Henry Wyndesore to John Paston

Add. 43488, f. 46

[?27 August 27] 1458

Gairdner, Vol III, item 370; Fenn, Vol I, Henry VI item 43

LETTER XLIII.

To my full speciall gode Maister John Paston.

WORSHIPFULL S^r. and my full speciall goode Maister
after humble recommendacion Please it you to under-
stand that such s’vice as I can doo to yo^r pleisr as to myn under-
standyng I have shewed my diligence nowe this shorte season
sithen yo^r dep’tyng, and in especiall aboute suche a copie of a
¹ Foundacion as yo^r Maistership com’aunded me to gete you a
copie of, of the which I sende unto you at this tyme by m’y
Broder William Worcestre iij copies writen by Luket, because I
had no leisr but somoch besenes in settyng forth my Maistr of
the Rolles at this tyme and in all this Kyngs deies ye can have
noon oder accordyng any thing to yo^r entent.

And as for the names of the Poles, William hath more
writyng than ye and I coude fynde foundon by labo^r made by
hym and me. And also S^r. he hath caused me to examyn olde
and mony Records writen by some Frenshman conc’nyng the
Manour of Dedham that was a comborous labour for these copies
were full defectif as it apereth by the correctyng of them.

It’, S^r. I may sey to you that William hath goon to Scole to a
Lumbard called Karoll Giles to lern and to bered in poetre or
els in Frensh ffor he hath byn w^t the same Karoll eu’y dey ij
tymes or iij. And hath bought diu’s Boks of hym for the
which as I suppose he hath put hymself in daunger to the
same Karoll. I made a mocion to William to have knoen part
of his besines and he answered and seid that he wold be as glad
and as feyn of a good Boke of Frensh or of Poetre as my
Maistr Fastolf wold be to p’chace a faire Manoir and therby
I understand he list not to be cōmynd with all in such matiers.

It’m, S^r. as for any tidings William can tell you here at Lon-
don ar but full fewe, but Henry Bourgchier is ded sodenly at
Ludlowe, my Lord of Caunterbury and my Lord ² Bourgchier
shall be this wyk at Hunnesdon and hunte and sporte theym w^t
S^r. William Oldhall.

At this tyme nothyng els to yo^r maistership but and it please
you to remembre my maist^r at yo^r best leiser wheder his old
p’mise shall stande as touchyng my p’ferryng to the Boreshed in
Suthwerke Sir I wold have byn at a noddr place and of my
maisters owun mocion he said that I shold sett uppon the Bores-
hed in the which maticr I reporte me to William Worcestre,
Bokkyng and Will’m Barker and most specially to my maisters
awun remembraunce.

I know full well ther cann noo conclusion be taken to myn
asayle w^tout help of your maistership unto the which I utt’ly
submitte me in this and in all oder. And our Lord J’hu p’serve
you and all youres and send you your herts disire w^t right.

Writen at London on sonday next after Seynt Barthu’ dey
in hast.

By your s’vñt,

³ Henry Wyndesore.

11 ? by 8 ?.

     London,
               Sunday, August,
               Before 1459, 38 H. VI.

This Letter is chiefly curious for the account which it gives us of William Worcester’s
attention to learning and fondness for Poetry and Books.

We find too that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier, pursued the diver-
sion of hunting, &c.

¹ For Sir J. Fastolf’s College at Caister.

² In 1461, he was created Earl of Essex.

³ Autograph. Pl. III. N^o 32.

³ One of Sir John Fastolf’s household.

LETTER XLIII.

To my full special good Master, John Paston.

WORSHIPFUL Sir, and my full special good Master,
after humble recommendation, please it you to under-
stand, that such service as I can do to your pleasure, as to
mine understanding, I have shewed my diligence now the short
season since your departing, and in special, about such a Copy
of a ¹ Foundation, as your mastership commanded me to get
you a Copy of; of the which I send unto you at this time, by
my Brother William Worcester, three Copies written by Luket,
because I had no leisure, but so much business in setting forth
of my Master of the Rolls; at this time, and in all this King’s
days ye can have none other according any thing to your
intent.

And as for the names of the Poles, William hath more
writing than ye and I could find, found by labour made by him
and me.

And also Sir, he hath caused me to examine old and many
Records, written by some Frenchman concerning the Manor of
Dedham, that was a cumberous labour, for these Copies were
full defective, as it appeareth by the correcting of them.

Item, Sir, I may say to you, that William hath gone to
School, to a Lumbard called Karoll Giles, to learn and to be
read in Poetry, or else in French, for he hath been with the
same Karoll every day two times or three; and hath bought
divers Books of him, for the which as I suppose, he hath put
himself in danger (debt) to the same Karoll.

I made a motion to William to have known part of his busi-
ness, and he answered and said; that he would be as glad and as
feyn of a good Book of French, or of Poetry as my Master
Fastolf would be to purchase a fair manor; and thereby I under-
stand, he list not to be communed withal in such matters, &c.

Item, Sir, as for any tidings, William can tell you, here at
London are but full few, but Henry Bourchier is dead suddenly
at Ludlow; my Lord of Canterbury and my Lord ² Bourchier
shall be this week at Hunsdon, and hunt and sport them with Sir
William Oldhall.

