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Jan. 1.
Rouen. |
1. Wm. Willaston to Sec. Cecil at Court. I sent my last letters a
speedy course; these come round. John Bredgate of Dover complains that his often absences may breed delay, and therefore says I
should use the postmaster, or send them to Mr. Smith direct from
Calais. The Duke of Savoy, on Christmas Even, sent 600 men to enter
Geneva, but the design was betrayed, and all were slain and taken.
The Pope had his hand in it. The King [of France] is offended that
Mussy stays for passage at Dieppe. |
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P.S.—Ships from St. Lucar report the India fleet arrived in their
sight. [½ page.] |
Jan. 3.
Paris. |
2. Sir Thos. Parry to Sir Edw. Norris, Englefield. As you may
have heard of an accident happened to your kinsman, Dudley
Carleton, whom you recommended to me as a secretary, which might
make his fidelity suspected, I must testify my good content with
him, and my thanks that you spare yourself the company of such a
man to serve me. There was no reality in this accident, but for
reasons only known to myself, I thought fit to dissemble a displeasure. [Copy by Dud. Carleton, 1 page.] |
| Jan. 3. |
3. Copy of the preceding. [1 page.] |
| Jan. 4. |
4. Thos. Plumpton to Sec. Cecil. I have often come to see you
at Court and elsewhere, but not presumed to speak to you. I offer
you myself for life, to be employed as you please. I went last May
to Cambridge, and saw Mr. Wm. Cecil's lodgings in St. John's College,
a stately new building. Him I saw afterwards at the Dudley
House, Strand. He grows in favour of God and man. |
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I request your favour for my friend John Ramridge, an honest
merchant of London, and a languaged and learned gentleman. He
has Ralph's quay, one of the fairest by the Thames side. He
wants to see you, partly about farming the silks, in which he wishes
to be a deputy. Some of your sugar and pepper are remaining at
his quay. [1 page.] |
Jan. 10.
Ragley. |
5. Sir John Conway to his daughter-in-law, Lady Dorothy Conway.
I recommend a nurse for your expected infant, and as the woman
lives within two miles of Ragley, I will see that the babe wants
nothing. Your two sons are well. I hope you hear good tidings of
your husband. [1 page.] |
Jan. 16.
Vanguard.
Downs. |
6. Roger Morris to ——. The Spanish galley that lay at Calais,
as I am told by divers that saw her, is in a thousand pieces, and the
townsmen have made pillage and firewood of her. [Extract, 4
lines.1 |
Jan 17.
London. |
7. John Chamberlain to Ralph Winwood, Paris. I have
returned from Knebworth. The Court has flourished more than
ordinary this Christmas, The new Controller [Sir Edw. Wotton],
has put new life into it by his example, being always freshly attired,
and chiefly in white. Besides dancing, bear baiting, and plays,
there has been golden play, and Mr. Secretary lost 600l. in one
night, chiefly to Edw. Stanley and Sir John Lee. Young Hawkins,
returned by exchange or ransom from Spain, brings word of great
preparations there, and of divers of our merchant ships taken in the
Straits; among the rest, Capt. Middleton, whom the Spaniards
forced his own men to strangle, on the ridiculous pretence of keeping
their word that they would do him no harm. The Queen's ships have
stayed in the Narrow Seas four Lubeckers, laden with arms and
munition for Spain, and 14 more so fraught are gone about by the
north of Scotland, The rebels in Ireland come in daily, and it is
thought that Tyrone will soon be admitted to parley. Our Commissioners still stay at Bremen, though it was given out that the
treaty was broken off; indeed, the Danes were departed, but are to
return at once. Sir Edw. Conway has come from the Brill, and Sir
Rob. Sydney gone to Flushing. |
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Dr. Bennet, Dean of Windsor, is preferred to the bishopric of
Hereford. George Brook wants his deanery and mastership of
St. Cross. Dr. Jegon, of Cambridge, is made Bishop of Norwich.
