1           F AAFGGC:\WORD\STANDARD.DFV                                                GRAMSCI H@   PsBA  F|The_Innsbruck_Corpus_of_English_Letters

|(prepared_by_ICAMET,_i.e._THE_INNSBRUCK_COMPUTER_ARCHIVE_OF
MACHINE_READABLE_ENGLISH_TEXTS,_1994)

|Part_2:_The_16th_Century_(68_letters)
|(for_details,_see_"letters16.hlp")


|1.__John_Flamank_(1503),_pp._231-238.
|[MS._in_Record_Office]
|[A.D._1503?]

To the Kynges Most Noble Grace.

   About the last day of Septembre last past, being in
a secrett counter within your deputie is place at Calis,
he, Sir Hughe Conway, your treserer ther, and Sir
Sampson Norton, master porter of that your sayd
toune, clad to them my brodre William Nanfan and
me. Then said my master your depute to us, "Sirs,
we must comyn here now of many great matres
touchyng the kyngis grace and the surtie of this hys
toune of Calis. Therfore by cause ye be next unto
me, I must somtyme put you in tryst more then other.
Ye shall hyre here thees matrys that we intend to
comyn of; but first ye shall be bothe sworen upon
a boke that ye shall never utter nothyng that is now
here spoken, without it be to the kyngis grace yf nede
shall require, or els to non lyvyng creature." Then
after many matris spoken by my master your depute
and resonned to the same by your treserer and porter,
wiche matres and wherof they were I ame and shalbe
[ready] to shew to your hygnes at suche tyme or tymes
that best shall plese your grace that I so do.
   Then seid Sir Hyghe Conwaye, "Master depute, yf
ye knew as moche as I do, ye wolde saye that ye hade
asgrett cause to take kepe to your sylfe as ony lyvyng
creature; and therto ye be asmuche bownden to thank
God for that ye have askaped heherto as ye have, for
I know thoos persons that have be sett to murdre you,
and by whoos cause and menys they so dyde." Mi
master askyd hym what they were he wold then shew
hym, but seid that he wold shew hym more of that
mater at a nodre tyme when we shall have more


layser. So for what he said now ame I and master
porter asfyr into the daunce as ye be, for I promyse
you of my faythe that all thoos that be and were
profferred hydre into ther romes by my Lord Chamber_layn
shall never love non of us, and specially thoos that
were his houssold servauntis tofore. The cause whij
they soo do I cannot tell, but for that we folow the
kyngis plesure and so wildo. Therfor good yt is that
we see to our owne surtie, aswell as for the surtie
of this the kyngis toune, that yt may be sure to hym
and his, wat world so ever shall hapen to fall here
after, to have in remembrans that the gretter and
more partie of thoos that be in the kyngis retenu here
be of my lordis prefferment. Also loke hoo stronge
he is in the kyngis courte of his houshold servauntis
for the more partie of his garde be of thoos that were
my Lord Chamberlayn servauntis tofore. and hard hyt
is to know mennys myndis yf God should send a
soden change, as he hayth here tofore.
   Then said my master, your depute, that "I darst
reseve the sacrament that my lord is as true to the
kyngis grace as ony man lyvyng," and in lyke wyse
seid master porter.
   Item, My master your depute, said, "My lord Chamber_layn
was very shlake in oone jorny, wherwith I
knowell that the kinigis grace was discontent; for and
he had done his parte welle, the Cornyshe men hade
never made the kynge feld at Blake hethe, but had all
ben distroyed longe before ther comyng thedre, that I
knowell the kyngis grace hade lever hade be done
then xx=ml= for his honour.
   Item, after many wordes spoken, Sir Hughe Conwey
seid, "Mastres, I hanot spoken theys wordis for no
untrothe that I do thynk be now in my lord Cham_berlayn,


for I dar say now as ye do that he lovyth
the kynge aswell as any man cando lyvyng; but yt
hath be sene in tymys past that chaynge of worldis
hayth caused chaynge of mynd."
   Item, the same Sir Hughe said, that "we be here,
now togedres the kyngis true servauntis to lyve and dy,
and also to spend all that we have in the world to
do his grace servis. Therfore watt so ever we speke
or comyn for his surtie, and for the surtie of this his
toune, canbe no tresone; so good yt is that we loke
and speke of thyngis to come as well as thoos present.
I do speke this for a cause that is good that we loke
sadly to, for the kyngis grace is but a weke man and
syklow, not lykly to be no longe lyvis man. Yt ys not
longe sithens his hygnes was syke and lay then in his
maner in Wangsted. Hyt hapned the same tyme me
to be emonges many grett personages, the whiche fele
in communicacion of the kyngis grace and of the world
that shouldbe after hym yf hys grace hapned to depart."
Then he said that some of them spake of my lorde of
Buckyngham, sayng that he was a noble man and
woldbe a ryall ruler. Other ther were that spake, he
said, in lykewyse of your troytor Edmond De la Pole,
but none of them, he said, that spake of my lord
prynce. Then said master porter to hym, "Have ye
never broken to the kyngis grace of this mater?"
Then said Sir Hughe Conway to hym agayn, "I pray
you souffer me to tell forthe my talle, for I amnot
yet athe ynd. Ye have in mynde wat that I have
shewed you touchyng this matris. Of my fayth, in lyke
wyse sythens my comyng I have shewed the same to
Sir Nycholas Voux, lieutenant of Gysnes, and to Sir
Antony Broune, lieutenant of the castell here, and
they answeryd me both this, that they had to good
holdes to resorte unto, the whiche thay seid sholdbe
sure to make their paxce, ho so ever the worlde tourne."
Then my master youre depute, and master porter,


boyth said to hym that he could no lase doo but shew
thes matres unto youre hyghnes. He said that, "Hyt
ware good that the kyngis grace knew thees sayyngis,
but asyet I have not shewed hym no part heroff,
nother never I wildo." Then said master porter to
hym angrely, and sware by Godis precious soule he
be the more to blame to kepe suche matris from his
hygnes; and in lyke wyse said my master your
depute, and all we beyyng there.
   Item, after many wordis spoken touchyng the
same, Sir Hughe Conway said, "Yf ye knew kynge
Harry oure master as I doo, ye woldbe ware how that
ye brake to hym in ony suche matres, for he wold
take yt to be said but of envy, yll wille and malis.
Then should anion have blame and no thanke for his
trouth and good mynd; and that have I welle proved
here to fore in lyke causes, for that tyme that the
lord Lovell lay in Colchester a trysty frend of myn
came to me and shewed me in councell the day and
tyme of hys departyng, and of alle hys purpos. I was
sworen to hym that I should never utter thys to man
lyvyng to hys hurte; butt yet forthwith after wardis,
by cause of my alegens, I came to Sir Raynold Bray
and shewed hym all as is abovwe, and forthwith he said
that Master Bray shewed the same unto the kyngis.
Wheruppon I was brought byfore hys hygnes and I
affirmed all to be true as my seid frend hade shewed;
and the kynge said that hyt could not be so, and
resoned with me alwayes to the contrary of my said
sayynges. At last he asked what he was that told me
thus tale of hys departyng. I prayed hys hygnes to
pardon me, for I said that I was sworen to hym that I
should never utter hym, to be drawen with wyld
horsses; wherewith the kynge was angry and displesed


with me for my good wille. I shall no more tempt hym
wile I lyve in suche causes." Then said master porter,
"I thynk that ye drast never speke thees wordes to
the kyngis grace as ye have rehersed them now here,"
and he sware my grett othes that he dyde.
   Item, my master youre deputie said that "I knowell
that the kyngis hyghnes is harde of credens in suche
matres; and that knowe ye," he said, "master porter,
aswell as I, for how longe was yt er hys grace and
hys councell wold belyve ony thyng of untrothe to be
in Sir Jame Tyrell; and some said I dyd seke to do
hym hurte for malis."
   "Item, a nodre tyme I dyd wryt unto hys hygnes
that oone hade shewed me that Sir Robert Clyfford
should say here in his toune to a lady that Perken
Warbeke was kynge Edwardes sone. Never wordes
went coldre to my hart then they dyd. Hys hygnes
sent me sharpe wrytyng agay that he wold have the
prouffe of this matier. I hade no wittnes then, but my
sylfe; but as hyt hapned afterwardes I caused hym by
good crafte to confesse the same he had said to me
be fore hym that was marshell here at that tyme, and
els I hade lykly to be putt to a grett plonge for my
trothe. At the last al thought that hit was not to
shewe this to youre grace without better proffe; yet
master porter said  yt was grett pitty that the kinge
dyd not tryst hys true knyghtes better, and to geve
them credens in suche thynges as they should shew
for hys surtie, for grett hurt may come by that mene."
   Item, after this the treserer said, "Master depute and
master porter, what daunger be we in now, remem_bryng
all thynges welle, for we have no suche holdes,
to resort unto as thees other men have, consydryng
also oure many enymies that we have in this toune and


els where that wilbe glade to distroy and murdre us all
yf other should come to the kyngis grace then wele.
And for trothe I knowell that he cannot longe con_tynu
for hyt is wryten of hym that he shall no longer
raygne then dyd kynge Edward, wiche", he said, "was
byt xxij=te= yere and lytle more." Then said my master
youre depute, "I by sherwe hys hart that so dyde
wryte, and also I pray god send all them that thynk
the same tobe true a shorte shamfull dethe." The
treserer said agayn, "We may not be angry in this
matris when we shall comyn for the surtie of our
sylfes aswell as of this the kyngis toune, for I thynk
not veryly thus to be all true that I have said, but I
knowell that every man ys mortall and must dij, and
that that I have said I shall shew you my boke that
shall declare you the same playnly to be as I have said
and spoken." Master porter said, "Then I pray you,
master tresere, brene that boke, and a vayngens take
the first wryter."
   Item, then said my master youre depute to master
Convaye, "I pray you leve thys profyciyng of the
kynge, for ye speke of thynges that I never kepe
never hire nor see, and that my prayer is that I never
leve day nother oure longer then the kyngis grace
and hys chyldre shall have and inyoye the realme of
Inglond." And likevise spake master porter and we
all beyng there.
   Item, then said master Conway, "All this that I
have spoken is to thentent to have all thynges to be
made sure for the kynge and hys chyldre, and specially
this hys toune of Calis; and that cane never be done
without good and wyse comunycacion had of the same
byfore; for I tell you for surtie that that shall never
be aslonge as the lady Luse shalbe in the castell, that
we cane sure the kynge of thys hys toune, for the
castell is the kay of this toune; he that is therin
beyng of a contray mynd may lett men inow in


oone nyght to distrij us alle wyle we shalbe in oure
beddes sleepyng. I knowe, masters," he said, "wat
longeth to suche matres better then ye do; therfore
I pray you seuffer me for to speke. Lett not us
thynk the contrarij but and the kyngis were ons
departyd, she beyng in the castell here and Edmond
De la Pole hire cosen at hys lyberte, but that
she wolde helpe hym in hys causes with all hire
poure and to lett hym come into this toune by the
postren of the castell to the distruccion of us
alle. Remenbre welle how ny that Kent is hydre, wat
a lyans thay be of there." He spake of Sir Edward Poy_nynges,
Syr Rychard Gylforth, Sir Thomas Bouchir.
Wat he said of her demener, master porte, yf youre
grace exammen hym cane shew youre hygnes better
then I can do. Also he said, "Remenbre all the
company of this the kynges retenu here, wat ille mynde
they bere unto us that wilbe all redy then to folow
hyre mynd as they doo now, and to doo us the most
myschyffe thay cando," and named Rychard Wod_house
and John Clynton speris. Item, Raynold of
the Chambre, a constable of the retenu, with other.
"Thees men," he said, "never lovyd the kyngis
grace, nor never woldo, with many mo of the same
mynd within this toune. Now I have shewed all
the wyrst. This be a sherwde company sett in yll
mynde. Dout ye not but this will falle in dede
but good provysion be made for the remedy in tyme."
   Item, then said my master your depute, "Yf suche
thyng shall happen, as I pray God that I never
leve to se, the kyngis grace to departe byfore me,
but and yt please God that he shall so do, to be for
the surte and use of my lorde prynce and for all my
mastris childre to have this toune alle tymes at ther
owne wille and rule; and rather then yt shouldbe
otherwyse I hade lever souffer dethe. And we do
wysly, I doutnot but by good counsell we shalbe able


by good police to distrii all the captayns and ryng_ledres
that be of yll and contrarij mynde; that done,
the other wilbe good to rule. So I tryst that we
shall alwayes kepe the toune and marches to the
kyngis use and hys." More of this touchyng this
last artycle was spoken, whiche is not now perfetly
in my remenbrans; but well I remenbre that every_man
named oone to ryde the wrold of, yf suche
daunger should come to pase, as I tryst never to se
by Godis grace, whoo ever preserve youre hygnes.
   Item, by the fayth that I bere unto my Savyour
Cryst Jhesu and to youre hygnes, thys byfore rehersed
was the sayyng of every of them as nyghe as I kan
call now to my remenbrans.
... |{2_pages_left_out}

                        Youre most lauly sugett and servaunt,
                                  JOHN FLAMANK.




|2.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1502),_pp._167-69.

To the worshipful Sir Robart Plompton, kt. be thes delivered
                          in hast.

   Sir, in the most hartiest wyse I recommennd me unto you, de_siring
to heare of your prosperitie and welfaire, and of your good
spede in your matters; certyfiing you that I, and my sone Wil_liam,
with all your children, are in good health (blessed be Jesu)
with all your servants. Sir, ye, and I, and my sone, was content
at your departing, that my sone should take the farmes at Mar_tingmas
of his tenaunts, or els cast them forth and prayse ther
goods; and so my sone hath done with some of them. And here
are the names of them that hath payd me; Robert Wood, Peter
Cott, John Gloster, Robart Taler, William Bentham. Sir it ys
let us to understand that thers other tenaunts, that are cast forth,


hath bene at Cothorpe, and made one ragman to compleane on
my sone and you, that ye take ther goods from them. And that
is not soe, for my sone hath sent for the neighbours of Knares_brough,
and Harrygate, and Spofforth, to set pryse on ther comon
and cattell after ther conscience; and my sone hath set to streys
some in ther layes, for ther is some that will not apply to his
mynd. And they purpose to get on discharg for my sone, that
they may be set in agayn, and he not to occupie; therfore I pray
you to take good heed therupon. And they have set there names
in the ragman that hath payd my sone; that they know not of,
nor will not be conselled therto. Also, Sir Richard Goldsbrough
hath taken an ox of William Bentham, that was dryven over the
water with ther cattell of the towne of Plompton that he caused
to be put over, for the sayfgard of ther cattell. And when he came
for his ox, he answered him and sayd; Sir John Roclife had
wrytten for certayne tenaunts to be so taryed by him, and spirred
him, whose tenaunt he was, and he shewed him whos he was.
And he will not let him have them without a replevie, and I trow
he will dye in the fold; for I sent William Skirgell and William
Croft, and they cannot get him without a replevie. And therfore
if ye can find any remedie, I pray you for; and also I pray you to
send me some word, as sone as ye may, of your good speed. No


more at this tyme, but I betake you to the keping of the Trenetie.
From Plompton in hast, the xvi day Novembris.
                                By your wife, Dame
    (16 Nov. 1502.)                    AGNES PLOMPTON.



|3.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1502),_p._170.

To the worshipfull Sir Robart Plompton, kt. be thes delivered
                            in hast.

   Right worshipful Sir, in my most harty wise I recommend me
unto you, desiring to witt your prosperytie and wellfayre; letting
you understand that I and all your children is in good health
(blessed be Jesu) with all your servants. Lettyng you to under_stand
that my Lord Archbishop sent one servant of his unto my
son William, chardging him in the Kyngs name to sette in the
tenaunts agayne; and if he wold not, he wold send to the sche_reffe,
and cause him to poynt them in agayne. And so I sent one
servant to the schereffe, and the schereffe shewed my servant that
my Lord had wrytten unto him for to poynt them on agayne.
But my sone kepes them forth as yet, and therfor I trow my lord
Archbishop will compleane of my son and you; and sath that he
will indyte them that was at castyng out of tham. And, Sir,
I pray you that you be not myscontent, that I sent not to you, for
indeed I make the labor that is possible for me to make, and as
yet I cannot speed; but as shortly as I can, I shall spede the
matter. No more at this tyme, but the Trenytie have you in his
keeping. Scribled in hast, at Plompton, this sunday next after St.
Kateryne day.
                                         Be your wiffe, dame
     (27 Nov. 1502.)                     AGNES PLOMPTON.



|4.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1502),_p._171.

To the worshipfull Sir Robart Plompton, knight, be thes byll delivered
                             in hast.

   Right worshipful Sir, in my most harte wyse I recommend me
unto you, desiring to here of your welfare and good speed in
your matters. I and all your children is in good health (blessed
be Jesu). And, Sir so it is, as God knowes, that I have mayd as
great labor as was possible for me to make, to content your mynd
in all causes; and now I have mayd the usance of xx=li=, and sent
you with Thomas Bekerdike to content where ye know. And
I pray you to send some wrytting to Thomas Meryng for the
repayment of the money and your discharg. Sir, it is so that
my lord Archbishop hath indytt my sone William and xvi of his
servants, on tewsday was a senit. But Anthony Cliforth gave
in the bill of dytement against my sone and his servants, but the
quest would not endyte them. But my lord Archbishop caused
them; or els he bad them tell who wold not, and he should
ponishe them, that all oder should take insample. And I cannot
get the copie of the indytement, for my lord hath it in his
hands. No more at this tyme. The Lord preserve you. From
Plompton in hast, this St. Thomas day.
                                    By your wife, dame
     (21 Dec. 1502.)                AGNES PLOMPTON.



|5.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1502),_p._172.

To master Thomas Everingam, be this delivered in hast.

   Cousin Thomas Everyngham, I recomennd me unto you, thanking
you of your good mynd and will at all tymes; praying you, that ye
will take the labor and payne upon you to come and speake with
me betwyxt this and tewsday next, as my speciall trust is in you;
and that ye faylle not therof, as I may dow for you as much in
tyme to come. No more at this tyme, but the Trenyte kepe you.
From Plompton in hast, this Sant Maury day.
                                         By yours at my power
     (15 Jan. 1502-3.)                  /   Dame AGNES PLOMPTON.



|6.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1503),_p._184-85.

To the worshipfull Robart Plompton, knight, be this byll delivered
                             in hast.

   Right worshipfull Sir, in my most hartie wyse I recomend me
unto you, evermore desiring to here of your prosperytie and well-faire,
and good sped in your matters, shewyng you that I and all
your children is in good health (blessed be Jesu) and prays you for
your blessing. Sir it is so now that I have made you thewsans
of the money, that ye sent to me for, and I have sent it you with
John Walker at this tyme; the which I shall shew you how I mayd
shift of, at your comminge. And I pray you that ye be not miscon_tent
that I sent it no sooner, for I have made the hast that I could
that was possible for me to do. And also, Sir, I will not lett Tho:
Croft wife plow nor occupie her fermeald, but saith she shall not
occupy without yer life. And also I pray you to send me word
how you speed in your matters againe, as soon as ye may; and
also to send me word where ye will your horses to come to you.


No more at this time, but the Trinity keep you. From Plumpton
in hast, the xix=th= day of March.
                                           By your wife,
       (19 March 1503-4.)                     Dame AGNES PLOMPTON.



|7.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1504),_p._186-87.

To the worshipfull Robart Plompton, knight, be these delivered in
                              hast.

   Right worshipfull Sir, in my most hartiest wyse I recommend me
unto you, desiring to here of your prosperytie and welfare, and
good spede in your matters, the which I marvell greatly that
I have no word from you. Sir, I marvell greatly that ye let
the matter rest so long, and labors no better for your selfe, and
ye wold labor it deligently. But it is sayd that ye be lesse for_ward,
and they underworketh falsly; and it is sene and known
by them, for they thinke to drive that they may take the Whit_sonday
ferme: and so it is sayd all the country about. Sir, I be_sech
you to remember your great cost and charges, and myne, and
labor the matter that it myght have an end, for they have taken
on capias and delivered for certayne of your tenants. And so they
have taken Edmund Ward at Knarsbrough and arrest him; the
which is a great nossen in the country, that they shall get such
prosses, and ye dow none to them, but lett them have there
mynd fullfilled in every case. And the other tenaunts cannot
pays ther housses, but the shalbe cagid; and also willing none
of your servants shall not pas the dowers, but they mon be tro_bled.
And also they have stopped the country, that ther will no
man deale with any of your servants, nether to bye wod, no nor
nothing els. Therfore, I pray you that ye will get some comand_ment 
to the Scherefe that the prosses may be stoped. Also, Sir,
I send you the copy of the letter that came from the Undershe_refe,
and the copy of the causes, and the letter that come from
William Ellison; the which I had mynd in for loyssing of Ed_mund 
Ward, for I have gotten him forth by the wayes of William
Ellyson. And also, Sir, I am in good health, and all the children
(blessed be Jesu) and all your children prayes you for your daly
blessing. And all your servants is in good health, and prays dely_gently


for your good speed in your matters. And also it is sayd
that they have cagments for them that hath bought the wood, that
they dare not deale therwith. For without ye get some comaunde_ment,
I wott not how your house shalbe kept, for I know not
wherof to levy one penyworth. No more at this tyme, but the
Trenietie keepe you. From Plompton in hast, the xii day of
Aprill.
                                    By your wyfe,
    (12 April 1504.)                    Dame AGNES PLOMPTON.



|8.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1504),_p._187.

       To Sir Richard Plompton be thes byl delivered in hast.

   Sir Richard Plompton, I recomend me unto you, dessiring and
prayng you that ye will se some remydy for thes prosses, that
they may be stopped; and that ye will goe to my lord Dayrsse,
and make on letter for me in my name, and shew him how they
delt with my housband tenaunts and servants, and ye thinke it be
to dowe. And I pray you that ye will se that nether thes, nor
none other prosses, pas, but be stoppyd, as my speciall trust is in
you. For I have sent up the copy of the capias, with one letter
from William Elesson and one other from Under Sherife, that ye
may, after the scest of them, labor as ye thinke best by your mynd.
Also, Sir Richard, I pray you to remember my other [order];
for thomas stabill hath taken the west rod and the est rod, and
hath mayd the fenses, and so she hath no gresse to hir cattel; and
also they sow hir land, and will not let hir occupy nothing as yet,
and that discomfortheth them much. No more, but the Trinete
kepe you. From Plompton in hast, the xiii day of Aprill.
      (13 April 1504.)              By me Dame AGNES PLOMPTON.



|9.__Agnes_Plumpton_(1504),_p._188.

     To the worshipfull Robart Plompton, kt. be thes byll delivered
                             in hast.

   Right worshipfull, I in most hartee wyse recomennd me unto
you, desiring to heare of your wellfaire and good speed in your
matters, letting you understand that I am in good helth, with all
your children (blessed be Jesu), and pray you of your daly bless_inge;
and all your servants is in good health and is right glad to
here of your welfare. Sir, on the eving after the making of this
letter, your servant Edmund Robyson come home, and so I un_derstond
by your letter, that you wold understand if sir John Ro_clife
servants have received any ferme in Yorkshire, but therof I
can get no knowledg as yet. But they have sold oke wood at
Nesfeld, and lettes them stand to the tyme of the yere, one oke
that is worth xl=d= for xij=d=; and also they have sold aches at the
same place: and the okes are sold to William Clapame and Rich_ard
Clapame, and the aches to the towards there about. And
also at Idell, they have sold holyn to James Formes and to Tho_mas
Quentin and William Aches, and herof I can geet no more
certaintie as yet. And also there is no mo of your tenaunts to get
as yet, nor your servants nether, at this tyme; but the Trenitie
have you in his blessed keepinge      Scrybbled in hast, the fryday
next after St Marke day.
                                       By your wyffe,
       (26 April 1504.)                     Dame AGNES PLOMPTON.



|10.__Mary,_Queen_of_France_(1514),_pp._174-176.

Mary Queen of France to her Brother, Henry VIII.
                        A.D. 1514.

My most kind and loving brother,
   I heartily recommend me unto you. Pleaseth it
your grace to understand that my lord the king hath


instantly desired me to write unto you, that it would
please you, for his sake and mine, to send unto my
lord Darcy, to deliver Francois Descars, upon a
reasonable ransom, unto you; and that it would
please your grace to pay his ransom for the time,
and that he might be delivered unto your grace,
you shortly to have the money again, after that
word is of his deliverance, or else he not to return
as hither. Furthermore, the duke of Bretagne,
otherwise called the dauphin, hath divers seasons
moved me to write to your grace for the said
Francois, forasmuch as he is one of his servants; the
which to do I made him promise, and to the duke
of Longuevilee also: for I assure your grace they
made me and the noblemen of my company great
cheer, from Bologne forth; as the duke of Norfolk,
the lord marquis, with other noble men, can inform
your grace. These premises considered, I beseech
your grace to desire the lord Darcy to deliver, upon
as little a ransom as reasonably may be, his said
prisoner; for, as I am credibly informed here, he is
but a poor gentleman. Now somewhat I would
that my lord the king, (and) the both dukes to whom
I am much bound, should think he should be the
more favoured for my sake. When this man is de_livered,
I beseech you to send word by the bringer of
this, or some other, what his ransom is, which I
pray God may be reasonable and little, who preserve
your grace. Amen.


From Abbeville, the 18th day of October, by
your very loving sister,
                               MARY QUEEN OF FRANCE.

   To my most kind and loving brother the king's
              grace of England.



|11.__Mary,_Queen_of_France_(1514),_p._181.

          Mary Queen of France to her Brother, King
                  Henry VIII.   A.D. 1514.

My most kind and loving brother,
   I recommend me unto your grace as heartily as
I can, and I thank your grace for your kind letters,
and for your good counsel,the which I trust to our
Lord God I shall follow every day more and more.
How lovingly the king my husband dealeth with
me, the lord chamberlain, with other of your ambas_sadors,
can clearly inform your grace, whom I
beseech your grace heartily to thank for their great
labours and pains that they have taken as here for
me; for I trust they have made a substantial and a
perfect end. As touching mine almoner, I thank
your grace for him, Of his demeanour here your
grace shall be informed better than I can write; as
knoweth our Lord Jesu, who preserve your grace.
Amen.
   From Paris, the 15th day of November, by your
loving sister,
                                         Mary.
   To the King my brother.



|12.__Mary_of_France_(1515),_pp._185-187.

Mary Queen-Dowager of France to her Brother,
Henry VIII.   A.D. 1515.

Mine own good and most kind brother,

   I recommend me unto your grace, and thank
you for the good and kind letters that you have
sent me, the which has been the greatest comfort
might be unto me in this world, desiring your grace
so for to continue, for there is nothing so great
a store [to] me as for to see you, the which I would
very fain have the time for to come,as I trust it
shall be, or else I would be very sorry, for I think
every day a thousand till I may see you.
   Sire, whereas your grace sends me word that I will
not give no credence [to the]m for no suit, nor for no
other words that shall be given me; sire, I prosmise
your grace that I never made them no promise, nor
no other fo[r the]m, nor never will [until] that I
know your [grace's mind] for nobody alive; for
[your grace] is all the comfort t[hat I have] in this
world; [and I trust] your grace w[ill not] fail, for I
have noth[ing in this] world that I care for but to
have the good and [kind] mind that your grace had
ever toward me, [which] I beseech your grace to
continue, for therein is my trust that I have in this


world. Sire, as for the letter that your grace did
send me by [Master] Clinton, whereas you send m[e
word] that I should provide myself [and make] me
ready for to come to your grace; sire, an it were
to-morrow I would be ready: and, as for my lord
of Suffolk, and Sir Richard [Wingfield], and Doctor
West, there be two or [three th]at came from the
k[ing m]y son for to have [brought the]m to him by
the w[ay as they] came hitherward, [and so hindere]d
them coming [hithe]rward that th * * * * * * *
as I trust shall c[onclude in] a day or two, and then
[let me] know your mind, for an when I do, I will
do therafter.
   Sire, I beseech your grace for to be good lord to
Mr. John, your surgeon, for my sake, and that you
will not be miscontented with him for his long
tarrying here with me, for I bore him an [ha]nd
that your grace were contented that he should be
here with me awhile; and so I pray your grace to
give him leave for to tarry here awhile with me, for
because I am very ill-diseased with the toothache,
and the mother withal, that some times I wot not


what for to do; but [an I] might see your grace I
were healed. No more to you at this [time],
but I pray God [to send] your grace good [life and
long].
         By your loving [sister],
                                      MARY.
   To the king's grace my brother this be
                delivered.



|13.__Mary_of_France_(1515),_pp._193-195.

