_To the right reverent and worshipful Sir, and my right good maister, my
maister Sir John Fastolf, at Castre._
[Sidenote: 1456 / FEB. 9]
Right reverent and my right worshipful maister, I recomaunde me to yow
in my right humble wise. Please hit your right good maistership to wyte
that on Sonday laste I sent yow many and divers lettres and writynges,
by Lampet, of all matiers that I hadde knowlege at that tyme redy to
answere. And now suche tidinges as ar here, but fewe that ar straunge,
excepte that this day my Lordes York and Warwik comen to the Parlement
in a good aray, to the noumbre of iij^c. [300] men, all jakkid[75.1] and
in brigantiens,[75.2] and noo lord elles, wherof many men mervailed. It
was seid on Saterday my Lord shuld have ben discharged this same day.
And this day was seide, but if he hadde come stronge, he shuld have bene
distrussid; and no man knoweth or can sey that ony prefe may be hadde by
whom, for men thinken verily there is no man able to take ony suche
enterprinse.
The Kyng, as it was tolde me by a grete man, wolde have hym chief and
princepall counceller, and soo to be called hise chef counceller and
lieutenant as longe as hit shuld lyke the Kyng; and hise patent to be
made in that forme, and not soo large as it is by Parlement. But soome
men thinken it wil ner can otherwise bee; and men speke and devyne moche
matere of the comyng this day in suche array to Westminster. And the
Lordes speken this day in the Parlement of a greet gleymyng sterre that
but late hathe be seen diverse tymes, merveilous in apperyng. The
resumpsion, men truste, shall forthe, and my Lordes of Yorkes first
power of protectorship stande, and elles not, &c. The Quene is a grete
and strong labourid woman, for she spareth noo peyne to sue hire thinges
to an intent and conclusion to hir power.
I have seid to the bringer here of more to declare yow alle a longe. And
as for hise comyng, ye like to understande that your nevew, my Maister
Filongley, hathe laboured and doon that he cowde or myght to hise
preferraunce; but as for to make hym freman and at hise ease, to hise
profite and worship, it can not bee with owte William Lyne be here, that
boughte hise prentishode of his maister, to hise grete hurte and castyng
of bakke by ij. or iij. yere of tyme loste; and ne were it that the
maister and wardeyns of the Taillours tendre hym, be cause of yow and of
Fynynglee, hise firste maister, that solde hym to William Lyne, as weel
as the seide Lyne and Richard, shuld alle lese ther fredoms, as ye shall
more pleinly understande by the reporte of the seid Richard, &c.
This day was my Lord Devenshire at Westminstre, and shuld have apperid,
but he was countermaundid. As to youre matier of Wentworthe, the trety
contynueth, and is putte by the arbitrours in Fortescu and Yelverton,
and we have day of newe til Friday come sevenyght. God graunte it take a
good ende. The lawe is with us clerly, as weel in th’atteynte as
therinne as yette, blessid be our Lord, hoo have you in hise most noble
governaunce.
Written in your place this Moneday of Fastyngange,[76.1] m^l. cccclv.
Your humble servaunt,