Sir John Fastolf to John Paston, Esquire

357

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON, ESQUIRE¹

To myne worshipfull cosyn, John Paston, Squier.

     Ryght worshipfull cosyn, I recomaunde me to yow, and thanke yow of
youre greet peyn and labores that ye daylye take for me in alle myn causes,
for wheche I am greetly holden to yow, God yelde hit yow. And, cosyn, hit
is so, as I am enformed, that a fermore of myn maner in Saxthorp, called John
Bennes, shuld come be fore yow for to appoynte for suche dewte as he oweth to
me upon his ferme. I sende to yow the bokes of his accompt to th’entent that
Spyrlyng may awayte upon yow at his comyng, and declare hym his dewte,
wheche, as myn receyvore seyth, hit wole drawe to the summe of xlvli. [£45],
and more money at Michelmasse now next comyng. And the ferme is but
xxli. [£20] yerly, by wheche ye may understande that he hath hadde greet
favore in his payementes to his weel and myn greet hurt, as I reporte me to
youre greet wysdome. Neverthelesse, sethe hit is so that he hath hadde this
advayle upon me, I wold seen now that suche dewte as shal ben dewly founde
upon hym by accompt to be made at this day, that I may ther of have paye-
ment in hande as reson wole, or of as moche as the day is ronne of; and for
the resydewe to have greable sewerte, that is to sey, of xxli. growen at Mihel-
masse next comyng, to have payement therof at the Festes of Seynt Andrew
and the Annunciacion of our Lady next comyng by even porcions, as in his
endenture made of the seyd lees more pleynerly is conteyned. And this don, I
am content that he goo at large, and elles that Spyrlyng take a rekenyng of hym,
so as I may be aunswered accordyng to the statute, &c. And, cosyn, that
overe this ye lyke to yeve credence to the brynger her of of that he shal
declare yow in this be half be mouth. And oure Lord kepe yow.

     Wreten in hast, at myne manoir of Castre, the Saterday next after our
Lady Day the Assumpcion.

     And, cosyn, I praye yow that he have none favore other wyse than lawe
wole, seyng he is so contraryows for any fayer promyse of his behalf, &c.

                                                Youre cosyn,                             JOHN FASTOLF, Ch’r.

     ¹ [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This is a letter of pure business, and the date is
uncertain; but as John Paston had been giving advice about money matters and the
affairs of Fastolf’s household in 1457, we may insert it here.

                                                                                                                  119

About
1457
AUG.