Hugh A Fenne to John Paston

LETTER LXXXII.

        To the right worchepfull
        S^r John Paston at Norwich.

RYGHT worchepfull S^r. I recūaunde me un to you leke
     you to wete my Maist^r Fastolf ¹ Compert is spedde and
demyd in y^e Eschequyer for hym a yens y^e kyng wher in was
Crafti labo^r and cloos to the seid spede and laked no dylygence
for y^e mat^r was defused and dubble Jntendementz aft’ dyu’se
mennys appynyons her is Williem Brandon late ² Eschetour and
wold have a ³ non Molestando for Fulthorp and be cause ye spake
to me y^t no mo shuld be sued owte and I can gete no ⁴ lybarate
in y^t case y’fore as it is tolde me he wyll haue oon up on Wen-
teworth is patente And y^t wer to my Maist^r boy^e velleny and
hurte J p’y you send me heryn your avyse it is no grete maistre
to gader up y^t mony if it wer wele labord I haue somwhat affray-
ed yem and made hem spend mony as J wot well ye shall her
y’of ye and I been discharged of our maynprys Now S^r for goddis
sake as I have meved you a fore help to sette my Maist^r in a wor-
chepful dyreccon of his Maters to his honour his p’fyte and his
hertis ease y^t which so doon he shall haue y^e bett^r leysour to dyss-
pose hym self godly and be sette his londs and his goodys to y^e
plesour of god and y^e wele of his sowle y^t all men may sey he
deyeth a wyse man And a worchepfull yf ye wyste what wor-
chep shuld growe to you in favour and Conseyte of all men yus
to do I wot well ye wolde be right spedy y’in For J beleve fully
ye ar ryght well wylled y’to and if owte J Cowde helpe y’to at
myn nexte Comyng yf I knew your entent I wold do y^t I cowde
yf it like you to wryte your avyse in a bylle y^t I myght haue it
by good fryday at Seint Benettys Williem Norwyche wol send
it yeder the holy Trinyte Cons’ve you in hono^r and p’sp^rite from
london y^e furst day of Marche.

                                                       Yo^r,

                                                                     ⁵ Hugh a Fenne.

         11 ½ by 6 ¾.

       London, Thursday,
            1st of March, 1458-9,
            37 H. VI.

     The first part of this Letter relates entirely to law proceedings, the latter part like-
wise is on the same subject, but as it contains the fair and honest advice of a friend and
relation, of one who seems to have an interest in the character which Sir John Fastolf
should leave here, and in his eternal happiness hereafter, I thought such a Letter would
be pleasing to the Reader.

     ¹ Compertorium is a judicial inquest in civil proceedings, made by Commissioners to
find out, &c. the truth of a cause.

     ² A County Officer who takes notice of the King’s Escheats, and certifies them into
the Exchequer.

     ³ A Writ which lies for him who is molested contrary to the King’s protection grant-
ed him.

     ⁴ An original warrant issuing out of the Exchequer for the payment of any annual
pensions, &c. granted under the great seal.

     ⁵ The first of the Family of Fenn, of whom I find any certain information was Ralph
de Fenne, who was witness to a Deed of Geoffry Plantagenet, a younger Son of King
Henry II. dated at London, between 1154 and 1186, when Geoffry was killed by the
Horses at a Tournament at Paris.

     This Family had possessions both in Yorkshire and Norfolk, in the latter of which
Counties Clement de Fenne had Estates, at Edinethorpe early in the 14th Century; and
from whom, after four or five generations, was descended, Hugh a Fenne, or Hugh at
Fenne, the writer of this Letter.

     Hugh Fenn was at this time Lord and Patron of Icburgh, to which Church he pre-
sented in 1454, 1461, and 1472. He purchased the Manors of Burdelos and New-
lands in Sculton, of which he died seized. This Manor was held by this tenure, that
the Lord thereof on the Coronation-day of the Kings of England should be chief Lar-
diner, and should have for his Fees the provisions remaining after dinner in the Larder.

     He had a Manor in Sco-Ruston, which came afterwards to his Cousin Sir Edmund
Jenney. He purchased of the Prior and Convent of Castleacre, the Advowson of the
Church of Heringby, and dying in 1475, 15 E. IV. he directed by his Will (dated
February 4,) to be buried in that Church by his Mother. He gave 100 Marks to new
roof the Church of Heringby, and 500 Marks to repair the steeple of the Cathedral at
Norwich, and other sums to the repair of the Highways, &c. Autograph. Pl. XX. N^o 28.
Seal. Pl. XIV. N^o 13.

