Item, where as I undrestand by a lettre sent to me from my welbelovyd frende Maister John Botewryght, that grete extorcion have be don by the officers of the duchee in takyng awey cxl. acres pasture at Swaffam, whych ys of the Kyngs demeynz and of hys enheritaunce as of the duchee of Lancaster, for whych pastures, yff it com not ynne ayen, it woll be grete disheritaunce to the Kyng, and fynall destruccion of the tenauntes there, for whych the said Maistre John desyryth and prayeth of remedie yn the name of all the toune of Swaffam. As to thys such as wold here the encrese and wellfare of hym, of hys parysshons, and off all thoose mysdon untoo, most by the avice of som lerned man to put theyr oppressions and grevaunces in wrytyng, well grounded, and as the trouth of the mater ys, and that the said wrytyng or bille may be enseled wyth the seles of such gentlemen that have lyvebode there, and wyth the men that be cowthest knowen,[197.1] and that wrytyng so enseled to be directed to the Kyng, and to the Lordz of hys Councell. And then it ys and woll be of more credence to the Kyng and the Lordys then a simple lettre. And thys doon wyth the labours that they may make there in shewyng theyr grevaunces to the Commissioners; and the seid grevaunces shewed also here amongs the Kyng and the Lordz, it ys verrayly to thynk that they shall be purveyd of a remedie. And foryete not to sende or wryte to Maister Botewryght in goodly haste of thys article wyth your correccion to be had where the avertisementes of you and my frendz that have more particuler knowlege yn such maters.
Item, I have grete mervaylle that yong Jenney, whych ys of my Lord Cromewell councell, and Robert Ledam, also off hys councell, and hys man be not spoke with there, that they doo not attaine an accion ayenst Sir Thomas Tudden[ham], Heydon, and John Gent, whyche have and wold dayly labour to disseisse my Lord Cromewell of a knyghten service in Saxthorp, which ye have ryght suffisaunt evidenses by an endentures of Kyng Edward iijd dayes enseled, as of Kyng Herry dayes the iiijthe, that the seid maner ys hald by the iiijthe part of a knyzt fee[198.1] of my Lord Cromewell as of the maner of Tateshale. And the seid Tuddenham and Heydon wold after theyr voulente have it hald yn meen of the maner of Hetersete, whych sufficient evidenses that ye have specifyeth no thyng soo. And I have lost xxli. yeerly yn approwement[198.2] of my chatell, for cause my Lord Cromewell, throw neglicence of hys officers in Norffolk, have not meynteyned hys ryght. And there as John Bokkyng seith that John Jenney hath no commaundment of my Lord to pursue hys ryght, it shewyth off reson that seth he ys of hys councell in especiall for that shyre, he ought doo hys ryzt to be savyd and kept of hys dewtee. And thertoo he knouyth well that my said Lord hath commaunded hym dyvers tymys to take kepe hys ryzt be savyd in thys mater. Wherfor I pray you requyre hym on my Lord ys behalf[198.3] to compleyn to Justice at thys oyer [and terminer for a] remedie, and that the [bi]lle be made yn my Lordys name. And then to . . . . . . have commaundment ryzt sone of my Lord eftsonys, and [i.e. if] he wolle sende unto hym by suche as goth dayly into that contre to Tateshale. And I had send hym hys speciall [com]maundment, had he sent me suche word betyme whyle he was heere. I pray you remembre ye so John Jenney and Robert Ledham as I have no cause to [wri]te more, ne to compleyn to my Lord of theyr necligence.
Item, Sir Parson, where it ys soo that my cosyn Boys ys passed to God, whoos soule God assoyle, ye shall fynde amonges my bokes of accomptes at Castre, or amonges othyr wrytynges, he owed me money for a ferm he heeld of me, as Watkyn Shypdam ys remembred; and also I lent hym xls. whych I shuld have an obligacion at Castre off, praying you to inquire off thys dewteez, and see recuvere may be made off it.
