Sir John Fastolf to John Paston

LETTER XXVIII.

To the worshypfull S^r. and my ryght welbelovyd Cosyn John Paston.
And in hys Absence to John Bokkyng and William Barker.

WORSHYPFULL S^r and Cosyn I recomaund me
     to yow. And lyke yow to wete that y have a¹ taylle
with my Cosyn ²Fenne of v^c marc & more for to be chaunged
uppon such places as a man myght have moste spedye paym’t,
and I pray yow hertlye to comyn wyth the seyd Fenne that y
myght be ensured of the seyd taylle to be eschaunged, and for
whate rewarde competant to be yeven uppon the same I wolle
agree it.

     It’m I desyre to know who ben the residew the remenant of
the Coexecutors of the Lord ³Wyllughbye now the Lord
⁴Cromewell ys decesed, for thys cause hyt was so that there was

dew to the Lord Wyllughbye and to me x m¹ for a Reward,
to be payd of my Lord ⁵ Bedford ys godes for the takyng of the
Duc of ⁶ Allauncon.

     And the seyd Lord Wyllughbye had but one thowsand m’rc
payd and I m¹ mrc soo viij m¹ levyth yhyt to pay, of whych
so’me iiij m¹ most grow to the Executors of the seyd Lord
Wyllughby to dispose.

     And therfor y desyre that the Executors and such as most have
intrest in the Lord Wyllughby Goodes may be comyned wyth,
that they make purseute for paym’t of the seyd iiij m¹ m’rc for
hys part to be had and y shall make for my part.

     And Maist’ Nevyle the whych hath wedded my Lady Wyl-
lughbye have power or intrest to resseyve the Lord Wyllughby
ys debts then he to be labured untoo.

     And my Lord of ⁷ Salysburye woll be a grete helper yn thys
cause.

     The Kyng whych ys Sup’visor of my Lord Bedford testam’t
hath wreten and comaunded by sondry L’res, that the seyd Lord
Wyllughbye shuld be content for hys part. And so moch the
mater ys the furtherer.

     And there ys one Yon’ a s^rvu’nt of the Lord Wyllughbye

whych pursewed thys mater, yff he were yn London he coude
geve gode enformacon uppon thys mater.

     Y pray yow wryte to me how my maters doth and of such
Noveltees as ye have there. And our Lord have yow yn hys
kepyng.

     Wreten at Castr hastlye v day of Few^ryer A^o xxxiiij^to
R H. vj.

                                                                                   Yo^r Cofyn,

                                                                                      ³     J. FASTOLF.

10 ¾ by 5 ½.      

 ³ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 15.

 Caistor,
                 Wednesday,
                 5th of February, 1455, 34 H. VI.

¹ A Taille or Talley was a clest stick, both parts of which were notched according to
the sum of money advanced, and of which one part was given to the Creditor, whilst the
other remained with the Debtor. Hence the Tallier of the Exchequer, now called the
Teller.

     Sir John Fastolf had intrusted a Tally with his Cousin Fenn, and was desirous of
knowing what reasonable Discount he should allow for receiving ready money upon this
security.

     ² Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, was slain in battle during the contest between Richard II.
and Henry IV. about 1399, when he forfeited his lands. His son Hugh had estates in
Essex and Middlesex, where his descendants flourished for several generations: this Fa-
mily then branched off into Suffolk and Norfolk, in both which counties they acquired
possessions. The writer of this note is at present the only male branch of this Family in
the county of Norfolk.

 The Person mentioned in this Letter was either the Son or Grandson (for they were
both named Hugh,) of the Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, and seems, from the manner in
which he is several times mentioned both by Sir J. Fastolf and J. Paston, to have been a
Lawyer. He was, in 1459, a supervisor of Sir J. Fastolf’s will.

     ³ Robert Willoughby Lord Willoughby, an eminent Commander, was present at the
famous battle of Agincourt, in 1415; and also commanded under the Duke of Bedford
at the battle of Verneuil, in the province of Normandy, in 1424, where he and Sir John
Fastolf had the honour of taking the Duke of Alençon Prisoner, as appears by this
Letter.

     The writers of Sir J. Fastolf’s Life in the “Biographia Britannica” give an account of
his having taken a French General, but are in doubt both as to the person taken, and
likewise in what engagement.

     ⁴ Henry Lord Cromwell, whose sister, and now coheir, Lord Willoughby had
married. She was at this time the wise of Sir Thomnas Neville.

⁵ John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, third Son of Henry IV.
This great man died at Paris, in 1435, and was buried at Roan.