Mary Queen-Dowager of France to Archbishop
               Wolsey.   A.D. 1515.

Most reverend father in God,
   I recommend me unto you heartily, and I thank
you for the great kindness that I have evermore
found in you. My lord, I thank you also for your
loving letters which you have sent me as hither, to
my great comfort, and in especial for them which
you have sent me now of late. My lord, you
remember, I doubt not, that, at my last being at
Guildford, you desired the king my brother to give
unto my trusty and well-beloved almoner, doctor
Denton, the prebend in St Stephens, which as
then the dean of his chapel, and now bishop of


Lincoln, had in possession, as then the king's grace
shewed me in your presence that he should have it,
and also you promised me the same, and to solicit
the king my brother for the performance of his
promise. Nevertheless, I am credibly informed that
my almoner is disappointed of the said prebend,
and that your chaplain hath it, of the which I
marvel greatly; forasmuch as my said almoner hath
done me good service in this country, to the great
honour of the king my brother, and mine also,
and that the promise was made undesired of my
behalf, for you were the person that only moved the
king to give it unto my almmoner, and I am assured
that his grace would not have varied without he had
been persuaded to the contrary.
   My lord, forasmuch as I see you benevolent unto
me in all my matters, and ever hath been since our
first acquaintance, and now especially, I pray you,
therefore, to do so much at mine instance and
request to desire your chaplain to resign the said
prebend to the behoof and use of my said almoner;
and I promise you that I will not cease unto (until)
I have gotten some promotion of the king my
brother, or else of some other person, for your said
chaplain, which I trust shall be worth do[uble] the
value of Saint Stephen's; and, besides that, I shall
help that he may have the next prebend hereafter in
Saint Stephen's. I pray you, my lord, send me
word of your mind, and that [there be] none excuse
made; for I assure you, my lord, [my promise]


shall be without any excuse if God send me life; I
[will not] say that word that I would not wilfully
per[form, as] knoweth his grace. Amen.
   From Paris, the 18th d[ay of February,]
                             By your loving friend,
                                    MARY QUEEN OF FRANCE.

To the most reverend father in God
the Archbishop of York.



|14.__Mary_of_France_(1515),_p._198.

Mary Queen-Dowager of France to Wolsey. 
A.D. 1515.

My very good lord,
   In my most hearty manner I recommend me
unto you, letting you the same to understand that
my lord of Suffolk hath sent me your letters which
lately he received by Cooke, by which I perceive
the faithful good mind which you do bear unto us
both, and how that you be determined not to leave
us in our extreme trouble; for the which your most
fast (faithful) and loving dealing I most entirely
thank you, requiring you to continue towards us as
you have been which shall never be forgotten in
any of our behalfs, but to the uttermost of our
power we shall be always ready to shew [you all]
faithfull kindness; [as knowe]th our Lord, who [send
you long] life. Written [this ... day o]f M[arc]h.
   My lord, I require you that I may have so com_fortable
letters from the king my brother and from
you, for I trow there was never woman that had
more need.
                        By your loving friend,
                                MARY QUEEN OF FRANCE.

To my lord of York.



|15.__Mary_of_France_(1515),_pp._199-200.

Mary Queen-Dowager of France to her Brother,
        King Henry VIII.   A.D. 1515.

   Pleaseth it your grace, to my greatest discomfort,
sorrow, and disconsolation, but lately I have been
advertised of the great and high displeasure which
your highness beareth unto me and my lord of
Suffolk for the marriage between us. Sire, I will
not in any wise deny but that I have offended your
grace, for the which I do put myself most humbly
in your clemency and mercy. Nevertheless, to the
intent that your highness should not think that I
had simply, carnally, or of any sensual appetite
done the same, I having no re[gar]d to fall in your
grace's displeasure, I assure your grace that I had
never done [against your] ordinance and consent,
but by the r[eason of the grea]t despair w[herein I
was put] by the two fr[iars ......] which hath
certifi[ed me] in case I come [to] En[gland] your
council would never consent to the marriage between
the said lord and me, with [ma]ny other sayings con_cerni[ng]
the same promise, so that I verily [thought]
that the said friar[s] would never have offered to
have made me like ove[rture] unless they might
have had charge from some of your council, the


which put me in such consternation, fear, and doubt
of the obtaining of the thing which I desired most
in this world, that I rather chose to put me in your
mercy accomplishing the marriage than to put me in
the order of your council [knowing the]m to be other_ways
[minded]. Whereupon, sire, I put [my lord of
Su]ffolk in choice w[hether he woul]d accomplish
th[e marriag]e within f[our days, or else that he
should never have] enjoyed me; whereby I know
well that I constrained him to break such promises
as he made your grace, as well for fear of losing of me
as also that I ascertained him that by their consent
I would never come into England. And now that
your grace knoweth the both offences, of the which
I have been the only occasion, I most humbly and
as your most [sorrow]ful sister requiring you to have
compassion upon us both and to pardon our offences,
and that it will please your grace to write to me and
to my lord of Suffolk some [comfor]table words, for
it sh[ould be] greatest comfort for u[s both].
   By your loving and most humble sister,
                                     MARY.

To the King's grace.



|16.__Mary_of_France_(1515),_p._202.

   Mary Queen-Dowager of France to Wolsey.
                        A.D. 1515.

My very good lord,
   With all my heart I commend me unto you. I
understand that it hath pleased the king my brother
to promote doctor West, being here one of his
ambassadors, to the bishoprick of Ely, whereof I
am right glad. By reason of which promotion he
must depart with divers of his benefices, among
which he hath two, one called Egglesfield, in the
bishopric of Durham, and the other the archdaeconry
of Derby, which (as I am informed) be of no great
value. Beseeching you, my lord, at mine instance,
and for my sake, to be so good lord unto my ser_vant
John Palgrave, master of art, which hath done
unto me right good and acceptable service, to his
and his friends' great charge, and on my part as yet
hitherto unremembered, as by your good wisdom
and provision to find the means that he may have
one of the said benefices. Heartily praying you and
trusting that you will do it with effect, and to re_scribe
unto me your good will done therein. And
thus the Holy Ghost preserve you.
   From Paris, the third day of April.
                            MARY QUEEN OF FRANCE.

   To my lord of York.



|17.__Wolsey_to_More_(1525),_pp._321/22.
|[c._October_1525]
|[Brit._Mus._MS._Titus_B.1._fol._78]


   Master Moore, I commende me hartely vnto you, and
right ioiesly and glad I am to vnderstonde, howe most consolingely,
and with what reuerence, humilite and devocion the Kingis High_nes
receyved the holy Jubile, to the gret merite, as I trust in God,


of his Grace, and to the most holy, religiouse and honorable ex_ample,
comfort and reioyse aswel of al those that wer present at
the beholding and doing therof, as to al other his subgettis. And
semblably glad I am that his Grace, like a most kind and gracious
prince and master, tendering moore the helth of his seruauntis,
officers and ministres thenne his owne priuate and particuler
profit, is contented by your good meditation, to adiourne the terme,
which vndowtedly is not oonly to the comfort of al such as shuld
attende therat, but also the Kingis Grace haue goten therby many
prayers, gret and most humble thankis [for] the same. And ther
shal noo losse nor hindraunce to his affayres ensue therby.
   Ye shal also aduertise the Kingis Grace, howe Monsieur John
Joachim hath been with me, and communicate such newes as
be wryten vnto the President and him in cyphres sent owt of
Fraunce, wherby doth appere that, by reason of th'Emperors high
demaundis, the French Kingis deliueraunce is not like to be soo
sone as the President reported vnto the King at his being here,
for nowe th'Emperor, perceyving that the French King is owt
of parel of deth, and perfitely recouered requireth the hol Duchie
of Burgon, the same to be holden of th'Empire, all Picardye, and
other placis on this side the water of Somme, with discharge.



|18.__Wolsey_to_More_(1526),_pp._365-368.


   MASTER MORE.

   Albeit I am very joieuslx that my procedingis, devises
and conferencis with the Ambassadeurs, haue been to the Kingis


contentacion, [with th'Ambassadors] in putting ouer, without
discoraging of the confederatis, his Gracis entre in to the liege;
yet nowe I am in noo smal perplexite howe the same may be
continued, forasmoch as commissions and auctorites, aswel from
the Popes Holynes, as from the Seniory of Venise, be arrived
here, and howerly the Ambassador of Fraunce lokith for the
semblable from his master. For nowe, if vpon the exhibition of
the said commissions, I shuld not fal in treaty with them, vpon
the kingis said entree, there might therby be goven vnto them
vehement cause of suspition; which, percase, might dryve them
the rather in to th'Emperors deuotion, and the lesse herafter to
esteme the Kingis Highnes.
   Wherfor I purpose, if it shal soo stand with the Kingis pleasure,
wherof I pray you I may be aduertysed by your next lettres, after
the French Kingis commission shalbe here arryuyd, if they vehe_mently
presse me, to begyne to commone with them vpon the
Kingis said entre, for the avoyding of the said suspition. Howbeit,
aswel for the ordering of matiers bitwen vs and Fraunce, as for
the assuraunce of the Kingis pention, with other thingis that I shal
reasonably laye in the waye,I dowte not soo to entrete the articules
of this newe treatie, that the tyme of doing any thing this yere
shalbe wel passed, or any conclusion may be taken therin in the
same. And in my poore opinion, it shal more stande with the
Kingis honnor and reputacion thus to procede with the said
Ambassadors thenne not to treate with them; considering they be
furnished with such commissions, as was or is devised and desired
by the Kingis Highnes.
   Better it shalbe thus to passe the tyme, and dalye with them,
thenne nowe to make any expresse refusal, eyther of the Kingis


said entre, or else to delay to commone and treate vpon the same;
nam inter tractandum varia occurrere et incidere possint, que rem,
vt tua prudentia facile perspicit, citra suspitionem, differe et pro_telare
queant.
   It is sumwhat to my marvel, that the Kingis Hihgnes, as I haue
by myn other lettres signified vnto you, makith difficulte for the
lending of the Peter Pumgarnet to the Ambassador of Fraunce,
considering the manifold good desertis of the said Ambassador,
and the gret profit and commodite that shal arrise vnto his Grace
therby. And in my jugement, it is not to be suspected or feared that
she shall or may be used by the said Ambassador against the Kingis
Highnes, in any hostilite, considering that the suerties shalbe
bounde aswel for that point, as for her rediliuerey at the yeres
ende; and then there is more lightlynes of strayter collection with
Fraunce, thenne of any brech. And where as your lettres purpor_tith,
that the Kingis Highnes may haue fyve hundred markis for
the loone of the said ship, besides the advauntage of his custumes
of his owne subgettis; and thereunto it is to be considered, that the
custumes of the straungers amountith far aboue the custumes of
his owne subgettis. Wherfor for oon hundred pownde payde by
the Englishemen, the straungers payith nyne hyndred. Besides this,
I suppose if the King haue, for the loone of her, fyve hundred
markis, his Grace must newe rigge, trymme and tacle her at his
owne coste and charge, which percase wol surmounte the somme
of the said fyve hundred markis; wher as the Ambassadour offrith
to doo the same at his owne proper exspress cost and charge.
Moore thenne this I cannot saye, remitting al to the Kingis noble
pleasour and gratitude; most humbly beseching his grace to haue
consideration of such good office, as the said ambassador hath,
and dayly may doo, for the advauncement of his present affayres.
   I sende unto the Kingis Highnes by my Lord of Exceter, berer
herof, certain of the Crownes of the Roose as be newly stryken
and coyned in the Kingis Mynte; which be of like fynesse and
poise as the Crowne Soleil, and as ye doo knowe, the same be
proclamed to be curraunt after the rate of iiii s. vi d. apece. I trust


the facion of them shal please the Kingis Highnes. You may
shewe vnto his Grace, that I wold suffre noon of them to passe
out of his Mynte, and be curraunt, vnto such tyme as his Grace
had seene the prynte and facion of the same, and his pleasor noti_fied
vnto me therupon, accordingly.
   And where as you haue notified vnto me, that the Kingis pleasor
is, that his Gracis aunswer to Luthers lettre shold be immediately
sent forth to the princes of Almayne, without abidiging or tarying
for the copie therof, I thinke therin that meseemeth it is not
convenient that this shuld be doon, in my poore opinion; aswel
for that Luther, who is ful of sutelte and craft, herafter might
percase denye that any such lettre hath been sent by hym vnto the
Kingis Highnes, as that the said answer, not having the said copy
adioyned therunto, shuld be, for want therof, to the reders and
herers therof, sumwhat diminute and obscure and not perfitely
perceyved by them that shal rede the same.



|19.__Thomas_More_to_Wolsey_(1523),_pp._275-278.
|[Brit._Mus._MS._Titus_B.1,_fol._329.]


                                  Easthamstead
                                  26 August |[1523]

   Hit may lyke your good Grace to be aduertised, that
the King[is] Highnes yisterday received a lettre from his Vicead_mira[ll],
dated on the see the xiiiith day of August; which lettre
your G[race] shall receive with these presentis.

   And forasmych as the val[iaunt] acquitaill of Mr. Fittzwilliam
and his cumpany singularly well conte[nteth] the Kingis Highnes,
as a thing mich redounding to thonor of h[is] Grace and his
realme, with high reproch and rebuke of his enem[yes] he re_quireth
your Grace therfore, that as well his Viceadm[irall], as
other gentilmen of his cumpany, such as your grace shall thi[nk]
convenient, may haue sent vn to theym lettres of thank[is], by
which they may to theyre cumfort and ferther corage vnderstand
how acceptable theire good service is vn to h[is] Highnes.
   Ferthermore as towching the twoo shippis which your Grace hath
devised to be sent vn to Sir Anthony Pointtz, albe[it] that
Mr Viceadmirall, as your Grace may perceive by his lettre, moveth
iii thingis which he thinketh wolde [be] considered therin, yit
sith your Grace hath had a politique foresight to the provision of
the vitail, which is the grettest thing that his Grace regardeth, his
pleasure is according to your moost prudent advice that for to
put the mater in the more surtie, the said twoo sh[ip]pis shall in
eny wise goo forth and that they shall there continue till halfe
the moneth of Septembre be passed, after which tyme his Grace
thinketh hit good that Sir Anthony Pointtz and his cumpany,
shold be discharged, ffor after that tyme his Grace beleveth that
the Duke of Albany either shall not goo in to Scotland, or ellis
shall goo to late to do either them good or vs hurt, and therfore


hit semeth to his Grace good that he shold after the myddis of this
next moneth discharge hym selfe of that coste.
   In the mean while his Highnes requireth your Grace that those
shippis may be so spedily and sufficiently vitailled for the hole
tyme of theyre abode vppon theyre entreprise there, as he dowteth
not but your Grace hath and will provide therfore, that no lacke
of vitaile hyndre or empech theire purpose.
   Hit may ferther lyke your good Grace to vnderstand that the
Kingis Grace mych alloweth your prudent answere made vn to
th'Emperors Embassiator vppon the saufconduicte. For his Grace
thinketh it a great hinderaunce to the co[m]en affeires that th'Em_peror
shold graunt eny such saufconduicte, wherby there shold be
eny mutuall entrecors bitwen his subgiettis and theyre comen
enemyes, and the commoditees of Fraunce having vent and vtter_aunce,
thenemy therby the bettre furnyshed of mony, shold be
the more able  the lenger to mayntayn the warre. And so shall
hit be the lenger ere he shall incline to eny resonable conditions
of peace. Wherfore his Grace for his part according to your Gracis
politique advice is as yit in mynd neither to ratifie that saufcon_duicte,
nor to graunt eny lyke, and is glad that your Grace so
shewed vn to th'Emperors embassiator.
   Hit may ferther lyke your good Grace to be aduertised that one
Thomas Murner, a Frere of Saynt Francisce o[rder], which wrote
a boke agaynst Luther in defence of the Kingis boke, was owte
of Almaigne sent in to England by the meane of a simple person,


an Almaigne namyng hym selfe seruant un to the Kingis Grace
and affermyng vn to murner that the King had gevyn hym in
charge to desire Murner to cum over to hym into En[gland], and
by thoccasion therof, he is cummen over and hath n[ow] bene here
a good while. Wherfore the Kingis Grace pitiyng that he was so
deceived and having tendre respecte to the good zele that he
bereth toward the Feith and his good hart and mynd toward his
Highne[s], requyreth your Grace that it may lyke you to caus[e]
hym haue in reward one hundred pownde, a[nd] that he may
retourne home wher his presence is ve[ry] necessary, ffor he is
one of the chiefe stays agaynst t[he] faction of Luther in that
parties, agaynst whom he hath wrytten many bokis in the Al_mayng
tong and now sith his cummyng hither he hath translated
in to Latyn the boke that he byfore made in Almaigne in defence
of the Kingis boke. He is Doctor of Divinite and of bothe Lawis
and a man for wryting and preching of great estimation in his
cuntre.
   Hit may lyke your Grace ferther to wite that the same simple
person which caused Murner to cum in to Englan[d] is now cum_men
to the Cort and hath brought with hym a barons son of
Almaygne, to whom he hath also persua[ded] that the Kingis
Grace wold be glad to haue hym in his service. He hath also
brought lettres from Duke Ferdinand vn to the Kingis Grace,
which lettres I send vn to your Grace, wherin he desireth the
Kingis Highnes to take in to his service and to reteyne with some
convenient yerely pention Ducem Mechelburgensem, of which
request the Kingis Grace greatly merveileth and veryly thinketh
that this simple felow which brought the lettres, lykewise as he
caused Murner to cum hither and persuaded the barons sone that
the King wold be glad to haue his service, so hath, by some simple
ways brought the Duke of Mechelborough in the mynd that the
Kingis Grace wold at the comtemplatio[ne] of Duke Ferdinandis
lettres be content to reteign the Du[ke] of Mechelborough with a
verly pention. The felow hath brou[ght] also fro the Duke of
Mechelborough lettres of credence written in the Duche tong.
He bare hym selfe in Alma[ygne] for the Kingis seruant and
bosted that he had a yerely pent[ion] of his Grace of fiftie markis
and that the King had sent h[ym] thither to take vpp seruantz for


hym. And now he saith he is servaunt vn to th'Emperors Mageste
and is going in to Spaigne with lettres to hym and in dede he
hath diverse lettres to his Magestie, and so was it easie f[or] hym
to gete, if he entend to deceive and mocke, as t[he] Kingis Grace
thinketh that he doth. For his Grace neve[r] saw hym byfore, but
he vnderstandeth now that byfo[re] this tym he was in England
whan th'Emperor was h[ere] and slew a man and escaped his way.
Wherfor h[is] Grace requyreth yours to geve hym your prudent
advic[e] as well in a convenient answere to be made both to D[uke]
Ferdinand and the Duke of Mechelborough as also in wh[at]
wise hit shalbe convenient to ordre this simple fellow, that so hath
deceived menne in the Kingis name.
   Ferthermore hit may lyke your good Grace to vnderstand that
at the contemplation of your Gracis lettres, the Kingis Highnes is
graciously content that byside the c li for my fe, for thoffice of the
Speker of his Parleament, to be taken at the receipte of his Ex_chequer,
I shall haue one other hundred poundis owt of his cofres,
by thandis of the Tresorer of his Chambre, wherfor in moost
humble wise I besech your good Grace that as your graciouse
favor hath obteigned hit for me so it may lyke the same to write
to Mr. Wiatt that he may deliver hit to such as I shall send for
hit, wherby I and all myne, as the manyfold goodnes of your
Grace hath all redy bound vs, shalbe dayly more and more boun_den
to pray for your Grace, whom our Lord longe preserve in
honour and helth. At Esthamstede the xxvith day of August.
     Your humble orator and moost bounden beedman
                             Thomas More.

   To my Lord Legatis good Grace,



|20.__Thomas_More_to_Wolsey_(1523),_pp._278/279.
|[Brit._Mus._MS._Vesp._F._XIII._fol._243.]


                                Woking
                            1 September [1523]

   Hit may lyke your good Grace to be aduertised that
according to your Gracis commaundement, geven me by your
lettres dated the xxxth day of Auguste, I haue shewed vn to the


Kingis Grace the byll devised for Sir Richard Wyngfeld, sub_scribed
by your Grace, and the old bill, also aduertisyng his Grace
of such thingis as your Grace in the new bill caused to be lefte
owte for thadvantage of his Highnes, which pointis I shewed his
Grace cancelled in the old bill and omitted in the new, ffor which
his Highnes, with hartie thankis to your Grace for your labor
taken therin, hath signed the new, which I haue delivered to hym
of whom I received hit.
   And thus our Lord long preserve your good Grace in honour and
helth. At Okyng the ffyrst day of Septembre.
     Your humble orator and moost bounden bedeman
                                             [Thomas More]



|21.__Thomas_More_to Wolsey_(1523),_pp._279-282.
|[Brit._Mus._MS._Calig._B._I,_fol._319.]

                                                        Woking
                                         1 September [1523]

   Hit may lyke your good Grace to be aduertised that
I haue received your Gracis lettres directed to my selfe dated the
last day of Auguste with the lettres of my Lord Admirall to your
Grace sent in post and copies of lettres sent bytwene the Quene of
Scottis and his Lordishipp concernyng the maters and affeires of
Scotland with the prudent answeris of your Grace as well to my
said Lord in your awne name as in the name of the Kingis High_nes
to the said Quene of Scottis. All which lettres and copies I
haue distinctely redde vn to his Grace. Who hath in the reding
therof substancially considered as well the Quene his sisters lettre
with the lettres agaynward devised and sent by my Lord Admirall
to her and his lettres of aduertisement to your Grace as your moost


politique devises and answeres vn to all the same among which
the lettre which your Grace devised in the name of his Highnes
to the Quene his sister his Grace so well lyked that I never saw
hym lyke thing bettre, and as helpe me God in my pore fantasie
not causeles, ffor hit is for the quantite one of the best made lettres
for wordis, mater, sentence and cowching that ever I redde in
my life.
   His Highnes in your Gracis lettre directed to my Lord Admirall
marked and well lyked that your Grace twoched my said Lord and
my Lord Dacres in that that theire opinions had bene to the lett
of the great roode, which if hit had bene ere this tyme made in to
Scotland, as by your prudent advice hit had, if theyre opinions
with other had not bene4s to the contrarie, hit shold as by the
Quenys lettre appereth haue bene thoccasion of some great and good
effecte.
   His Highnes also well allowed that your Grace noteth not onely
remisse dealing but also some suspitione, in that the Lord Dacres so
litle estemede the mynde and opinion of the Kingis sister wherof
he had by his seruant so perfait knowledge.
   Finally his Highnes is of the mynde of your Grace and singularly
commendeth your policie in that your Grace determineth for a
finall way that my Lord Admirall shall sett forth his entreprises
without eny lenger tracte of tyme not ceacing to preace theym with
all the annoyaunce possible till they fall ernestely and effectually
to some bettre trayne and conformite. And veryly his Highnes
thinketh as your Grace writeth that for eny lakke of those thingis,
which as he wryteth are not yit cummen to hym, he shold not haue
neded to forbere to haue done theym with smaller roodis at the
leste way some annoyauns in the meane season.
   I redde also to his Highnes the lettre of Mr. Doctor Knyght
written vn to your Grace, with your Gracis lettre written to my
selfe, by the tenor wherof his Grace well perceiveth your moost
prudent answere devised and made, as well to his said Embassiator
as to th'Embassiator of th'Emperor, concernyng the disbursyng
of such money as his Highnes shold lay owte for thentretenement
of the XMC lance knight[s], wherin [hi]s Grace highly well ap_proveth


as well your moost politique foresigh[t] so wisely dowting
leste this delay of the declaration myght happen to be a device,
wherby th'Emperor myght spare his awne charge and entreteigne
th'Almaignes with thonly coste of the Kingis Grace, as also your
moost prudent ordre taken therin by which his Highnes shalbe
bounden to no charge excepte the duke ffirste passe the articles
sent by Sir John Russell and that the XM Almayns be levied and
ioyned with the Duke and he declared enemy to the French King.
   I red, also, to his Highnes the copie of your Gracis lettre devised
to Mr Doctor Sampson and Mr Jernyngham; wherin his Highnes
well perceived and marked what labor and payn[e] your Grace
had taken as well in substantiall aduertising his said Embassiators
at length of all occurrauntis here, with the goodly rehersall of the
valiaunt acquitall of his army on the see not onely there done but
also descending on the land with all his preparations and armyes
sett forth and ffurnyshed as well toward France as Scotland as also
in your good and substantiall instructions geven vn to theym
for the semblable avauncing of th'Emperors army and actuall invasion
to be made on that side for his part.
   His Highnes hath also seen and signed the lettres by your
Grace devised in his name as well to Don Ferdinando and to the
Duke of Mechelberge in answere of their late lettres sent vn to his
Grace as also to the Duke of Ferare in commendation of the
Kingis orators in case the Duke accepte the Ordre.
   In the reding and advising of all which thingis his Highnes
saied that he perceived well, what labor, studie, payn[e] and
travaile your Grace had taken in the device and pennyng of so
many, so great thyngis, so high, well dispached in so briefe tyme,
whan the onely redyng therof held hym aboue twoo howris; his
Highnes, therfore, commaunded me to write vn to your Grace
that for your labor, travaile, study, payne and diligens, he geveth
your Grace his moost harty and not more harty than highly well_deserved
thankis. And thus our Lord long preserve your good


Grace in honor and helth. At Okyng the first day of Septembre.
     Your humble Orator and moost bounden beedman
                                             [Thomas More.]
Mr. Th. More prima Septembris.
To my Lord Legatis good Grace.



|22.__Thomas_More_to_Thomas_Cromwell_(1534),_pp._180-182.


   To maister Thomas Cromwell, one of his Maiesties
priuie Counsell, Sir Thomas More, Knight.
   Right worshipfull, after hartie commendations, so


it is y=t= I am informed that there is a bill put vp against
me into the higher howse before the Lordes, concerning
my communication with the Nunne of Canturburie,
and my writing vnto her; whereof I not a litle meruaile,
the truth of the matter being such as Grace and I knowe,
and as I haue plainely declared vnto you by my former
letteres, wherein I founde you then so good that I am
now bold, vpon the same goodnes, to desire you to shewe
me the fauoure that I might, by your meanes, haue a copie
of my bill; which seene, if I finde any vntrue surmise
therein, I may make my humble sute vnto the kinges
good Grace to declare the truth, either to his Grace or by
his Graces commaundement to anie when he shall
please; for I am so clere herin that I nothing mis_trust
his Graces favoure towardes me, nor the iudg_ment
of any honest man. Never shall there any
losse in this matter greve me, being my selfe so
innocent as Grace and I knowe, by the grace of Al_mightie
God, who both bodily and ghostly preserve
you.
   At Chelsey, Anno 1533, March. By the hand [of]
hartelie all your owne,
                    Thomas More, knight.



|23.__Thomas_More_to_the_king_(1534),_pp._182-187.


