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Dec. 13.
Jersey. |
50. Amias Paulet to Sir Hugh Paulet. I am informed that about
10 Nov., the Protestants of France put to flight the French
King's army, and pursued them to Saumur on the Loire. Although
it could not resist battery, yet for expedition they will pass the
river at once, visit the towns of Brittany, or seek the King in Paris.
The merchants here are in doubt whether they should repair into
Brittany or Normandy in this troublesome time, but reports are so
contrary that I fear to send them. Mr. John Seyntaubyn has been
arrested in Normandy by M. Boysrougier, of Coutances, and after 14
days' imprisonment, has been dismissed with loss of a goshawk,
120 ells of canvas, &c. I wrote to this Monsieur for redress, but he
answered he was sorry that he had dismissed his prisoner, and that
his stock was no better; refusing to restore any part, and advising
me to look to myself, as he hoped to pluck me out of my house as
he had done the Captain of Alderney. If I had the Queen's leave, I
would ask no other aid than the poor retinue of this castle to pluck
him out of his house, and bring him and his canvas into this isle.
One of the Queen's subjects has been imprisoned for 10 days by the
Captain of Granville, and dismissed on payment of two angelots and
the charges of his keeper. [1½ pages.] |
Dec. 25.
Castle Cornet. |
51. Francis Chamberlain to Sir Wm. Cecil. I find by the Council's
letters that they are displeased with me for imprisoning the Dean
and two jurats. The reason for that proceeding has been their
resolution to depart the island before they had executed the charge
entrusted to them by the Queen's Commission, in which they were
joined with myself. |
|
The troublous times in France prevent my coming up to answer
for myself. They complain that I stay their appearing to lay their
griefs before Council; but I only stayed them because, they being
of the Commission, the Queen's service would be frustrated by
their absence; they took no regard, but went aboard the next
passage, so I committed them to ward for contempt of the Governor's
command; they had the liberty of the castle if they would do
the Queen service, but they refused to leave their prison without
Council's orders. |
|
As they will not agree to good government, pray grant a commission to indifferent men, chosen within the realm, who may understand all griefs in the government, and reduce it to its ancient use,
or have it settled by your discretion, and necessary rules left for
posterity. [1½ pages.] |
| 1568? |
52. Petition of Etienne la Cloche of Jersey to the Queen, for
redress of a wrong committed against him by Rich. Messervy. Had
purchased certain rents, &c. from Hugh the bastard, on which
certain arrears were due to Edmond le Gallais, and as the bastard
could not pay, he was ordered by law to renounce all his goods and
inheritances. According to the usual mode of proceeding, proclamation was made at three Saturday markets, for the purchasers of
the bastard's goods to bring the goods to be registered, and then
to be treated according to priority of claim, and pay or renounce
their rights of acquisition; but Rich. Messervy declaring himself
purchaser only verbally, the process was followed till petitioner,
being prevented a hearing by Messervy, was condemned in the
said arrears, &c. Begs redress by a commission to persons in
Jersey to judge the case, or by an order to Messervy to appear before
Council. [1 sheet, French.] |
|
53. Petition of the Mayor and burgesses of Arundel, co. Sussex, to
the Queen. In the town there is an ancient bridge, built of timber,
of great height and length, standing over Arundel river, over which
people pass travelling between the east and west of England, and
there is no other convenient way of passage over the said stream
near the town. This bridge of ancient time has been repaired by
collections made in the countries and places adjoining, and is now in
great decay by the violence of the stream; diligent travail has
been used by petitioners to gather for its repair whatever the charitable would give, but through the great and often charge, and the
decay of charity, the sum collected has been small, and insufficient to
repair or maintain the said bridge, whereby petitioners have been
sundry times compelled to do it at their own cost, and in five years
have expended 140l., to their great impoverishment, and the town is
now no longer able to sustain the burden. As its decay will be a
great detriment, there being no other passage within 10 miles of
the sea, pray for a licence to export yearly, within the county at
their own cost, 400 quarters of wheat, custom free, and with the
gain thereof, to maintain and repair the bridge. |
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With certificate by William Bishop of Chichester, Lord Lumley,
William Lord Delawarr, Antony Lord Montague, and nine others, of
the necessity for complying with the prayer of the petitioners; and
an endorsement by Walter Haddon, signifying that Council think
the request reasonable, provided they be certified yearly that the
money is spent upon the bridge. Also that Her Majesty grants
the request. [1 sheet, parchment.] |
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54. Grant to John Dudley and John Ayscough, of Lymby Hage
manor, co. No * * *, in consideration of divers manors sold to the
Queen by Henry Lord Cheyne. [Latin, 1 sheet, imperfect
damaged.] |
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55. Geo. Calton to Sir Nich. Bacon, Lord Keeper. I must solicit
your compassion towards redressing my grievous penury. I have
already set forth the fraudulent devices of Dr. Ingram and his adherents; and although he impudently denied what he was most
justly accused of, he shall not be able to do so at his next appearance.
I have disclosed what I have done through famine and subtle
alluring, which I can but lament, and learn hereafter to be Prometheus.
which if I had been as well as I am now Epimetheus, I had avoided
this vexation; if it be so augmented as a messenger lately
from the fountain of this deceit assured me, my expectation is far
deceived. I was told that if I confessed anything, I should stand in
the pillory, and suffer death for my fault, which I had rather do
than bear the opprobrium if summum jus be shown. Many can
testify how unskilful I am in such affairs, as I have never consumed one hour's study in the law, and never had conference with a
lawyer; and although I have spent some time in moral philosophy
and other literature, yet I am as ignorant in making of such transcripts, evidences, and leases as the most blind, and only made copies
of those devised by Thimbleby and his adherents. Mitigate justice
with your accustomed mercy, or I shall be urged, through the
reproach thereof, to foresake my native country, and employ my
whole industry, in these my young years, amongst strangers. The
penury that I have sustained for 10 weeks has been intolerable, as
I had not one penny to sustain myself, and only had 2s. three days
since, by that messenger who willed me to adhere to an untruth.
