Sir John Fastolf to the Duke of Norfolk

LETTER LXXXIV.

RIGHT high and myghty Prynce my right noble and
     good lord in my right humble wyse I recomaunde me to
your good grace And for the noble lordship and supportacon
shewid unto me at all tymes I beseche our lord god guerdon
yow Where as I may no^t but only as yo^r daily and contynuell
bedeman now in myn age pray for the good p’sp^rite of youre
right highe and noble estate as I am gretly bounde to doo prayng
tendirly yo^re highnesse to contynue yo^re good lordship and sup-
portacon in the mat’es touchyng yo^r s^runt John Porter and my
pore Chappelleyn S^r Thomas Howes trustyng verily to god that
with the supportacon of your good lordship there mater shall yette
Come to agood Conclusion in punisshyng of p^rjur’ and embracery
that many yeris hathe ben and yette is usid in this Shire whiche
were grete merite And to my Conceyte in yow that ar soo noble
a prynce a singler reno’une as for the beste dede that may be doo
for the weel of bothe shires And in like wise that it please youre
right good grace to Contynue youre noble fauour and supporta-
con to me in remedyeng the force doon by S^r Philip Wentworth
kepyng now wrongful possession of certeyn londes in Suff. nygh
youre castel of Framyngh’m whiche londs certeyn of my frendes
to myn use haue of the kyng’s graunte by his lres patent byfore
ony patent that the seid S^r Philip hathe whiche is my singler
matier in myn owen p^rte that I haue now to doo as my Cosyn
Paston can enforme yowr lordship for he knowith the mater and
myn hole entente to whom yo^r good grace lyke to yife credence
he Cometh to awaite upon yo^r. lordship at this tyme as I under-
stande by my Cosyn youre S^ruaunt Richard Suthwell youre lord-
ship desired.

     Right highe and myghty prynce my noble and right good
lord I beseche the holy goste be with yow And eu^re more sende
yow the Accomplishment of youre right noble desires to his
plesir and youres Writen at my pore place of Castre the ij^ds.
day of Aprill.

Yo^r humble man and s^rvñt,

                                                                                       J. Fastolf.

           11 ½ by 6.

       Caister,
            2d of April.
            About 1459. 37 H. VI.

     As this is the only Letter in this collection written by Sir John Fastolf to a man of
superior rank to himself, I have given it, that his manner of expressing himself in such a
situation may be seen. The Letter has no direction, having been originally enclosed in
a cover, but by the contents is plainly intended for the Duke of Norfolk, his “Castle
of Framlingham” being mentioned.

     The time of its being written too can be nearly ascertained, Sir John mentioning not
only his age, but in the part that is intended to be crased, his infirmities likewise, we
may therefore conclude it was written in the last year of his life. Autograph. Pl. II.
N^o 15. He died in November 1459, and the Duke in 1461.

     Richard Southwell was the son of Alice, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Berry,
knight, and married Amy, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Witchingham, of
Wood-Rising, by Alice, daughter and heir of John Fastolf, Esq. by which means he
was related both to Sir J. Fastolf and to J. Paston.

     Sir Philip Wentworth, knight, of Nettlested, in Suffolk, was the son of Roger Went-
worth, Esq. by Margery Lady Roos, daughter and heir of Sir Philip Spencer, knight,
by Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of John Tiptoste, Earl of Worcester: he married
Mary, daughter of Lord Clifford. The Estate at Nettlested continued in this family
till the reign of Charles I. when it was sold.

LETTER LXXXIV.

RIGHT high and mighty Prince, my right noble and
     good Lord, in my right humble wise I recommend me to
your good grace, and for the noble lordship and supportation
shewed unto me at all times, I beseech our Lord God guerdon
(reward) you, whereas I may not, but only as your daily and
continual Beadsman now in mine age pray for the good prosperity
of your right high and noble estate, as I am greatly bound to
do; praying tenderly your highness to continue your good lord-
ship and supportation in the matters touching your servant John
Porter, and my poor Chaplain Sir Thomas Howes, trusting verily
to God, that with the supportation of your good lordship, their
matters shall yet come to a good conclusion in punishing of per-
jury and embracery that many years hath been and yet is used
in this shire, which were great merit, and to my conceit, in
you that are so noble a Prince, a singular renown, as for the
best deed that may be done for the weal of both shires.

     And in like wise that it please your right good grace to con-
tinue your noble favour and supportation to me in remedying the
force done by Sir Philip Wentworth, keeping now wrongful
possession of certain lands in Suffolk, nigh your castle of Fram-
lingham, which lands certain of my friends to my ease, have of
the King’s grant by his Letters Patent before any patent that
the said Sir Philip hath, which is mine singular matter in mine
own part, that I have now to do, as my Cousin Paston can in-
form your Lordship, for he knoweth the matter and mine whole
intent, to whom your good grace like to give credence, he
cometh to await upon your Lordship at this time, as I under-
stand by my cousin your servant Richard Southwell, your lord-
ship desired (this is scratched out, but legible, “and to pardonne
me for necessite causeth me in as moche as I may not come in myn owne
p^rsone as my will were.”)

