331JOHN BOCKING TO JOHN PASTON86.3

84.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is quite certain, not only from the circumstance of the 5th May being a Wednesday in 1456, as mentioned in the beginning, but also from Ascension Day falling between that and the 8th, the day on which this letter was written.84.2Ascension Day was the 6th May in 1456.84.3SeeNos. 267,268, etc.84.4Richard Choke, Serjeant-at-law, afterwards Judge of the Common Pleas.84.5Thomas Lyttelton, the great lawyer, at this time King’s Serjeant, afterwards Judge of the Common Pleas, famous for his treatise onTenures.84.6William Jenney.84.7Richard Illingworth, afterwards Chief Baron of the Exchequer.85.1Sir John Fastolf.86.1A full stop after ‘Quene’ would improve the grammar of this sentence, but the original is entirely without punctuation. The writer evidently meant that the Queen and Prince were at Tutbury, and the Duke of York at Sandal.86.2The foreign merchants. A riot took place about this time in London, in which the houses of foreigners were attacked.—SeeFabyan’sChronicle; also Brown’sVenetian Calendar, i. 81, 84.331JOHN BOCKING TO JOHN PASTON86.3To my Maister Paston.1456MAY 15WorshipfulSir, and my good maister, I recomaunde me to yow. This day I come home; and as to our materes, I shall be with yow on Monday and Teusday next, be my maisters advys, and enformeyow of all, and of suche as I will not write. Your cofre is at the Prinse Inne; sende for it whane ye like, be the token, I hadde of Margret Goche a boke of lawe that Wigge brought me. As for tidyngs, my maistys your brother faren weel, and recomaunde them to my maistresse, there moder, to yow, and to all, &c.As for tidings elles, the Kyng is at Shene, the Quene and Prince at Tutbury, but if it be the latter remevyng. Tidings were that the Lord Beaumont was slayn, and my Lord Warrewik sore hurte, ml. [1000] men slayn, and vjxx. [six score] knyghts and squiers hurte, and no thing trewe, blessed be God. As for the Lumbards,87.1ij. of the trespasers were hanged on Monday, and there ar be this tyme proclamacions made, or shall be, thorwe London, the pees to be kepte up on grete peynes; and the Lumbards to occupie the merchaundizes as thei dide til the Counsail or Parlament have otherwise determyned. And noo more as yet.The atteynte abidith unreuled til the next terme, as I shal telle yow, and it shal doo weel with God is grace, hoe have yow in kepyng and all youres.Writen at Castervigilia Pentecosten.Your owenJ. B.86.3[From Fenn, i. 130.] Whitsun Eve, the day on which this letter is dated, fell on the 15th May in 1456, just a week after the date of last letter; and no one can doubt that they both belong to the same year.87.1SeeNote 2, preceding page.332HENRY WINDSOR TO JOHN PASTON87.21456(?)[MAY 16]Afterhumble and due recommendacion, please it your gode maistership to understand that atte makyng of this my pour letter ther were no noveltees with us, but suche as yee understode full well afor your departyng, except the Kyng woll in to Scotland in all maner wyse ofwerre, and that my Lord of Weltshire shal be made Chaunceller. I suppose the better is but a sclaunder, and therfore be ye avised howe ye delyver theym as tidynges.Also I wotte ful well where I lefte you in suche matiers as it pleassed you to make me of your counsell, as touchyng oon matier specially; and howe that ye said unto me whenne I desired your goode maistership to shewe favour in suche as ye best myght yf any thing shuld be shewedad lumen, my Maister F. except; and howe that ye answered and said as it pleassed you that I was conquered, in trouth, that shuld preve but a full grete unstabulnes in me with more, &c. But, Sir, I pray you howe some ever my maister rekeneth with any of his servaunts, bring not the matier in revolution in the open Courte, for and it were ones opened afore the Juges howe that any lettre patentes shuld be purchased of an ante date,88.1and the defaute faunde in me, ye wold be a ml.[thousand] tymes avised, and my Maister F. both, or that ye wold amend me soo much as I shuld be appered therbe. And therfor I beseche you be well avised howe that matier be oponed for myn ease.I was not desired to write unto you of no on persone, so God be my help, yourself except; but I wold ye wold take avise and counsell of the Preest that hadde you soo long under hand on Shorthursday,88.2whenne I and my feleship, God thankyou, hadde of you right grete chere to our grete comfort and your grete coste, howe that the same Preest understandeth this letter of the Gospell underwriten: ‘Jesus dixit Simoni Petro, Si peccav[er]it in te frater tuus, vade et corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum; si te audierit lucratus es fratrem tuum. Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum vel duos, ut in ore duorum vel trium testium stet omne verbum. Quod si non audierit, dic ecclesiæ; si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus,’ etc. And in another place, ‘Tunc accedens Petrus ad Jesum dixit, Domine, quotiens petevit [peccabit] in me frater meus, [et] dimittam ei? usque septies? Dicit illi Jesus, Non dico tibi, usque septies, set usque septuagesies septies.’89.1My maister can doo no thing, the which shall come in open audience at thise deies, but it shalbe called your dede. Hit is not unknoon that cruell and vengible he hath byn ever, and for the most parte with aute pite and mercy; I can no more butvade et corripe eum, for truly he cannot bryng about his matiers in this word [world], for the word is not for hym. I suppose it wolnot chaunge yetts by likelenes, but I beseche you, Sir, help not to amend hym onely, by [but ?] every other man yf ye kno any mo mysse disposed.I canno more, but as I can or mey, I shal be his servaunt and youres unto such tyme as ye woll comande me to sursese and leve of, yf it please hym.Sir, I pray you take this copy89.2of your statute, it is not examined be me, for I found hit thise v. yeres pessed.Writan in my slepyng tyme at after none, on Wytsonday. Also, Sir, yf I have rehersed wyttyngly the text of the Gospell syngularly unto your maistership, I beseche you to be had excused.Your own,H. W.87.2[From Fenn, iii. 278.] The date of this letter is doubtful. The two pieces of intelligence at the beginning were certainly both false rumours, as the writer, indeed, seems to have suspected. HenryVI.never went to Scotland in manner of war, and the Earl of Wiltshire never was made Chancellor. But the time when those rumours seem most likely to have arisen was in the year 1456, when the Duke of York had been deprived of the Protectorate. The Earl of Wiltshire, being of the opposite party to York, was not unlikely to have been talked of as Chancellor, although the Chancellorship was given on the 7th of March to the Archbishop of Canterbury. As to the rumoured expedition against Scotland, we know that in the preceding year JamesII., in defiance of the truce, laid siege to Berwick, which offered a gallant resistance (Nicolas’sPrivy Council Proceedings, vi. 248). This, however, does not appear immediately to have led to open war between the two countries. Diplomatic relations were still carried on till, on the 10th of May 1456, JamesII.despatched Lyon Herald to the King of England to declare plainly that the Truce of 1453 was injurious to Scotland, and that he did not mean to abide by it (LambethMS.211, f. 146 b). No reply was made to this message till the 26th of July, when an answer was despatched by the Duke of York in the King’s name (seeRymer, xi. 383); but there can be little doubt the desire to punish the insolence of the Scots must have been very general long before.88.1A law was passed in the eighteenth year of HenryVI.to put a stop to the abuse of persons having interest about the Court procuring antedated letters patent, by means of which they were enabled to claim the emoluments of lands or offices granted to them from a date anterior to the actual passing of the grant.—SeeHardy’s Introduction to thePatent Rolls of King John, p. xxx.88.2Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.89.1St. Matthew’s Gospel, chap. xviii. ver. 15, 16, 17, and ver. 21, 22.89.2This relates to papers sent with this letter, and accounts for there being no direction, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.—F.333JOHN RUSSE TO JOHN PASTON90.1To my Maister Paston, in haaste.1456JUNE 1Please your good maistirship to wete that my Lord of Norffolk yaf in comaundement to Cristofre and to the balif of Colneise to laboure with us acording to your mocion. And as to Skilly, fermour of Cowhaugh, we enteryd there, and seyd we wold have payment for the half yeer past, and sewrete for the half yeer comynge, or ellys we wold distreyne and put hym out of pocession, and put in a newe fermoure; and so oure demenyng was suche that we toke no distresse, and yit we have hym bounde in an obligacion of xviijli.payabil at Michelmesse without condecion, and vjs.viijd.we receyvid of hym for opocession, for the ferme as yit remayneth on gatherid in the fermourez handes. But I seyd hym I wold be ther ageyn for the recedu of the half yeer ferme past withinne this xiiij. dayes; and he seyd he wold do hise delygence to gather it up. But he spak with Wentworth sethyn, whiche yef hym an uttyr rebuke, as he swor to me, and seyd he wold have hys payment of Skylly, and sewe hise oblygacion this next terme whiche he is bounden in to Wentworth for the yeerly payment of the same ferme; and the seyd Wentworth seyd he wyll takyn an accyon of trespas this next terme ageyn us that were there; and Devyle seyd ye were hender the londes at the begynning of your sute thanne ye be now, and that shalbe knowe be Lammesse next comyng, for he hathe thynges to shewe ye saw nevyr yit. Skilly offerid me xls.to have delyvered hym ageyn hise obligacion, and he wold have put me in pocession of a distresse, and [i.e.if] I wold have delyvered it hym; he seithe he dede nevyr so mad a dede, for Wentworth wold no bettyr mean thane we had takyn a distresse. He shuld sone have remedyed that; but now he seith Skylls is withoute remedy, but he will be payd, &c.Item, Sir, as to the fermourez of the manor of Langston in Brustal, we have also sewyrte be oblygacion withoute condecion payabil at Michilmesse, and toke no distresse but enteryd the londes; but we had gret peyne to brynge hem ther to, for ther is one John Cook of Braunford hath it in ferme of Wentworth all, and he leteth it out ageyn be parcelles to iij. sondre persones. But he was not at home, where for we have the same fermourez bounde for payment, and they had no mony redy, but they have promysed to delyvere Herry Deye at Yepiswiche this day xxs.in party of payment.Item, Sir, as to the fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses, we have hym bonde in lyke wyse for the ferme of the seyd maner from Michilmesse last past tyl Mychelmesse next comyng, in an obligacion of x. marks payabil at Michilmesse next comyng, without ony condecyon; and in party of payment I have receyvid of hym xiijs.iiijd., and he promyseth me iiij.markes at Lammesse next comyng. And as for Bradwell, my maistir91.1hathe sewyrte; and as for Kyrley Hawe, I was with the fermour yistirday, but he wyll paye no peny, nor be bounde neithir. Wherfor my maistir shal sende us to take a distresse tomorwyn, and I truste we shal fynde sum meanys to have hym bounde, &c.Item, John Andrewe hathe in fee yerly of the maner of Coughaugh xxs., and Thomas Denys xiijs.iiijd.of the maner of Foxhole, but as ferre as I can enquere, there is payd no more feez out of non of the maneris to none othir men but to these tweyne.Item, as for the endenturis, I sende here with a copy of Skyllyez endenture and a copy of Deynis endenture, fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses; and Herry Deye shal brynge a copy of John Cooks endenture of the ferme of the maner of Langston in Brustall; and as for Wareyn Bonde, he mad nevyr endenture for the ferme of Kyrkley Hawe, for he hathe ocupyed it but sethin Michilmesse last past; and so he holdith it but be promyse upon compnaunt [covenant ?]