[Circa 1468.] Long declaration in English (on a paper roll) by Thomas Howes, ‘for the discharge of his conscience,’ impugning the authenticity of the will nuncupative, said to have been made by Sir J. Fastolf on the day of his death, and propounded by John Paston and the said Thomas in opposition to an earlier will propounded by Sir W. Yelverton and W. Worcetyr; containing details intended to prove that the alleged will was fabricated by Paston. Amongst other things, Howes says that at Paston’s desire he did, a year before Fastolf’s death, move Fastolf that Paston might buy three of his manors and live in his college, ‘and the seyd Fastolf, mevyd and passyoned gretely in his soule, seyd and swar by Cryst ys sides, “And I knewe that Paston woolde by ony of my londes or my godes he shulde nevyr be my feffe, nother myn executor.” Albeyt he seyde that he wolde suffer that the said Paston for terme of hys lyf shall have a loggyng yn a convenyent place yn the seyd maner of Castre withoute denyance of ony havyng intrest yn the seyd maner.
[303.1] [From a MS. in Magdalen College, Oxford.] This Abstract is derived from Mr. Macray’s Report on the Muniments of Magdalen College, printed in the Fourth Report of the Historical MSS. Commission.
[690]
ANONYMOUS TO SIR JOHN PASTON[303.2]
To Maistyr Syr John Paston, Knyght, at London, with my Lorde the Archebisshop of Yorke, be this letter delyverid.
1468
OCT. 28
I recommand me unto you. It is tolde me that the man that ye wote of cam ridyng by my Lady Suthfolk and by Cotton, which is in gret decay; and Barnay tolde him that Edward Dale tolde hem he durst no lenger serve him of ale, for it was warnid hym that my Lady Suffolk[304.1] wolde entyr, and whan she shulde enter few men shulde knowe, it shulde be do so sodenly. She taryeth but of tythynges fro London. He spak nat with hyr. I pray you speke to my Lorde of Zorke[304.2] for the subpena in the Chanceri ayen William Paston that he take noon hurte. He desyrith to write to yow for it. My Lorde of Northfolk men have warnid the tenantis to pay you no mony, and thai speke alle in the Kynges name. Ye may tell my Lorde of Yorke that it is open in every mannys mouth in this contre the language that my Lorde of Yorke and my Lord of Warwik had to my Lorde of Norfolk in the Kings chambre, and that my Lorde of Yorke saide, rathir than the londe shulde go so, he wolde com dwell ther hym sliff. Ye wolde mervaile what harts my Lords hath goten, and how this language put peeple in comforte. My Lorde of Norffolk answerde that he wolde speke to my Lady his wiff, and entret hir. And your adversarys reherce that my Lorde shall never be Chanceleer til this mateer be spede,[304.3] for ther bargans ar made condicionall, to holde and nat holde as afftir my Lorde be Chaunceler and nat. Sothwell is all the doar, and he hath saide that my Lorde of Zorke licensid hym to labour in the mateer. My Lorde of Norwich shuld by xl. marke of the same lond. Thai entende to have a man of my Lady of Suthfolks sheryve, and specially Harcort. My Lorde coude nat bileve it but if [i.e. unless] he harde it, how it is rejoysshid in som place that he is nat Chaunceleer. Ther cam oo man into the contre with a newe patent, saying that my Lorde was Chanceler, and at that was the first patent that was sealid sithen he was officeer. The tythandes did goode pro tempore. Ther are witnes labourid, as it is said, to witnes and swere ageyn you of men of cli. a yeer, and many oder men, som that knew never of the mateer nor never harde Sir John Faskolff speke; ye know what jure is in this contre in maters that ar favoured by them that ar now ageyn you. It is harde whan a mateer restid by jure in this contre, som of the same quest that founde you bondeman shall witnesse ayens you. Syr Thomas Howys comyth to London, and if my Lorde of Zorke wolde entret frendely my Lorde of Ely,[305.1] and get feithfully his promyse that my Lorde of Ely sende for Hawys, he shulde make Hawys to go home ageyn and leve all his fellowis post allon; and that my Lorde wolde entret my Lorde Tresaurer, my Lord Penbrok,[305.2] my Lady Bedford,[305.3] and remembre the bargan is not yit made, it may be better lettid affor than afftyr; and if the mateer spede my Lorde getith gret worshipp and gret thanke. I doute not he undirstondyth it, for it is well undirstonde what he hath saide. And pray his Lordeshipp to remembre a shereve this yeer, for ther is mych to be undirstonde in the shereve. And sende me worde if my Lorde Penbrok be go, and if my Lorde be Chaunceler. Et memorandum, Sir William Terell your testimoniall. Et memorandum, my Lorde Cardynall to sende answer to Sir Thomas Howys; and though my Lorde Cardynall be nat ther now, yit lat Townysende make it redy ageyns my Lords commyng. If Sir Thomas Howys wer handelyd by Maister Tressam and made byleve and put in hope of the moone shone in the water and I wot nat what, that such labor wer made that eythir he shulde be a pope or els in dyspeyr to be depryved de omni beneficio ecclesiastico for symony, lechory, perjory, and doubble variable pevyshnesse, and for admynystryng without auctoryte; and how he promisid bi his feith to my Lord t’obey his rewle and brak it, and what he hath saide to my lords in this mateer; and if ye recur in the courte, he shall be undo, and this mateer tolde hym by my Lorde of Ely and Maister Tresham, halff in game and halff in ernest, it shulde make hym to departe, for Yelvyrton and he ar halff at variance now. And entret my Lords servaunts to speke in your maters to all such persones as nede is. And I shall be hastyly with you by the grace of God, whom have yow in kepyng. Writen on Seynt Simonde Day and Jude. By your owne.
[303.2] [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The reference to the Earl of Pembroke, who was only so created in 1468, and who was beheaded in July 1469, fixes the date of this letter to the former year.
[304.1] Alice, widow of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.
[304.2] George Nevill, Archbishop of York.
[304.3] The Great Seal was taken from Archbishop Nevill on the 8th June 1467. Apparently in 1468 he was hoping to be made Chancellor again.