By yowrs,

M. P.

Alle the jentylmen of thys contre that went uppe to the Kyng ar contrmaundyd, and ar com hom ageyn. It is told me that Rowse of Suffolk[107.1] is ded. If John Gayn myght have any releese of his sone, if it myght do hym ese, it wer a good torne for hym.

[Footnote 105.2: [From Fenn, iv. 176.] The commission to Lord Scales and Sir John Howard mentioned in this letter seems to have reference to a proclamation dated the 11th May 1464, by which all men between the ages of sixty and sixteen were ordered to attend the King. The date is confirmed by the reference in the postscript to the death of 'Rous of Suffolk,' for Reginald Rous of Denington died in 1464. (_See_ Weever's _Funeral Monuments_, p. 782.)]

[Footnote 105.3: Constantine Dalby was inst.i.tuted to the Vicarage of East Dereham in 1451, and was succeeded in 1458 by Robert Sheringham.]

[Footnote 106.1: John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.]

[Footnote 106.2: Anthony Widville was created Lord Scales in 1461.--F.]

[Footnote 107.1: Reginald Rous, Esq. of Denington, in Suffolk, died in 1464. He was the ancestor of the present Earl of Stradbroke.]

568

RICHARD CALLE TO JOHN PASTON[107.2]

_To my ryght wurschipfull my mastre, John Paston, be this delyverd in haste._

[Sidenote: 1464 / JUNE 28]

Plesith it youre goode maisterchippe to witte that I have be with my Mastre Calthorppe for the matre ye wrote to hym fore, wherin I have founde hym ryght weele disposed and favorabley; nevertheles he tolde me that William Jenney hath bene hes goode frende and have ben of hes councell this ij. yere in all hes matres towchyng the lawe, but he seide lever he hadde lose the lesser frende than the greete frende, and so he hathe graunted favour accordyng to youre desire, and wrote a lettre to the undrescheryff of Norfolk that he schuld take suerte sufficient to save hym harmeles, and that done to write a letter to the undrescheryff of Suffolk and lete hym witte that he hath taken suerte that ye schall appere in the _crastino Animarum_ upon the exigents returnable, or elles to bryng a _super sedias_[108.1] lauful before that daye, chargyng hym that he do sece [_cause to cease_] the callyng of the writts, and to retorne that ye appered the furst day. Weche suerte is taken, and a letter wreten to the undrescheryff of Suffolk acordynge herto.

Item, as for Sir Thomas Howes, he lythe most at Norwiche. I can thynke he come not up to London tyll Michelmes.

Item, I rode over to Techewelle whan that I whas at Mastre Calthorppes for to have money of the fermours, and Yelverton and Sir Thomas hathe sent to hem that they schol pay to you no more money, for that they had payed to you they schulde payed [_pay it_] ayene to them; and so I gane [_can_] gete no money of hem. Wherfore I went for to distreyne hem; and so they seide that I myght not distreyne hem, for I come before the daye, for her [_their_] day is at Midsomer. Nevertheles I wold not lette, for that Simond Miller and other promysed to Mr. William Cotyng and to me that I schuld have the money aftre Midsomer, so that I brought with me a quetaunce of suche money as ye have receyved of hem, or elles a generall quetaunce; and the tone I purposed to do in haste be the advice of the seide Mastre W. Cotynge. For, and I torned, I can thynke it schuld hurte. I am purposed to lete it in youre name to other folks or to them ayen, and suerte founde to you, &c. And Almyghty G.o.d preserve and kepe you. Wreten at Norwiche on Sen Petres Even.

Your pore servaunt and bedman,

RIC. CALLE.

[Footnote 107.2: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] This letter refers to the suit brought by Jenney against Paston in 1464, in which, as will be seen hereafter, Paston failed to appear at four successive county courts held at Ipswich, and was at last outlawed in Michaelmas term. _See_ No. 572.]

[Footnote 108.1: _Super sedias._ So spelt in MS.]

