Pliny, Letter 10.120

1Up to this time, sir, I have neither lent travel permits to anyone nor sent anyone on any business except your own. 1This unbroken practice of mine a certain necessity has broken. 2For when my wife, on hearing of her grandfather's death, wished to hurry to her aunt, I thought it harsh to deny her the use of them, since the value of such a duty lay in its speed, and since I knew that you would approve of a journey whose motive was family affection. 2I have written this to you because I thought I should seem insufficiently grateful if I concealed that, among your other favours, I owe this one too to your indulgence: that, trusting in it, I did not hesitate to act as if I had consulted you, whereas if I had consulted you I should have acted too late.