Edward Plumpton to Sir Robert Plumpton

38 Edward Plumpton to Sir Robert Plumpton, 30 June [1483] (No. 192,
     p. 128)

After all due recomendations premysed, pleaseth your mastership to
wyt ?at I haue receiued my fee xxvjs viijd for Pentycost last past, sent
to me by my fadr seruant William Coltman, in my most humbly wyse
thanking your mastership therfore. Neuerthelesse, I maruell greatly ?at
your mastership wrote not to me comaunding me to doe you some
service at London, Sir, you know my mynd & service, & I am right
sory & any synister wayes of my aduersaryes be shewed vnto you, &
not of my deseruing; if ?at be so, your wryting had bene to me more
comfortable then much goods, considryng althings done aforetyme.¹
Such as be your aduersaryes in your old matters² hath bene with me
at London. Mr Bryan Roclyfe, Palmes³ & Topclyffe,⁴ comyning &
desyring further to proced in our matters, & saying ye clame suyt,
seruice of the maner of Colthorpe,^a [p. 129] and for the same merce
him in your court at Plompton; & if yt be so, in my mynd yt is
necessary to aske, destreyne, and levie þe sayd amerciment.

     Pleaseth it your mastership, in my most humble wyse to recomend
me vnto my good ladyes, & to my power service, as I haue bene &
euer wylbe to my lyfe end, as more at þe larg the brynger of this shall
shew vnto you by mouth, to whom I pray you giue credence. In short
space ye shall know more for the best, with be grace of Jhesu, who
your mastership preserue.⁵ At London, þe last day of June.

Your humble seruant               Edward Plompton^b

Endorsed (p. 128): To the ryght honorable my especiall good master Sir
Robt Plompton knyght

     ^a Marginal note: Colthorpe plieth to Plo: courts.

     ^b Appended: Copied þe 6 day of May 1613.

     ¹ Edward was Sir Robert’s young kinsman and legal adviser, Apps.II, 49; III.

     ² Since the death of Sir William the heirs general, Margaret Rocliffe and Elizabeth
Sotehill, and their respective husbands, John Rocliffe and John Sotehill, had been in
dispute with Sir Robert over his right to the Plumpton inheritance. Richard III’s
arbitration award is dated 16 Sept. 1483. It held until contested at the instigation of Sir
Richard Empson, BL, Harl. MS 433; App. II, 64; 119.

     ³ Brian Rocliffe was Margaret Plumpton’s father-in-law; his sister was married to
William Palmes, of Naburn, father of two future sergeants, Brian (d.1519/20) and Guy
(1516), 8; Ives, CL, 452, 472.

     ⁴ A Thomas Topcliffe was clerk of the receipt to the receiver-general of the Duchy of
Lancaster, 1480–4, Somerville, i, 401.

     ⁵ Prof Colin Richmond suggests that Edward Plumpton’s habit in the 1480s of confiding
his correspondents to the protection of Jesus may mark a changing convention: the name
of the Lord is seldom mentioned in the Paston Letters, ‘Religion and the Fifteenth-Century
English Gentleman’, in R.B. Dobson (ed.), The Church, Politics and Patronage in the Fifteenth
Century (Gloucester, 1984), 200.

LETTER V.

To the right honorable my especyall good master, Sir Robart Plomp-
ton, knyght.

    After all due recomendations premysed, pleaseth your master-
ship to wyt that I have received my fee xxvis. viiid. for Pentycost
last past, sent to me by my fader servant, William Coltman, in
my most humbly wyse thanking your mastership therfore; never-
thelesse I marvell greatly that your mastership wrote not to me,
comaunding me to doe you some service at London. Sir, you
know my mynd and service, and I am right sory and any synister
wayes of my adversaryes be shewed unto you, and not of my
deserving; if yt be so, your wryting had bene to me more com-
fortable then much goods, considryng althings done aforetyme.
Such as be your adversaryes in your old mattersa hath bene with
me at London, Master Bryan Roclife, Palmes and Topclyffe, co-
myning and desyring further to proced in our matters; and saying,
ye clame suyt, service and seute, of ther maner of Colthorpe, and for
the same merce him in your court at Plompton: if yt be so, in my
mynd yt is necessary to aske, distreyne, and levie the sayd amer-
ciments. Pleaseth it your mastership in my most humble wyse to
recomend me unto my good ladyes, and to my power service, as I
have bene and ever wylbe to my lyfes end, as more at the larg the
brynger of this shall shew unto you by mouth, to whom I pray
you give credence. In short space ye shall know more for the
best, with the grace of Jesu, who your mastership preserve. At
London, the last day of June.
                                                           Your humble servant,
         (30 June 1483.)                                       EDWARD PLOMPTON.b

    a From the time of the death of Sir William Plumpton, the succession of Sir Robert
Plumpton to the estates of his father had been disputed on behalf of the heirs general, one
of whom was married to the son of Master Bryan Roclife. A reference to the crown for
arbitration had been agreed upon in the reign of Edw. IV., which was rendered inef-
factual by the death of that monarch. There was now a desire to proceed further, and
the matter was for the present settled by an award of Richard III. dated 16 Sept. in the
first year of his reign. (See Memoirs.)

    b Edward Plumpton, gentilman, had letters to act as general attorney for Sir Robert
Plumpton, kt. dated 4 Jan. 1 Ric. III. 1483-4. (Chartul. No. 729) Prior to which
date he had a rent out of Nether Studley, given to him and Agnes his wife by Sir
Robert Plumpton, which he entered into a bond to release, 10 Dec. 1483. (Ibid. No.
728.) He was a younger son of Godfrey Plumpton, (brother of Sir William Plumpton,
kt. Sir Robert's father) who was living 26 Sept. 1483. (Ibid. No. 723). His father
married Alice Wintringham, sister of Dame Joan Plumtpon, by whom he had Sir Rich-
ard Plumtpon chaplain, his heir, also a correspondent of Sir Robert Plumpton. Alice,
the wife of Godfrey Plumpton, had become a widow before 20 July, 1 Hen. VII. 1486.
(Ibid. No. 737.)