John Paston to Margaret Paston

LETTER LXX.

To my Ryght worchepfull
      Modyr Margaret Paston

RYGHT Worchepfull Modyr jn my most humble wyse I re-
comand me to yow besechy˜ng yow of yo^r dayly blyssy˜g
And when I may I wyll with as good wyll be redy to re-
compence yow for the cost that my huswyff and J have put
yow to as I am now bond to thank yow for it whyche I do
in the best wyce I can And Modyr it pleasyd yow to haue
serteyn woordys to my wyff at hyr deperty˜g towchy˜g yo^r
remembrance of the shortness that ye thynk yo^r dayes of
And also of the mynd that ye haue towards my brethryn
and systyr yo^r chyldyr And also of yo^r seru’nts wher in ye
wyllyd hyr to be a meane to me that I wold tendyr and
favore the same Modyr savy˜g yo^r plesure ther nedyth non
enbasatours nor meanys betwyx yow and me For ther is
neyther wyff nor other frend shall make me to do that yo^r
comandment shall make me to do jf I may haue knowlage
of it and if I have no knowlage jn good feyth I am excuse-
abyll bothe to god and yow and well remembred I wot well
ye ought not to haue me in Jelusye for on thyng nor other
that we wold haue me to accomplyshe if I overleve yow for
I wot well non oo man a lyve hathe callyd so oft oopon yow
as I to make your wylle and put iche thyng in serteynte
that ye wold haue don for your sylf and to your chyldre
and seru’nts Also at the maky˜g of yo^r wylle and at ev^ry
com˜unycacyon that J haue ben at w^t yow towchy˜g the
same I nevyr contraryed thyng that ye wold haue doon and
p^rformyd but alweys offyrd my sylf to be bownde to the
same but modyr J am ryght glad that my wyff is eny thyng
yo^r favore or trust but I am ryght sory that my wyff or eny
other chyld or seru’nt of yo^r shold be in bettyr favore or
trust w^t yow then my sylf for I wyll and must forbere and
put fro me that that all yo^r other chyldre seru’nts prestys
werkmen and Frendys of yo^r that ye wyll ought bequethe
to shall take to theym And thys haue I and euyr wylbe
redy on to whyll I leue on my feyth and nevyr thought other
so god be my helpe whom I beseche to p’serve yow and
send yow so good lyff and longe that ye may do for youre
sylf and me aftyr my dyssease and I beshrewe ther hertys
that wold other or shall cause yow to mystrust or to be un-
kynd to me or my Frendys at Norwyche thys Monday w^t
the hand of your sone and trwest seru’nt.

                                                                            JOHN PASTON.

      11½ by 8¼.

    Can any words better express the sentiments of a writer than those here used
by J. Paston?

     Can we read his heart by any other means so well, as by those he has here
afforded us?

     We are at a loss which most to admire, his dutiful attention to his mother’s
desire; his intended punctuality in discharging every known intimation of her’s,
not only towards her children, but likewise towards her friends, priests, and
servants; his ready acquiescence in every wish of her heart; or his final hope
that she will not only survive him but live to perform his will.

      This letter, exclusive of the sentiments it contains, would, as a composition,
do honour to any modern writer.

     Margaret Paston’s Will, here referred to, was dated on the 4th of February,
1481-2, 21 E. iv. and proved on the 18th of December, 1484, 2 R. iii.

     Autograph, Pl. xxix. No. 15. to which is added a fac-simile of the conclud-
ing part of this letter.

LETTER LXX.

To my Right Worshipful Mother Margaret Paston.

RIGHT worshipful Mother, in my most humble wise I re-
commend me to you, beseeching you of your daily blessing,
and when I may, I will with as good will be ready to re-
compense you for the costs that my huswife and I have put
you to, as I am now bound to thank you for it, which I do
in the best wise I can. And, mother, it pleased you to
have certain words to my wife at her departing, touching
your remembrance of the shortness that ye think your days
of, and also of the mind that ye have towards my brethren
and sister your children, and also of your servants, wherein
ye willed her to be a mean to me, that I would tender and
favour the same. Mother, saving your pleasure, there
needeth not ambassadors nor means betwixt you and me,
for there is neither wife nor other friend shall make me to
do that, that your commandment shall make me to do, if I
may have knowledge of it; and if I have no knowledge, in
good faith I am excusable both to God and you; and, well
remembered, I wot well, ye ought not to have me in jea-
lousy for one thing nor other that ye would have me to
accomplish, if I overlive you; for I wot well none man alive
hath called so oft upon you as I, to make your will and put
each thing in certainty, that ye would have done for your-
self, and to your children and servants. Also at the making
of your will, and at every communication that I have been
at with you touching the same, I never contraried [contra-
dicted] any thing that ye would have done and performed,
but always offered myself to be bound to the same; but,
mother, I am right glad that my wife is any thing [in] your
favour or trust, but I am right sorry that my wife, or any
other child, or servant of yours should be in better favour
or trust with you than myself, for I will and must forbear,
and put from me that, that all your other children, servants,
priests, workmen, and friends of yours, that ye will ought
bequeath to, shall take to them, and this have I, and ever
will be ready unto, while I live, on my faith, and never
thought other, so God be my help; whom I beseech to pre-
serve you and send you so good life and long, that ye may
do for yourself and me after my decease: and I beshrew
[curse] their hearts that would other, or shall cause you to
mistrust, or to be unkind to me or my friends.