     He directed a College or Hospital, to be called God’s Poor Almes-house, to be
founded in the Town of Heringby, for the maintenance of which he assigned Estates in
Edinethorpe, &c. and directed his Wife Ellenor Fenn, and his Cousin William
Jenney, Serjeant at law, to see this part of his Will performed. At the dissolution, in
1545, this Hospital, &c. was granted to Sir Thomas Clere, Knight.
     Hugh Fenne was a Lawyer of eminence, and was highly esteemed by Sir John Fas-
tolf and J. Paston, both as a Counsellor, Relation, and Friend. There was at this time
another person of the same name, and of the same Family, Sir Hugh Fenn, Knight,
Treasurer of the Household to Henry VI. whose Wife Dame Ellenor, was buried in St.
Bartholomew’s Priory, in London, and by whom he had an only Daughter and heir
Margaret, the Wife of Sir George Neville, Lord Abergavenny, who was knighted at
Tewkesbury, in 1471, attended the Coronation of Richard III. in 1483, and died in
1492; from their third Son Sir Edward Neville, a most valiant Knight and Soldier,
the present Henry Neville, Earl of Abergavenny, is lineally descended.

LETTER LXXXII.

To the right worshipful Sir, John Paston, at Norwich.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me unto you, like
     you to weet my Master Fastolf’s ¹ Compert is sped and
deemed in the Exchequer for him against the King, wherein was
crafty labour and close to the said speed, and lacked no diligence,
for the matter was diffused and double intendments after divers
men’s opinions.

     Here is William Brandon, late ² Escheator, and (he) would
have a ³ non molestando for Eulthorpe, and because ye spake to
me that no more should be sued out, and I can get no ⁴ Liberate
in that case, therefore as it is told me, he will have one upon
Wentworth’s Patent, and that were to my Master both villainy
and hurt; I pray you send me herein your advice, it is no great
matter to gather up that money, if it were well laboured; I have
somewhat affrayed (frightened) them, and made them spend
money, as I wot well ye shall hear thereof. Ye and I be dis-
charged of our mainprise.

     Now Sir, for God’s sake as I have moved you afore, help to
set my Master in a worshipful direction of his matters to his ho-
nour, his profit, and his heart’s ease, the which so done he shall
have the better leisure to dispose himself godly, and beset (ordain)
his lands and his goods to the pleasure of God, and the weal of
his soul, that all men may say he dieth a wise man and a wor-
shipful; if ye wist what worship should grow to you in favour
and conceit of all men thus to do, I wot well ye would be right
speedy therein, for I believe fully ye are right well willed
thereto, and if ought I could help thereto at my next coming, if
I knew your intent, I would do that I could; if it like you to
write your advice in a bill that I might have it by Good Friday,
at Saint Benet’s, William Norwich would send it thither.

     The Holy Trinity conserve you in honour and prosperity.

     From London, the 1st day of March.

                                                       Your,

                                                                     ⁵ HUGH A FENNE.

         11 ½ by 6 ¾.

       London, Thursday,
            1st of March, 1458-9,
            37 H. VI.

     The first part of this Letter relates entirely to law proceedings, the latter part like-
wise is on the same subject, but as it contains the fair and honest advice of a friend and
relation, of one who seems to have an interest in the character which Sir John Fastolf
should leave here, and in his eternal happiness hereafter, I thought such a Letter would
be pleasing to the Reader.

     ¹ Compertorium is a judicial inquest in civil proceedings, made by Commissioners to
find out, &c. the truth of a cause.

     ² A County Officer who takes notice of the King’s Escheats, and certifies them into
the Exchequer.

     ³ A Writ which lies for him who is molested contrary to the King’s protection grant-
ed him.

     ⁴ An original warrant issuing out of the Exchequer for the payment of any annual
pensions, &c. granted under the great seal.

     ⁵ The first of the Family of Fenn, of whom I find any certain information was Ralph
de Fenne, who was witness to a Deed of Geoffry Plantagenet, a younger Son of King
Henry II. dated at London, between 1154 and 1186, when Geoffry was killed by the
Horses at a Tournament at Paris.

     This Family had possessions both in Yorkshire and Norfolk, in the latter of which
Counties Clement de Fenne had Estates, at Edinethorpe early in the 14th Century; and
from whom, after four or five generations, was descended, Hugh a Fenne, or Hugh at
Fenne, the writer of this Letter.

     Hugh Fenn was at this time Lord and Patron of Icburgh, to which Church he pre-
sented in 1454, 1461, and 1472. He purchased the Manors of Burdelos and New-
lands in Sculton, of which he died seized. This Manor was held by this tenure, that
the Lord thereof on the Coronation-day of the Kings of England should be chief Lar-
diner, and should have for his Fees the provisions remaining after dinner in the Larder.