. And we shal gete a copy of Sewalys endenture, fermour of Bradwelle, and me semyth, savyng your bettyr avyse, it war right expedient that ye shuld for the sped of this mater be at London in al haste.Primo die Junii anno xxxiiij.91.2Youre humble servaunt and bedeman,John Russe.90.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.]91.1Sir John Fastolf.91.2The thirty-fourth year of the reign of HenryVI.This date is added in a different hand, apparently that of John Paston, to whom the letter is addressed.334JOHN BOCKING TO JOHN PASTON91.3To my right good maister, John Paston, Squier, at Norwiche, in haste.1456JUNE 7Sir, please it your maistership to wyte, I have my attachements graunted in open Courte with helpe of Litelton91.4and Hewe at Fen, and was bide to make redy the names, &c. before the Barons, of which Haltoft91.5was one. . . . . . . . ..91.6As for tidings, the Kyng is at Shene, the Quene at Chestre; the Duc of Buk was, as I come hiderward, at Writell, the Erle of Warrewyke at Werrewyke, and the Lords Chaunceller,92.1Tresorier,92.2and th’Erle of Sar’ [Salisbury] in London, and noo more Lords at the begynyng this day of the grete Counsail. Many men say that there shuld be, but thei wote not what. The sege shall, as men say, come to Caleys and to Guynes, for moche puple come overe the water of Somme, and grete navies on the see.Th’Erle of Penbroke92.3is with the Kyng, and noo more Lordis. Th’Erle of Richemond92.4and Griffith Suoh (?) are at werre gretely in Wales. The Comons of Kent, as thei werre wo[n]tte, er not all weel disposid, for there is in doyng amongs hem what evere it bee. Of Scotts is here but litell talkyng. My Lord York is at Sendall stille, and waytith on the Quene and she up on hym.I dide my maistress your moderis erands, as ye have herde of, for Maister William hath writen his entente, and he and Clement faren weel.Writen at Horshighdone, vijmodie Junij.Rokewode and Crane faren weel, and thei and I recomaunde hem to my maistress your wif.And as I understande, the Clerke of the Rolles is owte of charite with Maister Yelverton, and my Lord Chaunceller a litell mevid, &c.Your owen,J. B.91.3[From Fenn, i. 134.] On comparing this with the previous letters of Bocking,Nos. 330and331, it will be seen that they must all three be of the same year.91.4Thomas Lyttelton.—Seep. 84, Note 5.91.5Gilbert Haltoft.91.6Here, in the original, followed various passages relating to law business, which Fenn has not printed.92.1Archbishop Bourchier.92.2Henry, Viscount Bourchier, was appointed Lord Treasurer on the 29th May 1455 (Patent Roll, 33 Hen.VI., p. 2, m. 12), and so continued till the 5th October 1456, when the office was taken from him and given to the Earl of Shrewsbury (Patent, 35 Hen.VI., p. 1, m. 16).92.3Jasper Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 298, Note 1.92.4Edmund Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 297, Note 6.335ABSTRACT93.1Sir John Fastolf to John Paston, Esq.1456JUNE 18As to the matters on which Paston sent to him by Will. Barker to desire his advice, Paston knows that Fastolf has put his whole confidence in him, and begs he will do with the advice of Fastolf’s learned counsel whatever they jointly think for his weal; ‘for ye know well I am so visited by the hand of God that I may not deal with such troublous matters, without it should be to great hurt of my bodily welfare, which I trust ye would not desire.’ If you find my Lady of York disposed to visit this poor place, commend me to her, and tell her how it is with me that I cannot receive her as I ought.Castre, 18 June.[As it will appear a little further on that the Duchess of York visited Caister in 1456, this letter is probably of that year.]93.1[FromMS.Phillipps, 9735, No. 242.]336ABSTRACT93.2Sir J. Fastolf to John Paston.1456JUNE 24To-day my cousin Sir Miles Stapleton, Sir James Braylyes, Andrew Grygges, ‘hyr resseyvor,’ and Grymston have been with Fastolf at Castre, and brought him 253 marks, which they would have paid if he had had the obligation here. Sends therefore a letter by his servant Colyn how Sir S. and he are agreed for its deliverance, etc. Sir S. made many strange insinuations that the money was paid before, partly by assignment to Clyffton, etc. On the 18th and 19th inst. ‘long Bernard, with a priest of Kent, to the number of 16 horse, hafe, at Nacton, Bentley, and other places of F., and entered by colour of a deed of feoffment made to the Lady Roos and others, and hafe right proud language to the farmers, that they will obtain their intent.’ Russe has written more plainly by Nich. Colman.‘Item, I charge right greatly the matter of my Lord of Bedford for my discharge, and for the recovery of my Lord’s goods.’ Begs Paston to common with the Lord Chancellor and others about it; and desires him to give ‘mine attorney, Raulyns, and my serjeants’ a warning ‘to take more tenderness’about the process of Hykelyng that has been so many years and days driven off.St. John Baptist’s Day.[From the reference to ‘the matter of my Lord of Bedford,’ this letter was most probably written in the year 1456.]93.2[Ibid., No. 263.]337ABSTRACT94.1Sir John Fastolf to John Paston.‘First it is to remember that, upon St. John’s day, there was Sir Symond Brayles, chaplain of my Lady of Suffolk, and in presence of Sir Miles Stapleton and Edward Grymston, said that the 200 marks was paid before in the Duke of Suffolk’s days.’ Can prove by writings that this was not so, and that he ‘offered to put it upon my Lord Chancellor and upon one or two of Lords of the King’s council as my said Lord Chancellor will call unto him,’ that it may be known whether my Lady is wronged or Fastolf. The £100 of the above sum was not paid by assignment to Clyffton. Sir Simon complains that the suit was stolen against Sir Thos. Tuddenham, and judgment given without my Lady’s counsel knowing of it; which can be disproved.Castre, St. John Baptist’s Day.‘Item, I remembered Sir Simon for the restitution of my revenues of Dedham 3 year day, and my damage of a mill put down,’ etc. I paid 500 marks for the ward of Sir Rob. Harlyng’s daughter for my Lord to Sir John Clyfton, of which the Duke had no right to receive one penny, for there was no land held of the King.[This letter corresponds so closely with the last that it must have been written the same day.]94.1[FromMS.Phillipps, 9735, No. 238.]338FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON95.1Honorabili viro Johanni Paston armigero ac confratri suo Willelmo germano uterino.95.21456(?)[JUNE 29]Rytereverent Syre, &c. I am informyd credybily of a secrete frend that S. T. T. [Sir Thomas Tuddenham] and J. H. [John Heydon], with J. A. [John Andrews ?] and other of cursyd covy, wyl bryng with hem many gentylmen of here bende to compleyn upon me at the next chapitle, &c. And there fore, by the grace of God, I dispose me, with help of zour good maysterschip and my Mayster Willyam, zour brother. Where fore, at the reverens of God, that ze do speke with the clerk men clepyn Brayn, that kepyth the bokys of here inditementes at theoyer determyner, anno xxixº regni Regis; and that an extret or a copy myte schortly be wrytyn owt of as many namys as dedyn indyte T. T. and J. H. for trespas, extorsyones, and oppressyonys done to other men, as wele as to my Mayster Fastolff, etc., that I may be redy to schew to my ordre, lyk a kalender, a legende of here lyvys and here rewlyng of the cuntre, in destruccyon and gret myschef of the cuntre in here dayes. At the reverens ofJesu, forzet not this mater, ne the mater of Dedham, etc. I wolde ze askyd my good lord and mayster, Yelverton, yf I sent hym ony letter in the same mater, &c. Dicente Davitico Psalmo:96.1Ne obliviscaris voces inimicorum tuorum, nam superbia eorum ascendit semperin psalmo; qui et si nunquam ascendant in cœlos, utinam nunquam desendant ab [ad] abissos, &c., etsi anima eorum in malis tabescebat, &c. Scriptum festinacione (?) feria 3apost festum Natalis Sancti Johannis Baptistæ.96.2Recommendetis me magistro meo W. Paston, confratri vestro, et Thomæ Playter cognato meo, cui dicite quod faciat Willelmum Geneye sibi benivolum quia Sampson filius et heres J. Sampson olim mariti Katerinæ Fastolff apud Owlton mortuus, et ibi sunt duæ viduæ, major et minor, senior et junior. Eligatur quæ sibi melius placet.Magister Thomas Howys vobis amantissimus se cordialissime recommendat vobis, etc. Item, Willelmus Wigorniensis recommendat se vobis ex toto corde. Scribo vobis, utinam ad placitum.Vester ad vota,F. J. B.,Minorum minimus.I hafe a rolle redy of the inditements, that they were indityd for trespase and extorsyon and oppressyon done to my Mayster Fastolff, in the keping of W. Worceter, &c.Visa frangatur et in ignem post jaciatur. Si dignemini loqui cum effectu magistro Ricardo Fysscher, secretario domini mei comitis Warwicensis, pro cujus nomine et amore promptissimus sum adhuc plura pati, ut mittatur pro me litera magistro provinciali et diffinitoribus.95.