Sir Thos. Tasborough has died suddenly. There was a quarrel at
Court about a mistress, between young Wharton and Ashley, but
Council compounded it. I meant this letter for Carleton, but know
not how he stands, nor whether it will reach him safely. His turn
will be next. [1¾ page. Printed in Chamberlain's Letters, pages
172–173.] |
| Jan. 17. |
8. "A note of the rates for contribution to the fleet which shall
serve against the Dunkirkers." The charge is estimated at 8,235l. 4s.;
the sums assigned to the several towns and shires of the south of
England and Wales named amount to 8,732l. [Endorsed by Cecil.
3 pages.] |
Jan. 17.
Trafford. |
9. Cecil Trafford to Sec. Cecil. In exercise of my office in
Lancashire, I send some persons privately among the papists, to
learn the harbourers of seminary priests and Jesuits, many of whom
wander up and down the country. I send my instrument, Chris.
Bayley, who can discover the persons, qualities, and resort of the
seminaries and Jesuits. In the less half of the shire, are 40 seminaries and some Jesuits. Regard should be taken for execution of
the statutes and the late proclamation, which they deride. [1 page.] |
| Jan. 19. |
10. Examination of John Clarke, taken by Wm. Okey, Keeper of
the Gatehouse. Has bought from different people 58 shirts, his
cloak, &c., but sold them to a maid in Cheapside and to watermen
at Gravesend. With note by Okey that Clarke's behaviour and health
are orderly, without any show of distemperature of mind. [¾ page.] |
| Jan 22. |
Indenture whereby Thos. Randolph of St. Peter's parish, near
Paul's Wharf, London, grants to his mother, Ursula Randolph,
on payment of 400l., divers messuages, &c. in Edgeware, Middlesex,
let to John Oxton for 37l. rent; also a tenement in St. Peter's
parish already let to her for 100l. and 3l. rent, releasing her on his
own and his wife's Alice's behalf, from all claims which he might
have hereto, in right of Thomas Randolph, his father; signed by
Ursula Randolph [Dom. Eliz., Case G., No. 22.] |
Jan. 22.
Saturday. |
11. Lord Treas. Buckhurst to Mr. Lake, clerk of the Signet.
Pray engross a grant for myself and Sir John Fortescue, the same
as one to the late Lord Treasurer and Fortescue, with a docquet of
its purport, and give to Mr. Secretary to get signed. I have named it
to the Queen and she approves. [1 page.] |
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Endorsed with a docquet of a commission to the Lord Treasurer
and Sir J. Fortescue, to give licence to export grain to any part in
amity with Her Majesty, on payment of such increase of subsidy as
they think fit as licence money, corresponding with a grant to the
late Lord Treasurer. Annexing, |
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11. i. Commission of the purport specified to Lord Treas.
Burghley and John Fortescue, dated Greenwich, 25 July
1592; endorsed 4 Jan. 1603. [4 sheets.] |
| Jan. 27. |
12. Sec. Cecil to Thos. Windebank, clerk of the Signet. I have
told my Lord Keeper and my Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's unwillingness to choose as many as 10 serjeants, but that she is content
on account of their reasons, and hopes this may be a better call
than the former; they protest they hoped she would have chosen the
whole paper, excepting her two attorneys, whose places would plead
excuse. Their reasons which they wish to be reiterated to her are,
1, the age and infirmities of three of the learnedest judges, viz., the
two Chief Justices and Justice Walmsley, who has gout and palsy.
the Chief baron, Baron Clerk, and Justice Clench, are to be put to
pension, and Justice Fenner will never run mad with learning.
There remains only Justices Gawdy, Kingsmill, and Yelverton, the
youngest of whom is 60 years old. All these places are to be supplied
with serjeants, who will be judges hereafter. |
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Also the Queen has lately made the serjeants in Wales Justices of Assize, and sends serjeants into Ireland, as of late
Pelham and Lewknor in Wales. They beseech that none of
these 10 whose names are crossed in the paper enclosed may be
left out; they also insert the name of Rob. Barker, a grave and
learned man, held sufficient by all, and recommended by one whom
the Queen knows, and who would think it a favour for his voice
to be respected, as his place gives him a good means to know men's
sufficiency. |
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When you have sent the Queen these reasons, add that the two
lords, if near, would beg her to make up the dozen with Dodderidge,
a very great learned man. She need not doubt but that any one is
fit for her princely election. [1½ pages.] |
Jan. 27.