569

JOHN PASTON TO EDWARD IV.[109.1]

_To the Kyng, our Liege Lord._

[Sidenote: 1464]

Besechyth lowly your humble servaunt, John Paston the older, squier, that it please youre good grace, for such a fyne as your highnes hath apoynted your seid besecher to content yow, wherof ye be put in suerte, to graunt on to your seid besecher your gratious lettirs patentes of licence to found, stabilissh, and endewe in the gret mancion of Caster in Flegge in Norffolk, that late was John Fastolffs, knyght, cosyn to your seid besecher, a college of vij. prestes, wherof one to be master, and of vij. porefolk, to pray for your n.o.ble astate and for the soule of the seid John Fastolff and such other as he was behold to inperpetuite, aftir ordinauns by your seid besecher in that behalff to be made; and to inmortese, geve and graunt to the seid prestes and to ther successours, for the sustentacion of hem and of the seid porefolk CXX. mark of annuite and rent charge, or annuites and rentes charge, yerly goyng out of the maners callid Redhams, Vaux, and Bosomes, in Caster forseid, Begviles in Wynterton, Reppis in Bastewyk, Spencers in Heryngby, Loundhall in Saxthorp, Heylesdon, Drayton, Heynesford, Guton in Brandeston, Beyton, Techewell, and of the thrid part of the maner of Runham with th'apportenauns in the shire of Norffolk, and of the maners of Hemnales in Cotton, Burneviles in Nakton, Akthorp in Leystoft, Calcotes, Havelound, Spitlyngges, with th'apportenauns in the shire of Suffolk, and out of any part of the seid maners, with a clause of distresse for defaut of payment of the seid rente, and vj. acres of lond in the seid towne of Caster, and the avowsons of the chirches of the same town, and the fourth part of the seid mancion, or any part therof for the habitacion of the seid prestes and porefolk, to be reparid at the costs of your seid besecher, and his heires or a.s.signes for evir.

And also by your seid lettirs patentes to graunt the same prestes to be one body incorperate and to have succession perpetuall, and a comon seall, and to be persones abill to plede and to be impletid, and to purchase and alienyn all maner londes, goodes and catell, by the name of the master and his brethyrn of the college of Sen John Baptist of Castre aforeseid. And also by your seid lettirs patentes to licence the seid prestes to take and reseyve, and to hold to them and to ther successours the seid annuite, rent charge, vj. acres of lond, avousons, and the seid ------[110.1] part of the seid mancion, for evir. And to geve your Chaunceler of Inglond for the tyme beyng, comaundement, power, and auctorite that where as in this petision is not comprehendid the certeynte of termes, maters, clauses, and other circ.u.mstaunces convenient and requisite after forme of lawe for licens of the seid fundacion, that your seid Chaunceler, that notwithstandyng, do make your seid lettirs patentes in forme of lawe effectuall and sufficient in that behalf after the very entent aforeseid, not excedyng the valew and somme before specifyd, without any fyne or fee other thanne is afore specifyd to be payd for the seid lettirs patentes, licens, or grauntes, by your seid besecher or by the seid prestes; and thei shall pray hertly to G.o.d for yow.

_Endorsed in a later hand:_--Supplicatio Jo. Paston [pro] fundacione Collegii apud Caistor [secundum] formam testamenti Jo. Fastolf, mil.

[Footnote 109.1: [From MSS. in the Bodleian Library.] This, and the alternative pet.i.tion which follows, seem to have been drawn up in the year 1464, as one or other of them must have been the subject of the agreement of the 10th September in that year (No. 571). The two are printed from two parchment MSS. in the Bodleian Library. There is also, among the Paston MSS. in the British Museum, a third copy, fair written on parchment like the other two, of which the text corresponds in the beginning to the second pet.i.tion, and in the latter part to the first.]

[Footnote 110.1: A blank on an erasure.]

II.

_To the Kyng, our Sovereyn Lord._

[Sidenote: 1464]

Please it yowr highnes to graunte unto yowr humble servant John Paston the older, Squier, yowr gracious lettres patents of licence to fownde, stabelysh, and endewe in the gret mancion of Castre be Mekyll Yermowth in Norffolk, that late was John Fastolffs, knyght, cosyn to yowr seyd besecher, a colage of vij. prystes wheroff on to be master, and vij.

pourmen, to praye for your n.o.ble astate, and for the sowle of the said Fastolff and suche othir as he was be holde to inperpetuite, and to inmortese and gyve to the seyd prystes, and to ther successours for the sustentacion of hem, and of the seyd pourmen C. marke of annunite and rent charge, yerly goyng owt of all maneres, londes, and tenementz that were the seyd Fastolffs within the Shyres of Norffolk and Suffolk, and vj. acres of londe in the sayd town of Castre, and the iiij. parte of the sayd mancion for the habitacion of the sayd prystes and pourmen, to be repared at the costes of your seyd besecher and hys heyres and a.s.signes for ever, as suerly and lawfully as your seyd besecher can devise. And also be your letters patentz to graunt the same prystes to be one bodie incorperate, and to have succession perpetuall, and a comon seall, and to be persones abyll to plede and be impletid, and to purchase and alienyn all maner londs, tenements, G.o.des, and catell, be the name of the master and hys brethyrn of the collage of Saynt John Baptiste of Castre aforsayd. And also be your letters patentz to licence the sayd prystes to take and receyve, and to holde to theym and to ther successours the sayd annaunite, rente charge, vj. acres of lond, avowsons, and the seyd iiij. parte of the said mancion for ever, with owte eny ffyne or fe to be payde for the sayd lettres patentz, licens or grauntes be your sayd besecher, or be the said pristes. And thei shall pray hertly to G.o.d for you.

