Text 89: Margery Brews to John Paston, February 1477

Our modern translation:

To my right beloved valentine Sir John Paston this letter be delivered.

Right reverent , worshipful and my right beloved valentine, I entrust me to you very heartily desiring to hear of your welfare which I beseech God Almighty long for to preserve unto his pleasure and your heart's desire and if it pleases you to hear of my welfare. I am not healthy of body nor heart and I will not be until I hear from you.

No creature knows what pain I endure and for not being dead, I do not dare discover it.

And my lady, my mother had insisted about this matter to my father diligently, but she can get no more than you know of, as well as God knows, I am very sorry. If you love me as I truly trust that you do, therefore you will not leave me. Because if you had no half the livelihood that you have, for to do the greatest labour that any woman alive might, I would not forsake you.

And if you command me to keep me true wherever I go, I will truly do, with all my might, to love you and never love someone else. And if my friends say that I do amiss, they shall not let me do so because my heart's bids to love you evermore and truly all over the earthly things, and if they never be so angry I trust it shall be better in time coming.

At this time no more to you, but the Holy Trinity keeps you and I beseech you that this letter be not seen by any earthly creature save for ourselves.

And this letter was dictated at Topcroft with very heavy heart.

By your own M B.