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Nov. 1.
Jersey. |
52. George Paulet to his brother, Sir Amias Paulet. Peter
Rocquier, being lately in Normandy, received intelligence of attempts
meditated against these islands by the Bishop of Coutances and his
clergy; I send him to you that he may tell you the circumstances,
and you may provide for the safety of this castle and isle. The
bearer will give you information thereon; we will do our best in
defence of our charge. I pray God that the enterprises of these
Romish champions, instruments of Satan, may turn to His glory
and their confusion. Pray return the bearer speedily. |
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P.S.—I will send this intelligence to the lieutenant of Guernsey.
[1 page.] |
1580 ?
Nov. 1.
Reading. |
53. Sir Fras. Knollys to the Masters of the Court of Requests.
Roger Clifford wishes to sue in your Court, in formâ pauperis, for
part of a farm which Mr. Stamp holds. Stamp has several
times, and once in my presence, offered him satisfaction, but he persists in going to law, at instigation of John and Ant. Blagrave, who
want to wrest the lease from Mr. Stamp. If you call the parties
before you, Stamp will offer, and Clifford, if separated from his
abettors, will accept satisfaction; therefore I think Clifford should
not be admitted to sue in formâ pauperis. [1 page.] |
1580.
Nov. 8.
York. |
54. Henry Earl of Huntingdon to the Earl of Leicester. I perceive
the bearer is sent for, which gives me hope that at last Scotland will
be more regarded than of late. I trust my brother Fr. diligently
attends my suit; I hope you will do for me what you may. For
want of money to pay, I am content to grant land, and I trust that
Her Highness will accept thereof, for I mean to deliver such lands
that, if I can hereafter, I would have it again at the same price.
[¾ page.] |
| Nov. 8. |
55. Sir Amias Paulet to Council. The bearer, Peter Rocquier, will
report his message to you; I am bound to mistrust all that threatens
the isle under my charge; but you, knowing the state of our neighbours abroad, may better judge. The Normandy gentleman named
is religious and honest. The enterprise against Jersey and Guernsey
would require a better captain than the Bishop of Coutances and
his clergy, and cannot be executed without the French King. |
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Our neighbours being armed, the Queen's frontier castles, and
fortresses should be provided against all events. Pray entreat
her to grant the sparing supplies requested in the bill enclosed,
wherein I have regarded her late great charges. It is so long since
my last supply from the Tower, that my store is exhausted. [1
page.] |
| Nov. 11. |
56. Nich. Baudoin and five other ministers of Guernsey to
Council. A year ago, articles were presented to you, one of which
was a request of the people to be discharged of the tithes of their
calves, pullets, and lambs, ordered by the governor, bailiff, and jurats,
by reason of the small revenue of the benefices, and because the
people were discharged from payments for marriages, baptisms, sick
visitings, &c. and that they pay the revenue with difficulty, and part
is lost through disloyalty. On their promise to supply us some other
way, you released them from the said tithes, and referred them to the
governor, bailiff, and justices, and assembly of the island; but they
have not fulfilled their promise. We are thus reduced to mendicity
and the ministry brought to contempt, and we shall be forced to go
elsewhere. As the labourer is worthy of his hire, pray order a
pension for each of us, according to the number of his children, and
means to collect it, either from the people or the parish funds. [12/3
pages. French.] |
| [Nov. 11.] |
57. Translation of the above. [1⅓ pages.] Annexing, |
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57. i. Petition of Henry Beauvoir, in the name of the bailiff and
jurats of Guernsey, to Council. The revenues of the
benefices of the island chiefly depending on superstitious
observances called the rites of the Church, for which each
householder paid a good sum yearly, are greatly
diminished now that we have godly preachers; so that
three of them can scarcely maintain one minister, though
he live very moderately. Request that every householder
may contribute as before to the support of the pastor.
Also that Sir Thos. Leighton and the bailiff and
jurats may select six men in every parish, to assess the
inhabitants according to the previous rates. Also for
himself that being sent on matters relating to the island,
his reasonable charges may be defrayed. [1 page.] |
|
57. ii. Petition to Council of Henry Beauvoir, appointed by the
bailiff and jurats of Guernsey to attend and receive their
directions on matters of appeal, &c., to the same effect as
the preceding. [2/3 page.] |
| Nov. ? |
58. Opinion of Sir Christopher Wray, Jas. Dyer, Roger Manwood, Thos. Gawdy, and Thos. Meade, judges, upon the following
questions between the Earl of Rutland and Thomas Markham,
touching the forestership of two walks in Sherwood, called Linnhurst and No-mans-wood, co. Notts:— |
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1. Whether the Earl and those who have been guardians of the
same have not, time out of mind, appointed the trustees? Ans.,
The Earl has so affirmed the usage, and shown that ever since
1 Hen. VII. like patents to his own were made; how the usage
was before is matter for a jury; but in law, if it has been as the
Earl alleges, the appointment belongs to him. |
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2. Whether by Her Majesty's patent so granted to the Earl,
he may not appoint the nine foresters during his life, and whether
Her Majesty is not thereby excluded from so doing, though no
usage had existed? Ans., Yes. |
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3. Whether the Earl may be a justice and guardian of the
forest? Ans., He may, and both offices may be in one person. |
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On behalf of Markham: |
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1. Whether the forestership of the two walks belong to the
keeping of Linnhurst wood and No-mans-wood? Ans., Not
of common right; but if usage has so existed time out of mind,
it must be tried by the county. |
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2. Whether by the grant of the forestership of the parks of Bilhaigh, Birkland, Romewood, and Owseland, and of the game there,
the foresterships or the keeping of the game did not pass to
Markham? Ans. No foresterships of the game of the forest
can pass thereby, but only the keeping of the parks or woods;
and though the offices of forestership were then in Her Majesty's
disposition, yet Mr. Markham cannot claim them by his patent.