Item, I seende a lettre at thys tyme to my cosyn Wychyngham, to hys modre also, for a mater that touchyth my cosyn Robert Fitzrauff ys amercement, and the partie also. Whych lettre I woll ye breke to undrestand my wrytyng and the substaunce off it the more. And y pray you hertly to speke wyth the partie at Norwych as well as wyth my ryght welbelovyd cosyn Sir Herry Inglose, and wyth my cosyn Wychyngham assone as ye goodly may. And meoffe ye the said mater yn such wyse as your discrecioun can well consider that the rathyr the said mater may take a gode ende, yff it may be yn ony wyse; yn whych mater ye shall do me ryght singler plesyr, and that thys be not slewthed, for taryeng drawth perell. I wryte but briefflye, for I . . . . . . . . . .[199.1]
Item, where as Brome ys not well wyllyng yn my maters, whych for the wrong takyng and wyth haldyng my shepe I ought take a accioun ayenst hym; for declaracioun in whate wyse he dyd it, John Bele my sheperefe can enforme you best, for he laboured about the recuvere of it. My Lady Norfolk sent me a lettre viij. yere goon, whych I shuld hafe, desyryng that the processe I was purposed take ayenst hym shuld be respited, and all that reson wold he shuld obbey. I am avysed therfor let som man about my Lord Norfolk and my Lady have wetyng, or I begynne. Yhyt I wold ye had declaracioun before of the conduyt and grounde of thys mater.
Item, where my cosyn Inglose avyse me fully to take a speciall assise on the priorye of Hykelyng for my rent, I have abydden uppon my cosyn Paston that he and I shuld take one to ghedyr, and I vele hym no thyng spede in it. Let me know how he woll doo thys next terme, for elles am I fully avysed to take myne owt, and to traverse all iij. offices[199.2] for Beyton, Bradwell, and Tychewell, wyth the help of my frendz, Not elles at thys tyme; but I pray you comfort all thoo that fynde hem greved to abyde by theyr ryzt, and that ye woll contynew forth for my worshup and proffyt as ferre as ryzt wolle. Whych I trust to God shall better have hys cours then it hath beforn; who have you in hys kepyng. Wryt at London, the xx. day of Decembre anno xxixº regni Regis H. VI.
Item, that thys lettre commaund me to my cosyn John à Berney. J. Fastolf.
(On the back)—Item, I have sende ij. lettres to my Lord Erle of Oxford, the ton by Robson ys man, a squyer of my Lordys. And the grete substaunce of the lettre ys that the issues forfeted may be sent upp be tyme to my Lord Tresorer; for there shall be none assignment made, ne may not, till it com yn wrytyng; it be don, had it be sent. Grete sute ys made to pardon it, but the Kynges Councell woll not suffre it. The ij. lettre Nicholas Bokkyng beryth for excuse of my cosyn Inglose, because grete labor hath be made to my Lord York ayenst my cosyn Inglose and Seggeford, that they shuld endyte the Priour of Walsyngham tenaunt yn Salle. Wheruppon my Lord York, unadvertised of the trouth, sent a lettre to my Lord Oxford to support the Pryor ys tenaunt ayenst Seggeford namely.
Item, I desyre that and John Berney or onye man can mete wyth Dallyng, that fals undre eschetor, in onye place proviable, that he may by force brought to Castre without damage of hys bodye, and there to be kept yn hold, that he may confesse the trouth of the fals office he forged off my maner of Tychewell.
Item, forasmoche as ye shall have to doon at Lynne for my maters there as for Tychewell and othyr, therfor I wolle that yee doo purvey of gode frendys as be aboute Flegg that passen yn jureez, that they may wayt uppon yow there at Lynne, and other suche trusty men that ye can ghete to spede my processe. And that ye do hem goode chier and cost uppon hem after that the case shall requyre. I commyt thys mater to be ruled by your wysdom, that it be net forzeten.