   It may like your highnes to call to your gratious
remembrance, [that] at such tyme as [of] your great
weightie roome of Chauncellourshipp (vnto the which,
farr aboue my merites, your highnes of your incomparable
goodnes exalted me vnto) you were so good and gratious
vnto me [as], at my humble suite, to disburden me
(giuing me licence, with your gratious favoure, to bestow
the residue of my life to come about the prouision of my
soule in the seruice of god). It pleased your highnes
further [to say vnto me] that, for the seruice I had done,
that in any suite I should haue hereafter to your Grace


that either should concerne myne honure or appertaine
to my profitt (for these verie wordes it liked your high_nes
to vse to me) I should find your highnes my good and
gratious Lord. So it is now, gratious Soueraigne, that
worldlie honoure is the thing whereof I haue resigned
both the possession and the desire, in the surrender
of your honorable office; and as for worldlie profitt,
I trust experience proveth, and daylie more and more
shall proue, that I was never verie greedie thereof.
   But now is my most humble suite to your excellent
Highnes, to beseech it somewhat to tender my poore
honestie; howbeit, principalllie, that of your accustomed
goodnes, no sinister information can otherwise moue
your noble Grace to haue any mistrust of my troth and
devotion towardes your maiestie then I haue or shall
giue iust cause, which I hope there is none. For in this
matter of the Nunne of Canturburie I haue vnto your
trustie Counsellour, maister Thomas Cromewell, by my
writing as plainely declared the truth as * I possiblelie *
can; which my declaration, * as I vnderstand, * is
made knowne to your noble Grace.


   Of all my dealing[e] with the Nunne, whether any
other man may paraduenture put any doubt, or moue
any scruple of any other meaning than I had, that can
I neither tell, nor lieth in my hand to lett, but vnto
my selfe it is not possible anie part of my demeanour
to seem euell; And this the clereness of my conscience
testifying that in that matter, my mynde, intent and
proceeding was lawfull and good. Wherfor, most
gratious Soueraigne, I neither will, nor yet can [it] well
become me, with your Highnes to reason or argue the
matter; but in most humble manner, prostrate at your
Graces feet, I beseech your Maiestie, with your owne
high prudence and accustomed goodnes, consider and
weigh the matter. And if that in your so doing, your
owne verteous minde shall giue you, that notwith_standinge
your manifold goodnes that your Highnes


hath vsed towardes me, that I haue most vnnaturallie
and vngratefullie digressed from my bounden dewtie
of allegeance towardes your Maiestie, then desire I
no further fauour at your Graces handes then the losse
of all I may. Let me loose goodes, landes, libertie, &
finallie my life. Howbeit, if in the considering of my
cause your high wisdome and gratious goodnes shall
perceaue that I haue not otherwise demeaned my selfe
then may well stand with my bounden dewtie and faith_fullnes
towardes your Royall Maiestie, then in most
humble manner I beseech your noble Grace that the
knowledge of your true gratious persuasion in that
behalfe may releeue the torment of my present heavines,
conceaued of the dread and feare (by that I heare a gre_vous
bill put vp by your learned Counsell vnto your high


Court of Parliament against me) lest your Grace might
by some sinister information be moued to thincke the
contrarie. Which, if your highnes doe not (as I trust in
god and your great goodnes, the matter by your wisdome
well examined, you will not) then in most humble manner
I beseech your highnes furthur, sith your highnes hath
here before of your meere abundant goodnes heaped
on me both worship and honoure, and sith now I haue
left of all such things, and nothinge seeke or desire but
the life to come, [and] to pray for your Grace [the]
while, that it may like your Highnes of your accustomed
benignitie somwhat to tender my poor honestie, and
neuer to suffer any man by meane of such a bill, to take
occasion against the truthe to slaunder me; although
this by the perill of their owne soules would doe them
more hurt then me, for I sett[le] my hart to depend
vpon the comfort of the truth and the hope of heauen,
and not vpon the fallible opinion of some changeable
persons.
   And th[u]s, most dread and deare soueraigne Lord,
I beseeche the blessed Trinitie * preserue your noble
Grace, both bodie and soule, and all that are your
well willers, and amend the contrarie; emong whome,
if euer I be, or ever haue bene one, then I pray god that
he may with my open shame and destruction declare it.



|24.__Thomas_More_to_his_daughter_margaret_(1535),_pp._213-217.


   Our Lord blesse you.
   My dearely beloved Daughter, I doubt not but by
reason of the kinges Councellours resorting hither in
this tyme in which the fathers of the Charter house and
some others be iudged to death for treason, may hap to
put you in some feare [for me], especiallie for that it is
not vnlikely but that you haue hard that I also was
brought before them, I thought [it] necessarie to adver_tise
you, to the end that you should not conceave more
hope then the matter giveth, or more greife then the
present occasion ministreth. Therefore shall you vnder_stand
that on frydaie last, the 30th of Aprill, in the
afternoone, maister Lievtenant  shewed me that Maister


Secretarie would speake with me. Wherevpon I went
out with hym into the gallerye, where his maistership
sat with  maister Attourney, * maister Solicitour, [and]
diuers others. I was offered to sitt downe with them,
but in no wise I would.
   Maister Secreatrie told me  that he nothing doubted
but that I had  seene the new statutes made the last
sitting of the Parliament. I aunswered, yea, verilie
howbeit for as much as I, being here, and  not minding
to medle with Those matters any more, I thought it
litle nede for me to bestow much tyme vpon them.
He asked me whether I had red the first statute of the
kings being heade of the Church. I aunswered, Yea.
Then his maisterhip declared vnto me that sith it
was now by act of Parliament ordeined that his Highnes
and his heires is, and was, and perpetuallie should be,
supreame head in earth of the Church of England,
immediatelie vnder Christ, the kings pleasure was that
these here of his Counsell assembled should demaund my
opinion therein. Whervnto I aunswered that in good
faith I had well trusted that his Highnes would never
haue commaunded any such question to be asked of me,


considering that I ever from the beginning well and trulie
declared my minde to his Maiestie, and also vnto your
Maistership, both by mouth and writing; and now I
haue discharged my mynde [of] all such matters, meaning
not hereafter to dispute kinges or Popes titles. I am
the kings faithfull subiect, and wilbe, and daylie pray
for hym and all his Realme, and otherwise then this I
intend not to medle. Whervnto maister Secretarie
aunswered that he thought y=t= this manner of aunswere
would not satisfie the kings highnes; for y=t= his Grace
expected a more full aunswere, and that to the purpose.
And he added that the king was a Prince not of rigour
but of mercie and pittie, and thoughe he had found
obstinacie in any of his Subiectes at some tyme, yet if
they submitted themselves, his Grace would shewe
mercie. And for you, maister More, I knowe so much
that his Grace would be glad to see you take such con_formable
waies that you might be abroade againe, with
a great creadit and worship as ever you were. Where_vnto
I aunswered I would not medle in the world againe,
to have all the world given me, as in effect I aunswered
before.


   "Then was I commaunded to goe forth awhile, and
presently called in againe. Then said maister Secretarie
vnto me, Though you are a prisoner condemned to
perpetuall imprisonment, yet thereby I was not discharged
of my alleageance to his Highnes, & wherupon he de_maunded
whither I thought his Highnes might not
exact a direct aunswere of me, of such thinges as might
be demaunded, as of any other, I aunswered that I
thought his Highnes might. Then, said he, that like as
his Highnes would be gratious to them that he found
conformable, so his Grace fullie determined to followe
the course of the lawe towardes such as shall showe
themselves wilfull and obstinate; & your demeanure
in this matter, maister More, hath made many so stife
therein as they be. Whervnto I aunswered that I
gaue no man occasion, neither by worde nor writing,
to hold on the one side or the other. And for conclusion
I would goe no furhter, whatsoever paine should me
befall. For I am the kinges true faithfull subiect and
beadsman. I doe no bodie any harme, I say no harme,
I thincke no harme, I wish everie bodie well, I pray for
them. And if this be not enoughe to keep me alive, in
good faith I desire not to liue. I am at the kinges


pleasure. I would to god my death would doe hym
good.
   Well, maister More, quoth maister Secretarie,
report shalbe made to his Highnes, and his gratious
pleasure knowne, you shall heare further.
   So he bade me farewell. And so to my Chamber by
maister Liefteante I was brought againe.



|25.__John_Palsgrave_to_Thomas_More_(1529),_pp._403-405.

Devised to bee sente vnto Maister More.

      After my most humble recommendations, Where as I
vnderstand by the raport off diuers syc<he> as be my freendis, that
you be towerdis me nowe, as you haue bene euer, my especiall
good master, I do therefore most humbly thanke you, beseching
you off your good continuaunce, and where as I, for your sondrye
benefites used vnto  me, esteme my ssellff more bownden to you
than to any oone man lyving, whyche hytherto I haue hadde
neuer other habilite to recompense, but oonly by my word to
declare yt, where I haue sene tyme and place conuenient. I beseche
you off your goodnesse,  for your accustumyd goodnesse to continu
vnttyll syche tyme that I may oones trede vnder fote thys horrible
monster pouerty,  whyche hytherto hath benne so homely wyth
me, that sche hath made  me aschamyd off my sellff, and many
a hunderd tymes to forbere to do my dutye to you by cause I was
lothe to cum to your howse with empty handis.
   I vnderstande by Sir Wylliam a Parre, that the Kyngis Grace
demanded off you and Doctor Stevyns, whyther you thowght yt
conuenient that the Duc off Richemont schould lerne Greke and
Latyne both at oones, and that bothe you and the saide Doctor


duly approue myne opinion in that behalff. Wherefore I do most
humbly thanke you, assuring you that for my discharge in that
behallff, I haue not oonly demanded the opinions off Horman,
Gonnell, Ryghtwyse and all suche as I thowght cowld any thyng
instruct me, howe I schould best acquite me in the charge com_myttyd
vnto me, but I haue all so diligently redde Quintiliane,
Maphes Vegius, Otho Moguntinus, Baptista Guarinus, and espe_cially
Herasmus, whyche all, as you knowe, agree in that thing.
   But I remember that you schewyd me oones how a lytyll Latine
schould serue so the saide Duc myght haue Frenshe, and to be
playne with you, me thynkyth that our schavyn folk wold in
no wyse he schoulde be lernyd. Whyche I assure you were a
great pytye, for on my faithe I knewe neuer a more singular wytt,
nother ryche nor power, than he hathe, and all be hyt that he
hathe all redye and euery day schall haue more and more sondry
callers vpon hym to bring hys mynde from learning, som to here
a crye at a hare, somm to kyll a bucke with hys bow, somtyme with
grayhowndes and somtyme with buckehow<n>des, and that yt ys
not lefull to depart tyll he haue takyn the same, somm to se a


flyght with a hawke, somm to ryde a hors, whyche yett he ys
not gretly combryd with by cause off hys youthe, bysydes many
other diuises fownde within the howse, whan he can not goo
abrode, yet I trust, so you be especciall good master to me, to
bring hym to that lernyng that you schalbe contentyd worthely
to approue, but I beseche you, yff any that ys lernyd schall fortune
to cum hyther, by whome you may sufficiently be instructed
whyther my raport of hym be trewe or not, that you wyll than after
your best maner conferme the Kyngis Grace in the good opinion
that he hath all redye to haue hym lernyd.
   And to make the chylde loue lernyng, I neuer put <him> in
fere off any maner correction, nor neuer suffer hym to continu
at any tyme tyll he schould be weryed, but diuise all the wayes I
can possible to make lernyng playsant to hym, in so myche that
many tymes hys officers wott not whyther I lerne hym or playe
with hym, and yett haue I all redye browght hym to haue a ryght
good vnderstanding in the principles off the grammars bothe off
Greke and Latine and I haue redde hym an egloga (the fyrst)
of Virgile and ii of the fyrst scenes off Adelphorum, whyche he
can pronownce ryght pretyly, but I fynde Quintiliane and Heras_mus
trewe, for the barbarus tong off hym that tawght hym hys
mattens ys and hath bene a great hindrance to me.
   I do therfore most instantly require you, that whan you schall
se your tymes conuenient, you wyll nyt saff to move the Kingis
Grace, that the saide my Lorde of Rychemont may be browght
vppe in lernyng, assuring you that Godd hath gevyn hym a great
apptnesse bothe to lernyng and all maner suche qua[lities] as
schould becum suche noble parson to haue, whych in my mynde
were great pitye but that yt schould be employed to the best effect,
where in I schall euer do my best according as for hys aage schalbe
requisit, and albe hyt that som here whych be hyghe schavyn mur_mur
agaynst yt, and after putyng off many parellys, lett not to
saye that lernyng ys a great hyndrance and displeasur to a nobyll
man, I here theym wyth Vlixes eere[s], praying you as tyme schall
seme to you conuenient to tell a nother tale to the Kingis Grace
and my Lord Cardinall, thynkyng veryly that you schall ther in
do a greater good ded than you wene off, beseching Godde to
send you good lyff and long, and whan your dowghters disputyd
in philosophie afore the Kyngis Grace, I wold yt hadde bene my
fortune to be present.



|26.__Thomas_Starkey_to_Thomas_Cromewell_(1534),_pp._IX-X.
|[Harl._283,_leaf_129]


   Syr, the grete gentylnes of you so manyfestely schowyd toward
me, wythe the contynuance of such a beneuolent mynd in settyng
forward my purpos, gyuyth me yet a lytyl more boldnes to trowbul
you wyth the redyng of thys scrole, besechyng you of your patyence
therin, whyle I a lytyl more at large schow to you my mynd &
purpos, the wyche I had thought to have downe thes days past
presently before you, yf I myght have found you at a conuenyent
leysor to the heryng of the same, for gladly I wold that you schold
a lytyl more playnly know wyth what hart & mynd I wold serue the
kyng wythal. And fyrst, for as much that you may perauenture
juge, that I, mouyd only by the hygh authoryte wherin hyt hathe
plesyd the kyngys hyghnes most worthyly to set you, so much
desyre by your specyal preferment to be set forward to the kyngys
seruyce now at thys tyme, I schal besech you of your gentylnes not
to take me so, for, albe-hyt that by your authoryte I wyl not deny I
am somewhat moyd in dede, yet certaynly thys to you I wyl
affyrme, yf ther were not other causys joynyd therto wych more
scharpely styr and pryke my mynd then dothe that, I, beying to you
so vnknowen as I am, wold neuer haue temptyd nor enterprysyd
such a purpos wyth you: for yf I had not found at such tyme as I
fyrst salutyd you at home, a synguler humanyte & gentylnes in you
and yf I had not much herd of your gudnes in settyng forward at
honest purposys, ye and yf I had not seen & perceyuyd your
excellent wysedome & your other vertues, most worthy of al hygh
authoryte, I thynke I had neuer conceyuyd thys purpos, I thynke I
had neuer set my selfe in thys case, wherein my specyal trust ys more
to be to you bounden than in the rest of my lyfe wyth any seruyce
I can deserue; for of thys I assure you I am not of so vyle & base
of stomake as for to optayne and benefyte worldly, to desyre to be
bounden to any man whome I can not wyth hart and mynd reuer_ently
both honoure & loue. Wherfor of thys I schal besech you to be


persuadyd euer surely to haue in me such a hart and stomake as ys
conuenyent to be in hym, who to you of al other schal be most
bounden. And now, Syr, to the intent that you may somewhat per_ceyue
such pore qualytes as be in me, and so therapon wyth your
beneuolent mynd you may set forward somewhat better my purpos,
I schal breuely schowe vnto you the ordur, processe, & end of al my
studys. Fyrst, here in oxforth a grete parte of my youthe I occupyd
my selfe in the study of phylosophy, joynyng therto the knolege of
both tongys bothe latyn & greke, and so aftur passyd ouer in to
Italy, whereas I so delytyd in the contemplacyon of natural knolege --
wherin the most parte of men lettryd ther occupye themselfys -- that
many tymys I was purposyd to have spend the rest of my lyfe holly
therin, tyl at the last, mouyd by chrystyan charyte, phylosopy set
apart, I applyd my selfe to the redyng of holy scrypture, jugyng al
other secrete knolege not applyd to some vse & profyt of other to be
but as a vanyte. wherfor in the study of holy letturys ceertayn yerys I
spent, aftur the wyche, by-cause my purpos then was to lyue in a
polytyke lyfe, I set my selfe now thes last yerys past to the knolege
of the cyuyle Law, that I myght therby make a more stabyl and
sure jugement of the polytyke ordur & custumys usyd amonge vs here
in our countrey. aftur thys maner in dyuerse kyndys of studys I haue
occupyd my selfe, euer hauying in mynd thys end & purpos at the last
here in thys commynalty where I am brought forth & borne to
employ them to some vse; and though in them I haue not most
profytyd, yet dylygence & wyl hathe not lakkyd therto: but what so
euer hyt ys that I haue by the gudenes of god attavnyd vn-to I schal
most gladly, aftur your jugement & aduyse, apply hyt to the seruyce
of our prynce, and therby rekun my selfe to attayne a grete parte
of my felycyte. Wherfor I besech you, syr, as you of your only
gudnes haue begun, so at your plesure & conuenyent leser to helpe
forward thus my purpos, and then schal I be to you more bounden
then I am yet to any mortal man lyuyng.
                          Your assuryd seruant
                           Thomas Starkey.
Endorsed
               to Mr Secretary Cromwell touching the course of hys
Lyffe, studyes and Travilles.     |[End_of_1534.]



|27.__Thomas_Starkey_to_Cardinal_Pole(1534),_pp._Xiii-XVii.


   Syr, I most hertely commend me vn to you, and where as I haue
byn somewhat sloo in wrytyng syne I arryuyd hyther to our cuntrey,
(where as I bere the ayre bettur then I dyd wyth you in Italy) I wyl
now my slaknes therin by the lenghthe of thys in some parte recom_pense
the wych I trvst schal no thyng offend you but bryng to you
grete plesure & comfort. Syr, as you know syth our fyrst acquynt_ance
& famylyaryte many letturys ther hath byn at sundry tymys
betwyx vs wryten, and much commvnycacyon ther hath byn also con_cernyng


the Instytution of our lyfys, wyth such fydelyte mynystryd
apon both partys as was conuenyent to the syncerenes of our hartys
& myndys, but yf euer any of thes you haue jugyd to be worthy of
remembrance, or yet dow styke in your memory & mynd, I besech you
let thes few wordys wych I now to you wryte be put in the nombur
of them, wyth gud aduertysement and consyderacyon of the same, for
the[y] concerne the hole ordur of your lyfe here aftur to be lade in
thys our cuntrey among your natural louerys & frendys. Syr,
I was but Late by the synguler gentylnes of Maystur Secretary, wos
gudnes bothe toward me & also to you ys so sonke in to my brest, that
duryng my lyfe I schal euer reken my selfe next to our prynce aboue
al other most faythfully to hym bovnden, for in the court to the
kyngys seruyce and by hys most louyng commendacyonys so gracyovsly
of hys hyghnes acceptyd & admyttyd that schortly aftur hyt plesyd
the same to cal me to hys presence, and ther of you, of your studys,
and of your sentence & opynyon in hys gracys most weyghty
causys here late defynyd, most louyngly many thyngys to demande;
to the wych I made such answere, as euer I haue jugyd conuenyent to
be made before the maiesty of a prynce; that ys, such thyngys as I
knowe manyfest & true playnly to affyrme, and such wherof I stond
in dowte by coniecture only to reherce: and so your mynd, hart &
desyre to dow hys grace true & faythful seruyce, wych I know no
other wyse then I know myn owne, I boldly dyd affyrme, but as
touchyng your opynyon in hys gracys late defynyd causys, one of the
matrymony, the other concernyng the authoryte of the pope, for as much
as you euer haue vsyd thys prudent sylence neuer to dysclose your
sentence & mynd but in tyme & place, I coude not of your opynyon
any thyng therin playnly affyrme, but yet thys to hys hyghnes I
sayd & suerly I thought, that as fer as your lernyng & jugement, wych
I estymyd by tyme & dylygent study somewhat was alteryd &
incresyd, also touchyng the dycernyng betwyx goddys law & mannys
wold streche & extend, al your powar & al such knolege & lernyng as
by the gudnes of god & hys gracys lyberalyte you had obtaynyd &
got, to the mayntenyng of such thyngys as hys gracys wysedome by
court of parlyament therin had decred, you wold gladly confer to the
honowre of hys hyghnes & welth of hys reame.  thys much I sayd,
thys fer I went, but hys grace not satysfyd therwyth, desyryng to
haue your sentence therin playnly declaryd, commandyd me thys
now to wryte to you, that hys plesure was that you schold lyke a lernyd
man, al assertyon by any cause rysyng set asyde, in thos ij causys


pondur and wey the nature of the thyngys as they be in them selfe,
and puttyng a-parte al sucessys & dangerovse effectys wych of them
may insue, leuying al such thyngys to hys gracys wysedome & hys
pollycy, declare your sentence truly & playn wythout coloure or cloke
of dyssymulatyon, (wych hys grace most pryncely abhorryth), not
wyllyng you of thes thyngys to make any grete volume or boke but
breuely to geddur the most effectual resonys wych in your stomake
be of most weyght, & them to set forth aftur your playn fascyon &
maner of wrytyng thys was hys gracys plesure & commandement that
I schold to you wryte, wych I haue as nere as my memory wold serue
me therin truly & faythfylly now to you exerc[y]syd. now, syr,
considur and prudently wey how pryncely a request thys ys of oure
prynce, and then I am sure you wyl imploy your selfe wyth al
dylygence & study to satisfye hys nobul desyre, to the wych also
mastur Secretary, (whose most louyng gudnes toward you gyuyth place
to no man) mostly gentyly doth exhort you, wyllyng you also in any
case, what so euer your sentence in thes causys schal be, to vse your
wont & custumyd playnes wyth prudent symplycyte, and me apon hys
behalfe thys to certyfye you, that in case be your lernyng & jugement
in thes materys of weyght wold strech & extend to the satysfying of
the kyngys desyre & mynd, that then your retorne hither to your
cvntrey schold be gretely to the kyngys plesure, to your owne comfort,
& much profyt to the rest of your frendys; ye and yet ferther, yf so be
that your knolege & lernyng wold not serue you to thys purpos &
request of the kyng, yet notwythstondyng wold he aduyse you, of a
tendur & louyng mynd, to prepare yourselfe at your conuenyent
leser toward your cuntrey, dowtyng no thyng but [th]at the kyngys
hyghnes in other hys causys & hys affayrys schal vse your seruyce &
most louyng & seruysabul mynd. for sory he ys that ther among
stravngerys wythout profyt to your cuntrey your vertues schold be so
utturly drownyd & lyke as in a dreme vanysch away. wherby, syr,
you may playnly perceyue the gentilnes of hys stomake & synguler
gudnes to al men of honesty, wych to you almost vnacquaynted & of
smal famylyaryte beryth suche mynd, mouyd only by the opynyon of
vertue, wych to hym fame hath reportyd, in so much that thys he
wyllyd me now by my letturys of hys gudnes and beneuolent mynd,
so to assure you, that in al such thyngys as myght touche your
preferment to my lady your mother & my lord your brother whome
nature so straytly byndyth only he wold gyue place: wherin he


schowyth so gentyl a stomake that I dare thys boldly now say that
yf euer hereaftur hyt schalbe your chaunce presently here of thys
mynd in hym experyence to take, you schal as I dow for hys vertues
& not only for hys authoryte haue hym in stabyl & reuerent loue,
such ys hys wysedome & in materys of state hys hygh pollycy. and
thvs now you haue hard the most prudent aduyse & synguler
beneuolence of mastur Secretary, to the wych I dowte not but that
wyth grete gladnes you wyl apply yourselfe, wyllyng therby to
satysfye our pryncys plesure & desyre. And now, syr, for by-cause syth
our last departure out of our cuntrey lytlyl commvnycacyon concern_yng
thes materys hathe byn betwyx vs had, I wyl now adioyne thes
few wordys vn to you.  (6) Pondur you wel thys leuytycal law & how
hyt ys rotyd in the law of nature, and how by general conseyl hyt hath
byn many tymys delcaryd & authorysyd therby, and forther how
apon the other syde the sklendurnes of thys long vsurpyd & abvsyd
authoryte of the pope, wych by pacyence of pryncys, simplycyte of
the pepul, & ambycyovse auaryce of hys predecessorys, in processe of
tyme by lytyl & lytyl ys growen to thys intollerabul iniquyte, and
then I thynk that you schal see in thes cavsys the jugyd truth &
playn equyte. But al thys I leue to your owne consyderacyon &
jugement, praying to hym, of whome to al men cumyth al lyght, that
by hys lyght & grace you may see the truth, & so then to set hyt
forth that hyt may be comfort to our prynce, plesure to your selfe
and to al other here your louarys & frendys. And thys now, syr, I wyl
make an end, fynychyng my letturys wyth comfortabul newys that
al such rumor & fame wych by men of corrupt jugement not hauyng
dyscretyon to juge & dyscerne betwyx veray and true relygyon & lyght
& false superstycyon syth was in Italy you dyuulgyd, ys vtterly false &
ful of vanyte. For of this dowte you nothyng, that albehyt apon
many resonabul & ivste causys our most nobul prynce hathe wyth_drawen
hymselfe from the popys authoryte, yet from the certayn &
sure groundys of scrypture hys grace in no poynt ys slyde, no nor yet
from the lawys nor ceremonys of the church, the wych yet stond in
ful strenghth & authoryte; and so the[y] schal boldly I dare affyrme,
vntyl such tyme that to hys hyghnes & to hys most wyse conseyl hyt
schal appere expedyent them to abrogate & other to substytute by
commyn assent more agreabul to thys tyme and to the nature of our
men, & also to our hole cuntry more conuenyent. here ys no thyng
downe wythout due ordur & resonabul mean; here ys touchyng


relygyon nothyng almost alteryd at al but that wych was of al other
most necessary, wych ys, as I trust, & schalbe a veray ground & a
foundatyon to cyuyle ordur & a true & ryght pollycy. thys ys the
state here, and of thys one thyng I dow you assure, yf I had found
truth in dede thes thyngys wych by mysreport ther wyth you were
commynly sayd, as that our prynce schold be slypt also from the
groundys of scrypture, from the honowre of the sacramentys, & from
al the commyn Lawys & holsome ceremonys of the church wythout
ordur, I wold neuer haue byn so wythout sense or stomake of an
honest man, as at thys tyme to haue sought to entur to hys seruyce;
for the desyre wych I haue long nuryschyd in my brest to serue thys
our mastur & prynce ys in thys stabyl, & I trust euer schalbe, in hys
seruyce to serue god & my cuntrey, to the wych purpos the rest of my
lyfe I wyl now dedycate to hys grace & wyth such hart & mynd
serue hym wythal as ys conuenyent to a true faythful & chrystyan
subiect toward hys most nobul & catholyke prynce: thys ys my mynd
& I am sure the same ys yourys, the wych I trvst in factys you schal
haue place schortly to declare & thys I commyt you to god.   At
London the xv of February,
                       By yourys assuryd,
                          Thomas Starkey.
    Endorsed,
               Thomas Starkey to his frend in Italy wishing him to
geve his opinyone to the kinges grace touching his oppiniyone for the
Altering of Relygeon and the Abolishing of the popes Authoritye.



|28.__Thomas_Starkey_To_Cardinal_Pole_(1535),_pp._XXViii-XXXi.

