Cecil Papers: January 1587

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 3, 1583-1589. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1889.

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'Cecil Papers: January 1587', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 3, 1583-1589, (London, 1889) pp. 211-216. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol3/pp211-216 [accessed 25 March 2024]

January 1587

454. Henry, Earl of Pembroke, to Sir Edward Stradling and William Matthew.
1586/7, Jan. 2. As to the case of the pirate Beere. Commends the execution of justice, but censures their manner of proceeding, as disrespectful to himself and injurious to his authority. Proves their representations to the Council to be dictated by malice.—Baynard's Castle, 2 January 1586.
Copy. The original is in State Papers (Domestic) Elizabeth, CXCVII. No 3.
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455. W. Davison to Lord Burghley.
1586/7, Jan. 2. Would have returned the things he looks for yesterday, but her Majesty had them still by her. Has them now ready, but would be glad to deliver them in person, because he wishes to have a word with him privately. Found her Majesty this evening content to suffer his lordship's new colleagues to have resorted to my Lord Treasurer and Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, or some other of her Council, to see what they would deliver, and to break the ice to their audience with herself, but that course he sees has been changed since his coming away.—2 January 1586.
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456. Bonds of Sir Edward Stafford.
1586/7, Jan. 5. A note of the persons to whom Moody stands bound for his master, Sir Edward Stafford : To Alderman Marten, bonds of 1,000l. for the payment of 500l., the money most of it paid, but the bonds undelivered; one recognizance of 1,000l. to John Mabbe, goldsmith, for the payment of 500l., etc.
Endorsed :—“5 January 1586.”
457. Sir Christopher Hatton and W. Davison to Lord Burghley
1586/7, Jan. 7. Detail the steps they have taken with regard to the examination of Du Trap and Moody, the former of whom volunteered a statement in his own hand, which his lordship will receive this evening.—Ely Place, 7 January 1586.
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458. Lord Chancellor Bromley and Lord Burghley to Henry Ughtred.
1586/7, Jan. 12. Upon hearing of the matter between the Lord Marquis and you, it was found that there was 3,400l. or thereabouts remaining in divers men's hands, for the which you had obligations and bonds, and also that 1,300l. was charged upon yourself for interest, for the which 3,400l. we, with other the Lords Commissioners, addressed our several letters to the debtors, to keep the same in their hands till further orders. Now we be credibly informed that you intend presently to transport yourself into Ireland, minding nothing less than the performance of that which was then by us enjoined. We will therefore and straightly charge you that you do not transport into Ireland such quantity of your proper goods, but that you remain here in England, to be answerable to Her Majesty for the aforesaid sums, and that you presently deliver to Mr. Thomas Fanshaw all those bills and bonds.—This 12th of January 1586.
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459. Lord Burghley's Notes.
1586/7, Jan. 12. Notes in the handwriting of Lord Burghley of the dates of several interviews between Stafford, Moody, Du Trap, and the French Ambassador.
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460. Mary Queen of Scots to Thomas Morgan.
1586/7, Jan. 17. Yesternight late I receaved your letter, dated the 15th of October, wherof I was both gladde and sorrye. Gladde I neane, to have knowledge of your estate, in respect of the long time paste since I harde any certayne newes therof, and sorrye to understande the same continues still as it doth undeserved I doute not. But this shall, I hope, make it endure the lesse, and if it shall lye in me to ende your trouble, or give you any furder comfort, you may be sure I will not fayle to do it. The enclosed letters are for the Duke of Guise and my ambassador, who, upon the receipt therof, I trust will show no less endeavour to helpe you in all they can, then I thinke they have, or at leste should have done already, a many wayes they are bownde. In the meanwhile Du Ruisseau, for whom the third letter is, will cause according thereunto deliver you 200l., and I will provide that in time coming you shall not wante. I praye you continue to kepe yourselfe from medling in anythinge that may redownde to your hurte, and encrease the suspicion alredye conceaved of you in these partes, being sure that you [are] able to cleare yourselfe of all dealing for my service hithertll, that can be layde to your charge.
I thanke you hartelye for this bringer, whome I perceave verye willing to acquite himselfe honestlye of his promise made to you. But, for soch causes as presentye I will not write, I feare his danger of sodayne discovery, my keeper having setled soch an exact and rigorous order in all places where any of my people can goe, as it is very strange if they receave or deliver anythinge which he is not able to know very soon after. Thus, until better and more convenient time, I pray God to comforte you. Of Januarye the 17th, conforme to the ancient computation. At Chartley.