_Endorsed in a later hand:_--Peticio Joh'is Paston Arm' ad Regem pro collegio in Caister.

570

ANONYMOUS TO MASTER ROTHEWELL[111.1]

[Sidenote: 1464(?)]

Maister Rothewell, please you to remembre, as for the mater that John Paston and Sir Thomas Howys comownyd with you of, in whiche they desyred specialy the good lordship, support and helpe of my Lordis of Wynchestre and Beauchamp for acomplishement of the will of here testatour[112.1]

and in esshewynge of costis. And where as ye meovyd to knowe the materys that were contraryed be otherys, we undirstonde and have knowlege of late tyme it[112.2] stondeth in these materys folwyng.

Fyrst, the seyd Testatour be hise testament namyd the seyd Lordys and the seyd John Paston and Thomas Howys and othyr executorys, and wolde as for the admynistracion, kepyng and execucion of his goodis shuld be takyn and doo be the seyd Paston and Howys duryng here lyves, if they will take admynistracion; and if ony of hem too desese or refuce the admynistracion, the tothyr to chese to hym on of the remnaunt of the executorys to execute, &c. And if bothe deye, noon chosyn, thanne tweyne to be chosyn be the executorys levyng, or the more part of hem, to admynistre in lyk wise. And they too that do occupye to have recourse to my seyd lordis and the othyr executorys in takyng here good avyse chargeable and requysit materys. And this is oon matere that othyr namyd in the Testament gruche with. Notwithstandyng, as for ony avauntage that we cleyme to have by it, we wyll be agreable to ony mean resonable that oure seyd lordis wyll ordeyne to the good disposecion of the goodys accordyng to oure testatorys intent, or to ony meane that may concyensly or lawefully be meovyd.

Item, as for hise wyll touchyng hese goodis on mevable, as hese londis and tenamentis, the seyd testatour hathe at all tymes this xx. yeer, in all wyllis that he hathe made, ordeynid that a gret part of hyse seyd londis shuld goo to the fundacion of a collage at Castre of vij. monkys or pristis and vij. pore folke; and he by hyse last wyll ordeynid that the seyd John Paston shuld have all the londis and tenementis in Norffolke, Suffolke and Norwyche; and that the seyd Paston shuld at hese cost inmorteyse and indewe the seyd Collage and paye iiij^ml mark to be dysposed for the testatouris soule, as is declaryd in the seyd wyll more pleynerly. And as for the remnaunt of the lyflode to be sold, and the mony thereof comynge to be disposed be thoo personys that he hathe ordeynid to have the execucion of hise wyll and testament.

And as for thys matere of the Collage, there shall, be the mene hereof, more mony growe to the handis of the mynistrorys, what soo ever they bee, and also lesse labour thanne shuld have doo and thys hadde not bee, in cas the seyd mynistroris wolde intende to parforme ony will that the seyd Testatour made thys xx. yeer. And also it shalbe well provyd that the seyd Testatour was dysposed to have doo more largely to the seyd Paston thanne is conteynid in the seyd wyll if he hadde levyd the tyme to have expressyd and parformyd hise wyll and entent.

Wherfor, plese my seyd lordis to take suche a direccion that the may undirstonde the trouthe of these materys, and to shewe here good lordshepys and favour accordyng to the trouthe in parformyng of the Testatourys wyll, and in sesynge of voyd costis of hese goodis. And that they will geve noo credence to suche as wyll upon here owyn imagynacionys for maleyse or invye intendyng to contrarye the dedys wyll or mys spende hese goodis ...

_Endorsed by another hand:_--

A letter to Rothwell or Worcester or of Watkyn Schyddam.

[Footnote 111.1: [Add. MS. 33,597, f. 6.] This letter would seem to be of about the same date as No. 569.]

[Footnote 112.1: Sir John Fastolf.]

[Footnote 112.2: _it._ MS. reads 'in.']

571