   (1) Syr. You wrote before in our pryncys cause of your owne
mecyon: wherin you schowyd louyngly the daungerys that myght of
hys cause folow, but the mater hyt selfe as hyt ys here by the kyng
most scharply jugyd you dyd not almost touche.  Wherfor now the
kyng, as I haue wryt, requyryth your lernyd Iugement: & that you
schold leue your prudent and wytty pollycy tyl you be requyryd.
The poyntes be thes, wych though you ryght wel of your selfe know
yet I wyl put them a lytyl aftur my mynd before your yes.
   (2) An matrimonium cum relicta fratris, ab eo cognita, sit iure
divino licitum.
   In thys and the rest also, though the kyngys plesure be you
schold gyue place to no mannys persuasyon nor authoryte, as I am
sure you wyl not; yet for the loye that I bere vn-to you & for the
desyre that I haue that you schold se the Iugyd truth, I wyl note
certayn placys of weyght aftur myn opynyon in thes thyngys to
be consyderyd, euer leuyng your owne jugement fre.
   (3) And fyrst, for thys poynt consydur how thys law ys rotyd in
nature: pondur hyt by thys rule yf hyt seme to you gu[de]: al
thyng wych byndyth man to the obseruatyon therof: al law wryten
put asy[de] for the conseruatyon of the cyuyle polytyke lyfe vnyuer_sally
conuenyent to the dygyte of the nature of man: al such I
thynke ys rotyd in the law of nature. Apply thy[s] rule wythout
affectyon & wyth a ryght ye examine hyt in thys case.
   And then for the second poynt, an lyceat dispensare, esy I thynke
hyt scha[l] be to fynd the popys powar extendyth not therto. And


though hyt were expedyent for the wordly pollycy for to haue dis_pensatyon,
as hyt was perauenture in the kyngys ca[use], yet hyt ys
not expedyent any one man to haue such powar to breke such Law
so rotyd in nature, and apon thys ground hyt apperyth to me fer[ther]
tha[t] the pope schold not haue powar not only to dyspense wyth
any law so rotyd in nature, but also that he hath not powar (nor
conuenyent hy[t] ys that he schold haue): ye though he were made
hede of the churc[h] powar to dyspense wyth lawys made in general
conseyl, catholike lawys, & vnyuersal groundys, ordeyned for the
conseruacyon of chrystyan lyfe in al chrystys churche, and though he
hathe vsyd the contrary, hyt was, I thynke, a mysvse & vsurpyd by
the reson wherof now hyt ys spyd, now hyt doth fal, now hyt ys
plukkyd iustely away.
   Loke also & pondur thys whether euer the hole authoryte of
makyng, of abrogatyng, of dyspensyng wyth catholyke lawys &
vniuersal groundys of chrystian lyuyng, were euer gyuen & trans_latyd
to the pope by any law wryten in general conseyl, wych were
necessary to fynd yf we schold attrybute such authoryte. as to the
emperourys we fynd legem regiam qua potestas senatus & populi erat
in principem collata.
   (4) The second pryncypal mater: - an superioritas quam multis in
seculis romanus pontifex sibi vindicauit sit ex iure diuino. Here you
must way the placys of the gospel & scripture, wherin I thynke you
schal fynd non manyfestly prouyng that; the commyn placys you know
how y=t= they are vnderstood contrary therby dyuerse & many, as when
the dyscypelys of chryste contendyd for superiorite you  know what
chryst sayd; you know how poule confessyth [he] knoyeth only christ
for heed, cyuyle & polytyke hedys he confessyd many, sed iure diuino
nullum. Ferther loke to the begynnyng of the church when the
truth therof was bettur knowen than hyt ys nowe. In the actys of
the apostylys you schal fynd no such thyng, and aftur the apostylys
days the iiij patriarchys of Jerusalem, of Antioch, of Constanti_[nople],
of rome had among them no superiorite.
   (5) Loke ferther how the grekys fele from the church catholyke as
we cal now, chefely for bycause the byschope of rome wold be chefe
hede; you know what ys to be gyuen to the jugement of the grekys
in the interpretatyon of scripture bettur than I dow.


   The contentyon betwyx Petur & Poule takyth away such superi_oryte
as ys gyuen to the successorys of Petur.
   Pondur why more from the byschope of Antyoche than of Rome
such superiorite ys taken a way seyng Petur was byschope of bothe.
   (6) Thes certayn poyntys I now wryte to you, non quia preiudicium
aliquod afferrent: the kyngys plesure ys that you schold, wythout any
preiudicial affectyon taken of any man apon one parte or other, wyth
a sincere mynd & wyth that lyght that god hath gyuen you in
scripturys & lernyng gyue your sentence. And as touchyng the pollycy
of bothe the materys & of bryngyn them to effecte, wych hys grace
hathe now dowen whether hyt be wel dowen or yf he requyryth no
jugement of you, as of one that in such thyngys hath no grete expery_ence
as yet. As whether hyt be conueny[ent] that ther schold be one
hed in the church & that to be the byschope of rome, set thys asyde,
& in hys cause of matrimony, whether the pollycy that he hath vsyd
therin be profytabul to hys reame or no, leue that asyde; only  schow
you whether, yf the fyrst matrymony were to make, whether you wold
approue that then or no, and the cause why you wold not, & thus
wey the thyng in hyt selfe as hyt ys in hys owne nature & put a
parte feare of al daungerys, hope of al gud wych schold succede &
hangyth apon worldy pollycy, and so clerely wythout affectyon other
of kyng or quene breuely gyue your sentence. And thus you schal fyrst
honoure god & truth; & second also satysfye the  kyng, wych sayd to
me thes wordys,  that rather he had you were beryed  ther then you
schold for any wordly promotyon & profyt to your selfe dyssymbul
wyth hym in thes grete and weyghty causys.
   Thus you haue my mynd and the kyngys plesure withal, and yf
case be that you reche to the jugyd truth, you nede not to feare, aftur
my mynd, that men schold lay to you lyghtnes of mynd & chaungyng
of sentence, for as fer as I can coniecture you dyd  affyrme noathyng
in the cause * as was convenyent for arrogancye hyt |[?] any thyng
affyrme but only that wych by the word of god we haue  declaryd
to vs, wherfore you dyd * only put before hys yes the daungerys
wych hangyd apon wordly pollycy. Yf I remembyr thys you dow, I
can not wel tel for I neuer see nor red your boke but onys as you
know wel, at the wych tyme hyt semyd to me you wrote so pro_bably
that hyt put me in a feare of daungerys to co[me], but I trust


the gudnes of god & prouydence of our most wyse prynce schal auerte
& turne al suche calamyte by mannys coniecture forseyn from thys
our cuntrey.
   Dyrecte your knolege yf you see nede by mastur gaspero, the
byschope of chete, wyth other such men of hye lernyng and iugem[ent].



|29.__Andrew_Boorde_to_Thomas_Cromewell_(1535),_p._53.
|[Letter_II,_from_Bordeaux,_20_June,_1535.]

   After humly salutacyon, Acordyng to my dewte coactyd, I am
(causeys consideryd) to geue to yow notycyon of certyn synystrall
matters contrary to our realme of ynglond, specyally agenst our most
armipotentt, perpondentt, cricumspecte, dyscrete, & gracyose soue_reyng
lord the Kynge; for, sens my departyng from yow, I haue per_lustratyd
normandy, frawnce, gascony, & Byon; e regyons also of
castyle, byscay, spayne, paarte of portyngale, & returned thorow
Arogon, Nauerne, & now am att burdyose. In the whych partyes, I
hard of dyuerse credyble persons of e sayd countryes, & also of
rome, ytale, & almen, at the pope, e emprowre, & all other crystyn
kyngis, with er peple (e french kyng except) be sett agenst our
souereyne lord e kynge: apon the which, in all the nacyons at I
haue trauellyd, a greatt army & navey ys preparyd: and few frendys
ynglond hath in theys partes of Europe, as Iesus your louer knowyth,
who euer haue your master & yow, with e hole realme, vnder hys
vynges of tuyssyon! from burdyose, the xx day of Iune, by e hond
of your sa[r]uantt & bedman
                           Andrew Boord.
   I humyly & precordyally desyre your mastershepp to be good
master (as yow euer haue byn) to your faythfull bedmen, master
prior of the cherter howse of london, & to Master docter Horde,
prior of Hynton.
|[directed_on_back] To hys vererable master,
Master Thomas Cromwell, secretory to our
souereyngne lord th kyng, be is byll
directyd.



|30.__Andrew_Boorde_to_Thomas_Cromwell_(1535),_pp._55/56.
|{Third_letter_to_Cromwell}
|[after_2_July,_1535.]


   "Honerable syr, after huymily salutacyon, I certyffy yow at
sens I wrott to your mastershepp from burdyuse by e seruantt off
Sir Iohan Arundell in cor[n]wall, I haue byn in dyuerce regyons &
unyversytes for lernyng, and I assewre yow e vnyuersytes off
orlyance, pyctauensis, Tolosa, mowntpyller, & e reuerend faer off
e hed charterhowse, a famuse clark, & partt off e vnyuersyte off
parys, doth hold with our soveryne lord e kyng, in his actes, at in
so much att e vysytacyon off our lady last past in tolosa, in e
cheff skole, callyd petragorysensis, e Kyng of Nauerre and his qwene


beyng presentt, e gretyst articles at any cowld lay a-genst our
nobyll kyng wer disputyd & dyffynyd to e honer of our nobyll kyng,
as I shall shew yow att my comyng to yow. I was in cathalonya
when e emprowe tok sheppyng in-to barbary, e which emprow,
with all oer kynges in e courtes of whom I haue byn, be our re_doubtyd
kynges frendes & louers; incypyentt persons doth spek
after er lernyng & wytt. certyffyng your mastershepp after my
laboure, I am syk, or els I wold haue come to yow & putt my selff
fully in-to your ordynance; as sone as I am any thyng recoueryd I
shall be att your commaundmentt in all causis, good succuryng, who
euer kepp yow in helth & honer,
                   By your bedman Andrew Bord, prest.

   I haue sentt to your mastershepp e sedes off reuberbe, e
which come owtt off barbary. in es partes ytt ys had for a grett
tresure. The seedes be sowne in March, thyn; & when ey be
rootyd, ey must be taken vpp, & sett euery one off em a foote or
more from a noer, and well watred, &c.

|[directed_on_back] To the ryght honerable Esquyre Master Thomas
      Cromell, hygh secretory to our wouereyne lord e kyng & master
      of Rolls, be this lettres dyrectyd.



|31.__Andrew_Boorde_to Cromwell_(1535),_p._57.
|{Fourth_letter_to_Cromwell}

   After precordyall recommendacyon, dere belouyd father in god,
e reuerend faer off e hed cha[r]terhowse, doth salute yow in e
blessyng off Iesu chryst aduertysyng yow at yow loue god, & at
in any vyse yow obay our souereyng lord e kyng, he beyng very
sory to here tell any wylfull or sturdy opynyons to be amonges yow
in tymes past to e contrary/. he desye[r]yth nothyng off yow but
only as I haue rehersyd, at yow be obedyent to our kyng & at
yow maak labore to your frendes at yff any off your frendes deye, or
at any off er frendes dey, at e obytt off em may bytwyxt yow
be sent at e order off charyte be not lost, pro defunctis exorare.
e sayd reuer[en]d faer hath sentt to yow e obytt off hys pre_dycessor
/ oer letters he wyll nott wrytt, nor he wold nott at yow
to hym shold wrett / lest e kynges hyhnes shold be dysplesyd. as
for me, yow know at I had lycence byfore recorde to departt from
yow / ett nott withstondyng my conscyence myth not be so satysfyd,
at I thowt to vysett e sayd reuerend faer, to know e trewth
whetter faer Iohan batmanson dyd impetratt for me of e generall
chapytter e lycence at dane george hath. e trewth ys, at when
dane george was dyspensyd with e relygyon, I and anoer was dys_pensyd
with all / consydering I can [not], nor neuer cowld, lyue soly_tary
/ & I amonges yow intrusyd in a close ayre / myth neuer haue
my helth. also I was receuyd amonges yow vnder age, contrary to
your statutes / wherfor now I am clerly dischargyd; not hauyng e
byshopp of Romes dispensacyon; but yow at receuyd me to e
relygyon, for lefull & lawfull causes consyderyd / haue dyspensyd
with me. In wytnes at I do not fable with yow, specyally at
yow be in all causis obedyentt to your kyng. e afforesayd reuerend
faer hath maad e ryth honerable esquyre master Cromell, & my
lord of chester, broer off all e hole relygyon / praying yow at
yow do no thyng with outt theyr counsell, as Iesus your louer
knowth, who euer keppe yow! wretyn in hast in e cell of e
reuerend faer callyd Johan, & with hys counsyll, e ij day of
August, by e hand off your bedman
                            Andrew Bord, prest.



|32.__Andrew_Boorde_(1536),_p._58.
|{Fifth_letter_to_Cromwell.}
|[?_before_1_April,_1536.]


   After humyle salutacyon with dew reuerence. Accordyng to
my promyse, by my letters maade at burdyose, and also att london,
is presentt month dyrectyd to your mastershepp, I, Andrew Boorde,
somtyme monk of e charterhowse of london, am come to your
mastershepp, commyntyng me fully in to goddis handes & yours, to
do with me whatt yow wyll. As I wrott to your mastershepp, I
browth letters from by-end see, but I haue nott, nor wyll nott,
delyuer them, vnto the tyme yow haue seen them, & knowyng e
ouerplus of my mynd. I haue suffycyentt record that e prior off
chartterhowse off london last beyng, of hys owne meere mocyon,
gaue me lycence to departe frome e relygyon: wheruppon I wentt
ouer see to skole; & now I dyd come home by e grawnte charter_howse,
wher y was dyspensyd of e relygyon in the prior batman_sons
days. att e sayd howse, in e renewyng at lycence, I browth
a letter, yow to do with me and ytt what yow wyll, for I wyll hyd
no thyng from yow, be ytt with me or agenst me. I was also xv.
eres passyd, dyspensyd with e relygyon by the byshopp  of Romes
bulles, to be suffrygan off chycester, e whych I neuer dyd execute
e auctore; ett all is nott-withstondyng, I submytt my-selff to yow;
& yff yow wyll haue me to at relygyon, I shall do as well as [I]
can, god succuryng, who euer keppe your masterhepp in prosperuse
helth and honer!
                 By your be[d]man, e sayd andrew prenomynatyd.

|[directed_on_back]_{in_Latin}



|33.__Andrew_Boorde_to_Cromwell_(1536),_pp._59-61.
|{Sixth_Letter_to_Cromwell.}
|[Leith,_1_April,_1536.]

   After humly salutacyon, with dew reuerence, I certyffy your
masterhepp at I am now in skotlond, in a lytle vnyuersyte or study
namyd Glasco, wher I study & practyce physyk, as I haue done in
dyuerce regyons & prouynces, for e sustentacyon off my lyuyng;
assewryng yow at in the partes at I am yn, e kynges grace hath
many, e, (& in maner) all maner of persons (exceppt some skolasty_call
men) at be hys aduersarys, & spekyth parlyus wordes. I
resortt to e skotysh kynges howse, & to e erle of Aryn, namyd
Hamylton, & to e lord evyndale, namyd stuerd, & to many lordes
& lardes, as well spyrytuall as temporall, & truly I know er myndes,
for ei takyth me for a skotysh manes sone. for I name my selff
Karre, & so e Karres kallyth me cosyn, thorow e which I am in
the more fauer. shortly to conclude, trust yow no skott, for they
wyll yowse flatteryng wordes, & al ys fal[s]holde. I suppose, veryly,


at yow haue in ynglond, by-end x thowsand skottes, & innumerable
oer alyons, which doth (specyally e skottes) much harme to the
kynges leege men thorowh er ewyll wordes. for as I wentt thorow
ynglond, I mett, & was in company off, many rurall felows, englich
men, at loue nott our gracyose kyng. wold to Iesu, at some wer
ponyshyd, to geue oer example! wolde to Iesu, at yow hade
neuer an alyon in your realme, specyally skottes, for I neuer knew
alyon goode to ynglonde, exceppt ei knew profytt & lucre shold
com to them, &c. In all e partes off crystyndom at I haue
trawyllyd in, I know nott v englysh men inhabyours, exceppt only
skolers for lernyng. I pray to Iesu at alyons in ynglond do no
more harme to ynglonde! yff I myght do ynglond any seruyce, specy_ally
to my soueryn lorde e kyng, & to yow, I wold do ytt, to spend
& putt my lyff in danger & Iuberdy as far as any man, god be my
Iuge. Yow haue my hartt, & shalbe sure of me to e vttermust off
my poer power, for I am neuer able to mak yow amendes; for wher
I was in greatt thraldom, both bodyly and goostly, yow of your gen_tylnes
sett me att liberte & clernes off conscyence. Also I thank
your mastershepp for your grett kyndnes, at yow sheude me att
bysheppes waltam, & at yow gaue me lycence to come to yow ons
in a qwartter. as sone as I come home, I pretende to come to yow,
to submytt my selff to yow, to do with me what yow wyll. for, for
lak of wytt, paraduentter I may in is wrettyng say at shall nott
contentt yow; but gode be my Iudge, I mene trewly, both to my
souerrynge lord e kyng & to yow. when I was keppt in thrawldom
in e charterhowse, & knew noer e kynges noble actes, nor yow;
then stultycyusly thorow synystrall wordes, I dyd as many of at
order doth; butt after at I was att lyberte, manyfestly I aperseuyde
e yngnorance & blyndnes at they & I war yn: for I could neuer
know no thyng of no maner off matter, butt only by them, & they
wolde cause me wrett full incypyently to e prior of london, when
he was in e tower, before he was putt to exicucyon; for e which
I trust your mastershepp hath pardoned me; for god knowth I was


keppt in person straytly, & glad I was to wrett att theyr request;
but I wrott nothyng at I thowgt shold be a-genst my prince, nor
yow, nor no oer man. I pray god at yow may prouyde a goode
prior for at place of london; for truly er be many wylfull &
obstynatt yowng men at stondyth to much in ther owne consaytt,
& wyll not be reformyd, butt playth e chyldryn; & a good prior
wold to serue them lyk chyldryn. News I haue to wrett to yow,
butt I pretende to be with yow shortly; for I am halff very off e
baryn contry, as Iesu cryst knowth, who euer keppe yow in helth &
honer. ffrom leth, a myle from Edynborowh, e fyrst day off Apryll,
by the hand off your Poer skoler & seruantt
[directed on back]                      Andrew Boorde, Preest.
To the right honerable esquire, Master
Thomas Cromwell, hygh secretary to
e Kynges grace.



|34.__Andrew_Boorde_to_Cromwell_(1537),_p._62.
|{Seventh_Letter_to_Crommwell}
|[Cambridge,_13_August_[1537].]

   Reuerently salutyd with loue and fere. I desyre your lord_shepp
to contynew my good lorde, as euer yow haue byn: for, god be
my iudge, yff I know what I myght do at myght be acceptable to
yow, I wold do ytt; for er ys no creature lyuyng at y do loue
and fere so much as yow, and I haue nott in is world no refuge
butt only to yow. when I cam to london owtt of skotlond, and at
yt plesyd yow to call me to yow, as yow cam rydyng from west_mestre,
I had ij horsys stolyn frome me, & I can tell the persons
at hath bowght them, butt I can nott recouer my horse[s] althowh
they at bowght em dyd neuer toll for them, nor neuer bowth
em in no markett, butt priuetly. Also er be yn london certyn
persons thatt owth me in mony and stuff .liij=li=., e which my frendes
gaue me. I do aske my dewty off em; & they callyth me 'apostata,
& all to nowght', & sayth ey wyll troble me, & doth slawnder me
by-hynd my bak off thynges at I shold do xx=ti= ers agone; &
trewly they can nott proue ytt, nor I neuer dyd ytt; e matter ys,
at I shold be conuersantt with women: oer matteres ey lay
nott to my charge. I desyer yow to be good lord to me, for I wyll
neuer comlayne forther then to yow. I thank Iesu cryst, I can
lyue, althowh I neuer haue peny off ytt; but I wold be sory at they
at hath my good, shod haue ytt: yff any off your seruanttes cowld
gett ytt, I wold geue ytt to them. your fayghtfull seruantt, master
watter thomas, dwellyng in wrettyll, knowth all e hoole matter,
and so doth hys son, dwellyng in e temple. I commytt all to yow,
to do with me & ytt what ytt shall plese yow; desyeryng yow to
spare my rude wrettyng, for I do presume to wrett to yow upon your
gentylnes, as god knowth, who euer kepp yow in helth and honer!
ffrome cambrydg, e xiij day off August, by the hond off your bed_man,
& seruantt to e vttermust off my poor power.
                            Andrew Boorde, prest.

|[directed_on_the_back] To the ryght
   honerable lorde the lord of the
   pryue seale be thy byll dyrectyd.



|35.__Cromwell_(1540),_p._246.
|To_Lord_Lisle.
Jan. 26, 1540.

   After my right herty and most affectuouse commendations
to your Lordship Thies shalbe to signifie vnto thesame the
receipte of sundry your letteres and therwith the boke of muni_cions
and furnytures And also suche newes as ye have writen
vnto me, Whereof I have aduertised the Kinges Maieste whose
graciouse pleasure is that with all celerite ther shalbe prouision
of wood sent from hens thither for the whiche propose and to
have the oversight and expedition thereof if ye will sende
some acteve person of his graces Retynue there he shall see
afor his departure suche store thereof to be transported as
shalbe requisite And his highnes willeth that ye and all other
there euery man for his office Rowme and part, shalbe so
vigilant and also in so good ordre as it apperteyneth and as
the statutes of the same do Require. And albeit his Maieste
perceyveth no present nor Imminent Danger to that Town, and
thinketh that no prince wold break the treaties so ferre as to
Invade or attempt in dede anything agenst the same, yet
nevertheles forasmoche as it is better to prevente then to be
prevented and to forsee that the worst may be provided for
his graces pleasure is that it shalbe diligently forseen ther, Not


onely that vnder the colour and habite of paysantes and
market folkes ther entre not in that Town by litel and litel
a multitude of men of werre desguysed for to surprise the
same, but also that in the cartes and carres comyng into the
same ladyn with hey strawe wood or suche other there be not
brought in weapen or other thinges conveyed in secretely hydd
in the same to the disavantage of the Town My Lord seen
that your lordship hath the chief charge and is put in the
highest trust there above all other, ye ought likewise to be the
more vigilant and activ and tymely to forsee and cause that
such prouisions of wyn and other as may be gotten there
withoute bruyt or Rumour as therby your good prouision
and Industrie the Towne may be so furnished and in that good
suretie that his Maiesties good expectacion of you doth loke
for, And of suche prouision that is within the pale and
marches of thesaid Town it wer well done ye shuld cause
withoute any Rumour or bruyt asmoch thereof as wer mete
to be brought into the town for the savegarde thereof and the
better furnishement of thesame. Thus fare ye right hertely
well   From London this xxvj=th= of January.
                        Your lordshippis assuryd
                                 THOMAS CRUMWELL

Add. To my very good lorde the visconte lisle deputie of
the kingis Towne and marches of Calais.



|36.__Cromwell_(1540),_p._248.
|To_Lord_Hungerford.
|Feb._9_[1540].


   Thies be for asmoche as the Kinges Majestie hathe ben
enformed that certaine lycences foundacions and other wry_tynges
belongyng unto the late priory of Charterhous Henton
and graunted by Thomas Horton Clothier and other hathe
ben ymbeysted and conveyd away by certaine persons. The
Kinges Majesties pleasure is that ye calling Dame Mary
Horton Wydow, Thomas Horton, William Byrde clerke
Richard Davis and Sir William Furber clerke before you shall
examine therin and every of theym by vertue of an othe to be
admynestred to theym by you of and uppon the premysses
with the circumstaunces therof by all the wayes and meanes
ye can or may excogitate and device and to advertise me of
that ye shall fynd and knowe therin with all convenyent spede
to thentent I may cause suche order and direction to be had
and taken in that behalfe as the case shall requyre. Faile ye
not thus to do as the Kinges trust and expectations ys
in you.
   London, 9 Feb.
   |[Signed._Add.]



|37.__Cromwell_(1540),_p._249.
|To_Lord_Stourton.
|Feb._23_[1540].


   Aftre my right hartie commendacion to your Lordshyp
Whereas I am informed that one John Compton of Yewill
haith in comparcenere with you a mylne and there of takyth
the moitie of the profetes and commodities to the same
belongyng and for as moche as the said john is dwelling and
abidyng nyghe vnto the same myll and your Lordshyp fer
from the vse and commoditie there of, contentid to receue the
rent of the one halfe, I shall desyer you at the contemplacion
of these my letters to grant vnto the said John Compton
thoccupacion of your moietie of the said myll by Leasse for
terme of XL yeres, or so many as ye can fynd in your hart to
bestow of hym conueniently at this my request paying there_fore
yerly so moche as heretofore it hathe been accustomed
by other your lordshypis tenantes And thus ye shall so do
vnto me thankfull plesure & in any your lordshypis lawfull
persutes ye shall requyer the same accordyngly. and thus
Fayr you right hartely well. From westmynstre thys xxiii
of February.
                        Your Lordshippis assuryd
                           Thomas Crumwell.

|Add. To my very good lord my Lord Sturton this be
delivered



|38.__Cromwell_(1540),_pp._249/50.
|{To_an_unnamed_Lord.}
|[Feb._15,_1540.]


   Aftre my right hartie comendacions vnto your lordship
wheras I am enformed that sir Richard Smithe parson of
Langom in the contie of Pembroke is accused and laid in
prison by the bailif ther for certain wordes spokyn sounding
to be treson against the Kinges maiestie These shalbe to
require you with convenient celeritie [to] send as well for the
said parson as other his accusors and vpon examinacion hade
and due proves and the said Smithe found gyltye therin he to
remain in prison to suche tyme as the kinges further plesor
shalbe known therin, and in the case his said accusors can make


no dew prove of the same that then he finding sufficiente
sureties per bondes for his apperance at all tyms when he
shalbe called for by the kinges highnes or any of his honour_able
consill you suffre him to go at libertie



|39.__Cromwell_(1540),_p._253.
|To_Wallop.
|Mar._12,_[1540].


