Cecil Papers: August 1608

Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 20, 1608. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1968.

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'Cecil Papers: August 1608', in Calendar of the Cecil Papers in Hatfield House: Volume 20, 1608, (London, 1968) pp. 224-234. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-cecil-papers/vol20/pp224-234 [accessed 26 April 2024]

August 1608

Sir Thomas Gorges to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 5. Reports upon the state of the Earl's house at Cranborne. Proceedings at Dorchester Assizes against the fellows that hunted in the Earl's chase at Cranborne, and beat the keeper Morgan. The building at "the old castle". Touching subsidies that are behind for "my Lady Marques", which have ever heretofore been discharged in the Pipe Office; he hopes he will have the Earl's favour in the ordinary course for her discharge.—Langford, 5 August, 1608.
Holograph. 1 p. (213 104.)
Sir William St John to the Earl of Nottingham
[1608] August 7. Upon the 2nd of this instant my Lord of Ocheltry, his Majesty's Lieutenant, with part of his forces, about 1000 men, arrived at Ila, half a league from the castle of Donawigg, where next morning the Lord Bishop of the Isles was sent ashore to speak with Angus McKonel and his son, who kept the castle. His persuasions succeeded so well that obedience was procured from the rebels, my Lord Lieutenant accepting them in honourable and gentle terms, and came the 5th of this month aboard my ship, bringing Mac Konell and Macllyn, with other gentlemen, to finish celebrating that feast for the preservation of our Sovereign from the treasons of Gowrye, which his Lordship had at dinner begun bountifully on board his own ship. The circumstance of this, as of our hopeful suits, I presume will be related to you by messengers. The respect we receive from the Lord Lieutenant, and our endeavours to advance his Highness's service, have true correspondence; from him as a courteous commander; from us as obedient servants. I have great comfort in the helpful carefulness of Captain Win. From the galley we have no word. The victualler which carries the field pieces is much missed, and will be more if my Lord proceeds, as is intended, to go through the Isles. It is wished that she be hastened away, whereof you have been most careful as in all other your designs.—Aboard the Advantage, 7 August.
Holograph. Endorsed: "1608." 1 p (195 33.)
Thomas Wilson to —
1608, August 8. He is to deliver to the bearer, Rowland Lee, 45 crowns (11l 5s 0d English) by my Lord's [Salisbury's] command, and enter it for the King's service.—8 August, 1608.
1 p. Lee's receipt at foot. (214 61).
[Sir Thomas Edmondes] to [the Earl of Salisbury]
1608, August 10. Willford confesses he would have surprised Owen and sent him into England. Sir Thomas Edmondes lays this practice upon one Whitebread who drew him into the matter with purpose to betray him. Thomas, Earl of Tyrconnel, dead at Rome. The Lady Lovell (the most passionate besotted poor woman that ever was with the opinion of the Jesuits) did the last week render herself religious amongst the nuns of this town. The Jesuits' faction not a little strengthened by the insolent spirit of Sir Edward Bainham who has "carried himself very proudly towards me as we have encountered; but though there be small reason to be had here against those men, he shall as near as I can have little matter of triumph against me." Willford in misery and desires money. Sir Thomas Edmondes refuses to give any without direction from my Lord.
Abstract. (227 p. 349.)
Robert Edolf to the Privy Council
1608, August 11. According to your letters, dated at Greenwich the 4th of June last, to the high sheriffs and justices of peace for the county of Kent, for seeing the effect of his Majesty's late proclamation for the prevention of the dearth of grain, as also the articles and orders thereupon depending to be duly and uprightly put in execution, I have by these, after the receipt and examination of the said justices' several certificates, acquainted you with the full effect of them. The principal market towns in the whole county are well provided for convenient store of grain until the new crop may be inned. The prices for divers market days before the date hereof did well abate, falling from 8s or 9s the bushel of wheat to 6s and under, and barley, being before at 8 groats the bushel and hardly to be found, fell to 2s the bushel or a little more and brought forth plentifully.—From Hynxhill, 11 August, 1608.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (126 36.)
