Archbishop Bourchier to Sir John Fastolf

LETTER XXIX.

To the right worshipfull and my right entierly welbeloved S^r.
John ¹ Fastolf knight.

RIGHT worshipful and my right entierly welbeloved I
     grete you right hertly wele. Thanking you sp’ialy and in
full herty wise for the verray geantle goodnesse that ye have
shewid unto me at all tymes prayng you of good cōtynuance.

   And as touching suche matiers as ye sente unto me fore I
truste to God verraly insomuche as the ² Rule is amendid heer
and the wedder waxeth seesonable and pleasante to see you in
thise p’ties within short tyme, at whiche tyme I shal cōmune
and demeene unto you in suche wise, that ye shal be right
wele pleasid.

     And as for the matier cōc^rnyng my Lord of ³ Bedford, thinketh
nat contrarye but that ye shal finde me hertly welwillid to doo
that I can or may for yaccomplesshm^t of youre desire as wel
in that matier as in other like as your s^tvaunte John Bokking
berer hereof can clierlier reporte unto you on my behalve,
to whom like hit you to yeve feith and credence in this p’tie,
And the blissid Trinitee have you ev^rlastingly in his keping.

     Written in my Manoir of Lamehith the xxvj daie of
March.

                                                   Your feithfull and trew,

                                                      Th. Cant.

 11 ¾ by 5 ¾

Lambeth,
      27th of March.
     Between 1454, and 1459, 33 and 37 H. VI.

  This Letter is written by the Secretary, and concluded and subscribed by the hand of
that great Prelate, Cardinal, and Lord Chancellor, Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of
Canterbury; who is recorded to have been a principal means of introducing the Art of
Printing into England. He was elected Archbishop in 1454, 32 H. VI. was a man of
confiderable Learning, and died in 1486, 2 H. VII. at an advanced age. Pl. I. N^o 9.

     It is a private Letter, records no particularly memorable Event, but is a good specimen
of the epistolary style of writing, and of the mode of spelling, at the period when it was
written; which must have been between 1454 and 1459; as in the former year the
Writer became Archbishop, and in the latter Sir John Fastolf died.

     ¹ Sir John Fastolf, was a valiant Soldier in the wars in France; he built a noble Mansion
at Caister, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, wherein he lived in great state and magnificence,
and departed this life on the 6th of November, 1459, aged above 80 years.

² This seems to apply to some change in the Administration.

     ³ There was no Duke of Bedford between 1435 and 1470. This must therefore
relate to some matter which had formerly passed between Sir John Fastolf, and John
Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, who died in 1435; perhaps it
related to the Ransom of the Duke of Alençon. Sir John served long under him in
France.

LETTER XXIX.

To the right worshipful, and my rigbt entirely well beloved Sir
John ¹ Fastolf, Knight.

RIGHT worshipful, and my right entirely well beloved, I
greet you right heartily well; Thanking you specially,
and in full hearty wise, for the very gentle goodness that ye
shewed unto me at all times, praying you of good continuance.

 And as touching such matters as ye sent unto me for, I trust
to God verily, insomuch as the ² Rule is amended here, and
the weather waxeth seasonable and pleasant, to see you in these
parts within short time; at which time I shall commune and
demean unto you (act towards you) in such wise, that ye shall be
right well pleased.

     And as for the matter concerning my Lord of ³ Bedford,
thinketh not contrary, but that ye shall find me heartily well
willed, to do that I can or may for the accomplishment of your
desire, as well in that matter as in other like, as your Servant
John Bokking, Bearer hereof can clearlier report unto you
on my behalf, to whom like it you to give faith and credence
in this part; and the Blessed Trinity have you everlastingly in
his keeping.

     Written in my Manor of Lamehith (Lambeth) the 27th day
of March.

                                                     Your faithful and true,

                                                                    THOMAS CANT.

 11 ¾ by 5 ¾

Lambeth,
      27th of March.
     Between 1454, and 1459, 33 and 37 H. VI.

  This Letter is written by the Secretary, and concluded and subscribed by the hand of
that great Prelate, Cardinal, and Lord Chancellor, Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of
Canterbury; who is recorded to have been a principal means of introducing the Art of
Printing into England. He was elected Archbishop in 1454, 32 H. VI. was a man of
confiderable Learning, and died in 1486, 2 H. VII. at an advanced age. Pl. I. N^o 9.

     It is a private Letter, records no particularly memorable Event, but is a good specimen

of the epistolary style of writing, and of the mode of spelling, at the period when it was
written; which must have been between 1454 and 1459; as in the former year the
Writer became Archbishop, and in the latter Sir John Fastolf died.

     ¹ Sir John Fastolf, was a valiant Soldier in the wars in France; he built a noble Mansion
at Caister, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, wherein he lived in great state and magnificence,
and departed this life on the 6th of November, 1459, aged above 80 years.

² This seems to apply to some change in the Administration.

     ³ There was no Duke of Bedford between 1435 and 1470. This must therefore
relate to some matter which had formerly passed between Sir John Fastolf, and John

Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, who died in 1435; perhaps it
related to the Ransom of the Duke of Alençon. Sir John served long under him in
France.

326

ARCHBISHOP BOURCHIER TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF¹

To the right worshipfull, and my right entierly
welbeloved Sir John Fastolf, Knight.

   RIGHT worshipful, and my right entierly welbeloved, I
     grete you right hertly wele, thanking you specialy,
     and in full herty wise, for the verray geantle good-
nesse that ye have shewid unto me at all tymes, praying you
of good contynuance.

     And as touching suche matiers as ye sente unto me fore, I
truste to God verraly, insomuche as the rule is amendid heer,
and the wedder waxeth seesonable and pleasante, to see you in
thise parties within short tyme, at whiche tyme I shal com-
mune and demeene unto you in suche wise, that ye shal be
right wele pleasid.

     And as for the matier concernyng my Lord of Bedford,
thinketh nat contrarye, but that ye shal finde me hertly wel-
willid to doo that I can or may for th’accomplesshment of
youre desire, as wel in that matier as in other, like as your
servaunte John Bokking, berer hereof, can clierlier reporte unto
you on my behalve; to whom like hit you to yeve feith and
credence in this partie. And the blissid Trinitee have you
everlastingly in His keping.

     Written in my Manoir of Lamehith, the xxvj. daie of
March.

                      Your feithfull and trew,                   TH. CANT.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 124.] The date of this letter will appear tolerably certain on a
comparison with No. 319. In that letter Fastolf talks of coming up to London, if
necessary, about the matter of my Lord of Bedford’s goods, but expresses a wish that
if he is to come, my Lord Chancellor—viz. the Archbishop of Canterbury—should
be got to write him a letter about it.

1456
MARCH 27

1456
MARCH 27