   Mr. Wallop after my right hartie commendations where the
Kinges Maiestie hath receyved certain aduertisementes from
a very good place which his Maieste thinketh dothe muche
touche his good brother the Frenche King. And that it were
very expedyent he had knowlege of the same. His hieghnes
hathe thought conuenyent to write the same vnto you to
thintent you maye declare them to the quene of Navarre
which his hieghnes wold you shuld doo at your first opor_tunyte.
The particulers be thesse. First his Maieste ys


aduised that the Constable and Cardinal of Lorrien shal at
their cummyng in to Flaunders rather be entretayned with
chere to shewe an apparaunce of amyte thenne growe to any
conclusion of thinges according to the french kinges desier.
Second yt is aduertised howe the legate for Farneze by his
Gouernor Marsselles dyd move the Frenche King lately by
the bishop of Romez commaundement to mak difficulte
a while in his conclusion betwene him and the Emperour,
Saying that the necessite of Themperour shuld thereby cause
him to haue what he wold desier, Whereunto the Frenche
King shuld aunswere that if Themperour wold lyve as he
dothe in peace and friendshipp he wold doo his best allwaye
to shewe lyk correspondence. But if he wold treate any
further thing It must be for all dependauntes or elles nothing.
The latter ende of his saying, that is to saye, The Frenche
Kinges aunswere onely was secretly reaported to Themperour.
And whenne the Reaporter sayd that all dependauntes included
manny thinges aswel Burgoyn Navarre treaties of Madril as
Millan and Pyemount, Themperour aunswered that of throuthe
the thinges were mervelously intricate, Adding that at the
treating at Perpynyon he being thenne at Bersolona, he
thought it not best to come to any particulers And Euen
soo wolde be lothe yet to com to them For quoth he there is
daunger of vnhonest condicions or of discontentement at
departing. And therefore it is thought and sayd that to
wynne a further delaye The King of Romaynez shal also
goo to vysyt the Frenche King and by these meanes shal
Themperour thus wynne tyme and tak his aduantage in other
parties having as the Kinges Maieste ys aduised a secret
fantazie in his hed That being the Frenche King sickly and
diseased (which is muche to the kinges hieghnes regrete) he
deuiseth howe by meanes to protract and wynne Loking for
that which his grace trusteth he shal not see and thinking if
he were ones passed he shuld easly ynough Frame al his
purposes after Euen as he himself wold wyshe and desier.
Nowe you may require Madame de Navarre to consider what
these thinges doo saver and in case she shal think that the
knowlege of them maiye anything conferre to the Frenche
Kinges Benefyt She may open the same at her pleasure and
by oone point she may presently Knowe whether any of the
rest be lyk to be true that is by the woordes spoken by the
Frenche King himself touching thek dependauntes wherein
you may presse her to tak som pains to knowe the certaynte
as a meane to waye the better the residue Albeyt his Maieste
doubteth not but in case the constable do not growe to a
thorow agrement But shalbe put of by delayes newe Inven_cions


and deuises. His good Brother the frenche king shal
easly by the same conuert Themperours mynd and purpose.
And what aunswere she shal presentely or vppon deliberacion
and inquerye make vnto you, His Maiestes pleasure is you
shal aduertise with conuenyent diligence Joynyng to your
aduertisementes suche other occurrauntes as you shal there
lerne from time to tyme worthie his graces knowlege. You
may also shewe to the quene of Navarre That in lyk maner
from a good place his Maieste ys aduertised that in Spayn
they beginne to Murmur for that Themperour shuld practise
the Maryeng for himself & his children without theyr con_sentes,
Saying they will kepe a parlyament vppon that and
such other maters Whereuppon it is thought he woll send
thither the Duke of Alva to doo what he canne tappease and
quiet them Whereby it appereth that were it not onely for
thestimacion that he hath by the Frenche King he were lyk
shortely to haue busynes ynough to turn him to. Thus ad_uising
you that the Kinges hieghnes ys in good helth with all
your frendes here I byd you hertely well to Fare from
London the xij=th= of march
    |Endd. To Mr. Wallop xij marcij



|40.__Henry_Savill_(1543),_p._246.

To my cosen Plompton of Plompton, this deliver with spede.

   Cossin Plomton, in as harty manner as I can think I recomend
me to you. First, all your frinds ar in good health heare. I have
bene very sick since ye went, but I am well now, I thank God.
I have vewed Christall; the rent of it, as it is now letted, x=s= iiij=d=
score, xv=li= viii=s=; and Arthington is above xx=li= at the end of xvi
yeares; the will be iij score pownd above the rent. And the
woods, my man sayes, he dar give a thowsand marke for them,
but he thinks without dowt he will make a thowsand =li=. I have
written to my Cossin, Henry Savill of Lapset, to go thorowgh
with my Lord of Canterbury for it. Acording to the comunication,
and ye and my Cossen, John Gascoyne, shall have a part, if ye will
wryte to me that ye will stike to it; and Robart Savill and Henry
Savill of Lapsit will stand to tow parts. I think the woods will
give us our money and more; and the lease cleare to be gotten, for
laying out of the money till we can make it againe of the woods.
I have sent you a rental of it, what it is, every cloase. I pray
you let my Cossen, John Gascoyne, se this letter and the rentall.
Kepe it secret from all other. I pray God send us merry meting.
All written in my ship, at Timmoth.
                      Your asured kinsman,
                                   Henry Savill.

   Cussin Gascoyne, your children ar mery.
     |[Anno_circa_1543]


|41.__Henry_Savill_(1544),_pp._247/48.

   To my Cossin Plompton of Plomptom, this be delivered.

   Cossen Plompton, I recomend me to you, and as I perceive by
my son Robart servant, ye say ye will come over and hunt with
me; and it please you so to do, ye shal be as hertyly welcome as
any man that cam heare of a good space. Ye shall se your arrow
fly and your grayhound run, and all thos that comes with you,
winter and somer, when it please you to come; as long as I live.
As for the other matter, I pas not a litle of it; I have yet waide
it with my councill; and as ye shall know at our meting, as I am
informed, and as I take it, thear ar many dowts by yt. When I
speak with you, I will hide nothing from you in this then in no
other cause.  When ye intend to come, let me know what time,
or els ye may hape neither to have me then nor my son at home;
but my wife ye shal be sur to find, and she will send som with
you that shall let you se both rid and fallow, if ye will take the
paine. I have killed a hind or tow of late, and they ar very fatt
this yeare, both in the woods at Tankersley and in my gardin at
Thornehill. I thinke ye weare never yet in no grownd of mine,
and I never say no man naye. Therfore, the faut is in you and
not in me; ye may amend the faut when it please you. The cause
of my sending of my servant at this time, is this; he rmes
me that in your countrie thear is a man that can kill otters very


well; wherfor, I have sent him to git him to me for a weke. I
asure you, they do me exceding much harme at divers places, and
especiall at Woodkirk and Thornhill, and lyes in small becks.
My folks se them daly, and I can not kill them; my hownds be
not used to them. From Sothill, the 8 of November.
                         By your asured kinsman,
                                   Henry Savill, knt.

   After the making herof, or it was sealed, cam my son home from
London. Of Wedsday came my Lord of Norfock to the Court.
The Spanish Duke is gon; the earle of Hertfort, the Bishop of
Winchester, with the French Imbasodor, is gon to the Emporor;
the Duke of Sufolk with other remaines at Calisse. The French_
men that wear of sea ar gon to Depe haven, and the Inglish men
ar of the sea, but the cold weather will sufer no man long to con_tinue
of the water. As conserning news of Scotland, give cre_dence
to this bearrer. This is my owne hand.

   |[8 Nov. 1544.]

|42.__Henry_Savill_(1544),_pp._248/49.

To my right worshipfull Coussin, Mr. William Plompton of Plomp_ton,
                    esquire, this deliver.

   Cossin Plompton, I hartely recommend me unto you, thankyng
you for all your goodnes at all times. I have received your letter
by Roger Brindell, and wheare that ye wryte there is no dowghts


if the matter had come to comunication; ye ar the man that I
trust, and by you I wold have bene ordered: and if ye had so
thought, I wold have confeined myselfe to you: But I perceive
the parte is not minded to commone with him; his wife thinks
him to light. And I think, consider his Qualeties, his living, his
posabilete, and confer al toghether, I think as good chepe as this I
shall git a living for him, both as good and as fare. And I am
sur ther haith bene comredis won with other far wars then he, excep
one faute. And as for that, ther is and haith bene many good
men with that faut; it is the thing that he cannot amend. It lets
him not to eat, drink, slepe; he can live as well of it I have
given him, as though it had descendit to him. And if his bro_ther
dy without isew, in all by gift he shall have v hundreth mark
land, (and if he wear but inhiretable by the law, he shold be heir
to him, but for defaut of heireship, I thinke he will not change his
estate in this case;) and for defaute of heires of my body lawfuly be_gotten,
he shall inhirit all that I have. But in the meane onely, his
fault so shall not hirt him in no profets. Let this matter pas: He is
much bownd to you, and if ever he be able, to do you plea_sure.
I trust ye shull se him git a living, ere the yeare is past.
At York, if ye will come and kill a hind, ye shall be hertyly
welcom. Wryten at Sothill, the xxviii of November. Anno
1544; 36 H. 8.
                    Your asured frind, Henry Savill, knt.

|[28_Nov._1544.]



|43._Henry_Savill_(1545),_p._250.

To his right worshipful Coussin, William Plompton, esquire, this
                          deliver.

   Cossin Plompton, after my hartie recommendations; your servant
sheweth me ye were and have bene very sick, wherof I am very
sory. And if your sicknes continue, wheare the commaundment
comes forth, send forth your servants and tennants, and send
forth your excuse to my Lord Lieutennant, with a letter of the
trough of your sicknes, and of the time of the continuance therof;
and being advertised of the truth, he will excep of your lawfull
and reasonable excuse. And thus hertely far you well. From
York, the xxviij of May, Anno 1545, 37 H. 8.
                             Your asurred kinsman,
                                               Henry Savill.

|[27_May_1545.]



|44.__Henry_Savill_(1546),_pp._250/51.

          To my Cossin Plompton this be delivered.

   Cossin Plompton, I hartely recommend me unto you. The
cause of my wryting to you is for that Roger Ramy said to me,
he thought ye would aboute Low sonday be at Thornhill. Ye
shall come to a old howse cleane downe, and as yet litle amended.
but ye shall be welcome, as I can think. I wold be sory that
ye shoold take paine, and I not at home when ye come. To_morrow
begging thursday, I must of force ride to Tankerslay, viij
miles hence, and mete my Lord of Shrewsburry, who will be thear
tomorrow by ij of the clock, and se a showt at a stage, as my
keper hath sent me wourd. And of monday, tewsday, and wed_sday,
theare is apoynted a great number of gentlemen to mette at
cocxs at Sheifeild, whear I intend, God willing, to be, and every
night will ly at Tankerxlay; soe it will be friday or I come to


Thornhill, which is the xviij (xiiij) of May. Wherfore, I desire
you either put of your comming to that day, or take so much
paine to come the viij myles to Tankerxlay, whear I have no
lodging, but you shall have the best bed the keper haith; and
ye shall se a polard or tow, both rid and falow, and se all our
good coxs fight, if it plese you, and se the maner of our
cocking. Ther will be Lanckeshire of one parte, and Derbeshire
of another parte, and Hallomshire of the third parte. I per_ceive
your cocking varieth from ours, for ye lay but the battell;
and if our battell be but x=li= to v=li=, thear wilbe x=li= to one laye, or the
battell be ended. And whensoever ye come, I require you take
time to hunt with me for one weke; bring bowes and gray hounds,
and at the time of the year, hownds. A polard is swet now, and I
love it best now at this season; and by Whytsonday this year I shall
have fatt bucks. And or any red deare be fatt, it will be
July, as far as my experience serves. Com when ye will, and such
as I have, ye shall se, and bring good stufe, for I warne you they
ar wild about Tankerxlay and ill to cach: and if all fale, I have
that ar tame enough. I make all these brages to cause you to
com, for I never yet did se you in thease parts; and ye shall come
no time wrong, fence-time then other. I have tame plenty lyeth
out; I can make you game at rid and falow, and stir no rascall. I
besich Jesus send us mery meting. Thus hertyly far ye well.
This Wendsday at Thornhill, the v=th= of May, Anno 1546: 38 H.8.
                              Your asured frind
                                     Henry Savill, kn=t=.

|[5_May_1546.]



|45.__Sir_Philip_Sidney_(1569),_pp._76/77.

|To_Sir_William_Cecil

   Righte honorable: I am forced for better expedition to use an
unaccustomed manner of writinge unto yowe the cause pro_ceedinge
frome a reporte of sum whome neither can I judge
frendlie to my selfe nor yet indifferente towardes him, from
whome they seke by malise to prwente and detaine his woorthie
praifermente sued for and obtained by his honorable benefactors,
I meane, my singular good Lorde my Lorde of Lecestre and
especiallie your selfe, by whose favor (attained by the requeste
of my frendes, and his deserte towardes me, assisted by the
woorthines of his lyfe and learninge) M=r= Thorneton my reder
hathe unto him graunted the nexte prfermente of a cannonrie
in this colleage of Christechurche. And sithence it hathe pleased


God, (as I gave yow humblie to undrestande in my laste lettres)
to call unto his mercie one Thomas Daie by meane whereof it
restethe in your honorable favor to prsente (accordinge to your
former pretence) him, aswell for whose cause as divers others
I do accounte my selfe no lesse bound then I oughte. For that
it is verie constantlie reported that M=r= Tobie Matthews frendes,
shoulde use in his behaulfe some earneste sute, unwoorthie their
callinges (because it was moved before the deathe of the incum_bente,
by the which it shoulde seeme they soughte rather by
spite to prvente the one then honestlie to preferre the other)
these are therefore moste humblie to reQueste suche your wonted
favor as neither your honorable benefitte may be revoked, my
humble and earneste sute prvented neither the person him selfe
so discredited, but that he maye withe your favor enjoye his
advowson, by yowr meanes obtained, and your selfe promised.
Thus humblie commendinge my dutie unto your good opinion,
my selfe preste at your commaundemente I humblie ende. Frome
Oxforde this xxvi=the= of Februarie A=o= 1569[-70]
                     Yours in as humble sorte as
                                         your owne
                                            Philip Sidney.

   To the righte honorable Sir William Cecill Knighte her
Majesties principall Secretarie &c Yeve these withe speede



|46.__Sir_Philip_Sidney_(1573),_pp._77/78.

|To_the_Earl_of_Leicester:

   Ryghte honorable and my singular good Lorde and Unkle,
this beare havinge showed me the woorkes he dothe cary into
Englande gave me ocasion humble to sende these few woordes
unto yowr Lordeshippe, thoughe my wrytynge at this presente
unto yow by an Englisshe gentleman that dothe now returne,
take away any other cause of Englarginge the same. This bearer
hathe promised me to lett no man see that whiche he cariethe
untill he have showed them unto yowr Lordeshipp. If they
may seeme unto yowr Lordeshippe unworthie of which I shoolde
wryte unto yow, I do most humblie beseche yow to condemne
therein nothinge but my ignorance, whiche bendinge it selfe
wholie to content yow, if it do erre, I hope yowr goodness will


suffer the dutifull mynde, to recompence the wante of judge_ment,
whiche beinge all that I have at this tyme to trooble yow
witheall, I will most lowlie committ yow to the Eternalls pro_tection.

   Frome Francforde this 18=th= of Marche A=o= 1572[-3]
              Yowr moste humble and moste
                             obediente nephew
                                    Philip Sidney.

   To the ryghte honorable and my singular unkle, the Earle
of Lecestre.



|47.__Sir_Philip_Sidney_(1573),_pp._78/79.

                  |To_the_Earl_of_Leicester

   There beinge nothinge of whiche I am so desyrouse (ryghte
honorable and my singular good Lorde and Unckle) as to have
continuall and certaine knowledge what your pleasure is, by
whiche I may governe my little actions: I cannot be witheowt
some grief, that never since I came into Jermanie I coolde by
anie means understande it. Wherefore I have moste humbli to
beseche your Lordeshippe that if in any of my proceedinges I have
erred, you will vouchesafe to impute that to the not knowinge


youre Lordeshippes and their pleasure, by whose commaunde_ment
I am lykewyse to be directid. I was uppon Thursdaie laste
withe Counte Lodovik the prince of Oronges seconde brother,
whose honorable usage was suche towardes me, and suche good_will
he seemes to beare unto your Lordeshippe, that for wante
of furdre habilitie, I can but wishe him, a prosperouse success
to suche noble entreprises, as I dowte not he will shortely (with
the helpe of God) put in execution. I founde one Shambourg
an Allmaine withe him, a gentleman whome I knew in the
cowrte of Fraunce, allways very affectionnate to the kinges
service, I dowte not but that he assaiethe to drawei the Cownte to
serve the kinge, but I hope he laboureth in vaine. All mens
eyes are so bente to the affaires of Fraunce and Flaundres, that
there is no talke here of any other contrey. I have an humble
requeste unto your Lordeshipp, whiche is that it will please you
to thanke maister Culverwell the bearer hereof, for the courteisie
he shewed unto me, in employnge his creditt for me, beinge
drivne into some necessitie. Thus cravinge pardon for the
continewance of my wonted manner, in vainely trobling yowr
Lordeshippe I will most lowlie leave yow in his garde who ever
preserve yow. Frome Francfort, this 23=th= of Marche 1572[-3]
        Yowr moste humble and most obedient nephew
                                      Philipp Sidney.

   To the ryghte honorable and my singular good Lorde and
unkle the Earle of Lecestre etc.



|48.__Sir_Philip_Sidney_(1574),_pp._98-100.
|To_the_Earl_of_Leicester
|{The_gaps_in_the_text_are_in_the_edition.}


   Righte honorable and my singular good Lorde and unkle.
Allthoughe I have at this presente little matter worthy the
writinge unto yowr Lordeshippe, yet beinge newlie returned
frome my poli[sh] journei, I woolde not omitt anie ocasion of
humbly perfoorminge this dutie. Wherefore I hum[bly] beseeche
yowr Lordeshippe to take these few lines in good parte, whiche
I wryte rather to continew this     I ow unto yow then for
any other thinge they may conteine in them. The Emperour as
I wrate laste unto yowr Lordeshippe hathe these two yeeres
continually pretended a journey to Prage, w[hiche] it is thoughte
shall in deede be perfoormed, to the greate contentacion of that
kingedome, w[hiche] otherwise seemed to bende to disobedience.
There it is thoughte his son shall very shortlie be     kinge,


whome likewise the Emperour seekes by all meanes possible to
advance to the kinged[ome] of the Romaines, and for that
purpose desyres to call an imperiall diett in Francfort, th[e]
   appointed for the elections, but it is thoughte the Electours
will rather chose an other     for this nexte ensuinge diett
whiche is saide shall be sommer followinge at the fur[dest]
and then there is no hope of election. Not beinge at Francfort,
it is likely it sha[l] at Regenspurg, where I beleve the
Emperour will demaunde fur greater summes of mo[ney] then
will be grawnted unto him. Thoughe the peace betwixte the
Turke and him,    as yet as fur as it is knowne perfittlie con_cluded,
yet it is thoughte the Turke will rat[her] proceede by
sea then this waie, and as the frenche embassadour hathe
writtne, mean[ethe to] visite the Popes territorie, perchaunce
his conscience moveth him, to seeke the benefitt of    Jubile.
I hope as the Spanierdes allreddy begin to speake lower, so the
Popes holiness[e] will have lesse leasure to ministre such wicked
and detestable cownceills to the christ[ian] Princes as hetherto
he dothe. Owt of Frawnce yowr Lordeshippe hathe the
advertisements fu     the Prince of Conde is retired to Basill
where he livethe in companie withe the Ad[mirals] children,
beinge frustrate of a greate hope he had conceaved of suckowr
owt of Jerm[any] wherein many and wise men do impute
greate faulte to the Prince Casimire the Cou[nte] Palatines
seconde son, in so muche that to write to yowr Lordeshippe
plainely, he is heavilie s[uspected] to be corrupted by the Frenche.
His father certainely is as vertuous a Prince as livethe,
he sufferethe him selfe to muche to be governed by that son.
This I thoughte my dut[ie to] write as havinge hearde it in
very good place and muche affected to the tr[ew] cawse.
The Polakes hartily repente their so fur fetcht election, beinge
now in suche case    neither they have the kinge, nor any
thinge the kinge withe so many othes had promised besides that
their is lately sturred up a very dangerous Sedition, for the same
c[awse] that hathe bredde suche lamentable ruines in France and
Flandres. Now the     is reasonably wel appeased, but it is
thoughte it will remaine so but a while.
   I have no other thinge worthy the writinge at this presente to
yowr Lordeshippe wherefore I humbly ceasse withe my dailie and
most boundne praier, that it please the Eternall, to continew


and encreace yow in all prosperitie. Frome Vienne. This 27.
of Novembre. 1574.
               Your Lordeshippes moste......
                                   Philippe Sidney.

   [To] the ryghte honorable and my singular [good Lorde and]
unkle the Earle of [Leicester].



|49.__Sir_Philip_Sidney_(1574),_pp._100-102.

To Lord Burghley:

   Righte honorable and my singular good Lorde. Since the
laste I wrate unto yowr Lordeshippe, I have not had anie
conveniente meanes of sending my scribbles, which humble
office I desire to continew, rather to obay therein yowr com_maundemente
then for any thinge worthe to be advertised,
they may happne to conteine in them. Now havinge opor_tunitie
by a frende of mine, who presentlie sendes his lettres
into Englande, I woolde not omitt this ocasion, beseechinge
yowr Lordeshippe rather to respecte the hartie desire to please
yow, then the simplenes of the contentes, better then whiche
yowr Lordeshippe oughte not to expecte of me. Beinge re_turned
owt of Italie and detained for some time withe sicknesse
in this cittie, yet coolde I not commaund my desire of seeinge
Polande whiche time notwithestandinge, I mighte perchaunce
have emploied in more proffitable, at leaste more pleasante
voiages, frome thence being of late come hether, not in very
good estate of boddie, I finde the affaires of this cowrte as fur
as I can learne to passe in ordre. The Emperour hathe at
lengthe obtained his longe desired truice of the greate Turke
for 8 yeeres, the grawnte of whiche he hathe undrestoode by a
courrier sente by his legier embassadowr, called Charles Rym,
who is now in his returne not fur hence and in his roome there
is allreddie at Constantinople David Ungnad. The conditions
of the peace are not as yet knowne, but the emperowr is
resolute to refuse no burdne, rather than enter in warr. He
dothe expecte very shortly the Turkishe embassadowr, for the
confirmation of the peace, who is by nation a dutche man,
borne in Bavier, the Turkes principall interpretour, named


amonge them Mehemet Beck. This Cowrrier hathe broughte
news from Constantinople that the Turkes navie is safe re_turned,
which he will encreace the nexte yeere withe a hundred
gallies for to invade Sicill. By the way Petro Portocarrero
Capteine of the Gollett is deceassed. Serbellone builder and
capteine but evill defendour of the new fort is come alive to a
miserable captivitie.
   He saiethe likewise  that there came to Constantinople adver_tisemente
that the Belierbei of Egipte hathe latlie overthrowne
in a very greate batteil, the Abissines subjectes to Pretre Jhon
as we call him. In my simple opinion they have bene provoked
by the Portugese to take this matter fur above their forces
uppon them, for that the Turke by the redde sea dothe greatlie
encroche uppon their  Indian traffick. The expectation of these
embassadowrs will cawse the Emperowr to delay his journey to
Bohemia whiche notwithestandinge he muste necessarily ere it
be longe performe they beinge very evill contente, of his so longe
absence, in so muche that this yeere they have plainely refused
to give certaine greate summes of money, whiche heretofore
they had not denied. Besides that he muste please them for to
gett his son the crowne for althoughe he do pretende hereditary
succession thetyseeme they will not grawnte it any other waie
but in manner of election. In this meane time he hathe sente the
Lorde of Rosemberg a principall nobleman of Bohemia to the
electours of Sax and Brandenbourg, and the Lord of Arach to
the other 4 electours, of the Rhine, to consulte of an Imperiall
diett, which it is not unlikely shall be thissommer followinge,
wherein if it be possible, he will perswade the election of his son
to the kingedome of the Romaines as the tearme it. The
Polakes havinge appeased a greate sedition in Crackow for the
religion, have since deffaited twelve thowsande Tartars among
whiche there were 3000 Turkes, whose returne with fur greater
force they do daily loke for. It is thoughte they will chose an
other kinge  in May, allthoughe the Lithuaniens be holy againste
it. They have made truice with the Moscovit, who bendes his
forces as they say againste the kinge of Sueden for havinge burnte
a toune of his called Narva.
   Thus yowr Lordeshippe may see how bolde I am uppon yowr
commandement to troble yow from yowr weightie affaires, for
whiche cravinge pardon and good acceptacion I humblie ceasse,


beseechinge the Eternall to grawnte yow in healthe encreace of
all honowr.
   Frome Wien this 17=th= of December 1574.
                Yowr Lordeshippes to commaunde.
                                  Philippe Sidney.

   To the ryghte honorable and my singular [good Lord]e the
Lorde hyghe Treasurer.



|50.__Edmund_Spenser_(1579),_pp._5-7.

To the Worshipful his very sin_gular
good friend, Maister G.H. Fellow
of Trinitie Hall in Cambridge.

  |<b> GOod Master G. I perceiue by your most curteous and
       frendly Letters your good will to be no lesse in
       deed, than I alwayes esteemed. In recompence
       wherof, think I beseech you, that I wil spare neither
       speech, nor wryting, nor aught else, whensoeuer,
       and wheresoeuer occasion shal be offred me: yea,
       I will not stay, till it be offred, but will seeke it,
in al that possibly I may. And that you may perceiue how much
your Counsel in al things preuaileth with me, and how altogither
I am ruled and ouer-ruled thereby: I am now determined to alter
mine owne former purpose, and to subscribe to your aduizement:
beinge notwithstanding resolued stil, to abide your farther resolution. My
principal doubts are these. First, I was minded for a while to haue inter_mitted
the vttering of my writings: leaste by ouer-much cloying their noble
eares, I should gather a contempt of my self, or else seeme rather for
gaine and commoditie to doe it, for some sweetnesse that I haue already
tasted. Then also me seemeth the work too base for his excellent Lord_ship,
being made in Honour of a priuate Personage unknowne, which of
some yl-willers might be vpbraided, not to be so worthie, as you knowe
she is: or the matter not so weightie, that it should be offred to so weightie
a Personage: or the like. The selfe former Title stil liketh me well ynough,
and your fine Addition no lesse. if these, and the like doubtes, maye be
of importaunce in your seeming, to frustrate anyparte of your aduice,
I beseeche you, without the leaste selfe loue of your own purpose, coun_cell


me for the beste: and the rather doe it faithfullye, and carefully, for
that, in all things I attribute so much to your iudgement, that I am euer_more
content to adnihilate mine own determinations, in respecte thereof.
And indeede for your selfe to, it sitteth with you now, to call your wits
and senses togither, (which are alwaies at call) when occasion is so fairely
offered of Estimation and Preferment. For, whiles the yron is hote, it is
good striking, and minds of Nobles varie, as their Estates. Verum ne
quid durins.
   I pray you bethinke you well hereof, good Maister G. and fortwith
write me those two or three special points and caueats for the nonce,
De quibus in superioribus illis mellitissimis, longissimisque Litteris tuis.
Your desire to heare of my late beeing with hir Maiestie, muste dye in
it selfe. As for the twoo worthy Gentlemen, Master Sidney, and Master
Dyer, they haue me, I thanke them, in some vse of familiarity: of whom,
and to whome, what speache passeth for youre credite and Estimation,
I leaue your selfe to conceiue, hauing alwayes so well conceiued of my
vnfained affection, and zeale towardes you. And nowe they haue pro_claimed
in their Title, a generall surceasing and silence of balde
Rymers, and also of the verie beste to: in steade whereof, they haue by
authoritie of their whole Senate, prescribed certaine Lawes and rules of
Quantities of English Sillables, for English Verse: hauing had thereof
already greate practise, and drawen mee to their faction. Newe Bookes
I heare of none, but only of one, that writing a certaine Booke, called
The Schoole of Abuse, and dedicating it to Maister Sidney, was for hys
labor scorned: if at leaste it be in the goodnesse of that nature to scorne.
Suche follie is it, not to regarde aforehande the inclination and qualitie
of him, to whome wee dedicate our Bookes. suche mighte I happily
incurre, entituling My Slomber, and the other Pamphlets, vnto his honor.
I meant them rather to Maister Dyer. But I am, of late, more in loue
wyth my Englishe Versifying, than with ryming: whyche I should haue
done long since, if I would then haue followed your councell. Sed te
solum iam tum suspicabur cum Aschamo sapere: nunc Aulam video egre_gios
alere Poetas Anglicos. Maister E.K. hartily desireth to be com_mended
vnto your Worshippe: of whome, what accompte he maketh,


youre selfe shall hereafter perceiue, by hys paynefull and dutifull Verses
of your selfe.
   Thus muche was written at Westminster yesternight: but comming this
morning, beeyng the sixteenth of October, to Mystresse Kerkes, to haue
it deliuered to the Carrier, I receyued youre letter, sente me the laste
weeke: whereby I perceiue you otherwhiles continue your old exercise of
Versifying in English: whych  glorie I had now thought should haue
bene onely ours heere at London, and the Court.
   Truste me, your Verses I like passingly well, and enuye your hidden
paines in this kinde, or rather maligne, and grudge at your selfe, that
woulde not once imparte so muche to me. But once, or twice, you make
a breache in Maister Drants Rules: quod tamen condonabimus tanto
Poe<trema>tae, tuaeque ipsius maximae in his rebus autoritati. You shall see
when we meete in London, (whiche, when it shall be, certifye vs) howe
fast I haue followed after you, in that Course: beware, leste in time I
ouertake you. Verutamen te solu`m sequar, (vt saepenumero` sum pro_fessus,)
nunquam sane` assequar, dum viuam. And nowe requite I you
with the like, not with the verye beste, but with the verye shortest, namely
with a few Iambickes: I dare warrant, they be precisely perfect for the
feete (as you can easily iudge) and varie not one inch from the Rule.
I will imparte yours to Maister Sidney, and Maister Dyer, at my nexte
going to the Courte. I praye you, keepe mine close to your selfe, or your
verie entire friendes, Maister Preston, Maister still, and the reste.

