Ralph Aldburgh to Mrs Isabel Plumpton

251 Ralph Aldburgh to Mrs Isabel Plumpton, 2 February [?1551/2] (No.
         9, p. 187)

Aunt,^a this is to certife you that my father in law¹ sent one to me ij
letters þat came from London from Robart Girdlington, one to you
which is in hast, as far as my father sent me word to send them [p.
188] as shortly as I could^b send þem to you. Furthermore, I wold haue
you them sent with Langton; them I giue, and he wold not carry them,
and so I haue spoken vnto Mr Egeme<ton> for barneckles, and so I
shold haue gon ouer to Lodington to haue bought them, and so I let
them aloane. And so I desire you haue me remembred to my mistres,²
and to let her know that my lady servants Hilyeard³ demaunds halfe a
quarter of beanes for their fat swine, and if it weare in condition or
no; and if it be not, to alowe the same in the xx quarters that she shold

haue, and barly [. . .]^c <in> like case. And so to let you know that barly
rises of pease, as they say, and I haue sold none as yet; and that they
ar threshing in the one lath beanes and barley both, for swine makes
il work, and so I make them labor as hard as <they> can for the
same; & soe by this bearrer I send ij letters, and I giue him for his
labour xijd for coming. No more ouer to you, but Jesus haue you in
his kepping. Written this Lady Day at night in hast. And to let you
know whearas ye told me of 6 horses, the which they say the sorrell
nag is not of yours, and sayes that ye haue but 5; and so I wold answer
it. For your hofer, it likes not, I shud a sold it, I trust, for 4s or better,
if ye will.

By me     Rafh Audbrough^d

Endorsed (p. 187): To the right worshipfull Mrs Plompton of Plompton
Hall be this deliuered

     ^a Marginal note: 9 letter by Rafh Audbrough.

     ^b Marginal note, as above.

     ^c of deleted.

     ^d Marginal note: Copied the 6 of June, Tewsday 1626.

     ¹ Stapleton implies that the writer, 3rd son of Sir Richard Aldburgh (d.1514), was
married to Robert Girlington’s sister, and that Isabel Plumpton was aunt to both, 218–
19n., 237.

     ² Anne, widow of Robert Plumpton (d.1546). The manor of Waterton, where Robert
died, was part of her dower, 232; App. III.

     ³ Joan, widow of Sir Ralph Hillyard of Winestead in Holderness, son or grandson of
Sir Robert Hillyard (d.1501) and descendant of Robert Hillyard of Winestead, identified
erroneously in a number of sources as Robin of Holderness, leader of an abortive Percy-
inspired rebellion of 1469, Ross, Edward IV, 127; Test. Ebor., iv, 11–12.

LETTER XXXI.

               To the right worshipfull Mrs. Plompton, of plompton Hall,
                                      be this delivered.

    Aunt, this is to certife you that my father-in-law sent one to
me ij letters that come from London from Robart Girdlington,
one to your which is in hast, as far as my father sent me word to
send them as shortly as I could send them to you. Furthermore,
I wold have you them sent with Langton; them I give and he
sold not carry them. And so I had spoken unto Mr. Egemeton
for barneckles, and so I shold have gon over to Lodington to
have bought them, and so I let them aloane. And so I desire you
have me remembred to my Mistres, and to let hir know that my Lady
servants Hilyeard^a demaunds halfe a quarter of beanes for their fat
swine, and if it weare in condition or no ; and if it be not, to alowe
the same in the xx quarters that she shold have, and barly in like
case. And so to let you know that barly rises of pease, as they
say, and I have sold none as yet ; and that they ar threshing in the
one lath beanes and barley both, for swine makes il work, and
so I make them labor as hard as they can for the same. And soe
by this bearrer I send you ij letters, and I gave him for his labour
xii^d for coming. No more over to you, but Jesus have you in his
kepping. Written this Ladyday at night in hast. And to let you
know, whearas ye told me of 6 horses, the which they say the sorrell
nag is not of yours, and sayes that ye have but 5 ; and so I wold
answer it. For your hofer, it likes not ; I shud a sold it, I truste,
for 4s or better, if ye will.

                                                 By me                RAFH AUDBRUGH.^b

    ^a Joan, daughter of Ralph Constable of Halsham, com. Ebor. esq. and widow of
Sir Christopher Hildyard of Winestead, com. Ebor. kt. who died 29 Hen. VIII. 1538.

    ^b Ralph Aldburgh was third son of Sir Richard Aldburgh, of Aldburgh, kt. by Jane,
daughter of Sir Thomas Fairfx, of Walton, kt. He had apparently married a sister
of Robert Girlington, niece of Mrs. Isabel Plompton, as he speaks of his father-in-law
sending on letters to him from the latter. This letter will have been written from Wa-
terton, which is in the parish of Luddington, the place where he meant to have pur-
chased the sea-fowl called barnacles. Waterton had been the residence of Robert
Plumpton, and the manor, in the 7th of Eliz. 1565, was yet charged with a rent of
22l. 2s. 8d. to Ann Moreton, then surviving, late wife of Robert Plumpton, for term of
her life, by way of dower. At the same date, the manor of Sacombe, com. Herts, was
charged with 54s. 4d., decendible, after the death of Dame Isabella Plumpton, to
Aldburgh and Garlington, to each of them 26s. 8d. per annum. This letter appears
to have been written about the year 1548, after the death of William and Robert
Plumpton, during the minority of the son of the latter. Ralph Aldburgh was the
steward at Waterton, and his "Mistres," the above-named Mrs. Ann Plumpton, after-
ward wife of Robert Moreton, of Bawtry, com. Ebor. esq.