Cecil Papers: October 1605, 1-15

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 17, 1605. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1938.

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'Cecil Papers: October 1605, 1-15', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 17, 1605, (London, 1938) pp. 445-454. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol17/pp445-454 [accessed 26 April 2024]

October 1605, 1-15

Sir John Roper to the Earl of Salisbury.
[1605], Oct. 1. I did hope to have presented you with the falcon and tarsel I promised you long before this time; such is my ill-fortune as the tarsel died before he came to flying, and the falcon so altered in her flying and condition as if it had never been that hawk, and therefore dare not for shaming myself present her till she be brought to her former underflying, which time and pains must perfect. In the meantime I have sent you by this bearer a fair black falcon, and one of the best for the killing of a partridge and a fowl that never I have seen fly. She will always fly in a pace to please you, I hope, and many times will fly very high. That you may see what she did yesterday in the forenoon, being Monday, I have sent you 3 brace of partridges then killed with hawks, of which this falcon killed 2 brace. Accept them as a token of my love to you. This 1st Oct.
Holograph. Seal. Endorsed: "1605." 1 p. (112. 99.)
Dr. Henry Ramelius to the Same.
1605, Oct. 1. On behalf of one Joachim Voget, who has long been engaged in litigation in London, and having now at length obtained a royal commission, desires that he may obtain fair compensation from his adversaries.—Written in haste from a man-of-war off Gravesend, 1 Oct. 1605.
Signed. Seal. Latin. 1½ pp. (112. 154.)
John Mallory to the Same.
[1605], Oct. 2. Where of late there have been divers unkindnesses 'twixt Sir Stephen Procter and others in these parts for the defence of my Lord of Derby's right and title to certain lands in this country, most of which are appeased, yet is there some "corrosie" that will eat this gentleman, if by your means the same be not prevented. Sir Stephen Procter acquainted me very lately that he has pressed for good behaviour against him, and that he had for some consideration forborne the serving of them, but they should this term be renewed and likewise other bills should proceed against him. May it please you to free him of such imputations, or that by your countenance and favour he may live in quiet.—Stoodly, 2 Oct.
Holograph. Seal. Endorsed: "1605." 1 p. (112. 100.)
[The Earl of Salisbury] to the Mayor, etc., of Beer Alston.
1605, Oct. 3. Recommending Sir William Waad, knt., Lieutenant of the Tower of London and late Clerk of the Council, to be elected burgess for the town of Bere Alston in place of Sir Arthur Athye, knt., deceased.—Whitehall, 3 Oct. 1605.
Draft. 1 p. (112. 101.)
The Council of Scotland to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 3. We received your letters showing of the information made that frequent numbers of persons pass up thither from the north parts upon pretence to embark in those southern ports for seeking of their fortunes in the service of his Majesty's friends, and that sundry disorders are committed by them in the highways, and that the courts and streets of London are pestered with them. We never knew nor heard of the passing up of any such persons, neither has there any levy been made here. We have given strait order by proclamation, that all such colonels and captains as shall take any soldiers in this country for foreign service shall make their rendezvous and embark in the parts where they are levied, or in the most commodious sea-port next adjacent.—From Perth, 3 Oct. 1605.
Signed: "Montroiss commissionar'; Al. Cancells; Glamiss; Blantyre; Halyrudhois; T.Hamilton; Abercorne." Fragments of seal. 1 p. (112. 102.)
Francis Aungier to the Same.
1605, Oct. 4. I thank your lordship for vouchsafing me the only mean I had for his Majesty's letters to the Senate of Hamburgh for the furtherance of my suit. The letters I have delivered, but find some cause to doubt such effect thereof as the justice of my cause deserves, by reason that my suit is against divers of the citizens much favoured of the Senate. I understand that the city of Hamburgh, both by their ordinary agent Mr. Rodenberg and also by Herr Teggius their secretary sent specially for that purpose, sues to his Majesty for divers privileges and especially for the residence of the English merchants to be removed from Stoade to Hamburgh. If it would please you to recommend my cause to the secretary and Rodenberg and, if during my abode here, there shall be any employed in these parts on behalf of the English Merchants Adventurers to treat upon articles between the city of Hamburgh and them, you would name me among others, or by any other means employ me, it might be a great mean to further my cause. —From Hamburgh, 4 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. 1 p. (112. 103.)
The Earl of Montgomery to the Same.
