Cecil Papers: February 1590

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1892.

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'Cecil Papers: February 1590', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 4, 1590-1594, (London, 1892) pp. 10-14. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol4/pp10-14 [accessed 26 April 2024]

February 1590

Sir John Perrott.
1589/90, Feb. 4. Warrant, under the Privy Signet, for a grant in fee-farm to Sir John Perrott of the Parsonage of Llanstephan and of a moiety of the Parsonage of Comoelgan in the counties of Carmarthen, Cardigan and Radnor.—Greenwich, 4 Feb. 1589.
1 p.
Milford Haven.
1589/90, Feb. 4. Warrant, under the Privy Signet, for the felling of timber trees in the Forest of Narbert for the fortifications at Milford Haven.—Greenwich, 4 Feb. 1589.
1 p.
The Privy Council to Lord Burghley.
1589/90, Feb. 4. A Warrant directing the delivery to Lord Willoughby, late General of her Majesty's forces sent to the aid of the French king, of the treasure received from the French Ambassador and assigned by the French king as a month's pay to the said forces, to be by him distributed accordingly.
3 pp.
Grant to Sir Thomas Cecil.
1589/90, Feb. 4. Warrant under the Sign Manual granting to him the manor of Wimbledon, co. Surrey (excepting Mortlake alias Putney Park), in exchange for the manors of Langton and Wibberton, co. Lincoln, conveyed to the Crown.
Parchment. Sealed and signed.
1 m.
Sir F. Walsingham to Thos. Wilkes.
1589/90, Feb. 4. Prays him to show Lord Cobham the letters of the Privy Council directing the staying of the shipping throughout the realm, so that his lordship may give similar directions within the Cinque Ports.—The Court, 4 Feb. 1589.
¼ p.
The Privy Council to Lord Burghley.
1589/90, Feb. 6. Whereas Her Majesty, considering the danger of these times abroad, and casualties the merchants of this realm daily incur that do traffic to Brittany, by reason of the Leaguers and letters of marque heretofore granted against them, did signify her pleasure that the merchants of the West Country which use the trade of Brittany should be inhibited to repair thither, and to have that trade converted to the isles of Guernsey and Jersey; to which end your Lordship was appointed to give order to the officers of the ports to make hereafter no entries but for those Isles until Her Majesty's pleasure were further known; forasmuch as we are informed that certain merchants about Exeter, being of late allured with some assurance for traffic, procured from the Duke of Mercure, do mean to adventure to Morlais, and other places in the hands of the Leaguers, whereby great inconvenience may ensue, we are to pray you, according to the tenor of her Majesty's letters directed to you for that purpose, to give special order for the establishing of the traffic in the said Isles; and likewise to give direction to the officers of the ports, that there shall henceforth no entries be made for any town or port in Brittany, or in the hands of the Leaguers, but that the merchants may unlade at the aforesaid Isles those commodities which are fit for those countries, and there receive such other commodity and merchandise as shall be brought thither.—From the Court at Greenwich the 6th of February 1589.
¾ p.
Sir F. Walsingham to Archibald Douglas.
1589/90, Feb. 9. Returns the papers sent by him to her Majesty wh6 allows of them as agreeable with her meaning and the resolution she took at their late conference. To-day she means to despatch her letter to the Lord Bothwell and would therefore have Mr. Richard Douglas to be here some time in the afternoon, for she wishes the Earl timely to know her good liking of the honourable offer he made her.—The Court, 9 February 1589.
½ p.
William Thorowgood to Lord [Burghley].
1589/90, Feb. 9. For grant in fee farm of land in the manor of Hoddesdon, to build a brewhouse thereon, there being none in the town.—Endorsed :—“9 February 1589.”
½ p.
Robert Legge to Lord Burghley.
1589/90, Feb. 10. Was appointed by Richard Colman, Chief Remembrancer of the Exchequer of Ireland, as his deputy. Complains that he has been expelled from his office through the displeasure he has occasioned by his zeal in his duties.
Note at back, signed by Sir Henry Wallop and Mr. Justice Gardener, recommending Legge for his services in bringing in money into the Queen's Treasury.
p.
J. Constable, of Dundee, to Archibald Douglas.
[1589/90,] Feb. 17. Thanks him for the favour shown, for his sake, to Mr. John Martin of Dundee.—Inverkeithing, 17 February.
1 p.
The Countess of Leicester to Lord Burghley.
1589/90, Feb. 20. Understands that a hard and extraordinary course is offered to her in the Lord Archbishop's Court, and that it is prin cipally furthered by reason of a message sent from his lordship as solicited thereto by her brother of Warwick. Begs him not to inter pose his authority to her disadvantage but to vouchsafe her such ordinary course of justice as all subjects far meaner than herself do enjoy.—Leicester House, Friday night.
Endorsed :—“20 Feb. 1589. The Countess of Lecester.”
1 p.
The Privy Council to Lord Burghley.
1589/90, Feb. 22. Signify her Majesty's orders for the due observation of Lent within the several counties of his lieutenancy.—The Court, 22 Feb. 1589.
1 p.
The Queen to the King of Scotland.
