[192]
SIR THOMAS HOWYS TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF[238.1]
To my reverent and worchepfull mayster, Sir John Fastolf, Knyght, be this lettre delyvered.
1451
MAY 9
Right reverent and worchipfull maister, I recomaunde me louly un to yow. Please you to wete the Sonday next after the Fest of the Invencion of the Cros,[238.2] the ix. day of May, at Castre, I receyved a lettre from you by your clerk, W. Barker, the tenure wherof I shall do spede in all hast goodly. But for the more special cause of my wrytyng at this tyme is to gef you relacion of the un true demenyng of this oure determyner, by the parcialte of the Jugez of it; for whan the Counsell of the cite of Norwich, of the toun of Swafham, youres, my Maister Inglose,[238.3] Pastons, and many other playntyfs had put in and declared, bothe by writyng and by woord by fore the Jugez, the lawfull excepcions in many wise, the Juges by ther wilfulnesse myght nat fynde in ther hert to gef, not als moche as a bek nor a twynclyng of ther eye toward, but toke it to deriscion, God reforme such parcialte; and by cause Prisot[238.4] thought that yf the Sessions of the oyer determyner had be holden at Norwich as they bygonne, he supposed it shuld nat so fast passe to th’entent of Tudenham and Heydon and ther felawes, as it shuld do ell[es] in other place, but enjorned to Walsyngham, wher they have grettist rule, ther to be holden on Tuesday, iiijte day of May.
This knowing, my Maister Yelverton,[238.5] Genney, and other myght weel conceyve how the governaunce of the oyer determyner shuld procede, for it was the most parcial place of alle the shire, and thedre wer cleped alle the frendez, knyghteys, and esquiers, and gentilmen that wolde in nowise do other wise than they wolde. And the seid Tudenham, Heydon, and other oppressours of ther set come doun theder, as I understand, with iiijc. [400] hors and more; and consideryng how ther wellwillers wer ther assembled at ther instaunce, it had be right jowpertous and ferefull for any of the pleyntyfs to have be present, for ther was nat one of the pleyntyfs ner compleynuantez ther, but your right feithfull and trusty weel willer John Paston. And my Maister Yelverton seid full discretly, and countrolled the seid Prisot when he seid, sittyng, in the Guyhalle of Norwich, these wordys to the Meyre and Commonalte, ‘A, Sir Meyre and your brethren, as to the processe of youre compleyntez, we wole put them in contynuance, but in all other we wole procede;’ which wordys Yelverton thought right parciall. And by side this the seid Prisot wolde suffre no man that was lerned to speke for the pleyntyfs, but took it as a venom, and took them by the nose at every thred woord whiche myght weel by knowe for open parcialte.
And as for the Lord Scalys, ye knowe well what he is toward you, and namely for Hikelyng matter. Also to knowe som of your feynt frendes, at that tyme that my Lord Norffolk sat at Norwich up on the oyer determyner, Sir John Hevyngham myht nat fynde it in his hert to go iiij. furlong from his duellyng place to the shirehouse, but now he cowd ryde from Norwich to Walsyngham to syt as one of the Commyssioners. As to the rule of other, that ye wolde have supposed your wellewillers, how they have byhavyd them at Walsyngham, I shall sende yow woord in all hast whan Bernay[239.1] come hom to Castr, for he is nat yet come from Walsyngham. But this I knowe well, that they founde none obstacle ner impedyment in ther consciens in all your matter; but how they have do with Norwich, Swafham, and Paston, I am nat yet clerly informed; I suppose they arn put in respite. I here sey Heydon seweth for an ende to be had with the cite of Norwich, and as to the namys of them that passed on ther acquitaile ayenst yow, Broyn can weell informe yow. I understand that Sir Robert Conyers, Calthorp, Mundford wer capteyns, and Maister Ric. Doget also.
Item, as for the ij. venire facias ye sent to be retorned for your manorz of Bradwell and Beyton, I have do them to be retorned of suche namys as I have sent woord before, savyng sume be take, and except out. Moreover, as for the mater of Sir John Sibton, Geney and Raulyns gef ful counsell that it shuld abyde tyl the mater of Bradwell myght procede, so that bothe maters myght take up on a day, for they sey it wold drawe xx. marc to labour the Jure to London, and yet it wer hard to bryng about. And they gef you counsell in all wise that ye labour to have Yelverton Juge at that tyme, and in all wise bothe in that materz and in all other, that ye be war that Prisot have not to have do in any wise, for than all wole be nought. Of alle other materz I shall send you woord in all hast goodly, for at thys tyme I had no leyser by cause of the hasty comyng up of Hug Fen, whom I beseche yow to fele of the demenyng of the oyer determyner, for he can telle yow moche and [i.e. if] he wole; whether he wole or nay, I can nat sey, for I know wele he was at Walsyngham. And I beseche All myghty Jesu have yow in his mercyfull governaunce. Wrete at Castre, the Sonday, ix. day of May anno xxixº Regis Henrici vjti.
On the back of the letter is written—
I prey yow be nowth displesed thow I have nowt subscribed my name withinne forth, for it is of neclygens, quoth Howys, Parson of Castlecomb.
[238.1] [From Fenn, iii. 116.]