R Dollay to John Paston

LETTER LI.

         Un to my Ryght
         worshypfull Mastyr
         Paston be thys byll
         delyv’ryd in haste.

RYGHT trusty and well belovyd Mast^r. I recomāde me
      un to yow desyr[SYM]g to her of yo^r good p’sp’ite and well-
far and as towchyng for Ser Phylyp ¹ Wentforde he rood on to
london ward up on Seynt Ion ys day and on the evy’ afor he
sent to my Mast^r. for to have sum of hys me’ for to ryd w^t.
hym to Colchest^r. and for be cawse he shulde not have no suspe-
sion to me j rod myself and a felaw w^t. me and he rood with an
C. hors w^t. ² jakks and ³ saletts and rusty ⁴ habyrjons and ther
rood w^t. hym Gyboun of Debnē’ and Tympyrle and all the ffe-
lashyp y^t. yey cowd make and Gyboun seyde y^t. he wolde endyte
as many as he cowde und’stonde y^t. wer of y^e tod^r. p’ty and
longe Bernard was yer also and he mad Ser Phylyp Wentforde
to torne agey’ and maad ev’y me’ to beende her bowys and lyth
down of her hors for to wyte and ony ma’ wolde come ageynstē
and he seyde how he shulde not let hys wey nor for Ser John
Fastolf nor for Paston nor for noon of hem all and as for y^e
ward he was not y^r but y^r was had anod^r. Chyld lyk hym and
he rood next hym and wha’ y^t. he was ij myle be zonde Col-
chest^r. he sent hym hoom agey’ with a cer tey meyny and Ser
Phylyp Wentforde and Gyboun of Debnē’ and Tymp’le and
Bernard they took a ma’ of Stratford a Sowt¹ and hys name ys
p^rsoun and yey enqueryd hym of ev’ry manys name of the
tod^r. p’ty and he tolde hem as many as he cowde and yey bad
hy’ enquer fery^r for to knowe all for yey desyryd of hym for to
enquer as fer as he cowde and he shulde have well for hys labor
No mor to yow at thys tyme but y^e holy gost have yow in
hys kepyng Wretyn at Hadley y^e Sat’day aft^r. Seynt John ys
day and I beseeche yow hertyly recoma?de me to my Mast^r.
Alblast^r.

                                                             By yo^r man,

                                                                         ⁵ R. Dollay.

               12 by 6 ½.

        Seal on a heater shield,
          A Cheveron between
               three roundles.
                Pl. XXIII. N^o 9.

      Hadley, in Suffolk,
            Saturday 29th of June,
            or 28th of December 1454.
            32 or 33 H. VI.

The Ward here mentioned I should suppose was Thomas Eastolf of Ipswich, of whom
Sir John Fastolf (in his Letter to J. Paston, dated 11th of November 1454) so much
wished to have obtained the guardianship. This transaction might have happened pre-
viously to Sir John’s Letter in June 1454, or in the December following in the same
year, as Saint John Baptist’s day is in the former, St. John Evangelist’s day in the latter
month, but the exact date is immaterial.

     The Letter presents us with a curious instance of the methods used to obtain and se-
cure the persons of minors, and shews us the warlike manner in which those travelled,
who supposed they should meet with any resistance.

The taking of a Child like the Ward with them, when most probably the real Ward
was conveyed another way, was an ingenious artifice to deceive those who might lay in
wait to attack them, and endeavour to get possession of his person.

     ¹ Though this name is here written Wentford, I rather believe it means Sir Philip
Wentworth, of Nettlested, in Suffolk, who married Mary, the daughter of Lord
Clifford.

² The Jack or Jacket, was a military vestment, calculated for the defence of the body,
composed of linen stuffed with cotton, wool, or hair quilted, and commonly covered
with leather.

     ³ A Salet was a light Helmet of various construction.

 ⁴ The Haubergeon was a coat composed either of plate or chain-mail without sleeves.
For a fuller account, and view of these the Reader is referred to Mr. Grose’s accurate
“Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons.” quarto, 1785.

 ⁵ R. Dollay seems to have been a servant belonging to some one of the party opposite
to J. Paston, in J. Paston’s interest.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 15.

LETTER LI.

Unto my right worshipful Master Paston, be this bill
delivered in haste.

RIGHT trusty and well beloved Master, I recommend me
      unto you, desiring to hear of your good prosperity and
welfare; and as touching for Sir Philip ¹ Wentford, he rode
unto London ward upon Saint John’s day, and on the evening
afore he sent to my Master for to have some of his men for to
ride with him to Colchester, and for because he should not have
no suspicion to me, I rode myself and a fellow with me; and he
rode with an hundred horse with ² Jackets and ³ Salets, and rusty
⁴ Haubergeons; and there rode with him Guybon of Deben-
ham, and Timperley, and all the fellowship that they could
make; and Guybon said that he would indict as many as he
could understand that were of the other party; and long Bernard
was there also, and he made Sir Philip Wentford to turn again,
and made every man to bend their bows and alight down off their
horse, for to weet and (if) any man would come against them;
and he said how he should not let his way neither for Sir John
Fastolf nor for Paston, nor for none of them all.

     And as for the Ward he was not there, but there was had
another Child like him, and he rode next him, and when that
he was two miles beyond Colchester, he sent him home again
with a certain meny (fellowship); and Sir Philip Wentford, and
Guybon of Debenham, and Timperley, and Bernard, they took a
man of Stratford, a Sowter (a shoemaker), and his name is Pearson,
and they enquired (of) him of every man’s name of the other
party; and he told them as many as he could; and they bad
him enquire further for to know all; for they desired of him
for to enquire as far as he could, and he should have well for
his labour. No more to you at this time, but the Holy Ghost
have you in his keeping. Written at Hadley, the Saturday
after Saint John’s day, and I beseech you heartily recommend
me to my Master Alblaster.

