Chapter D: A. Ogard.81.1 (6)

My Lord[191.5] Treasorer[191.6] spekyth fayr, but zet many avyse me to put no trust in hym. Ther is laboryd many menys to intytill the Kyng in his good. Sothewell[191.7] is Eschetor, and he is rythe good and well disposyd. My Lord of Exsater[192.1] cleymyth tytill in myn master plase, with the aportynancys in Sothewerk, and veryly had purposyd to have entrid; and his consayll wer with us, and spak with Wurseter and me. And now afterward they have sent us word that they wold meve my Lord to sue be menys of the lawe, &c. I have spoke with my Lord of Canterbury and Master Jon Stokys, and I fynd hem rythe will disposyd bothe, &c.

Item, to morow ar the nexst day ze schall have a noder letter, for be that tyme we schall know mor than we do now.

My Lord Chanceler wold that my master schuld be beryed wurchyply, and C. mark almes done for hym; but this day I schall holly know his enthent. Master Jon Stokys hathe the same consaythe and almes gevyng. Harry Fenyngley is not in this towne, ner the Lord Bechamp.

Item, we have gethe men of the speretuall law with haldyn with us, qwat casse some ever hap. We have Master Robert Kenthe, but in any wyse have all the good ther to gedyr, and tary for no lettyng, thow ze schuld do it be day a lythe [_daylight_] opynly, for it is myn Lord Chanceler ffull in thenthe that ze schuld do so.

As for Wyllyam Worceter, he trustythe veryly ze wold do for hym and for his avaylle, in reson; and I dowthe nott and he may veryly and feythefully understand zow so disposyd to hym ward, ze schall fynd hym feythefull to zow in leke wysse. I understand by hym he will never have oder master butt his old master; and to myn consaythe it were pete butt iff he schull stand in suche casse be myn master that he schuld never nede servyce, conserying [_considering_] how myn master trustyd hym, and the long zers that he hathe be with hym in, and many schrew jornay for his sake, &c.

I wrythe zow no mor, be cawse ze schall [have] a noder letter wretyn to morow. Wretyn at Lundon the xij. day of Novembr, in hast, be

WILLYAM PASTON.

[Footnote 191.2: [From Fenn, iii. 352.] This letter gives an
account of the steps taken by William Paston in behalf of his
brother, who was Sir John Fastolf’s principal executor, to
secure the goods of the deceased knight immediately after his
death.]

[Footnote 191.3: William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

[Footnote 191.4: _See_ vol. ii. p. 16, Note 1.]

[Footnote 191.5: The left-hand copy in Fenn reads ‘brod,’ which
seems to be a misprint.]

[Footnote 191.6: James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond.
Beheaded in 1461.--F.]

[Footnote 191.7: Richard Southwell.]

[Footnote 192.1: Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter.]

[[WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[191.2] _footnote tag missing_]]

392

SIR JOHN FASTOLF AND JOHN PASTON[193.1]

[Sidenote: 1459 / NOV. 26]

Memorandum, that I Robert Fytzrawff, Esquyer, recorde that I, beyng in my Master Fastolff chambre, lenyng upon the gret bedde, at suche tyme as John Paston, Esquyer, Master John Brackeley, Master Clement Felmyngham, weere in comonycacion with my seid master of dyvers gret maters towchyng his will, and serten appoyntmentes a twyx my seid master and the seid John Paston, in the weke next be ffor my seid master dissesid, I hard my seid master and the seid John Paston appoynte and conclude that the seid John Paston shulde take upon hym the rwle of my masters howsold and of all his lyflod in Norffolk and Suffolk duryng his lyve; and aftir his dissese the seid John Paston shulde do ffounde a colage at Caster of vij. monkes or prestis, and pay iiij. m^l. mark of money be yeres to my seid masteres executoris, at eche payment viij^c. marke, till the seid som wer paid; and that the seid John Paston shulde have all the lyvelode that was my seid masters in Norffolk and Suffolk to hym and to his heyres in fee. And aftir this seid mater rehersed my seid master seide these wordes, ‘Cosyne, I pray you and requere you, lete this be settled in all hast withowte tarying, for this is my very last wille.’ Also be it knowe to all men that I had knowlege of this bargayne dyverse tymes halfe-yere past, and how my seid Master Fastolff and the seid John Paston wer nye at a conclucion of the seid maters a quarter of a yere be fore this last bargayne was made.

Wrete at Caster the xxvj. day of Novembre the xxxviij. yere of Kyng Herry the Sexte. In witnesse wherof, I have syngnyd this bull with myn own hand and sette to my seale.

ROBT. FETZRAWFF.

[Footnote 193.1: [From a Bodl. MS.]]

393

BISHOP WAYNFLETE’S ADVICE[194.1]

Be it remembred that forasmoch as Sir John Fastolf late decesed, of grete affeccion, hath put me yn trust to be one of hys executors, and seth hyt ys desyryd me to know my disposicion hereynne, myne advyse is this, that fyrst an inventorie be made holye of hys godes and catell yn all places, and thayt they be leyd yn sure waard by your discrecions, tille the executors, or the moste part of tho that he put hys grete trust uppon, speke wyth me and make declaracion to me of hys laste wille, to the accomplyshment whereoff I wolle be speciall gode Lord.

Ferthymore, as touchyng hys buryeng and month ys mynde[194.2] kepyng, that it be don worshyplye, accordyng to hys degree and for the helth of hys soule, and that almesse be yeven yn mass seyng, and to pore peple to the some of a hundred mrcks tille that othyrwyse we speke to geder; and I can agree ryzt well that hys servaunts haf theyr rewardes be tymes accordyng to hys wylle, to th’entent that they may be better disposed and to pray for the wellfare of hys soule, takyng avyse of a lerned man yn spirituell lawe, for no charge of administracion till the executors com to ghedr, or the moste part that hys trust was most uppon, to tak the administracion.

W. WINTON.

[Footnote 194.1: [From Fenn, iii. 358.]]

[Footnote 194.2: A monthly celebration in memory of a deceased
person, when prayers were said and alms offered for the good of
his soul.]

