1455
JAN. 24

Must pay £40 to the Exchequer this term for the ward of Thomas Fastolf, in part payment of £80, and other great payments at the same time, amounting to £200 or more. Desires him, therefore, to speak with my Lord of Canterbury, whose day of payment is long past, that he may have ‘the rather ready payment’ of his duty; ‘for he is one of the Lords earthly that I most trust upon.’ Hopes he will consider the great loss Fastolf already sustains by ‘the great good the King oweth me, and other divers Lords to my great discomfort.’

Castre, 24 Jan.

[This letter could not have been written before the year 1455, as Sir John Fastolf only came to reside at Castre in the autumn of the year preceding. The wardship of Thomas Fastolf was procured by Sir John for John Paston in June 1454, so that it is highly probable he had to pay for it in the beginning of next year. In the year following, again, Fastolf was endeavouring to make good those claims against the Crown, which he here merely mentions as a ground of indulgence to himself.]

[14.5] [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 260.]

[272]
SIR JOHN FASTOLF TO JOHN PASTON

To my right trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, John Paston, in goodly haste.

1455
FEB. 7

Ryght trusty and welbelovyd cosyn, I comaund me to yow. And please yow to wete that I am avertysed that at a dyner in Norwiche, wher as ye and othyr jentylmen wer present, that that ther were certeyn personez, jentylmen, whiche utteryd skornefull language of me, as in thys wyse, with mor, seyeng, ‘War the, gosune [cousin ?] war, and goo we to dyner; goo we wher? to Sir John Fastolf, and ther we shall well paye ther fore.’ What ther menyng was, I knowe well to no good entent to me ward; wherfor, cosyn, I prey yow, as my truste is in yow, that ye geve me knowelege be writing what jentylmen they be that had this report with more, and what mo jentylmen wer present, as ye wold I shuld and wer my deute to do for yow in semblabyll wyse. And I shall kepe yowr informatyon in this mater secret, and with Godds grace so purvey for hem as they shall not all be well pleasyd. At suche a tyme a man may knowe hese frendes and hese fooes asonder, &c. Jesu preserve and kepe yow.

[15.1] Wretyn at Caster, the vij. day of Feverer, anno xxxiij. R. H. vjti. John Fastolf, Knyght.