At this time, nothing else to your mastership, but and it please
you to remember my ³ Master at your best leisure, whether his
old promise shall stand, as touching my preferring to the
Boar’s Head in Southwark; Sir I would have been at another
place, and of my Master’s own motion, he said that I should set
upon the Boar’s Head, in the which matter I report me to
William Worcester, Bokking and William Barker, and most spe-
cially to my Master’s own remembrance; I know full well there
can no conclusion be taken to mine avail without help of
your mastership, unto the which I utterly submit me in this, and
all other; and Our Lord Jesu preserve you and all yours, and
send you your heart’s desire with right.

Written at London on Sunday next after Saint Bartholomew?s
day in haste.

By your Servant,

³ HENRY WYNDESORE.

11 ? by 8 ?.

     London,
               Sunday, August,
               Before 1459, 38 H. VI.

This Letter is chiefly curious for the account which it gives us of William Worcester?s
attention to learning and fondness for Poetry and Books.

We find too that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier, pursued the diver-
sion of hunting, &c.

¹ For Sir J. Fastolf’s College at Caister.

² In 1461, he was created Earl of Essex.

³ Autograph. Pl. III. N^o 32.

³ One of Sir John Fastolf’s household.

370

HENRY WYNDESORE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To my full speciall gode Maister, John Paston.

     WORSHIPFULL Sir, and my full speciall goode
         maister, after humble recommendacion, please it
         you to understand that such service as I can doo
to your plesir, as to myn understandyng, I have shewed my
diligence nowe this shorte season sithen your departyng, and
in especiall aboute suche a copie of a foundacion as your
maistership commaunded me to gete you a copie of, of the
which I sende unto you at this tyme, by my broder William
Worcestre, iij. copies writen by Luket, because I had no
leisir, but somoch besems in settyng forth my Maistr of the
Rolles.² At this tyme, and in all this Kyngs deies, ye can
have noon oder accordyng any thing to your entent.

And as for the names of the Poles,¹ William hath more
wrytyng than ye and I coude fynde, foundon by labor made
by hym and me. And also, Sir, he hath caused me to examyn
olde and mony records, writen by some Frenshman, con-
cernyng the manour of Dedham; that was a comborous
labour, for these copies were full defectif, as it apereth by the
correctyng of them.

Item, Sir, I may sey to you that William hath goon to
scole, to a Lumbard called Karoll Giles, to lern and to be red
in poetre or els in Frensh; for he hath byn with the same
Caroll every dey ij. tymes or iij., and hath bought divers boks
of hym, for the which, as I suppose, he hath put hymself in
daunger to the same Karoll. I made a mocion to William to
have knoen part of his besines, and he answered and seid that
he wold be as glad and as feyn of a good boke of Frensh
or of poetre as my Mastr Fastolf wold be to purchace a faire
manoir; and therby I understand he list not to be commynd
with all in such matiers.

Item, Sir, as for any tidings, William can tell you here
at London ar but full fewe; but Henry Bourgchier is ded
sodenly at Ludlowe; my Lord of Caunterbury and my Lord
Bourgchier shall be this wyk at Hunnesdon, and hunte and
sporte theym with Sir William Oldhall.

At this tyme nothyng els to your maistership; but and
it please you to remembre my maister at your best leiser,
wheder his old promise shall stande as touchyng my pre-
ferryng to the Boreshed in Suthwerke. Sir, I wold have
byn at a noddr place, and of my maisters owun mocion
he said that I shold sett uppon the Boreshed, in the which
matier I reporte me to William Worcestre, Bokkyng, and
William Barker, and most specially to my maisters awun
remembraunce.

I know full well ther cann noo conclusion be taken to
myn asayle [avayle?] without help of your maistership, unto
the which I utterly submitte me in this, and in all oder. And
our Lord Jesu preserve you and all youres, and send you your
herts desire with right.

Writen at London on Sonday next after Seynt Bartholomu
Dey in hast.

By your servaunt, HENRY WYNDESORE.

¹ [From Fenn, i. 170.] At the date of this letter Sir John Fastolf must have
been in Norfolk, and William Worcester in London. From the time that the former
went into Norfolk in 1454, till the end of the year 1457, Worcester seems generally
to have resided with him; but in the beginning of 1458 he was in London, and it
appears by the Castlecombe MSS. (Add. MS. 28,208, B.M. pp. 39, 42) that he was
holding courts at Castlecombe in Wiltshire in June and July of that year, and that,
in November of the same year, he and Fastolf were both together in London. It is
probable, therefore, that he was in London in August, before Fastolf had come up.
Indeed, he appears not to have returned to Norfolk till January following; so that in
August he might quite well have devoted himself to the study of French in the
expectation of a lengthened stay.

² Thomas de Kirkeby.

¹ Apparently William Worcester was examining the pedigree of the De la Poles,
ancestors of the late Duke of Suffolk, who had disputed with Fastolf the right to the
manor of Dedham.

1458(?)
[AUG. 27]