394

ABSTRACT[194.3]

ROBERT SPANY OF POSSEWYKE TO THE WIFE OF JOHN PASTON, ESQUIRE

[Sidenote: Between 1459 and 1466]

Begs her influence with her husband and Sir T. Howes, executors of Sir J. Fastolf, for reparation of a wrong done by Sir John, who refused to ratify a purchase made by the writer from his surveyor, Sir John Kyrteling, of a place and lands in Tunstale, sometime called Wrightes of Smalbergh, without receiving 10 marks over what was bargained.

[This letter must have been written between the death of Fastolf in
1459 and that of Paston in 1466.]

[Footnote 194.3: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

395

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON[195.1]

_Carissimo suo magistro, Johanni Paston, armigero._

_Jesus, Maria, &c._

[Sidenote: 1459]

Ryte reverent mayster and most trusty frend in erthe, as lowly as I kan or may, I recomaunde me, &c. Syr, in feyth I was sore aferd that ze had a gret lettyng that ze come not on Wednysday to met, &c. Be myn feythe, and ze had be here, ze schuld haf had ryte good chere, &c., and hafe faryd ryte wele after zour pleser, &c., with more, &c.

Sir John Tatirshall is at one with Heydon, &c., and Lord Skalys hathe made a lofeday[195.2] with the prior and Heydon in alle materys except the matere of Snoryng, &c. And the seyd pryor spake maysterly to the jurrorys, &c., and told hem and [_i.e._ if] they had dred God and hurt of here sowlys, they wold haf some instruccyon of the one party as wele as of the other. But they were so bold they were not aferd, for they fownde no bonys to sey in her verdyte, as T. T.[196.1] and J. H.[196.2] wold, &c.

A lewde [_i.e._ illiterate] doctor of Ludgate prechid on Soneday fowrtenyte at Powlys, chargyng the peple that no man schuld preyen for these Lords traytorys,[196.3] &c.; and he had lytyl thank, as he was worthy, &c. And for hyse lewd demenyng his brethir arn had in the lesse favour at London, &c. Doctor Pynchebek and Doctor Westhawe, grete prechowrys and parsonys at London, bene now late made monkys of Charterows at Schene, one at the on place and an other at the other place, &c.

The Chaunceler[196.4] is not good to these Lords, &c., for he feryth the Erle of Marche wyl cleyme by inheritans the Erldam of Ha . . . . .[196.5] &c., of which mater I herd gret speche in Somercede schyre, &c. Wyndham, Heydon, Todynham, Blake, W. Chambirleyn, Wentworth, have late commyssyonys to take for tretorys and send to the next gayl all personys fawtorys and weelwyllerys to the seyd Lords, &c. Mayster Radclyff and ze haf none of commyssyonys directid to zow, &c., for ze bene holdyn favorabil, &c. Wyndham and Heydon bene namyd here causerys of the commyssyonys, &c.

On Moneday last at Crowmere was the ore and the bokys of regystre of the amrelte takyn a wey from my Lord Scalys men be a gret multitude of my Lord Rossys, &c. The Lord Skalys is to my Lord Prince,[196.6] &c., to wayte on hym, &c. He seyth, per Deum Sanctum, as we sey here, he schal be amrel or he schal ly there by, &c. Be my feyth, here is a coysy werd [_unsettled world_]. Walsham of Chauncery, that never made lesyng, told me that Bokkyng was with my Lord Chaunceler this terme, but I askyd not how many tymys, &c.

As I haf wrytyn to zow oftyn byfor this, _Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis_, quia de facto. T. T., J. H., et J. W. [_J. Wyndham_] cum ceteris Magistri Fastolf fallacibus famulis magnam gerunt ad vos invidiam, quod excelleritis eos in bonis, &c., Judas non dormit, &c. _Noli zelare facientes iniquitatem, quoniam tanquam fenum velociter arescent et quemadmodum olera herbarum cito per Dei gratiam decident._ Ideo sic in Psalmo: _Spera in Domino et fac bonitatem et pasceris in divitiis ejus et delectare in Domino, et dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui_.[197.1] Et aliter: _Jacta cogitatum tuum in Domino et ipse te enutriet_.[197.2] _Utinam_, inquit Apostolus, _abscindantur qui vos conturbant_,[197.3] &c. Et alibi: _Cavete vos a malis et importunis hominibus_.[197.4] Precor ergo Deum qui vos et me creavit et suo pretioso sanguine nos redemit, vos vestros et vestra gratiose conservet in prosperis et gratiosius dirigat in agendis.

Scriptum Walsham, feria quarta[197.5] in nocte cum magna festinatione, &c. Utinam iste mundus malignus transiret et concupiscentia ejus.

Vester ad vota promptissimus,

Frater J. BRACKLEY,

_Minorum minimus_.

[Footnote 195.1: [From Fenn, iii. 346.] This letter belongs to
the latter part of the year 1459. After the dispersion of the
Duke of York’s army near Ludlow in October of that year,
commissions were granted to various persons to arrest and punish
his adherents. Even as early as the 14th of October, Lord Rivers
and others were commissioned to seize their lands and goods in
different counties (see _Patent Roll_, 38 Hen. VI., p. 1, m. 12,
_in dorso_). But this letter, we are inclined to think, was
written about six or seven weeks later, for it will be seen by
the next that Bocking, who is here stated to have been with my
Lord Chancellor ‘this term,’ must have been in attendance on him
before the 7th December, and therefore, we may presume, during
Michaelmas term, which ended on the 28th November. It is,
however, difficult to judge, from the very slender allusion to
Sir John Fastolf, whether this letter was written before or
after the old knight’s death. Brackley here speaks of having
been quite recently in Somersetshire, which is not unlikely to
have been in the middle of October, when the Earls of March,
Warwick, and Salisbury withdrew into the West. Brackley, as will
be seen, was a great partisan of these Lords, and may very well
have accompanied them; but not long before Fastolf’s death he
appears to have been at Norwich.]

[Footnote 195.2: Love days were days appointed for the
settlement of disputes by arbitration.]

[Footnote 196.1: Sir Thomas Tuddenham.]

[Footnote 196.2: John Heydon.]

[Footnote 196.3: Meaning the Earls of March, Warwick, and
Salisbury.]

[Footnote 196.4: William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

[Footnote 196.5: The original letter is here defective.--F.]

[Footnote 196.6: Edward, Prince of Wales.]

