Border Papers volume 1: November 1593

913. William Feildinge to Burghley. [Nov. 5.]

I have waited here till now your direction with whom to leave "the treaties of Marche lawes and other wrytinges"—but knowing your lordship's other important affairs may have excluded this from remembrance, and being ready this week to leave for Richmondshire and lie near Richmond, I keep the above in safety with myself, to be delivered to such as your lordship appoints to receive them. Carlisle. Signed: Will'm Feildinge.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.

914. Captain William Walker to Burghley. [Nov. 17.]

Representing that he had been a poor member of the garrison of Berwick for 34 years as captain and lieutenant of one band, besides service spent in meaner calling, as the most part of the best of the town can attest—"and yf witness I had non, yet doth the markes I carie of any bodie gotten by the hands of the enimies well affirm the same." Yet for all this the Lord Chamberlain governor of the town has discharged him only for this reason—that at Midsummer last when the garrison was paid, he fell short of what was due to his company, but moving his friends, they joined in a suit that if he were continued in his place, the means to pay his men should be found. But though the governor was then agreeable to this, some enemies have moved him since to discharge the petitioner, who is thus undone and his men unsatisfied—for he being turned off cannot charge his friends and do himself no good. Confessing his fault as both evil and negligent and yet could show by good reasons how these "hindrances" came on him. Though this is no excuse, yet if others of his calling had been so severely dealt with they would have been in the same "predickamentt."

Humbly craving Burghley to order Sir John Selby, Sir William Reade, captains Erington and Selby to inquire into his behaviour and course of life since they first knew him—and the like to the mayor and corporation of Berwick, to report the truth. Humbly awaiting his timely answer, being deprived of his liberty, and under bond of 200l. not to leave Berwick without the governor's pleasure. Berwick. Signed: Wyll'm. Walker.

2 pp. Indorsed: As the true copy of a former letter "in November laste being the xvij^th daye 1593."

915. Forster to Burghley. [Nov. 21.]

I have this day received letters from M^r Bowes the ambassador certifying his proceedings with the King and council for redress of the late outrage in Tynedale—whereby it appears that the King will deliver a gentleman on the 28^th instant, either at Berwick or Alnwick, to lie till the principal faulters are entered for his relief, or the bill paid, with other things contained in the king's answer, which I inclose, perceiving also that M^r Bowes has "retournede upe the same"—and desire to know her Majesty's pleasure if she will accept the King's offer or not. As the day is short I have written to M^r Bowes, that I will be ready to receive the gentleman here at Alnwick on the 28^th and have the plaintiffs ready also to swear their bill, if meanwhile I do not hear from her Majesty and the council to the contrary. At my house nigh Alnwick. Signed: John Forster.

1½ pp. Addressed. Indorsed.

Inclosed in the same:—

(1) (The bill of Tyndale.)

The inhabitants of Tyndale against William Ellott of Lawreston, Martyn Ellott of Bradley, the Laird of Mangerton, and William Armstrong called Kynmott and 1000 horsemen for taking 1005 head of nolt, 1000 sheep and goats, 24 horses and meares, burning an onsett and mill, and taking insight worth 300l. sterling, done 6^th October 1593.

This complaint was exhibited by Nicholas Forster to the King and Council of Scotland at Jedburgh, and immediate redress promised, which is not yet obtained, and therefore I require present delivery for the outrageous attempt, and that the opposite warden may be directed to hold meetings for mutual justice according to the treaty of peace and lawes of the Marches, "the viij^th of November 1593." Signed: John Forster.

¾ p. Indorsed: "The perticuler note of the bill of Tyndale."

(2) (The King and Council to Bowes.)

17^th November 1593.—For answer to the bill of the inhabitants of Tyndale against Will Ellott of Lariston &c., "wheranente as ye have ben moste earneste with us, so may ye be a wytnes of the juste occasiones of the neccessarie delaye of your answeare, which nowe partlye bycause of our late disease, and partlie throughe absence of our warden and somme that yt behovede us to deall with for this matter, in respecte of the presente wante of officers to make Liddesdale answearable, and of somme new troubles falne out in the West Marches of this realme"—whereby we are moved to take the more on our self in token how we disallow such attempts to trouble the happy amity between your sovereign and us, and omitting all delays upon the appointment of new officers for Liddesdale and public meetings on the March when the days were longer, and weather better, and the dangers of such open meetings by great numbers of armed men, with quarrels and feuds standing among them, "we will fyle this bill ourselfe uppon three of the persones containede therin, to wytt, Will and Martyn Ellotts, and Will Armestronge of Kynmothe (beinge credeblelie enformede that Mangerton was not att this attempte)," and deliver a gentleman made worth the bill to the warden of the Myddle Marches of England or his deputy, at Berwick or his own house of Alnwick on the 28^th instant or sooner, to remain till the principals are delivered for his relief or the bill paid, "which wilbe difficill inoughe to be gott done, consideringe the goods are fallen amonge the hands of such a multitude for the most parte vagabonds and unresponssall, dwelleinge in sundrie marches," and the men "billed as faulters" few in number and often disobedient. Besides as it has been the custom for open attempts filed by the princes, their commissioners, or the wardens on their honours, the single avail of the goods was always accepted, we require the same may be accepted here, as shall be received for the other attempt that gave occasion for the present one—whereby further attempts and hindrance of justice may be cut away, since usually disorders rather increase than stay when impossibilities are strictly sought, and the good subjects of both realmes will sustain the chief loss, when the wicked people who have done the harm and given the occasion, will easily concur in mischief and pack up their differences with small mediation, after the princes and their officers have been so greatly inquieted therewith.