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] Dr. John Brackley, the writer of this letter, was a Grey Friar of Norwich, of considerable celebrity as a preacher. Several letters of his are found in this collection, written in the years 1459 and 1460. This, however, must be a few years earlier, as in 1459 Brackley writes of William Worcester in very different terms. The handwriting also is not so close as that of his later letters. We cannot, however, carry the date further back than 1455, as it seems that Worcester and Howes were at this time together, which must have been at Caister. Nor will the year 1455 itself suit all the circumstances of the letter, for it is evident that John and William Paston were also together, and as the writer asks John Paston to speak to Yelverton, it may be presumed they were in London. Now, John Paston was certainly not in London within a week after St. John the Baptist’s Day in 1455. We have therefore placed the letter in 1456. It will be observed that, on the 1st of June in that year, John Russe advised Paston to go up to London.95.2This address is in William Worcester’s hand. The letter itself is in Brackley’s own.96.1SeePsalm lxxiii. (or lxxiv.) 23.96.2St. John the Baptist’s Day is the 24th June.Feria tertiameans Tuesday.339FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON97.1Magistro meo venerabili Johanni Paston Armigero detui.Dixi enim magistro meo gardiano ante meum exitum quod magistri mei generosi et amici alii vellent me juvare pro die Jovis pro pascendo doctores, patres ac cæteros confratres nostri provincialis capituli; et in exitu meo consentire noluit, quia Gurnay suus socius et procurator, frater juvenis nostri conventus et unus sacerdos simplex, curatus de Worsted, et Bukle, cocus, super se diem prædictum assumpserunt. Et ego dixi, ‘Olim fuit modus quod unus ejusdem loci magister esset præferendus in tali diei eleccione. Sed unum scitote, si magistri mei certi generosi et ego cum eis habere non potuerimus diem quem elegimus, certe pro hoc tempore nullum alium diem habere volumus.’ Utinam placeret vobis ut magistra mea, uxor vestra, vellet mittere pro magistro gardiano, et dicere sibi quod ipsa quæsivit a me qualem diem ego haberem pro fratribus pascendis in tempore capituli et quod ego dixi me habiturum illum vel certe nullum aliter. Quæcumque ego potero procurare de pecuniis seu victualibus ego singula venderem et expendere vellem in reparacionibus, &c. Rogo vos ex caritate ut magistræ meæ matri vestræ ac aliis amicis vestris vobis notis, insinuetis nostram indigenciam pro faciliori relevamine capituli provincialis. Sic enim ad vestri et mei magistri mei specialem instanciam præsencialiter habere residenciam teneo, ut alia loca pro præsenti negocio accedere non valeam, &c. Non plura pro præsenti sunt calamo præsentanda, nisi quod vos, vestros et vestra Jesus Christus graciose conservet in prosperis et graciosius dirigat in agendis. Amen.Recommendetis me, si placeat, uxori et matri et confratribus vestris W., &c. et domino meo Rectori de Blofeld, utinam de Hadle, &c.; cui dicatis quod hac nocte jacuit Colinus Gallicus cum pulcherima Amasia sua in camera conducta per eum, &c. Utinam nunquam vigeat, &c. Ipse proponit in vestra præsentia dicere dicto rectori satis perversa verba. Et spero quod dominus Rector faciat de sua speciali gratia meum negocium per Ricardum famulum suum crastina die summo mane expediendum, quia dies ista est dies ultima, &c. Ex manerio de Castre, Sabbato circa tempus prandii festinantissime.Magister meus97.2valde gavisus est quando audivit de vobis quomodo scienter, audacter, viriliter et veraciter respondistis adversariis vestris coram Domino Cancellario aliisque dominis, &c.Vester præ cæteris orator,F. J. B., Minorum minimus.97.1This letter was copied by the Editor from one of the Royden HallMSS.in 1875.97.2Sir John Fastolf.340HENRY FYLUNGLEY TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF98.1To my ryght worshipfull unkle, and my ryght good master, Syr John Fastalf, Knyght.1456(?)JULY 17Ryghtworshipfull unkull, and my ryght good master, I recomaund me to yow wyth all my servys. And, Sir, my brother Paston and I have comened togeder as touchinge to your colage that ye wold have made; and, Sir, hit ys to gret a good that ys axed of yow for youre lycens; for they ax for every C. marc that ye wold amortyse D. marcz, and woll gefe hit noo better chepe.And, Sir, y told my brother Paston that my Lady of Bargeveney98.2hath, in dyvers Abbeyes in Lecestershyre, vij. or viij. prestes singinge for her perpetuell, by my brother Darcyes and my unkle Brokesbyes meanes, for they were her executors; and they acorded for money, and gafe a cc. or ccc. marc, as they myzt acord for a prest. And for the suerte that he shuld synge in the same abbey for ever, they had maners of good valew bounden to such persones as plesed the sayd barthern [brethren] Brokkesby and my brother Darcy, that the sayd servyse shulde be kept. And for lytell moore then the Kynge axed hem for a lycence, they went thorgh with the sayd abbots. And y hold this wey as sure as that other. Ye may comen with youre councell therof.And yf there be any servyse that I can do for yow, hit shall be redy at all tymes, with the grace of God, who have yow in his kepynge.Wryten at London, the xvij. day of Juyll.Your nevew and servaunt,Henry Fylungley.98.1[From Fenn, i. 166.] This letter must have been written about the time Sir John Fastolf first began to make inquiry on what terms he could obtain a licence for establishing a college at Caister,—a project which he had much at heart during the latter years of his life. A letter from Sir John himself upon this subject will be found a little further on, dated the 18th November (No. 351), and we think it probable that this is of the same year, 1456.98.2Edward Nevill, Lord Abergavenny, was twice married. His first wife, to whom he owed his title, was Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester. His second was Catherine, daughter of Sir Robert Howard. The Lady here mentioned is probably the former, for though Dugdale says he obtained a dispensation for his second marriage in 1448, that date is inconsistent with the age of his son and other facts mentioned.341SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON99.1To my worshipful cousyn, John Paston.1456JULY 31Righttrusty and worshipful cousyn, I recomaunde me to yow. And like it yow to wyte, myn attorny, Raulyns, hathe enformed me that the Jugis have ruled processe to goo owte ayenst the priour of Hikelyng of distresseper omnia bona et catalla, of whiche the writte and other ar not yet come fro London. I trust whan thei come, be your good counsail and meane, the Shireve wil doo his devoir; how be it, as I understande, thei have sente the Lord Scales all there evidences, and he wil come and dwelle there hym silf. And I am also enformed, for certeyn, that the Bushop of Norwiche, for all the truste I hadde to hym, that by his meane I shulde have knowen there fundacion, he hathe warned his officeres not to have adoo therinne, by cause of the Lord Scales, &c. Cousyn, I pray yow, in as moche as the matere, by agrement, was putte in you and Fyncham, and how that ye, for the same cause, specially kepte your day at London, and toke not in there defaulte and not myn, that ye wil soo in caas ye see Fyncham remembre, and to othere there as ye seme it shulde profite to be knowen, and that yet nevertheles my sute soo ferforthe I wole yet, as I wolde thanne, and at all tymes am redy; and soo I wolde the priour knewe, and all othere, as weel his weelwillers as otheres, as the bringerherof shall declare you more pleinly. As for tidinges, my folkes ar not yet come fro London. The abbot of Seint Benettes hathe ben with me, and suche as he tolde me the bringer shall enforme you. And our Lord Jesu have you in governaunce.Writen at Castre, the last day of Julle.Your cousyn,J. F.99.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is doubtless of the same year asNo. 336, in the end of which Fastolf wishes his attorney, Rawlyns, urged to greater activity in the matter of Hickling.342LORD SCALES TO JOHN PASTON100.1To my right trusty and intierly welbeloved frend, John Paston, Squier.1456AUG. 10Righttrusty and entierly welbeloved frend, I grete you well, and wull ze wite that Danyell100.2hath required me to write un to you, praying you that ze wyll kepe the day upon Thursday100.3vij. dayes nexst comyng, which shal be for the best, as I trust; not with standyng I suppose lerned men wyll not be easy for to gete be cause of this besy tyme of hervest. Almyghty God have you in Hise governaunce.Writen at Mydelton,100.4the x. day of August.Your frend,Scales.100.1[From Fenn, i. 138.] This letter is dated by a memorandum at the bottom of the original, in the handwriting, as Fenn believes, of John Paston: ‘Lettera inter Mich. xxxiiij. et xxxv.’100.2Thomas Daniel of Rising.—Seevol. ii. pp. 79, 80, 103, etc.100.319th August.100.4In Norfolk.343LORD SCALES TO JOHN PASTON100.5To my right trusty and welbeloved frend, John Paston, Squier.About 1456(?)Righttrusty and welbeloved frend, I grete you hertly well. And for as mych as I u[ndyrstond] a bill was made at Yermuth ageyns my cousyn BryanStapylton and hise wy. . . . have set up the said bill in the Kynges Bench, which bill is in your kepyng, pray[ing] you that ye wyll sende me the same bill be the bringer herof, to the entent I m[ay] se it. And as I am informed be my said cousyn, ye shewed hym grete gentilnesse and benyvolence, wherof I thanke you right hertely. I pray God have you in governance.Writen at Midelton, the xx. day of Septembre.Zowr frend,Scales.100.5[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is placed immediately after another letter of Lord Scales, dated like this from his seat at Middleton in Norfolk, as probably belonging to the same period, though the exact year is uncertain.344ARCHBISHOP BOURCHIER TO JOHN PASTON101.1To our right truste and right welbeloved John Paston, Esquier, and William Norwiche101.2and to either of theym.1456SEPT. 7Righttruste and right welbeloved, we grete you hertly wel. And where as Sir Nichol Bowet, Knight, sueth an appeelle in the countee of Norffolk ayenst oon Robert Offord of Berking for the deeth of oon Sir Henry Bowet, clerc, we being enformed that the matier is pitevous, praie you hertly that ye wul in our behalve moeve and entreete the Shirreve of the saide countee to surceese of the execucion of any processe upon the exigent101.3to hym directed in that behalve unto the next terme, so that resonable meanes maye be founden to save the saide Robert harmelesse; lating hym wite that we have written to the saide Sir Nichol for a convenient treetie to be taken in that behalve, as shalbe thought according to right. And God have you ever in his keping.Written in our Manoir of Mortelake, the vij. daie of September.T., Archbysshopp of Canterbury.

