Thomas Burgh to William Plumpton

220 Thomas Burgh¹ to William Plumpton, 18 July [?1524]       (No. 35, p.
       216; Stapleton, 222)

[. . .]^a your frinds of the sid of [. . .]^b Babthorps,^c that som of your learned
councill did convay, & beside, claime euidence, which neyther yourself,
nor any of your frinds wold haue done at any meting. Therfore it is
thought that you meting with such learned councill shall take litle efect.
But if ye would take one substantiall frind or ij, & he likewise take one
or tow, and at my coming home, soe to meate, I shall be glad to meate
with you at such time and place as shall be apoynted by you both;^d &
take with me such as is both of good experience and learning, trusting
so to set a finall end [. . .] you and them. I trust we shall commun [. . .]
ther of our matters; and of your mind in the premises, I pray you to
acertaine me, and thus hertyly fare ye well. From Aknig, the xviij day
of July.

Hertyly yours asured     Thomas Burgh

Endorsed: To the right worshipfull Mr William plompton

     ^a The copyist has not transcribed the beginning of the letter.

     ^b Two illegible words followed by a blank space.

     ^c Marginal note: 35 letter by Thomas Burgh.

     ^d The foot of the page is torn and the remainder of the letter missing. The ensuing part of the text is
therefore taken from Stapleton, p. 215.

     ¹ Possibly Sir Thomas Burgh (d.1549), son of Edward, 2nd Lord Burgh of Gainsborough
(d.1528), and grandson of Thomas Burgh, Edward IV?s trusted knight of the body and
master of the horse. He writes as one accustomed to authority. The family held estates
in south Yorkshire, GEC; John Warkworth, A Chronicle of the First Thirteen Years of the Reign
of Edward IV, ed. J.O. Halliwell, (Camden Society, O.S., x, 1839), 8; Morgan, 7, 20;
Somerville, 576.

LETTER I.

To the right worshipfull Mr. William Plomptn, esquire,

.................................................... your frinds of the sid of
.....................................Bapthorps,^a that som of your Learned Councill
did convay, and besid, clame evidence which neyther yourself, nor
any of your frinds, wold have done at any meting; therfore, it is
thought that you meting with such Leaned Councill shall take
litle efect. But if ye would take one substantiall frind or ij, and
he lilewise take one or tow, and at my coming home, soe to
meate, I shall be glad to meate with youat such time and place
as shall be apoynted by you both; and take with me such as
is both of good experience and learning, trusting so to set a
finall end..................you and them. I trust we shall com-
mun................ther of our matters; and of your mind in the pre-
mises, I pray youto acertaine me, and thus hertyly fare ye
well. From Aking,^b the xviii day of July.

                                                     Hertyly yours asured,
                                                                        THOMAS BURGH.^c

    ^a In the cartulary is the copy of a bond for a thousand marks from William Bab-
thorpe, esq. to William Plumpton, esq. dated 27 June, 11 Hen. VIII. 1519, to be void
upon condition "that the said William babthorp and Agnes his wife, and all seised
to their use, or to the heirs of the said William Babthorp, should perform the award
of Robert Brudnell and Humphrey Coningsby, knights, tow of the King's Justices,
arbitrators indifferently chosen between the above bunden WilliamBatthorp and
Agnes his wife, and the said William Plompton and Isabel his wife, upon the right and
title of the lands that were Sir Ralph Babthorpe, knight, or any of his ancestors;
the award to be given before the feast of St. Luke next ensuing, and if no award given,
then the parties to abide the umpirage of Thomas Lord Cardinal, Legate of the See
of Rome, Archbishop of York, prymate and Chauncler of England, if given before
the feast of All Saints." (Chartul. No. 850.) This proposed settlement of the dif-
ference between the families must, however, have failed, for the bond was again renewed
2 May, 16 Hen. VIII. 1524, when Sir Lewis Polard and Sir Richard Broke were the
Justices chosen for arbitrators, with whom were joined Sir William Gascoigne, Trea-
surer to Cardinal Wolsey, and Rause Swillington, the King's Attorney. (See note to
Letter CLXXX.) The award was to be given at the feast of Pentecost; but if ever made,
it was set aside. This letter implies a third attempt to adjust matters, which was also of
no avail, for the accient claims were revived in the next generation, and not finally set
at rest until 20 Oct. 3 Eliz. 1561, when Richard Weston and John Walsh, two of the
Queen's Justices of the Common Pleas, awarded to Sir William Babthorpe, kt.
the manors of Babthorpe and Osgodby, and to Willliam Plumpton, esq. the manor
of Watterston, and lands in Estoft and Hunesley, in com. Ebor. and in Hotoft and
Caldby Ayncotes, in com. Linc. (Towneley MS. of extracts from the evidences at
Plumpton.)

    ^b Que?re Hackney?

    ^c Thomas Burgh of Gainsborough, com. Linc. kt. summoned t Parliament 3 Nov.
21 Hen. VIII. 1529.