Iambicum trimetrum
VNhappie Verse, the witnesse of my vnhappie state,
   Make thy selfe fluttering wings of thy fast flying
   Thought, and fly forth vnto my Loue, whersoeuer she be:
Whether lying reastlesse in heauy bedde, or else
   Sitting so cheerelesse at the cheerfull boorde, or else
   Playing alone carelesse on hir heauenlie Virginals.
If in Bed, tell hir, that my eyes can take no reste:
   If at Boorde, tell hir, that my mouth can eate no meate:
   If at hir Virginals, tel hir, I can heare no mirth.
Asked why? say: Waking Loue suffereth no sleepe:


Plura vellem per Charites, sed non licet per Musas.
Vale, Vale plurimum, Mi amabilissime Harueie, meo cordi, meorum
omnium longe charissime.

I was minded also to haue sent you some English Verses: or Rymes,
for a farewell: but by my Troth, I have no spare time in the world, to
thinke on such Toyes, that you knowe will demaind a freer head, than
mine is presently. I beseeche you by all your Curtesies, and Graces, let
me be answered, ere I goe: which will be, (I hope I feare, I thinke) the
nexte weeke, if I can be dispatched of my Lorde. I goe thither, as sent by
him, and maintained most what of him: and there am to employ my time,
my body, my minde, to his Honours seruice. Thus with many superhartie
Commendations, and Recommendations to your selfe, and all my friendes
with you, I ende my last Farewell, not thinking any more to write vnto
you, before I goe: and withall committing to your faithfull Credence the
eternall Memorie of our euerlasting friendship, the inuiolable Memorie
of our vnspotted friendshippe, the sacred Memorie of our vowed friend_ship
: which I beseech you Continue with vsuall writings, as you may,
and of all things let me heare some Newes from you. As gentle M. Sidney,
I thanke his good Worship, hath required of me, and so promised to doe
againe. Qui monet, vt facias, quod iam facis, you knowe the rest. You
may alwayes send them most safely to me by Mistresse Kerke, and by none
other. So once againe, and yet once more, Farewell most hartily, mine
owne good Master H. and loue me, as I loue you, and thinke vpon poore
Immerito, as he thinketh vppon you.
               Leycester House. This .5. of October .1579.

                                 Per mare, per terras,
                                 Viuus, mortuusque,
                                 Tuus Immerito.



|51.__Edmund_Spenser_(1580),_pp._15-17.


To my long approued and singular
good frende, Master G.H.

  |<b> Good Master H. I doubt not but you haue some
       great important matter in hande, which al this while
       restraineth youre Penne, and wonted readinesse in
       prouoking me vnto that, wherein your selfe nowe
       faulte. If there bee any such thing in hatching,
       I pray you hartily, lette vs knowe, before al the
       worlde see it. But if happly you dwell altogither in
Iustinians Courte, and giue your selfe to be deuoured of secreate Studies,
as of all likelyhood you doe: yet at least imparte some your olde, or newe,
Latine, or Englishe, Eloquent and Gallant Poesies to vs, from whose eyes,
you saye you keepe in a manner nothing hidden. Little newes is here
stirred: but that olde greate matter still depending. His Honoure neuer
better. I thinke the Earthquake was also there wyth you (which I would
gladly learne) as it was here with vs: ouerthrowing diuers old buildings,
and peeces of Churches. Sure verye straunge to be hearde of in these
Countries, and yet I heare some saye (I know not howe truely) that they
haue knowne the like before in their dayes. Sed quid vobis videtur magnis


Philosophis? I like your late Englishe Hexameters so exceedingly well,
that I also enure my Penne sometime in that kinde: whyche I fynd indeede,
as I haue heard you often defende in worde, neither so harde, nor so
harshe, that it will easily and fairely, yeelde it selfe to oure Moother
tongue. For the onely, or chiefest hardnesse, whych seemeth, is in the
Accente: whyche sometime gapeth, and as it were yawneth ilfauouredly,
comming shorte of that it should, and sometime exceeding the measure
of the Number, as in Carpenter, the middle sillable being vsed shorte in
speache, when it shall be read long in Verse, seemeth like a lame Gosling,
that draweth one legge after hir: and Heauen, beeing vsed shorte as one
sillable, when it is in Verse, stretched out with a Diastole, is like a lame
Dogge that holdes up one legge. But it is to be wonne with Custome,
and rough words must be subdued with Vse. For, why a Gods name may
not we, as else the Greekes, haue the kingdome of oure owne Language,
and measure our Accentes, by the sounde, reseruing the Quantitie to the
Verse? Loe here I let you see my old vse of toying in rymes, turned
into your artificial straightnesse of Verse, by this Tetrasticon. I beseech
you tell me your fancie, without parcialitie.

   See yee the blindefoulded pretie God, that feathered Archer,
    Of Louers Miseries which maketh his bloodie Game?
   Wote ye why, his Moother with a Veale hath coouered his Face?
    Trust me, least he my Looue happely chaunce to beholde.

Seeme they comparable to those two, which I translated you ex tempore
in bed, the last time we lay togither in Westminster?

   That which I eate, did I ioy, and that which I greedily gorged,
    As for those many goodly matters leaft I for others.

   I would hartily wish, you would either send me the Rules and Precepts
of Arte, which you obserue in Quantities, or else followe mine, that
M. Philip Sidney gaue me, being the very same which M. Drant deuised,
but enlarged with M. Sidneys own iudgement, and augmented with my
Obseruations, that we might both accorde and agree in one: leaste we
ouerthrowe one an other, and be ouerthrown of the rest. Truste me, you
will hardly beleeue what greate good liking and estimation Maister Dyer


had of youre Satyricall Verses, and I, since the viewe thereof, hauing
before of my selfe had speciall liking of Englishe Versifying, am euen
nowe aboute to giue you some token, what, and howe well therein I am
able to doe: for to tell you trueth, I minde shortely at conuenient leysure,
to sette forth a Booke in this kinde, whyche I entitle, Epithalamion
Thamesis, whyche Booke I dare vndertake wil be very profitable for the
knowledge, and rare for the Inuention, and manner of handling. For in
setting forth the marriage of the Thames: I shewe his first beginning,
and offspring, and all the Countrey, that he passeth thorough, and also
describe all the Riuers throughout Englande, whyche came to this Wed_ding,
and their righte names, and right passage, etc. A worke beleeue
me, of much labour, wherein notwithstanding Master Holinshed hath
muche furthered and aduantaged me, who therein hath bestowed singular
paines, in searching oute their firste heades, and sourses: and also in
tracing, and dogging oute all their Course, til they fall into the Sea.

                  O Tite, siquid, ego,
                  Ecquid erit pretij?

   But of that more hereafter. Nowe, my Dreames, and dying Pellicane,
being fully finished (as I partelye signified in my laste Letters) and pre_sentlye
to bee imprinted, I wil in hand forthwith with my Faery Queene,
whyche I praye you hartily send me with al expedition: and your frendly
Letters, and long expected Iudgement wythal, whyche let not be shorte,
but in all pointes suche, as you ordinarilye vse, and I extraordinarily
desire. Multum vale. Westminster. Quarto Nonas Aprilis 1580. Sed,
amab te, Meum Corculum tibi se ex animo commendat plurimm: iamdiu
mirata, te nihil ad literas suas responsi dedisse. Vide quaeso, ne id tibi
Capitale sit: Mihi cert qidem erit, nwque tibi hercle impun, vt opinor,
Iterum vale, et qum voles saep.
                                    Yours alwayes to commaunde
                                              IMMERITO.



|52.__The_Earl_of_Leycester_to_Mr._Secretary_Walsyngham
|(1585),_pp._5-7.

|27th_September,_1585.

       Sir,
   I have this night, at j a clok, received your letter, which doth
signyfie that her majesties pleasure ys, I shuld stey my prepera_tions
untyll I doe speake with her. I wyll lett you knowe how
farr I have gonne, and than I shall obey hir majesties command_ment,
being knowen from you, for stey of the rest, and to undoe
of that ys donn, as hir wyll shalbe.
   First; uppon hir first order geven, both from hir self and also
confirmyd further by your letters by hir majesties comandment, I
dyspached, betwene Thursday night and yesternight iiij a cloke,
above ij=c= lettres to my servaunts, and sondry my frends, to prepare
themselves, according to the order I had my self, with all the
spede the could possible, to serve hir majestie, under me, in the
Low Countreys. I am sure there be a c of these alredy delyvered,
and the rest wylbe before I can revoke them; having apointed
the xviij. and xx. of the next month for ther repayr hether with


all ther furnyture. I have since, and before I cam my self to the
Tower, taken upp both armours and stele saddelles, as many as
must cost me a good pece of money. I have sett in hand sondry
furnytures also for my self. I have taken upp ij or iij vessells to
carry away presently certen provissions, as bear and other neces_saryes,
which must be ther before me.
   And, lastly, that I am most sorry for, the states that were at
court cam hether to me this morning by ix a cloke, and spent ij
owres with me, touching my dyspach, in so much as they werr
reddy to knele to me for to make what hast for my none arryvall
on the other syde that I could possibly, yea by all perswasions
pressing me that I wold not stey tyll my full preparations werr
made, and my companyes, but to be knowen once to be aryved at
Mydelborow, or Flushing, with such as may sonest be reddy, for
by that meanes I shuld be the cause of stey of greter matters
than wold be wyshed thorow longer delay, for they said, it was
very long alredy. They offerd me with all, that many things
shuld be ther made reddy to receave me, even so sone as yf I
went within vj days I shuld be prepared for. I did, hereuppon,
tell them what streyt comandment I had received from hir
majestie to hast me over, and what good wyll they shuld now
fynd in me to performe the same. We agreed that I shuld send
som servant of myne to have ther lettres over to se all things
made ther reddy for me, yf I shuld followe within 14 or 15 days;
I dyd so, and sent D. Doyly, whome ye know, who hath ther
lettres, and, except my messenger find him, he ys gonn this
morning tyde before iij a cloke; yet have I, uppon the sight of
your lettre, sent one to seke him and to stey him. This farr
alredy have I proceded. I told the states, also, that I steyd here_about
tyll I shuld prepare for my owne speedyer dyspach.
   Whereuppon this sudden change doth groe, M=r= secretary, I


can not imagin, nether wyll I meddell withall, but must obey her
majesties pleasure yf she have determyned any alteration, which
I desyer to hear from you, for yf I com to the court yt must more
easyly breake out, as yt wyll notwithstanding, and I can but greve
at the myserable estate of the pore aflycted; as for my owne, hit
must be as the potters vessell, &c.
   For that I know this forenoon some of the estates wyll com
ageyn to me about this cause, I wylbe absent somwhear tyll after
none, by which tyme I wyll hope to receive further dyrectyon
from you, which God grant to be best for her majesties own
servyce and hir realme, by whose wysdom and government we are
all lyke ether to stand or faule. Thus in much hast, praing you to
excuse the imperfectyon of yt, being scrybled in my bed this Mon_day
morning almost ij a clok.
                                  Your assured frend,
                                              R. Leycester.
      Addressed.
To the right honourable
   M=r= secreatary Walsingham,
                    hast, hast,
                       hast.



|53.__The_Earl_of_Leicester_to_Lord_Burghley_(1585),_pp._21-24.
|5th_December_1585.


   My very good lord, I am sorry I could not take my leave of
you before my departure, but I hard, which I am sorry for, that


your lordships paines encreaced after my going from the court,
and dyd lett your intended coming to London; but seing that
oportunyty taken away, I have thought yt my parte to byd your
lordship fare well by these few lynes, whearin I shall wyshe your
lordship perfect health, and many yeares to serve hir majesty,
comending you for the same to the mightye protectyon of the
Lord.
   My good lord, I may not, having this occasion, be unmyndfull
of these thinges also, which I did think at my leave taking to
have remembred to your lordship, albeyt I know the care you
always have of hir majesties good servyces. Your lordship can
not but remember the cause for which hit hath pleased hir
majesty to send me into the Low Countreyes. Hit was not only
by your lordshp, but by the hole nombre of councellors agreed
uppon, how mete and necessary hit was for hir highnes to yeld
ayd and assistance for the relyfe of those aflicted countreys, her
neghbours and most auncyent frendes: hit hath grown synce to
nerer termes and resolucyons, aswell by hir majesties own wordes
of comfort to them, as by contractes sett down betwen hir and
them, by hir majesties comyssioners apointed for the purpose. I
trust, my good lord, now that I have taken this voyage uppon me
to serve hir majestie as she hath commanded, your lordship will
be myndfull of me, poore man, but of the cause comytted now to
my delinge chifely.
   Albeyt I have no mystrust but in so great absence, and such a
servyce, I might greatly relye uppon your partyculer good wyll
and regard of my self, but in this case I desier no respect nor
regard of me, but of the cause, wich I besech you, my lord, I
may at this farewell recomend to your wysdome and great care.
Hit cannott be but whatsoever lack shall happen to me in this
servyce, but the want must turn to hir majestie; and, as ther can


no good, or honor, fall to this actyon, but yt must be wholy to the
prayse and honour of hir majestie, so whatsoever disgrace or
dyshonor shall happen (growing for lacke of our good main_tenaunce
) but yt wyll redownde to hir majestie also. Hir majestie,
I se, my Lord, often tymes doth fall into myslyke of this cause,
and sondrye opinions yt may brede in hir with all, but I trust in
the Lord, seing hir highnes hath thus farr resolvyd and groen also
to this farr executyon as she hath, and that myne and other
mennes pore lyves and substances are adventured for hir sake, and
by hir comaundement, that she wyll fortefie and mainteyn hir
owen actyon to the full performance of that she hath agreed on.
Than shall ther be no dowbt, but assured hope, of all good
success, to the glorye of God and perpetuall honour to hir maj_estie.

   My good lord, you may conceave my meaning without more
wordes used to you, and the rather for that I desiered Mr. secre_tary
to imparte a lettre to yow I wrote to him. I besech your
lordship have this cause even to your hart, as yt doth appear yow
have donn by consentynge to the adventure of your eldeth sonne
in this servyce; for this I must say to you, yf hir majesty fayle
with such suplye and maintenance as shalbe fytt, all she hath
donn hetherto wylbe utterly lost and cast away, and wee hir pore
subiectes no better than abiectes. And, good my Lord, for my
last, have me only thus farr in your care, that in these thinges
which hir Majesty and yow all have agreed and confirmed for me
to doe, that I be not made a metamorphocys, that I shall not
know what to doe.
   And so the Lord have you in his keping, preserve hir majestie
for ever, and send me good spede in this servyce. in som hast
this 5th of December, on my way to the sey syde;
                                 by your lordships assured frend,
                                                     R Leycester.

   My lord, no man feleth comfort but they that have cause of


grefe, and no men have so much nede of relyfe and comfort
as those that goe in these dowbtfull servyces. I pray you, my
lord, help us to be kept in comfort, for we wyll hazard our lyves
for yt.
     Addressed.
To the right honourable
   my very good lord, the
   lord Burley, lord treasurer
   of England.



|54.__The_Earl_of_Leicester_to_Mr._Secretary_Walsyngham.
|(1585),_pp._46-49.
|31st_December,_1585.


   Mr secretary, I cam hether to the Hay, uppon Monday last,
whear I was very honorably receaved, all the states being assem_bled
together for that purpose, to make as much shew as they
could devyse of their good wylles to hir majesty, as in many ora_tions,
pagentes, and such lyke, was expressed, besyde the people
with great joye cryed, " God save the quene, God save the
quene," in every place of the stretes as I passed.
   The next day all the hole states generall cam to me, and ther
openly ageyn ther chauncelor Leonius (some call him Longonius)
made a longe oratyon in thankes and prayses to the quenes ma_jesty
for hir great clemency, bounty, and goodnes, shewyd to
these porre aflycted countreys; attrybuting all their good and hap_pines,
under God, to hir majesty only. As sone as he had donn
than cam comyssioners from partyculer provinces, as from Utrycht,
Geldars, and Fresland, besides sondry spetyall towens, as Anster_dam,
Leydon, Auchuson, and others, all which must nedes use
ther gratulacion, with oratyons, as the other dede, and much to
the same effect all with thankes and prayse to hir majesty.


   At all this cerymony-doing was ther a French secretary, sent
hether v or vj [days] before with lettres from the king. He sayd
yt was about merchantes matters, but in dede contrary, only to
have impeached, yf he could, this bynding themselves to hir
majesty as they doe. But the states gave him no audyence all
the while, alleaging they were occupied about the servyce of the
quene of Englond, which they wold dyspach before all princes in
the world. This fellow, being present at all this solemne dealing
with me, tooke yt in such snuffe as he came prowdly to the states,
and offred his letters, saing: "Now I trust you have donn all your
sacrafyces to the quene of Englond, and may yeld me some ley_sure
to rede my masters letters." They so shooke him upp, and
with such termes, naming hir majesty in skorn, as they tooke yt,
as they hurld him his letters, and bidd him content himself,
they wold first dischardge all the least dewtyes whatsoever to hir
majesty before they wold hear him. So they have every day synce
sett about the contract with hir majesty, spetyally how to gyve
me answere for hir full satysfaction touching ther abyllytye to
maynteyn ther warrs, whearin I hear credybly hir majesty shalbe
well satysfied, and further then any of us looked for. And both
roundlye and frankley they goe to worke, that ye shall se they
wyll doe indede more than ever they promysed, considering her
majesties denyall [of] the souerauntye and name of protector.
For they meane, and must doe it, for the hole people wyll have
yt, that hir majesty shall have in hir handes the hole bestowing
aswell of ther money and contrybucions as of ther men of warr;
and the desire no longer hir good favour to them than they shall
deall in all sincerytye with hir. Wherein yt apperes that all the
comyssioners have wonderfully sett fourth her majesty to them
all here, and Paull Buys hath donn his parte thorowly, so hath
Walk also. And all thinges alredy [are carried on] with the most
unyversall obedyence of hir majestys name that ever I sawe. And


flatly yt apperes now, they wyll no other authorytye but under
hir majesty, nor that heir treasure nor lyves shalbe at the dys_posing
of any but hir majesty, which, yf you saw that we se here,
ye would wonder at [what] these people doe, and ar able to doe,
and yf god had not moved hir majesty to send when she dyd,
the prince of Parma had byn by this tyme in the best and greatest
tounes they have; but ye sahll hear others in this and not me.
   And as I wrote before how hir majestyes dealinges here ar
alredy blowen into Germany, so this day the elector brought me
letters agayn newly com there, whereby they wryte most honor_ably
of hir majesty, and the duke of Sax geues much better eye
than he did, synce his wyfes death, and lyke to marry ageyn with
the hows of Hanalt, a great protestant and a great howse. He
hath sent to speak with Seiguro, and very lyke to joyn with the
other princes, who ar agreed, not only to send a messenger to the
French king, but to lett him now, that they will com to the ayd
of the king of Navare, who ys most iniuiously delt withall
by the practyce of the pope and king of Spayn. The ellector
vowede to me that they have donn more in these  causes within
this xx dayes, synce they understood of her majesties resolucyon
agaynst the king of Spayn, aswell by Sir Francis Drakes going
into the indyes as her sending into these countreys, than they
have don this x yeres, or wold have don this twelmonths yet. God
send hir majesty to think of his mercyfull dealinges accordingly.
The king of Denmark also hath joyned and encouraged greatly
these princes. Hit ys told me by the elector that dyvers of them
meane to send hether to me, to contragulate hir majestyes gra_cious
doings toward his countrey.
   I have no other nuesytull these states have fully ended ther
consultacions, which wylbe to morrow, as I hear, and wholy, with_out
contradyctyon, to be at the devotyon and dispocyon of hir


majesty absolutly. Of this ye shall hear as sone as I shall know
ther further answere. Two of our men of warr of Flushing hath
taken ij Dunkirk men; one sonk and drouned all the souldyers
and maryners. Thus fare ye well, sir, this last of December.
                                      Your assured frend,
                                           R. Leycester.
   Hit ys sayd that the princes ar resolvyd to entreate Cassymere
to be generall, and shall have xxv=m= men levyed by the princes to
goe with him into France.



|55.__The_Earl_of_Leicester_to_Mr._Secretary_Walsyngham.
|(1586),_pp._64/65.
|15th_January_1585-6.

   Mr secretary, as you shall shortly hear of our hole proceedinges
by Mr. Davyson, so must I entreat you most ernestly, even as the
well doing of my poore servyce here may be tendred, but spetyally
for the honor and servyce of hir majestie, that you wyll be meanes
that there may be a good quantytye of money sent over, as ther ys
behind of the hole some her majestie dyd sett done, as I take yt,
above lxx=m= li. So you wyll procure, as much as in [you] may lye,
that the most parte may be sent over. Hit shalbe the worst, and
the most, she shalbe charged with, but, at the beginning, xx=m= li.
shall stand in more stead than xl=m=li. iiij monthys hence, and I am
well perswaded, as you shall see at Mr Davysons coming, that they
here have good meanes to maynteyn ther warrs, and when we
make reconing at home of a defencyble warr, hit must be so de_fencyble,
as we must be able to have always vj or vij=m= men, horse
and footemen, to frunt the enymye, who, all this hard wether, hath
gon from place to place with iiij=m= footemen and xv=c= horse, and at
this day he kepes the fyld, and hath putt in danger iij or iiij townes
of great importance, as Brabee, Wenloe, Vianna, and Bomeley, as
also now he ys come uppon Zeland syde, and wyll doe what he
can to Lylle and Lyskinshook, whear ther hath byn much decay
of soldyer, but ther ys doing all that ys possible for defence, for
otherwyse we ar no way able to resist them, which they know,


and doth make them presume the more at this tyme. But the
states have agreed, and doe find ther ys no remedy, but we must
erect a camp to brydell this lyberty of the enymye, or ells he wyll
kepe a warr this xx yere, and make us all wery, and, this way
being taken, I warrant ye we wyll shortly wery him as well, and
yet never hazard any battell, which he wyll be as loth to come to
as we.
   I am in hope of an enterpryse to tak place shortly which ye
wylbe gladd to hear of. God send yt to fall out as I looke for,
and that ye may provyde us spedyly with a good some of money,
being all one to hir majestie, and I wyll undertake she shall com
to no furder chardge whatsoever. I wyll help to ease hir, before
the end, of a  good parte of this, yf she doe but contynew hir fa_vour
and good countenaunce to this cause only, as I trust she wyll,
or elles she knoweth not the lacke she wyll fynd of the frendshipp
of these countreys. As, uppon my honour and truth to you, they
were almost utterly gonn yf I had not aryved when I dyd.
   Thus, referring ye for the rest to Mr. Davyson at his coming, I
wyll take my leave, protestyng my hole care and endeavour his to
doe hir majestie acceptable servyce, or elles God not to lett me
lyve, yf otherwyse yt shuld be. In much hast this xv. of Januery,
                                   Your assured frend,
                                              R. Leycester.

    |Addressed.
To my very honorable good frend
sir Francis Walsingham knight,
principall secretrye to her majesty.



|56.__Howard_to_Burghley_(1587),_pp._23/24.
|December_22.


   My very good Lord: -- I now remain aboard the
Bear; and as yet the provisions for the ships could
not be taken all in by reason of the weather, which
hath been so tempestuous as that no boats could lie
aboard them to put in the same; yet I hope that
within two or three days all things will be in a
readiness.
   Here is a very sufficient and able company of
sailors as ever were seen; and because their long
journeys out of all places of this realm, and this bad
season, makes them unprovided of apparel and such
necessaries, it were good for their relief to pay them
one month's wages before hand.
   Many great charges extraordinary hath grown
this quarter, which I could  hardly have believed
unless with mine own eyes and good examination I
had seen. Wherefore in respect of those causes, and
for the furtherance of service, I am to entreat your
good Lordship to give order that the rest of the
warrant lately granted for the whole navy may be
paid to Mr Hawkyns, and 2.000l. more upon the old
warrant of 29.000l. for the furnishing of those extra_ordinary
charges, wherein your Lordship shall further
a good service.


   We have entered into sea victuals this day, being
the 22nd of this instant December, and not before,
for the preserving of the six weeks' victuals. And
Mr. Quarles hath sent down divers supplies more
than allowance--for the numbers were great before
we entered into the six weeks' victuals. Wherefore
I pray your Lordship that he may be paid the  rest
of his allowed warrant, and that consideration for the
rest which I spake to your Lordship for heretofore.
And so I bid your good lordship most heartily fare_well.
From aboard the Bear, the 22d of December,
1587.
           Your Lordship's most assured
                    loving friend to command,
                                      C. Howard.



|57.__Howard_to_Burghley_(1587),_pp._25/26.
|December_24.


   My honourable good Lord: -- I do understand by
Mr. Csar how much I am bound unto your Lord_ship
for your honourable favour. I have no ways to
recompense it but with my love and service, which
your Lordship shall be most assured ever of.
   It may be there hath been some report made to
your lorship of some chance that happened here,
before my coming down, by fire in  one of the ships;
and because I do understand that it is reported that
it should be done by Ascott, I do assure your Lord_ship


it was after this manner. There were two poor
knaves that came from Westchester that strived for
a place to hang up their netting for to lie in, and the
one of them had a piece of a candle in his hand, and
in strving, the candle fell down where there lay
some oakum. It might have bred some mischief,
but it was quickly put out. It was in the Elizabeth
Bonaventure; but I hope to make them a warning
to otheres to beware.
   I am bold to send you by this bearer, my man,
the copy of a  proclamation which I have drawn and
proclaimed in my own ship, and shall be this day and
to-morrow proclaimed in the rest. I am but a bad
drawer of a proclamation, but it shall serve, I hope
for to prevent some ill that might happen.
   My good Lord, this bearer, my man, shall always
attend at the court, and shall attend on your Lord_ship
always to know your pleasure, if you will com_mand
him anything unto me. And so, resting
always most beholden unto your Lordship and most
ready to do your Lordship any service, I humbly
take my leave. Aboard her Majesty's good ship the
White Bear, the 24th of December 1587.
      Your Lordship's most assured to command
                                      C. Howard.



|58.__Howard_to_Burghley (1587),_pp._45/46.
|January_23.