[Footnote 197.1: Psalm xxxvi. (or xxxvii.) 1-4.]

[Footnote 197.2: Psalm liv. (or lv.) 22.]

[Footnote 197.3: Gal. v. 12.]

[Footnote 197.4: 2 Thess. iii. 2.]

[Footnote 197.5: ‘Feria quarta’ means Wednesday.]

396

JOHN BOCKING TO YELVERTON, PASTON, AND FILONGLEY[197.6]

_To my right worshipful maistris, William Yelverton, Justice, John Paston, and Herre Filongley, and to eche of them._

[Sidenote: 1459 / DEC. 7]

Right worshepful Sers, I recomaunde me to yow. And like it yow to wete, that my Lord Chaunceller[197.7] is right good and tendre Lord in all your materes, and soo wil contynue, and my Lord Tresorier[197.8] in like wise; which bothen have answerid Wyndham, not aldermoste to hise plesir, becaus of his noiseful langage, seyng [_saying_] how he myght have noo lawe, and that my Lord Chaunceller was not made executor but for meigntenaunce,[197.9] with many othir woordis noo thing profitable ner furtheryng his entents. As for ony particular materes, the parlament as yet abideth upon the grete materes of atteyndre and forfetur;[198.1] and soo there be many and diverse particuler billes put inne, but noon redde, ner touchyng us, as nygh as we can herken; to whiche Playter and I attenden daily, trustyng on my Lords aboveseid, my Lord Privy Seall,[198.2] and other good Lords, and many also of your acquayntance and owres, that and ony thing be, we shall sone have knowlege.

The Chief Justice[198.3] is right herty, and seith ful wel and kyndely of my maistr, whom Jesu for his mercy pardonne, and have yow in His blessid governaunce.

Writen at Coventre the morwne after Seint Nicholas.[198.4]

And as to money, I delyvered unto the Under-tresorier[198.5] a lettre from Maister Filongley, and I fonde hym right wele disposid to doo that may please yow in all our materes; and take noo money of hym as yette, for we have noo nede to spend ony sumes as yette, ner with Gods grace shall not have. I come to this town of Coventre suche day sevenyght as the parlement byganne; and as for suche things as I coude herken aftyr, I sende to William Worcetre a grete bille of tidings to shewe yow and all.

Yesterday in the mornyng come inne th’erle of Pembroke[198.6] with a good felechip; and the Duchesse of York[198.7] come yestereven late, as the bringer here of shall more pleinly declare yow, to whom ye like to gif credence. The Bushop of Excester[198.8] and the Lord Grey Ruthyn[198.9] have declarid them ful worshipfuly to the Kings grete plesir. Playter and I writen you a lettre by Norffolk, yoman for the Kyngs mouth.

Your

JOHN BOKKING.

_The following list of those of the Duke of York’s party who were attainted by Parliament was found by Fenn pinned to the above letter:_--

The Duc of York.
Therle of Marche.
Therle of Rutland.
Therle of Warrwyk.
Therle of Salusbury.
The Lord Powys.
The Lord Clynton.
The Countesse of Sarr.
Sir Thomas Nevyle.
Sir John Nevyle.
Sir Thomas Haryngton.
Sir Thomas o Parre.
Sir John Conyers.
Sir John Wenlok.
Sir William Oldhall.
Edward Bourghcier, sq.
A brother of his.
Thomas Vaughan.
Thomas Colte.
Thomas Clay.
John Denham.
Thomas Moryng.
John Oter.
Maistr Ric Fisher.
Hastyngs and other that as yet we can not know the names, &c.

As for the Lord Powys, he come inne, and hadde grace as for his lyf,
but as for hise gods the forfeture passid.

[Footnote 197.6: [From Fenn, i. 178.] This letter was written at
Coventry during the Parliament which sat there in 1459, when the
Duke of York and his adherents were attainted.]

[Footnote 197.7: William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

[Footnote 197.8: James, Earl of Wiltshire, was made Treasurer of
England on the 30th October 1458.--_Patent Roll_, 37 Hen. VI.,
p. 1, m. 21.]

[Footnote 197.9: _See_ vol. ii. p. 167, Note 3.]

[Footnote 198.1: Against the Duke of York and his adherents.]

[Footnote 198.2: Lawrence Booth.]

[Footnote 198.3: Sir John Fortescue.]

[Footnote 198.4: St. Nicholas’ Day is the 6th December.]

[Footnote 198.5: ‘Undertresouer’ in Fenn must, I think, be a
misprint.]

[Footnote 198.6: Jasper Tudor. --_See_ vol. ii. p. 298, Note 1.]

[Footnote 198.7: Cecily, daughter of Ralph Nevill, Earl of
Westmoreland.]

[Footnote 198.8: George Nevill, son of Richard, Earl of
Salisbury, brother of Richard, Earl of Warwick. He was
afterwards Archbishop of York.]

[Footnote 198.9: Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthin, afterwards created
Earl of Kent.]

397

SIR PHILIP WENTWORTH’S PETITION[199.1]

[Sidenote: 1459 / NOV. or DEC.]

Mekely besechith Phelip Wentworth, Knyght, that where the warde and mariage of Thomas, sone and heire of John Fastolf, late of Cowhaugh in the [county] of Suffolk, squyer, and of the lond of the same John, belonged to the Kyng of rigth, and among other by reason of the nonnage of the sayd heir, the maner of Bradwell in the said counte was sesed in to his handes by vertu of an enquest take a fore his Eschetour of the seid counte. The whiche offices[199.2] John Fastolf, Knyght, and other tented to traverse, and by that meane had the sayd maner to ferme, accordyng to the statute in that case made, and it was founden and jugement yoven for the Kyng in the said traverse by the labour of the said Phelipp, which, the xviij. day of Novembre, the yer of the regne of the Kyng the xxvj.,[200.1] bougth of Marmaduke Lampney, than Tresorer of Englond, the said ward and mariage for an C. marc, as it appereth in the Kynges receyte, be syde all other costes and charges that the said Phelipp hath don uppon the same, as weel in fyndyng of the Kyngges title of the said ward, as in the meyntenauns of all other sewtes dependyng uppon the same, to the costes of the said Sir Phelypp more than D. marc. And the said John Fastolf, Knyght, was adjuged in the Kynges eschequer to pay an C.ix_li._ xiij_s._ viij_d._ _ob._ for the issuez and profites which he had take of the londes of the same warde. And where the Kyngges lettres patentes be entred in the remembrauns on the Tresorer parte in the said eschequyer in this fourme:

