1455 MARCH 29 276 SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON, ESQ.1 To myn ryght weel beloved cosyn, John Paston, Squier. ORSHIPFULL cosyn, I recomaunde me to yow. WOR And lyke yow to wete that at this tyme I sende to yow myn welbeloved frende and servant, Sir Thomas Howys, to have youre good councell and advyse how and in what wyse he may best be demened there at this tyme in his yeldyng to the Sheref upon his exigend, wheche is and shal be v. tymes called as on Monday next comyng, as I understande; and, the same by good and discrete advyse concluded and sette in a good weye by sewertes found to appere at London the day of the retorn of the wrytte or otherwyse, that thenne if ye thenke hit be to do'n [to do], ye lyke to take upon yow to comon with myne Lord of Norwyche, recomaundyng me to hys good and tender Lordship, and declaryng to hym how and in what wyse the seyd Sir Thomas was demened in the oyer and determyner, and sethe how he hath wrongously and with ought cause be vexed by John Andrews and other, and greetly trowbled, wherupon this atteynt now is grownded, in such wyse as ye thenk best to be done; and that his Lordship by youre medyacion here after geve not any favore to any persone or persones on myne contrarye partye for any synystre informacion geven other wyse than the trought in the mater shal require, as he shal weel understande by youre good reporte, for ye know the same mater weel. Wherfore, cosyn, I praye yow that ye wole tender the same for the weel and good speed therof, as myne syngler trust is in yow. And the blessed Trinyte preserve yow to his pleaser. In hast, at Castre, the xxix. day of Marche. 1 [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The reference here made to the process of attaint, which Fastolf had resolved to sue in November 1454 (see No. 268), shows that this letter must belong to the month of March following. It is written in Barker's hand. 2 I suspect Norwyche' is here a slip of the pen, and that my Lord of Norfolk' was intended. Item, cosyn, I sende youre a lettre to delyver to myne 1455 seyd Lord with a copye of the same, wheche I praye yow to MARCH 29 se, and if ye thenk hit be to do'n, delyveret [deliver it] youre self, &c., to th'entent he myght know the disposicion of the pepul how they be sette, &c.; for he weel advertysed in this mater shalbe a greet supporter of trought in this be half, for the partye contrarye wole do'n that they can to labore the jure, and don to have theym rewled after theyr entent and contrary to trought; wheche mater I remytte ondly to youre ryght wyse discrecion. 277 SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO THE DUKE OF NORFOLK1 R IGHT hy and myghty Prynce, my right gode and MARCH (?) gracyous Lord, I recomaund me to your gode Lordship, etc. And please itt your Hyghnesse to wete that Sir Philip Wenteworth purchasid the Kyngs patentis of the ward of the heyer and londes of a por kynnesman of myne called John Fastolf of Cowhawe, late passed to God, to the grett hurte and distruccion as well of the inheritance of the seyd heyer as interrupcion and breking of the last will of the seyd John, and also to my grett troble and dammage; and for asmoche as it fortowned be grase the seyd patentes to be mystake, so that they were not laufull ne suffycyent, be avyce of conceyll, certeyn persones, to myn use, purchesid be the Kyngs letters patentes suffycyent and laufull of the ward of the seyd londes. And the rigth of thes bothe patentes hath be putte in juges and lerned men, affor 1 [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The Ms. of this is a corrected draft. Although the person addressed is not named, the style in which he is addressed, and particularly the last sentence, leave no doubt that it is the Duke of Norfolk. Indeed, this is not unlikely to be the letter mentioned in the postscript to the last, of which a copy or draft was sent along with the original to John Paston that he might deliver the latter, only if he approved of its contents. If so, it is probable that Paston withheld it, as we find by the letter immediately following that Fastolf addressed another memorial to the Duke on the subject of his dispute with Wentworth four days later. 2 They were John Paston and Thomas Howes, and their patent was dated 6th June 32 Hen. VI. (1454).—See Rolls of Parl. v. 371. 