[1605], Oct. 4. I have delivered your present to his Majesty, which was brought very sound, and his Majesty commanded me to return you many thanks for them, but especially for the grapes; for he says the peaches were very fair to look upon but not so good in taste as he has eaten of many times this year, therefore next time you send he would have you to send of another sort of peaches. I have no news to send you, but that the King is very well and merry, and removes on Monday next to Huntingdon.—From Roiston, 4 Oct.
Holograph. Seals. Endorsed: "1605." 1 p. (112. 104.)
Sir Edmund Pelham to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 4. His Majesty has entitled all such as are sent his justices of assize in this kingdom with the name of lords during their circuits, and intends to grace all such as be judges or barons of any benches here with the dignity of serjeants-at-law. It is for that Mr. Geoffrey Osbaldeston, a gentleman and an outer barrister of Gray's Inn, being in this kingdom, has been by the good opinion conceived of him and his learning by the Lord Deputy, Council, and judges here without his suit or motion made one of the judges of the King's Bench here, who is very well liked of by my Lord Chief Justice of that place, and has since served his Majesty as a justice of assize in a circuit, where he has behaved himself well and commendably. Wherefore I beseech you that he may be graced with the state and ornaments of a serjeant-at-law either by writ from thence, or here by other direction.—Dublin, 4 Oct. 1605.
Signed. 1 p. (112. 105.)
The Earl of Southampton to the Same.
[1605], Oct. 5. I am entreated by a good friend of mine to move you on behalf of one Chamberlayne concerning a matter depending in the Star Chamber between him and one Green, and to be heard, as I take it, this next term. My suit is no more but for that which I assure myself you would afford without soliciting, your lawful favour to Chamberlayne, whose cause I am informed is just.—5 Oct.
Holograph. Seal. Endorsed: "1605." (112. 106.)
Sir John Ramsay to the Same.
1605, Oct. 5. His Majesty has bestowed a suit upon him, and willed him to seek out such a one as might be sufficient for the further advancement of his fortunes. Has moved him to give him a grant of all fraudulent reckonings of his Highness's payments and allowances in Ireland, as it pleased her late Majesty to bestow upon one of her servants in England.— Royston, 5 Oct. 1605.
Signed. Seal. ½ p. (112. 107.)
Dudley Carleton to the Same.
1605, Oct. 6. May I add a few lines to a former letter, though I write with so much grief that I wish non posse scribere. By all conjectures I can make of the state of my Lord Norreys's body and the accidents of his disease, I despair of his recovery.
Betwixt his fits he has perfect good sense, and though he often thinks of disposing of things and has bestowed somewhat with his own hands, yet I can give no assurance whether he has made a will or not.
Publicly he says it rests not in his power to dispose of anything he has in England, and yet privately he said to me this last night, that he had made no will when he came from thence. There has been nothing moved to him directly touching this matter because of his apprehensions, to which he is very subject, but now it is thought time to have it persuaded by my Lord Ambassador. The day he fell sick he made me more than ordinary demonstrations of his affection to his lady, which makes me believe that whatsoever he does shall be the best for her good. He has told me of an annuity he has given one of his brothers by a rent charge upon his land, which he wished me to take good note of. He commanded me to say somewhat to your lordship, as if a discontentment, with which he once acquainted you, had been the cause of his disease, but it seemed to proceed only out of melancholy, because soon after he recalled it. You may have heard of some sickness he had in Spain, whereof this may be surmised a consequent, but it was mal gracioso and thoroughly recovered. His excessive exercise, which the physicians most complain of, proceeded of overjoying in his good disposition, which till our coming to this town and in these 14 days that he began first to droop he would vaunt to be better than ever he had in his life. This man of mine I send expressly because he has been present both in his health and sickness, and can inform your lordship of anything you doubt of, which my want of leisure and distracted wits upon this accident will not suffer me to write. I beseech you to send your directions, as if the worst should happen.—From Parys, 6 Oct. 1605, stilo vetere.
PS.—At this instant, which was wont to be the time of my Lord's violent fits, there is sleep procured him, which gives us some better hope.
Holograph. Seal. 1½ pp. (112. 108.)
