Thomas Howes to Cardinal Bourchier

LETTER LXXVI.

            To my moste bonorabyl.
            lord x Cadenall and Archibushop
            of Caunt' bury.

MOSTE Reu'ent and my ryght good lord J Recomaund
     me to your gracyous lordshyp yn my moste humble wyse
plrase your lordshyp to wete that my lord Norff. eouncell hath
now late mevyd S^r Wyll'm Yelur ton kynght and me to be p'fer-
ryd for to purchasse the maner of Castre and certeyn other lord-
shypps that wer my maystyr Fastolf whom god pardon owt
excepted the maner of guton that yowr lordshyp desyryth to
purchasse. And othyr certeyn maners that my mastyr Fastolf
frendys hafe desyred to be p'ferryd. And be cause the p'tens
bargayn that John ² Paston yn hys lyffe surmytted bye colour of
which he entended to hafe all my mastyr Fastolf londes in Norff
and Suff. for nought fauyng the hygh reuerence of your astate
was not iuste ne trew. And be cause that J wyth othyr of my
mast^r Fastolf executors may haue wher of to duspospose yn cheryte
full dadys to do for hys sowle J haue condefcended the rather
that my seide lord of Norff. shall be p'ferryd to the purchasse of
the seyde maner of Castre. And othyr maners that may be
sparyd to thencresse of hys lyfelode yn thys land and thys covenn-
tys to be engroced upp wythynne shorth thyme as by all Halow-
aunce in case yowr lordshyp be agreed and plesyd wyth all wher
uppon J wold beseche yowr nobyll lordshyp to lete me wete your
good ples^r and avice yn thys behalfe. And be cause my seyd
lord Norff. ys to nere of blode to yowr hyghnesse knyghted
that meevyd me to be the more wyllyng to Condescend to the
forseyd purchasse and so trustyng your lordshyp wold be ryght
well pleased wyth alle. Wretyn at Norwich the x day of Octo-
byr. A^o viij R E iiij^ti.
                                                           Yowr pore
                                                           Chapleyn
                                                                                               ³ T. Howys.

               12 ? by 6.

             Paper Mark,

     Bull's Head and Star.

             Pl. XI. N^o 10.

     On the back of this Letter is the following Memorandum.

     "Sir T. Howys agreith to sell the mannor of Caister to the Duke of Norff. and movith
"thereto my Lord Cardenall."

     It was in consequence of this agreement with Sir Thomas Howys, one of the Executors
of Sir John Fastolf, that the Duke of Norfolk I suppose claimed the Manor and Castle
of Caister, and in pursuit of that claim undertook to besiege it, in the manner explained.
in the follwoing Letters.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Bishop of Ely, was translated to Canterbury in 1454. He died
an old man, in 1486.

     ² What Sir Thomas Howys says of J. Paston must be believed with caution, as they had
disagreed concerning the executorship of Sir John Fastolf's Will.

     ³ Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 16.

LETTER LXXVI.

To my most bonourable I Lord Cardinal, and Archbishop of Canterbury.

MOST reverend and my right good Lord, I recommend
     me to your gracious Lordship in my most humble wife;
please your Lordship to weet that my Lord (of) Norfolk's Coun-
sel hath now late moved Sir William Yelverton, Knight, and me
to be profferred for the purchase the Manor of Caister, and certain
other Lordships that were my Master Fastolf's, whom God par-
don! out excepted the Manor of Gunton that your Lordship
defireth to purchase, and other certain Manors that my Master
Fastolf's friends have desired to be profferred; and because the
pretens (pretended) bargain that John zPaston in his life-time
surmitted (surmised) by colour of which he intended to have all
my Master Fastolf's lands in Norfolk and Suffolk for nought,
saving the high reverence of your estate, was not just nor true;
and because that I with other of my Master Fastolf's Executors
may have whereof to dispose in charityful deeds to do for his
soul; I have condescended, the rather that my said Lord of Nor-
folk shall be preferred to the purchase of the said Manor of Cais-
ter, and other Manors that may be spared to the increase of his
livelihood in this land, and these covenants to be engrossed up
within short time as by Halowaunce (Hallomas, I November), in
case your Lordship be agreed and pleased withall, whereupon I
would beseech your noble Lordship to let me weet your good
pleasure and advice in this behalf.

     And because my said Lord (of) Norfolk is so near of blood to
your highness knitted, that moved me to be the more willing to
condescend to the foresaid purchase, and so trusting your Lord-
ship would be right well pleased withall. Written at Norwich,
the 10th day of October, in the 8th year of the reign of
Edward IV.

                                   Your poor Chaplain

                                                                           ³ THOMAS HOWYS.

     Norwich, Monday,

         10th of October, 1468. 8 E. IV.

     On the back of this Letter is the following Memorandum.

     "Sir T. Howys agreith to sell the mannor of Caister to the Duke of Norff. and movith
"thereto my Lord Cardenall."

     It was in consequence of this agreement with Sir Thomas Howys, one of the Executors
of Sir John Fastolf, that the Duke of Norfolk I suppose claimed the Manor and Castle
of Caister, and in pursuit of that claim undertook to besiege it, in the manner explained.
in the follwoing Letters.

     ¹ Thomas Bourchier, Bishop of Ely, was translated to Canterbury in 1454. He died
an old man, in 1486.

     ² What Sir Thomas Howys says of J. Paston must be believed with caution, as they had
disagreed concerning the executorship of Sir John Fastolf's Will.

     ³ Autograph. Pl. XIX. N^o 16.

688

THOMAS HOWES TO CARDINAL BOURCHIER¹

To my moste honorabyl Lord Cadenall, and
Archibushop of Caunterbury.

MOSTE reverent and my ryght good Lord, I re-
     comaund me to your gracyous Lordshyp yn my
     moste humble wyse. Please your Lordshyp to wete
that my Lord Norffolk councell hath now late mevyd Sir
Wylliam Yelverton, Knyght, and me to be preferryd for to
purchasse the maner of Castre, and certeyn other lordshypps
that wer my Maystyr Fastolf, whom God pardon, owt ex-
cepted the maner of Gunton that yowr Lordshyp desyryth to
purchasse, and othyr certeyn maners that my Mastyr Fastolf
frendys hafe desyred to be preferryd. And be cause the
pretens bargayn that John Paston yn hys lyffe surmytted,
bye colour of which he entended to hafe all my Mastyr
Fastolf londes in Norffolk and Suffolk for nought, savyng
the hygh reverence of your astate, was not juste ne trew;
and be cause that I wyth othyr of my Master Fastolf
executors may have wher of to dyspospose yn cheryte full
dedys to do for hys sowle; I have condescended the rather
that my seide Lord of Norffolk shall be preferryd to the pur-
chasse of the seyde maner of Castre, and othyr maners that
may be sparyd to th’encresse of hys lyfelode yn thys land;
and thys covenantys to be engroced upp wythynne shorth
tyme, as by all Halowaunce, in case yowr Lordshyp be agreed
and plesyd wyth all; wher uppon I wold beseche yowr nobyll
Lordshyp to lete me wete your good plesur and avice yn thys
behalfe.

     And be cause my seyd Lord Norffolk ys so nere of blode
to yowr hyghnesse knyghted, that meevyd me to be the more
wyllyng to condescend to the forseyd purchasse, and so trust-
yng your Lordshyp wold be ryght well pleased wyth alle.
Wretyn at Norwich the x. day of Octobyr, anno viij. R.
E. iiij^t

                                        Yowr pore chapleyn,                   T. HOWYS.

¹ [From Fenn, iv. 298.]

1468
OCT. 10

1468
OCT. 10