                                                                By your man,

                                                                            ⁵ R. DOLLAY.

               12 by 6 ½.

        Seal on a heater shield,
          A Cheveron between
               three roundles.
                Pl. XXIII. N^o 9.

      Hadley, in Suffolk,
            Saturday 29th of June,
            or 28th of December 1454.
            32 or 33 H. VI.

     I rather think this Letter was written in December, as the Saturday was the day after
St. John the Evangelist.

The Ward here mentioned I should suppose was Thomas Eastolf of Ipswich, of whom
Sir John Fastolf (in his Letter to J. Paston, dated 11th of November 1454) so much
wished to have obtained the guardianship. This transaction might have happened pre-
viously to Sir John’s Letter in June 1454, or in the December following in the same
year, as Saint John Baptist’s day is in the former, St. John Evangelist’s day in the latter
month, but the exact date is immaterial.

     The Letter presents us with a curious instance of the methods used to obtain and se-
cure the persons of minors, and shews us the warlike manner in which those travelled,
who supposed they should meet with any resistance.

The taking of a Child like the Ward with them, when most probably the real Ward
was conveyed another way, was an ingenious artifice to deceive those who might lay in
wait to attack them, and endeavour to get possession of his person.

     ¹ Though this name is here written Wentford, I rather believe it means Sir Philip
Wentworth, of Nettlested, in Suffolk, who married Mary, the daughter of Lord
Clifford.

² The Jack or Jacket, was a military vestment, calculated for the defence of the body,
composed of linen stuffed with cotton, wool, or hair quilted, and commonly covered
with leather.

     ³ A Salet was a light Helmet of various construction.

 ⁴ The Haubergeon was a coat composed either of plate or chain-mail without sleeves.
For a fuller account, and view of these the Reader is referred to Mr. Grose’s accurate
“Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons.” quarto, 1785.

 ⁵ R. Dollay seems to have been a servant belonging to some one of the party opposite
to J. Paston, in J. Paston’s interest.

     Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 15.

248

R. DOLLAY TO JOHN PASTON²

Un to my ryght worshypfull Mastyr Paston, be thys
byll delyveryd in haste.

   RYGHT trusty and well belovyd master, I recomande me
     un to yow, desyryng to her of your good prosperite
     and wellfar. And as towchyng for Ser Phylyp Went-
forde, he rood on to London ward up on Seynt Jon ys day,
and on the evyn afor he sent to my master for to have sum of
hys men for to ryd with hym to Colchester; and for be cawse
he shulde not have no suspesion to me, I rod myself and a
felaw with me; and he rood with an C. [hundred] hors with
jakks³ and saletts,⁴ and rusty habyrjons;⁵ and ther rood with
hym Gyboun of Debnem, and Tympyrle, and all the felashyp
that they cowd make. And Gyboun seyde that he wolde
endyte as many as he cowde understonde that wer of the toder
party; and longe Bernard was ther also; and he mad Ser
Phylyp Wentforde to torne ageyn, and maad every men to
beende her bowys, and lyth down of her hors for to wyte and
ony man wolde come ageynstem, and he seyde how he shulde
not let hys wey nor for Ser John Fastolf nor for Paston, nor
for noon of hem all.

     And as for the ward,¹ he was not ther, but ther was had
anoder chyld lyk hym, and he rood next hym, and whan that
he was ij. myle be zonde Colchester, he sent hym hoomageyn
with a cer tey[n] meyny. And Ser Phylyp Wentforde, and
Gyboun of Debnem, and Tymperle, and Bernard, they took a
man of Stratford, a sowter,² and hys name ys Persoun; and
they enqueryd hym of every manys name of the toder party,
and he tolde hem as many as he cowde; and they bad hym
enquer ferther for to knowe all, for they desyryd of hym for to
enquer as fer as he cowde, and he shulde have well for hys labor.

     No mor to yow at thys tyme, but the Holy Gost have yow
in hys kepyng.

     Wretyn at Hadley, the Saturday after Seynt John ys day.
And I beseeche yow hertyly recomande me to my Master
Alblaster.

                                     By yowr man,                   R. DOLLAY.

     ² [From Fenn, iii. 210.] This letter gives an account of certain proceedings for
taking possession of the person of a minor in opposition to the claims of Paston and
Sir John Fastolf as guardians. Fenn supposes the ward in question to have been
Thomas Fastolf of Ipswich; but it appears, by a petition afterwards presented to
Parliament (see Rolls of Parl. v. 371), that he was another Thomas Fastolf, viz.
the son of John Fastolf, Esq. of Cowhawe, Suffolk, whose wardship was granted on the
6th June 1454 to John Paston, Esq., and Thomas Howes, clerk. The St. John’s day
mentioned in this letter is therefore St. John the Baptist’s day, 24th June, not St. John
the Evangelist’s, 27th December.

     ³ The jack or jacket was a military vestment, calculated for the defence of the
body, composed of linen stuffed with cotton, wool, or hair quilted, and commonly
covered with leather.—F.

     ⁴ A salet was a light helmet of various construction.—F.

     ⁵ The haubergeon was a coat composed either of plate or chain-mail without
sleeves. For a fuller account and view of these, the reader is referred to Mr. Grose’s
accurate Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, 4to, 1785.—F.

¹ Thomas, son of John Fastolf, Esq. of Cowhawe.     ² A shoemaker.

JUNE 29

1454
JUNE 29