     He had a Manor in Sco-Ruston, which came afterwards to his Cousin Sir Edmund
Jenney. He purchased of the Prior and Convent of Castleacre, the Advowson of the
Church of Heringby, and dying in 1475, 15 E. IV. he directed by his Will (dated
February 4,) to be buried in that Church by his Mother. He gave 100 Marks to new
roof the Church of Heringby, and 500 Marks to repair the steeple of the Cathedral at
Norwich, and other sums to the repair of the Highways, &c. Autograph. Pl. XX. N^o 28.
Seal. Pl. XIV. N^o 13.

      He directed a College or Hospital, to be called God’s Poor Almes-house, to be
founded in the Town of Heringby, for the maintenance of which he assigned Estates in
Edinethorpe, &c. and directed his Wife Ellenor Fenn, and his Cousin William
Jenney, Serjeant at law, to see this part of his Will performed. At the dissolution, in
1545, this Hospital, &c. was granted to Sir Thomas Clere, Knight.
     Hugh Fenne was a Lawyer of eminence, and was highly esteemed by Sir John Fas-
tolf and J. Paston, both as a Counsellor, Relation, and Friend. There was at this time
another person of the same name, and of the same Family, Sir Hugh Fenn, Knight,
Treasurer of the Household to Henry VI. whose Wife Dame Ellenor, was buried in St.
Bartholomew’s Priory, in London, and by whom he had an only Daughter and heir
Margaret, the Wife of Sir George Neville, Lord Abergavenny, who was knighted at
Tewkesbury, in 1471, attended the Coronation of Richard III. in 1483, and died in
1492; from their third Son Sir Edward Neville, a most valiant Knight and Soldier,
the present Henry Neville, Earl of Abergavenny, is lineally descended.

324

HUGH A FENNE TO JOHN PASTON¹

To the right worchepfull Sir, John Paston, at Norwich.

   RYGHT worchepfull Sir, I recumaunde me un to you.
     Leke you to wete my Maister Fastolf compert² is
     spedde and demyd in the Eschequyer for hym a yens
the Kyng, wher in was crafti labour and cloos to the seid
spede, and laked no dylygence, for the matter was defused and
dubble intendementz after dyverse mennys appynyons.

     Her is Williem Brandon, late Eschetour,³ and wold have a
non molestando⁴ for Fulthorp; and be cause ye spake to me
that no mo shuld be sued owte, and I can gete no lybarate⁵ in
that case, therfore, as it is tolde me, he wyll have oon up on
Wenteworth is patente, and that wer to my maister bothe
velleny and hurte. I pray you send me heryn your avyse.
It is no grete maistre to gader up that mony, if it wer wele
labord. I have somwhat affrayed them, and made hem spend
mony, as I wot well ye shall her therof. Ye and I been dis-
charged of our maynprys.

     Now, Sir, for Goddis sake, as I have meved you a fore,

help to sette my maister in a worchepful dyreccion of his
maters to his honour, his profyte, and his hertis ease, that
which so doon he shall have the better leysour to dysspose
hym self godly, and be sette his londs and his goodys to the
plesour of God, and the wele of his sowle, that all men may
sey he deyeth a wyse man and a worchepfull. Yf ye wyste
what worchep shuld growe to you in favour and conseyte of
all men thus to do, I wot well ye wolde be right spedy therin,
for I beleve fully ye ar ryght well wylled therto; and if owte
I cowde helpe therto at myn nexte comyng, yf I knew your
entent, I wold do that I cowde. Yf it like you to wryte your
avyse in a bylle that I myght have it by Good Fryday at Seint
Benettys, Williem Norwyche wol send it theder. The Holy
Trinyte conserve you in honour and prosperite.

     From London, the furst day of Marche.

                                    Your,                              HUGH A FENNE.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 332.] The first paragraph of this letter seems to relate to
Fastolf’s claims against the Crown set forth in Nos. 309 and 310, and as these seem
to have been drawn up in the end of 1455, this letter probably belongs to the year
following. The reference to William Brandon as ‘late escheator’ confirms this date;
and also, perhaps, the mention, at the end, of William Norwich, who was Sheriff of
Norwich this year.

     ² Compertorium is a judicial inquest in civil proceedings made by Commissioners
to find out, etc., the truth of a cause.—F.

     ³ An Escheator was a county officer who certified into the Exchequer the King’s
escheats, i.e. lands which fell to the King, either for a time or altogether, as by the
death of tenants in capite, minority of heirs, etc. William Brandon was Escheator of
Norfolk and Suffolk from 13th November 33 Hen. VI. to 4th November 34 Hen. VI.,
i.e. from 1454 to 1455.

     ⁴ A writ which lies for him who is molested contrary to the King’s protection
granted him.—F.

     ⁵ A writ of liberate is a warrant either for the payment of annual pensions, etc.,
granted under the Great Seal, or for delivery of possession of certain lands or goods in
the custody of a sheriff.

1456
MARCH 1

1456
MARCH 1