Rex omnibus ad quos, &c., salutem. Sciatis quod per manucaptionem Thomæ West de London armigeri, et Willelmi Barker de Norwico gentilman, commisimus Johanni Paston armigero et Thomæ Howes clerico custodiam omnium terrarum et tenementorum cum pertinentiis quæ fuerunt Johannis Fastolf de Cowhaugh in com Suffolk armigeri die quo obiit et quæ per mortem ejusdem Johannis Fastolf ac ratione minoris ætatis Thomæ, filii et hæredis dicti Johannis Fastolf, ad manus nostras devenerunt et in manibus nostris ad huc existunt; habendam a tempore mortis præfati Johannis Fastolf usque ad plenam ætatem dicti hæredis, una cum maritagio ejusdem hæredis, absque disparagatione; et si de hærede illo humanitus contingat antequam ad plenam ætatem suam pervenerit, hærede illo infra ætatem existente non maritato, tunc dicti Johannes Paston et Thomas Howes habeant custodiam et maritagium hujusmodi hæredis, simul cum custodia omnium terrarum et tenementorum prædictorum; et sic de hærede in hæredem quousque aliquis hæres hæredum prædictorum ad plenam ætatem suam pervenerit: Reddendo nobis prout concordari poterit cum Thesaurario nostro Angliæ citra festum Paschæ proximo futuro, ac sustentando domos clausuras et ædificia, necnon supportando alia onera dictis terris et tenementis cum pertinentiis spectantia sive aliquo modo incumbentia quam diu custodiam habuerint supradictam, ac inveniendo dicto hæredi compententem sustentationem suam: Eo quod expressa mentio de vero valore annuo præmissorum in præsentibus minime facta existit, aut aliquo statuto, actu sive ordinacione in contrarium edito sive proviso non obstante. Proviso semper quod si aliquis alius plus dare voluerit de incremento per annum pro custodia et maritagio prædictis, quod tunc prædicti Johannes Paston et Thomas Howys tantum pro eisdem solvere teneantur si custodiam et maritagium habere voluerint supradictam. In cujus &c. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium vj^to die Junij anno H. vj^ti xxxij^{do}.

And after that an accorde is entred in the sayd Eschequer in thys forme:--_In Hillarii record’, anno xxxvj^to Regis H. vj^ti ex parte Remembr’ Thesaurarii:_

Et modo, xx. die Februarii hoc termino, prædicti Johannes Paston et Thomas Howys venerunt hic in propriis personis suis et optulerunt se ad concordandum cum Thesaurario Angliæ pro custodia omnium terrarum et tenementorum, una cum maritagio ejusdem hæredis. Et super hoc concordatum est inter Johannem Comitem Wigorniæ, Thesaurario Angliæ et præfatos Johannem Paston et Thomam Howys quod ipsi solvent domino Regi pro custodia omnium terrarum et tenementorum prædictorum, videlicet a tempore mortis præfati Johannis Fastolf usque ad plenam ætatem dicti hæredis ac maritagium ejusdem hæredis, decem marcas tantum; de quibus quidem x. marcis consideratum est per Barones quod prædicti Johannes Paston et Thomas Howys et manucaptores sui prædicti pro custodia et maritagio prædictis erga Regem onerentur prætextu Regis literarum patentium et concordiæ predictorum ac aliorum præmissorum.

So by the sayd lettres patentez and the sayd accorde the sayd John Paston and Thomas Howys schuld have the sayd C.ix_li._ xiij_s._ viij_d._ _ob._ and the sayd ward and mariage, the whiche is worthe CC_li._, for the sayd x. marc only. And also, for as moche as the sayd Tresorer recordeth in the Kyngges High Court of Parlement begonne at Westminster the ix. day of Jule the yer of the Kyngges noble regne xxxiij., that he made never no suche accord wyth the sayd John Paston and Thomas Howys of the sayd ward, the whiche mater is of record in the Kyngges chauncerye certefyed by the sayd Erle of Worceter, as weell as by other his lettres to dyvers persones directed, sealed with his signet, wretyn and signet with hys owen hand, as plenerly dooth appere: Where for plese it your gret wysdams, the premisses considered, to pray the Kyng oure soverayn Lord, that, by the advys and assent of his Lordes spirituelx and temperelx, and by you hys comunes in the present parlement assembled, stablysshed and inacted that the sayd entre of accord and jugement theruppon be anulled and of non effect. And the sayd Phelyppe schall pray to God for you, &c.

[Footnote 199.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This petition was
presented to the Parliament which sat at Coventry in 1459, and
received the Royal assent. It has already been printed in the
_Rolls of Parl._, v. 371.]

[Footnote 199.2: An inquisition taken before an escheator, by
virtue of his office, was frequently called an office.]

[Footnote 200.1: A.D. 1447.]

[[was adjuged in the Kynges eschequer to pay an C.ix_li._ xiij_s._
viij_d._
_period (full stop) after _li._ invisible_]]

398

ABSTRACT[202.1]

G. SPERLYNG TO JOHN PASTON

[Sidenote: 1460 / JAN. 6]

Paston was misinformed as to what Sperlyng said of his late master’s[202.2] will. What he said was that about Hallowmas was twelvemonth he was about eight weeks with his said master, who one day examined him about the conveyance of his lands, and said there was no man of worship in Norfolk had so many auditors as he, yet he could never get the certainty how his livelode was disposed; but he had found a means to be quiet, ‘whereof,’ he said, ‘I am as glad as a man had geve me 1000 mark,’ by granting his cousin Paston all his livelode in Norfolk and Suffolk, on condition he should amortise sufficient lands to maintain a master and six secular priests at Castre. Paston was to take the risk of any counter claim and trouble hereafter, etc.

Norwich, Epiphany Day.

[The date of this letter must be 1460, as it is after Fastolf’s
death, and speaks of a conversation the writer had with him about
the management of his lands a twelvemonth before Hallowmas preceding
the date of the letter. At Hallowmas 1459 Sir John was dying, and
quite unable to support any conversation for want of breath, so that
the reference must be to Hallowmas 1458.]