84.2Ascension Day was the 6th May in 1456.

84.3SeeNos. 267,268, etc.

84.4Richard Choke, Serjeant-at-law, afterwards Judge of the Common Pleas.

84.5Thomas Lyttelton, the great lawyer, at this time King’s Serjeant, afterwards Judge of the Common Pleas, famous for his treatise onTenures.

84.6William Jenney.

84.7Richard Illingworth, afterwards Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

85.1Sir John Fastolf.

86.1A full stop after ‘Quene’ would improve the grammar of this sentence, but the original is entirely without punctuation. The writer evidently meant that the Queen and Prince were at Tutbury, and the Duke of York at Sandal.

86.2The foreign merchants. A riot took place about this time in London, in which the houses of foreigners were attacked.—SeeFabyan’sChronicle; also Brown’sVenetian Calendar, i. 81, 84.

To my Maister Paston.

1456MAY 15

WorshipfulSir, and my good maister, I recomaunde me to yow. This day I come home; and as to our materes, I shall be with yow on Monday and Teusday next, be my maisters advys, and enformeyow of all, and of suche as I will not write. Your cofre is at the Prinse Inne; sende for it whane ye like, be the token, I hadde of Margret Goche a boke of lawe that Wigge brought me. As for tidyngs, my maistys your brother faren weel, and recomaunde them to my maistresse, there moder, to yow, and to all, &c.

As for tidings elles, the Kyng is at Shene, the Quene and Prince at Tutbury, but if it be the latter remevyng. Tidings were that the Lord Beaumont was slayn, and my Lord Warrewik sore hurte, ml. [1000] men slayn, and vjxx. [six score] knyghts and squiers hurte, and no thing trewe, blessed be God. As for the Lumbards,87.1ij. of the trespasers were hanged on Monday, and there ar be this tyme proclamacions made, or shall be, thorwe London, the pees to be kepte up on grete peynes; and the Lumbards to occupie the merchaundizes as thei dide til the Counsail or Parlament have otherwise determyned. And noo more as yet.

The atteynte abidith unreuled til the next terme, as I shal telle yow, and it shal doo weel with God is grace, hoe have yow in kepyng and all youres.

Writen at Castervigilia Pentecosten.Your owenJ. B.

86.3[From Fenn, i. 130.] Whitsun Eve, the day on which this letter is dated, fell on the 15th May in 1456, just a week after the date of last letter; and no one can doubt that they both belong to the same year.87.1SeeNote 2, preceding page.

87.1SeeNote 2, preceding page.

1456(?)[MAY 16]

Afterhumble and due recommendacion, please it your gode maistership to understand that atte makyng of this my pour letter ther were no noveltees with us, but suche as yee understode full well afor your departyng, except the Kyng woll in to Scotland in all maner wyse ofwerre, and that my Lord of Weltshire shal be made Chaunceller. I suppose the better is but a sclaunder, and therfore be ye avised howe ye delyver theym as tidynges.

