|
Dec. 14.
Chelsea. |
20. Duke of Northumberland to Sir Wm. Cecil. Pray further
Mr. Bennett, surveyor of ordnance in the North, in delivery of
certain books touching the munition about the Borders. [⅓ page.] |
| Dec. 22. |
21. Receipt by the Marquis of Winchester for 100l. from Wm.
Dansell, receiver general of the Court of Wards and Liveries, for
the exhibition and finding of three of the late Duke of Somerset's
children, for one quarter ended at Christmas next. [¼ page,
damaged.] |
Dec. 26.
Chelsea. |
22. Duke of Northumberland to Sir Wm. Petre and Sir Wm. Cecil.
I send letters from Lord Wharton, who has not yet placed Lord Eure
in the Middle nor Grey in the East Marches, as directed according to
the King's patent and Council's orders; whereat I marvel, for a
month ago he said he should fulfil His Highness' pleasure. Unless
it be stayed by an order from Council, let his Lordship understand
that he does not well to prolong the placing of these persons. Let
not the matter you wrote me of be delayed; our greatest lack is
delaying things when no more is to be done but to give order.
This thing may be great honour to the King, and delay repented of
when too late. [1 page.] |
| Dec. 28. |
23. Lease by Thos. Hoo, of Burnham Overy, co. Norfolk, and
Anne his wife, to Rich. Hoo, father of the said Thomas, and uncle
of Anne, of lands, tenements, &c. in Burnham, called Colthaxst's, on
the land of Giggs of London, and also their part in the manor of
Vewts, in Burnham Overy, Burnham Westgate, Burnham Sutton,
Burnham Thorp, Burnham St. Andrew, Burnham Deepdale, Holkham, Warham, and Wighton, and all other their lands in co.
Norfolk, for 21 years; rent, 4l. 13s. 4d. Signed and sealed by
Thos. and Anne Hoo. [1 page.] |
Dec. 31.
7 P.M.
Chelsea. |
24. Duke of Northumberland to the Council. My brother
being dispatched by you on his journey came to bid me farewell.
I inquired if he knew His Majesty's pleasure concerning any message or commendations from my Lady Mary to the Emperor, which
he seemed not to remember. I therefore wish to know His
Majesty's pleasure, for it will be noticed if he should not have something to say of or from her; his pleasure being known and certified
to my brother, it is but the riding to her Grace to receive her
recommendations, which as she must needs take in most comfortable
part, so it cannot but be also well conceived of by the Emperor. I
mean for the best and for my master's honour, and beseech you to
bear with me. My brother will not go out of London until tomorrow afternoon, and you may therefore address your further
pleasure unto him, either to proceed on or take her Grace in his
way, as shall seem good to you. [1¾ pages.] |
| 1552 ? |
25. "Statutes of Berwick," being articles for the regulation of the
garrison, officers, and inhabitants of that town. [10½ pages.] |
|
26. "Extract of certain points to be given to the Lord Treasurer
in charge [from the King], for answering the Dacre's and Giles
Heron's letters":— |
|
To cause the auditor of Berwick to perfect the books, and
deliver them to Giles Heron. |
|
To cause the Lord Treasurer and Council to consult for disparking Calleage park, and put it in the hands of trustworthy
persons to be employed amongst many, not two or three. |
|
To redress the great misdemeanor of Rively in oppressing your
Highness' tenants, for that subsidies and duties must be levied on
that Border for your service, and they are lost by oppression of
your officers; and as this fact is notorious, it should be proved
and punished, to the terror of others, by the loss of his fee farm,
and the rather because the letter names the like oppression by
many in that Border. |
|
For answer to Lord Dacre's letter, be pleased to order the Lord
Treasurer that your lands be employed to your service, by laying
grounds and tenements together to a certain value, and bestowing
them on men able to serve, so that you may have a number of
able men. |
|
That such as hold the lands of the abbey of Holme, wherein
were 100 horses and now only 20, be compelled to maintain the
former great breed, on pain of forefeiture of the estate, and the
same order to be had in other grounds accustomed to breed horses.
