German de la Pole to Sir Robert Plumpton

180 German de la Pole to Sir Robert Plumpton, [1503]     (No. 95, p. 54)

Right worshipfull and my most singuler good father in law, in my most
humblest maner I recommend [me] right hartely vnto you & vnto my
lady <my> mother in law, inwardly desiring to haue knowledg of your
wellfare and harts ease, the which I besech almighty Jesu of his infinyt
mercy and grace shortly to [p. 55] send you, vnto your most ioyfull
comforth, and to the pleasure of your harte. So it is, Sir, þat I
vnderstand by the letter þat I receiued from you, þat ye haue þe kings
protection ryall,¹ þe which is the most ioyfullest tydings þat ever I hard,
since the tyme þat I was borne of my mother. For now, I doubt not
but with dew labor mad vnto þe kings grace, & with þe gud counsell
of your lovers & frinds, all the vexation & troble þat ye haue had now
laytly for your matters, by the grace of þe blessed Trenity, shall turne
vnto your ioyfull comforth & harts ease; considering how falsly & how
vnrighteously the size is past against you, contrary to the law, either of
God or man.

     Furthermore, Sir, I haue bene at Combrige for your rent at your
tenaunte William Smith, and I receiued of him for one yeares rent xls,
the which I send you by the brynger herof. Howbeit, I lay outside ij
dayes or I cold haue it; he was so fearfull to pay it because of Sir
Robart Shefell² & Emson; and he desireth you to be his gud master &
beare him out, þat a be not vexed nor trobled therfore. For be ye sure
he is stedfast vnto you. And I wold haue had rent in Crakemarch, but
the tenaunts wold pay me none; & I wold haue streaned, but ther
could no man shew me which was your ground. Wherfore I supposed
þat it should haue hurt your matters to haue streyned, not knowing
your ground from his.

     Also, Sir, I desired you in my last letter to be so gud father vnto me
as to com speake with my grandam for diuerse matters, the which
longeth vnto my profit. Howbeit I haue no gud answere of you, but
now I will desire you, for the reuerence of Jesu, to doe for me as i will
do for you, if my power were vnto my will, & make it in your way to
com speake with hir for the welfare & profit of your daughter, my
wyfe, & me. Many a gentleman in Darbyshire marvelleth, I being so
nere my age, þat ye will not com & speake with hir for my right; & if
ye come [. . .]^a it wil saue me greatly, more [then] ye know, in dyvers
matters þat I shall shew you of them, by the grace of Jhesu, who haue
you in his gloryous keping.

Your owne son and beadman     German de la Pole^b

Endorsed (p. 54): To his right worshipfull father Sir Robart Plompton
knight þes letter be deliuered

     ^a MS not come.

     ^b Appended: Copied þe 27 day of March 1612.

     ¹ 175n.

     ² Sir Robert Sheffield held land in Crakemarsh in right of his wife, Ellen, 92n.; App.
III; Kirby, in Church and Chronicle, 231–2.

LETTER CXLV.

To his right worshipfull father, Sir Robart Plompton, knyght,
thes letter be delivered.

    Right worshipfull and my most singuler good father in law, in
my most humblest maner I recommend my right hartely unto you,
and unto my lady my mother in law, inwardly desiring to have
knowledg of your wellfare and harts ease, the which I besech
almyghty Jesu of his infinyt mercy and grace shortly to send
you, unto your most joyful comforth, and to the pleasure of your
harte. So it is, Sir, that I understand by the letter that I received
from you, that ye have the Kings protection ryall, the which is
the most joyfullest tydings that ever I hard, since the tyme that I
was borne of my mother. For now, I doubt not but with dew
labor made unto the Kings grace, and with the gud counsell of
your lovers and friends, all the vexation and troble that ye have
had now laytly for your matters, by the grace of the blessed Tre-
nity, shall turne unto your joyfull comforth and harts ease, con-
sidering how falsly, and how unrighteously, the size is past against
you, contrary to the law either of God, or man. Furthermore,
Sir, I have bene at Combrige for your rent at your tenaunte, Wil-
liam Smith, and I received of him for one yeares rent XLs. the
which I send you by the brynger hereof. Howbeit, I lay at Out-
side ij dayes or I cold have it, he was so fearfull to pay it because
of Sir Robart Shefell^a and Emson; and he desireth you to be his
gud master and beare him out, that a be not vexed nor trobled
therfore, for be ye sure he is stedfast unto you. And I wold have
had rent in Crakmarsh, but the tenaunts wold pay me none; and
I wold have streaned, but ther could no man shew me which was
your ground. Wherfore, I supposed that it should have hurt your
matters to have streyned, not knowing your ground from his.
Also, Sir, I desired you in my last letter to be so gud father unto
me, as to com speake with my grandam for diverse matters, the
which longeth unto my profit. Howbeit, I have no gud answere
of you. But now I will desire you, for the reverence of Jesu, to
doe for me as I will do for you, if my power were unto my will,
and make it in your way to com speake with hir for the welfare
and profit of your daughter, my wyfe, and me. Many a gentle-
man in Darbyshire marvelleth, I being so nere my age, that ye will
not com and speake with hir for my right; and if ye come, it will
save me greatly, more then ye know, in dyvers matters that I
shall shew you of, by the grace of Jesu, who have you in his glo-
ryous keeping.

            Your owne son and beadman,

    (Anno 1503.)            GERMAN DE LA POLE.

    ^a Sir Robert Sheffield of Butterwicke, com. Linc. Kt. (See Letter LXIII. note a)