Cecil Papers: September 1604

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 23, Addenda, 1562-1605. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1973.

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'Cecil Papers: September 1604', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 23, Addenda, 1562-1605, (London, 1973) pp. 179-183. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol23/pp179-183 [accessed 18 March 2024]

September 1604

— to Viscount Cranborne.
[? c. September, 1604]. A privy seal was directed to Sir Thomas Dacres for collecting money towards the preparing of bridges for the King. But since the sum to be levied was not specified in the warrant, it is now requested that it should be named and notified to the Lord Treasurer, "for that there is a want of money to paye poore people". Sir Thomas Dacres's man has been unable to obtain access to Cranborne for the past three days.—Undated.
⅓ p. (P. 1223.)
[See Cal. S.P. Dom., 1603–10, p. 150.]
Thomas Maycrott to — Roppres.
[1604] September 9. He has received a letter from Roppres without a date. "You must be more carefull to write the date as also addresse your letters with more discretion; for I have not receaved the letters youe make mention to have written within these fourten dayes. Addresse your letters by the name accorded of betwene us to the post Mr of Andwerp, so they shal com suerly to me. It was great mervail this last letter came to mine handes. Be circumspect how youe addresse your letters. Youe remember the day accorded betwene us for [symbol]; al was redy that day and so continueth. Therfor ther resteth nothinge but that you cause it presently to be effected, and for ten dayes after the date hereof. Begin when youe will, for all is redy and the soner the better. You remember my frende I named to you. He is ther so that to conclude, dispatche with all speed or els let me hear from youe of the alteration with al spede, for to write to our frende my lord in England at this time is nedeles. He, that spake with youe, is here stil and very shortly is to returne. God send you well to do in hast, this 9th of September according to the newe accompt."
PS. "Your beinge with Le May is discovered to many be reson of your man so often comine; therfore to avoide al danger youe must seake to dispatche with all speede possibell."
PPS. "I receaved an other letter by the name of Le May that was written on Friday last. Since the writing hereof I would be very sory that after so many promises I have under your hande writinge youe should fayle. You knowe what hathe past between us. I will maintaine my word, I looke for the like at your handes, which yf you kepe not youe are utterly undone. I can say more then I wyll wryt, and knewe more when you met Le May then youe thought for. For money I can not hellp youe to any, therfore rest no more upon that point. Peruse my letter well and give me answere with all speede what you will doe, for yf within ten dayes after the date hereof I here not that the matter is effected or that you give me som probable cause of the staye thereof, I meane to deale no further with youe and youe are utterly ruinated. Looke well upon my letter, and so lokinge dayli to heare from you, I end. Addres your letters to Le May at the postMrs, and so the[y] will come safest. I have written here as I wrote to W. Therfore peruse my letter well.
This that followeth was wryten ether with allum or joyse of lemons and onyons.
The 2 . . . is the daye accorded, our men arrived at Olding borge (fn. 1) loking when thenterprise should be done, and they tary still ther with order to execute the enterprise when the captaines and prisoners com thether. I cannot help you with mony til thenterprise be done,. then what is promised shal be performed to all your great advancements. For the love of God use all hast possibell. You knowe I may not kepe the assurance allwayes in my hands, the terme is allmost ended, nor it is not reason that thextraordinary souldiers should continue at the fort, therfore for ten dayes after the date hyerof youe make chose of any of the ten. Al is redy. Yf you do it not in that time, send me worde of the stay for I must give up my assurance, and the souldiers [marginal note: look on the other side and this lyckwise wryten with allum] wil be called for away. I doe not like that youe have hidden your true name from me. I meane plainly, and so I trust you doe. For these reasons, let me here from youe with all speed. I pray you send me worde whether the fort in the newe towne be at our devotion, which must be so or els all is in vayne, for we must be assured that ther is no difficulty yf you meane sincerly. It is very dangerous that so many delayes, as also for the rest. Send me word how I shall addrese my letters to youe and to what place. For to the postmaster ther is somwhat dangerous for youe. I can say no more but ether you are made or undone for ever. Therfore looke to it. For the more speede, yf ther be any trusty souldier let him steale out of the towne although he would come to serve us, and direct him to Don Emanuell the Maistro de Campo, and then you may the soner proceed to the enterprise. But he that cometh from the towne must speake Spanish or French. God send youe wel to do, and let me heare from you with speede. Be carefull to writ your superscriptions plainly. My thinkes yf ther be any extraordinare companyes in the towne, they may be sent forth to spoile the countrey or whosoever are suspected to be against the enterprise, and in the meane time, the[y] being abrode, the enterprise may be done. I can not help you with any more mony, therfore rest not upon that and give me your spedy resolution."—Undated.
Addressed: "A Monsieur Roppres a Midellbourgh." Endorsed: "Intelliginces. Sept. 9 . . . N.S. Tho: Maycrott to Roppres." 3 pp. (98. 152.)
Sir Samuel Bagnall to the King.
