The Abbot of Langley to John Stokes

LETTER XCIX.

        To the ryght Worchepfull
        Sere Mayster Iohn Stokes.

RYGHT w^rshypfull Sere I recomaund me to yow and for
     asmyche as it is informyd me yat it was appoynted yat
alle the executors of the w^rshepfull knyght Sere Iohn Fastolf
whos Soule god asoyle shuld be at london as on Monday next
Comyng Of wheche executors J am namyd for on as I on-
dyrstond Wherfore in as myche as ye be ordenary. And on of
ye same executors I prey yow tendre my laboure w^toute my
Comyng be youre dyscrecon myght be more p’fyt to the dede.
For I Conseyue it shuld be but charge to ye dede and lyteli
avayleable Consyderyug yat John Paston Squyere and Thom’s
Howys p^rson of Blofeeld schall Come up at yis time wheche
y^e p^rsones aboue all other yat ye seyd Sere John Fastolf put in
hys most sengulere loue and trust And wold they shuld haue y^e
kepyng and dysposicon of hys goods as wele in hys lyue as after
hys deseas to dyspose for ye well of hys Soule And that non
other namyd hys executors but only they tweyn shuld haue ony
kepyng or dysposyng of ony part of hese goods duryng ther lyues
And that alle other namyd executors shuld supporte them and
geue them to y^e seyd John Paston and Thom’s Howys here
good avyse in performyng of hys desyre in that behalve. Wher-
for yat it lekyth yow in ony thyng ye desyre me to do in thys
cause or matere to geue yowre feyth and credence to y^e seyd
John Paston and Thom’s Howys. And so desyred me y^e seyd
knyght feythefully to do that knowyth god Whom I be seke
preserue yow from alle aduersyte Wretyn in y^e Abbey of lange-
ley the viij day of y^e monyth of May the yeere of oure lord
m^ll cccc. lx.

                                      Youre Preest,

                                                                     Abbot of Langley.

        11 ? by 6 ?.
          Paper Mark,
       Pillar and Cross.
          Pl. XXI. N^o 7.

     Imperfect Seal of the Abbey.
The Virgin sitting in a Tabernacle, &c.
              Pl. XXIII. N^o 5.

        Abbey of Langley,
            Thursday, 8th of May,
            1460. 38 H. VI.

     We see here that the Abbot of Langley desires to be excused attending in London as
one of the Executors of Sir John Fastolf; we learn moreover that Sir John himself de-
sired particularly that the whole execution of his Will should rest with J. Paston and
Thomas Howys. Master John Stokes was a Doctor of Laws, a Civilian, and an officer
of the Bishop?s Court.

     Nicholas occurs Abbot of Langley in 1428 and in 1463; he must therefore have
been at this time an old man. Pl. XX. N^o 32.

This Abbey was founded by Sir Robert Fitz Roger, Helke or de Clavering, in 1198.
10 R. I. It was an Abbey of considerable possessions, and became the burial-place of a
great number of persons of rank and fortune.

     The Seal of the Abbey fastens the Letter; it is an oval one on red wax, but though
imperfect, I have delineated it. Pl. XXIII. N^o 5.

LETTER XCIX.

To the right worshipful Sir, Master John Stokes.

RIGHT worshipful Sir, I recommend me to you, and for
     as much as it is informed me, that it was appointed that
all the Executors of the worshipful Knight Sir John Fastolf,
whose Soul God assoil! should be at London as on Monday next
coming, of which Executors I am named for one as I understand;
wherefore in as much as ye be Ordinary, and one of the same
Executors, I pray you tender my labour without my coming by
your discretion might be more profit to the dead, for I conceive
it should be but charge to the dead and little available consider-
ing that John Paston, Esquire, and Thomas Howys, parson of
Blofield, shall come up at this time, which were the persons above
all others that the said Sir John Fastolf put in his most singular
love and trust, and would they should have the keeping and dis-
position of his goods, as well in his life as after his decease, to
dispose for the weal of his Soul; and that none other named his
executors, but only they twain should have any keeping or dis-
posing of any part of his goods during their lives; and that all
other named executors should support them, and give them to
the said John Paston and Thomas Howys their good advice in
performing of his desire in that behalf; wherefore that it liketh
you in any thing ye desire me to do in this cause or matter to
give your faith and credence to the said John Paston and Thomas
Howys, and so desired me the said Knight faithfully to do, that
knoweth God, whom I beseech preserve you from all adversity.
Written in the Abbey of Langley, the 8th day of the month of
May, the year of our Lord 1460.

