Sir John Fastolf to John Paston

Add. 34888, f. 109

11 November 1454

Gairdner, Vol III, item 266; Fenn, Vol III, Henry VI item 55

LETTER LV.

         To the Worshypfull and my
         ryght welbelovyd Cosyn John
         Paston.

WORSHYPFULL and ryght welbelovyd Cosyn I co-
maund me to yow lyke you to wete that y have resseyved
a l’re at thys tyme from John Bokkyng wyth acōp of the patent
conc^rnyng the Wardeshyp that ye wote off by whych y under-
stand that ye have both wrought and holpen by your grete wys-
dom to bryng thys matier aboute whych y desyred your frend-
shyp and gode avice for the seurtee of the seyd Waarde And for
expedicon of whych y thank you ryzt hertlye and pray you to
contynew foorth your gode labours in the same yn such wyse as it
may be made sure ynall wyse thoy it cost me the more of my gode.
And where as it ys remembred me by the seyd l’res that y shuld
labour to ghete the seyd Ward yn to my gouv^rnce truely y can
not see how y coude do it to be doon for y have none ac-
queynt’unce in that Contree that y coude trust too. Wythoute
the Shyreve myght be my tender frende in thys cause or othyr
such as ye thynk best Wherfor y pray you hertlye to take thys
mater tenderly to hert. And that ye lyke seke a moyen of such
frendys as ye can best avyse and may verrayly trust uppon to
gyde thys mater yn such wyse as myne entent myght be sped
for the possession of it (for now that y have go so ferre yn the
inatier) y wold not it faylled for no gode but it preved well and
toke to A gode conclusion And where as y have understand late
by certeyn well will’rs to you warde whych have meoved me
that yn case the seyd warde myght be had that ye desyre an Al-
liaunce shulde take atwyx A doughter of yours and the seyd
Ward of whych moc’on y was ryght glad to hyre off And wylle
be ryght well wylling and helpyng that your blode and myne
myght increse yn alliaunces. And yff it please yow that by
your wysdom and gode conduyt that ye wolde help beere owte
thys mater subst’unciallie ayenst my partie contrarie and eville
wille’s that I myght have myne entent I ensure you ye and y
shuld appoynt and accorde yn such wyse as ye shuld hale you
ryght well plesed both for the encresyng of your lynage and
also of myne And y pray you be ware whom ye make of your
counsaille and myne yn thys mater And that it may be well
bore owte er ye com thens and yn a sure wey And yff y had
knowe rathyr of your entent it shuld hafe cost me more of my
gode before thys to hafe com to A gode Conclusion Whych y
promysse yhyt shall bee and the mater take by the fayth of my
bodye Worshypfull and ryght welbelovyd Cosyn y pr’y god
spede you yn thys matier and sende you your gode desyrs. Wre-
ten at Castr the xj day of Novēber A^o xxxiij^o R’ H. vj.

yo^r Cosyn,

¹ John Fastolfe

         11 ? by 6?.
           Paper Mark
              a Bull
         Pl. XXII. N^o 16.

             Caister,
         Monday, 11 Nov.
         1454. 33 H. VI.

² It’m Cosyn I pray yow when ye see tyme
that my lord of ³ Caunt^rbury and my lord
⁴ Cromewell may be spoke wyth for the godes
of my lord Bedford beyng yn dyv’s men
handz be compelled to be brought ynne. as
ye shall see more along of thys mater wyth
the wrytyngs That y have made mencon and
left wyth John Bokkyng and Williā Barker.

On the back of this Letter, in an ancient hand, is written as follows:

“S^r Jo. Fastolf willing to have maried T. Fastolf to one of the daughters of Jo.
Paston if he had obteyncd the wardshipp of hym.”

This Thomas Fastolf appears by the Pedigrees of the Family to have been the Son
and heir of Nicholas Fastolf of Ipswich, by Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir John
Braham, knt. and Cousin to Sir John Fastolf. He was at this time about ten years
old, as appears by Letter LIX. vol. iv. where his mother complains of those, who had ob-
tained the Wardship of him, endeavouring to make him younger than he was, that
they might keep longer possession of his livelihood.—In 1465 she says he was above
twenty-one years old.

