Richard , duke of Gloucester to Sir William Plumpton

22 Richard, duke of Gloucester¹ to Sir William Plumpton, 13 October
     [?1472] (No. 6, p. 153; CB 616]

R: Glocestre. Right trustie and welbeloued,^a we grete you well and
whearas att the freshe pursuit of our welbeloued Christopher Stansfeild,
one Richard of the Burgh that had take and led away feloniously
certaine ky and othe cattell belonging to him, was take and arested
with[in] the said manor att Spofford, wheras they yett remaine.
Wheafore we desire & pray you that vpon sufficient suerty found [. . .]^b
by the said Christopher to sue against the said felon, as the law will
for that offence, ye will make deliuery vnto him of the said cattell, as
is according with right, showing him your good aide, favour and
benevolence, the rather att the instaunce of this our letters. And our
Lord preserue you. From Pontefrett vnder our signett, the thirtenth of
October.

Endorsed: To our right trustie & wellbeloued Sir William Plompton
knight, stuard of the lordshipp of Spofford, and to the bailife of the
same, and to ether of them the duke of Glocester, constabl and admirall
of England^c

     ^a Marginal note: 6 letter.

     ^b found repeated.

     ^c Marginal note: Copied 9 of December 1612.

     ¹ After Edward IV’s resumption of the crown in April 1471 Gloucester recovered the
offices of constable and admiral of England, which he held before the Readeption. In
the same year he was made chief steward of the North Parts of the Duchy of Lancaster
and great chamberlain of England, but surrendered the latter in favour of Clarence,
May 1472. This letter was therefore probably written after that date, and before the
’appointment’ with Northumberland, May 1473, CPR, 1467–77, 178, 262; Ross, Edward
IV, 186, 200.

LETTER XVIII.

To our right trustie and welbeloved Sir William Plompton, knight,
    Stuard of the lordshipp of Spofford, and to the balife of the same,
    and to ether of them, The duc of Glocestr, Constabl and
    Admirall of England.

    R. GLOCESTTE.^a Right trustie and welbeloved, we grete you
well. And whearas att the freshe pursuit of our welbeloved
Christopher Stansfield, one Richard of the Burgh, that had take
and led away feloniously certaine ky and other cattell belonging
to him, was take and arested with [in] the said manor att Spofford,
whearat they yett remaine; whearfore we desire and pray you that
upon sufficient suerty to be found by the said Christopher to sue
against the said felon, as the law will, for that offence, ye will
make delivery unto him of the said cattell, as is according with
right: shewing him your good aide, favour, and benevolence, the
rather att the instance of this our favour, and benevolence, the
you. From Pontfrett, under our signett, the thirtenth of October.

        (13 Oct. anno circiter 1472.)

    ^a Richard Duke of Gloucester, made High Constable of England 29 Feb. 1472,
resided at Ponterfract as chief Seneschal of the King's Duchy of Lancaster in the North
Parts, and by virtue of his office leased to his beloved Sir William Plompton, knight,
the ferm of the corn mills of Knaresborough and the new mill of Bilton, together with
the office of bailiff of the burgh of Knaresborough, for the space of twelve years, ren-
dering for the first xx marks, for the second xlvis. viii d., for the said office of bailiff
xlvis. viid.; which deed bears date 29th September, 12 Edw. IV. 1472 (Chartul.
No. 584). The lordship of Spofford, in which parish Plumpton lay, belonged to the
Earl of Northunmberland, who had there a manor-place with a park.