LETTER XCI.-(XXVIII. vol. i. p. 121.) To the worshipful Sir, and my right well-beloved cousin John Paston, and in his absence to John Bocking, or William Barker. 1 WORSHIPFUL Sir and cousin, I recommend me to you, and like you to weet that I have a tally with my cousin Fenn 2 of 500 marks (3331. 68. 8d.) and more, for to be changed upon such places as a man might have most speedy payment; and I pray you heartily to commune with the said Fenn, that might be ensured of the said tally to be exchanged, and for what reward competent to be given upon the same I will [shall or should] agree to it. Item, I desire to know who be the residue, the remanent, of the co-executors of the Lord Willoughby, now the Lord Cromwell is deceased; for this cause it was so, that there 3 1 A taille or tally was a cleft stick, both parts of which were notched according to the sum of money advanced, and of which one part was given to the creditor, whilst the other remained with the debtor. Hence the tallier of the Exchequer, now called the teller. Sir John Fastolf had entrusted a tally with his cousin Fenn, and was desirous of knowing what reasonable discount he should allow for receiving ready money upon this security. 2 Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, was slain in battle during the contest between Richard II. and Henry IV. about 1399, when he forfeited his lands. His son Hugh had estates in Essex and Middlesex, where his descendants flourished for several generations: this family then branched off into Suffolk and Norfolk, in both which counties they acquired possessions. The person mentioned in this letter was either the son or grandson (for they were both named Hugh,) of the Hugh Fenne, of Yorkshire, and seems, from the manner in which he is several times mentioned both by Sir J. Fastolf and J. Paston, to have been a lawyer. He was, in 1459, a supervisor of Sir J. Fastolf's will. [This Fenn was the ancestor of Sir John Fenn, the original editor of these letters. Leaving only a daughter: the family name became extinct in Norfolk on the death of Sir John.] 3 Robert Willoughby, Lord Willoughby, an eminent commander, was present at the famous battle of Agincourt, in 1415; and also commanded under the Duke of Bedford at the battle of Verneuil, in the province of Normandy, in 1424, where he and Sir John Fastolf had the honour of taking the Duke of Alençon prisoner, as appears by this letter. The writers of Sir J. Fastolf's life in the 'Biographia Britannica' give an account of his having taken a French general, but are in doubt both as to the person taken, and likewise in what engagement. 4 Henry Lord Cromwell, whose sister, and now co-heir, Lord Willoughby had married. She was at this time the wife of Sir Thomas Nevile. was due to the Lord Willoughby and to me 10,000 marks (66667. 13s. 4d.) for a reward to be paid of my Lord Bedford's goods, for the taking of the Duke of Alençon." And the said Lord Willoughby had but 1000 marks (6661. 13s. 4d.) paid, and I 1000 marks (6667. 13s. 4d.) so 8000 (53331. 68. 8d.) leveth (remaineth) yet to pay; of which sum, 4000 (26667. 13s. 4d.) must grow to the executors of the said Lord Willoughby to dispose. And therefore I desire that the executors, and such as most have interest in the Lord Willoughby's goods, may be communed with; that they may make pursuit for payment of the said 4000 marks, for his part to be had, and I shall make for my part. And (if) Master Nevile, the which hath wedded my Lady Willoughby, have power or interest to receive the Lord Willoughby's debts, then he to be laboured unto. And my Lord of Salisbury 7 will be a great helper in this cause. The king, which is supervisor of my Lord Bedford's testament, hath written and commanded by sundry letters that the said Lord Willoughby should be content for his part; and so much the matter is the forwarder. 5 John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, third son of Henry IV. This great man died at Paris, in 1435, and was buried at Rouen. It may be supposed that the ransom was paid into his hands as commander-in-chief, and that, in that character, he was entitled to a considerable share of it, though it appears from this account that he had detained most of it; for even now, at the distance of twenty years from his death, the Lord Willoughby and Sir J. Fastolf had received only 1000 marks each. 6 John II. Duke of Alençon, son of him slain at Agincourt, was born in 1409, and taken prisoner at the battle of Verneuil, in 1424. He was detained a prisoner three years, but released at the intercession of the Duke of Burgundy, on paying a ransom of 200,000 crowns. He afterwards was convicted of treasons towards his own sovereigns, and died in prison in 1476. 7 Richard Nevile Earl of Salisbury, married Alice, daughter and heir of Thomas Montague, the great Earl of Salisbury, who had the principal com mand under the Duke of Bedford at Verneuil, and who died in 1428. And there is one Young, a servant of the Lord Willoughby, which pursued this matter; if he were in London he could give good information upon this matter. I pray you write to me how my matters do, and of such novelties as ye have there, and our Lord have you in his keeping. Written at Caister hastily, the 5th day of February, in the 34th year of King Henry VIth. Caister, Your cousin, JOHN FASTOLF. 