_To my right worchipfull sir, and my right good neveu, John Paston,
Squyer, be this lettre delyvered, &c._
[Sidenote: 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,