[1604, September 10]. In recognition of his services petitioner's father, Sir Ralph Bagnall, was given the manor of Newcastleunder-Lyme, co. Stafford, by the late Queen Elizabeth, for 21 years and the reversion of the lease for a further 31 years. Sir Ralph is now dead and the lease is on the point of expiring. Petitioner asks that, in view of his services during the wars in France, Flanders and Ireland, and the fact that he has "bine at extraordynarie chardgs in all voyages of attempt" without receiving more than his ordinary pay, he be granted a further lease in reversion for as many years as the King shall decide, and at the old rent of £62: 16: 5½.—Undated.
Note by Sir Roger Wilbraham: "At the Courte at Windesor this 10th of September, 1604. It is his Maties pleasure that this petitioner shall attend the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and the Lord Viscount Cranborn, that upon certificate of their Lordships opinion touchinge the convenience of this sute, his Maties pleasure maie be further knowen for the petitioners satisfaction."
1 p. (P. 1503.)
[See H.M.C. Salisbury MSS, Vol. XVI, p. 329.]
Nicholas White to Viscount Cranborne.
[After September 10, 1604]. He is a King's ward, and his complaint to the King concerning the dispute between him and John Itchingham over the Barony of Dunbrody in Ireland was referred to Cranborne and the Earl of Devonshire. In accordance with their directions sent by letter, the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland have taken steps to terminate the controversy. Itchingham, however, has arrived with further information, and petitioner requests that this be not allowed to alter the injunctions sent to Ireland.—Undated.
½ p. (P. 1065.)
[See H.M.C. Salisbury MSS, Vol. XVI, pp. 304–5.]
George Harpur and Henry Humberston to the King.
[Before September 17, 1604]. They are Keepers of the two walks of Hainault and Chapel Hainault in Waltham Forest. The King restored the Earl of Oxford to the custody and charge of the Forest and the Earl, finding many abuses there committed by Anthony Witherings, then Keeper of Chapel Hainault walk, dismissed him and appointed Humberston in his place, the latter being an old servant of the late Queen Elizabeth in Havering Park and reputed for his honesty and efficiency. But encouraged by Sir John Gray, Witherings forcibly ejected Humberston from the walk and persists in staying there, contrary to the orders of the Earl of Nottingham and Viscount Cranborne. Petitioners request that a warrant be directed to Sir Anthony Cooke and Sir Robert Wroth commanding them to remove Witherings from the walk and replace him by Humberston until the Earl of Oxford's right to the nomination of all officers within the Forest be tried in the Court of Wards; and also that they be granted their annual wages of £12 each and any arrears due from the Treasurer of the Chamber, together with the fee wood customarily allowed to keepers in respect of their charges in preserving the King's game.—Undated.
1 p. (P. 1377.)
[See H.M.C. Salisbury MSS, Vol. XVI, p. 310, and Cal. S.P. Dom., 1603–10, p. 187.]
The Deputies for the Hanse Towns to Viscount Cranborne.
1604, September 19. They have learned that the business which they had hoped to terminate expeditiously has been postponed until the following week. The delay is to be regretted for many reasons, although they are still confident of receiving a favourable answer. They urgently request Cranborne to employ his influence and good will to speed the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.—London, 19 September, 1604.
Latin. 1½ pp. (107. 18.)
Nicholas Drake to Viscount Cranborne.
[? After September 20, 1604]. His two brothers, Robert and Humphrey, served the States General in the Low Countries for eight years, the one as Colonel and the other as Sergeant-Major, and were killed at the siege of Ostend. (fn. 2) They bequeathed their money and goods to petitioner, and also the arrears of pay due to them, with which petitioner was to discharge their debts and distribute their legacies. He has already spent three months soliciting the States General for the arrears, but has only met with procrastination. Nevertheless he has paid both debts and legacies in anticipation of the payment of the arrears. He requests Cranborne to write on his behalf to Sir Noel de Caron urging that some expeditious means be found to satisfy petitioner.—Undated.
1 p. (P. 947.)
Thomas Sharpe to the Privy Council.
[After September 29, 1604]. Towards the end of the previous September he was the owner of a bark of 70 tons in the harbour of Dover. Upon the official resumption of trade with Flanders, (fn. 3) he obtained a freight for his ship consigned to that country, and sailed on September 29. Before he could reach his destination he was boarded by Dutchmen from Rotterdam serving under the States General. They not only seized his cargo, but stripped the vessel of its rigging, anchors, sails, etc., so that it became utterly unseaworthy and was finally wrecked on the Flemish coast. Petitioner's losses in ship and cargo amount to £500, in addition to the personal effects of which he and his crew had been robbed. "And lastely, beinge not contented wyth the spoyle of all things, they tooke your poore distressed orator whome they stroke and revyled in most despitefull manner, strippinge him into his shirte and soe forceing him to goe naked to Dunckirke, being two myles distannt from the shipp, not havinge soe much as an hatt on his head or a shoe to treade on." He begs for redress, particularly as he is sure that the Privy Council would never allow one of the King's subjects to be robbed by a nation which is in league with the King and people of England.—Undated.
½ p. (197. 89.)

Footnotes

  • 1. An attempt to betray Aardenburg to the Spanish was defeated in December, 1604. (See PRO, S.P. 84 (Holland), Vol. 64, fol. 232.]
  • 2. The siege of Ostend lasted from July, 1601 to September 20, 1604, when it was surrendered to Spinola.
  • 3. The peace treaty with Spain signed on August 19, 1604, guaranteed freedom of trade between England and Flanders.