5th of February, 1454. 34 H. VI. NUMBER XCII.-(LXVI. vol. iii. p. 261.) As there are not only several letters in this collection of the hand-writing of that renowned warrior Sir John Fastolf, but as he is likewise mentioned in many others, I thought the two following statements of sums of money due to him from the crown would be acceptable to the reader, as they ascertain several of his enter> prizes in France, and point out to us the two prisoners which he took in the French wars, and who, by the large sums agreed to be paid for their ransom, must have been persons of great consequence in the mili tary line. This first declaration relates to money due to him on the account of the wars and transactions both in England and in France. The second states the injuries and losses which he had sustained in France. There is no date to either of them, but from the mention of the time since his last return from France, and which, from an account of his life, appears to have been in the year 1440, these representations were made in the year 1455. 33 H. VI. Billa de debitis Regis in partibus Franciæ Johanni Fastolf, militi, debitis. THESE be the injuries, losses, and damages that the said Fastolf hath had, as well within the realm of England as in other parts in manner and form as it ensueth : First, it is to consider how that the said Fastolf hath been vexed and troubled since he came last into this land by the might and power of the Duke of Suffolk, and by the labour of his counsel and servants in divers wise, as in great oppressions, grievous and outrageous amercements, and many great horrible extortions, as it may appear more plainly by a roll of articles thereupon made, the damages of which extend to £. s. d. the sum of 5000 marks. = 3333 6 8 1 Many of the letters in this collection mention the disputes between the Duke of Suffolk and Sir John Fastolf concerning different manors and estates. of 100 marks (661. 13s. 4d.) of £. s. d. 500 marks 333 6 8 Item, there is cast into the king's hands by untrue forged offices and inquisitions, supposed to be found by divers escheators in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, three certain manors of the said Fastolf, to the value of 100 marks (667. 13s. 4d.) yearly, which said offices and inquisitions were never duly found, but forged by untrue imaginations, and means of certain persons his evil willers, as it hath been confessed by those that were appointed and named to be upon the inquests. And by the malicious labour of his said evil willers, the said manors have been troubled and put in plea this four year day and more, to the damage and Item, the said Fastolf having the gift of the baronies and lordship of Sillie Guill'm1 and Lasuze, in the county of Mayne, to him and to his assigns for ever, the which were gotten by the said Fastolf, and no charge to the king, for the value and denomberment (number) of 4000 saluts of yearly rent, he was commanded by the king's letters to deliver up the said baronies and lordship to the king's commissioners, promising him by the king's commandment to be recompensed therefore, as the said Fastolf hath to show, and he not recompensed nor rewarded nothing for the leaving of his said baronies and lordship, to the damages of the said Fastolf of the sum of 2500 marks = 1666 13 4 Item, whereas the said Fastolf had a prisoner of his own taking, called Guill'm Remond, which was ransomed, and agreed to pay him for his ransom with the marks the sum of 3200 saluts, the prisoner, without knowledge or licence of the said Fastolf, was taken away from him by the Duke of Bedford, then being the king's regent of France, and with the said prisoner he caused the town of Compeyn, then lying in the French party's governance, for to be yielded to the king, and to his said regent in his name; and the said Fastolf, after long pursuits made to the king and his 1 Sir John took the castle of Sillie le Guillem in 1425, and from which he was dignified with the title of baron. 2 The salute was a gold coin of Henry VI., current in France for 11. 5s. English. 3 In 1423 he took the castle of Pacy, the governor whereof was Guilliaume Reymond. Item, the said Fastolf is yet owing for his portion and part for the recompense and reward that should grow and be due to him for the taking of John, calling himself Duke of Alançon, at the battle of Verneuil,* which that paid for his ransom 40,000 marks (26,6661.13s.4d.) which reward, beside the Lord Willoughby's part, should extend to the sum of 4000 marks 2666 13 4 Item, is due to the said Fastolf, by the execution of the last will and testament of John Duke of Bedford," whose soul God assoil! for prests and other charges for safeguard and keeping of certain fortresses, castles, and towns, and for other costs, prests, and charges by him borne in his service, as it may appear in certain articles written in a roll particularly of the same, the sum of 4599 marks 5s, 6d. Sum total 3066 36 done to the right noble prince King Harry the IVth. aieul (grandfather) to our sovereign lord that now is, and to the most victorious prince and king his father, whose souls God assoil, and also to our said sovereign lord, he hath had neither fee, wages, reward, nor recompense in this his realm of England, but hath borne it of his own proper goods at all times to the king's honour and profit, as to NUMBER XCIII.