TO MARGARET PASTON 1476, 08, 30?

To Mestresse Margret Paston.

Please it yow to wete þat I was vppon Tywesdaye, the daye þat I departyd froo yowe, wyth my brothere John at Atelborow by viij off the clokke at euyn, and founde hym in suche case as iff ye had seyn hym than ye wolde nowe be as gladde of hym osse off a nywe sone. I wenyd nott þat he scholde not have levyd tyll þe mornyng, in so moche þat by my trowthe i dare seye þat iff it had nott fortunyd vs to have comyn to hym, he had not [unclear] been on lyve on Wednysdaye; fore syns Saterdaye slepyd he nott iiij howrys, and yitt iij off them was syns I come thydyre, on-to thys nyght. And thys nyght, blessyd be God, he hathe slepyd well, and wyth Goddys grace I dowte nott but thatt he shall do weell, fore hys agywe is goone, and alle þat laye in hys stomake and vndre hys syde it weryth aweye. And wyth-in a daye ore ij I hope he shall be so stronge þat I maye come frome hym, and he hopyth to see yowe wyth-in fewe days afftre, as he seythe. On Wednysdaye I wysshyd to hym þat he and I hadde been at Norwyche; whervppon he harpyd all þat nyght, and fore caws [deleted in MS]e he hadde nott so goode rest as he wolde, it fylle in hys brayne to come to Norwyche, and he in an angre wolde nedys to horse - he wolde non horsse litter, he was so stronge. Neuerthelesse we wenyd nott þat he sholde have been able to have redyn a myle, and wenyd þat it had nott been possible to have passyd Wyndham. Bott whan he was vppe fore þat we seyde he roode so welle he ledde vss a dawnce faster than alle we cowde weell folowe. He was at Wyndham, by my trowthe, in lesse þan an howre, by a large quartere, and ther restyd hym an howre, and to horse ageyne and was heere in lesse than Page  498an howre and on halffe. And now he dowtyth nott to slepe weell, fore he seythe þat he neuer faylyd to slepe weell in that bedde þat he hathe chosyn now at Frenshys; and thusse I hope he be sauffe. And I ame in dowte whethyre I shall wyth-in ij dayes owther come home to yow ore ellis to goo forthe as ye woote off. No more, &c. Wretyn on Frydaye next the Decollacion off Seynt John Baptyst.
Item, I have the wryghtyngys off Richard Calle. Yowre sone J. Paston, K.