Also I wotte ful well where I lefte you in suche matiers as it pleassed you to make me of your counsell, as touchyng oon matier specially; and howe that ye said unto me whenne I desired your goode maistership to shewe favour in suche as ye best myght yf any thing shuld be shewedad lumen, my Maister F. except; and howe that ye answered and said as it pleassed you that I was conquered, in trouth, that shuld preve but a full grete unstabulnes in me with more, &c. But, Sir, I pray you howe some ever my maister rekeneth with any of his servaunts, bring not the matier in revolution in the open Courte, for and it were ones opened afore the Juges howe that any lettre patentes shuld be purchased of an ante date,88.1and the defaute faunde in me, ye wold be a ml.[thousand] tymes avised, and my Maister F. both, or that ye wold amend me soo much as I shuld be appered therbe. And therfor I beseche you be well avised howe that matier be oponed for myn ease.

I was not desired to write unto you of no on persone, so God be my help, yourself except; but I wold ye wold take avise and counsell of the Preest that hadde you soo long under hand on Shorthursday,88.2whenne I and my feleship, God thankyou, hadde of you right grete chere to our grete comfort and your grete coste, howe that the same Preest understandeth this letter of the Gospell underwriten: ‘Jesus dixit Simoni Petro, Si peccav[er]it in te frater tuus, vade et corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum; si te audierit lucratus es fratrem tuum. Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum vel duos, ut in ore duorum vel trium testium stet omne verbum. Quod si non audierit, dic ecclesiæ; si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus,’ etc. And in another place, ‘Tunc accedens Petrus ad Jesum dixit, Domine, quotiens petevit [peccabit] in me frater meus, [et] dimittam ei? usque septies? Dicit illi Jesus, Non dico tibi, usque septies, set usque septuagesies septies.’89.1

My maister can doo no thing, the which shall come in open audience at thise deies, but it shalbe called your dede. Hit is not unknoon that cruell and vengible he hath byn ever, and for the most parte with aute pite and mercy; I can no more butvade et corripe eum, for truly he cannot bryng about his matiers in this word [world], for the word is not for hym. I suppose it wolnot chaunge yetts by likelenes, but I beseche you, Sir, help not to amend hym onely, by [but ?] every other man yf ye kno any mo mysse disposed.

I canno more, but as I can or mey, I shal be his servaunt and youres unto such tyme as ye woll comande me to sursese and leve of, yf it please hym.

Sir, I pray you take this copy89.2of your statute, it is not examined be me, for I found hit thise v. yeres pessed.

Writan in my slepyng tyme at after none, on Wytsonday. Also, Sir, yf I have rehersed wyttyngly the text of the Gospell syngularly unto your maistership, I beseche you to be had excused.Your own,H. W.

87.2[From Fenn, iii. 278.] The date of this letter is doubtful. The two pieces of intelligence at the beginning were certainly both false rumours, as the writer, indeed, seems to have suspected. HenryVI.never went to Scotland in manner of war, and the Earl of Wiltshire never was made Chancellor. But the time when those rumours seem most likely to have arisen was in the year 1456, when the Duke of York had been deprived of the Protectorate. The Earl of Wiltshire, being of the opposite party to York, was not unlikely to have been talked of as Chancellor, although the Chancellorship was given on the 7th of March to the Archbishop of Canterbury. As to the rumoured expedition against Scotland, we know that in the preceding year JamesII., in defiance of the truce, laid siege to Berwick, which offered a gallant resistance (Nicolas’sPrivy Council Proceedings, vi. 248). This, however, does not appear immediately to have led to open war between the two countries. Diplomatic relations were still carried on till, on the 10th of May 1456, JamesII.despatched Lyon Herald to the King of England to declare plainly that the Truce of 1453 was injurious to Scotland, and that he did not mean to abide by it (LambethMS.211, f. 146 b). No reply was made to this message till the 26th of July, when an answer was despatched by the Duke of York in the King’s name (seeRymer, xi. 383); but there can be little doubt the desire to punish the insolence of the Scots must have been very general long before.88.1A law was passed in the eighteenth year of HenryVI.to put a stop to the abuse of persons having interest about the Court procuring antedated letters patent, by means of which they were enabled to claim the emoluments of lands or offices granted to them from a date anterior to the actual passing of the grant.—SeeHardy’s Introduction to thePatent Rolls of King John, p. xxx.88.2Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.89.1St. Matthew’s Gospel, chap. xviii. ver. 15, 16, 17, and ver. 21, 22.89.2This relates to papers sent with this letter, and accounts for there being no direction, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.—F.

88.1A law was passed in the eighteenth year of HenryVI.to put a stop to the abuse of persons having interest about the Court procuring antedated letters patent, by means of which they were enabled to claim the emoluments of lands or offices granted to them from a date anterior to the actual passing of the grant.—SeeHardy’s Introduction to thePatent Rolls of King John, p. xxx.

88.2Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.

89.1St. Matthew’s Gospel, chap. xviii. ver. 15, 16, 17, and ver. 21, 22.

89.2This relates to papers sent with this letter, and accounts for there being no direction, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.—F.

To my Maister Paston, in haaste.

1456JUNE 1

Please your good maistirship to wete that my Lord of Norffolk yaf in comaundement to Cristofre and to the balif of Colneise to laboure with us acording to your mocion. And as to Skilly, fermour of Cowhaugh, we enteryd there, and seyd we wold have payment for the half yeer past, and sewrete for the half yeer comynge, or ellys we wold distreyne and put hym out of pocession, and put in a newe fermoure; and so oure demenyng was suche that we toke no distresse, and yit we have hym bounde in an obligacion of xviijli.payabil at Michelmesse without condecion, and vjs.viijd.we receyvid of hym for opocession, for the ferme as yit remayneth on gatherid in the fermourez handes. But I seyd hym I wold be ther ageyn for the recedu of the half yeer ferme past withinne this xiiij. dayes; and he seyd he wold do hise delygence to gather it up. But he spak with Wentworth sethyn, whiche yef hym an uttyr rebuke, as he swor to me, and seyd he wold have hys payment of Skylly, and sewe hise oblygacion this next terme whiche he is bounden in to Wentworth for the yeerly payment of the same ferme; and the seyd Wentworth seyd he wyll takyn an accyon of trespas this next terme ageyn us that were there; and Devyle seyd ye were hender the londes at the begynning of your sute thanne ye be now, and that shalbe knowe be Lammesse next comyng, for he hathe thynges to shewe ye saw nevyr yit. Skilly offerid me xls.to have delyvered hym ageyn hise obligacion, and he wold have put me in pocession of a distresse, and [i.e.if] I wold have delyvered it hym; he seithe he dede nevyr so mad a dede, for Wentworth wold no bettyr mean thane we had takyn a distresse. He shuld sone have remedyed that; but now he seith Skylls is withoute remedy, but he will be payd, &c.Item, Sir, as to the fermourez of the manor of Langston in Brustal, we have also sewyrte be oblygacion withoute condecion payabil at Michilmesse, and toke no distresse but enteryd the londes; but we had gret peyne to brynge hem ther to, for ther is one John Cook of Braunford hath it in ferme of Wentworth all, and he leteth it out ageyn be parcelles to iij. sondre persones. But he was not at home, where for we have the same fermourez bounde for payment, and they had no mony redy, but they have promysed to delyvere Herry Deye at Yepiswiche this day xxs.in party of payment.Item, Sir, as to the fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses, we have hym bonde in lyke wyse for the ferme of the seyd maner from Michilmesse last past tyl Mychelmesse next comyng, in an obligacion of x. marks payabil at Michilmesse next comyng, without ony condecyon; and in party of payment I have receyvid of hym xiijs.iiijd., and he promyseth me iiij.markes at Lammesse next comyng. And as for Bradwell, my maistir91.1hathe sewyrte; and as for Kyrley Hawe, I was with the fermour yistirday, but he wyll paye no peny, nor be bounde neithir. Wherfor my maistir shal sende us to take a distresse tomorwyn, and I truste we shal fynde sum meanys to have hym bounde, &c.Item, John Andrewe hathe in fee yerly of the maner of Coughaugh xxs., and Thomas Denys xiijs.iiijd.of the maner of Foxhole, but as ferre as I can enquere, there is payd no more feez out of non of the maneris to none othir men but to these tweyne.Item, as for the endenturis, I sende here with a copy of Skyllyez endenture and a copy of Deynis endenture, fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses; and Herry Deye shal brynge a copy of John Cooks endenture of the ferme of the maner of Langston in Brustall; and as for Wareyn Bonde, he mad nevyr endenture for the ferme of Kyrkley Hawe, for he hathe ocupyed it but sethin Michilmesse last past; and so he holdith it but be promyse upon compnaunt [covenant ?]. And we shal gete a copy of Sewalys endenture, fermour of Bradwelle, and me semyth, savyng your bettyr avyse, it war right expedient that ye shuld for the sped of this mater be at London in al haste.Primo die Junii anno xxxiiij.91.2Youre humble servaunt and bedeman,John Russe.