[Footnote 202.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.]]

[Footnote 202.2: Sir John Fastolf.]

399

WILLIAM BOTONER TO JOHN BERNEY[203.1]

_To the ryght worshypfull Sir, John Berneye, Scuier, at Castre beyng._

[Sidenote: 1460 / JAN.]

Ryght wohypfull Sir, I recommaund me to yow.[203.2] . . . . . . . As for tydyngs here, I sende som of hend wreten to you and othyrs how the Lord Ryvers,[203.3] Sir Antonye, hys son, and othyrs hafe wonne Calix[203.4] be a feble assault made at Sandwich by Denham,[203.5] Squyer, with the nombre of viij^c. men, on Twyesday betwene iiij. and v. at cloks yn the mornyng. But my Lady Duchesse[203.6] ys stille ayen receved yn Kent. The Duke of York ys at Debylyn [_Dublin_], strengthed with hys Erles and homagers, as ye shall see by a bille. God sende the Kyng victorie of hys ennemyes, and rest and pease among hys Lordes.

I am rygt gretly hevyed for my pore wyfe, for the sorow she takyth, and most leefe hyr and hyr contree. Y shall nothing take from hyr more then a litell spendyng money, tille better may bee. And the Blessed Trinite kepe and sende you helth.

Wret at London hastly, the Monday after I departed from you, 1459, x.

Your,

W. BOTONER, called WYRCESTER.

[Footnote 203.1: [From Fenn, i. 182.] The date of this letter is
ascertained partly by the reference in the suppressed passage to
Sir John Fastolf’s interment, and partly by the allusion to the
capture of Rivers and his son by John Denham. Compare the letter
following.]

[Footnote 203.2: ‘Here,’ says Fenn, ‘follow complaints against
Frere Brakle, etc., concerning Sir John Fastolf’s interment,
affairs, etc.’]

[Footnote 203.3: Richard Widville, Lord Rivers, afterwards
created an Earl by King Edward IV., who married his daughter
Elizabeth.]

[Footnote 203.4: This must be a sneer. The truth, as recorded by
Botoner himself in his annals, was that John Denham and others
secretly sailed from Calais, and surprised Sandwich, where they
took Lord Rivers and his son Anthony prisoners, and carried them
back to Calais.]

[Footnote 203.5: John Denham or Dynham, afterwards Lord Dynham.]

[Footnote 203.6: Cecily, Duchess of York.]

[[Ryght wohypfull Sir _text unchanged: error for “worshypfull”?_]]

400

WILLIAM PASTON TO JOHN PASTON[204.1]

_To his right worshipfull brother, John Paston, be this lettre delyvered._

[Sidenote: 1460 / JAN. 28]

After dewe recomendacion had, please you to wete that we cam to London uppon the Tewysday by none, nexst aftr our departour fro Norwich, and sent our men to inquyre after my Lord Chaunceler,[204.2] and Maister John Stokys, and Malmesbury.

And as for my Lord Chaunceler, he was departed fro London, and was redyn to the Kyng ij. dayes er we were come to London; and as we understand he hasted hym to the Kyng by cause of my Lord Ryvers[204.3] takyng at Sandwyche, &c.[204.4] . . . . . . . .

As for tydyngs, my Lord Ryvers was brougth to Caleys, and by for the Lords with viij^xx. [_eight score_] torches, and there my Lord of Salesbury reheted [_rated_] hym, callyng hym knaves son, that he schuld be so rude to calle hym and these other Lords traytors, for they schall be found the Kyngs treue liege men, whan he schuld be found a traytour, &c. And my Lord of Warrewyk rehetyd hym, and seyd that his fader was but a squyer, and broute up with Kyng Herry the V^te, and sethen hymself made by maryage, and also made Lord, and that it was not his parte to have swyche langage of Lords, beyng of the Kyngs blood. And my Lord of Marche reheted hym in lyke wyse. And Sir Antony[204.5] was reheted for his langage of all iij. Lords in lyke wyse.

Item, the Kyng cometh to London ward, and, as it is seyd, rereth the pepyll as he come; but it is certayn ther be comyssyons made in to dyvers schyres that every man be redy in his best aray to com whan the Kyng send for hem.

Item, my Lord Roos is com fro Gynes.

No more, but we pray to Jesu have you in his most mercyfull kepyng. Amen.

Wretyn at London, the Munday next after Seynt Powle day.[205.1]

Yowr broder,

WILLIAM PASTON.

[Footnote 204.1: [From Fenn, i. 186.] This letter, like the
last, refers to the capture of Lord Rivers and his son at
Sandwich, an incident dated by William Worcester in his annals
shortly after the Christmas of 1459, which probably means just
after the New Year.]

[Footnote 204.2: William de Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester.]

[Footnote 204.3: _See_ p. 203, Note 3.]

[Footnote 204.4: ‘Then follows,’ says Fenn, ‘a long account of
private business, which is here omitted.’]

[Footnote 204.5: Sir Anthony Widville, afterwards Lord Scales
and Earl Rivers.]

[Footnote 205.1: The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is on
the 25th of January.]

401

WILLIAM BOTONER TO ----[205.2]

[Sidenote: 1460 / FEB. 7]

