I pray yow displeser not your servaunt be so long, for my maister lettet hym. Your, W. Wyrcestyr.
[333.1] [From Fenn, iii. 318.] This and the next letter were certainly written on the same day, but the precise year may be questioned. From a comparison of the two together, with William Barker’s letter of the 3rd Nov. following (No. 265), I am inclined to think all three belong to the year 1454, when Sir John Fastolf had just come to settle for the rest of his days in Norfolk. Sir John Fenn, I think rightly, considers this first letter to have been written between jest and earnest; and this tone may be very well explained by the supposition, that on Fastolf’s settlement at Caister, Worcester expected to have had some position of importance assigned to him in his master’s household. That such would be his fortune was probably the expectation of others as well as himself, and apparently John Paston had written to him in the belief that Worcester’s influence with Sir John might occasionally be of value to him.
[259]
THOMAS HOWES TO JOHN PASTON[334.1]
To my maister, John Paston, Squier, be this delyvered.
1454(?)
SEPT. 2
Ryght worshypfull Sir, I recommaund me to yow. And my maister hertly thankyth yow for the venyson that ye sent hym from my Lord of Oxford, and prayeth yow that he may be recommaunded to hys noble Lordshyp. And God thank yow for your speciall remembraunce of my mater that ye hafe it so tendyrly to hert, for ye may know weel the gode spede of that ys my wellfare and the contrarye ys my utter undoyngs. I hafe sent to John Porter to wete verrayly how it standyth with hym, as ye shall wete the certeynte thys weke. As for the mater wryt to Bokkyng he hath rad ys lettre, and wille remember your desyre, and also of William Geney comyng, yn case he know of it rathyr then ye.
And my maistre herd the substaunce of your lettre red, and lyked it ritz well. And as for the mater of Worcester remembraunce, he shall geve hys attendaunce therto yn that he can. And where ye calle hym maister, he ys displesed wyth that name, for he may spend vs. yerly more by the name of Worcestr or Botoner, and by hys maister not a ferthyng yn certeynte. He prayth yow foryete it.
I pray God kepe yow. Wryt at Castr hastly ijd day of September. Your oune, T. Howes.
Item, yn case Jankyn[335.1] be hole, my Lord of Norffolk hath graunted [him] by moyen of Robert Wyngfeld, to be yn my seyd Lord ys houshold, as my maister hath it by lettre from Wyngfeld.
[334.1] [From Fenn, iii. 320.] With regard to the date of this letter, see the preliminary note to the last (p. 333, Note 1).