Henry Windsor to John Paston

LETTER LXIX.

AFTER humble and due recommendacion please it your
      ode maistership to understand that atte makyng of this
my pour lett^r ther were no noveltees w^t. us but suche as yee un-
derstode full well afor yo^r. dep^rtyng Except the kyng woll in to
Scotland in all man^r. wyse of werre and that my lord of Welt-
shire shal be made Chaunceller I suppose the bett^r. is but a sclaun-
der and therfore be ye avised howe ye delyver theym as tidynges
Also I wotte full well where j lefte you in suche matiers as it
pleassed you to make me of your Counsell as touchyng oon ma-
tier sp’ally 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 shewed ad 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 w^t more &c. but s’ I p^ry you howe some ever my maister
rekeneth w^t. any of his s^runts bring not the matier in revolution
in the open Courte for and it were ones opened afore the Iuges
howe that any l’re patentes shuld be p^rchased of an ante
date And the defaute faunde in me ye wold be a m^l. tymes avis-
ed 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 p^rsone 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 ¹ Shorthursday
whenne I and my feleship god thank you hadde of you right
grete chere to our grete comfort and your grete Coste. howe that
the same Preest understandeth this lett^r. of the Gospell under-
writen ² IHS. dixit Simoni Petro Si peccavit in te frat^r. tuus
vade & corripe eum int^r. te & ip’m solum Si te audierit lucratus
es frēm tuū Si autem te non audierit adhibe tecum adhuc unū
vel duos ut in ore duor’ vel triū testiū stet omē v^rbum quod si non
audierit dic ec’clie Si autem ec cliam non audierit Sit tibi Sicut
ethinicus & publicanus, &c. And in another place Tunc ac-
cedens Petrus ad IH’m dixit (Dñe) quotiens petevit in me frat^r.
meus dimittam ei usq; septies dicit illi IHs Non dico tibi usq;
septies set usq, septuagesies septies, my maist^r. 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 w^t. aute pite and m^tcy I
can no more but vade & corripe eum for truly he cannot bryng
about his matiers in this word for the word is not for hym I
suppose it Wolnot chaunge yetts be likelenes but j beseche you
sir help not to amend hym onely by ev^ry other man yf ye kno
any mo mysse disposed I canno more but as I can or mey I shal
be his S^runt and youres unto such tyme as ye woll Comande
me to sursese and leve of yf it please hym Sir I p’y you take
this ³ Copy of your statute it is not examined be me for I found
hit thise v yeres pessed Writan in my ⁴ slepyng tyme at after
none on Wytsonday Also Sir yf I have rehersed wyttyngly the
text of the Gospell syngularly unto your maist^rship I beseche
you to be had excused.

                                                               Your own,

                                                                         ⁵ H. W.

12 by 9 1/2.

         Whitsunday,
              May or June,
              Between 1455 and 1459.
              33 and 38 H. VI.

     This Letter has no direction, and is only subscribed with the initials H. W. from the
hand-writing however it appears to have been written by Henry Windsor, and by the
contents we may discover it was addressed to J. Paston.

     The character he gives of his Master Sir John Fastolf is not a very plensing one, and
from his saying that whatever is done, will “be called your dede,” it appears to have
been sent to J. Paston in the latter part of Sir John Fastolf’s life, when his Cousin Paston
transacted most of his business.

     ¹ Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.

     ² St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chap. xviii. v. 15, 16, 17, and v. 21, 22.

           12 by 9 ½.

     ³ This relates to papers sent with this Letter, and accounts for there being no direc-
tion, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.

     ⁴ We are here made acquainted with the custom of H. Windsor, of sleeping after
dinner at afternoon; perhaps as the hours of rising were early, it might be usual for
people in general to do so, as it is still practised in the families of many early rising
farmers, &c.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. III. N^o 32.

LETTER LXIX.

AFTER humble and due recommendation, please it your
      good mastership to understand, that at making of this my
poor Letter there were no novelties with us, but such as ye under-
stood full well afore your departing, except the King will into
Scotland in all manner wise of war, and that my Lord of Wiltshire
shall be made Chancellor, I suppose the better is but a slander, and
therefore be ye advised how ye deliver them as tidings.