Bishop Elect of Rochester to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 11. I received this day the book you directed to me, which I will show to his Majesty this evening when he comes in from hunting. Yesterday I took occasion to tell him that a man of mine had certified me that there was such a book extant at London, at which speech he only smiled, and was so little moved that I conjectured he had heard of it before. Afterwards he questioned me what I thought of the book, and whether it were substantially answered or not. I told him I conceived it to be a loose, libellous, weak discourse, scant worthy his reading, no way worthy his answering, but a just subject for the Bishop of Bath to labour in, he being somewhat unmannerly used by the author in it. I shall also show him your letters to me. I hold it not my duty to conceal from him your singular affection to him therein expressed.— Sulye Lodge, 11 August, 1608.
Holograph. 1 p. (195 34).
The Bishop of Durham to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 12. I sent answer to your letters touching the stables at Durham House 20 days since to be conveyed by the post with the next packet, which although they stayed in his hand some time, yet I hope that long ere this they be come to you. It has pleased God to take to his mercy yesterday at his house in Yorkshire (for he was not able to come to the Assizes here) Sir Cuthbert Pepper, a learned and worthy gentleman of whom these counties shall have great want. I must crave pardon for enclosing this letter to my good Lord, the Earl of Exeter, for other conveyance I cannot get, who is steward of the best manor this bishopric has, whose deputy Sir Cuthbert Pepper was. I have lately received his Majesty's letters touching ministers and survey of the able men in this country, as also letters from the Privy Council wherewith I acquainted all the justices at the Assizes here.—Durham, 12 August, 1608.
Signed. Seal. 1 p. (126 37.)
The Earl of Dunbar to [the Earl of Salisbury]
[1608] August 13. I was no sooner come to Edinburgh from a long journey out of the west parts of this country, some time under the commandment of the late Lord Maxwell, but I received your letter, wherein I find so much affection towards me as does exceed any my deservings. Your Honour in your kind letter lets me see how you are pleased to be in grief with the sorrow of your poor friend. My good Lord, I hope in God to see you shortly for within a few days I am to take my journey towards you. At my coming I have much to say unto you that I will not commit to paper. It has pleased his Majesty to command me to send you two of our priests, one of them called Mr John Hamilton, our great archpriest in this country, the other of them called Patterson and a fellow labourer of his. It will please you to cause [to] receive them from this bearer, and that order may be taken for their safe keeping. I am of that mind that they can deliver great things, and I trust that you shall get of them matter that you may make good use of, but in this it will please you to bear with me till my coming, and then you shall know more than is meet to be written.—Edinburgh, the 13 August.
Holograph. 2 pp. (128 73.)
[See Cal. S.P.Dom, 1603–1610, p. 454.]
Sir Hatton Cheek to the Earl of Salisbury
1608. August 14. Is advertised that Copley, in his examination before the Lords, would have coloured his practices with pretence of Cheek's privity of that which passed between Lee and him. Protests he had no knowledge of Copley's base and abject course, Copley being a fellow of that lewd and desperate condition that he never willingly acknowledged him but when the necessity of his charge here required it. The Commissioners here used his services in some discovery of Copley at his apprehending, and can witness what incongruity it has with his condition to have been an intermeddler. Hopes Salisbury, who has already justified him without testimony, will now declare his innocency with more confidence.—The Haegh. 14 August, 1608.
Holograph. 2 pp. (195 35.)
Thomas Wilson to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 14. This day I returned your packet sent hither "in haste for life" to the not-to-be-found Sir W. Button, because before your departure thence you might give other directions.