[4 pages.] |
|
27. Statement of the fees and salaries of officers of the Court of
Revenue, viz.:— |
|
|
£
|
s. |
d. |
|
1. Exchequer |
3,539 |
15 |
1 |
|
2. Augmentations |
7,249 |
10 |
3 |
|
3. Duchy of Lancaster |
1,148 |
5 |
7½ |
|
4. First-fruits and tenths |
956 |
15 |
1 |
|
5. Wards and Liveries |
937 |
2 |
4 |
|
Also of fees paid to the officers and ministers of justice, viz.:— |
|
1. The Chancery |
1,597 |
10 |
11½ |
|
2. The Privy Seal |
365 |
0 |
0 |
|
3. The King's Bench |
688 |
18 |
2 |
|
4. The Common Pleas |
657 |
12 |
4 |
|
5. The King's learned Counsel |
289 |
1 |
0 |
|
6. The Council in the North |
1,403 |
6 |
8 |
|
7. The Council and officers in Wales |
1,808 |
8 |
4 |
|
8. The County Palatine of Lancaster |
110 |
6 |
8 |
|
9. The County Palatine of Chester |
85 |
5 |
5 |
|
10. Justices of the Forest |
200 |
0 |
0 |
|
11. The Whitehall at Westminster |
200 |
0 |
0 |
|
Also of fees paid in other departments of the public service,
viz.:— |
|
Secretaries, clerks, posts, and couriers |
1,113 |
13 |
4 |
|
The Admiralty |
1,406 |
13 |
8 |
|
The Ordnance |
1,556 |
13 |
8 |
|
The Armoury |
654 |
5 |
11 |
|
Officers at arms |
809 |
1 |
8 |
|
The Mint |
604 |
13 |
4 |
|
The Works |
443 |
14 |
3 |
|
The Great Wardrobe |
246 |
1 |
2 |
|
The Butlerage of England |
100 |
0 |
0 |
|
The King's tents |
79 |
13 |
2 |
|
The Revels |
19 |
2 |
6 |
|
Officers and ministers of hawking |
446 |
11 |
8 |
|
Officers and ministers of hunting |
603 |
14 |
2½ |
|
Musicians and players |
1,728 |
5 |
0 |
|
Surveyors, physicians, apothecaries,
and astronomers |
541 |
2 |
6 |
|
The King's barge |
109 |
11 |
5 |
|
Artificers |
432 |
19 |
8 |
|
Officers and servants in household |
16,808 |
10 |
1½ |
|
Towns and castles of war, bulwarks,
and fortresses |
18,051 |
8 |
5 |
|
Keepers and officers of houses, castles,
parks, forests, &c. in the several
counties as specified |
5,268 |
1 |
3½ |
|
Also details of the fees and allowances of every officer, beginning with 380l. 7s. 8d. to Lord Treasurer Winchester, and
132l. 17s. 4d. to Lord Chief Baron Hen. Bradshaw, including also
the fees to the officers of Customs in the several ports; and similar
details for the officers of the Court of Augmentations, and those of
the Duchy of Cornwall. [7 pages, in Phellippes' hand.] |
|
28. Considerations on the best place for keeping a free mart,
whether Calais, as formerly proposed, or London. Objections to the
latter, showing the losses likely to arise to Customs, &c. from keeping free mart 40 days twice a year in London. Proposed regulations for customs to be paid by strangers and others frequenting
the marts, both during the time of the King's last proclamation and
afterwards. The keeping the mart in London would decay other
ports of England whence merchants were accustomed to trade
abroad; and also decay the navy by goods being exported in
strangers' ships. The sale of goods to or from strangers should be
restrained to Merchant Adventurers, who have been eight years
apprenticed to the trade, &c. [3½ pages.] |
|
29. Petition of the [London merchants ?] to the Council. The
King, by your advice, lately issued proclamations for reform of
abuses and abolishing the exchange of monies, and calling down
the whole coin of the realm, which would else have been counterfeited, His Highness thinking that by calling down money, things
would become cheaper, but it is found that they are little cheaper.
