John Bocking to Sir John Fastolf

322

JOHN BOCKING TO SIR JOHN FASTOLF²

To the right reverent and worshipful Sir, and my right
good maister, my maister Sir John Fastolf, at Castre.

   RIGHT reverent and my right worshipful maister, I
     recomaunde me to yow in my right humble wise.
     Please hit your right good maistership to wyte that
on Sonday laste I sent yow many and divers lettres and
writynges, by Lampet, of all matiers that I hadde knowlege
at that tyme redy to answere. And now suche tidinges as
ar here, but fewe that ar straunge, excepte that this day my

Lordes York and Warwik comen to the Parlement in a good
aray, to the noumbre of iij^c. [300] men, all jakkid¹ and in
brigantiens,² and noo lord elles, wherof many men mervailed.
It was seid on Saterday my Lord shuld have ben discharged
this same day. And this day was seide, but if he hadde come
stronge, he shuld have bene distrussid; and no man knoweth
or can sey that ony prefe may be hadde by whom, for men
thinken verily there is no man able to take ony suche
enterprinse.

     The Kyng, as it was tolde me by a grete man, wolde have
hym chief and princepall counceller, and soo to be called hise
chef counceller and lieutenant as longe as hit shuld lyke the
Kyng; and hise patent to be made in that forme, and not soo
large as it is by Parlement. But soome men thinken it wil
ner can otherwise bee; and men speke and devyne moche
matere of the comyng this day in suche array to West-
minster. And the Lordes speken this day in the Parlement
of a greet gleymyng sterre that but late hathe be seen diverse
tymes, merveilous in apperyng. The resumpsion, men truste,
shall forthe, and my Lordes of Yorkes first power of protec-
torship stande, and elles not, &c. The Quene is a grete and
strong labourid woman, for she spareth noo peyne to sue hire
thinges to an intent and conclusion to hir power.

     I have seid to the bringer here of more to declare yow alle
a longe. And as for hise comyng, ye like to understande that
your nevew, my Maister Filongley, hathe laboured and doon
that he cowde or myght to hise preferraunce; but as for to
make hym freman and at hise ease, to hise profite and worship,
it can not bee with owte William Lyne be here, that boughte
hise prentishode of his maister, to hise grete hurte and castyng
of bakke by ij. or iij. yere of tyme loste; and ne were it that
the maister and wardeyns of the Taillours tendre hym, be
cause of yow and of Fynynglee, hise firste maister, that solde
hym to William Lyne, as weel as the seide Lyne and Richard,
shuld alle lese ther fredoms, as ye shall more pleinly under-
stande by the reporte of the seid Richard, &c.

 This day was my Lord Devenshire at Westminstre, and
shuld have apperid, but he was countermaundid. As to
youre matier of Wentworthe, the trety contynueth, and is
putte by the arbitrours in Fortescu and Yelverton, and we
have day of newe til Friday come sevenyght. God graunte
it take a good ende. The lawe is with us clerly, as weel
in th’atteynte as therinne as yette, blessid be our Lord, hoo
have you in hise most noble governaunce.

     Written in your place this Moneday of Fastyngange,¹ m^l.
cccclv.                 Your humble servaunt,                        J. B.

     And that ye like to write a good lettre for Richard Fastolf
to Sir Roger Chamberleyn, and to Thornton, Chamberleyn of
London, and to both of hem, &c.

         ² [From MS. Phillipps, 9735, No. 265.]

        ¹ i.e. in coats of mail.—See vol. ii. p. 322, Note 3.

        ² See vol. ii. p. 155, Note 2.

      ¹ Fastingong was Shrovetide.—See vol. ii. p. 131, Note 1.

FEB. 9

1456
FEB. 9

1456
FEB. 9