Sir John Digby has made me this relation of the new-come Duke of Wirtemberg. He desires his audience hastened, for he desires to see Scotland before the ill season for travel. He has in his company 24 persons, whereof of note the following: Monsr Benjamin Bunickhausen de Walmerode, Councillor of State to the Duke the elder brother, who was Ambassador to the Queen here in '98 and to his Majesty at his coronation, and brother to him that was here Ambassador in 1605 for the Duke of Wirtemberge. His coming is only to assist this Prince until he has seen his Majesty, and then he is to return with speed into Germany to report to the Duke the success of his brother's voyage. The gentlemen that follow him into Scotland are: Christofer de Laginnger, Councillor and Chamberlain to the Duke; Jan Jaques Wormbser, this Prince's Hofmaister or mayordomo as I take it, they call him superintendent: Richard de Prasberg, Councillor to the Duke: Mr Asche Berk, chief gentleman of his Chamber: Mr Shafflist, gentleman of his Chamber. The rest are secretary, minister, 3 pages, a steward, "chirugien" and other officers and servants. Sir John Digby has continually attended him, and reports them to be the best ordered train he ever saw come out of Germany; no drinkers; not a health since he came into their company. I thought to have gone to him this day, but understand it is not the Duke with whom I was acquainted in his father's time, but Louis or Lodovic the 2nd brother, whom I know not, albeit I saw 3 or 4 of the brethren at my being at that Court at Stutgard.
This packet and letter is even now received from Spain. The bringer was charged by the Ambassador to make all haste possible to deliver them to you, and that he came from Bristowe post of purpose. I am afraid they are of no such consequence to require such cost and haste.
This letter to me came from the party whose writing you commended. This other comes from Sir William Browne from Flushing.—Salisbury House, 14 August 1608.
PS. Sir John Digby desires directions what he shall do in the business of this Prince; and whether if letters come to Sir W. Botton or Sir Lewis Lewknor for that service, he shall break them open and see the directions executed.
Holograph. 2¼ pp. (195 36.)
David Dromond to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 15. A highly laudatory letter addressed to the Earl of Salisbury, dated London, 18 Cal. Sept. 1608.
Holograph. Latin. Seal. 1 p. (126 54.)
Thomas Wilson to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 15. These enclosed out of the Low Countries were sent from Sir William Browne to Quarless, the Postmaster of the Merchant Adventurers. Yesterday, I sent you a packet from Spain. I have nothing to say about this building (? Britain's Burse) but that the arches are beginning to go up. Under your correction, I do not think the 12 Apostles so fit statues. It will be too like Church work for this world. Besides, the surveyor has made on each side of those great "neeses" (?niches) two other small ones for smaller statues which must needs be filled, and six other small ones underneath in the midst and at each end. This last six is already done, and therefore can not be altered; and I know not, if the 12 Apostles be placed in the great arches, what we shall place in the other 24 on each side them, nor in the six under them, for so many there will be in all besides the 12, which will be much more work, the 24 great "neeses" for 24 kings. Consider once more this point and let us have a speedy resolution, and we shall need no more, I trust, to trouble you about anything. There is now more timber come, and all things go on apace.
Margetts and the Italian have been with me, and are setting down their project in writing to send you.
Packets and letters for you come every hour, and I know not after this whither to send them, you being departed from Holdenby.— Salisbury House, 15 August 1608.
Holograph. 1 pp. (195 38.)
George Margetts to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 16. The merchant stranger, Mr Pompilio Gaetano, the author of the project and myself, upon knowledge of your answer, repaired to Mr Wilson to have given him some further light in the business; but the merchant, unwilling that any matter of moment should be opened touching the same before he come to your Lordship's presence, nevertheless upon the rehearing of your pleasure that he should have contentment to the uttermost of his desires, if the service fall out answerable to my letters, he is encouraged to give you this further taste until he may come to wait upon you himself, which is, that although corn be scant in the kingdom, as this year it is most like to be, yet shall it by his infallible course never come near these extraordinary prices again; whereof you shall have precedents out of other foreign parts by which they find their comforts. By the same project you shall infallibly know what quantity is in the kingdom, and, in time of abundance, what proportion without prejudice may be transported. Besides, by your directions those shires that have abundance shall relieve those that are in want, which lie most commodiously for them. This office cannot be maintained without charge, because many must be employed herein for the general good, as well abroad as at home. And yet the burden as it shall be laid shall be so easy, as that the King shall have the yearly benefit expressed in my former letters, the generality that good that is promised, and the party himself that contentment he requires, and your Lordship in general terms most honourably offers.
