The Paston Letters Margaret Paston to John Paston (December 24, 1459)

Ryght worschipful husbond,

I recomaund me on-to you. Please it you to wete that I sent your eldest sonne to my Lady Morlee to haue knowlage wat sportys were husyd in here hous in Kyrstemesse next following aftyr the deceysse of my lord here husbond. And sche seyd that þere were non disguisingys nere harping nere luting nere singin, nere non loude disportys, but pleyng at the tabyllys and schesse and cardys, sweche disportys sche gave here folkys leave to play, and non odyr.

Your sonne dede hese heyrne ryght wele, as ye shal here aftyr þis. I sent your yongere sonne to the Lady Stabylton, and sche seyd acording to my Lady Morlees seyng in that, and as sche hadde seyn husyd in placys of worschip þere as sche hathe beyn.

I pray you that ye woll asay to gett sume man at Castere to kepe your botry, for the mane that ye lefte wyth me woll not take up-on hym to breve dayly as ye commandyt. He seyth he hath not vsyd to geve a rekenyng nothyre of bred nor ale till at the wekys end, and he seyth he wot well that he shuld not con don yth; and therfore I suposse he shall not abyd. And I trowe ye shall be fayne to porveye another man for Symond, for ye hare nevere the nerer a wysse man for hym.

I am sory that ye shall not at hom be for Crystemes. I pray you that ye woll come as sone as ye may. I shall thynke my-selfe halfe a widowe because ye shal not be at home, &c. God haue you in hys kepyng.

Wretyn on Crystemes Evyn. By your M. P.

Text: http://www.hti.umich.edu/
About the Paston Letters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paston_Letters
Information and Links to the Paston Letters: http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/pastons.html#
About the Paston Family: http://www.tabula-rasa.info/
The BBC about the Pastons: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/pastonletters_01.shtml

Margaret Paston's Handwriting
Source: http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk/britishlibrary/