Sir John Fastolf to Sir Thomas Howys

LETTER XII.

To my trusty and welbelovyd frende Sir Thomas Howys
Parson of Castellcombe.

       TRUSTY and welbelovyd frende I grete you well.
            (Here follow some Orders respecting his Affairs at Caister.)
And I pray you sende me word who darre be so hardy to
keck agen you in my ryght. And sey hem on my half that
they shall be qwyt as ferre as law and reson wolle.

     And yff they wolle not dredde ne obbey that; then they shall
be quyt by ¹ Blacberd or Whyteberd that ys to sey by God
or the Devyll. And therfor I charge yow send me word whe-
thyr such as hafe be myne Adv^rsaries before thys tyme contynew
still yn her wylfullnesse, &c.

     Itm I hyre oft tymys manye stru’nge Rapports of the
² gouv^rn’ce of my place at Castre and othyr plasys, as yn my
chatell approvyng, yn my wynys the kepyng of my wardrobe
and clothys, the avaylle of my Conyes at Haylysdon, &c. and
approwem’t of my londys. P’yng you hertly as my full trust
ys yn you to help reforme it, and that ye suffre no vityouse man
at my place of Castre abyde but wellgouv^rned and diligent as ye
woll aunswer to it.

 Allmyghty God kepe you. Wryt at London xxvij. day of
Maij A° xxviij° R R H vj.

                                                                           ³ John fastolf, kt.

London,
                 Wednesday, 27th of May,
                 1450, 28 H. VI.

This is a private Letter, and would not have been worthy of publication, but as being
characteristic of Sir John Fastolf’s Disposition.

     ¹ Swearing, we are told by some of our Historians, was the fashion of the time, and
we are here presented with one of the usual Oaths.

² His Household, &c. seems to have been ill managed in his absence, for the word
approve in this place must mean to waste or manage ill.

     Thomas Howes appears to have been a Superintendant of his Affairs at Caister. He
was Rector of Blofield in Norfolk, from about 1460 to 1471; and was one of Sir John’s
Executors. Castlecomb is in Wiltshire.

³ Sir John Fastolf, had been a Commander of approved valour in the Wars in France,
and was made a Knight of the Garter; he built this Place at Caister, where he resided

in great state and magnificence. He was born in 1377, and died on the 6th of November,
1459, when he was above 82 years old. Pl. II. N° 15.

LETTER XII.

To my trusty and wellbeloved Friend, Sir Thomas Howes,
Parson of Castlecomb.

      TRUSTY and wellbeloved Friend, I greet you well.
          (Here follow some Orders respecting his Affairs at Caister.)
And I pray you send me word who dare be so hardy to kick
against you in my right; and say (to) them on my half (behalf)
that they shall be quiet as far as Law and Reason will;
and if they will not dread nor obey that, then they shall be
quiet by ¹ Blackbeard or Whitebeard, that is to say, by God or
the Devil; and therefore I charge you, send me word whether
such as have been mine Adversaries before this time, continue
still in their willfullness, &c.

     Item, I hear oft times many strange Reports of demeaning of
the ² governance of my place at Caister and other places, as in
my Chatell approving, in my Wines, the keeping of my Ward-
robe and Cloths, the Avail of my Conies at Hellesdon, &c. and
Approvement of my Lands; praying you heartily, as my full
trust is in you, to help (to) reform it.

     And that ye suffer no vicious man at my place of Caister (to)
abide, but well governed and diligent, as ye will answer to it.

 Almighty God keep you. Written at London, the 27th day of
May, in the 28th year of the reign of King Henry Vlth.

                                                               ³ JOHN FASTOLF, Kt.

London,
                 Wednesday, 27th of May,
                 1450, 28 H. VI.

This is a private Letter, and would not have been worthy of publication, but as being
characteristic of Sir John Fastolf’s Disposition.

     ¹ Swearing, we are told by some of our Historians, was the fashion of the time, and
we are here presented with one of the usual Oaths.

² His Household, &c. seems to have been ill managed in his absence, for the word
approve in this place must mean to waste or manage ill.

     Thomas Howes appears to have been a Superintendant of his Affairs at Caister. He
was Rector of Blofield in Norfolk, from about 1460 to 1471; and was one of Sir John’s
Executors. Castlecomb is in Wiltshire.

³ Sir John Fastolf, had been a Commander of approved valour in the Wars in France,
and was made a Knight of the Garter; he built this Place at Caister, where he resided

in great state and magnificence. He was born in 1377, and died on the 6th of November,
1459, when he was above 82 years old. Pl. II. N° 15.

125

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO SIR THOMAS HOWYS¹

To my trusty and welbelovyd frende, Sir Thomas Howys, Parson of
Castellcombe.

      TRUSTY and welbelovyd frende, I grete you well.² . . . .
          And I pray you sende me word who darre be so hardy
          to keck agen you in my ryght. And sey hem on my
half that they shall be qwyt as ferre as law and reson wolle.
And yff they wolle not dredde, ne obey that, then they shall
be quyt by Blackberd or Whyteberd; that ys to sey, by God
or the Devyll. And therfor I charge yow, send me word
whethyr such as hafe be myne adversaries before thys tyme,
contynew still yn her wylfullnesse, &c.

     Item, I hyre oft tymys manye straunge rapports of the
gouvernaunce of my place at Castre and othyr plasys, as yn
my chatell approvyng,³ yn my wynys, the kepyng of my
wardrobe and clothys, the avaylle⁴ of my conyes at Haylysdon,
&c., and approwement³ of my londys; praying you hertly as
my full trust ys yn you to help reforme it, and that ye suffre no
vityouse man at my place of Castre abyde, but well gouverned
and diligent, as ye woll aunswer to it.

     Allmyghty God kepe you. Wryt at London, xxvij. day of
Maij anno xxviij^o regni Regis Henrici VI.

                                                                     JOHN FASTOLF, Kt.

     ¹ [From Fenn, i. 52.]

     ² Here, says Fenn, follow some orders respecting his affairs at Caister.

     ³ Approving lands or chattels meant turning them to profit, and in the former case
commonly implied increasing the rents.                          ⁴ Use or profit.

1450
MAY 27