   My honourable and good Lord: -- I have received
your Lordship's favourable letter, and am much
bound unto your Lordship for your Lordship's
favours. I would to God your Lordship's health
and strength were answerable to your mind; then I
am sure this company here with me should be happy
to see your Lordship here.
   My Lord, on Wednesday last I went to Harwich
to see the town and the haven, which I had not seen
this 27 years. My Lord, it is a place to be made
much of, for the haven hath not his fellow in all
respects  not in this realm, and specially as long as
we have such enemies so near us as they be in the
Low Countries, and not more assured than we are
of Scotland. My Lord, we can bring all the ships
that her Majesty hath, aground there in 3 springs.
I know not that we can do so in any place else but
here at Chatham. That which is a-doing above the
town will be to very good purpose for any sudden
[attack], and for my part I wish it were as strong as
Flushing.
   I received a letter from my Lord Cobham, of an
enterprise that is sent down to burn all such ships of
her Majesty's as shall ride before the Rammekens
or thereabouts. I received this letter as I was half
the way comng homewards from Harwich. I
presently sent away a pinnace, with John Wynter in
her, your Lordship's servant, and did send the
advertisement unto Sir William Russell, with a letter


of my own; and likewise I did write unto the
captains of her Majesty's ships, with certain in_structions,
which, if the device be attempted, I
believe you shall hear they shall smart for their
device. There is two ships and a pinnace: their
victuals cometh out about an eight days hence, so
that then they will come away. In the meantime,
if nothing be done already, I doubt not but they
shall safely come away. My good Lord, God send
you ever well to do: and so I bid your Lordship
most heartily farewell. From aboard the Bear, the
23rd of January, 1587.
   Your Lordship's most assured always to command,
                                     C. Howard.



|59.__Howard_to_Walsyngham_(1587),_pp._46-48.
|January_24.


   Sir:--I most humbly thank you for your letters.
I cannot tell what to think of my brother Stafford's
advertisement; for if it be true that the King of
Spain's forces be dissolved, I would not wish the
Queen's Majesty to be at this charges that she is
at; but if it be but a device, knowing that a little
thing maketh  us too careless, then I know not what
may come of it. But this I am sure of ; if her
Majesty would have spent but a 1,000 crowns to
have had some intelligence, it would have saved
her twenty times as much. Assure yourself he
knoweth what we do here; and if the army be or
do dissolve, it is the preparation that her Majesty


hath made that is the cause; for he cannot abide
this heat that is provided for him. He did never
think that he would thus have provided for his
coming, but that the number of false alarums that
he hath given her Majesty would have made her to
have taken no alarum, and so to have had the
vantage; and the chopping up of his friends here I
am sure he doth not like; and if they be up, I wish
they should continue so till there be a good peace,
which I pray to God to send us.
   Sir, if your next advertisements do assure the
dissolving of the army in Spain, then it were good
we did so here; yet if the Duke of Parma continue
his, and that there be any doubt of anything
intended for Scotland, put but three or four more
ships to them in the Narrow Seas and I dare assure
you it shall beat any power he shall be able to make,
and impeach him of any attempt in Scotland; and
I will take upon me the service myself; for I assure
you it doth grieve me to see her majesty at more
charges than is needful, and this charge will not be
great. I would fain keep the Narrow Seas three
or four months; I persuade myself I shall do some
service.
   Upon your next advertisement, as the cause upon
that shall require, I will write to you, Sir, my good
friend, my opinion, and then you may use it as you
shall think best. And so I pray you to write me
frankly; for I do assure you I will take it kindly
and friendly at your hands, and think myself much
beholden unto you for it; for I may sometimes,
upon a good conceit in my opinion, make such a
journey as I did now to Harwich; and yet it may
not be so well taken there; but I know no cause


why it should be but well taken. I do assure you,
on my honour, it cost not the Queen's Majesty one
halfpenny, nor shall not, when I make any such
journey. I will rather spend myself one hundred
pounds than to spend her one penny. Thus, good
Mr. Secretary I am bold with you, as my special
good friend; and so bid you most heartily farewell,
and God send you health and strength. From the
Bear, the 24th of January.
                 Your assured loving friend to use,
                                         C. Howard.



|60.__Howard_to_Walsyngham_(1587),_pp._48-50.
|January_27.


   Sir: I most heartily thank you for your letter
and for your advertisements. If it were not for you
I should live in a dead place for hearing of any_thing.

   Touching Sir Francis Drake, I have likewise
received a letter from him with the like advertise_ment.
There happened a mischance in one of his
ships at Portsmouth, that a piece broke and killed a
man, with some other hurt. If you would write a
word or two unto him to spare his powder, it would
do well.
   Sir, I send you herewith enclosed all the copies
of the letters from my Lord Chamberlain again,
which I most heartily thank you for, and I pray to
God the Scottish King do deceive me, but I am
afeared he will not. For my own part, I have made
of the French King, the Scottish King, and the


King of spain, a Trinity that I mean never to trust
to be saved by; and I would others were, in that, of
my opinion.
   Sir, there was never, since England was England,
such a stratagem and mask made to deceive Eng_land
withal as this is of the treaty of peace. I pray
God we have not cause to remember one thing that
was made of the Scots by the Englishmen; that we
do not curse for this a long grey beard with a white
head, witless, that will make all the world think us
heartless. You know whom I mean.
   I have received a letter from Sir Henry Palmer,
that there is at Dunkirk divers hoys and lighters,
that be filled with ballast and great stones, surely
[means] for the stopping of some haven. I will
have a watch on them.
   I pray you, Sir, send me word when you think
the Commissioners will be sent over, that I may
have all things ready for them; and I pray you let
me know if any go in Sir Amyas Poulet's place;
for if he be able to go himself, if I may know of it,
I will have especial care of him, that he may go at
ease.


   Sir, if there be at any time any matter of
importance wherein I may do any service there with
you, I can be quickly there and here again.
   I pray you, Sir, let it be thought on, as you see
cause upon your advertisements, it will ask a good
time to furnish our fleet again with men as they
were. I do not look to see it ever bettered. I
pray God it be as well when there shall be cause.
And so giving you most hearty thanks for your
most friendly dealing with me in all causes, and
your friendly remembrance, I bid you most heartily
farewell. From aboard her Majesty's good ship the
White Bear, the 27th of January, 1587.
                         Your assured loving friend,
                                           C. HOWARD.



|61.__Howard_to Walsyngham_(1587),_pp._50-52.
|January_28.


   Sir: -- I had forgotten in my last letter to answer
the matter you did write in touching Captain
Morgan, my man. If he had been here I would
have sent him unto you; but he is extreme sick at
London, and, as I do understand, in some danger;
which I am very  sorry for, for he is a tall gentle_man.
He hath the charge of all my soldiers in my
ship, and hath done his duty very well. I hope he
will answer all honestly and well.
   Sir, if the Commissioners be once gone over
and that there be a surcease of arms, it shall be but
folly and to no purpose for me to lie here. I think
both I and the noblemen, leaving sufficient lieu_tenants
in our ships, and the officers, as Sir W.


Wynter, Mr. Hawkyns and Mr. Borough, remain
here with the navy will be sufficient; for before
these ships can have their full number of men again
it will be a month to gather them, do what we can.
And I pray to God we have them when we shall
need; for many are gone abroad, and specially the
chiefest men; God send me to see such a company
together again when need is. I protest it before
God I write not this to you because I am weary
with being here; for if it were not for her Majesty's
presence I had rather live in the company of these
noble ships than in any place. And yet would I be
glad that there were something to do. I am more
sorrier for the noblemen than any ways for myself;
for I would have them save, to spend when need
shall be. I do assure you they live here bountifully,
and it will be hard finding of such noblemen as
these be, so well affected to this service and that
will love the sea so well as they do.
   Sir, if you think that my continuing here with
the navy serve to good purpose, I shall like well of
it; but methinks if there be a surcease of arms, then
my lying here will make a jest to many, and they
have reason. I think it will be a most fittest time
to ground our ships in, for now, at our coming out,
it was you know on such a sudden as we could not
ground but two or three of the middle sort, so as the
great ships were not grounded. I have, with the
advice of the officers and masters, thought good to
begin with some the next spring, and so in a three
springs dispatch them all, and have them all in most
excellent order by the midst of March, all save the


men; and I doubt not but the ships shall prove
some notable liars, and if cause fall out, do a better
day of service for England than ever ships did for it
yet. But this assure yourself if the forces of Spain
do come before the midst of April, there will be as
much ado to have men to furnish us, as ever was;
but men must have, or else the ships will do no
good. God knows it is but a bare sight to see us
now to that it was, and I would not wish any to take
the pains to come to see us till  we are newly sup_plied,
when cause shall be. Sir, God send you well
to do, and continuance of your health, and so I bid
you most heartily farewell. From aboard her
Majesty's good ship the Bear, the 28th of January.
                 Your assured loving friend,
                                   C. HOWARD.



|62.__Howard_to_Burghley_(1587),_pp._79/80.
|February_21.


   My honourable and good Lord: -- I have received
your letter even as I was weighing to go out; and
for the first part, I am most heartily to give your
Lordship thanks for your honourable favour. I will
acknowledge it with all my love, and ready to do
you any service.
   For Mr. Hawkyns' bargain: he is presently to
repair to the Court, where he shall be best able to
answer in his own defence; but this much I will say
to your Lordship: I have been aboard of every
ship that goeth out with me, and in every place
where any may creep, and I do thank God that they
be in the estate they be in; and there is never a one
of them that knows what a leak means. I have known
when an Admiral of England hath gone out, and two
ships in fleet could not say so. There is none that
goeth out now but I durst go to the Rio de la Plata
in her; and yet the Mary Rose and the Swallow
be with me, who  were ships in the King's Majesty's
her father's time. And therefore I dare presume


greatly that those that have been made in her
Majesty's time be very good and serviceable, and
shall prove them arrant liars that have reported the
contrary. And I thank God her Majesty, I hope,
may be well assured of their goodness; yet every_thing
hath his time, and must be helped as need
requireth.
   My Lord, I had no meaning to carry away all
the officers. I have none with me but Sir W.
Wynter. I leave Mr. Hawkyns and Mr. Borough
behind to wait on your Lordship, and to put the
four great ships in readiness, which we shall greatly
need if the Spanish forces come out. And so, my
Lord, having no more leisure to write at large,
being under sail, I bid your Lordship most heartily
farewell. the 21st of February, at 12 o'clock the
afternoon.
   Your Lordship's most assured to command,
                                      C. HOWARD.



|63.__Sir_F._Drake_to_the_Queen_(1588),_p._68.
|August_8.


   The absence of my Lord Admiral, most gracious
Sovereign, hath emboldened me to put my pen to
the paper. On Friday last, upon good consideration,
we left the army of Spain so far to the northwards
as they could neither recover England nor Scotland.
And within three days after, we were entertained
with a great storm, considering the time of the year;
the which storm, in many of your judgments, hath
not a little annoyed the enemy's army. If the wind
hinder it not, I think they are forced to Denmark;
and that for divers causes. Certain it is that many
of their people were sick, and not a few killed.
Their ships, sails, ropes, and masts needeth great
reparations, for that they had all felt of your
Majesty's force. If your Majesty thought it meet,
it [would not be] amiss you sent presently to Den_mark
to understand the truth, and to deal with their
King according to your Majesty's great wisdom.
   I have not written this whereby your Majesty
should diminish any of your forces. Your Highness's
enemies are many; yet God hath and will hear
your Majesty's prayers, putting your hand to the
plough for the defence of his truth, as your Majesty
hath begun. God, for his christ's sake, bless your
sacred Majesty, now and ever. Written aboard your
Majesty's very good ship the Revenge, this 8th of
August, 1588.
                   Your Majesty's faithful vassal,
                                        FRA. DRAKE.



|64.__Drake_to_Walsyngham_(1588b),_pp._97-100.
|August_10.


   Most Honourable: -- The army of Spain I think
certainly to be put either with Norway or Denmark.
There are divers causes which moveth me so to
think. The first, we understand by divers prisoners
which we have taken, that generally, through all
their whole fleet, there was no one ship free of sick
people. Secondly, their ships, masts, sails and
ropes were very much decayed and spoiled by our


great shot. Thirdly, at Calais, by fire, we forced
them to cut many of their cables, whereby they lost
many of their anchors, which of necessity they must
seek to supply. Further, if they had had none of
these former great causes of distress, yet the winds
and storm, with the wind westerly, as it was, hath
forced them thither. And I assure myself that
whensoever her Majesty shall hear of their arrival
in any of these coasts, that her Highness shall be
advertised both of their great distress and of no
small loss amongst them; for I assure your Honour,
her Majesty's good ships felt much of that storm,
and lost many of their boats and pinnaces, with
some anchors and cables; yet were we fair by our
own shore and the wind right off the land.
   Some amongst us will not let to say that they
are in Scotland. I cannot think so, for that we had
no wind whereby they were able to recover any
place of the mainland of Scotland; without it were
some of the out isles, which are no meet places to
relieve their so many great wants. Norway, or the
out isles of Scotland, can relieve them but with
water and a few cows, or bad beef, and some small
quantity of goats and hens, which is to them as
nothing. And yet these bad reliefs are to be had
but in few places, and their roads dangerous.
   The only thing which is to be looked for is, that
if they should go to the King of Denmark, and
there have his friendship and help for all their re_liefs,
none can better help their wants in all these
parts than he; for that he is a Prince of great
shipping, and can best supply his wants which now
the Duke of Medina the Sidonia standeth in need
of, as great anchors, cables, masts, ropes and victuals;
and what the King of Spain's hot crowns will do in


cold countries for mariners and men, I leave to your
good Lordship, which can best judge thereof.
   We left a pinnace of her Majesty's, the Advice,
and a fine caravel of my own to attend the fleet of
Spain, when we left them; but what is become of
them [in] that great storm, or whether they may be
stayed in any other country, as they may, I know
not. My poor opinion is, that it were most meet to
send a good ship and some fine bark, with some
very sufficient person, to deal effectually from her
Majesty with the King of Denmark, as he shall find
the cause to require; and to send the true report
back with all speed possible, that they may be the
better prevented; for no doubt but that which they
are able to do they will presently put it in execution.
The winter will overtake them else in those parts.
If they stay in the sound this winter, I hope many
of the Spaniards will seek Spain by land.
   The Prince of Parma, I take him to be as a bear
robbed of her whelps; and no doubt but, being so
great a soldier as he is, that he will presently, if he
may, undertake some great matter; for his rest will
stand now thereupon. It is for certain that the
Duke of sidonia standeth somewhat jealous of him,
and the Spaniards begin to hate him, their honour
being touched so near; many of their lives spent--I
assure your Honour not so little as five thousand
men less than when first we saw them near Ply_mouth
--divers of their ships sunk and taken; and
they have nothing to say for themselves in excuse,
but that they came to the place appointed, which
was at Calais, and there stayed the Duke of Parma's
coming above 24 hours, yea, and until they were
fired thence.
   So this is my poor conclusion. If we may re_cover
near Dunkirk this night or to-morrow morn_ing,


so as their power may see us returned from the
chase, and ready to encounter them if they once
sally, that the next news you shall hear will be the
one to mutiny against the other; which when that
shall come to pass, or whether they mutiny or no,
let us all, with one consent, both high and low,
magnify and praise our most gracious and merciful
God for his infinite and unspeakable goodness to_wards
us; which I protest to your good Lordships
that my belief is that our most gracious Sovereign,
her poor subjects, and the Church of God hath
opened the heavens in divers places, and pierced
the ears of our most merciful father, unto whom, in
Christ Jesu, be all honour and glory. so be it;
Amen, Amen.
   Written with much haste, for that we are ready
to set sail to prevent the Duke of Parma this
southerly wind, if it please God; for truly my poor
opinion is that we should have a great eye unto him.
From her Majesty's very good ship the Revenge,
this 10th of August, 1588.
        Your Honour's faithfully to be
                        commanded always,
                                         FRA. DRAKE.

   For that we were very near to set sail, I most
humbly beseech your Honour to pardon my pen, for
that I am forced to write the very copy of that letter
which I have sent to my Lord Chancellor. Since
the writing hereof, I have spoken with an English_man
which came from Dunkirk yesterday, who saith
upon his life there is no fear of the fleet. Yet would
I willingly see it.    Your Honour's ever,
                                      FRA. DRAKE.



|65.__Drake_to_Walsyngham_(1588),_p._101.
|August_11.


    Most Honourable: -- The sudden sending for of
my very good Lord, my Lord Admiral, hath caused
me to scribble these few lines. First most humbly
beseeching your Honour to deliver this letter unto
her Majesty as a testification of my Lord Amiral's
most honourable using of me in this action, where
it hath pleased his good Lordship to accept of that
which I have sometimes spoken, and commended
that little service which I was able, much better
than in either of them both I was able to deserve.
Wherein, if I have not performed as much as was
looked for, yet I persuade myself his good Lordship
will confess I have been dutiful.
   Touching any other causes that either hath been
done or is to be done, let me pray pardon of your
Honour, for I assure your Honour that my Lord
Admiral hath so sufficiently instructed himself daily,
as I faithfully believe his good Lordship will
thoroughly satisfy her Majesty and your Honours
what is now best to be done. Thus humbly taking
my leave, I beseech God to bless the work of her
Majesty's hands always. Written aboard her
Majesty's good ship the Revenge, at midnight, this
11th of August, 1588.
   Your Honour's faithfully to be commanded,
                                     FRA. DRAKE.



|66.__Drake_to_Walsyngham_(1588),_pp._146-149.
|August_23.


   Right Honourable: -- The uncertainty of the
reports which daily come unto us out of Calais,
Dunkirk, Ostend, Flushing, from my Lord of Hun_tingdon,
Scotland, and such ships and pinnaces
which have been sent out for discovery by my Lord
Admiral, make me rather to rest upon mine own


conjecture than upon any of them, they disagreeing
so much as they do; the one affirming that the
Duke of Sidonia, with his fleet, is coming back again,
that the Duke of Parma is marching presently to
embark to be conducted by him; the other affirm_ing
that it is for certain that the fleet of Spain is
past without Scotland for their way homewards.
Which reports are quite contrary.
   My poor opinion is, that if their fleet chance to
return, it is altogether for that the wind will not
permit them good passage to go about the other way
at this time of the year, because it is most subject to
westerly winds. This wind that now bloweth, if it
be not more easterly there than it is here, could
hardly permit such a fleet, for that they shall feel a
great wind, for to set sail to pass on the back side [of]
Scotland and Ireland, which may be the cause that of
necessity they must be forced this way for Spain.
   Farther, my judgment [is] that the Duke of
Sidonia, [with] his fleet, shall [needs] jump with fair
weather, the highest of a spring, [with] good wind,
and the Duke of Parma embarKing all in one day.
This were very meet for them; for if any one of these
fail them, they shall never perform as much as they
have promised to the King, their master. My
reason is this. The most part of the ships of the
Duke of Parma are small, and, being pestered with
men of war, must of necessity have fair weather; and
-- as I am credibly given to understand -- they must
have a spring to bring their shipping both out of
Dunkirk, Nieuport, and Sluys.
   Now, for the Duke of medina his fleet, there is
[no] harbour for them upon that coast, so that to
stir it requireth fair weather; which, when it happen
that we should find there, he is like, God will_ing,
to have unquiet rest. And yet, with my consent,


we ought much more to  have regard unto the Duke
of Parma and his soldiers than to the Duke of
Sidonia and his ships, for that our sands will take a
strong party with us against his great ships, under
water. My poor opinion is that the Duke of Parma
should be vigilantly looked upon for these 20 days,
although the army of Spain return not this way; for
of them I have no great doubt, although there be
great cause for us all to watch carefully and defend
mightily those many and proud enemies which seek
to supplant the most honourable crown of England
from our most gracious Sovereign, whom God de_fend,
as he hath most graciously done for his great
mercy's sake.
   I would advertise your Honour of some defects
in her Majesty's army, but that my very good Lord,
the Lord Admiral, hath written unto your Honour
thereof at large.
   This is my poor opinion of her Majesty's [army],
that the [threatening] of the enemy will put a great
part of [their] weakness from her Majesty's good
subjects, and no doubt but they will fight valiantly.
although  I [find] my Lord Admiral well affected,
when fair weather [is], to go for the coast of Flanders,
yet I would your Honour should animate us for_ward;
for there are many causes that might move
us to be there more than we are, and much better
for us, and better service. Thus humbly taking
my leave of your Honour, I rest desiring God to
give us all grace to live in his fear, so shall we not
need greatly to fear the enemy. From aboard her
Majesty's very good ship the Revenge, this 23rd of
August, 1588.
   Your Honour's most willing to be commanded,
                                    FRA. DRAKE.


   I have sent to your Honour a copy, Englished,
out of a letter sent from Don Pedro de Valdes to the
[King his master], which doth deliver the time of
their victualling, and of some discontentment which
was between the Duke and him.
   Let me humbly beseech your Honour that we
may be put in mind here that it were good we saw
the coast of Flanders as often as we might. I think
it one of the best services we can have in hand. It
must be known I have written thus much to your
Honour. God bless us all, and give us grace to
fear his justice.
   I crave pardon. I have no time to read that
which I have caused to be written.
                        Your Honour's faithfully,
                                         FRA. DRAKE.



|67.__Greene_(1592),_pp._59-62.

   To those Gentlemen his quondam acquaintance, that spend their wits in
making playes, R. G. wisheth a better exercise, and wisedome to preuent his
extremities.
   If wofull experience may mooue you, gentlemen, to beware, or vnheard-of
wretchednes intreat you to take heed, I doubt not but you will look backe with
sorrow on your time past, and endeuour with repentance to spend that which is to
come. Wonder not (for with thee will I first beginne), thou famous gracer
of tragedians, that Green who hath said with thee, like the foole in his heart,
"There is no God", should now giue glorie vnto his greatnesse; for penetrating
in his power, his hand lyes haeuy vpon me, he hath spoken vnto me with a
voyce of thunder,and I haue felt he is a God that can punish enemies. Why
should thy excellent wit, his gift, be so blinded that thou shouldest giue no glory to
the giuer? Is it pestilent Machiuilian policie that thou hast studied; O peevish
follie! what are his rules but meere confused mockeries, able to extirpate in small
time the generation of mankinde? for if sic volo, sic iubeo, holde in those that are able
to commaund, and if it be lawfull fas et nefas, to doo any thing that is beneficiall,
onely turants should possesse the earth, and they, striuing to exceed in tiranny,
should ech to other be a slaughterman, till, the mightyest out-liuing all, one stroke
were left for Death, that in one age mans life should end. The broacher of this
dyabolicall atheisme is dead, and in his life had neuer the felicitie he aymed at, but,
as he beganne in craft, liued in feare, and ended in dispaire. Quam inscrutabilia sunt
Dei iudicia! This murderer of many brethren had his conscience seared like Cayne;
this betrayer of him that gaue his life for him inherited the portion of Judas; this
apostata perished as ill as Julian: and wilt thou, my friend, be his disciple; Looke
vnto mee, by him perswaded to that libertie, and thou shalt finde it an infernall
bondage. I know the least of my demerits merit this miserable death; but wilfull
striuing against knowne truth exceedeth all the terrors of my soule. Deferre not,
with mee, till this last point of extremitie; for little knowest thou how in the end
thou shalt be visited.


   With thee I ioyne young Juuenall, that byting satyrist, that lastly with mee
together writ a comedie. Sweet boy, might I aduise thee, be aduised, and get not
many enemies by bitter words: inueigh against vaine men, for thou canst doo it, no
man better, no man so well; thou hast a libertie to reprooue all and name none:
for one being spoken to, all are offended, - none being blamed, no man is iniuried.
Stop shallow water still running, it will rage; tread on a worme, and it will turne;
then blame not schollers who are vexed with sharpe and bitter lines, if they reprooue
thy too much liberty of reproofe.
   And thou no lesse deseruing then the other two, in some things rarer, in
nothing inferiour, driuen, as myselfe, to extreame shifts, a little haue I to say to
thee; and, were it not an idolatrous oath, I would sweare by sweet S. George, thou
art vnworthy better hap, sith thou dependest on so meane a stay. Base-minded
men all three of you, if by my misery yee bee not warned; for vnto none of you,
like me, sought those burs to cleaue; those puppits, I meane, that speake from our
mouths, those anticks garnisht in our colours. Is it not strange that I to whome
they all haue bin beholding, is it not like that you to whom they all haue
bin beholding, shall, were yee in that case that I am now, be both of
them at once forsaken? Yes, trust them not; for there is an vpstart crow 


beautified with our feathers, that, with his Tygres heart wrapt in a players hyde,
supposes hee is as well able to bombast out a blanke-verse as the best of you; and
beeing an absolute Iohannes-fac-totum, is in his owne conceyt the onely Shake-scene
in a countrey. Oh, that I might intreat your rare wittes to bee imployed in more
profitable courses, and let these apes imitate your past excellence, and neuer more
acquaynte them with your admyred inuentions! I knowe the best husband of you
all will neuer prooue an usurer, and the kindest of them all will neuer prooue a kinde
nurse: yet, whilst you may, seeke your better maisters; for it is pitty men of such
rare wits should bee subiect to the pleasures of such rude groomes.
   In this I might insert two more that both haue writte against these buckram
gentlemen: but let their owne worke serue to witnesse against theyr owne wicked_nesse,
if they perseuer to maintaine any more such peasants. For other new
commers, I leaue them to the mercie of these painted monsters, who, I doubt not,
will driue the best-minded to despise them: for the rest, it skills not though they
make a ieast at them.
   But now returne I again to you three, knowing my miserie is to you no newes;
and let me heartilie intreate you to be warned by my harmes. Delight not, as I
haue done, in irreligious oaths, for from the blasphemers house a curse shall not
depart. Despise drunkennes, which wasteth the wit, and maketh men all equall
vnto beasts. Flie lust, as the deathsman of the soule, and defile not the temple of


the Holy Ghost. Abhorre those epicures whose loose life hath made religion loath_some
to your eares; and when they sooth you with tearms of mastership, remember
Robert Greene, whome they haue often so flattered, perishes now for want of comfort.
Remember, gentlemen, your liues are like so many light tapers, that are with care
deliuered to all of you to maintaine: these with wind-puft wrath may be ex_tinguished_,
with drunkennesse put out, with negligence let fall; for mans time of
itselfe is not so short but it is more shortened by sinne. The fire of my life is now
at the last snuffe, and the want of wherewith to sustaine it, there is no substance for
life to feed on. Trust not, then, I beseech yee, left to such weake stayes; for they
are as changeable in minde as in many attires. Well, my hand is tyred, and I am
forst to leaue where I would beginne; for a whole booke cannot contain their
wrongs, which I am forst to knit up in some few lines of wordes.
      Desirous that you should liue, though himselfe be dying,
                                                       ROBERT GREEENE.



|68.__Greene_to_his_wife_(1592),_pp._62/63.

      A Letter written to his wife, found with this booke after his death.

