The Mayor, Robert Hancock, and Aldermen of York to Sir Robert Plumpton

65 The Mayor, Robert Hancock,¹ and Aldermen of York to Sir Robert Plumpton,
     11 September [1488] (No. 81, p. 45)

Right worshipfull Sir, I recomend me vnto you. And wher ye haue
shewed by [. . .]^a your curtace letter of late to me derect by one Robart
Becke, your servant, berying date at Plompton the vj day of September,
that your servants and lovers, John Persons & his brother, should be
greatly vexed and trobled by Wylliam Whit² & his servants. Sir, as
touching the same William, in the beginyng of the troble & variance
betwixt the seruants of his & John Persons, his bretheren, and other,
he was innocent, as fare as I, my bretheren aldermen, and other the
common counsell of the cyttie of York, by any wayes and meanes can
vnderstand. And the same Wylliam hath shewed vnto vs þat he at no
tyme haue given cause to the sayd Person so to deale with his servants,
as they tofore haue donn. And further, Sir, the said John Person & his
brother bene fraunchised and sworne to þe kyng and maior of the citie
of Yorke for tyme being, to be & deale according to the effect of their
othes.^b And if any variance or troble, tofore <this>, haue bene betwixt
my cocitisons, þat they, according to ther duties, haue [. . .]^c <shewed>
them in þe same to þe maior for tyme being, and for none other; and
he to se amend betwyxt them and right wold, so þat no more
inconvenient should fall by reason of the same. Sir, I am the man, I
take God to record, without favor or partialite, to adoon the same in
the premyses to the sayd John Person, & other in þe premyses, and
they had shewed them in the same varience vnto me, as ther dutyes
had bene. Wherfor, Sir, yf it like you, and by your advice the sayd
John Person & his brother to come home, both my brethren & I shall
endevor vs þat in þe said varyance & troble, to make a good and a
loving end, and the better for your pleasure. And further, Sir, of my
brethren behalfe & myne, we pray you to give credence to this bearer, &
Jhesu preserue you. In hast from Yorke, the xi day of September.^d

     By your awne Robart Havock maior of Yorke and his bretheren
aldermen^e

Endorsed: To the right worshipfull Sir Robart Plompton kt be thes
deliuered

     ^a one of deleted.

     ^b MS others.

     ^c payne deleted.

     ^d Appended: Copied the 18 day of March 1612.

     ^e At the foot of the letter, in a different hand: His true loue, Dorety Straud.

     ¹ Robert Hancock (d.1495/6), grocer and freeman of York, MP York 1483, 1485–6,
Wedgwood, 418; Test. Ebor., iv, 274.

     ² William White was mayor of York 1491–94/5, A. Raine (ed.), York Civic Records, ii,
(YASRS, ciii, 1941), 68, 114.

LETTER XX.

To the right worshipfull Sir Robart Plompton, Kt. be thes delivered.

    Right worshipfull Sir, I recommend me unto you, and wher ye
have shewed by your curtace letter, of late to me derect by one
Robart Becke your servant, beryng date at Plompton, the vi day
of September, that you servants and lovers, John Person and his
brother, should be greatly vexed and trobled by Wylliam Whit a
and his servants; Sir, as touching the same William, in the
beginyng of the troble and variance betwyxt the servants of his
and John Persons, his bretheren, and other, he was innocent, as
fare as I, my brethren alderman, and other the common counsell
of the Cyttie of York, by any wayes and meanes can understand;
and the same Wylliam hath shewed unto us, that he at no tyme
have given cause to the said Person so to deale with his servants,
as they tofore have doun. And further, Sir, the sayd John Person
and his brother bene fraunchesid and sworne to the Kyng and
maior of the citie of Yorke for tyme being, to be and deale accord-
ing to the effect of there othes. And if any variance or troble,
tofore this, have bene betwixt my cocitisins, that they, according
to ther duties, have shewed them, in the same to the maior for
tyme being, and to none other; and he to se an end betwyxt them
and right wold, so that no more inconvenient should fall by
reason of the same. Sir, I am the man, and take God to record,
without favor or parcialite, to adoon the same in the premyses
to the sayd John Person, and other in the premyses, and they
had shewed them in the same varience unto me, as ther dutyes
had bene. Wherfore. Sir, if it like you, and by your advice,
the sayd John Person and his brother to come home, both
my brethren and I shall endevor us, in the sayd varyance and
troble, to make a good and a loving end, and the better for your
pleasure. And further, Sir, of my brethren behalfe and myne, we
pray you to give credence to this bearer, and Jesu preserve you.
In hast from Yorke, the ix day of September.
                                             By your aune ROBERT HAVOCK b
                                  Maior of Yorke and his brethren Aldermen.
        (9 Sept. 1488.)

             a William White was mayor of York in 1491.

             b Sic, sed lege Robert Hancock. He was mayor of York in 1488.