Thus the party concludes, praying your favourable acceptance hereof, until he, I, or both wait upon you, fully to satisfy your Honour herein; being meanwhile very jealous if any creature should understand anything thereof.—London, 16 August 1608.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (126 38.)
The Earl of Nottingham to the Earl of Salisbury
[1608] August 16. I am assured you have received advertisement out of Scotland, yet send you the enclosed from Sir William St John. I am sorry they do not hear of the galley nor the ship that has the pieces of battery and other provisions, which I am afraid they will want. If the galley and the other had been anywhere upon the coast of England, I should have heard of them, therefore they must be in Ireland, or else it is to be doubted they are lost.—Halyng, 16 August.
PS. I have been very ill of a cold and fits of ague. Let my love and service be commended to my Lord Chamberlain and my Lady, his wife.
Holograph. Endorsed: "1608." 1 p. (195 39.)
Lord Sheffield to the Earl of Salisbury
[1608, August 17]. The subject of this letter has already affected me with grief, and I know will be displeasing to you also. It is the death of Sir Cuthbert Pepper, of which I am advertised from York. He died upon the 11th of this month. I will not say what loss I have of him, he has been so kind and respective of me; but this I dare say, your Lordship has lost as faithful a man as ever served under you. But now he is gone it concerns me to take care that such another may come in his room as may be fit for the King's service there, and in whose company and association I may have comfort. Wherefore I pray you earnestly to stand to me in this, that it having been the custom that those the President has nominated have been by the King chosen, as it was in the Queen's time before, so that now you would move the King to do me that right which will make my pains in that place more comfortable to me if my yoke-fellow draw lovingly and painfully with me. The man I desire to supply that place is Sir Jo. Jacson, late the King's Attorney there, a very good lawyer, being a reader and a very honest man. Now, my Lord, to avoid the trouble of many competitors with their news which both the King, your Lordship and myself shall be pestered with, if you would move the King for this gentleman, against whom there can be no exception, and as soon as may be, thereby the King's pleasure being known, all importunate competitors may be stopped and much trouble saved.—Undated.
PS. I pray you, if my request be satisfied, send me the King's letter for admittance, for the place would be supplied as soon as may be because it was Sir Cut[bert] Pe[pper's] quarter to attend the service of that place.
Holograph. Endorsed: "17 Aug. 1608." 1½ pp. (126 39.)
The Lord Chancellor to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 19. I acknowledge with all thankfulness the favour you did me to his Majesty, and your kind letter written at Holdenby which you sent me by your servant. In Holdenby you might see the difference between an old decaying Chancellor and a young favourite in Court, for that young time made Holdenby so lusty, else I think you should not have found so good a verse on the door as haec loca quae veteri rudere sancta vides. If I troubled you much for Saltonshall, I pray you blame him whom no salt can season to agree with his mother and brother and sisters; and to say I had decreed it without more, I doubted might have seemed too peremptory an answer, for lawyers hold that ratio eadem cum dicto nihil concludit. It may be I shall be blameworthy in this needless remembering him again. I hope you are well returned from Staffordshire and that northwest air.—At Yorke House, 19 August, 1608.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (126 40.)
Thomas Wilson to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 19. This messenger Shaw coming to Court, I disburden myself of a whole torrent of letters which are come since your departure from Holdenby. He promises to be at Woodstock as soon as you. The last I sent to the bailiffs of Lichfield, as Mr Dacomb left word. Since, I have received 2 packets from you, one to Sir Francis Bacon, whereof now I send answer, the other to my Lord Admiral, which I have sent to him to Haling. I enclose a letter from him.