     It may be supposed that the Ransom was paid into his hands, as Commander in Chief,
and that, in that Character, he was entitled to a considerable share of it, though it appears
from this account that he had detained most of it; for even now at the distance of 20
years from his death, the Lord Willoughby and Sir J. Fastolf, had received only 1000
marks each.

     ⁶ John H. Duke of Alençon, son of him slain at Agincourt, was born, in 1409, and

taken Prisoner at the Battle of Verneuil, in 1424. He was detained a Prisoner three
years, but released at the intercession of the Duke of Burgundy, on paying a Ransom of
200,000 Crowns. He afterwards was convicted of Treasons towards his own Sovereigns,
and died in prison in 1476.

     ⁷ Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, married Alice, Daughter and heir of Thomas
Montague, the great Earl of Salisbury, who had the principal command under the Duke
of Bedford, at Verneuil, and who died in 1428.

LETTER XXVIII.

To the worshipful Sir, and my right well beloved Cousin John
Paston, and in his Absence to John Bocking, or William Barker.

WORSHIPFUL Sir and Cousin, I recommend me to
     you, and like you to weet that I have a ¹Tally with my
Cousin Fenn of 500 marks (333l. 6s. 8d.) and more, for to be
changed upon such places, as a man might have most speedy
payment; and I pray you heartily to commune with the said
Fenn that I might be insured of the said Tally to be exchanged,
and for what reward competent to be given upon the same, I
will agree to it.

     Item, I desire to know who be the Residue, the remanent
of the Co-Executors of the Lord ³Willoughby, now the Lord
⁴Cromwell is deceased; for this cause it was so, that there was

due to the Lord Willoughby and to me 10,000 marks
(6666l. 13s. 4d.) for a Reward to be paid of my Lord ⁵ Bedford’s
Goods, for the taking of the Duke of ⁶ Alençon.

     And the said Lord Willoughby had but one thousand marks
(666l. 13s. 4d.) paid, and I one thousand marks (666l. 13s. 4d.)
so 8000 (5333l. 6s. 8d.) leveth (remaineth) yet to pay; of which
Sum, 4000 (2666l. 13s. 4d.) must grow to the Executors of the
said Lord Willoughby to dispose.

     And therefore I desire that the Executors, and such as most
have interest in the Lord Willoughby’s Goods, may be commu-
ned with; that they make pursuit for payment of the said
4000 marks, for his part to be had, and I shall make for my
part.

     And (if) Master Nevile, the which hath wedded my Lady
Willoughby, have power, or interest to receive the Lord
Willoughby’s Debts, then he to be laboured unto. And my Lord
of ⁷ Salisbury will be a great helper in this cause.

     The King, which is Supervisor of my Lord Bedford’s Testa-
ment, hath written, and commanded by sundry Letters, that the
said Lord Willoughby should be content for his part; and so
much the matter is the forwarder.

     And there is one Young, a servant of the Lord Willoughby,

which pursued this matter; if he were in London, he could
give good information upon this matter.

     I pray you write to me how my matters do, and of fuch no-
velties as ye have there, and our Lord have you in his keeping.

     Written at Caistor hastily, the 5th day of February, in the
34th year of King Henry VIth.

                                                                Your Cousin,

                                                                           ³ JOHN FASTOLF.

10 ¾ by 5 ½.      

 ³ Autograph. Pl. II. N^o 15.

 Caistor,
                 Wednesday,
                 5th of February, 1455, 34 H. VI.

¹ A Taille or Talley was a clest stick, both parts of which were notched according to
the sum of money advanced, and of which one part was given to the Creditor, whilst the
other remained with the Debtor. Hence the Tallier of the Exchequer, now called the
Teller.

     Sir John Fastolf had intrusted a Tally with his Cousin Fenn, and was desirous of
knowing what reasonable Discount he should allow for receiving ready money upon this
security.

     ² Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, was slain in battle during the contest between Richard II.
and Henry IV. about 1399, when he forfeited his lands. His son Hugh had estates in
Essex and Middlesex, where his descendants flourished for several generations: this Fa-
mily then branched off into Suffolk and Norfolk, in both which counties they acquired
possessions. The writer of this note is at present the only male branch of this Family in
the county of Norfolk.

 The Person mentioned in this Letter was either the Son or Grandson (for they were
both named Hugh,) of the Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, and seems, from the manner in
which he is several times mentioned both by Sir J. Fastolf and J. Paston, to have been a
Lawyer. He was, in 1459, a supervisor of Sir J. Fastolf’s will.

     ³ Robert Willoughby Lord Willoughby, an eminent Commander, was present at the
famous battle of Agincourt, in 1415; and also commanded under the Duke of Bedford
at the battle of Verneuil, in the province of Normandy, in 1424, where he and Sir John
Fastolf had the honour of taking the Duke of Alençon Prisoner, as appears by this
Letter.