[1589/90, February 25.] Although my faith stands me, my dear brother, in so good stead as without assurance by any one your hand work I do believe that God hath of his goodness more than your heed prospered to good end your untimely and, if I dare tell truth, evil seasoned journey, yet I may no longer (though my courage could stay me till you first began that best hath cause to acknowledge thankfulness) stay but let you know what humble sacrifices of thanks I yield to the Omnipotent for your safest stop for all your hard course, and am so bold to challenge some part of that surety to my heartiest orisons, poured out of no feigned lips, which best is pleasing to His ears, and so beseech the same to send you in this noble raced lineage such lasting joy as the continuance may yield you both happy. And now to talk with you freely as paper may utter conceit. Accept my hourly care for your broken country too much infected with the malady of strangers' humours and to receive no medicine so well compounded as if the owner make the mixture appropriated to the quality of the sickness. Know you, my dear brother, for certain that those ulcers that were too much skinned with the “dulcenes” of your applications were but falsely shaded and were within filled with such venom as hath burst out since your departure with most lewd offers to another king to enter your land, with declaration of their assured performance of their supposed helps and numbers great to take their part. If with my eyes I had not viewed these treasons I would be ashamed to write them you. And shall I tell you my thought herein ? I assure you, you are well worthy such traitors that, when you knew them and had them, you betrayed your own surety in favoring their lives. Good Lord ! who but yourself would have left such people to be able to do you wrong ? Give order with speed that such escape not your correction, and hye your return; that is more your honor than another man's land, without you mind to make you seem innocent of your realm's ruin, when absence will serve but for your bad excuse. Seldom recover kings their dominion when greater possess it, yen, such as their own scarce may endure for their tyranny. My dear brother, you see how far my entire care draws me out the limits that another's affairs should never pluck me to, but all such error I hope you will impute affection, not my curiosity, and bear with overmuch imputation since it springs of so good a root. I crave of you for your own best to authorise, yea, animate your faithful and guiltless of this conspiracy that they fear not to apprehend in time (I pray God not too late) all such as any way they may suspect or know to be partakers of this faction. Believe no more to dandle such babies as may (ere they come to honesty) shake your chair. For you have had too sour experience what such vain opinions hath bred you. I will not fail from time to other to warn such as I may think most clear of this infection of all my knowledge in this dangerous season, daring so much in your absence as to animate them not to linger this great matter till your return, for I know that were too late. Their clays that they have given are shorter than to expect so long. If my zeal were not more than my good manners I should be sorry to retain your eyes on so rude scribbling, wherefore I end with my incessant prayers to God for your safe keeping and joyful return.
After the finishing of my letter, there came to my hands an overture that makes me suppose it could not nor durst not have been offered me without your consent, albeit for it I neither saw your commission nor received from you one word thereof. But for all that, it makes me see that your sight serves you not alone for a present view but makes you to behold the state of distant countries which do feel the smart of my undeserved hate, and makes your innocent blood call revenge of evil framed injuries; and though my conscience cannot accuse my thoughts to have by any cause procured such an enemy, and that he hath too plainly sought my life and kingdom, yet I think myself obliged to you that would make end of so unjust a war and acknowledge the dead king of famous memory [Frederick II., of Denmark] more happy in such faithful councillors than I see many kings in their living servants. And for that they offer me, I will ever chronicle them among the just fulfillers of true trust. And albeit my wrongs be such as nature of a king ought rather die than not revenge, yet the top of my courage shall never overstretch my heart from care of Christian blood, and for that alone, no fear of him, I protest to God, from whom both just quarrel, faithful subjects and valiant acts I doubt not will defend, yet am I thus content that you shall follow the well devised method. And if he will give plain grants without a guileful meaning I will make known that in me the lack of so good a work shall never be found.
[Note in margin of postscript.]—“Memd.—This was written in a half sheet of paper as a postscript enclosed in the letter.”
Endorsed :—“Copy of her Majesty's letters which she wrote with her own hand to the king of Scotland.—25 Febr. 1589.”
[Printed for the Camden Society, Ed. Bruce, p. 57.]
Wm. Douglas (of Whittingham) to Archibald Douglas.
[1589/90, February 28.] Recommends the bearer, William Kelly, burgess of Dunbar, his “very friend, an honest, true man,” etc.—Edinburgh.
½ p.
[1589/90, February.] Lord Lieutenants of Counties.
Northampton : L. Chancellor.
Lincoln : L. Treasurer.
Dorset : L. Marquis.
Southampton : L. Marquis, E. of Sussex.
Stafford & Derby : E. of Shrewsbury.
Essex & Hertford : L. Treasurer.
Bedford : E. of Kent.
Chester & Lancashire : E. of Derby.
York : E. of Huntingdon.
Devon : E. of Bath.
Somerset & Wilts : E. of Pembroke.
Notts : E. of Shrewsbury.
Surrey : L. Admiral.
Sussex : L. Admiral, L Buckhurst.
Suffolk & Norfolk : L. Hunsdon.
Kent : L. Cobham.
Bucks : L. Grey.
Gloucester : L. Chandos.
Berks & Oxon : L. Norrys, Sir Fras. Knollis.
Cornwall : Sir Walter Raleigh.
Warwick : E. of Warwick.
Leicester & Rutland : E. of Huntingdon.
Cambridge : L. North.
Salop, Hereford, Monmouth, Worcester, Principality of Wales : E. of Pembroke.
3 pp.