Till you may return us acceptation of this offer, which we look to receive in as friendly manner as we lovingly make it, and wish it may be with as much speed as possible, for the greater terror of the thieves,—we will be as diligent as possible to make the redress effectual, and officers appointed for Liddesdale and other needful places.

By his Majesties commandment. Jo. Thyrlestane, can., S^r Rob^t. Melvyne, Kokburne, Newbotle, Al. Haye.

2 pp. Copy by Forster's clerk. Headed: To the ambassador. Indorsed.

916. Carey to Burghley. [Nov. 26.]

There is no news to tell, except that it is thought the King is about to make peace and unity between all his nobility, which I hope will hardly be brought to pass. Here our greatest war is between her Majesty's customer and M^r Perkinson the farmer of the same, whose controversies I fear will never end, for since my coming hither, I have not had so much trouble and ado in any one cause. Yet now the customer has found "suche a hoale in the farmer's coate," I do not think he will stir so much against the Queen's officers as before, who if they had not been assisted by me after receipt of your letter, would have got little justice.

"The cheife cause of my sending nowe is to be resolved of your lordshipes healthe and welldoinge, wherof I have herde somewhat to the contrarye. But I hope and pray to God for the amendment and bettering of your estate to his owne glorye. Only this, I am to advertise your lordship, that in longe and often laying of baite, I have at last caught a fishe (but not the same I wold fayne have had). This ys one Mr Thomas Oglebye, a seminary preist and Scotsman lately comde owt of Flaunders (as he saythe him self) who landed in Scotland, but where, he will not confesse, but saith he was set on shoare with a shipp boate, which shipp afterwardes passed awaye into the sea,—not taking any haven, but only setting him on shoare. He wyll confesse no place where he was more then this—from alehowse to alehowse, and to the poorest townes and villages that he could fynde, fearing (as he sayth) his owne apprehension. Seying at that tyme the Scotishe estate so troblesome, as then in dede yt was, and suche searche and staye of all passages for such men as he, was perswaded by a frende of his to goe into England, where he made aboad (as he sayth) but one night, and yet that one night, he wyll not confesse where he was, but sayth he sitt on his horseback and walked on the moores all that night. But this is trewe, that in his returne backe agayne, at Norrham fourde uppon Satterday last the xxv^th of this instant, he was going over, and his horses were ferryed over, and he in the boate ready to goe, who by good fortune was stayd with all his trash of papistrye which was in a cloke bagge with him—viz. his masse bookes, his little God Almighties oyle boxes, vestment, stoale, and all th'appurtenances to say masse withall. The worst is, his chalyce was but pewter." I must entreat your lordship for immediate direction, for I have to keep him in my own house, and two men watching him day and night—at no small charge, besides the fear of his escape. We have no prison here but "Haddockes Hole, a very bad prison, only for theves and murtherers."

I must also intreat your lordship "to consider a litle of my poore estate," and direct M^r Clopton at the pay here, to give me the half year's wages of the marshal's office—otherwise I can no longer keep house, having spent all I brought with me, and had no fresh supply since. I have now been here three quarters of a year, "almost of myne owne purse without releafe of any bodye, save that which my lord my father of his honorable favoure dothe bestowe upon me."

I have sent my father "his confession (such as it is) under his owne hand, . . . but I hope ere longe to get more owt of him." Berwick. Signed: Jhon Carey.

2 pp. Addressed. Indorsed. Wafer signet as before.

917. Scroope to Sir Robert Cecill. [Nov. 26.]

I received your letter of the 8^th "with the lettre to the Erle Bothwell" which I sent at once to him. He is in this town at present, the cause of his coming is "to travell with me the inlargement of the Capten of Beaucastell (whom for such abuse towards me as I have alreadie certefied to my lord Threasurer, I have under comaundement in this towne)." His lordship asked my help for convoy of these inclosed by post. By which, the state of the opposite frontiers, and what present favour he finds from his own sovereign, will be so fully advertised, "that I neede no further to dylate the same: but onelie to shewe (by the waye) that I can at no hande learne, that he hath any acceptable place in the kings affection or good opinion. In regarde whereof and because I both doubte that the Erle is fallen into the depest displeasure that may be with his prince, and knowe his disposicion to urge more open curteousies, then I feare maye stande with her Majesties favour to have affoarded him (the tyme and present state of things considered)," therefore I pray you to make known her Majesty's pleasure how to carry myself towards him.

I also desire my lord Treasurer's direction what allowance of powder I shall make to the soldiers here. My lord has the certificate of what remains of the store delivered here in my father's time; and I pray an acquittance for what was expended by him in defence of these borders. They are in good quiet, the season of the year and former times considered. Carlisle. Signed: Th. Scroope.

1¼ pp. Holograph. Addressed: "To the righte honorable my very lovinge frend Sir Roberte Cecill knighte, one of her Majesties most honorable pryvye counsell." Indorsed.