Concerning your building here, there are already 4 arches up, and we are promised that sometime next week they will be all up.
Your house is yet unready for you, the workmen being about transposing the closet and secretary's room.
I have according to your command set Colt awork with one of the Apostles, and of all 12 I have gotten the true portraits.—Salisbury House, 19 August, 1608.
PS. Yesterday I went with Mr Bell to the French Ambassador for the attestation of the stone from Cane. He willingly made it, and in the afternoon called me at your house to go with him to show him your new building here, which he exceedingly commends both for the manner of building and the project whereto it is designed.
Holograph. Endorsed: "To my Lo. my Mr." 1 p. (195 40.)
Dr George Montaigne to the Earl of Salisbury
[1608] August 19. On Wednesday, the 17th, my Lord Northampton was entertained into Cambridge by Dr Goade, Vice Chancellor. He first had an oration made to him, and after, in King's College, a Divinity Act performed before him. The first question was "Incarnatio Christi non supponit peccatum seu lapsum Adami": the second, "Dispositio Regnorum non est virgulae Ecclesiasticae." The Moderator, after many admirations of the Earl's learning and worthiness, as being a principal stay of the Church in general, and of the King's College in particular, for the determination of the second question he referred the auditory to his Lordship's learned and excellent treatise of that point; and so with a gratulatory acknowledgment the Act ended.
On behalf of Queen's College, Cambridge, whereof I am senior Fellow, I entreat you, because the Master of that College is thought to be desperately sick, and there is like to be a prevention of the King's letters for the Mastership (which I believe the rather, for that I was by Mr Reynalds, my Lord Chamberlain's secretary, this day much urged to relinquish that right which the Statute casts upon me, and not to concur with one of the King's Chaplains by him undertaken in that suit), that you would grant us a free election according to Statute, and that we be not interrupted or urged by his Majesty's letters.—19 August.
Holograph. Endorsed: "Aug. 1608." 1 p. (195 41.)
Officers of the Port of Newcastle to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 20. We received a writ lately out of the Exchequer, bearing date 15 June last, enjoining us to perform an order to the said writ annexed, a copy whereof we send enclosed; and because we think it will be greatly prejudicial to this town and port if it be executed according to the purport thereof, we thought it our duty to set down certain reasons in writing for your better satisfaction.—Newcastle, 20 August 1608.
Signed: Ambr. Dudley, Th. Draper, Coll[ectors], He. Rivers, Compt [roller] ½ p. (126 41.)
Sir Thomas Lake to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 23. A Scottishman called Harvey is lately dead in Rye, who has dwelt long here and left some estate which by law is escheated to the King, he having no issue and being an alien born. His estate is begged by the bearer, a Scottishman named also Harvey, the Queen's surgeon, and it is granted him by the King, but with this purpose, that the escheats should not be found under the title of an alien, but rather as if the party dead had been a bastard and died intestate, or that this Harvey claimed to be his next heir, against which there is no man here to oppose; or under some other title that by his Majesty's Counsel may be devised; but in no wise would he have it as escheated from an alien. Please take such order herein as you consider to be fit.—Court at Woodstock, 23 August 1608.
Holograph. 1 p. (195 42.)
William Kyrkham to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 24. Lord Burghley mitigated the great fine imposed upon him to 200l (which was at the first 31,000l). He begs Salisbury that the decree of the Court of Star Chamber concerning the mitigation may remain irrevocable. The bearer, Mr Peter Lewes, can inform him of the whole manner of the proceedings. Begs compassion on himself, his poor wife and children.—Fleet, 24 August 1608.
Holograph. 2 pp. (195 43).
John Robinson to the Earl of Salisbury
[1608, August 24.] Heretofore time out of mind there has belonged to my place of searcher in London five deputies, and two at Gravesend, for whose behaviour the searcher for the time has always been answerable, and bonds put into the Exchequer for that purpose. Notwithstanding, the late Lord Treasurer, for reasons best known to himself, would abridge me from the gift thereof, and did thereupon grant Bylles, Lyck, Wayters to be as under-searchers, and allotted them 12l per annum as a fee due to those places, which was never afore done by any Lord Treasurer. I beseech you to do me right in this business that I may enjoy my place as formerly I have done.—Undated.