P.S. by Curle.—I can say no more for my part, but yt these many eares there have bene few thinges yt have more greved me than hath done you late and to longe troubles, and do no more but pray God daylye for your deliverance and all hartes desire, as doth my bigge wife and povre sister, your servants all.
Decipher. Another, dated 1585/6, is in Mary Queen of Scots Papers, Vol. XVII. No. 5.
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461. Lord Seton to M. Idriaquez.
1586/7, Jan. 20. Takes the opportunity of presenting his compliments by the bearer, who will report as to the state of the country.—Linlburg, 20 January 1586.
Draft in duplicate.
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462. Mons. Brulart to Mons. de Courcelles.
1586/7, Jan 22./Feb. 1. Quent nous avous reçeu votre letter du dernier de Decembre nous avions bien ja en advis de la dépesche que avoit faicte le Roy d'Escosse de ses ambassadeurs vers la Royne d'Angleterre, mais nous n'avions pas entendu comme les choses se sont passées en ceste délibération ainsi que le contient bien particulièrement votre lettre. En cela l'on recognoist le bon naturel du Roy d'Escosse, lequel ne pouvoit deffaillir à ce besoing à la Royne sa mère sans faire grand tort à sa réputation, et à e qui depend de sa propre conservation, laquelle sera tousjours plus asseurée par la vye de sa mère, qui est poursuivye par tant de sortes de personnes. Je ne vous puys dire rien de particulier de la négotiation de la paix, sinon que nous sommes attendans ce qui s'y pourra conclure de bien, quoy advenant, nous serons bin heureux. Mais le contraire estant, je croy que la guerre se fera plus cruelle que jamais, car les esprits des Catholiques sont fort réveillez, et regardent de près à ce qui touché leur conservation.—Paris, 1 February 1587.
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463. Lady Stafford to Lord Burghley.
1586/7, Jan. 25. Advises him that “her povre sister hath taken such ynward greefe for odious dealinge of her graselesse son William,” that she has refused to deliver the enclosed petition to her Majesty, but has advised her to send it to his lordship to deliver at his leisure, which she prays him to do accordingly.
About twelve years past did most heartily proffer to his lordship the marriage of her son to any of his blood. Now, because her said boy is become a good scholar for 15 years old, means at sometime to present him to his lordship, if it may please him to allow of the match.—Stafford, 25 January 1586.
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Encloses :
Petition from D. Stafford to the Queen, to have the fee-farm of such attainted lands of her house as are in her Majesty's possession, to which she can prove her right by the common laws of the realm.—25 January 1586.
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464. Thomas Windebank to Archibald Douglas.
1586/7, Jan. 25. Sends certain “placards,” which were last night signed by the Lords of the Council.—Greenwich, 25 January 1586.
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465. Sale of Diamonds.
1586/7, Jan. 27. Deed of bargain and sale by Archibald Douglas to John Cottesford, citizen and goldsmith of London, for the sum of 410 pounds, of “One greate square table diamond, full cornerd and without faulte, set in a ring of plaine golde, and one brutche of golde with a cross in the middest of fyve great diamondes, and one and twenty smaller dyamondes sett round about them, in all six and twenty dyamondes.”—27 January 1586.
466. Sir Edward Stradling and William Mathew to Lord Pembroke, Lord President of the Marches.
1586/7, Jan. 27. Excuse themselves in the matter of Beere, a pirate, from the charge of acting maliciously towards him or the Lord Admiral. They have done nothing sine his late advancement which they have not continually used these eight or nine years. Thus they dealt in his father-in-law's time and Lord Lincoln's, certifying their proceedings to the Lords of the Privy Council alone according to their commission. “Another objection toucheth the bailiffs of Cardiff, whom your Lordship doth promise not to defend, but to see them punished if they have contemned : which scruple is easily resolved and determined by point of charter; if thereby it may appear that they are thus enfranched, that they need to bring or send no townsman before any authority from her Majesty any farther than the Town Hall, or that they shall direct and prescribe her Majesty's Commissioners a place to execute their authorities, we will yield and acknowledge our error; which prerogative if the cannot show, then is their contempt unto our authority inexcusable. If they have any such prerogative, hitherunto it was never put in practice. Oftentimes we confess we use the Town Hall, but always by our own accord and assents, and never by their prescription. Mr. Fabian Philipps a few years past used the same authority that we have for the space of three weeks or a month together, but always either in Mr. Hawkins' or John ap Morgan's house in the High Street, at his election. The Queen's Solicitor from the Marches, lately sent by your father-in-law, exercised his authority, but never in the Town Hall, only at Baily Robert ap Jevan's own house. If this had been their first practice and subornation with such pirates, it had been the more tolerable, &c.”—St. Nicholas, 27 January 1586.
pp.