     The writers of Sir J. Fastolf’s Life in the “Biographia Britannica” give an account of
his having taken a French General, but are in doubt both as to the person taken, and
likewise in what engagement.

     ⁴ Henry Lord Cromwell, whose sister, and now coheir, Lord Willoughby had
married. She was at this time the wise of Sir Thomnas Neville.

⁵ John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, third Son of Henry IV.
This great man died at Paris, in 1435, and was buried at Roan.

     It may be supposed that the Ransom was paid into his hands, as Commander in Chief,
and that, in that Character, he was entitled to a considerable share of it, though it appears
from this account that he had detained most of it; for even now at the distance of 20
years from his death, the Lord Willoughby and Sir J. Fastolf, had received only 1000
marks each.

     ⁶ John H. Duke of Alençon, son of him slain at Agincourt, was born, in 1409, and

taken Prisoner at the Battle of Verneuil, in 1424. He was detained a Prisoner three
years, but released at the intercession of the Duke of Burgundy, on paying a Ransom of
200,000 Crowns. He afterwards was convicted of Treasons towards his own Sovereigns,
and died in prison in 1476.

     ⁷ Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, married Alice, Daughter and heir of Thomas
Montague, the great Earl of Salisbury, who had the principal command under the Duke
of Bedford, at Verneuil, and who died in 1428.

321

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON¹

To the worshypfull Sir, and my ryght welbelovyd cosyn, John
     Paston; and in hys absence, to John Bokkyng and William
     Barker.

   WORSHYPFULL Sir and cosyn, I recomaund me to
     yow. And lyke yow to wete that y have a taylle²
     with my cosyn Fenne³ of v^c. [500] marc and more,
for to be chaunged uppon such places as a man myght have
moste spedye payment; and I pray yow hertlye to comyn
wyth the seyd Fenne, that y myght be ensured of the seyd
taylle to be eschaunged; and for whate rewarde competant to
be yeven uppon the same, I wolle agree it.

     Item, I desyre to know who ben the residew, the remenant
of the co-executors of the Lord Wyllughbye,⁴ now the Lord
Cromewell⁵ ys decesed; for thys cause. Hyt was so, that
there was dew to the Lord Wyllughbye and to me x. m^l
[10,000] marc for a reward, to be payd of my Lord Bedford
ys godes, for the takyng of the Duc of Allauncon.⁶ And the
seyd Lord Wyllughbye had but one thowsand marc payd, and
I m^l. [1000] mrc, soo viij. m^l. [8000] levyth [remains] yhyt
to pay; of whych somme iiij. m^l. [4000] most grow to the
executors of the seyd Lord Wyllughby to dispose. And ther-
for y desyre that the executors, and such as most have intrest
in the Lord Wyllughby goodes, may be comyned wyth; that
they may [make] purseute for payment of the seyd iiij. m^l.

[4000] marc, for hys part to be had, and y shall make for my
part.

     And [i.e. if] Maister Nevyle,¹ the whych hath wedded my
Lady Wyllughbye, have power or intrest to resseyve the Lord
Wyllughby ys debts, then he to be labured untoo. And my
Lord of Salysburye woll be a grete helper yn thys cause.

     The Kyng, whych ys Supervisor of my Lord Bedford
testament, hath wreten and comaunded by sondry lettres, that
the seyd Lord Wyllughbye shuld be content for hys part.
And so moch the mater ys the furtherer.

     And ther ys one Yon’, a servaunt of the Lord Wyllugh-
bye, whych pursewed thys mater; yff he were yn London, he
coude geve gode enformacion uppon thys mater.

     Y pray yow wryte to me how my maters doth, and of
such noveltees as ye have there. And our Lord have yow yn
hys kepyng.

     Wreten at Castr hastlye, v. day of Feveryer, anno xxxiiij^to
Regis Henrici VI.

                                         Your cosyn,                    J. FASTOLF.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 120.]

     ² A tally. This was a cleft stick, in both parts of which notches were cut to
represent sums of money due; on which one part was given to the creditor, the other
being retained by the debtor.

     ³ Hugh Fenn.

     ⁴ Robert, Lord Willoughby of Eresby.

     ⁵ Ralph, Lord Cromwell.

     ⁶ John, Duke of Alençon, taken prisoner at the battle of Verneuil in 1424.

¹ Sir Thomas Nevill, a younger son of Richard, Earl of Salisbury, married Maud,
the widow of Robert, Lord Willoughby.—Dugdale, ii. 86.

1456
FEB. 5

1456
FEB. 5