he hath ever been,’ writes Henry Windsor, his servant, ‘and for the most part without pity and mercy’ (ib. i. 389). Another discontented dependent was the annalist, William Worcester [q. v.] Worcester entered Fastolf's service in 1436, and was for some years steward of Fastolf's manor of Castle Combe, Wiltshire. Acting as Fastolf's secretary he drew up statements vindicating his master's policy in France, and later translated at Fastolf's request Cicero's ‘De Senectute’ into English (printed by Caxton in 1481). According to the ‘Paston Letters’ Worcester was also author of a work entitled ‘Acta Domini Johannis Fastolfe,’ in two volumes, but, although many of Worcester's papers are still at Castle Combe, this manuscript is not among them, and its whereabouts are unknown (Scrope, Castle Combe, p. 193). Beyond Fastolf's relation with Worcester the chief evidence of the love of literature with which he is often credited is a manuscript translation of ‘The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers’ (Brit. Mus. Harl. MS. 2266). This is described as having been translated in 1450 from the French for the ‘contemplation and solace’ of Sir John Fastolf by Stephen Scrope, his stepson (Blades, Caxton, 1882, p. 191).
Fastolf took much interest in church matters, and administered a large patronage. He made Archbishop Kempe a trustee of his Caister property in 1450, and through his friend Bishop Waynflete he is said to have presented to the newly founded Magdalen College, Oxford, the Boar's Head in Southwark, and the manor of Caldecot, Suffolk, but no mention of these benefactions is found in the college archives. He also contributed towards building the philosophy schools at Cambridge. About 1456 he resolved to found a college on his own account at Caister, to maintain ‘seven priests and seven poor folk.’ On 18 Nov. 1456 he wrote to John Paston about his efforts to obtain the requisite license from Archbishop Bourchier (Paston Letters, i. 410–11). But before the arrangements were completed he died at Caister, 6 Nov. 1459. He had been ill of a hectic fever and asthma for 148 days. His wife died about 1446. He was buried in the church of St. Bennet in the Hulm ‘under the arch of the new chapple which he had lately rebuilt on the south side of the choir or chancel under a marble tomb by the body of Milicent, his wife.’
Three copies of a will are extant, dated 3 Nov., two days before Fastolf's death. They are printed, with inventories of Fastolf's goods and wardrobe, in the ‘Paston Letters,’ i. 445–90. The first of these documents is much interpolated. Whole paragraphs are scratched out and others inserted. The second draft is briefer. The third alone in Latin is merely a codicil, and deals chiefly with the duty of the executors. The altered passages in the first appoint John Paston and Sir Thomas Howes sole executors; in the third draft ten other executors are mentioned, including Bishop Waynflete, Sir William Yelverton, and William Worcester; but Paston and Howes are empowered to deal with the property on their sole authority. The practical effect of these instruments was to make Paston Fastolf's heir, after provision had been made for the Caister college, and four thousand marks distributed among the other executors. As early as 1457 Fastolf seems to have talked of giving Caister to Paston, and is said to have made a will to that effect in June 1459, but Paston admitted that the instrument, not now extant, was defective. At the time of his death Fastolf's property included ninety-four manors, four residences (at Yarmouth, Norwich, Southwark, and Caister), 2,643l. 10s. in money, 3,400 ounces of silver plate, and a wardrobe filled with sumptuous apparel. An allusion in the preamble of the first will to the favourite Lollard text, 1 Cor. xiv. 38, has suggested to some of Fastolf's biographers that he sympathised with the Lollards.
The authenticity of Fastolf's extant wills was much disputed. In his closing days Paston was greatly in Fastolf's confidence. On 3 Nov. Fastolf was certainly speechless, and could not have dictated his will. There can be no reasonable doubt, therefore, that the extant documents were written out by Paston, and if of any value are all practically nuncupative. The circumstances were suspicious, and rumours were quickly circulated that Paston had forged the will in his own favour. Other claimants to parts of the property arose. William Worcester, deeply disappointed by his exclusion from all share in the estate, made the first protest. The Duke of Exeter seized Fastolf's house in Southwark; but Paston entered at once into possession of much land in Norfolk and Suffolk. In 1464, however, Sir William Yelverton and William Worcester, both nominal executors, disputed the whole distribution of the property in the Archbishop of Canterbury's court. Paston declined to answer the charges, and was committed to the Fleet prison just after Edward IV had granted him a license to erect the Caister college. At the same time the Duke of Suffolk claimed Fastolf's manor of Drayton. John Paston died in 1466. Sir John, Paston's son and heir, was allowed to occupy the property after resigning certain lands to the Duke of Norfolk,