—(LXVII. vol. iii. p. 269.) A declaration of the costs which Sir John Fastolf was at, being without this realm. THE declaration of certain prests, (loans) costs, and charges, done and borne by Sir John Fastolf, as well in the time of the most noble and victorious princes of blessed memory, King Harry the IVth., King Harry the Vth., as in the time of our sovereign lord king that now is, in his wars beyond the sea, as by the articles that follow more plainly appeareth. First, it is to be remembered that to the said Fastolf is owing for divers costs and charges by him borne for the time that he occupied the office of the constabulary of Bourdeaux, for the safeguard of the king's duchy of Guienne, as it appeareth plainly by account made of the said office of constabulary remaining in the king's exchequer at Westminster of record, whereof he yet neither had payment nor assignment, the sum of. Item, in like wise there is owing to the said Fastolf for wages for his service done to the king, and to the Duke of Clarence, being the king's lieutenant in the said duchy of Guienne, as it may appear under sufficient writing, the sum of. Item, in like wise is owing to the said Fastolf for costs and charges that he bare when he was lieutenant of the town of £. s. d. 227 15 31 202 10 0 Harfleur, in Normandy, as it Item, in like wise is owing to Item, there is owing to the said Fastolf for the safeguard of the town of Pount Melank in the parts of France, as it appeareth by account thereof, made in the king's exchequer of England of record, the sum of £. S. d. 133 6 8 42 0 0 89 10 4 Sum m1 xlij marks ix sh. i farthing. And in semblable wise over all this is owing to the said Fastolf for prests and wages of him and his retinues being in the king's service, in his 1 Sir John Fastolf was lieutenant of Harfleur in 1415. 2 The foundation of this since terrible prison was laid by Hugh Aubriot on the 22nd of April, 1369, 43 of our King Edward III. and the 6th of Charles V. of France. He was grandfather to Sir James Tyrel, the supposed murderer of Edward V. and his brother. 4 Port Meulent was taken in 1422. realm of France, and duchy of L. s. d. counts made in the Chamber of £. s. d. The sum of v m1 iiij** ij 1455. 33 H. VI. LETTER XCIV.-(XXIX. vol. i. p. 125.) 3388 13 3 4083 15 7 This letter is written by the secretary, and concluded and subscribed by the hand of that great prelate, cardinal, and lord chancellor, Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury; who is recorded to have been a principal means of introducing the art of printing into England. He was elected archbishop in 1454. 32 H. VI. was a man of considerable learning, and died in 1486. 2 H. VII. at an advanced age. To the right worshipful, and my right entirely well-beloved Sir John Fastolf, Knight. RIGHT worshipful, and my right entirely well beloved, I greet you right heartily well; thanking you specially, and in full hearty wise, for the very gentle goodness that ye showed unto me at all times, praying you of good continuance. And as touching such matters as ye sent unto me for, I trust to God verily, insomuch as the rule is amended here, and the weather waxeth seasonable and pleasant, to see you in these parts within short time; at which time I shall commune and demean unto you [act towards you] in such wise that ye shall be right well pleased. And as for the matter concerning my Lord 1 Sir John was several years governor of Normandy, I believe from about 1427 to 1440, when he left France. 2 [So in original; Fenn gives it in the form of Honnefleet, having previously given "Fresney, Le Vicounte" as two places. There is little doubt of the place meant being Honfleur, at the mouth of the Seine, opposite Harfleur.] 3 This may apply either to some change in the of Bedford, think it not contrary but that ye shall find me heartily well-willed to do that I can or may for the accomplishment of your desire, as well in that matter as in other like, as your servant John Bocking, bearer hereof, can clearlier report unto you on my behalf, to whom like it you to give faith and credence in this part; and the blessed Trinity have you everlastingly in his keeping. Written in my manor of Lamehith (Lambeth) the 27th day of March. Your faithful and true, Lambeth, 27th of March, between 1454, and 1459. 33 and 37 H. VI. administration, or only in the management of the house. 4 There was no Duke of Bedford between 1435 and 1470. This must therefore relate to some matter which had formerly passed between Sir John Fastolf and John Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, and Regent of France, who died in 1435; perhaps it related to the ransom of the Duke of Alençon. Sir John served long under him in France. |