Worshypfull Sir and cosyn, I recomaund me to yow. And lyke yow to wete that y have a taylle[73.2] with my cosyn Fenne[73.3] of vc. [500] marc and more, for to be chaunged uppon such places as a man myght have moste spedye payment; and I pray yow hertlye to comyn wyth the seyd Fenne, that y myght be ensured of the seyd taylle to be eschaunged; and for whate rewarde competant to be yeven uppon the same, I wolle agree it.
Item, I desyre to know who ben the residew, the remenant of the co-executors of the Lord Wyllughbye,[73.4] now the Lord Cromewell[73.5] ys decesed; for thys cause. Hyt was so, that there was dew to the Lord Wyllughbye and to me x. ml. [10,000] marc for a reward, to be payd of my Lord Bedford ys godes, for the takyng of the Duc of Allauncon.[73.6] And the seyd Lord Wyllughbye had but one thowsand marc payd, and I ml. [1000] mrc, soo viij. ml. [8000] levyth [remains] yhyt to pay; of whych somme iiij. ml. [4000] most grow to the executors of the seyd Lord Wyllughby to dispose. And therfor y desyre that the executors, and such as most have intrest in the Lord Wyllughby goodes, may be comyned wyth; that they may [make] purseute for payment of the seyd iiij. ml. [4000] marc, for hys part to be had, and y shall make for my part.
And [i.e. if] Maister Nevyle,[74.1] the whych hath wedded my Lady Wyllughbye, have power or intrest to resseyve the Lord Wyllughby ys debts, then he to be labured untoo. And my Lord of Salysburye woll be a grete helper yn thys cause.
The Kyng, whych ys Supervisor of my Lord Bedford testament, hath wreten and comaunded by sondry lettres, that the seyd Lord Wyllughbye shuld be content for hys part. And so moch the mater ys the furtherer.
And ther ys one Yon’, a servaunt of the Lord Wyllughbye, whych pursewed thys mater; yff he were yn London, he coude geve gode enformacion uppon thys mater.
Y pray yow wryte to me how my maters doth, and of such noveltees as ye have there. And our Lord have yow yn hys kepyng.
Wreten at Castr hastlye, v. day of Feveryer, anno xxxiiijto Regis Henrici VI. Your cosyn, J. Fastolf.
[73.1] [From Fenn, i. 120.]
[73.2] A tally. This was a cleft stick, in both parts of which notches were cut to represent sums of money due; on which one part was given to the creditor, the other being retained by the debtor.
[73.3] Hugh Fenn.