467. “Men to be put in a readiness for Ireland.” [From heading.]
1586/7, Jan. 28. A paper giving the numbers of men to be levied in each county. Total, 2,300.
On the dorse is written :—“The return of the Earl of Leicester is greatly feared by the States. If he return again of [ ] (fn. 1) to be used by them hereafter hath.” [In same hand as the “Memorial” dated 2 February 1586/7.]
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468. J. Constable (of Dundee) to Archibald Douglas.
1586/7, Jan. 28. Finding the bearer to have this voyage to London, I thought good to desire you to be his friend. There is no news here, except that the King remains in good health, and looks for news from you every day. I have desired bearer to look for a pair of pheasants, whatever they cost, and, if he cannot attain to them, your Lordship may take that pains for them also, and I shall do good will to pay them with a pair of falcons.—Dundee, 28 January 1586.
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469. William White (pro Shane Oge) to his cousin Roger Wynstone, at Waterford.
1586/7, Jan. 30. Discoursing of the affairs of Ireland and England with his cousin Shane Fitzgerald, Master Coorke of Clonmel, and one Master Holland, who was the Earl of Arundel's man, he understood from them secretly that Master Coorke should come into England with the next wind, with bulls and dispensations, indulgences and pardons, who hath professed by oath to preach and teach the Catholic faith privily there to such as will draw unto him. He mindeth to lie in one Warr's house in Thames Street, or else in one Corbett's house in Old Fish Street. Doctor Crawghe is already in Minister with bulls and pardons, and mindeth to do the like, and will be most commonly at my Lord of Dunboyne's, my Lord of the Caer, the White Kinght's, Sir Patrick Walshe, and Victor White's of Clonmel, to continue them therein, and to win the people to be ready to help the Spaniards at their coming.
Master Holland will come disfigured and shaven, and hath vowed by oath to kill the Earl of Leicester, the Lord Treasurer, and the Lord Graye, though he lose his life therefore. All this is to be done before the latter end of March next.
Endorsed by Lord Burghley :—“30 Janu. 1586.—Brought by Rosyar,” Attor. in Munster.—Holland, a Prest.”
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470. William Stafford to the Queen.
[1586/7, Jan. —.] May it please your Majesty to weigh my case in equal balance, and so to consider of my estate as probable manifestation touching the destruction of your Majesty's royal person shall show plainly unto [the] world me to be void so much of thought in the practise, but, for your Majesty's service, humbly beseeching you either, at Dover, to detain this French secretary for my clearing, or else to prolong the matter (but mora trahit periculum) to “fette” in as it were in a round the most part of your Majesty's professed enemies here, but rather on the other side.
First, for “D. Trap” [Des Trappes], the Secretary, it shall be proved that he had access unto Modye, and that he brought a letter out of France for him, which as yet is not delivered according unto promise. If he will excuse with any device his coming, it shall be manifestly proved by Modye's examination (if your Majesty will give me leave) that Des Trappes first broke the matter unto him, and that when it was broken, Modye asked him whether this instigation came of himself or no. To the which Des Trappes replied that he would deliver no kind of speech unto him but that which proceeded from his master's own mouth, and withal, that whatsoever device or practice he informed him of for that service, should be so secretly kept as if it had been unto Cadalion himself. Touching Modye's case, if he deny anything of that which he is accused, I hope his letter in cipher unto Lillye will fully manifest his intent. If this be not enough, I can say no more but leave it wholly to your Majesty's due consideration. In the meantime, for your Majesty's own safety, it were very necessary that Modye should be kept close prisoner, and no man suffered to speak with him but myself. Thus, rudely but rightly, I have delivered my mind unto your Highness, and pray with David—memor esto verbi tui servo tuo. Your humble subject. W. Stafford.
Addressed :—“For her Majesty.”
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Footnotes