                                    Your Priest,
                                                        The ABBOT of Langley.

        11 ? by 6 ?.
          Paper Mark,
       Pillar and Cross.
          Pl. XXI. N^o 7.

     Imperfect Seal of the Abbey.
The Virgin sitting in a Tabernacle, &c.
              Pl. XXIII. N^o 5.

        Abbey of Langley,
            Thursday, 8th of May,
            1460. 38 H. VI.

We see here that the Abbot of Langley desires to be excused attending in London as
one of the Executors of Sir John Fastolf; we learn moreover that Sir John himself de-
sired particularly that the whole execution of his Will should rest with J. Paston and
Thomas Howys. Master John Stokes was a Doctor of Laws, a Civilian, and an officer
of the Bishop?s Court.

     Nicholas occurs Abbot of Langley in 1428 and in 1463; he must therefore have
been at this time an old man. Pl. XX. N^o 32.

This Abbey was founded by Sir Robert Fitz Roger, Helke or de Clavering, in 1198.
10 R. I. It was an Abbey of considerable possessions, and became the burial-place of a
great number of persons of rank and fortune.

     The Seal of the Abbey fastens the Letter; it is an oval one on red wax, but though
imperfect, I have delineated it. Pl. XXIII. N^o 5.

407

THE ABBOT OF LANGLEY TO JOHN STOKES³

To the ryght worchepfull Sere, Mayster John Stokes.

      RYGHT worshypfull Sere, I recomaund me to yow; and
           for asmyche as it is informyd me that it was appoynted
           that alle the executors of the worshepfull knyght, Sere
John Fastolf, whos soule God asoyle, shuld be at London as
on Monday next comyng, of wheche executors I am namyd
for on, as I ondyrstond; wherfore, in as myche as ye be
ordenary and on of the same executors, I prey yow tendre my
laboure, withoute my comyng, be youre dyscrecion, myght be
more profyt to the dede; for I conseyve it shuld be but
charge to the dede, and lytell avayleable, consyderyng that
John Paston, Squyere, and Thomas Howys, parson of Blofeeld,
schall come up at this time, wheche were⁴ the persones above
all other that the seyd Sere John Fastolf put in hys most
sengulere love and trust, and wold they shuld have the kepyng
and dysposicion of hys goods, as wele in hys lyve as after hys
deseas, to dyspose for the well of hys soule; and that non
other namyd hys executors, but only they tweyn, shuld have
ony kepyng or dysposyng of ony part of hese goods duryng
ther lyves; and that alle other namyd executors shuld supporte
them and geve them to the seyd John Paston and Thomas
Howys here good avyse in performyng of hys desyre in that
behalve. Wherfor that it lekyth yow in ony thyng ye desyre
me to do in thys cause or matere to geve yowre feyth and
credence to the seyd John Paston and Thomas Howys; and
so desyred me the seyd Knyght feythefully to do, that
knowyth God, whom I be seke preserve yow from alle
adversyte.

     Wretyn in the Abbey of Langeley, the viij. day of the
monyth of May, the yeere of oure Lord m^l.cccc.lx.

                          Youre preest,               ABBOT OF LANGELEY.¹

     ³ [From Fenn, iii. 398.]

     ⁴ This word is omitted in the literal transcript in Fenn.

     ¹ His name was Nicholas.

MAY 8

1460

MAY 8