Volume Iii Part 25 (1/2)

[Footnote 113.1: [Add. MS. 34,889, f. 170.] The name of Dory occurs only once elsewhere in these letters, and then without a Christian name; but the person so referred to (at the end of No.

330) is probably the under-sheriff of Norfolk; and this letter, which is likewise concerned with Fastolf's business, may have been written about the same period.]

354

JOHN BOCKING TO JOHN PASTON[114.1]

[Sidenote: 1457(?) / APRIL 2]

Sire, lyke it your maisters.h.i.+p to wete that I sende you at this tyme the rolle of the copies of all patentes, and the appoyntement with Wentworth laste, and also a abstracte drawen as it come simply to my remembrance.

And I shalbe with you sumtyme the next weke. All men ar owte at this tyme, as the Parson,[114.2] Worcester, and Barker; and therfore til thei come, I may not owte. H. Wyndesor departid on Monday, and will doo that he can. He telleth me Lumleys patent is in his awarde, but it is of noo force. And also he hathe Constable is ij. [_second ?_] patente, and that is moste ayenst us, &c. He wil purveie therfore as ye knowe myn maister[114.3] comaundit hym to yow.

Here hath ben Wilton with the dede of feffement yesterday, and all men hadde ensealed sauf myn maister that now hathe ensealed, and H. Inglose is right soory. I can no newe tidinges, but that myn maister hath put his matier of Issabells in Scroudeby, and the rente of the priour of Norwiche dieu to Heilesdon in your hande and Thomas Grene. Ye shal the next weke have the evidences. And Jesu kepe you and youres.

I sende myn Maistres Crane a lettre fro hir brother, but I have the credence, whiche I can not say but if she appose me for certein materes of hir brotheres.

Writen at Castre, the ij. day of Aprill.

Your owen servaunt,

J. B.

[Footnote 114.1: [From Paston MSS., B.M.] The date of this letter is very uncertain. In 1456 the writer dates from Southwark on the 8th of May, and in 1458 from London on the 14th of March, so that there is rather a presumption against his being at Caister on the 2nd of April in either of these years.

But these points, it must be owned, are little to be relied on, as Bokking certainly pa.s.sed to and fro a good deal between London and Norfolk. The date must, however, be between 1455 and 1459. The letter has no address, but was doubtless intended for John Paston.]

[Footnote 114.2: Thomas Howes.]

[Footnote 114.3: Sir John Fastolf.]

355

BOTONER TO JOHN PASTON[115.1]

_To my Maister Paston._

[Sidenote: 1457 / APRIL 20]

Please you to wete that, after dew recommendacion, hyt yt so that my maister sendyth me to London for the mater of Rochestr, as for dyvers of hys oune particuler maters which concern not the lawe, &c.; and I am lyke to tarye till ye com, in case ye com wythynne iij. wekys.

Sir, at reverence of G.o.d, seth my maister ys fully yn wille to renew hys fefment, that it may be do be tyme by the surest grounde that may be had, for, be it nevyr so suerly don, hyt shall be thought lytille ynowgh to kepe hys lond owte of trouble; and to spare for no councell ne cost to make sure, for a peny yn seson spent wille safe a pounde. I comyned with my broyder Spyrlyng, which seyth he wille do hys attendaunce, and to kepe it ryzt close of the namys. Taryeng drawyth parell.

And ye meved a G.o.de mater to the Parson and to me at your last beyng at Castr, that my maister shud be lerned whate hys housold standyth uppon yerlye, seth he kept it holye to ghedr at one place; and that don, then to see by the revenues of hys yeerly lyfelode whate may be leyd and a.s.signed owte for that cause to meynteyn hys seyd housold, and over that, whate may be a.s.signed to beere owte hys plees, and also do pay for hys foreyn chargs[115.2] and dedes of almes to a convenyent somme.

And seth the grettist ordynarye charge most be hys housold kepyng, hyt were moste exspedyent that ye wold note well to remembre specially my maister to do hys audyt[or]es cast up and make rollys of hys accompts concernyng the seyd housold seth he came yn to Norffolk thys ij. yer and half, whych was nevyr so long to doo thys xl. wynter as ye now. And it ys pytee that hys audyt ys none ethyr wyse yn that entended; ye must nedys, yff ye wille my maister know how hyt stand with hym yerly of hys chargs, that thys be do fyrst, as it was allwey accustomed. My maister wille acord it to be don, but it ys forgete throwgh negligence of men yoven to sensualite, as Thomas Upton, me, and othyrs. My maister can not know wheder he go backward or forward till thys be doon.

I can not elles, but ye wille not foryete thys that the audyt[or]es go verraily aboute it to an ende. And Haylysdon accompts be behynde for ij.

yeer to [_too_] grete pite ys, and it wer yours or yn any wyseman gouveraunce.