     At Norwich, this Monday, with the hand of your son and
truest servant,

                                                                               JOHN PASTON.

             Norwich,
             Monday,

Between 1482 and 1484.
    21 E. iv. and 2 R. iii.

    Can any words better express the sentiments of a writer than those here used
by J. Paston?

     Can we read his heart by any other means so well, as by those he has here
afforded us?

     We are at a loss which most to admire, his dutiful attention to his mother’s
desire; his intended punctuality in discharging every known intimation of her’s,
not only towards her children, but likewise towards her friends, priests, and
servants; his ready acquiescence in every wish of her heart; or his final hope
that she will not only survive him but live to perform his will.

     This letter, exclusive of the sentiments it contains, would, as a composition,
do honour to any modern writer.

     Margaret Paston’s Will, here referred to, was dated on the 4th of February,
1481-2, 21 E. iv. and proved on the 18th of December, 1484, 2 R. iii.

     Autograph, Pl. xxix. No. 15. to which is added a fac-simile of the conclud-
ing part of this letter.

979

JOHN PASTON TO MARGARET PASTON¹

To my ryght worchepfull modyr, Margaret Paston.

      RYGHT worchepfull modyr, in my most humble wyse I
          recomand me to yow, besechyng yow of your dayly
          blyssyng. And when I may, I wyll with as good wyll
be redy to recompence yow for the cost that my huswyff and I
have put yow to, as I am now bond to thank yow for it, whyche
I do in the best wyse I can. And, modyr, it pleasyd yow to
have serteyn woordys to my wyff at hyr depertyng, towchyng
your remembrance of the shortness that ye thynk your dayes
of, and also of the mynd that ye have towardes my brethryn
and systyr your chyldyr, and also of your servauntes, wher in
ye wyllyd hyr to be a meane to me, that I wold tendyr and
favore the same. Modyr, savyng your plesure, ther nedyth
non enbasatours nor meanys betwyx yow and me; for ther is
neyther wyff nor other frend shall make me to do that that
your comandment shall make me to do, if I may have know-
lage of it; and if I have no knowlage, in good feyth I am
excuseabyll bothe to God and yow. And, well remembred, I
wot well ye ought not to have me in jelusye for one thyng nor
other that ye wold have me to accomplyshe, if I overleve yow;
for I wot well non oo man a lyve hathe callyd so oft upon yow
as I, to make your wylle and put iche thyng in serteynte, that
ye wold have done for your sylff, and to your chyldre and
servauntes. Also at the makyng of your wylle, and at every
comunycacyon that I have ben at with yow towchyng the same,
I nevyr contraryed thyng that ye wold have doon and per-
formyd, but alweyso ffyrd my sylff to be bownde to the same.
But, modyr, I am ryght glad that my wyff is eny thyng your
favore or trust; but I am ryght sory that my wyff, or eny
other chyld or servaunt of your shold be in bettyr favore or
trist with yow then my sylff; for I wyll and must forbere and
put fro me that, that all your other chyldre, servauntes, prestys,
werkmen, and frendys of your that ye wyll ought bequethe to,
shall take to theym. And thys have I, and evyr wylbe redy
on to, whyll I leve, on my feyth, and nevyr thought other, so
God be my helpe, Whom I beseche to preserve yow and send
yow so good lyff and longe, that ye may do for youre sylff and
me aftyr my dyssease; and I beshrewe ther hertys that wold
other or shall cause yow to mystrust, or to be unkynd to me
or my frendys.

     At Norwyche, thys Monday, with the hand of your sone
and trwest servaunt,

                                                                          JOHN PASTON.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter, which was undoubtedly written during
the later years of Margaret Paston, may be conveniently placed after her will.

1482(?)

1482(?)