The Paston Letters
Chapter 40 : [Footnote 188.2: An inquisition taken by the escheator of a county by virtue of his off

[Footnote 188.2: An inquisition taken by the escheator of a county by virtue of his office was frequently called an 'office.' Its object was to ascertain the King's t.i.tle to certain lands.]

[Footnote 189.1: Thomas Hert was presented to Haylesdon by Sir John Fastolf in 1448.]

154

JUSTICE YELVERTON TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF[189.2]

_A Lettre to Sir John Fastoff from Justice Yelverton._[189.3]

[Sidenote: 1450 / NOV.]

My moste worshypfull and best betrusted maister, I recommaund me to yow, thankyng yow for manye grete gentlenesse and kyndnesse that ye hafe showed unto me, and for the grete ease that I had of your man and your horsys also.

As for tydyngs owte of thys contree, here ys a marveyllous disposed contree, and manye evylle wylled peple to Sir Thomas Tuddenham and Heydon, and but yff they been putt in comfort there by the meene of a good shyreve and undreshyreve, they may hafe remedye now by the ordre of lawe, and ellys grete inconvenices arn lyke for to folowe ther off.

Therfor, Sir, for the weele of all our G.o.de contree, mewyth the Kyng, my Lord Chaunceller,[190.1] and all othyr Lordes as ye thynk best for thys matier on thys behalf.

Also, Sir, yff they noysse me by thee meene of my Lord Scalys, or by anye othyr meene, or by onye bylle sewed by Brygg, or by onye othyr man by her [_i.e. their_] craft, that it please yow to sey for me yn savacion of my pore worshyp, whych I wote well they may not hurt but they doo me wrongs, to the Kyng, my Lord Chaunceller, my Lord of Wynchester,[190.2] my Lord Cromewell, and in othyr places, as ye semyth, that no credence be goven to myne hurt yn myne absence.

Also, Sir, that William Geney and Brayn, the clerks of the Sessions, ben hastyed hedreward as well as they may; and, Sir, my cousyn Paston and my brothyr Cleere can tell yow moch more thyng that I shuld wryte off to yow, and I had leyser; but I shall wythynne short tyme sende yow more tydyngs owte of thys contree, by the grace of G.o.d, whych hafe yow yn hys holye kepyng.

By your old Servaunt,

WILLIAM YELVERTON, Justice.

[Footnote 189.2: [From Fenn, iii. 50.] This would appear to have been written in 1450, just after Yelverton's arrival in Norfolk, whither, it will be seen by the last two letters, he was going in November. The nomination of sheriffs had not yet taken place, and was anxiously expected by many, in the hope that it would lessen the influence of Sir Thomas Tuddenham and Heydon, who had hitherto been very powerful in Norfolk.]

[Footnote 189.3: This is only an endors.e.m.e.nt on the MS., and is not even contemporaneous. The MS. itself is not addressed, being, as shown in the margin, only a copy, marked 'Copia' in the same hand as the doc.u.ment.]

[Footnote 190.1: Cardinal Kemp.]

[Footnote 190.2: The celebrated William de Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

155

JUSTICE YELVERTON TO JOHN BOCKING[190.3]

_To my welbeloved cosyn, John Bockyng._

[Sidenote: 1450 / NOV.]

Wors.h.i.+pfull and right welbeloved cosyn, I comaunde me to you, prayng you to recomaunde me to my Maister Fastolf, and thank hym in my name hertily for his man and his hors. And also for to meve hym for that we may have a good shereve and a good undershereve that neythir for good favore no fere wol returne for the Kyng, ne betwix partie and partie, none othir men but such as ar good and trewe, and in no wyse will be forsworne; for the pepil here is loth to compleyne til thei here tidynges of a good shereve. And that William Jenney and Brayne, the clerk of the Cessions, and Thomas Denys, ben hastid hydirward as fast as thei may, and than men supposen he nedith not to dowghtyn his materes. And also that my cosyn Paston be so hastily holpen in his maters that he may sone come hedir ageyn. And also that my maistir be my sheld and my defense ageyns all fals noyses and sclaundres meved ayens me by her menes in myn absens.

At Walsyngham, and in othir places in the d.u.c.h.e of Lancastre, men shal be redy to seche Heydon at hom in his own hous, if he come home; and in lyke wyse standith Sir Thomas Tudenham his neighburs to hymward as the more part of the pepil seth in this c.u.n.tre. His men have told here the falsest tales of Sir William Oldhall and of me that evere I herd speke of. It wer ful necessarye and profitable to the Kyng and to his pepil for to have othir officers in his d.u.c.h.e.

Asay how ye can sett hem a werk in the Parlement, for if this maters be sped as it is aforn desired, thei ar lyke to be sett a werk here well inough, by the grace of G.o.d, which have you in holy kepyng.

By your cosyn,

WILLIAM YELVERTON, Justice.

[Footnote 190.3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The correspondence of this letter with the last is such as to leave no doubt that they were written at the same period. The MS. is a contemporaneous copy.]

156

ABSTRACT[191.1]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOMAS, Pastor of Castlecombe, JOHN BOKKYNG, and WATKIN SHYPDAM.

[Sidenote: 1450 / NOV. 23]

Thanks the Parson for a letter by Robert Botiller, and one by John Clerc, advising that Bokking and William Jenney be 'in that parties'

betimes for the _oyer and terminer_. Has received instruction of the first purchase of Haylysdon. Is glad John Clerc is come. Much strange labour has been made to him by Tasborough and Swolle. Complains of the untruth of Appulzerd of Norwich in the Lady Bardolf's matter. A bailly of Hikelyng maintains the Prior in his wrong against Fastolf. William Barker had a box of evidences of the farm of Lady Bardolf's lands, and a deed of Norman's feoffment with evidences of Saxthorp, which cannot be found here, and must have been left at Norwich or Castre. Don't forget Norman's matter, and the maintainers of the false inquest of Beyton Bradwell. Wyndham wants to be friends with me about the Lady Bardolf's matter. The master of St. Giles has been with me for the purchase of Mundham Maner with appurtenances in Cyselond, and I have agreed with him for 200 marks. Don't forget the bailly of Hykelyng, who said I should forge [_i.e._ had forged] evidence, &c.

London, 23 Nov. 29 Hen. VI.

_Signed._

[An extract from the latter part of this letter is printed by Blomefield, _Hist. Norf._ iv. 388-9 (Note 9).]

[Footnote 191.1: [From an original, sold by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson on the 2nd March 1870.]]

157

ABSTRACT[192.1]

[Sidenote: 1450 / NOV. 28]

Power of attorney by John, Cardinal Archbishop of York, and others, to John Est and others, including William Worcestre and Geoffrey Sperlyng, to deliver seisin to Walter Leyhert, Bishop of Norwich, and others, of and in the manor of Mundham, &c.--28 Nov. 29 Hen. VI.

_20 Seals, of which three are lost._

Endorsed by Blomefield-- 'Sir John Fastolff's Feoffees Release,'

&c., with a reference to his _History of Norfolk_, vol. ii. 762 (fol. ed.).

[Footnote 192.1: [From Add. Charter 17,238, B.M.]]

158

ABSTRACT[192.2]

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOMAS, Parson of Castlecombe, WILLIAM JENNEY, and JOHN BOKKYNG.

[Sidenote: 1450 / DEC. 2]