This is imputed to merchants, but it really depends on the price
of wools, all commodities rising or falling with them. The clothier
is more to blame than the merchants, and wool regrators most of
all; for these last six years, wool has risen from 10s. to 30s., but
cloth from 30l. to 60l. the pack, and the difference is made by falsifying cloth, while in Flanders cloths have not been raised, so that
merchants trafficking there have been ruined. |
|
If wool were brought back to its former price, the laws for true
making of cloth executed, and the exchange still continue banished,
merchants could buy cheap commodities, as already since the shilling
was reduced to 6d., merchant travellers have reduced the prices of
their imports one-third, yet cannot get prices here abated. This
not only ruins merchants and clothmakers, but dishonours the King
and realm. Much cloth is now made of Spanish wool in other
countries, and thus many of our workmen thrown out of work, and
this dearth of wool is procured by a few persons, Little profit will
result from the proclamation against exchange of monies, unless the
brokers be punished. Pray that no suit for restoring the exchange
may be granted. [3½ pages.] |
|
30. Discourse on the countries composing the East Marches of
England; the right of fishing on the Tweed; the weak state of
Norham castle, and the repairs requisite. Similar accounts of Wark,
Mindron, Rocliff, Heton, Twisell, Howtell, Shoreswood, Barmour,
Duddo, Holy island, with Beblow fort, Bamborough and Dunstanborough castles, and list of 42 gentlemen in habitants of the East
Marches. Also on the countries composing the Middle Marches,
Tynedale, Riddesdale, &c., with the castles of Alnwick, Warkworth, Tynemouth, Newcastle, Prudhoe, Langley, Harbottle, and
Hexham; and list of 108 gentlemen resident. Also the form and
order of a day of truce; the form and order of a warden court; the
charge of the inquest, and form of execution for March treason.
[Book of 51 pages, with marginal notes by Sir Wm. Cecil.] |
|
31. Articles devised by Sir Nicholas Strelley, captain of the
castle and town of Berwick, for the surety and profit of the same:— |
|
That all patent officers be resident, and do not depart without
special licence. |
|
That English ships be restrained from trading to Scotland, but
that all goods be bought, sold, and customed at Berwick, according
to the statute of 22 Edward IV., as the English trading direct to
Scotland prevents the Scots trading to Berwick as formerly. |
|
That the Holy island be made a fishing town, and all the fish
brought to Berwick, which would occasion trade thither, and
increase the number of mariners. |
|
That the captain, council, and garrison choose a burgess to Parliament, as done in Calais, since the burgesses chosen by the
freemen little regard the profit of the soldiers. That the freemen
be compelled to make up their Tolbooth, which should be the
council house, and their prisons, the want of which hinders justice. |
|
That they be compelled to pave their streets, which are so foul
that on alarm the soldiers cannot pass through to repair to the
walls. |
|
That the Captain and Council join with the Mayor to set the
market prices of victuals, and that soldiers be allowed to buy
them at first hand. |
|
That a southern man, as likely to be more impartial, one
learned in the laws, be appointed recorder, justice being hindered
for want of one who can give counsel; and that for his living,
he may have one week's fishing in the Tweed, which would be
a small burden amongst the freemen. |
|
That the tithes of Bamboroughshire may be restored for victualling the castle of Berwick, they having lately been demised by the
Court of Augmentations to gentlemen who sell the grain to
market, so that the Captain has to make his provision in Berwick, which the inhabitants think to be their hindrance. |
|
That the statutes of the town be set forth in print by Act of
Parliament. [2 ½ pages.] |
|
32. Articles concerning Northumberland. The disunion among
the inhabitants impairs the strength of the frontiers, for they will
not help each other, and procure displeasure to each other by the
Scots. They do not keep watches, nor trench the forts to hinder
the enemy's passage, nor fortify the towns. They refuse forage and
victuals to the soldiers at reasonable prices, saying they had rather
the Scots should have or burn it. They come not to service in the
old numbers, and are ill-furnished, partly through raising of rents,
partly decay of tillage and towns. |
|
The best modes of redress are due execution of justice, enclosures
of ground, building the decayed houses, and disposing the lands into
many hands, for reasonable rents. Garrisons should be so placed
as to help the country, and not be too great, lest the country trust
to them. The inlands' light horse are unskilful and very chargeable, costing 10l. a man, and are a bait to the Scots to take horses
and prisoners. Horse meat and victuals are so very short that the
wages, 12d. a day, will scarce find victuals for man and horse.
Little service can be done this winter before Candlemas, the waters
being great. The watch and trenching of the fords should be
put in use, and would be a good safety for the country, &c. &c.
[2¾ pages. Endorsed by Sir Wm. Cecil.] |
