The Paston Letters
Chapter 70 : [Footnote 7.1: [From Fenn, iii. 224.]][Footnote 8.1: Thomas Fastolf of Cowhawe. --_See_

[Footnote 7.1: [From Fenn, iii. 224.]]

[Footnote 8.1: Thomas Fastolf of Cowhawe. --_See_ vol. ii. p.

323, Note 1.]

[Footnote 9.1: Thomas Bourchier.]

[Footnote 9.2: Ralph, Lord Cromwell.]

267

THOMAS HOWES TO JOHN PASTON[9.3]

_To the wurshepfull Sir, and my good Maystyr John Paston, at London, in haste._

[Sidenote: 1454 / NOV. 13]

Wurshepfull and reverent Sir, and my good maistyr, I recomaund me to zow in as delygent wyse as on my part apperteineth, and p[le]a[s]e yow to wete that my maistyr[9.4] was right well pleasyd with youre feithefull labour in fulfellyng the patent for the warrd of A. B. C., and he wyll feithefully labour as ye have avysed hym be wrytyng of John Bokyng. And putte my maistyr in more corage, I meovyd to hym upon myn hed that encas be the child wer wyse, that thanne it wer a good maryage be twen my wyff youre doutir and hym; and, Sir, my maistyr was glad whan he herd that moyen, cosetheryng that youre doutyr is desendyd of hym be the modyr syde. And, Sir, I have enqwerid aftyr the seyd child, and no dout of but he is lykly and of gret wyt, as I her be report of sondr personez. And it is so, as I am credebly enformyd, that Jeffrey Boleyn maketh gret labour for maryage of the seyd child to on of hese douterez. I wold well to hym, but bettyr to yow. Wherfor that ye delygently labour for expedecyon of this mater, that encas ye can fynde ony moyan ther to have the seyd child, and we shal do feithefully owre delygens in lyke wyse her, as ye avyse us, &c.

And, Sir, as ye thynke with avyse of my Maistyr Yelverton, Jenney, and otherez my maisterez counsell therin, that the Shereff may be rewardyd, and yif my seyd maisterez counsell thynke it be to do'n, that thanne ye lyke to take an actyoun upon anenteynt [_an attaint_],[10.1] wheche ye most with them take upon yow at this tyme in my maisterez absence; for as ye do in that mater, he woll hold hym content, for Wyllyam Barker hathe an instruccyon of my maisterez intent upon the same. And I send John Bokyng a copy of the panell, wheche I shewed yow at Castr, &c.

Almyghty Jesu have yow eternally in hese mercyfull governaunce.

Wretyn at Castr, the Wednysday next aftyr Seynt Martyn, anno x.x.xiij.

TH. HOWYS.

[Footnote 9.3: [From Fenn, iii. 230.]]

[Footnote 9.4: Sir John Fastolf.]

[Footnote 10.1: This is an action against a jury that has given a false verdict.]

268

SIR THOMAS HOWYS TO JOHN PASTON[10.2]

_To the wurshepfull and reverent Sir, my good Maystir John Paston, in all goodly haste._

[Sidenote: 1454 / NOV. 18]

Reverent and wurshepfull Sir, and my good maistyr, I recomaund me to yow in as louly wyse as on my part aperteineth. And please yow to wete that my maistyr is fully purposed to sewe ateynte, whereupon he wrytethe a lettere directyd to yow and otherez, for the wheche I beseke yow to be my good maystyr in pursewyng the seyd ateynte; and also my maistyr is agreed what reward ye geve the Shereff he holdeth hym content. Wherfor, that youre reward may be the larger, so he woll[10.3] ther upon returne the panell for the seyd ateynte; and thanne yef Jenney wold meove my Lord of Norffolke that he wold be my good Lord, amyttyng me for hese chapeleyn, and Jhankyn Porter for hese servaunt, wheche is hese chek roll, it shuld cause the matere to have the redyer expedecyon, as well be the Shereff as be the gret jury. And yef the processe may have so redy sped that it myght be had be fore my Maystyr Yelwerton in this vaccacyon tyme, it wer a gret counfort, &c. Beseking yow at the reverence of G.o.d, and as ever my power servyse may be at your comaundement, that ye effectualy labour this matere in the most spedfull wyse, as youre descrecyon, with Jenneyez avyse, thinketh most expedyent; for I ferre gretly to be outlawed or the seyd processe shuld be brought to a conclucyon withoute redy processe in the seyd ateynte. And I here no sewer tydinges of a parlement; but rather thanne I shuld be outlawed, I wold yeld my self to preson, wheche shuld be myn undoyng, and thanne to be with oute remedy. My refformacyon and counforte in eschewyng that lythe holly in your helpe and Jenneyez at thys tyme, be cause my maystyr hathe comytted the governaunce of the seyd matere to yow, and what expense it draweth he agreyth to bere it, &c.