London. |
13. John Chamberlain to Dud. Carleton, at the ambassador's, Paris.
I have not heard from you since returning from Knebworth. I
sent a news letter begun for you to Mr. Winwood, who has his
crosses there, which will make the letters for his recall the more
welcome. The Court has removed to Richmond, on the 21st, in wet
weather, which has since been the sharpest known. The Monday
before her going, the Queen was feasted by Lord Thos. [Howard] at
the Charter House. Two days after, Lady Effingham had a daughter,
unexpectedly. The deanery of Windsor is likely to be bestowed on
Dr. [Giles] Thomson, of All Souls' [Oxford]. The Queen seeks to discharge herself of her great charge in Ireland, and has cashiered 4,000
men. There are projects to ease her of the burden of keeping the
Narrow Seas, for as her ships avail little against the Dunkirkers, it
is proposed for the city to maintain two ships and a pinnace, and
the northern and western coasts as many or more, and Sir Rich.
Leveson is to take eight of her ships to the coast of Spain. |
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The combat is not yet performed in Scotland, though the lists
were prepared three weeks ago. Sir Edw. Norris is in town, and
much visited by the cavaliers; he kept a great Christmas. Capt.
Whiddon is weary of Ireland, and has returned, but appears not yet
in Paul's. Lady Paulet died of consumption five or six months
ago. Private news. [1½ pages. Printed in Chamberlain's Letters,
pp. 174–175.] |
| Jan. 31. |
14. Declaration by the secular priests. The Queen, in her late
proclamation, having given an earnest of her favour to us—who, by
the laws of the realm are all subject to death by our return into
our country after taking the order of priesthood,—and only demanding our profession of allegiance to be assured of our fidelity
to her person and crown, we are infinitely bound to her, and willing
to give her such assurance. |
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1. We acknowledge the Queen's full sovereignty over us and
all her subjects, and protest our willingness to obey as far as ever
Christian priests do; as to pay tribute, pray for her life,
prosperous reign, and final happiness; considering that we have
no warrant to disobey her in any civil or temporal matter. |
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2. Many conspiracies having been made of late years against
her person and realm, on pretence of restoring the Catholic religion—(she being the only prince departed from the faith against
whom they have been undertaken),—by which means Her Majesty,
though of singular clemency, has ordained severe laws against
Catholics, whom she supposes to favour these conspiracies; we
sincerely protest that we would defend her and the realm against
any such conspiracies, and would reveal and to our utmost power
resist them. |
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3. If the Pope should excommunicate her and her adherents,
we and all lay Catholics would defend her notwithstanding, and
obey her, though we know that some will misconstrue us, and
discredit us with the Pope unless prevented; we therefore beg leave
to make known publicly that while yielding Cæsar's due to her, we
depart not from our duty to our supreme spiritual pastor; but
confess him to have St. Peter's authority, given by our Saviour's
commission, and will obey him as bound by the laws of God,
which will stand with performance of our duty to our temporal
prince. We would spend our blood in defence of Her Majesty,
but lose our lives rather than infringe the authority of the
Catholic church. |
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As many secular priests that have professed allegiance are hindered appearing, as ordered by the proclamation of 5 Nov., we have
chosen some to appear before my Lord of London in our behalf, and
promise our allegiance and submission to what is prescribed for our
religion, the use of our function reserved; all who do not personally
appear before his Lordship within 40 days are to lose the benefit of
the proclamation, and undergo the penalties of the laws. [3 pages,
copy.] |
| [Jan. 31.] |
15. Copy of the above, the last paragraph excepted; noted "This
was the explanation of the other, but it was refused." [3 pages,
copy.] |
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Endorsed [by Cecil] "The explanation of the first writing." |
