Sir Robert Constable to Ann, Lady Rokeby

225 Sir Robert Constable¹ to Ann, Lady Rokeby,² 22 April [before February
        1531]      (No. 2, p. 182)

Madam,^a in my best and hartest manner I recomend me vnto you, and
I dout not but ye haue hard of the vniust & crafty dealing of Geruis
Chawood against me. Your late husbend, whose sowle God pardon,
was clearely expulsed and put forth of his ofic, which he had vnder ?e
chapter seale for tearme of his life,^b by the said Cawood, and the said
Cawood receiued your husbands fee; and what accounts and reckinings
he maid vnto your late husband hereof I know not. And ?at if I may
know from you how many yeares the said Cawood reseiued your
hosbonds fee, if ye doe acertin me herof, and make me a letter of
atturney vnto some of your frinds, aboute to clame your arrearages. I
will help him forward for your helpe, the best I can. And I pray you
to accertaine me the truth by your writting by this bearer. And thus
our Lord send you good life and long, to his pleasure. Written at
Holme in Spald[ing] this 22th day of Aprill.

By your louing frind     Robart Constable knight^c

Endorsed: To my very good Lady Rokeesby deliuer this

     ^a Marginal note: A letter to Lady Rooksby. This Lady Rokesby liued and dyed at
Plompton.

     ^b Marginal note: By Sir Rob: Constable for abuses of Cawood. W. Cocks br.

     ^c Marginal note: Copied the 2 of June 1626.

     ¹ Son and heir of Sir Marmaduke Constable of Everingham, he was executed 1537
His sister, Elizabeth, married Lady Rokeby?s nephew, Ralph Ellerker, Flower?s Visitation,
66, 109; 211; App. III.

     ² Daughter of Sir Ralph Ellerker of Rusby, Lincs, and widow of Sir Ralph Rokeby of
Mortham, North Yorks, App. III.

                                         LETTER VI.

                    To my very good Lady Rokesby a deliver this.

    Madam, in my best and hartest manner I recomend me unto
you, and I dout not but ye have hard of the uniust and crafty
dealing of Gervis Cawwood against me. Your late husband,
whose sowle God pardon, was clearely expulsed and put forth of
his ofic, which he had under the Chapter seale for tearme of
his life, by the said Cawood, and the said Cawod received your
husbands fee, and what accounts and reckinings he maid unto your
late husband thereof, I know not. And that if I may know from
you how many yeares the said Cawod reseived your hosbonds fee,
if ye doe acertin me therof, and make me a letter of atturney unto
some of your frinds, aboufe to clame your arreareges I will help
him forward for your helpe, the best I can. And I pray youto
accertaine me the truth by your writting by this bearrer. And
this our Lord send you good life and long to his pleasure. Writ-
ten att Holme in Spald. this 22th day of Aprill.

                                                             By your loving frind.
                                                        ROBART CONSTABLE, knight.^b

    ^a This letter was copied into the manuscript the 2 of June, 1626; and a not by the
copyist written in the margin informs us that "this Lady Rokesby lived and died at
Plompton." We learn frm a subsequent letter that a Newport of Boynton, com.
Ebor. was her son, and that he husband Rokeby was buried at Resby Church. Risby
is in the township and parish of Rowley, and was the seat of the family of Ellerker in
the reign of Hen. VIII. There does not, however, appear to have been any chapel
erected there, with a right of sepulture; but as the name of Rowley is of modern growth,
the place being not named in Domesday, perhaps the parish church commonly went
under the name of Risby. We have in that case a clue to her identity; for inthe curious
Memoir of the family of Rokeby, entitled, Oeconomia Rokebiorum, printed by Whita-
ker in his Richmondshire, and of which he date is 155, mention is made of a Richard
rokeby, third son of Ralph Rokeby, or Mortham, com. Ebor, esq. a soldier and servant
to the Lord Scrope of Bolton, whose standard he bore in Flodden-field, wh had issue
by his wife------------------ daughter of ----------------- Ellerker of Risbye, esq.

     ^b Sir Robert Constable of Holme in Spaldingmore, and of Flamborough, com.
Ebor. kt. succeeded his aged father, Sir Marmaduke Constable, 29 Dec. 10 Hen. VIII.
1518 ; and having taken part in the insurrection known as the Pilgrimage of Grace,
he was executed for high treason, and his body hanged in chains over Beverley Gate,
at Hull, in the month of June, 28 Hen. VIII. 1536. (Memoirs of the Constable
family, penes me.)