Sir W. Waad, Lieutenant of the Tower, to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 7. I gave only signification to you of the great offence that is taken by occasion of the great number of Irish people that frequent these parts, until I took more certainty of them. Understanding there was above 100 last Sunday before the Spanish Ambassador's lodging, I caused a constable of East Smithfield to bring 5 or 6 of them before me that speak English. By examining them I learn that Captain De la Hide, an Irishmen, took up 200 of them in Munster, Connaught and Leinster, by warrant, as he told them, from the King to levy such as were willing to serve. These embarked at Waterford, landed at Penrin in Cornwall, and came to the City. Their captain gave them only 2s. a man, so for want of money they have sold their swords and some apparel to defray their charges. Their often repair to the Ambassador's house is because De la Hide lodges there. Also that Captain Darcie has also sent over 120 out of Ireland, but himself has not come over. I find very easy persuasion might divert their intended course. Amongst them are many women, and many of the men seem to be of the better sort. They have so often presented themselves on the north side of Tower Hill beyond the Postern, before that tower where the titulary Desmont was lodged, in such numbers, and with that demonstration of affection to him, that I have removed him to a prison in Coldherbert [Coldharbour], where he can neither be seen nor see any of them, which he exceedingly stomachs. The offence generally conceived by all men by the wandering of those people up and down in troops, and especially about the Tower, is so great, that I could not forbear to signify the same, and to put you in mind that your lordships gave special directions to stay the transportation of the Irish. The resort of these people chiefly to these quarters, grows in part out of another notable enormity I have found in these parts, remote from that end of the suburbs subject to the view of you and other Lords, which you will think strange in the manner, and more strange in the toleration of such abuses. There is at the end of a new built lane called Hogge Lane, towards the fields leading to Ratcliff, a cluster of base tenements termed Knockfergus, peopled with Irish of very base sort, who live only by begging. The best of the inhabitants inform me that of 80 households lately erected the dwellers in them and all the stuff in their houses is not worth 40l., but are mere rogues and lewd people that live by stealth, pilfering and shifting, who disperse themselves abroad in the day time, and lodge there in the night. There are also 20 children at least, begotten upon queans amongst them, of which there is no father known. How to reform this I know not. To bind the landlords to the Star Chamber has for these many years served only to encourage offenders and bring scorn to the justices, who have taken great pains to inform these fearful abuses, certify the presentments, bind the offenders, and select the better sort and chiefest trespassers. The justices have given very dutiful attendance, but I never saw any course of proceeding. It may be the full measure of these abuses was not grown to that height it now is heaped up. If reformation be not taken, besides other inconveniences, the City will never be free from sickness. So many new buildings are erected in these parts daily, as if there were a strait command to join East Smithfield to Ratcliff.—The Tower, 7 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. 2 pp. (191. 51.)
Sir John Croke to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 8. I am bold to present to you some things which I have collected concerning the question whether the counties of Salop, Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester are within the Marches of Wales or no, the ordering whereof much concerns the continuance of the peaceable government of those places, as also of the other shires of Wales. These collections are only motives of much more material observations to be prescribed by you, which out of my duty, fearing what consequence innovations may bring I present, to be reformed as you shall command.—Serjeants' Inn, 8 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (112. 110.)
John Layfield to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 8. I received a message from your lordship by Mr. Brewton, to know my mind touching the suit which my Lord's Gr[ace] and my Lord of Exeter made for Graveley. May it please you to remember your promise thereof, and seeing the first presentee can by no means, who has tried many, make himself capable of it, extend your favour to me in the second.— 8 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. ½ p. (112. 109.)
[Cf. Calendar of S.P. Dom., 1603–1610, p. 232.]
The Earl of Nottingham to the Same.
[1605], Oct. 8. Begs to be excused from attending this meeting, being ill with much pain in his head of the "megrom." —Richmond, 8 Oct.
Holograph. Endorsed: "1605. Lord Admiral." ½ p. (191. 52.)
— to Lord —.
1605, Oct. 10. Sends particulars of the estate of Mr. Jocelin, which he understands of his own knowledge, having of late been an arbitrator between the two brethren. The estate includes the Manor of Hie Rooding, Essex; the Manors of Newehall Jocelines and Bronsey Bery, which are the jointure of Mrs. Jocelin; and the Manor of Hide Hall, Herts. His debts are thought to be 600l. or 700l.—10 Oct. 1605.
1 p. (P. 2154.)
King James to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 10. For your better satisfaction touching Anne Gunter we let you wit that whereas not long ago she was a creature in outward show most weak and impotent, yet she did yesterday in our view dance with that strength and comeliness and leap with such agility and dexterity of body that we, marvelling thereat to see the great change, spent some time this day in the examination of her concerning the same. And we find by her confession that she finds herself perfectly cured from her former weakness by a potion given her by a physician, and a tablet hanged about her neck; that she was never possessed with any devil nor bewitched; that the practice of the pins grew at the first from a pin that she put into her mouth, affirmed by her father to be cast therein by the devil, and afterwards that and some other such pin-pranks which she used together with the swelling of her belly, occasioned by the disease called the mother, wherewith she was oftentimes vehemently afflicted, she did of long time daily use and practice make show to be matters of truth to the beholders thereof; and lastly that she hath been very far in love with one Appleby, servant to the Lord of Canterbury, and is still, hath sought his love long most importunately and immodestly (in manner unfit to be written) and now she doth most humbly and earnestly crave our furtherance that she may marry him; and this last is confessed also by himself. Whereof you shall hear more by the next messenger; in the meantime we have sent you this letter enclosed for the better satisfaction of my Lords and yourself.
