To my Ryght seuere and ryght worchepfull mayster, my mayster Paston, in hast.

1451
JAN. 3

Ryght Reverent and ryght wurchepfull sir, I recomaunde me un to youre good maysterchep. Late yow wete that Blake the baly of Swafham cam hom from London on the Saterday after that my mayster departed from yow atte myn lord of Oxenfordis. And he told my mayster that he cam to London on Seint John day atte nyte. And he yede streyt to my lord Chaunceler and told my seyd lord that yf the Kyng pardoned sir Thomas Tudenham and Heydon her issewes that the shire of Suffolk wold paye no taxe; for what nedyth the kynge for to have the taxe of hese pore puple whanne he wyll not take hese issues of thos rych extorssioners and oppressours of hese puple. And also he told my seyd lord Chaunceler and many more lordes that yf the kynge pardon hym or graunted any supersedeas, London shuld with inne short tyme have as moche for to do as they hadde for to kepe London Brygge whanne the Capteyn[207.2] cam thedir; for he told hym that ther was up in Norffolk redy to ryse V Ml. comons yf they have not execucion of the oyre and terminer. And whanne my lord Chaunceler herd this he was ryte glade therof, and dede Blake telle all this and moche more a forn the kynge and all hese lordes, that they blyssed him whanne they herden yt. And yf he hadde not a seyd this they shuld an hadd and supersedeas and pardon also, for ther was made a gret suggestion that it hadde be don of grette malyce. And so the lord Scales meyntenyth Sir Thomas Tudenham in all that he may goodly, but he wyll not awow yt; but he shall come don to the oyre determiner sekerly, and for to make anende atwex sir T. Tudenham and Swafham; for [he] hayth made and genttyl letter un to the parson, the bayly and the inhabitaunce of Swafham, and seth that he wyll do hese parte to sette them in reste and peas. And so my mayster understande that yf Swafham and he werne accorded that thei shuld sette lytyll be Norwych. And therfore my mayster prayeth yow that ye wyll speke with the Mayer and hese brethern that they purvey that ther be atte Lenn a sufficiaunt fellawshep to gedyr, and that ther be madde a grette noyse up on the lord Scales, bothe of Tudenham and Heydon, and for all thos that arne of that sekt, and that wyse purvyaunce ordenance he hadde how they shull be demened; for this same day was the parson of Swafham with my mayster, and they arne accorded that ther shall be of here lordshep and sufficiaunt fellawshep and they shall have here loggyng atte the Frere Menours atte Lenn. And they wyll not assentte to noone ende but as the Cety doyth. And it is here avyse that the meyre shuld purveye for hem in sum other Freres. For Tudenham and H[eydon] wyll brynge with hem sufficiaunt counceyll as any kun they gete in London; And also the Cetye must purvey that as many sufficiaunt mene as can be gette or spoke to, that they be redy yf it happe of any tryall. Also the Cetye hadde nede to have Sir Miles Stapulton ther show they shuld helpe to hese costys. Ware, Sir, atte the reverens of God be thenke yow well of all these maters. Blake was atte London on Thursday and herd no word of the stretes,[208.1] ne of Robson my lord of Oxffordis man, and or Blake cam to London Sir T. Terell hadde labored to Sir John Fastolf that Sir T. Tudenham shuld ave [been[208.2]] bownde to Sir John Fastolf in foure thowsand pounde to stande to hese rule and ordenance; and so whanne Blake cam and deysshsed all to gedyr, and so he dede Sir John Fastolf labor to the kynge and to the Chaunceler for to lette the supersedeas and the pardon; and ther was grette langage atwex Blake and Tudenham; it wor to moche to wryte yt un to yow, but he hayth sore noyssed my mayster to the Kynge and to the lordes. Also Tudenham is owte of the kynges hows, and Cotton is Warderopper, my mayster shall on Monday dyne with. Also, sir, it wore grette wysdam that my mayster hadde knowleche atte Walsyngham on Fryday nest comyng how the Maire and ze be accorded, for my mayster wyle be recaled therafter. William Geney sent un to my mayster for to ascuse hym that he shuld not come to Lenn un to the Wedenesday. And, Sir, that were agrette hurte bothe to the Cyte of Norwych and for Swafham; and therfor my mayster wold that the Mayer shuld send for hym, that he be ther be tyme on the Tuesday, and that moo bille be made ayens Tudenham and Heydon, what so ever falle. The Holy Gost have you and yours in hese kepyng. Wretyn atte Rougham, the Sonday nyte nest after newe zers day in hest as it semyth. —Be your servaunte, W. Wayte.

[207.1] [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 63.] The date of this letter is sufficiently evident.

[207.2] Jack Cade.

[208.1] I.e. the estreats.

[208.2] Omitted in MS.

To my Ryght seuere and ryght worchepfull mayster
text has “ana” (italic “a” for “d”)

[171]
ABSTRACT[209.1]

Sir John Fastolf to John a Berney and Sir Thomas Howes.