1455 hom the seyd Sir Philipp ne his conceyll cowd never prove hes MARCH (2) tytill lawfull be his seyd patents, and this notwithstanding in APRIL 2 tendith be fors, as I understand, to take the profytes of the seyd londes ageyns all lawe and concyence. Beseching your Lordchip to tender me in myn age and sekenesse that may not ryde ne help myself, and of your habundant grace to supporte me in my right, that I be not be fors ageyns lawe and concyence kepte from the possescion of the seyd londes in this contre, wher ye be Prynce and Sovereyn next owr Sovereyn Lord. The following memoranda occur on the back :— SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO THE DUKE OF NORFOLK1 IGHT high and myghty Prynce, my right noble and R good Lord, in my right humble wyse I recomaunde me to your good grace. And for the noble lordship and supportacion shewid unto me at all tymes, I beseche our Lord God guerdon yow, where as I may not, but only as yowr daily and contynuell bedeman, now in myn age, pray for 1 [From Fenn, iii. 338.] Although there is no direction upon this letter, it was evidently addressed to the Duke of Norfolk, as it speaks of your Castle of Framlingham.' The absence of any written address Fenn accounts for by supposing the letter to have been enclosed in a cover; but as it appears that the original contained at least one passage which was crossed out (see page 341 in Fenn), we may with greater probability consider it to have been a corrected draft, like the last, sent to John Paston for his approval. The dispute with Sir Philip Wentworth and the matters of John Porter and Sir Thomas Howes, here referred to, both point to the year 1455 as the date of this letter.-See Nos. 265, 268. the good prosperite of youre right highe and noble estate, as I 1455 am gretly bounde to doo; prayng tendirly yowre Highnesse APRIL 2 to contynue yowre good lordship and supportacion in the materes touchyng your servaunt John Porter and my pore Chappelleyn Sir Thomas Howes, trustyng verily to God that, with the supportacion of your good Lordship, there mater shall yette come to a good conclusion in punisshyng of perjure and embracery that many yeris hathe ben and yette is usid in this shire, whiche were grete merite, and to my conceyte, in yow that ar soo noble a Prynce, a singler renoune, as for the beste dede that may be doo for the weel of bothe shires. And in like wise that it please youre right good grace to contynue youre noble favour and supportacion to me in remedyeng the force doon by Sir Philip Wentworth, kepyng now wrongful possession of certeyn londes in Suffolk, nygh youre Castel of Framyngham; whiche londs certeyn of my frendes, to myn use, have of the Kyngs graunte by his lettres patent byfore ony patent that the seid Sir Philip hathe, whiche is my singler matier in myn owen parte that I have now to doo, as my cosyn Paston can enforme yowr Lordship, for he knowith the mater and myn hole entente, to whom your good grace lyke to yife credence. He cometh to awaite upon your Lordship at this tyme, as I understande, by my cosyn youre servaunt Richard Suthwell, youre Lordship desired. Right highe and myghty Prynce, my noble and right good Lord, I beseche the Holy Goste be with yow, and evere more sende yow the accomplishment of youre right noble desires to his plesir and youres. Writen at my pore place of Castre, the ijde day of Aprill. J. FASTOLF. 1455 MAY 3 279 ABSTRACT1 SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON. Thanks him for his letters, and the answer he made to Bokkyng. Does not know how to answer him concerning the ward,2 the suit against William Jenney and Sir Thomas, etc. If Paston could be at London this term, even for three days, it would speed better than Fastolf's writing, and Fastolf will pay his costs. If he cannot, Paston must use his own discretion, and Fastolf will abide by what he does. It would be a great rebuke if the matter of the ward went against us, for nowadays ye know well that law goeth as it is favored, and after that the attorneys be wise and discreet in their conduct.' Castre, 3 May. · [This letter, being dated at Caister in the month of May, cannot be earlier than 1455, and the references to the matter of the ward and the suit against Sir Thomas Howes seem to fix it to that year.] 1455(?) MAY 8 280 ABSTRACT 3 RICHARD CALLE TO JOHN PASTON. Thorne did not come to him, nor could he learn anything about him from Sir Thomas Howes, except that Howes had informed him of what Paston commanded Calle to tell his wife. Will not distrain till he hear from Paston. Howys trusts to make sufficient reckoning of all things touching Fastolf, so that neither he nor Paston be hurt. He will do nothing in future without Paston's advice. Desires him to remember John Elger, Bocking, and others 'for the rescues which was made for Jankyn Porter.' Remember James Gresham to withdraw the suit for W. Magges. No News. 8 May. [The allusion to John or Jankyn Porter in this letter makes it probable that it was written in the year 1455.-See No. 278. 1 [From Ms. Phillipps, 9735, No. 244.] 2 Thomas Fastolf.-See vol. ii. p. 323, Note 1. 3 [From Paston Mss., B.M.] |