Thomas Middleton to Sir William Plumpton

14   Thomas Middleton to Sir William Plumpton, [16 November 1466]¹    (No.
        5, p. 159)

Right worshipfull Sir, I recommend me to your good mastership,^a
letting you wit, as touching the matter betwixt my coussin Golfray
Greene and Nyccoll Gotman, that my lord chauncler² has giuen in
commaundment vnto Mr Patman³ to make prossis against my cousin
Godfrey to bring the issues and profits that he hath receiued of the
chauntre, for which the varience shold begin, and else to cours him
from day to day. And therefore provide by your wisdome such remmede
in his behalfe as you semes best. Also, if ye speake with my Lady
Stapleton,⁴ if it please you to commend me vnto hir gud ladyship, and
let hir vnderstand that I deliuered hir letters that she sent me, and that
Mr Borough⁵ desired hir, in any wise, that she shold kepe it secret and
let no person haue knowledg, but that he shold kepe stil the ward of
my master’s son, not withstanding he is, and wil be, redy to kepe all
appoyntements that ar made in every article.

     The king, my lord chauncler, and earle of Warwick ar at London;
he came to the towne with 3 horse and more, as it is said. My lord of
Clarence is riden to Tutbery and the earle of Woster to Walles,⁶ to
Denbie, as it is said. I sopose Sir James Harington shall be sherife of
Yorke shire,⁷ Sir John Conyers⁸ and Sir Henry Vaueser⁹ is in the bill;
Sir Robart Constable¹⁰ is sherif in Lincoln shire. As for tidings, I can
none wryte, but I haue sold both my horses, good Morrel and his
felow; and as for my bay horse at your neighbor had fro Harwod Park,
by his commaundment I purpose to take no such as yet. No more at
this tyme, but the holy Trinitee haue you in his blessed keeping. Written
at London the Thursday after Alhallow Day.^b

                               Your servant            Thomas Midleton¹¹

Endorsed: To my worshipful maister Sir William Plompton knight bee
this bil deliuered

     ^a Marginal note. 15 letter.

     ^b Marginal note: Copied 14 December 1612, on Tewsday.

     ¹ The letter is dated by Sir James Harrington’s shrievalty, see note 7, below.

     ² George Neville, archbishop of York, dismissed 8 June 1467, HBC, 85.

     ³ William Poteman, archdeacon of the East Riding and godfather to Henry Percy, 4th
earl of Northumberland, who bequeathed him 2 tuns of Gascon wine annually for life,
Test. Ebor., iii, 304–10; App. II, 33.

     ⁴ Isabella, Lady Stapleton, widow of Sir Brian Stapleton, of Carlton (d.1464), and
sister-in-law of Sir William. Her son Brian was apparently still a minor, F.W. Dendy
(ed.), Visitations of the North, or Some Early Heraldic Visitations of, and Collections of Pedigrees
Relating to the North of England (SS, cxxii, 1912), 115n.

     ⁵ Sir Thomas Burgh of Gainsborough (d.1496), 219.

     ⁶ John Tiptoft, earl of Worcester (exec.1470), 6.

     ⁷ Sir James Harrington, of Brierley (d.1487), sheriff of Yorkshire, Nov.1466, List of
Sheriffs, 162; App. III.

     ⁸ Sir John Conyers, of Hornby (d.1490).

     ⁹ Sir Henry Vavasour, 11.

     ¹⁰ Sir Robert Constable, of Flamborough (d.1488), App. III.

     ¹¹ Thomas Middleton, of Kirkby Overblow, lawyer, married Joan, daughter of Sir
William Plumpton, CB, 570; 11; App. III.

LETTER XII.

To my worshipful Maister Sir William Plompton, knight, bee this
bil delivered.

    Right worshipfull Sir, I recommend me to your good master-
ship, letting you wit, as touching the matter betwixt my coussin
Golfray Greene^a and Nyccoll Gotman, that my Lord Chauncler
has given in commaundment unto Master Patman to make prossis
against my Coussin Godfrey, to bring the issues and profits that
he hath received of a Chauntre, for which the varience shold
begin, and else to cours him from day to day: and therefore provide
by your wisdome such remmede in his behalfe, as you semes best.
Also if ye speake with my Lady Stapleton,^b if it please ye to com-
mend me unto hir gud Ladyship, and let hir understand that I
delivered hir letters that she sent me, and that Mr. Borough ^c
desired hir in any wise that she shold kepe it secret and let no
person have knowledg; but that he shold kepe still the ward of
my master hir son, notwithstanding he is and wil be redy to kepe
all appoyntements that ar made in every article. The King, my
Lord Chauncler,^d and the Earle of Warwick ar at London; he came
to the towne with 300 horse and more, as it is said. My Lord of
Clarence is riden to Tutbery, and the Earle of Woster to Walles, to
Denbe as it is said. I sopose Sir James Harington ^e shall be
Sherife of Yorkeshire; Sir John Conyers ^f and Sir Henry Vaveser
is in the bill. Sir Robart Constable ^g is Sherif in Linconshire.
As for tidings I can none wryte, but I have sold both my horse,
good morrel and his felow; and as for my bay horse, at your
neighborhad for Harwod park by his commaundment, I purpose to
take no such as yet. No more at this tyme, but the holy Trinytee
have you in his blessed keeping. Written at London the Thursday
after alhalow day.                                 Your servant

    (6 Nov. 1466.)                                                THOMAS MIDLETON.

    ^a Godfrey Greene was probably of the family of Grene of Newby, com. Ebor.
which was allied to the Middeltons of Stockeld, and of the which place was John Grene,
who married Joan, sister of Sir William Plumpton.-(See Memoirs.)

    ^b Lady Stapleton was Isabella, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Rempston of
Rempston, com. Nott. kt. and relict of Sir Bryan Stapleton of Carlton, com. Ebor. kt.
who died 3 Edw. IV. leaving Bryan his son and heir a minor.

    ^c Sir Thomas Burgh or Borough of Gainesborough, com. Linc. kt ancestor of the
Lords Borough.

    ^d George Nevill, Archbishop of York.

    ^e Sir James Harrington of Brierley, com. Ebor. kt. Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1467.

    ^f Sir John Conyers of Hornby, com. Ebor. kt.

    ^g Sir Robert Constable of Flamborough, com. Ebor. kt. Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1467.