     Also I weet full well where I left you in such matters as it
pleased you to make me of your counsel, as touching one matter
specially, and how that ye said unto me when I desired your
good mastership to shew favour, such as ye best might if any
thing should be shewed ad lumen, my Master F (Fastolf) except,
and how that ye answered and said as it pleased you, that I was
conquered, in truth that should prove but a full great unstable-
ness in me with more, &c. But Sir, I pray you, how some-ever
my Master reckoneth with any of his Servants, bring not the
matter in revolution in the open Court, for and (if) it were once
opened before the Judges, how that any Letters Patent should
be purchased of an ante date, and the default found in me, ye
would be a thousand times advised and my Master F. (Fastolf)
both, ere that ye would amend me so much as I should be ap-
pered (impaired) thereby; and therefore I beseech you be well
advised how that matter be opened for my ease.

     I was not desired to write unto you of no one person, so God
be my help, yourself except; but I would ye would take advice
and counsel of the Priest, that had you so long under hands on
¹ Shor Thursday, when I and my fellowship, God thank you,
had of you right great cheer to our great comfort and your great
cost. How that the same Priest understandeth this Letter of the
Gospel under written, ² Jesus dixit Simoni Petro, si peccavit
in te frater tuus, vade et corripe cum 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 ethinicus et Publicanus,
&c.” And in another place “Tunc accedens Petrus ad Jesum
dixit, Domine quotiens petevit (quoties peccabit) in me frater
meus, dimittam ei usque septies? Dicit illi Jesus, non dico tibi
usque septies, sed usque septuagesies septies.”

     My Master can do nothing, the which shall come in open au-
dience at these days, but it shall be called your deed, and it is
not unknown that cruel and vengible (revengeful) he hath been
ever and for the most part without pity and mercy, I can no
more, but “vade et corripe eum” for truly he cannot bring about
his matters in this word (world) for the word (world) is not for
him, I suppose it will not change yet by likeliness, but I beseech
you Sir, help not to amend him only, but every other man, if
ye know any more misdisposed.

     I can no more, but as I can or may shall be his servant and
yours unto such time as ye will command me to surcease and
leave off, if it please him.

     Sir, I pray you take this ³ Copy of your Statute, it is not
examined by me, for I found it these five years passed.

     Written in my ⁴ sleeping time, at afternoon, on Whitsunday.
Also, Sir I have rehearsed wittingly the text of the Gospel singu-
larly unto your mastership, I beseech you to be had excused.

                                                   Your own,

                                                                ⁵ HENRY WINDSOR.

12 by 9 1/2.

         Whitsunday,
              May or June,
              Between 1455 and 1459.
              33 and 38 H. VI.

     This Letter has no direction, and is only subscribed with the initials H. W. from the
hand-writing however it appears to have been written by Henry Windsor, and by the
contents we may discover it was addressed to J. Paston.

     The character he gives of his Master Sir John Fastolf is not a very plensing one, and
from his saying that whatever is done, will “be called your dede,” it appears to have
been sent to J. Paston in the latter part of Sir John Fastolf’s life, when his Cousin Paston
transacted most of his business.

     ¹ Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.

     ² St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chap. xviii. v. 15, 16, 17, and v. 21, 22.

           12 by 9 ½.

     ³ This relates to papers sent with this Letter, and accounts for there being no direc-
tion, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.

     ⁴ We are here made acquainted with the custom of H. Windsor, of sleeping after
dinner at afternoon; perhaps as the hours of rising were early, it might be usual for
people in general to do so, as it is still practised in the families of many early rising
farmers, &c.

     ⁵ Autograph. Pl. III. N^o 32.

332

HENRY WINDSOR TO JOHN PASTON²

   AFTER humble 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 of
werre, and that my Lord of Weltshire shal be made Chaun-
celler. 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 shewed ad 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,¹ and the
defaute faunde in me, ye wold be a m^l. [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,² whenne I and my feleship, God thank
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 Chan-
cellorship 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
James II., in defiance of the truce, laid siege to Berwick, which offered a gallant
resistance (Nicolas’s Privy 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, James II. 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 (Lambeth MS. 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 (see Rymer, xi. 383); but
there can be little doubt the desire to punish the insolence of the Scots must have
been very general long before.
you, 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.’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 but vade 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 copy² of 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.

         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. Henry VI. 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

     ¹ A law was passed in the eighteenth year of Henry VI. 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.—See Hardy’s Introduction
to the Patent Rolls of King John, p. xxx.

     ² Shere or Shore Thursday, Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.

     ¹ St. Matthew’s Gospel, chap. xviii. ver. 15, 16, 17, and ver. 21, 22.

     ² This relates to papers sent with this letter, and accounts for there being no
direction, as the whole was enclosed in a parcel.—F.

1456
MAY 16

1456
MAY 16

1456
MAY 16