[1 page, signed by all the said judges.] |
| Nov.? |
59. Decree in a controversy between the Earl of Rutland and
Thomas Markham, for four offices or walks, and the charge of game
in Sherwood forest. Thos. Markham has enjoyed two of them for
many years, as Her Majesty's free gift, and the other two by a grant
of Edward VI., for service in the wars. Her Majesty, with consent of
both parties, directed that their claims should be heard by the Lord
Chancellor [Bromley], the Master of the Rolls, and the AttorneyGeneral, and that his Lordship should report their opinion. This
matter having been heard, it was agreed upon for law that the free
disposition of such walks as touch the keeping of the game rested
only in Her Majesty, and not in the Earl. |
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Since then Her Majesty has been pleased that certain of her judges
should also give their opinion, and they having done so, and it being
contrary to that of the others, Her Majesty assumed the judgment
into her own hands,—as to whom in all right it appertaineth,—and absolutely commands that for such walks as were granted by
her brother to her servant Thomas Markham, he shall receive such
favourable construction as the meaning of his patent shall require,
with such relief for holding them as Her Majesty's title can
yield him, without injury to the Earl; and for the walks of Bilhaigh
and Birkland, Romewood and Owseland, which are of her own grant,
that her said old servant shall quietly enjoy them, as well for the
keeping of the game as the woods, with all fees and arrearages
thereof, according to her free gift and meaning, which she is best
able to expound. [1 sheet, draft.] |
| Nov. ? |
60. E[dmund] C[ampion] to [Dr. Allen ?]. Having been here
five months, I write you what has happened since I last wrote from
St. Omer. I sailed on the day of St. John Baptist, my peculiar
patron, and my little man [Ralph Emerson ?] and I reached Dover
early next morning. We were all but taken, for we were brought
before the mayor as favourers of the old faith, and dissembling our
names; he thought I was Dr. Allen, and said he would send us before
Council. I prayed to St. John, and by his help we escaped, an old
man coming forth and telling us we were dismissed; but I believe I
shall some day be apprehended. |
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I came to London to the house where father Robert was. Young
gentlemen came on every hand and embraced me, giving me apparel
and weapons, and conveyed me out of the city. |
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I ride daily in the country, meditating my sermon on horseback,
hear confession, and after mass, preach, being greedily heard, and
give the sacraments. The country priests are virtuous and learned;
they have raised such an opinion of our society that all Catholics do
us exceeding reverence; therefore those who are to be sent should
be well trained for the pulpit. |
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I cannot long escape the heretics, they have so many scouts; I
wear ridiculous clothes, often change my name, and so often read
news' letters that Campion is taken, that I am without fear. Let
those whom you send take into account the solaces that countervail
these miseries, and by their sweetness make worldly pains seem
nothing, viz., a pure conscience, courage, zeal, a worthy work amongst
high and low, in great numbers, even the milder Protestants; it has
become a proverb that he must be Catholic who faithfully pays what
he owes; and if a Catholic do an injury, it is thought unworthy
of his calling. There are no men more corrupt and impure than
the ministers, and we may well be indignant that fellows so base
and unlearned should overrule the noble wits of the realm. |
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Threatening edicts come forth against us daily, yet we have
escaped thus far; men neglect their own safety to take care of mine.
I had set down in writing the causes of my coming; that I was a
priest, and wished to teach the gospel and minister the sacraments,
asking audience of the Queen and nobility, and professing disputations. I kept one copy in case I fell into the officers' hands, and
left the other with a friend, but he did not keep it close; it was
greedily read, and my adversaries were mad, answering out of the
pulpit that they would dispute, but the Queen would not allow
matters already established to be called in question. They call us
seditious hypocrites, and even heretics, which is much laughed at.
The people are ours, and the spreading this writing has advanced
the cause. With a safe conduct, we would go to Court. But they
have filled the old prisons with Catholics, make new ones, and
affirm that it were better to make a few traitors than that so many
souls should be lost. |
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They brag no more of their martyrs, since now, for a few
apostates and cobblers of theirs turned, we have bishops, lords,
knights, the old nobility, flower of the youth, noble matrons, and
innumerable of the inferior sort either martyred or dying by imprisonment. In the house where I am, there is no talk but of death,
flight, prison, or spoil of friends; yet they proceed with courage. |
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Many new soldiers restored to the church give up their names,
whilst the old offer up their blood. |
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We need much your prayers and sacrifices. There will never
want men in England that will take care of their own and others'
salvation, nor will this church fail, so long as priests and pastors are
found for the sheep. The rumour of present peril causes me to make
an end. [4 pages, copy.] |
