Edward Plumpton to Sir Robert Plumpton

86 Edward Plumpton to Sir Robert Plumpton, 6 May [1490]     (No. 200, p.
      137)

[p. 138] In my most humble & faythfull wyse I recomend me vnto your
good mastership & to my especyall good ladys. Sir, the iij day of May
I received your wrytting, & incontinent I labored to David¹ & spake
with him according to your desire & ther is great labour made to him
for to put you from Haueray parke, & offered to him xli by yere^a & a
reward of cs. Notwithstanding, I haue made such labor, & caused him
to be agreable to let yt to you for vj yeare [. . .]^b by yeare, &
ye to send vj marke to him at Whytsonday next, to London, & then &
ther ye to haue your indentures sealed & deliuered, & ye to enter &
begine þe vj yeare to you & your assignes.

     Sir, Dauid wrytteth to you in favour of William Plompton, bastard,^c &
for his excuse; & all is but a collor for dou[b]tles,² & I had not layd yt
to David discretely by dyverse wayes, yt had bene gone from you, for
I mad many meanes or he wold make to me any grant, & because
your mastership wrote þat ye wold not for xxli, but ye had yt, according
to my dutye I dilygently applyed it to accomplish your pleasure therin.
Sir, afor pe arbage, dout yt not, for, Sir He[n]ry Wentforth,³ nor yet
none other, can haue , nor nothinge þat belongeth to David. Sir,
yt is well done ye remember to send his money & haue your indenturs
in all hast possible; & if ther be anything þat I know not þat ye wold
haue comprised within þe same indenture, send to me word. Sir, I
marvell much of William Plompton, þat he sayth þat I am not true: I
neuer did him harme, but at your comandement I haue done much
for him. Yt is no marvell he þat is not naturall, þat cannot love & owe
his service to you, though he loue not me. I trow he love all ill þat is
faythfull & true to you. Sir, what soeuer any man say, I am, & wilbe
to you & yours true & faythfull while I liue, with Gods grace, who
preserue you. From Furnyswall, vj die May.

Your humble servant             Edward Plompton^d

Endorsed (p. 137): To þe right honorable & my [right worshipfull deleted]
especyall good master Sir Robt Plompton kt

     ^a Marginal note: Hauerey parke valued at 10 li.

     ^b vij li deleted.

     ^c Marginal note: William Plo: bastard.

     ^d Appended: Copied þe 8th of May 1613.

     ¹ David ap Griffith, one of the earl of Derby’s executors, was probably a member of
the earl’s household – possibly the writer’s brother-in-law. He held the parkership of the
earl as chief steward of the Duchy in the North Parts. Edward Plumpton’s position as
secretary to Lord Strange enabled him to importune Griffith in Sir Robert’s interest,
Stapleton 94n.; Horrox, Richard III, 207; Bennett, Bosworth, 87; 82, 90.

     ² William Plumpton, of Kirkby Overblow, the younger of the two illegitimate sons of
Sir William Plumpton, 87, 88; App. II, 58.

     ³ Sir Henry Wentworth, 87.

LETTER LXV.

To the right honorable and my especyall good master Sir Robart
Plomton, kt.

    In my most humble and faythfull wyse I recomend me unto
your good mastership, and to my especyall good ladys. Sir, the
iij day of May i received your wrytting, and incontinent I
labored to David, and spake with his according to your desire;
and ther is great labour made to him for to put you from Ha-
veray parke, a and offered to him xli by yere, and a reward of cs. Not-
withstanding, I have made such labor; and caused him to be
agreable to let yt to you for vi yeare, viiili by yeare, and ye to send
vi marke to him at Whytsonday next to London, and then and
there ye to have your indentures sealed and delivered, and ye to
enter and begine the vi yeare to you and your assignes. Sir, Da-
vid wrytteth to you in favor of Wylliam Plompton bastard,b and
for his excuse; and all is but a collor, for doubtles, and I had not
layd yt to David discretely dyverse wayes, yt had bene gone from
you, for I mad many meanes, or he wold make to me any grant:
and because your mastership wrote that ye wold not for xxli but
ye had yt, according to my dutye, I diligently applyed it to accom-
plish your pleasure therin. Sir, afor the arbage, dout yt not; for
Sir Henry Wentforth, c nor yet none other, can have it, nor no-
thinge the belongeth to David. Sir, yt is well done ye remember
to send this money, and have your indenteurs in all hast possible,
and if ther be anything that I know not, that ye wold have com-
prised within the same indenture, send to me word. Sir, i marvell
much of William Plompton, that he sayth that I am not true. I
never did him harme, but at your comandement I have done
much for him. Yt is no marvell he that is not naturall, that he
cannot love and owe his service to you, though he love not me.
I trow, he love all ill that is faythfull and true to you. Sir, what
soever any man say, I am, and wilbe, to you and Yours true and
faythfull while I live, which Gods grace, who preserve you . From
Furnyswall, vi die May.
                                          Your humble servant,
          (6 May 1490.)                                      EDWARD PLOMPTON.

a David Griffith, one of the council of thomas Earl of Derby, and executor of his
will(dated 26July and proved 9 Nov. 1504), held Haveray Park, in the honour of
Knaresborough, by virtue of a patent at the date. The Earl of Derby had held the
office of chief steward of the duchy of Lancaster, north of Trent, of which the honour
of Knaresborough was parcel, from I Hen. VII.

    b Bastard son of Sir William Plumpton, kt.

    c Sir Henry Wentworth, of Woodhouse, com. Ebor. kt. was at the date of this
letter High Sheriff of Yorkshire, and then stateioned at Knaresborough to keep the
peace of the distubed districts.?(See the following Letter.)