A very frende at nede experience will schewe be deede, as wele as be autorite of Aristotle in the Etiques that he made of moralite. Also by the famous Reamayn Tullius in his litell booke _De Amicicia_; thangyng you for olde contynued frendschip stidffastely grounded, as I wele [_qu._ feel?] be your letter of a goode disposicion made, as it appereth. Where as it schewith to the understandyng of suche as you write uppon that I schulde, be crafty councell of some men sodenly have departed in to these parties, &c., and that I straunched me from sertein persones to moche, &c.; as for the furste, it schalbe to openly knowe that I departed not hedre be councell of suche persons as they ymagyne, for in trowthe no creature levyng, when I departed from Norwich, knewe of it, saffe one that hath and evermore schal be next of my knowlege in viagis makyng, alle be it I will not alwey disclose the cause. I herde sey sith I come to London theye weche ye dempte to be of my councell thanne where at Wolsyngham or Thepala (?) when I departed. I have wrete the cauce to hym that of nature schulde be my beste frende, that for as much I had labored as weele as W. Paston do my maister frendes, chevised, and leyd money content out of his purse to the some of C_li._, and more for cloothe and other thynges for my seide maister entencion, promyttyng payment be fore Cristemesse, or right soone aftir, or to be at London, and acquytyng me that I put me my dever. And be cause my maister attorneys in that parties toke not to herte to make the payementes here so hastely as they ded there, I had no comffortable answere of spedyng the seid paymentes here. And also I was not put in truste a mong the seid attorneys there to yeve on peny for my maister sowle, but I paid it of myn owne purse befoore; nother in trust ne favour to geve an almesse gowne, but that I praid for it as a straunger schulde doo, alle be it myn autorite is as grete as theris, and rather more as I tolde you. And also my Lorde of Canturebury and Maister John Stookes, his juge, had geve autorite to ministre to a certein somme till the testament were proved. And these preseidents consedred wolde discorage any man to a bide but a litel amonges hem that so straunged hem self from me and mistrusted me, be thut any cauce ye knowe wele how that my maister man servauntes were put in gretter truste and familiarite to handell, geve, and telle out of the bagghes my maister money bothe at Seint Benetts and in Norwich in divers places by grete summes and litell. And ye as other my maister servauntes and I that helped gete my maister goode and brynge it togedre were straunged, and as it semyd by there demenyng mistrusted to oure grete vilanye and rebuke, wheche muste be answerd the causes why, and we declared [i.e. _exculpated_], and so shal I make it for my pore person, and for my maister sowle heele. It is not soilied (?) knowen that I was one of the cheeffe that kepte bothe my Maister Paston and myn oncle[206.1] in my maister favour and truste, and if I wolde have labored the contrary, by my sowle--that is the grettest othe that I may swere of my silff--they had never be nygh my maister in that case they stonde nowe. And if they woll labour to damage or hendre me, all the worlde woll mysreporte of hem and litel truste hem, nowther they schal not have wurschip nor profight bi it. I wolde be to them as lowyng and as wele willyng as I gan, so I fynde cause, and other I wolnot be to my fadre, and he weere a liffe. I requere you a[n]swere for me as I wolde and have do for you whan som of hem have seid ful nakedly of you, and suche as ye deeme hafe mysereported causeles of me, I pray you that they see my letter as weele as my frendes. My maister also (God yelded is sowle) graunted to me a liffelode accordyng to my degre, that I, my wiffe, and my childre, schulde have cause to prey for hym. My wiffes uncle[207.1] was present in his chapell at Castre as wele as my wiffe, and comaunded her oncle to chese the londe. This is trowthe be the blissed Sacrament that I receyved at Pasch [_i.e._ Easter]. And because I demaunded my right and dwte of my Maister Paston, he is not plesed. I have lost more thanne x. mark worthe londe in my maister servyce, by God, and not [_unless_] I be releved, alle the worlde schal knowe it elles that I have to gret wrong. Wolde God I kowde plese bothe Maister Paston and my oncle in reson, who preserve you.

Wrete hastely the vij. day of Feveryere.

Your,

W. BOTONER, _dit_ Wurcester.

[Footnote 205.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The MS. of this letter
is not an original, but a copy in the handwriting of John
Paston. It appears to be written on the cover of a letter from
his wife, addressed on the back, ‘To my ryght wurschipfull
husbond, John Paston, be this delyvered in haste.’ The date must
be 1460, as it is clearly not long after the death of Sir John
Fastolf; and as the writer speaks of having recently left
Norwich, it was probably not many days or weeks after No. 399.]

[Footnote 206.1: Botoner’s wife, whose Christian name was
Margaret, was a niece of Thomas Howes, parson of Blofield. He
therefore calls Howes his uncle.]

[Footnote 207.1: _See_ Note on last page.]

402

W. LOMNER TO JOHN PASTON[208.1]

_To the right worchipfull and reverent and myn good mayster Paston, Squyere, be this taken._

[Sidenote: 1460 / APRIL 6]

My ryght worchipfull mayster, I recomaunde me to yow, besechyng yow to hold me excusyd that I awaytyd noon otherwyse opon yow and my mastras at my comyng from Norwich; for yn good feyth I was soo seke that I hadde moche labour to come home, and sythen that tyme I have hadde my parte, &c. And, Sere, as for Berney, he begynnyth to falle ought of the popell conceyte faster than ever he fell yn, for serteyn causez, &c. I shalle telle yow yn haste. But, Sere, blyssyd be God, as for yow, your love yncresith amonge hem, and so I prey God it mot, for and I herde the contrarie, ye shuld sone have wetyng. The under-shrefe dotht Mortoft favour, and lete hym goo yn Norwich as hym lyst, and al the contre abought me sey right evyll of hym for a mayntenor of the Kynges enime; for there ben an C. [_hundred_] purposid to ride to the Kyng for hym, and he come neer this contre, for they sey thow he hadde never doo with his handes he hath seid a now to die. I have warend the under-shreffe ther of, &c. Sere, forther, I am yn bildyng of a pore hous. I truste God that ye shulle take your loggyng ther yn here after whan ye come to your lordshippis on tho partes. And I durste be soo bolde on your maystershep to aske of yow xij. copill of oken sparris, I wold hertilly prey yow not to have them, but ther they may be for bore beste, and that is at a yard of yourz yn Saxthorpe, callid Barkerz. I have eshe but noon oke, but litell now comyth the fellyng ther of, &c. And me semyth ye myght take mony for wood ther that stant and seryth and doth no good but harme, and with yn fewe yeres ye shulnot wete where it is become, &c. Also ther be serteyn materz betwyn soom of your tenuantez and me. I abide your comyng and doo not [_naught ?_] at the reverens of yow; they be knowelle yn the contre. And God have yow yn his kepyng.

Wretyn on Palme Sunday.

Be your servaunt,

W. LOMNER.

[Footnote 208.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this
letter must be after the death of Sir John Fastolf, and before
John Paston had gone to take possession of his lands in Norfolk.
Saxthorpe was one of Fastolf’s manors which so came to him. The
year may therefore be presumed to be 1460.]