And because we know that by reason of the Parliament and other weighty affairs you cannot write much with your own hand, we shall be contented that you shall use your secretaries' labour therein.—Finchingbrook, 10 Oct. 1605.
Sign manual and seal. Endorsed by Cecil: "The King's Majesty." 1 p. (134. 70.)
The Earl of Shrewsbury to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 10. Now that the Parliament draws on so near and we hear nothing of any prorogation, I hope we shall see you in London before the end of this month. I have some term business to direct my man in at London which requires some haste, and is contained in this enclosed letter, which I pray may be speedily sent him. I never yet sent any letter post but the direction was always to you; therefore I hope you will pardon my overboldness.—At Warsop, 10 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. ¾ p. (88. 110.)
Lord Say and Sele to the Same.
1605, Oct. 10. He acknowledges Salisbury's letter, signifying his Majesty's pleasure that Mrs. Bridgett Hungerford be disposed to her eldest son Sir John Hungerford. Although he has been at great charge to indict her, and the benefit of her was likely to exceed any two of the rest, he willingly submits, and will desist further proceedings against her. So many of the King's servants have obtained the like suits, and the judges have been so diligent to discover and convict, that any three he shall now procure will not countervail the benefit of this one. Salisbury, for the benefit of Mr. Wingfeilde, exempted out of his note Sir Everard Digby of Rutlandshire, the chiefest in estate of all he named. He begs, in view of his great expense in the matter, and that Mr. Robert Car, who has already received 20l. from him, must have 60l. more, that his number of 8 may be made 10. Also that he may continue his interest in those he named before, especially Edward Morgain, who, to defraud the King and him, has lately sold all his lands and leases in these parts, being a great recusant.—Browghton, 10 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. 1 p. (191. 53.)
Sir John Peyton to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 10. I beseech you to take into your protection such causes as concern my poor estate, amongst which there is now one in question touching the recovery of the fen about the Isle of Ely, that much imports me, and in which I have spent 30 years' industry, and made the first overture of the feasibility of that work, as by the fruits and effect thereof appeared unto my Lord Chief Justice upon his late view made in those parts for that purpose. My son shall inform your lordship of the particulars.—Jersey, 10 Oct. 1605.
PS.—This bearer can inform you of the proceeding in the cause of Sir Walter Rawleygh's debts in this island, commanded unto [me] by your letters, and as by my answer therein may appear.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (112. 111.)
Sir John Peyton, the younger, to the Same.
[1605, Oct. 10 or later.] Having divers times attended to present my service, as well of myself as by my father's directions, and of late not so happy as to obtain the same, I presumed to address my devotion to your lordship in a letter. The miserable calamity of the surrounded Isle of Ely wherein I live is wellknown to you, and pitied, as through your favourable care for the recovery of them appears. Such as have been employed and are about the work have not as yet perfected the least part of their project, being a straighter or corrected conveyance of the fen water from the river of Neane to the outfall at or near the London "loade." The unwillingness of the people to the bettering of their estates, and their wilfulness not to conceive their own good have been the chief cause of the easy proceedings of the undertakers; which obstacle, though to the great loss of the country, will with these great wets without question be removed, and the county be the easier drawn to part from a convenient portion of the fens for the certaining of the rest, now they shall perceive their whole estates subject to be overthrown by one month's continual wet. The length of the work now in hand will be 3 miles, the breadth 40 foot, the depth 8 foot. There is 130,000 acres allotted by Commission of Sewers for the recovery of the rest. My father is like to part from a great deal and as much as any man there, that has an hereditary estate, and neither himself nor I shall be anyway unwilling to yield to such a proportion as shall be thought fit for the effecting of so general a good.—Undated.
Holograph. Seal. Endorsed: "1605." 3 pp. (112. 112.)
Sir Fulke Grevill to the Same.
[1605], Oct. 10. To enquire after his health, with other compliments.—From Horrold's Park, 10 Oct.
Holograph. Endorsed: "1605." 1 p. (112. 114.)
