[661]
JOHN PASTON TO SIR JOHN PASTON[268.4]

1467
FEB. 7

Syr, it is so that thys Saterday John Rus sent me word by Robert Botler, that William Yelverton hathe ben thys iij. dayis in Yermothe for to get new wytnessys up to London; and, as it is thowt by the seid John Rus and Robert Botler, ther wytnessyng is for to prove that it was Sir John Fastolfs wyll that ther schold be morteysyd iij.c. mark by yer to the colage, and also that syche astat as my fadyr took her at Caster at Lames next befor that Sir John Fastolf dyid, was delyveryd to my fadyr to the intent for to perform the seyd wyll.

Bartholomew Elys, John Appylby, and John Clerk ar the wytnessys; and as for Barthew Elys, he is owtlawyd, and also men say in Yermowthe that he is bawde betwyx a clerk of Yermowthe and hys owne wyfe; and as for John Appylby, he is half frentyk, and so take in the towne, notwithstandyng he is an attorny, as Barthew Elys is, in the Baylys Coort of Yermowthe; and as for John Clerk of Gorleston, he is owtlawyd at Sir John Fastolfys swte, and at dyvers othyr menys, notwithstandyng he is thorow with Sir T. Howys[269.1] for Sir John Fastolf, for thys cause, that the seyd Clerk was on of Sir T. Howys[269.1] last wytnessys befor thys.

I trow John Loer shall be anothyr wyttnesse. As for Barthew Elys and John Appylby, they lye thys nyht at Blyborowgh onward on her wey to Londonward. Make good weche on hem.

I pray yow send us some good tydyngs. Wretyn the Saterday, lat at nyght, next aftyr Kandylmas Day.

I pray yow remembyr John Grey and John Burgeys. We have hom the most part of your barly, save fro Wynterton, and that I trost to have this next wek, or ellys we wyll strat [distrain ?] for it by the grace of God, whom I beseche mak yow good.

I thynk ther comyng up is for to dysprove your wyttnessys that he had in to the Chancery. J. P.[269.2]

[268.4] [From Fenn, iv. 276.] This letter must have been written in February 1467. It was evidently after Sir John Paston had succeeded to his father’s estates, but before any arrangement had been come to between him and Yelverton. It will be found hereafter that on the 11th January 1468 Sir John Fastolf’s executors, including Yelverton, released their rights in Caister and other manors to Sir John Paston. On the back of this letter, Fenn says, is written in an ancient hand, ‘Testes idonei ad negandum veritatem, ut patet infra.’

[269.1] Fenn has ‘Sir Thowys’ in his left-hand copy, which we cannot help thinking a misreading of ‘Sir T. Howys.’