   The remembrance of many wrongs offered thee, and thy vnreprooued vertues,
adde greater sorrow to my miserable state then I can vtter or thou conceiue.
Neyther is it lessened by consideration of thy absence (though shame would let mee
hardly behold thy face), but exceedingly aggrauated for that I cannot (as I ought) to
thy owne selfe reconcile myselfe, that thou mightest witnesse my inward woe at this
instant, that haue made thee a wofull wife fo so long a time. But equal haeuen
hath denied that comfort, giuing, at my last neede, like succour as I haue sought all
my life: being in this extremitie as voyde of helpe as thou has beene of hope.
Reason would that, after so long waste, I should not send thee a childe to bring thee
greater charge: but consider hee is the fruite of thy wombe, in whose face regard not
the fathers so much as thy owne perfections. Hee is yet Greene, and may grow
strait, if he be carefully tended: otherwise apt enough (I feare me) to follow his
fathers folly. That I haue offended thee highly, I know; that thou canst forgette


my iniuries, I hardly beleeue: yet perswade I my selfe, if thou saw my wretched
estate, thou couldest not but lament it; nay, certainely I know thou wouldest. All
my wrongs muster themselues about me; euery euill at once plagues me. For my
contempt of God I am contemned of men; for my swearing and forswearing no man
will beleeue me; for my gluttony I suffer hunger; for my drunkennes, thirst; for
my adulterie, vlcerous sores. Thus God hath cast mee downe, that I might bee
humbled, and punished me for example of others sinne; and although he suffers me
in this world to perish without succour, yet trust I in the world to come to find
mercy, by the merits of my Sauiour, to whom I commend thee and commit my soule.
                         Thy repentant husband
                                for his disloyaltie,
                                          Robert Greene.

|end_of_corpus_letter16
܀   F                 ;  `  b  d                                                                
              K  ~                                                                  
    A  w        F  |                                                                  
    S        "  X                                                                    
  2  b            ,  b                                                                
    	  9	  o	  	  	  
  E
  x
  
                                                              

  
    S          H  {                                                                
      0
  d
  
  
    !  V                                                                
          %  Y  y                                                                    
  P        -  c        7                                                              
7  n        A  w      
  ?                                                              
?  t      
  B  v        J                                                              
J  L  N          R                                                                    
  	  9  i        :  n                                                                  
  
  @  u        K  |                                                                  
    N          !  #  Y                                                                
      &  ]        3  g  ~                                                              
~         G   y         !  N!  !                                                              
!  !  !  $"  ["  "  "  "  6#  m#  #                                                              
#  #  	$  $  
$  F$  {$  $  $  %  R%                                                              
R%  %  %  %  &  P&  &  &  &  *'  c'                                                              
c'  '  '  '  (  H(  z(  (  (  )  M)                                                              
M)  _)  )  )  *  7*  k*  *  *  +  E+                                                              
E+  s+  u+  w+  +  +  ,  F,  w,  ,  ,                                                              
,  -  ?-  p-  -  -  .  C.  t.  .  .                                                              
.  /  D/  x/  /  /  0  90  h0  0  0                                                              
0  0  41  d1  1  1  2  :2  l2  2  2                                                              
2  2  2  3  C3  u3  3  3  4  B4  m4                                                              
m4  4  4  5  >5  q5  5  5  5  5  6                                                              
6  6  6  6   6  I6  K6  6  6  y 6  y 6                                                              <
6  37  x7  7  7  ?8  x8  8  8  09  v9                                                              <
v9  x9  z9  9  9  <:  v:  :  :  7;  y;                                                              <
y;  ;  ;  7<  v<  <  <  7=  z=  =  =                                                              <
=  9>  z>  >  >  >   ?  D?  s?  ?  ?                                                              <
?  ?  ?  ?  
@  @  K@  q@  s@  @  @                                                              <
@  5A  {A  A  A  8B  rB  B  B  2C  qC                                                              <
qC  C  C  3D  sD  D  D  E  DE  ~E  E                                                              <
E  E  E  E  E  E  F  F  [F  F  F                                                              <
F  G  ^G  G  G  H  SH  H  H  I  NI                                                              <
NI  I  I  J  @J  hJ  J  J  J  J  J                                                              <
J   K  K  :K  <K  |K  K  K  BL  L  L                                                              <
L  L  -M  oM  qM  sM  uM  M  M  M  
N                                                              <

N  N  LN  N  N  O  TO  O  O  P  `P                                                              <
`P  P  P  &Q  dQ  Q  Q  Q  Q  R  ER                                                              <
ER  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  !S  #S  fS                                                              <
fS  S  S  "T  eT  T  T  +U  kU  U  U                                                              <
U  +V  fV  V  V  "W  bW  W  W  #X  iX                                                              <
iX  X  X  %Y  hY  Y  Y  (Z  rZ  tZ  vZ                                                              <
vZ  Z  Z  8[  o[  [  [  [  $\  b\  d\                                                              <
d\  f\  h\  \  \  \  \  ]  O]  ]  ]                                                              <
]  
^  L^  ^  ^  _  W_  _  _  `  ^`                                                              <
^`  `  `  a  a  a  a  @a  Ba  a  a                                                              <
a  a  a  0b  sb  b  b  ;c  c  c  c                                                              <
c  8d  yd  d  e  :e  ~e  e  e  =f  f                                                              <
f  f  f  g  g  g  g  Mg  Og  g  g                                                              <
g  g  g  g  0h  2h  4h  kh  h  h   i                                                              <
 i  3i  di  i  i  i  -j  [j  j  j  j                                                              <
j  $k  Xk  k  k  k  'l  ]l  l  l  l                                                              <
l  'm  Um  m  m  m  m  m   n  n  Pn                                                              <
Pn  Rn  n  n  n  n  n  n  n  o  ;o                                                              <
;o  =o  _o  o  o  o  -p  \p  p  p  p                                                              <
p  )q  ]q  q  q  q  #r  *r  \r  lr  r                                                              <
r  r  r  r  r  r  r  s  3s  5s  [s                                                              <
[s  ]s  s  s  s  #t  Vt  t  t  t  u                                                              <
u  Vu  u  u  u  +v  [v  v  v  v  2w                                                              <
2w  cw  w  w  w  w  x  7x  jx  x  x                                                              <
x  y  6y  ly  y  y  z  z  Kz  ~z  z                                                              <
z  z  {  C{  y{  {  {  {  {  |  C|                                                              <
C|  w|  |  |  |  |  }  }  }  }  G}                                                              <
G}  I}  u}  }  }  }  }  ~  O~  ~  ~                                                              <
~  ~    H  y            E                                                              <
E  x    ܀  
  =  p    Ӂ    7                                                              <
7  k        )  ^        *                                                              <
*  W        -  \        Å                                                              <
Å    +  S            .  0                                                              <
0  2  4  Z  \          ԇ                                                                <
  ;  m    ҈    :  n    Љ                                                                <
  8  l    Ҋ      >  u  w                                                                <
                  M                                                                <
        J  |        H  }                                                              <
}        G  |        M  }                                                              <
}             T        "                                                              <
"  Q        #  W        ,                                                              <
,  a                   ,                                                              <
,  .  Z  ~      Õ    '  Y                                                                <
      "  U           V                                                                <
      (  R  u    Й  ҙ                                                                  <
        .  T  V  X    Ӛ                                                                <
  Y  [  ]      #  f      ,                                                              <
,  n      -  m      %  f                                                                <
    (  j          ڠ  ܠ  ޠ                                                              <
ޠ      ,  l  n  p      -  m                                                              <
m      '  h      (  D    ͤ                                                              <
ͤ    H    Υ    Z    ݦ    V                                                              <
V    ڧ    4  t  v  x      L                                                              <
L  U    ܩ    Z      '  h                                                                <
    5  o      :  w      ;                                                              <
;  y      <  }       A                                                                  <
    F  H  J    Ʊ    N  n                                                                <
    :  z      ?    ô    .                                                              <
.  0  2  4  f        µ                                                                  <
  1  }        .  p      ,                                                              <
,  n      *  m      .  r                                                                <
    =        >    ü  ż  Ǽ                                                              <
Ǽ    <  ~      F  s      /                                                              <
/  y      9  p      7                                                                  <
    %  e          &  a                                                                <
    #  a        \                                                                    <
  Y        #  e        R                                                              <
R        P        S                                                                  <
    P            X                                                                  <
    a        b        G                                                              <
G        X        V                                                                  <
    K  ~                                                                            <
  2  4  6  ^          B  D                                                              <
D  F      
  K        )  k                                                              <
k        
      @  j  l                                                                <
      "  f      .  n                                                                  <
  /  u          >  ~                                                                   <
   I          W        a                                                              <
a  k      6  c      )  m                                                                <
    6  x      '  h      +                                                              <
+  l          5  t      6                                                              <
6  v      :  w      F                                                                  <
    Q  x      ;  w      *                                                              <
*  i      '  l          -                                                              <
-  `                   "                                                              <
"  W            2  c                                                                  <
    E  ~      %  a                                                                    <
  (  Z            <  >  @                                                              <
@  B  v  x  z  t   t   t   t U  t   t                                                               <  n	    t   t 5  t l  t   t   t   t   t   t                                                               <  n	  Z  t   t   t   t 5  t m  t   t   t   t                                                               <  n	  C  t ~  t   t   t    t Z  t   t   t   t                                                               <  n	  6  t X  t Z  t \  t   t   t   t 3  t j  t                                                               <  n	j    t   t   t D  t y  t   t   t   t O  t                                                               <  n	O    t   t   t   t   t "  t W  t   t   t                                                               <  n	    t 3  t i  t   t   t   t ;  t t  t   t                                                               <  n	    t   t   t "  t X  t   t   t  t ; t                                                               <  n	; n t  t  t  t M t  t  t  t ) t                                                               <  n	) ^ t  t  t  t  t B t v t  t  t                                                               <  n	  t  t ! t # t d f h                                                                 <  n	  % ]    ? u                                                                n
   ! T    	 M	 	                                                              n
	 	 	 %
 W
 
 
 
 . g                                                               n
  	 = t     !
 T
                                                              n
T
 
 
 
 4 f    H |                                                              n
|    [    1 : <                                                              n
< > r    T }   !                                                              n
! V    . _    :                                                              n
: o      J Q                                                                n
   A C E G                                                                  n
  + i   * e   )                                                              n
) m   ) X    S U                                                              n
U W    S    Q                                                               n
   G   	  I      	!                                                              n
	! ! 
! J! ! ! " E" " " #                                                              n
# J# v# # # 7$ w$ $ $ 8% u%                                                              n
u% % % 4& g& & & &' f' ' '                                                              n
' (( m( ( ( 2) u) ) ) 4* s*                                                              n
s* * * * * * 
+ %+ '+ )+ k+                                                              n
k+ + + 1, o, , , 3- u- - -                                                              n
- 1. t. . . 9/ y/ / / =0 0                                                              n
0 0 0 >1 1 1 2 O2 2 2 3                                                              n
3 3 3 \3 3 3 4 \4 4 4 *5                                                              n
*5 k5 5 5 <6 6 6 7 T7 7 7                                                              n
7 8 `8 8 8 )9 f9 9 9 5: x:                                                              n
x: : : <; e; ; ; ; < B< D<                                                              n
D< F< H< < < < < = U= = =                                                              n
= "> ]> > > > > *? l? ? ?                                                              n
? 5@ {@ @ @ CA A A B QB B                                                              n
B B C YC C C "D cD D D /E                                                              n
/E rE E E <F wF F F ?G G G                                                              n
G H KH H H I I I _I I I                                                              n
I +J lJ J J 4K vK K K =L {L                                                              n
{L L M FM M M N [N N N -O                                                              n
-O nO O O 3P xP P P >Q Q Q                                                              n
Q R FR R R S FS HS JS S S                                                              n
S T VT T T U UU U U #V gV                                                              n
gV V V 0W sW W W ?X ~X X Y                                                              n
Y HY Y Y Z VZ Z Z '[ b[ [                                                              n
[ [ 3\ w\ \ \ >] z] |] ~] ]                                                              n
] ^ H^ ^ ^ _ R_ _ _ ` [`                                                              n
[` ` ` &a ha a a 2b Nb yb b                                                              n
b b b >c c c c c c c d                                                              n
d Id d d e Re e e f %f ef                                                              n
ef f f .g mg g g $h eh h h                                                              n
h +i bi i i i i ;j uj j j                                                              n
j =k k k l Fl l l m &m em                                                              n
em m m &n jn n n 
o Qo o o                                                              n
o p cp p p ,q nq q q &r lr                                                              n
lr r r )s +s -s ss s s  t ft                                                              n
ft t t 0u vu u u Dv v v w                                                              n
w Uw w w x ^x x x /y sy y                                                              n
y y !z jz z z 7{ x{ { { <|                                                              n
<| | | | | } J} X} } } }                                                              n
} } } ~ J~ L~ ~ ~  ]                                                               n
   _   * m   8                                                              n
8 {    A                                                                   n
    " $ _ |    ل                                                              n
ل  _   ' n                                                                  n
 ?  Ç  K    H                                                               n
    % h     U                                                              n
U  Ƌ ȋ ʋ ̋    ^                                                               n
  $ h   2 u   B                                                              n
B  ȏ  O  Ր  c                                                                n
 & c   * k   + k                                                              n
k    Ĕ Ɣ   $ & (                                                              n
( e   ( j   ( j                                                               n
  2 p   2 u   E                                                              n
E   ښ ܚ      6 T                                                              n
T n p   6 w   < }                                                              n
}   F  ʞ    Y                                                               n
 ݟ ! c   % b   -                                                              n
- m   1 |   8 {                                                               n
  A  ĥ  M  Ϧ  U                                                              n
U    ާ   ^  ߨ   _                                                              n
_   + X                                                                    n
  , L m o   2 s                                                               n
  < w   8  Į  F                                                              n
F  ȯ  J  ԰  [  ޱ                                                              n
ޱ " c  ڲ 
  5 Y                                                                n
     Ƴ ȳ  @                                                                n
  > |   2 r   '                                                              n
' d  ݷ  X    ٸ                                                               n
 R  ͹  E  ú   9 q                                                              n
q   & _  ׼  A s                                                               n
   
    0 F W Y                                                              n
Y [  ׾ 
 E ~   ' e                                                              n
e    T     $ 8                                                              n
8 : < > ^ r                                                                   n
 3 k    _    T                                                              n
T    < v                                                                   n
 $ & ( * N f y { }                                                               n
  ( f    \                                                                 n
   T                                                                     n
  	  H    4 l                                                               n
     W   
 F                                                               n
   * b    P                                                                n
  C    , i                                                                 n
 J    8 r   # \                                                              n
\    F    6 p                                                               n
    ! ^    H                                                               n
   : m    X                                                                n
  $ I K M O s u                                                                n
  7 v  
 G    E                                                              n
E    R    Z                                                                n
    $ & ( P R                                                                n
  
 O    T                                                                 n
 T    [    Z                                                               n
     ]    @ w                                                              n
w y   5 t   = {                                                               n
      * V X                                                                n
     ^    ]                                                                n
 ( f   , k   D                                                               n
   I        "                                                              n
" $ & I K     4 q                                                              n
q   3 u    Q S d                                                              n
d f h j      C ~                                                              n
~   @ |   = y                                                                n
   C    = x                                                                n
 8    J   
 Q                                                               n
   V     I                                                                     n
                % g                                                               n
   Y    Q                                                                 n
   T    X                                                                 n
 X    V    @ r                                                              n
r    	 [	 ]	 _	 a	 	 	                                                              n
	 	 	 	 %
 a
 
 
  X                                                               n
   H     
 S
 U
                                                              n
U
 
 
 
   [ i k m o                                                              n
o     y 
 y G y  y  y  y > y                                                              <
>  y  y  y  y  y ? y | y  y  y 9 y                                                              <
9 | y  y  y - y q y  y  y / y q y  y                                                              <
  y , y h y  y  y  y R y T y                                                                <
  y  y  y   w , w . w 0 w k w                                                                  <<	k  y  y # y b y  y  y  y W y  y  y                                                             <<
  y \ y ^ y ` y  y  y  y Z y  y  y                                                             <<
  y P y  y  y  y F y  y  y   y A y                                                             <<
A  y  y  y ; y x y  y  y *  y f  y   y                                                             <<
    y %! y b! y ! y ! y " y X" y " y " y # y                                                             <<
# D# y # y # y $ y $ y 
$ y G$ y [$ y $ y $ y                                                             <<
$ $ y $  % "% w $% w &% w T% V% p i% n                                                         <<  <<	i% k% y % y % y & y d& y & y & y 	' y F' y ' y                                                             <<
' ' y ( y ?( y ( y ( y ( y 6) y y) y ) y ) y                                                             <<
) 1* y p* y * y * y &+ y c+ y + y + y , y , y                                                             <<
, , y T, y , y , y - y J- y - y - y - y $. y                                                             <<
$. f. y . y . y !/ y b/ y / y / y "0 y c0 y 0 y                                                             <<
0 0 y 1 y ^1 y 1 y 1 y 2 y [2 y 2 y 2 y 3 y                                                             <<
3 X3 y 3 y 3 y 4 y Y4 y 4 y 4 y 4 y 45 y q5 y                                                             <<
q5 5 y 5 y 5 y 5 y 6 y .6 y _6 y 6 y 6 y 6                                                             <<
6 6 6 y 6 y 6 r 7 7 p ?7 p a7 p 7 p                                                           <<  J
<	7 7 y 7 y 7 y -8 y k8 y 8 y 8 y 9 y [9 y 9 y                                                             
<
9 9 y : y j: y : y ; y J; y ; y ; y  < y h< y                                                             
<
h< < y = y P= y = y = y = y = y 2> y > y > y                                                             
<
> ? y `? y ? y ? y ? y E@ y @ y @ y "A y iA y                                                             
<
iA A y A y @B y B y B y C y [C y C y C y 3D y                                                             
<
3D {D y D y E y WE y E y E y ,F y rF y F y G y                                                             
<
G ;G y =G y ?G y G y G y G y +H y uH y H y I y                                                             
<
I 3I y {I y I y 
J y LJ y J y J y *K y wK y K y                                                             
<
K  L y IL y L y L y "M y iM y kM y M y M y M y                                                             
<
M &N y XN y N y N y O y ?O y wO y O y O y O y                                                             
<
O O y #P y =P y ?P y P y P y Q y ZQ y Q y Q y                                                             
<
Q 7R y ~R y R y 
S y WS y S y S y -T y wT y T y                                                             
<
T U y OU y U y U y V y >V y @V y xV y V y V y                                                             
<
V V y V y V y 
W W w W w 3W w MW w OW w                                                                  <<	OW W x W v W v 3X v lX v X v X v /Y v |Y v                                                                 <<	|Y Y y Z y UZ y Z y Z y .[ y w[ y [ y [ y [ y                                                             <
[ \ y Y\ y \ y \ y 1] y x] y ] y ^ y T^ y ^ y                                                             <
^ ^ y 0_ y t_ y _ y ` y I` y ` y ` y ` y a y                                                             <
a ?a y a y a y a y b y >b y @b y b y b y b y                                                             <
b 
c y Pc y c y c y  d y hd y d y d y d y d y                                                             <
d Ee y e y e y f y gf y f y f y ?g y g y g y                                                             <
g h y Vh y h y h y h y i y 9i y ;i y i y i y                                                             <
i j y `j y j y j y 4k y yk y k y l y 3l y sl y                                                             <
sl l y l y l y l y l l  m m r                                                                   <  <m m t 'm r lm r m r m r 3n r nn r n r n r                                                             <<  	n o y [o y o y o y %p y gp y p y p y p y p y                                                              <
p .q y mq y q y q y ;r y Zr y r y r y s y \s y                                                              <
\s s y s y t y ]t y t y t y u y Wu y u y u y                                                              <
u v y Lv y v y v y 	w y Fw y w y w y x y Cx y                                                              <
Cx x y x y x y x y 	y y Ly y y y y y y y 7z y                                                              <
7z yz y z y z y 2{ y v{ y { y { y | y K| y ]| y                                                              <
]| v| y | y | y | y | y | y | y } 1} w                                                                  <<	1} 3} y 5} y t} y } y } y } y } y 6~ y u~ y ~ y                                                             <<
~ ~ y 5 y < y } y  y  y 9 y t y  y  y                                                             <<
 0 y t y  y  y 3 y t y  y  y 6 y K y                                                             <<
K  y ̓ y  y M y  y ˄ y  y  y  y W y                                                             <<
W  y م y  y W y  y ކ y  y ^ y  y ݇ y                                                             <<
݇  y ` y b y  y  y  y a y  y  y # y                                                             <<
# e y  y  y % y c y v y  y  y ) y l y                                                             <<
l  y  y  y  y  y / y n y  y  y ˍ y                                                             <<
ˍ  y  y  y / y 1 y 3 y 5 y o                                                               <<
   t ݎ t # t \ t  t  t  t O t                                                               <  	O  t ѐ t  t M t  t Б t  t Z t  t                                                               <  	 Ӓ t  t  t  t U t  t ד t  t R t                                                               <  	R  t Ք t  t \ t  t  t  t _ t  t                                                               <  	  t " t c t  t  t & t f t  t  t                                                               <  	 $ t f t  t  t + t j t  t  t - t                                                               <  	- / t 1 t q t  t  t 6 t r t  t  t                                                               <  	 3 t s t  t  t 3 t q t  t  t 6 t                                                               <  	6 r t  t  t 0 t o t  t  t 4 t q t                                                               <  	q  t  t  t V t  t ע t ٢ t ۢ t  t                                                               <  	 \ t  t أ t  t M t  t Ԥ t  t  t                                                               <  	  t  t / D [ ]   '                                                               <  	' k   5 v   D  Ȩ                                                              
Ȩ  G  ֩  T  ת                                                                
  T  ګ  Z    &                                                              
& e   2 r   0 t                                                               
  ; s   ð   * ,                                                              
, . 0 ] l n y p y  y ױ y  y A y                                                              <
A r y  y  y  y  y M y  y  y س y  y                                                              <
 ; y m y  y ش y 
 y < y o y  y ݵ y  y                                                              <
  y  y ( y \ y  y  y  y ( y \ y  y                                                              <
 ɷ y  y / y 6 y _ y  y  y ¸ y ĸ y Ƹ y                                                              <
Ƹ  y  y  y  y 9 y l y  y ι y  y . y                                                              <
. _ y  y ˺ y  y  y  y 7 y k y  y ڻ y                                                              <
ڻ  y ; y p y  y  y  y  y S y  y  y                                                              <
  y  y T y  y  y  y  y E y m y  y                                                              <
 ο y п y ҿ y Կ y  y  y  y  y G y w y                                                              <
w  y  y  y ; y W y  y  y  y " y Y y                                                              <
Y  y  y  y # y W y  y  y  y  y 0 y                                                              <
0 h y  y  y  y - y ] y  y  y  y  y                                                              <
  y * y ] y  y  y  y $ y T y  y  y                                                              <
  y  y 5 y 7 y 9 ; j x z w                                                                  <<	z | y  y  y  y L y  y  y  y  y J y                                                             <<
J { y  y  y  y  y  y D y v y  y  y                                                             <<
  y 9 y m y  y  y  y + y _ y  y  y                                                             <<
  y ' y ^ y  y  y  y - y ] y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y 9 y j y  y  y  y 1 y b y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y  y - y ^ y  y  y  y $ y                                                             <<
$ @ y u y  y  y  y  y   w  w                                                                  <<	  y $ y Y y  y  y  y  y ( y ^ y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y 2 y f y  y  y  y  y  y                                                             <<
 1 y g y t y  y  y  y A y s y  y  y                                                             <<
  y 5 y i y  y  y  y  y H y | y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y ! y # y R y  y  y  y  y                                                             <<
 O y  y  y  y  y G y z y  y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y D R w T w V w  w  w                                                                  <<	  y  y N y  y  y  y  y < y s y  y                                                             <<
  y 
 y  y  y > y q y  y  y  y ; y                                                             <<
; l y  y  y  y 9 y l y  y  y  y 8 y                                                             <<
8 i y  y  y  y . y e y  y  y  y 3 y                                                             <<
3 j y  y  y  y : y o y q y s y  y  y                                                             <<
  y H y } y  y  y  y H y  y  y  y                                                             <<
  y F y t y  y  y  y  y                                                                     <<	  y  y  y P y  y  y  y  y . y c y                                                             <<
c  y  y  y + y b y  y  y  y 3 y b y                                                             <<
b  y  y  y  y  y - y c y  y  y  y                                                             <<
  y 2 y ` y  y  y  y & y W y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y * y , y . y 0 y ` l w n w                                                                  <<	n p y  y  y  y ; y p y  y  y  y ? y                                                             <<
? s y  y  y  y ? y r y  y  y  y < y                                                             <<
< q y  y  y  y ; y n y  y  y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y O \ ^ w ` w  w  w                                                                  <<	  y * y \ y  y  y  y  y  y - y b y                                                             <<
b  y  y  y 3 y b y  y  y  y 1 y d y                                                             <<
d  y  y  y % y Z y  y  y  y $ y V y                                                             <<
V  y  y  y  y Q y  y  y  y   y O  y                                                             <<
O    y   y   y   y   y ( y V y  y  y  y                                                             <<
 $ y V y  y  y  y $ y W y  y  y  y                                                             <<
 , y ` y  y  y  y * y _ y  y  y  y                                                             <<
 + y ^ y  y  y  y & y [ y  y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y 5 y f y  y  y 	 y 3	 y f	 y                                                             <<
f	 	 y 	 y 	 y .
 y `
 y 
 y 
 y 
 y  y 5 y                                                             <<
5 j y  y  y  y  y ? y u y w y  y  y                                                             <<
 
 y D
 y {
 y 
 y 
 y 
 y @ y B y D y F y                                                             <<
F q ~  y  y  y  y  y M y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y J y ~ y  y  y  y ; y n y  y                                                             <<
  y  y 6 y g y  y  y  y  y > y p y                                                             <<
p r y t y v y   w  w  w  w  w                                                                  <<	 Q y x y  y  y  y  y  y B y z y  y                                                             <<
  y  y C y f y  y  y  y > y q y  y                                                             <<
  y  y M y  y  y  y  y N y  y  y                                                             <<
  y  y M y  y  y  y  y ? y r y  y                                                             <<
  y  y  y  y F y u y  y  y  y H y                                                             <<
H } y  y  y  y I y ~ y  y  y  y " y                                                             <<
" S y f y  y  y   y :  y m  y   y   y ! y                                                             <<
! 9! y i! y ! y ! y " y 7" y F" y v" y " y " y                                                             <<
" " y " y # y F# y {# y # y # y # y /$ y d$ y                                                             <<
d$ $ y $ y $ y % y +% y ^% y % y % y % y % y                                                             <<
% % % & T& b& & & P' ' '                                                             <<
' <( ( ( )) |) ) ,* * * -+                                                             <<
-+ ~+ + /, , , .- - - &. |.                                                             <<
|. . . . . ;/ / / 50 0 0                                                             <<
0 1 R1 1 1 J2 2 2 A3 3 3                                                             <<
3  4 "4 $4 x4 4 !5 s5 5 6 n6                                                             <<
n6 6 7 X7 7 7 G8 8 8 9 T9                                                             <<
T9 9 9 J: L: N: : : G; ; ;                                                             <<
; ;< < < A= = = "> b> > >                                                             <<
> > > > > +? -? {? ? @ t@                                                             <<
t@ @ A pA A B nB B C cC eC                                                             <<
eC gC C D ZD D D IE E E ?F                                                             <<
?F oF F F F F F F                                                                               <<WA.
4  . > 
     5  J  hU  r  |    ?    l   2 f> Z f w : ͥ   v >a l  _ e ;% {F 	    B 	    A 	    D 	     	    * 	     	   
 6 	    B 	    / 	    ; 	    ? 	    D 	    D 	    4 	     G 	   " A 	   $ B 	   % 5 	   '  	   ( 9 	   , ; 	   5  	   6 B 	   >  	   ? D 	   A > 	   F B   {F    |F          (       07.19.9706.17.97{F 