Item, Sir, as to the fermourez of the manor of Langston in Brustal, we have also sewyrte be oblygacion withoute condecion payabil at Michilmesse, and toke no distresse but enteryd the londes; but we had gret peyne to brynge hem ther to, for ther is one John Cook of Braunford hath it in ferme of Wentworth all, and he leteth it out ageyn be parcelles to iij. sondre persones. But he was not at home, where for we have the same fermourez bounde for payment, and they had no mony redy, but they have promysed to delyvere Herry Deye at Yepiswiche this day xxs.in party of payment.

Item, Sir, as to the fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses, we have hym bonde in lyke wyse for the ferme of the seyd maner from Michilmesse last past tyl Mychelmesse next comyng, in an obligacion of x. marks payabil at Michilmesse next comyng, without ony condecyon; and in party of payment I have receyvid of hym xiijs.iiijd., and he promyseth me iiij.markes at Lammesse next comyng. And as for Bradwell, my maistir91.1hathe sewyrte; and as for Kyrley Hawe, I was with the fermour yistirday, but he wyll paye no peny, nor be bounde neithir. Wherfor my maistir shal sende us to take a distresse tomorwyn, and I truste we shal fynde sum meanys to have hym bounde, &c.

Item, John Andrewe hathe in fee yerly of the maner of Coughaugh xxs., and Thomas Denys xiijs.iiijd.of the maner of Foxhole, but as ferre as I can enquere, there is payd no more feez out of non of the maneris to none othir men but to these tweyne.

Item, as for the endenturis, I sende here with a copy of Skyllyez endenture and a copy of Deynis endenture, fermour of the maner of Bentley, clepid Bentley Houses; and Herry Deye shal brynge a copy of John Cooks endenture of the ferme of the maner of Langston in Brustall; and as for Wareyn Bonde, he mad nevyr endenture for the ferme of Kyrkley Hawe, for he hathe ocupyed it but sethin Michilmesse last past; and so he holdith it but be promyse upon compnaunt [covenant ?]. And we shal gete a copy of Sewalys endenture, fermour of Bradwelle, and me semyth, savyng your bettyr avyse, it war right expedient that ye shuld for the sped of this mater be at London in al haste.

Primo die Junii anno xxxiiij.91.2Youre humble servaunt and bedeman,John Russe.

90.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.]91.1Sir John Fastolf.91.2The thirty-fourth year of the reign of HenryVI.This date is added in a different hand, apparently that of John Paston, to whom the letter is addressed.

90.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.]

91.1Sir John Fastolf.

91.2The thirty-fourth year of the reign of HenryVI.This date is added in a different hand, apparently that of John Paston, to whom the letter is addressed.

To my right good maister, John Paston, Squier, at Norwiche, in haste.

1456JUNE 7

Sir, please it your maistership to wyte, I have my attachements graunted in open Courte with helpe of Litelton91.4and Hewe at Fen, and was bide to make redy the names, &c. before the Barons, of which Haltoft91.5was one. . . . . . . . ..91.6

As for tidings, the Kyng is at Shene, the Quene at Chestre; the Duc of Buk was, as I come hiderward, at Writell, the Erle of Warrewyke at Werrewyke, and the Lords Chaunceller,92.1Tresorier,92.2and th’Erle of Sar’ [Salisbury] in London, and noo more Lords at the begynyng this day of the grete Counsail. Many men say that there shuld be, but thei wote not what. The sege shall, as men say, come to Caleys and to Guynes, for moche puple come overe the water of Somme, and grete navies on the see.

Th’Erle of Penbroke92.3is with the Kyng, and noo more Lordis. Th’Erle of Richemond92.4and Griffith Suoh (?) are at werre gretely in Wales. The Comons of Kent, as thei werre wo[n]tte, er not all weel disposid, for there is in doyng amongs hem what evere it bee. Of Scotts is here but litell talkyng. My Lord York is at Sendall stille, and waytith on the Quene and she up on hym.

I dide my maistress your moderis erands, as ye have herde of, for Maister William hath writen his entente, and he and Clement faren weel.

Writen at Horshighdone, vijmodie Junij.

Rokewode and Crane faren weel, and thei and I recomaunde hem to my maistress your wif.

And as I understande, the Clerke of the Rolles is owte of charite with Maister Yelverton, and my Lord Chaunceller a litell mevid, &c.Your owen,J. B.

91.3[From Fenn, i. 134.] On comparing this with the previous letters of Bocking,Nos. 330and331, it will be seen that they must all three be of the same year.91.4Thomas Lyttelton.—Seep. 84, Note 5.91.5Gilbert Haltoft.91.6Here, in the original, followed various passages relating to law business, which Fenn has not printed.92.1Archbishop Bourchier.92.2Henry, Viscount Bourchier, was appointed Lord Treasurer on the 29th May 1455 (Patent Roll, 33 Hen.VI., p. 2, m. 12), and so continued till the 5th October 1456, when the office was taken from him and given to the Earl of Shrewsbury (Patent, 35 Hen.VI., p. 1, m. 16).92.3Jasper Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 298, Note 1.92.4Edmund Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 297, Note 6.

91.3[From Fenn, i. 134.] On comparing this with the previous letters of Bocking,Nos. 330and331, it will be seen that they must all three be of the same year.

91.4Thomas Lyttelton.—Seep. 84, Note 5.

91.5Gilbert Haltoft.

91.6Here, in the original, followed various passages relating to law business, which Fenn has not printed.

92.1Archbishop Bourchier.

92.2Henry, Viscount Bourchier, was appointed Lord Treasurer on the 29th May 1455 (Patent Roll, 33 Hen.VI., p. 2, m. 12), and so continued till the 5th October 1456, when the office was taken from him and given to the Earl of Shrewsbury (Patent, 35 Hen.VI., p. 1, m. 16).

92.3Jasper Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 298, Note 1.

92.4Edmund Tudor.—Seevol. ii. p. 297, Note 6.

Sir John Fastolf to John Paston, Esq.

1456JUNE 18

As to the matters on which Paston sent to him by Will. Barker to desire his advice, Paston knows that Fastolf has put his whole confidence in him, and begs he will do with the advice of Fastolf’s learned counsel whatever they jointly think for his weal; ‘for ye know well I am so visited by the hand of God that I may not deal with such troublous matters, without it should be to great hurt of my bodily welfare, which I trust ye would not desire.’ If you find my Lady of York disposed to visit this poor place, commend me to her, and tell her how it is with me that I cannot receive her as I ought.Castre, 18 June.

Castre, 18 June.

[As it will appear a little further on that the Duchess of York visited Caister in 1456, this letter is probably of that year.]

93.1[FromMS.Phillipps, 9735, No. 242.]

Sir J. Fastolf to John Paston.

1456JUNE 24

To-day my cousin Sir Miles Stapleton, Sir James Braylyes, Andrew Grygges, ‘hyr resseyvor,’ and Grymston have been with Fastolf at Castre, and brought him 253 marks, which they would have paid if he had had the obligation here. Sends therefore a letter by his servant Colyn how Sir S. and he are agreed for its deliverance, etc. Sir S. made many strange insinuations that the money was paid before, partly by assignment to Clyffton, etc. On the 18th and 19th inst. ‘long Bernard, with a priest of Kent, to the number of 16 horse, hafe, at Nacton, Bentley, and other places of F., and entered by colour of a deed of feoffment made to the Lady Roos and others, and hafe right proud language to the farmers, that they will obtain their intent.’ Russe has written more plainly by Nich. Colman.‘Item, I charge right greatly the matter of my Lord of Bedford for my discharge, and for the recovery of my Lord’s goods.’ Begs Paston to common with the Lord Chancellor and others about it; and desires him to give ‘mine attorney, Raulyns, and my serjeants’ a warning ‘to take more tenderness’about the process of Hykelyng that has been so many years and days driven off.St. John Baptist’s Day.

‘Item, I charge right greatly the matter of my Lord of Bedford for my discharge, and for the recovery of my Lord’s goods.’ Begs Paston to common with the Lord Chancellor and others about it; and desires him to give ‘mine attorney, Raulyns, and my serjeants’ a warning ‘to take more tenderness’about the process of Hykelyng that has been so many years and days driven off.