[1½ pages.] |
|
56. Request that George Holmes, a merchant in Spain, who has
goods there worth 1,000 marks, and trades there, but is not
remembered, may have his name entered among the other merchants.
[¼ page.] |
|
57. Articles submitted by George Southaick to Council, to restrain all Her Majesty's subjects from trading to the Low Countries,
and to establish the trade of Merchant Adventurers at Hamburg
and Emden:— |
|
1. The civil wars in the Low Countries, the revolting of towns,
the uncertain government, and the King not being able to govern
them, gives occasion to the Merchant Adventurers of England to
forbear those places, and to bend their trade to some other town
under a quiet government, to their safety and for the good of the
commonwealth, and to have Her Majesty's support in the same. |
|
2. The merchants of England have of late years, upon the arrest
and restraint made by the Duke of Alva, bent their trade to
Hamburg and Emden, where they had good success, contrary to
the expectation of those who supposed that Her Majesty could not
forbear the traffic of her subjects with the Low Countries one year,
without great peril and great impoverishment of her realm. |
|
3. On the contrary, if the said restraint had continued, it would
have greatly impoverished the Low Countries, and enriched
England, advanced her customs, maintained navigation, and a
safe trade to the Merchant Adventurers. |
|
4. To seek the merchants' security is most necessary, seeing the
King of Spain cannot grant the free traffic into his countries with
safety, as promised at setting the last restraint at liberty during
his civil wars, the experience whereof the said merchants have
dearly bought, within these few days, with loss of their goods and
some with their lives. |
|
5. This gives good occasion to make a new restraint of traffic to
and from the Low Countries, that the merchants may direct
themselves again to Hamburg and Emden with their whole trade,
which will fall out very profitable, if they may have your
support. |
|
6. The trade of Hamburg and Emden is much better and richer
than when the subjects of the Low Countries were last restrained
from trading with the merchants of England, which countries
are now open for them, which will cause ample trades among all
merchants. |
|
7. The merchants will allege that in the last restraint, the
traffic was set at liberty upon such a sudden, contrary to promise,
that it was a great hindrance to the Merchant Adventurers, and
to all other merchant strangers that were come to them at Hamburg with their merchandise, and it is to be provided that the like
may not happen again. |
|
8. It must therefore be provided that the trade shall continue
certain years, which will embolden our merchants to traffic
liberally, and encourage other merchant strangers to draw to
that place. |
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9. If the merchants again bend their trade to Hamburg and
Emden, and nothing go hence nor come in hither but without
certain limits, the same order should be taken as in the time of
the restraint, which was only to and from the town of Hamburg
or Emden, where the market was then kept. |
|
10. It is now required that you will be suitors to Her Majesty
to grant that the goods and merchandise of those who go or come
indirectly, contrary to the true meaning for the maintenance of
this trade, may be taken and confiscated absolutely, notwithstanding their nation, during the time of this restraint. |
|
11. If the said merchants obtain your support, they can maintain as ample good trade to and from Hamburg and Emden as to
and from the Low Countries in the best of times. |
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12. This will yield to Her Majesty as great customs as ever. |
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13. The trade will increase the shipping and mariners. |
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14. The maintenance of this trade will bridle the pride of the
Low Countries, and cause them to intreat those who they thought
would intreat them to trade into their country; and will cause
all other merchant strangers to depend upon the merchants of
England. |
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15. By these means Her Majesty will keep the Low Countries
beholden to her, and not her to them, having other places
for vending commodities, and they will find that she is better
able to live without them seven years, than they one without
her. |
|
16. The Flemish are persuaded that we cannot be without the
traffic of their country one year, but they should feel our lack,
until the country was in a safer government, when they would
become better neighbours, and greater lovers of Her Majesty's
subjects than they have been lately. |
|
17. The continuance of this trade to Hamburg will cause coin
to remain within this realm, which now runs into the mint
of the Low Countries, where base and hard moneys are, which
in process of time will rob this realm of all the fine money and
gold. |
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18. If this trade of Hamburg be maintained, it will cause all
merchants to follow a merchant-like trade, and to employ their
money upon the commodities of this realm which are permitted
to be transported, whereby Her Majesty has her duties and
customs. |
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18. This trade will cause exchange of moneys to pass amply
among merchants, according to the value of the coin in those
countries where the payments shall be made, and keep the
exchange to the standard of England, which will keep the moneys
of this realm within the land. |
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20. The trade to Hamburg will cause all manner of corn and
victuals of this realm to be kept here, which is now so dear
and scanty by being carried into the Low Countries, and will
make things more plentiful and cheaper, whereby this poor realm
will be the better maintained and succoured. |
|
21. The maintenance of this trade for the safety of the English
merchants can breed no offence to any foreign prince, being done
upon so good occasion, nor yet give just cause to break the
intercourse between Her Majesty and the house of Burgundy.
[5 pages, 1 blank leaf.] |
|
58. Copy of the above. [3¼ pages, 1 blank leaf.] |
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59. Particulars of the controversy between John Stowell, plaintiff,
descended from the St. Maur family, and George Lord Zouch,
defendant, as to the right to the manor, advowsons, and lands
situated in North Molton and Black Torrington, co. Devon; with the
pedigrees of plaintiff and defendant. [1 sheet.] |
