John Felton and John Warde to Sir William Plumpton

20 John Felton and John Warde to Sir William Plumpton, 14 September [1464
     × 1469]                 (No. 21, p. 165)

Worshipfull and reverend Sir^a and our right good mastre, we recomend
us vnto you. And please you to haue knowlech that our trustie frend
Thomas of the Logge hath of late time bene greueously vexed and
troubled for certain matters that ye haue knowlich of, so that yett,
without that he trusteth specially aboue all things vnto you, he dare
not come at his owne house, vnto his right great hurt & hindring; and
as we have knowledge, the matters are in your will and throughe your
good lordshipp <(quere)> [. . .]^b Whereafore we beseech you [. . .]^c <in
the> lowliest wise we can or may, that ye vouchsafe to shew vnto him
your good lordshipp and mastershipp,¹ for if the matter shold be tryed
by his neighbours we deem the countrey should be found of his appeale,
soe that, because of this our simple writing and request, he may, vnder
your protection, haue his goods vnto his proper use vnder sufficient
baile, & that [he] be not put into the wrongs that may cause his
vndoing. Wherein you shall deserue thanks of God & your good lords
at [. . .]^d <your> coming to the kings house, with our dayly service att
all times. Written att Windsor þe 14 September. And it please to deliuer
vnto Robert of Tymble a stub,² the which Mr Controller³ granted vnto
his ward for him and his wife.^e

By your servants              John Felton, groom of þe chamber⁴ and John
                                           Ward, groom of the eurey⁵

Endorsed: To the right worshipfull and right reuerend Sir William
Plompton kt custos of the castle of Knaresburgh

     ^a Marginal note: 21 letter. Sir William that died 20 of Ed. 4th was custos of the castle of
Knaresb.

     ^b The original was either illegible or blank at this point.

     ^c through deleted.

     ^d the deleted.

     ^e Marginal note: Copied 21 January 1612, Friday.

     ¹ Sir William had been reinstated in office at Knaresborough under Warwick in 1464;
dismissed c. 1469, 28.

     ² A timber tree.

     ³ Sir John Scott held the office, 1461–70, Ross, Edward IV, 324.

     ⁴ John Felton was still a member of the royal household in Jan. 1480, CPR, 1476–85,
171.

     ⁵ A younger brother of Sir Christopher Warde of Givendale, he was in office in the
royal household in 1469, when he was granted tronage and pesage at Southampton,
CPR, 1467–77, 166; Horrox, Richard III, 241; Test. Ebor., iv, 274.

                                                     LETTER XVI.

To the right worshipfull and right reverend Sir William Plompton,
knight, Custos of the Castle of Knaresehurgh.^a

    Worshipfull and reverend Sir and our right good mastre, we
recomend us unto you; and please you to have knowlech that our
trustie freind, Thomas of the Logge, hath of late time bene greve-
ously vexed and troubled for certain matters that ye have knowlich
of; so that yett, without that he trusteth specially above all things
unto you, he dare not come at his owne house, unto his right great
hurt and hindring: and as we have knowledge, the matters are in
your will and throughe your good lordshipp .     . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheafore we beseech you in the lowliest wise we can or may, that
ye vouchsafe to shew unto him your good lordshipp and master-
shipp; for, if the matter shold be tryed by his neighbours, we deem
the countrey should be found of his appeale; soe, that because of
this our simple writing and request, he may under your protection
have his goods unto his proper use under sufficient baile, and that
he be not put into the wrongs that may cause his undoing, wherein
ye shall deserve thanks of God, and your good lords at your coming
to the kings house, with our dayly service att all times. Written
att Windsor, the 14 of September. And it please to deliver unto
Robert of Tymble^b a Stub^c, the which Mr. Controller granted
unto his ward for him and his wife.

By your servants JOHN FELTON groom of the Chamber,
and JOHN WARD ^d groom of the Eurey.

    (14 Sept. 146..)

    ^a The suits against the dwellers in the forest, spoken of in Letter XV. denote that Sir
William Plumpton held at this time the appointment of Chief Forester of the forest
with that of Custos of the castle of Knaresborough, which same offices he had also held
in the reign of Hen. VI. and from whom he had a grant of the latter for the term
of his life.

 ^b Great Timble, in the parish of Fewston and liberty of Knaresborough, was one of
the vills of the forest.

    ^c Stub, a timber-tree.

    ^d John Warde is named with others in Letters Patent bearing date at Westeminster,
29 Apr. 6 Edw. IV. (Rot. Parl. v. 596 b.)