403

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO [WILLIAM PASTON][209.1]

[Sidenote: 1460 / [before Easter]]

Jesu mercy, Marie help, cum Sanctis omnibus, trewe menyng executorys ffro fals terrauntes and alle tribulacyonys. Amen. Ryte reverent Sire, &c., W. Y.[209.2] Judex and hise wyf were here with here meny and here hors in our ladyes place, &c. on Saterday at evyn, and yedyn hens on Monday after none, whan summe had drunkyn malvyseye and tyre,[209.3] &c. And I prechid on the Sonday byfore hem, not warnyd tyl after mete. And than for lak of M. Vergeant, or our wardeyn Barnard, I sodeynly seyd the sermon. And byfore I had ryte ovyr and soleyn chere of hem bothe, &c.; but after the sermon he seyd opely to the prior, heryng myche folk in the chirch, ‘I haf herd hym oftyn here and ellys where, but [this][209.4] is the best that ever I herd hym sey,’ &c., and at evyn drank to me, and made me good chere, half on the splene, &c.

But on Moneday, whan he had ny etyn and drunkyn a now, he gan to rollyn hym in hise relatyvis, and we eldyd hym, as many men thowtyn, ryte ongayly in hise gere, &c.; hise wyf begynnyng the communicacyon with rite a sootyr (?) chere. And he heeld on so sore he cowd not cese, &c. tyl he went to his hors, &c. And the pryor demenyd hym gentylly in hise talkyng. And there was not forgetyn non unkyndnesse of my Mayster J. P., zour brother, of sleyn [_slaying_] of hise man Wormegey, and of mariage of hise dowghtyr, whiche now schal solempnely be maryed to Conerys,[210.1] a knytes sone, &c. And now last at Seynt Benettes, where he so worschipful a justise and as kunnyng in lawe as ever was zour fadyr, &c. as alle men knowyn, &c. And zour brother J. P. brokyn owt be occasyon of zour langage, and takyn wytnesse of Malmysbury, a man of my Lord of Caunterbury, whiche hath spokyn with the seyd justise the last terme in Westmyster Halle. And there he seyd more tymes than one, ‘Sire, this the fyrst tyme that ever I spake with zour Lordschip, &c.’ And sythe after ze weryn at Seynt Benettys forseyd, ze komyn not gentylly but ryte malicyously disposid to myn Lady Felbrygg, and dede your devoyr to haf put hym out of hir conceyt, and it wolde not be, &c. And what vyolens my Mayster J. P., germanus vester, dede to W. Wayt,[210.2] &c. up on hise owne grownd at Musshold, &c. And after al these materys, bare me on hand[210.3] that I had seyd to on of the worthiest of the schyre that the seyd justise be gan the brekyng at Seynt Benettes; for I suppose I seyd thus to my Lord Fyz Water, _alias_ my Mayster Radclyff, to whos in I went to, and zaf hym a potel of swete wyne, he demaundyng me of that brekyng, &c., as I remembre me, and suppose I seyd, ‘W. Y., justise, began to myn knowlache and understondyng.’ Whan he seyd so fumowsly, ‘Who so ever sey that of me, he lyeth falsly in hise hede, &c.’ And my Mayster Radclyff rode forthe with owt of towne to Dokkyng and Brumham, and with hym rode W. Y., sone to the justise. And yf the seyd Radclyff teld this to W. Y., I wote never. And yf he dede I merveyle sore. But and al go to al, as is like to go, I may not sey nay, but I trow I seyd so. Radclyf and ze bene grete frendes. I wold ze wold lat hym knowe the trowth, &c.

This mater mevyd the justisis wyf, and than he be gan hise mater more boldly, seying to me be fore the pryour and miche pepyl, that it was told hym the same day that I seyd, as for the brekyng, the justise began. ‘Forsothe’ seyd I, ‘whan I came into the chambre there, the fyrst word I hard was this, that ze seyd to my mayster J. P., “Who that ever seyth so, I sey he lyeth falsly in hise hede,” &c.’ ‘Ya,’ quod the justise, ‘ze schuld haf told what mevyd me to sey so to hym.’ And I seyd I cowde not tellyn that I not herd, &c. Et Judex-- ‘Ze schuld haf examyned the mater,’ &c. And I seyd, ‘Sire, it longyd not to me to examyne the mater, for I knew wele I schuld not be juge in the mater, and alonly to a juge it longyth to sene and stodyen illam Sacræ Scripturæ clausulam, whiche holy Job seyd, _Causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam_.’

And than, ‘No,’ seyth he hardyly, ‘ze schal not be juge, but yf ze had owt me as good wil as ze dede and do to Paston, ze wold than have sergyd the cause of my gret greef, why I seyd as I seyd, &c. But I haf sey the day, ze lovyd me beter than hym, for he yaf zow never cause of love as I haf done,’ &c. ‘Sire,’ I sey, ‘he hath yovyn me cause swyche as I am behold to hym for,’ &c. ‘Ya,’ seyth he, ‘ze schal bere wytnesse, &c., and the other Mayster Clement and W. Schipdham.’ Cui ego-- ‘As for the wytnesse I schal bere, I schal say and writyn as I knowe,’ &c. Cui ille-- ’I made hise testament,[211.1] and I knowe,’ &c. Cui ego-- ‘I saw nevir testament of your makyng; and as for on testament that he made, and I knowe bothe the writer and maker, after hise wyl and intent, ze stonde stille there in as ze dede than,’ &c. Et tunc gavisus est, &c. Et ille-- ‘I knowe ze haf a gret hert, &c., but I ensure zow, the Lordes above at London arn infoormyd of zow, and they schal delyn with zow wele anow.’ Cui ego-- ‘He or they that hafe infoormyd the Lordes wele of me, I am behold to hem; and yf they be otherwyse infoormyd, I schal do as wele as I may. But be myn trowthe I schal not be aferd to sey as I knowe for none Lord of this lond, if I may go saf and come, quod non credo, per Deum, propter evidencias multas,’ &c. Tunc prior-- ‘Domine, non expedit nec rationi seu veræ conscientiæ congruit, quod vos contendatis cum Magistro Paston, vel ipse vobiscum, pro bonis defuncti, quæ solum sua et non vestra sunt. Miror valde,’ inquit, ‘cum prioribus temporibus tam magni fuistis amici, et non sic modo, quare valde doleo.’ Cui Judex-- ‘There is no man besy to bryng us to gyder, &c., so that I kan wele thynk it were lytil maysteri.’ But in feyth I knowe wele the Juge, W. Wayte his mawment [_i.e._ puppet], hise boy Yimmys, with here hevedy and fumows langage, have and dayly do uttyr lewd and schrewd dalyauns, &c.