St. John Baptist’s Day.

[From the reference to ‘the matter of my Lord of Bedford,’ this letter was most probably written in the year 1456.]

93.2[Ibid., No. 263.]

Sir John Fastolf to John Paston.

‘First it is to remember that, upon St. John’s day, there was Sir Symond Brayles, chaplain of my Lady of Suffolk, and in presence of Sir Miles Stapleton and Edward Grymston, said that the 200 marks was paid before in the Duke of Suffolk’s days.’ Can prove by writings that this was not so, and that he ‘offered to put it upon my Lord Chancellor and upon one or two of Lords of the King’s council as my said Lord Chancellor will call unto him,’ that it may be known whether my Lady is wronged or Fastolf. The £100 of the above sum was not paid by assignment to Clyffton. Sir Simon complains that the suit was stolen against Sir Thos. Tuddenham, and judgment given without my Lady’s counsel knowing of it; which can be disproved.Castre, St. John Baptist’s Day.‘Item, I remembered Sir Simon for the restitution of my revenues of Dedham 3 year day, and my damage of a mill put down,’ etc. I paid 500 marks for the ward of Sir Rob. Harlyng’s daughter for my Lord to Sir John Clyfton, of which the Duke had no right to receive one penny, for there was no land held of the King.

Castre, St. John Baptist’s Day.

‘Item, I remembered Sir Simon for the restitution of my revenues of Dedham 3 year day, and my damage of a mill put down,’ etc. I paid 500 marks for the ward of Sir Rob. Harlyng’s daughter for my Lord to Sir John Clyfton, of which the Duke had no right to receive one penny, for there was no land held of the King.

[This letter corresponds so closely with the last that it must have been written the same day.]

94.1[FromMS.Phillipps, 9735, No. 238.]

Honorabili viro Johanni Paston armigero ac confratri suo Willelmo germano uterino.95.2

1456(?)[JUNE 29]

Rytereverent Syre, &c. I am informyd credybily of a secrete frend that S. T. T. [Sir Thomas Tuddenham] and J. H. [John Heydon], with J. A. [John Andrews ?] and other of cursyd covy, wyl bryng with hem many gentylmen of here bende to compleyn upon me at the next chapitle, &c. And there fore, by the grace of God, I dispose me, with help of zour good maysterschip and my Mayster Willyam, zour brother. Where fore, at the reverens of God, that ze do speke with the clerk men clepyn Brayn, that kepyth the bokys of here inditementes at theoyer determyner, anno xxixº regni Regis; and that an extret or a copy myte schortly be wrytyn owt of as many namys as dedyn indyte T. T. and J. H. for trespas, extorsyones, and oppressyonys done to other men, as wele as to my Mayster Fastolff, etc., that I may be redy to schew to my ordre, lyk a kalender, a legende of here lyvys and here rewlyng of the cuntre, in destruccyon and gret myschef of the cuntre in here dayes. At the reverens ofJesu, forzet not this mater, ne the mater of Dedham, etc. I wolde ze askyd my good lord and mayster, Yelverton, yf I sent hym ony letter in the same mater, &c. Dicente Davitico Psalmo:96.1Ne obliviscaris voces inimicorum tuorum, nam superbia eorum ascendit semperin psalmo; qui et si nunquam ascendant in cœlos, utinam nunquam desendant ab [ad] abissos, &c., etsi anima eorum in malis tabescebat, &c. Scriptum festinacione (?) feria 3apost festum Natalis Sancti Johannis Baptistæ.96.2Recommendetis me magistro meo W. Paston, confratri vestro, et Thomæ Playter cognato meo, cui dicite quod faciat Willelmum Geneye sibi benivolum quia Sampson filius et heres J. Sampson olim mariti Katerinæ Fastolff apud Owlton mortuus, et ibi sunt duæ viduæ, major et minor, senior et junior. Eligatur quæ sibi melius placet.

Magister Thomas Howys vobis amantissimus se cordialissime recommendat vobis, etc. Item, Willelmus Wigorniensis recommendat se vobis ex toto corde. Scribo vobis, utinam ad placitum.Vester ad vota,F. J. B.,Minorum minimus.

I hafe a rolle redy of the inditements, that they were indityd for trespase and extorsyon and oppressyon done to my Mayster Fastolff, in the keping of W. Worceter, &c.

Visa frangatur et in ignem post jaciatur. Si dignemini loqui cum effectu magistro Ricardo Fysscher, secretario domini mei comitis Warwicensis, pro cujus nomine et amore promptissimus sum adhuc plura pati, ut mittatur pro me litera magistro provinciali et diffinitoribus.

95.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] Dr. John Brackley, the writer of this letter, was a Grey Friar of Norwich, of considerable celebrity as a preacher. Several letters of his are found in this collection, written in the years 1459 and 1460. This, however, must be a few years earlier, as in 1459 Brackley writes of William Worcester in very different terms. The handwriting also is not so close as that of his later letters. We cannot, however, carry the date further back than 1455, as it seems that Worcester and Howes were at this time together, which must have been at Caister. Nor will the year 1455 itself suit all the circumstances of the letter, for it is evident that John and William Paston were also together, and as the writer asks John Paston to speak to Yelverton, it may be presumed they were in London. Now, John Paston was certainly not in London within a week after St. John the Baptist’s Day in 1455. We have therefore placed the letter in 1456. It will be observed that, on the 1st of June in that year, John Russe advised Paston to go up to London.95.2This address is in William Worcester’s hand. The letter itself is in Brackley’s own.96.1SeePsalm lxxiii. (or lxxiv.) 23.96.2St. John the Baptist’s Day is the 24th June.Feria tertiameans Tuesday.

95.2This address is in William Worcester’s hand. The letter itself is in Brackley’s own.

96.1SeePsalm lxxiii. (or lxxiv.) 23.

96.2St. John the Baptist’s Day is the 24th June.Feria tertiameans Tuesday.

Magistro meo venerabili Johanni Paston Armigero detui.

Dixi enim magistro meo gardiano ante meum exitum quod magistri mei generosi et amici alii vellent me juvare pro die Jovis pro pascendo doctores, patres ac cæteros confratres nostri provincialis capituli; et in exitu meo consentire noluit, quia Gurnay suus socius et procurator, frater juvenis nostri conventus et unus sacerdos simplex, curatus de Worsted, et Bukle, cocus, super se diem prædictum assumpserunt. Et ego dixi, ‘Olim fuit modus quod unus ejusdem loci magister esset præferendus in tali diei eleccione. Sed unum scitote, si magistri mei certi generosi et ego cum eis habere non potuerimus diem quem elegimus, certe pro hoc tempore nullum alium diem habere volumus.’ Utinam placeret vobis ut magistra mea, uxor vestra, vellet mittere pro magistro gardiano, et dicere sibi quod ipsa quæsivit a me qualem diem ego haberem pro fratribus pascendis in tempore capituli et quod ego dixi me habiturum illum vel certe nullum aliter. Quæcumque ego potero procurare de pecuniis seu victualibus ego singula venderem et expendere vellem in reparacionibus, &c. Rogo vos ex caritate ut magistræ meæ matri vestræ ac aliis amicis vestris vobis notis, insinuetis nostram indigenciam pro faciliori relevamine capituli provincialis. Sic enim ad vestri et mei magistri mei specialem instanciam præsencialiter habere residenciam teneo, ut alia loca pro præsenti negocio accedere non valeam, &c. Non plura pro præsenti sunt calamo præsentanda, nisi quod vos, vestros et vestra Jesus Christus graciose conservet in prosperis et graciosius dirigat in agendis. Amen.Recommendetis me, si placeat, uxori et matri et confratribus vestris W., &c. et domino meo Rectori de Blofeld, utinam de Hadle, &c.; cui dicatis quod hac nocte jacuit Colinus Gallicus cum pulcherima Amasia sua in camera conducta per eum, &c. Utinam nunquam vigeat, &c. Ipse proponit in vestra præsentia dicere dicto rectori satis perversa verba. Et spero quod dominus Rector faciat de sua speciali gratia meum negocium per Ricardum famulum suum crastina die summo mane expediendum, quia dies ista est dies ultima, &c. Ex manerio de Castre, Sabbato circa tempus prandii festinantissime.Magister meus97.2valde gavisus est quando audivit de vobis quomodo scienter, audacter, viriliter et veraciter respondistis adversariis vestris coram Domino Cancellario aliisque dominis, &c.Vester præ cæteris orator,F. J. B., Minorum minimus.