The Mayor and Citizens of Exeter to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 12. We have been informed that divers of the merchants of London endeavour to be made a corporation for the French trade, and have written to us, the merchants of this city of Exon, advising us to send them the names of such of us as (having been mere merchants by the space of 15 years) are desirous to be united unto them; and likewise to signify their intent unto our neighbour towns of Devon. If such a patent be granted them, we are persuaded that it will be altogether unprofitable to his Majesty, and hazard the estates of a great number of our western merchants, who (being made subject to their commands) shall adventure but what and how much and when they list, and shall be disabled to do anything without directions from so distant and remote a place. For our own part we are incorporated already by the late Queen under the great seal for a French company, which patent we entreat may be now confirmed by his Majesty, and our city and county of Exon excepted out of that charter which those Londoners endeavour to procure. For the effecting of which business we have purposely sent one of our neighbours, beseeching you to afford such furtherance as may best continue the peaceable and free trading of our merchants into the dominions of the French King.—12 Oct. 1605.
Signed: Henry Hull, maire: John Davye: Jo. Perrham: Wm. Martin: Nicholas Spicer: John Howell: Hugh Crossinge, Governor: Rychard Dorchester: Walter Borrowe. Seal. 1 p. (112. 115.)
Lionel Tichborne to Thomas Gawen.
1605, Oct. 12. I commend me heartily to you and your good bedfellow, wishing St. David to be her saint. I would desire to write your letters to Sir William Peter to make a letter of attorney to Rafe Parsons for the gathering of his rent in Sarum.—12 Oct. 1605.
PS.—I lie at Townsends where Mr. More also lodges.
Holograph. Seal. ½ p. (112. 116.)
Captain Matthew Bredgate to the Earl of Salisbury.
1605, Oct. 14. I desire you out of your wonted favour to take pity on my poor self, in restoring me to my credit and liberty again, and put me upon any service or employment that shall be for your Honour. I am a true subject and an honest man. I was simply overtaken by the Lord Arundell. He gave me only good words, assuring me the favour of many his honourable friends (naming your lordship for one), but for any reward I never had penny nor pennyworth. This is to my undoing to have my employments to be taken from me, and this chargeable imprisonment to be put upon me. My hope is upon your lordship and my Lord Admiral. He is willing that I should have my enlargement, and willed that I should put up my petition to the Privy Council.—14 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. 1 p. (112. 117.)
Leysaghe O'Conor to the Earl of Devonshire, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
[? 1605], Oct. 14. I met this morning with Capt. William Darcy, who tells me there is not above threescore and ten by poll coming in his company, and that Capt. Garald was in Ireland at his departure from thence, being wind-beaten in after once setting forth. What will become of him he knows not. Mr. Preston [marginal note: "Vicont Gormaston's brother"] is past me up to London with a dozen men in his company yesterday, but Darcy tells me that his company were in bark a fortnight before his setting forth from Ireland. I have turned back with Capt. Darcy to meet the company at Donstabill, where I will attend with them till I hear further from you.—From Readburn, 14 Oct.
Holograph. 1 p. (112. 118.)
Dudley Carleton to Sir Walter Cope.
1605, Oct. 14. I thought I should have been with you before this time, but have been stayed by an unfortunate accident of my Lord Norreys's sickness, which began 15 days since, and still continues. He has had many conflicts betwixt life and death, but it has pleased God to work a sudden change beyond expectation, and we have good hope of his recovery. Pray inform my Lord of Salisbury thus much.
Excuse any offence that may be taken at an advertisement I sent a week since, which proceeded out of my care to have the best made of the worst that might happen. In his sickness the two greatest physicians of this town, and, for one of them, it may be said of this time, La Riviere and Maliscot, have showed by their deaths that their art is tota projecta, and more ad alienas utilitates than their own. You must look for no other news from a sick man's bedside, from whence I stir not. My stay upon this occasion will be longer than I looked for.—Parys, 14 Oct. 1605, stilo vet.
Holograph. Endorsed: Charlton, Sir H. Noell, Toby Mathew, Sir H. Goodyere, H. Constable, Ch. Chester, Mr. Townley, Sir Ed. Baynam. 1 p. (191. 54.)
James Plunket to his brother.
1605, Oct. 15. Finding this convenient messenger I thought it fit to salute you with these few lines. My coming from Ireland has been but lately, for I was there within this fortnight, and then our friends were all well, but desirous as I am myself to hear how you do and where you are, with all speed.—London, 15 Oct. 1605.
Holograph. Unaddressed. ½ p. (112. 119.)