere, for þe false contrary party ageyns him.
Item, at þe reverence of God, be ware howe you ryd or go, for nowgty and evil desposyd felacheps. I am put en fere dayly for [mine/my] abydyng [here/her], and cownsellyd be my mother and be other good frendes, þat I should not abeyd [here/her] but yf þe world where in more quiete than it is.
God for his merci send us a good world, and send you helþe in body and soul, and good speed in all your maters. Wreten in haste þe Thursday next after Saint Thomas.
By your,
M. P.
To my honoured and respected husband, to be delivered as soon as possible.
Dearest husband, my best wishes. This is to let you know that I have spoken to Thomas Denys's wife, and she wishes to put herself into your good hands. She asks that you will be her counsellor, and as such asks for your advice on what she should do about herself and her goods; she herself dare not go home in case she is seized or killed, or put into a fearful place which will bring her near death, and so she lives in great sorrow. God help her. Furthermore her brother in Norwich has put her with Awbry, and she thinks the place is frequented by too many people; she keeps herself to herself in case people are looking for her.
As I went to Saint Leonard's ward, I spoke with Master John Salet about her and I though he had much goodwill towards her. And then I asked him what she should do about Thomas's goods and herself. He advised me that she should find a trusted friend, a good true man poor man that had not much to lose, and would be ruled by her to arrange a letter of administration, so I told her that. Then she said she would take her brother's advice about this. She said there were no more trustees involved in Thomas's lands except you and Rokwood, and she asks that you speak to Rokwood so that he doesn't make any decisions but will take your advice. She trusts that you will look after her.
The last time I spoke with her she was in a piteous state and said that she didn't know what to do about money; so I lent her six shillings and eightpence.
I sent my cousin Berney the bill that John Pampyng wrote as you instructed me, and he has sent a letter of what he intends to do to you and Rokwood. You can do more about this than he can do for himself; otherwise he'll be worse off, for I think he is daily in great fear of the false claims against him.
In the reverence of God, be careful how you ride or walk. Watch out for unruly groups who are disposed to evil. I am daily in fear living here, and advised by my mother and by other good friends that I shouldn't stay here unless the world were more peaceful than it is at the moment.
God in his mercy send us a good world, and send you health in body and soul and good fortune in all things. Written in haste the Thursday after St. Thomas.
By your M P
