_To myn ryght weel beloved cosyn, John Paston, Squier._
[Sidenote: 1455 / MARCH 29]
Worshipfull cosyn, I recomaunde me to yow. And lyke yow to wete that at
this tyme I sende to yow myn welbeloved frende and servant, Sir Thomas
Howys, to have youre good councell and advyse how and in what wyse he
may best be demened there at this tyme in his yeldyng to the Sheref upon
his exigend, wheche is and shal be v. tymes called as on Monday next
comyng, as I understande; and, the same by good and discrete advyse
concluded and sette in a good weye by sewertes found to appere at London
the day of the retorn of the wrytte or otherwyse, that thenne if ye
thenke hit be to do’n [_to do_], ye lyke to take upon yow to comon with
myne Lord of Norwyche,[18.2] recomaundyng me to hys good and tender
Lordship, and declaryng to hym how and in what wyse the seyd Sir Thomas
was demened in the _oyer and determyner_, and sethe how he hath
wrongously and with ought cause be vexed by John Andrews and other, and
greetly trowbled, wherupon this atteynt now is grownded, in such wyse as
ye thenk best to be done; and that his Lordship by youre medyacion here
after geve not any favore to any persone or persones on myne contrarye
partye for any synystre informacion geven other wyse than the trought in
the mater shal require, as he shal weel understande by youre good
reporte, for ye know the same mater weel. Wherfore, cosyn, I praye yow
that ye wole tender the same for the weel and good speed therof, as myne
syngler trust is in yow. And the blessed Trinyte preserve yow to his
pleaser.
In hast, at Castre, the xxix. day of Marche.
Youre,
JOHN FASTOLF, Chr.
Item, cosyn, I sende youre a lettre to delyver to myne seyd Lord with a
copye of the same, wheche I praye yow to se, and if ye thenk hit be to
do’n, delyveret [_deliver it_] youre self, &c., to th’entent he myght
know the disposicion of the pepul how they be sette, &c.; for he weel
advertysed in this mater shalbe a greet supporter of trought in this be
half, for the partye contrarye wole do’n that they can to labore the
jure, and don to have theym rewled after theyr entent and contrary to
trought; wheche mater I remytte ondly to youre ryght wyse discrecion.
[Footnote 18.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The reference here made
to the process of attaint, which Fastolf had resolved to sue in
November 1454 (_see_ No. 268), shows that this letter must
belong to the month of March following. It is written in
Barker’s hand.]
[Footnote 18.2: I suspect ‘Norwyche’ is here a slip of the pen,
and that ‘my Lord of Norfolk’ was intended.]
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