Recommendetis me, si placeat, uxori et matri et confratribus vestris W., &c. et domino meo Rectori de Blofeld, utinam de Hadle, &c.; cui dicatis quod hac nocte jacuit Colinus Gallicus cum pulcherima Amasia sua in camera conducta per eum, &c. Utinam nunquam vigeat, &c. Ipse proponit in vestra præsentia dicere dicto rectori satis perversa verba. Et spero quod dominus Rector faciat de sua speciali gratia meum negocium per Ricardum famulum suum crastina die summo mane expediendum, quia dies ista est dies ultima, &c. Ex manerio de Castre, Sabbato circa tempus prandii festinantissime.

Magister meus97.2valde gavisus est quando audivit de vobis quomodo scienter, audacter, viriliter et veraciter respondistis adversariis vestris coram Domino Cancellario aliisque dominis, &c.

Vester præ cæteris orator,F. J. B., Minorum minimus.

97.1This letter was copied by the Editor from one of the Royden HallMSS.in 1875.97.2Sir John Fastolf.

97.1This letter was copied by the Editor from one of the Royden HallMSS.in 1875.

97.2Sir John Fastolf.

To my ryght worshipfull unkle, and my ryght good master, Syr John Fastalf, Knyght.

1456(?)JULY 17

Ryghtworshipfull unkull, and my ryght good master, I recomaund me to yow wyth all my servys. And, Sir, my brother Paston and I have comened togeder as touchinge to your colage that ye wold have made; and, Sir, hit ys to gret a good that ys axed of yow for youre lycens; for they ax for every C. marc that ye wold amortyse D. marcz, and woll gefe hit noo better chepe.

And, Sir, y told my brother Paston that my Lady of Bargeveney98.2hath, in dyvers Abbeyes in Lecestershyre, vij. or viij. prestes singinge for her perpetuell, by my brother Darcyes and my unkle Brokesbyes meanes, for they were her executors; and they acorded for money, and gafe a cc. or ccc. marc, as they myzt acord for a prest. And for the suerte that he shuld synge in the same abbey for ever, they had maners of good valew bounden to such persones as plesed the sayd barthern [brethren] Brokkesby and my brother Darcy, that the sayd servyse shulde be kept. And for lytell moore then the Kynge axed hem for a lycence, they went thorgh with the sayd abbots. And y hold this wey as sure as that other. Ye may comen with youre councell therof.

And yf there be any servyse that I can do for yow, hit shall be redy at all tymes, with the grace of God, who have yow in his kepynge.

Wryten at London, the xvij. day of Juyll.Your nevew and servaunt,Henry Fylungley.

98.1[From Fenn, i. 166.] This letter must have been written about the time Sir John Fastolf first began to make inquiry on what terms he could obtain a licence for establishing a college at Caister,—a project which he had much at heart during the latter years of his life. A letter from Sir John himself upon this subject will be found a little further on, dated the 18th November (No. 351), and we think it probable that this is of the same year, 1456.98.2Edward Nevill, Lord Abergavenny, was twice married. His first wife, to whom he owed his title, was Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester. His second was Catherine, daughter of Sir Robert Howard. The Lady here mentioned is probably the former, for though Dugdale says he obtained a dispensation for his second marriage in 1448, that date is inconsistent with the age of his son and other facts mentioned.

98.2Edward Nevill, Lord Abergavenny, was twice married. His first wife, to whom he owed his title, was Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester. His second was Catherine, daughter of Sir Robert Howard. The Lady here mentioned is probably the former, for though Dugdale says he obtained a dispensation for his second marriage in 1448, that date is inconsistent with the age of his son and other facts mentioned.

To my worshipful cousyn, John Paston.

1456JULY 31

Righttrusty and worshipful cousyn, I recomaunde me to yow. And like it yow to wyte, myn attorny, Raulyns, hathe enformed me that the Jugis have ruled processe to goo owte ayenst the priour of Hikelyng of distresseper omnia bona et catalla, of whiche the writte and other ar not yet come fro London. I trust whan thei come, be your good counsail and meane, the Shireve wil doo his devoir; how be it, as I understande, thei have sente the Lord Scales all there evidences, and he wil come and dwelle there hym silf. And I am also enformed, for certeyn, that the Bushop of Norwiche, for all the truste I hadde to hym, that by his meane I shulde have knowen there fundacion, he hathe warned his officeres not to have adoo therinne, by cause of the Lord Scales, &c. Cousyn, I pray yow, in as moche as the matere, by agrement, was putte in you and Fyncham, and how that ye, for the same cause, specially kepte your day at London, and toke not in there defaulte and not myn, that ye wil soo in caas ye see Fyncham remembre, and to othere there as ye seme it shulde profite to be knowen, and that yet nevertheles my sute soo ferforthe I wole yet, as I wolde thanne, and at all tymes am redy; and soo I wolde the priour knewe, and all othere, as weel his weelwillers as otheres, as the bringerherof shall declare you more pleinly. As for tidinges, my folkes ar not yet come fro London. The abbot of Seint Benettes hathe ben with me, and suche as he tolde me the bringer shall enforme you. And our Lord Jesu have you in governaunce.

Writen at Castre, the last day of Julle.Your cousyn,J. F.

99.1[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is doubtless of the same year asNo. 336, in the end of which Fastolf wishes his attorney, Rawlyns, urged to greater activity in the matter of Hickling.

To my right trusty and intierly welbeloved frend, John Paston, Squier.

1456AUG. 10

Righttrusty and entierly welbeloved frend, I grete you well, and wull ze wite that Danyell100.2hath required me to write un to you, praying you that ze wyll kepe the day upon Thursday100.3vij. dayes nexst comyng, which shal be for the best, as I trust; not with standyng I suppose lerned men wyll not be easy for to gete be cause of this besy tyme of hervest. Almyghty God have you in Hise governaunce.

Writen at Mydelton,100.4the x. day of August.Your frend,Scales.

100.1[From Fenn, i. 138.] This letter is dated by a memorandum at the bottom of the original, in the handwriting, as Fenn believes, of John Paston: ‘Lettera inter Mich. xxxiiij. et xxxv.’100.2Thomas Daniel of Rising.—Seevol. ii. pp. 79, 80, 103, etc.100.319th August.100.4In Norfolk.

100.1[From Fenn, i. 138.] This letter is dated by a memorandum at the bottom of the original, in the handwriting, as Fenn believes, of John Paston: ‘Lettera inter Mich. xxxiiij. et xxxv.’

100.2Thomas Daniel of Rising.—Seevol. ii. pp. 79, 80, 103, etc.

100.319th August.

100.4In Norfolk.

To my right trusty and welbeloved frend, John Paston, Squier.

About 1456(?)

Righttrusty and welbeloved frend, I grete you hertly well. And for as mych as I u[ndyrstond] a bill was made at Yermuth ageyns my cousyn BryanStapylton and hise wy. . . . have set up the said bill in the Kynges Bench, which bill is in your kepyng, pray[ing] you that ye wyll sende me the same bill be the bringer herof, to the entent I m[ay] se it. And as I am informed be my said cousyn, ye shewed hym grete gentilnesse and benyvolence, wherof I thanke you right hertely. I pray God have you in governance.

Writen at Midelton, the xx. day of Septembre.Zowr frend,Scales.

100.5[From PastonMSS., B.M.] This letter is placed immediately after another letter of Lord Scales, dated like this from his seat at Middleton in Norfolk, as probably belonging to the same period, though the exact year is uncertain.

To our right truste and right welbeloved John Paston, Esquier, and William Norwiche101.2and to either of theym.

1456SEPT. 7

Righttruste and right welbeloved, we grete you hertly wel. And where as Sir Nichol Bowet, Knight, sueth an appeelle in the countee of Norffolk ayenst oon Robert Offord of Berking for the deeth of oon Sir Henry Bowet, clerc, we being enformed that the matier is pitevous, praie you hertly that ye wul in our behalve moeve and entreete the Shirreve of the saide countee to surceese of the execucion of any processe upon the exigent101.3to hym directed in that behalve unto the next terme, so that resonable meanes maye be founden to save the saide Robert harmelesse; lating hym wite that we have written to the saide Sir Nichol for a convenient treetie to be taken in that behalve, as shalbe thought according to right. And God have you ever in his keping.

Written in our Manoir of Mortelake, the vij. daie of September.T., Archbysshopp of Canterbury.

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