I sent zow bode of dyvers thinges be M. Roger Palle, and I haf no answer, &c. I schuld go to Castre, and a man of my Lordes Norfolk told here he came fro London, and there he had commonly voysid that the Duke of Norfolk schuld be the Kynges comaundement kepe hise Esterne at Castre for safe gard of the cuntre ayens Warwyk and other swich of the Kinges enmyes whiche may lytely be lyklynesse aryve at Waxham, &c. My mayster zour brother, J. P., ne ye, ne M. T. Howys, ne I may not esily be brokyd in the Jugys conscyens, &c. Sir Jon Tatirshales man spake with yow at London, and than ye seyd to hym to hafe comyn in your owne persone to our Lady or this tyme, whiche was cause of myn abidyng here, &c. I schal, be the grace of Jesu, be at Castre on Soneday next, &c. W. W., J. B., junior, Colinus Gallicus, et T. Upton multum, ut suppono, fuerunt assidui ad informationem malam dandam dominis diversis hujus regni contra vestrum germanum J. P., M. T. Howes, me, etc.; sed confido in vobis quod vos confiditis in Christo Jesu et Sanctis omnibus, qui vos vestros et vestra dirigat in agendis. Recommendetis me, si placeat, Magistro meo Johanni P., uxori, et matri, cum filiis suis nepotibus vestris, et Thomae Playtere vestro dilecto amico. Et quare vobis jam scribo et non vestro germane J. P. alias scietis, etc.

Vester orator continuus,

F. J. B., Minorum minimus.

[Footnote 209.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] From what is said of
the expectation of a descent of Warwick upon the coast, it
appears that this letter was written in the spring of 1460.]

[Footnote 209.2: William Yelverton.]

[Footnote 209.3: Tier; a bitter drink or liquor.--Halliwell.]

[Footnote 209.4: Omission in MS.]

[Footnote 210.1: John, son of Sir Robert Conyers, knight,
married Eleanor, daughter of William Yelverton, Justice of the
King’s Bench.--Blomefield, i. 483.]

[Footnote 210.2: Judge Yelverton’s clerk, the writer of No. 142.
_See_ vol. ii. p. 174, Note 3.]

[Footnote 210.3: _See_ vol. ii. p. 110, Note 1.]

[Footnote 211.1: This seems to refer to the will of Sir John
Fastolf, though he is not named.]

404

FRIAR BRACKLEY TO JOHN PASTON[213.1]

[Sidenote: 1460]

Jhesus Maria, &c.,--Reverende domine et præ omnibus mortalibus amantissime. Super omnia omnino oblivioni non tradenda faciatis ut W. P.[213.2] germanus cum sua ac vestra prudenti industria sagaciter et secrete informet H. Fylongley de W. W.[213.3] Hibernico ac Colino Gallico, qui suo malicioso proposito confederati sunt, adversusque dominum et magistrum suum militem defunctum et executores ejus ad dampnificandos eos et bona defuncti per ostensionem literarum secretarum olim dicto militi missarum, ex confidentia speciali, sicut solito more amicus amico solet scribere. Si hæc enim proditoria condicio esset insinuata per H. Fylongley vel per me, forsan Domino Comite Wilschirie, idem fallax et deceptorius Colinus Gallicus non esset cum dicto comite tam magnus et intimus cum dicto domino, sicut credit se esse unum de suis secretioribus, vel cum Regina per laborem sui germani ad magistrum Ormond ut ipsum faciat introduci ad favorem et servicium Reginæ. Si habueritis amicos circa Reginam, cito poteritis Colinum frustrare suo a proposito. Si W. P. vester germanus posset per subtilia media adquirere et adquiri facere casketum C. Gallici ac casketum W. W. Hibernici, audiretis et videretis aliqua non laude sed fraude plena, &c. Mitte sapientem et nihil ei dicas, &c. Prudenti viro pauca scribenda pro presenti propono quia scio vos ex paucis plura colligere et ex præambulo plura concludere. Item, propheta clamat, ‘Nolite confidere in verbum mendacii,’[213.4] &c., et secundum eundem prophetam, ‘Non est confidendum super baculum arundineum confractum,’[213.5] &c., et est commune et vulgare dictum: ‘A man schuld not trusty on a broke swerd, ne on a fool, ne on a chyld, ne on a dobyl man, ne on a drunke man,’ &c., thow that he were an amewse and a notarye be W. W. Hibernicus he schal knowe al, and be hym Colyn and Spirlyng the same knowe schal, &c., Hoc ideo dicite W. P., Cavete, &c., quia, Deo teste, bona fide et conscia non ficta, hæc suprascripta sunt in toto vera, &c. Feria secunda ad minus in prandio vos videbo, &c. Scriptum festinissime infra quarterium horæ, præsentis latore nimis sponsalium causa festinante. Recommendo vos vestros et vestra Deo.

vester totus prius notus,

Frater J. B. Minorum minimus.

[Footnote 213.1: [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 161.] This letter is
evidently holograph. The date might be at the very end of the
year 1459, after the death of Fastolf and after the attainder of
the Yorkists at Coventry; but is more probably in the early part
of 1460, between January and May. Indeed, though the language is
mysterious, its substance is probably not unconnected with that
of the preceding letter.]

[Footnote 213.2: William Paston, son of the judge.]

[Footnote 213.3: The initials ‘W. W.’ suggest the name of
William Worcester; but he was not an Irishman, and before this
letter was discovered he was believed to be Brackley’s ‘Colinus
Gallicus,’ who, however, is here mentioned as a different
person.]

[Footnote 213.4: Jerem. vii. 4.]

[Footnote 213.5: Referring apparently to Isaiah xxxvi. 6--not
‘the same prophet.’]

405

ANONYMOUS TO H. B. OF LINCOLN[214.1]

_To my good Maister, H. B. of Lincoln._

[Sidenote: 1460 / APRIL 9]