I beseke Almyghty Jesu have yow, my good maystyr, eternaly in hese me[r]cyfull governaunce, and inspyre yow with hese speryt of remembraunce effectualy to precede in this matere.

Wretyn breffly at Castre the Monday next be fore Seynt Edmond the Kyng,[11.1] anno x.x.xiij. Regis H. vj^ti.

Item, Sir, as for mony to the sped of this matere, Bokkyng hathe redy in comaundement to make delevery to yow what that ye nede, so there shall be no defaute in that, &c.

T. HOWYS.

[Footnote 10.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[Footnote 10.3: _Woll_ corr. from _wold_.] [[corr from]]

[Footnote 11.1: The day of St. Edmund the King was the 20th November.]

269

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON[12.1]

_To my right welbilovyd cosyn, John Paston._

[Sidenote: 1454-9]

wise, and for asmoche as it is . . . . . . . . .

. . . the Lady Hastinges[12.2] doughter, as I undrestande .

. . . . . is lyneally descendid of my Lady Felbrig[12.3]

is sustre . . . . . . . . she was maried to Sir Hug' Fastolf, graunsir to this same Thomas; and the Lady Hastinges is comen of Sir Robert Clyfton, which dwellid besyde Lynne. I prey yow, cosyn, enquere of my Lady Felbrigge how nygh they bethe of kynrede, and whethir they mow marie to ghedre or not, and how many degrees in lynage they bethe a sundre, for I reporte me to yowr wyse discrescion what the law wol sey ther ynne.

Item, it is so that Wyndam[12.4] came yesterday to Jernemouth, and is at Stapletons; and this day a man of Stapletons came to me to wete if they sholde come speke with me or not, and I have sent Sir Thomas to hem to know ther entent and what they meane; and also he shal sey unto theym that I woll not medle ther with but as law and consciens will.

This is the tydinges that I have; I pray yow send me some of yours. As towching the North c.u.n.tre, Sperling hathe tolde yow. And G.o.d kepe yow.

Wretyn at Castre this same day.

J. FASTOLF.

[Footnote 12.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter is mutilated and its date is uncertain, except that, being dated at Caister, it must have been written between 1454 and 1459.]

[Footnote 12.2: Margery, widow of Sir Edward Hastings of Elsing, and daughter of Sir Robert Clifton. After her first husband's death she married John Wymondham, who bought the manor of Felbrigg from Lord Scales and the executors of Sir Simon Felbrigg. --_See_ Blomefield, viii. 112.]

[Footnote 12.3: Catherine, widow of Sir Simon Felbrigg. She was the daughter of Anketill Mallory, Esq. of Winwick, in Northamptons.h.i.+re.]

[Footnote 12.4: John Wymondham or Wyndham. --_See_ Note 2.]

270

EDMUND CLERE TO JOHN PASTON[13.1]

_To my welbeloved cosyn, John Paston, be this delivered._

[Sidenote: 1455 / JAN. 9]

Right welbeloved cosyn, I recomaund me to you, latyng you wite such tidings as we have.

Blessed be G.o.d, the Kyng is wel amended, and hath ben syn Cristemesday, and on Seint Jones day[13.2] comaunded his awmener [_almoner_] to ride to Caunterbury wyth his offryng, and comaunded the secretarie to offre at Seint Edwards.