     Right high and mighty Prince my noble and right good Lord
I beseech the Holy Ghost be with you, and ever more send you
the accomplishment of your right noble desires to his pleasure
and yours.

     Written at my poor place of Caister, the Second day of
April.

                   Your humble man and Servant,

                                                                             JOHN FASTOLF.

           11 ½ by 6.

       Caister,
            2d of April.
            About 1459. 37 H. VI.

     As this is the only Letter in this collection written by Sir John Fastolf to a man of
superior rank to himself, I have given it, that his manner of expressing himself in such a
situation may be seen. The Letter has no direction, having been originally enclosed in
a cover, but by the contents is plainly intended for the Duke of Norfolk, his “Castle
of Framlingham” being mentioned.

     The time of its being written too can be nearly ascertained, Sir John mentioning not
only his age, but in the part that is intended to be crased, his infirmities likewise, we
may therefore conclude it was written in the last year of his life. Autograph. Pl. II.
N^o 15. He died in November 1459, and the Duke in 1461.

     Richard Southwell was the son of Alice, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Berry,
knight, and married Amy, daughter and co-heir of Sir Edmund Witchingham, of
Wood-Rising, by Alice, daughter and heir of John Fastolf, Esq. by which means he
was related both to Sir J. Fastolf and to J. Paston.

     Sir Philip Wentworth, knight, of Nettlested, in Suffolk, was the son of Roger Went-
worth, Esq. by Margery Lady Roos, daughter and heir of Sir Philip Spencer, knight,
by Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of John Tiptoste, Earl of Worcester: he married
Mary, daughter of Lord Clifford. The Estate at Nettlested continued in this family
till the reign of Charles I. when it was sold.

278

SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO THE DUKE OF NORFOLK¹

   RIGHT high and myghty Prynce, my right noble and
     good Lord, in my right humble wyse I recomaunde
     me to your good grace. And for the noble lordship
and supportacion shewid unto me at all tymes, I beseche our
Lord God guerdon yow, where as I may not, but only as
yowr daily and contynuell bedeman, now in myn age, pray for

the good prosperite of youre right highe and noble estate, as I
am gretly bounde to doo; prayng tendirly yowre Highnesse
to contynue yowre good lordship and supportacion in the
materes touchyng your servaunt John Porter and my pore
Chappelleyn Sir Thomas Howes, trustyng verily to God that,
with the supportacion of your good Lordship, there mater
shall yette come to a good conclusion in punisshyng of perjure
and embracery that many yeris hathe ben and yette is usid in
this shire, whiche were grete merite, and to my conceyte, in
yow that ar soo noble a Prynce, a singler renoune, as for the
beste dede that may be doo for the weel of bothe shires.

     And in like wise that it please youre right good grace
to contynue youre noble favour and supportacion to me in
remedyeng the force doon by Sir Philip Wentworth, kepyng
now wrongful possession of certeyn londes in Suffolk, nygh
youre Castel of Framyngham; whiche londs certeyn of my
frendes, to myn use, have of the Kyngs graunte by his lettres
patent byfore ony patent that the seid Sir Philip hathe, whiche
is my singler matier in myn owen parte that I have now to
doo, as my cosyn Paston can enforme yowr Lordship, for he
knowith the mater and myn hole entente, to whom your good
grace lyke to yife credence. He cometh to awaite upon your
Lordship at this tyme, as I understande, by my cosyn youre
servaunt Richard Suthwell, youre Lordship desired.

     Right highe and myghty Prynce, my noble and right good
Lord, I beseche the Holy Goste be with yow, and evere more
sende yow the accomplishment of youre right noble desires to
his plesir and youres.

     Writen at my pore place of Castre, the ij^de day of Aprill.

                         Your humble man and servaunt,

                                                                                    J. FASTOLF.

     ¹ [From Fenn, iii. 338.] Although there is no direction upon this letter, it was
evidently addressed to the Duke of Norfolk, as it speaks of ‘your Castle of Framling-
ham.’ The absence of any written address Fenn accounts for by supposing the letter
to have been enclosed in a cover; but as it appears that the original contained at least
one passage which was crossed out (see page 341 in Fenn), we may with greater pro-
bability consider it to have been a corrected draft, like the last, sent to John Paston
for his approval. The dispute with Sir Philip Wentworth and the matters of John
Porter and Sir Thomas Howes, here referred to, both point to the year 1455 as the
date of this letter.—See Nos. 265, 268.

APRIL 2

1455
APRIL 2