PS. There is one Barnes, one of the five here in London, sick, which if he die, I beseech you let my servant William Fortune have the preferment.
Holograph. Endorsed: "24 August, 1608." 1 p. (126 42.)
[Sir Thomas Edmondes] to [the Earl of Salisbury]
1608, August 24. Touching his assaulting Sir Edward Bainham, of whom he complains to the Archduke; the Archduke promises to take order in this cause, and resolves that no English Jesuit shall be at Watten. Willford brought from Villvorde Castle where he was prisoner to Brussels, to be tortured. The Duke of Mantua come to Brussels, met on the way by the Archduke; visited by our Ambassador who rendered the same to him and all other ambassadors who performed the like "I have endeavoured according to your Lordship's recommendation to shew what kindness I could to Sir John Harrington, and presented him to kiss the hands of the Archduke and Infanta, who gave good commendation of his discreet behaviour, as the same does very well deserve.
Abstract. (227 p. 349.)
Thomas Wilson —
1608, August 27. Order to pay to Thomas Stephans 20l for a Frenchman that brought "Estriches" out of France, which must be carried to the French Ambassador's and paid there.—27 August 1608.
Stephans' receipt at foot. 1 p. (214 62.)
Richard Porty to the Lord Privy Seal
1608, August 31. I received your letters of the 26th of this present August together with the Lord Treasurer's, the which I have perused, and so effectualy as in me lay have put those goods left by Harvye, late at Rye deceased, into safe keeping; it being put into an inventory before your letters came by my predecessor, our late Mayor, to whom the deceased was indebted; whereby the said Mayor has part of his goods in his keeping taken by an inventory and appraised. The said Harvye died suddenly in saying nothing at his death, neither leaving any will made of him, and since his death we have heard of no kindred of his. We ever held him a stranger, and there is found of such goods as he has left to the value of some 52l, as it is appraised before this messenger came; but he shall find it better worth, nothing doubting but it is your Lordship's will that his debts shall be satisfied.—Rye, 31 August 1608.
Holograph. Seal. 1 p. (126 43.)
Tibbot Gorges to the Earl of Salisbury
1608, August 31/Sept. 10. The desire I have to manifest that which I cannot execute but by the authority of your commands makes me haste my return, always endeavouring that your long forbearance might not accuse me of any slackness. Wherefore together with my companion, Mr Boda, whose affairs call him home into Germany, I purpose tomorrow with your favour to begin my journey for those parts, making my way to Basile through Lombardy, that being the only part of Italy which yet I have not seen, insomuch as I shall not see those great solemnities which will be at the marriage of the Prince of Toscanie, which holds for certain towards the end of October: at which, if I should be present, it would hold me some six months longer in this country, and make me let slip this most fit occasion of benefitting myself by the sight of Germany. My Lord Ambassador here yesterday took his journey towards the Lago de Garda, a most pleasant place some four days' journey from hence, where he purposes to make some small abode for his recreation. The morning before his departure I waited upon him to the College, where he had audience a full hour at the least, and afterwards would needs show me a picture of your Lordship which he has caused to be made in mosaic work, which was admired by us all, in regard as well of the lively resemblance, as of the curious work. I may not omit to let you know of the manifold favours vouchsafed me from him in regard of the dedication of my service.—Venice, 10 Sept., 1608, stilo novo.
Holograph. 1 p. (199 131.)
[Sir Thomas Edmondes] to [the Earl of Salisbury]
1608, August 31. Treaty with the Archduke about Willford. Rath, the Irishman went not with Tyrone, but stayed at Herentals amongst the Irish, and for his brags of holding correspondence with my Lord, put out of town.
Abstract. (227 p. 350.)