This is a very curious Letter, as it affords us a true representation of the address
made use of to get possession of a Minor, not only that the management of his Estate

might be in the hands of the Guardian, but likewise the power of marrying him to
whom, and on what terms, he pleased.

In this case the match proposed seems to have been a proper one, if the young
people, whose inclinations were never consulted on these occasions, happened to ap-
prove of each other; if they did not, they were both perhaps rendered miserable dur-
ing their lives.

This power of marrying the Ward, when under the direction of a covetous or bad
Guardian, was often most shamefully abused; and, tyrannical as it was, it continued
in force till the reign of Charles II.

I should suppose that Sir J. Fastolf did not accomplish his purpose, both from what
the mother of the young man complains of, in Letter LIX. vol. iv. and from no marriage
taking place between him and a daughter of J. Paston.

¹ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 15.

² This relates to the money due to Sir John Fastolf from the Duke of Bedford, as his
share of the Ransom paid by the Duke of Alençon, who was taken prisoner at the bat-
tle of Verneuil, in 1424. See Letter XXVIII. Vol. i. p. 121. and the notes thereto.

³ Thomas Bourchier was elected from the See of Ely to the Archiepiscopal Dignity
in April this year.

⁴ Henry Lord Cromwell.

LETTER LV.

To the worshipful and my right well beloved Cousin John Paston.

WORSHIPFUL and right well beloved Cousin, I com-
mend me to you, like you to weet that I have received
a Letter at this time from John Bokking, with a Copy of the
Patent concerning the Wardship that ye wote (know) of, by
which I understand that ye have both wrought and holpen, by
your great wisdom, to bring this matter about, which I desired
your friendship and good advice for the surety of the said Ward;
and for expedition of which I thank you right heartily, and pray
you to continue forth your good labours in the same, in such wise
as it may be made sure in all wise, though it cost me the more of
of my good.

And whereas it is remembered me by the said letters that I
should labour to get the said Ward into my governance; truly I
cannot see how I could do it to be done, for I have none acquaint-
ance in that country, that I could trust to, without the Sheriff
might be my tender friend in this cause, or other such as ye
think best; wherefore I pray you heartily to take this matter
tenderly to heart, and that ye like (to) seek a mean of such
friends as ye can best advise, and may verily trust upon, to guide
this matter in such wise as mine intent might be sped for the
possession of it; for now that I have gone so far in the matter,
I would not it failed for no good, but (that) it proved well and
took to a good conclusion.

And whereas I have understood lately, by certain well-willers
to you ward, which have moved me, that in case the said Ward
might be had, that ye desire an alliance should take atwixt a
daughter of yours and the said Ward; of which motion, I was
right glad to hear of, and will be right well willing and helping
that your blood and mine might increase in alliances; and if it
please you that by your wisdom and good conduct, that ye would
help (to) bear out this matter substantially against my party con-

trary and evil-willers, that I might have mine intent, I ensure
you, ye and I should appoint and accord in such wise as ye should
hold you right well pleased both for the increasing of your line-
age and also of mine; and I pray you beware whom ye make
of your counsel and mine in this matter, and that it may be
well bore out ere ye come thence and in a sure way; and if I
had known rather (earlier) of your intent, it should have cost
me more of my good before this, to have come to a good con-
clusion, which I promise yet shall be, and (if) the matter take,
by the faith of my body.

Worshipful and right well beloved Cousin, I pray God speed
you in this matter, and send you your good desires. Written at
Caister, the 11th day of November, in the 33d year of King
Henry VI.

Your Cousin,

¹ JOHN FASTOLF.

         11 ? by 6?.
           Paper Mark
              a Bull
         Pl. XXII. N^o 16.

             Caister,
         Monday, 11 Nov.
         1454. 33 H. VI.

² Item, Cousin I pray you when ye see time, that my Lord
of ³ Canterbury, and my Lord ⁴ Cromwell may be spoken with
for the Goods of my Lord Bedford, being in divers men’s hands,
be compelled to be brought in, as ye shall see more along (at
large) of this matter, with the Writings that I have made men-
tion (of) and left with John Bokking and William Barker.