1461(?)
I recomawnde me to your good mastreschep, besechyng yow in the weye of charyte, and as I maye be your bedeman and servaunt, that ye wyll lete me have wetyng hoghe I maye be rewelyd ageyns the next schyer. It is seyd that ther xal be mych more pepyll than was the last; and also if I be in my Ladys place, or in ony other in the town, I xall be takyn owte. Also, mastres, that my Maystyr Radclyffs xal take all my catell and all other pore good that I have, and so but I maye have helpe of my mayster and of yow, I am but lost. Also my servaunt Maryot wyll go fro my wyfe to my ryght gret hurte. Wherfore, mastres, I besech your help in all thes, and I xal content the costs as ye xall be plesyd, be the grace of God, hoo ever preserve yow, &c.
Also, mastres, I can not be with owte your contynuall help, but I must selle or lete to ferme all that I have.
Mastres, my Lady sent to Cawnbrygg for a doctour of fesyk. If ye wyll ony thyng with hym, he xal abyde this daye and to morwe. He is ryght a konnyng man and gentyll.
[21.1] [From Fenn, iv. 104.] This letter appears to have been addressed to Margaret Paston at a period when her husband was a man of some influence, and perhaps the year 1461 is not far from the true date. It is not unlikely to have been written about the same time as [No. 500], which also refers to a meeting at the shire or county court.
[502]
ELIZABETH MUNDEFORD TO JOHN PASTON[22.1]
To my right worchipfull sir, and my right good neveu, John Paston, Squyer, be this lettre delyvered, &c.
1461-6
Right worchipfull sir, and my right good neveu, I recomand me un to you with all myn herte. Plece it you to undyrstande the grete nessessyte of my wrytyng to you is this, that ther was made an exchaunge be the graunsyre of my hosbonds Mundeford, un hose sowle God have mercy, of the maner of Gressenale with the aunsetrys of Rows for the maner of Estlexham, the qwych is parte of my juntor, and my grauntfadyr Mundeford recoweryd the said maner of Estlexham be assyze[22.2] a geyne the aunsetrys of Rows, and so madyt clere; and nowe have Edmund Rows[22.3] claymyt the seyd maner of Estlexham be the verteu of a tayle [an entail], and hathe takyn possesseon, and made a feffement to my Lord of Warewyke,[22.4] and Water Gorge,[22.5] and to Curde.[22.6] And un Fryday be for Seynt Walentyne is Day Water Gorge and Curde enteryd and toke possessyon for my seyd Lord of Warewyke, and so bothe the forseyd manerys were ontayled, and at the tyme of the exchaunge made, the tayles and evydens of bothe for seyd manerys were delyvered un to the partyes indeferently be the avyse of men lernyd. Qwerfor I beshech you that it plese you to take the grete labor upon you to informe my Lordys good Lordchep of the trowthe in the forme a bowyn wreten, and that it plese you to undyrstand qwedyr that my Lord wyll a byde be the feffment made to hym or not; and that it shall plese my Lord that I may have right as lawe requeryt, for I trust to God be soche tyme as my Lord shall be informyd of the trowthe be you, that hese Lordchip wyll not supportt the forseyd Rows a geyne my right. And if I hadde very undyrstandyng that my Lord would take no parte in the mater a bowe seyd, I would trust to Godds mersy, and to you, and other of my good fryndes, to have possession a geyne in right hasty tyme, beshechyng you to pardon me of my symple wrytyng, for hadde no leyser. Right worchipfull and my right good neveu, I beshech the Blyssed Trenyte have you in Hese gracyous kepyng.
Wreten at Norwych in gret hast, the Tewysday aftyr Seynt Walentyne is Day. Youre ouyn, Elizabeth Mundeford.[23.1]