Trusty and welebelovid frend, I comaund me to zow, certifying zow that and zour sustyr be not zit maried, y trust to God y know that where she may be maried to a gentylman of iii. C. [300] marc of lyvelod, the which is a grete gentylman born, and of gode blode; and yf ze think that y shall labore ony ferder therynne, y pray zow send me word by the bringer of this lettre, for y have spoke with the parties, and they have granted me that they wolle precede no ferder therynne tyll y speke with hem azen; and therefore, y pray zow, send me word in hast how that ze wylle be desposed therynne; and God have zow in hys kepyng. W[r]ettin at Ampthill, the xj. day of July last past.
By Edmond Grey, Lord of Hastynges, Waifford, and of Ruthyn.
[325.2] [From Fenn, iii. 214.] This letter is dated by a memorandum at the bottom of the original, in the handwriting of John Paston— ‘Liberat. per Will. Aleyn, valetum dicti domini xiiij. die Julii anno xxxijº. H. vi.’
[251]
SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO THOMAS HOWYS[326.1]
To my ryght trusty frende Sir Thomas Howys, Parson of Castelcombe.
1454
JULY 12
Ryght trusty frende, I grete you well, and wolle ye wete that I thynk it to greete merveylle of your trouth and wysdom that ye shuld haf, that ye hafe noysed me, and seyd to John Andreus at Yeppyswych, in presence of dyvers men, that ye have suffisaunt waraunts undre my lettre and sele to safe you harmlese, in case ye be condempned yn the somme this Andreus sewyth you for. And know for certeyn, there passed no such warauntis undre my sele; nothyr I comaunded you not for to labour ne do thyng that shuld be ayenst the law, nether unlawfully ayenst ryght and trouth. And therfor y ought not ne wolle not pay for yow. Wherfor I charge you sende me your warauntis and lettres or acomp of them, and of whoos hand wrytyng they ben; and whate evidences, instruccions and informacions ye had and by whom, as well as of my lerned councell as of othyrs. And also that ye comyn with my cosyn John Paston, &c., and take his gode avice whate remedie ys best, whethyr to sew an atteynt ayenst th’enquest a decies tantum in your oune name or by the parlement; for y wolle do seke all the remedies that may be had ayenst the seyd Andreus. And kepe ye close and sure from hym in all maner wyse, for your oune welfare; for know ye for certeyn that Andreus wolle ley all the wayt and aspies of such as ye wene to take for your true frendys to arrest you; and then be ye as it were be thout remedie, for ye not be tyme to sende me the materes abofe specyfied.
Item, Robert Inglose hath spoke wyth me and hath offred me to by lond to satisfye my dewtee that lyeth in Rakhyth, and y am avysed to by it, if ye can send thedre som trusty man that can telle whate it ys worth cleerly, and off whome it ys halde, and also yf it be sure lyvelode, and your avice wythall; but beware that ye com not owt, God kepe you. Wryt at London in haste the xij. day of Julle, Aº. xxxijdo. Regni Regis Henrici VJ. John Fastolf, ch’l’r.
[326.1] [Add. MS. 34,888, f. 102.]