Jhesus. Ao xviij
Right honorable and my right synguler good lady, I recommaund me unto your good ladischipe. And, Madam, yff it lyke you, seth I come home to London I mette with my lady, your modyr, and God wote she made me right sulleyn chere with hir countenaunce whyles I was with hir: me thought it longe till I was departid. She brayke unto me of old ffernyeres, and spescially she brayke to me off the tayll I told hir betwene the vicar þat was and hir: she said the vicar never ffared well seth, he tooke it so mych to hart. I told hire a lyght answere ageyn, and so I departid ffrom hir. I had no joye to tary with hir. She is a ffyn mery woman, but ye shall nat know it nor yit ffynd it, nor none of youres by that I se in her. Modyr mydwiffe told me þat nowdyr my lady your modyr, my lady Stoker, nor hir husbaund come ones to se my cossen Anne sethe she come to hir, nor yet axse ones how she ffared, and yff my lady, your modyr, mete my cossen Anne she will say no more but "Godes blissynge have ye and myne," and so goo hir waye fforthe as thow she had no joye off hir. Whanne ye come to London I shall tell you more. My cossen Anne hath bene with me here at home, and she is hole and right well amendid and as a woman shulde be, þer is no fawte, our blissid lord be thannkyd and his blissid modyr. Good Madam, by the next at comes lett hir have all hir clothes, she hath nede unto them, and that knowith owre lord, who ever preserve you, Madam, and all yours in longe helth and vertu to his plesour. At London the last day off Juyll, Ano supra.
Be your servaunt Thomas Betson.
Jentil Madam, I beseche you that I may be recomaundid unto my cossen, your douȝhter Kateryn, and our lord be with you both. Also, Madam, yff it lyke you, I have bene with my brodyr, John Betson, ffor money, and be my trouth I can none have off hym, he hath shewid me that my Mayster your husbaund and ye owe hym ffor dyverse wynes, Summa xij. li. vj. s. viij. d., as by the parcells herin closed more clerelyar it appereth, the which parcelles my brodyr saith that þei be trew. Wherffore, good Madam, I beseche you to speke unto my mayster, to the intent I myght have the money here as shortely as can be. I muste pay to John Tate vj li. for þe felles that I have shippid now, and to Whyte of Bradway I muste pay iiij li., and I muste pay to the porters and oþer for costes xl s. And so God save my soull I have it nat. I will nat be so bare agayn of money a good whyle, with Godes grace. It was the best dett I saw in his booke, so God help me, and þerffore I tooke
